Mastering the Early Game: What to Build First in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen

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The early game in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen can be brutal. Your squad is inexperienced, resources are scarce, and the alien threat is ever-present. A strategic start is crucial for long-term success, and that begins with your base construction. So, what should you build first? The answer is straightforward: the Guerrilla Training School (GTS) should be your absolute priority after the initial mission.

Why the GTS is King in the Early Game

The GTS offers an immediate and significant advantage – Squad Size I. This upgrade, purchasable for just $100, allows you to deploy a fifth soldier on missions. This increase in firepower and flexibility early on can be game-changing, significantly reducing the difficulty of those initial, often perilous, encounters. The GTS also offers training of your soldiers. It is used to get your soldiers better ranks faster. The impact of having another soldier can be the difference between a successful mission and a squad wipe. Having an additional soldier not only increases your potential damage output but also provides additional tactical flexibility. It allows you to flank enemies more easily, spread out damage, and increase survivability. Don’t underestimate how important this can be. It also has the training function, and this alone makes this building essential.

While other facilities offer tempting benefits, none are as immediately impactful as the GTS in the very first stages of the campaign. It lets you bring another squad member on missions. It can train rookies to be more experienced. This additional soldier will greatly increase your odds of success on missions and will allow for your team to be much more flexible.

Beyond the GTS: The Next Steps

Once you have your GTS up and running, you’ll want to immediately start thinking about the next couple buildings. Building the Advanced Warfare Center (AWC) is the next best thing you should do. The AWC is invaluable for several reasons. It allows for soldiers to survive fatal hits, and this building will reduce their recovery time from injuries. Both of these effects will keep your team fresh and ready for the missions ahead. It’s important not to put it too far down your list of buildings.

After the GTS and the AWC, you will want to build the Power Relay. In XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, your base has limited power and space to place buildings. Building the Power Relay allows you to increase the amount of power your base has to support the other buildings. This is an essential building because you will require power to keep building the facilities that you require.

Finally you can look at the Resistance Comms facility. This is an important building to allow you to reach out and establish new contacts around the globe. The more contacts you have, the more resources and missions become available to you.

Research Priorities After the Initial Mission

While your base construction is crucial, your research path is also important. Immediately after the first mission, you should focus on Modular Weapons research. This will enable you to upgrade your basic weaponry to Magnetic Weapons, which will drastically increase your teams damage output. This will help you deal with the tougher enemies that you will face very early in the game. Also consider getting the armor research started. This will allow your team to not only take more damage but will also allow them to carry more items on missions.

Prioritize Scientists and Engineers as your staff choices. They will greatly accelerate your research and construction time. Intel is another very important resource that you will want to focus on. Intel is used to purchase items from the Black Market and to reveal Dark Events.

Key Takeaways

To succeed in the early stages of XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, prioritize the GTS as your first building. Follow this by the AWC, Power Relay and Resistance Comms. Focus on research paths that will quickly upgrade your team’s weapons and armor. Do this while keeping an eye on Scientists, Engineers, and Intel to optimize your overall growth and progression.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is War of the Chosen harder than the base XCOM 2?

   Yes, War of the Chosen (WotC) generally presents a greater challenge than the vanilla version of XCOM 2, especially in the early game. The introduction of the Chosen and additional enemy types can be very difficult for new players.

2. Should I play War of the Chosen or the base game first?

   It’s generally recommended to play the base version of XCOM 2 before diving into War of the Chosen. Understanding the core mechanics of the base game will make the added complexities of WotC much easier to manage.

3. What is the most powerful class in XCOM 2?

   The Reaper is widely considered one of the most powerful classes in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen, known for its excellent scouting capabilities and damage output. Other powerful classes include the Grenadier and the Ranger.

4. How many soldiers should I aim to have in War of the Chosen?

   Having a deep roster of soldiers is important. A good target to aim for would be about 24 to allow for losses and injuries. This is very important on the higher difficulties.

5. What is the purpose of the Advanced Warfare Center?

   The Advanced Warfare Center (AWC) provides crucial support for your soldiers, granting them a chance to survive fatal hits and reduce recovery time from injuries. This allows your team to remain in the field much more.

6. What research should I prioritize early in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen?

   Focus on Modular Weapons research to unlock Magnetic Weapons, and then follow up with armor upgrades to boost your team’s survivability.

7. What is the benefit of the Guerrilla Training School?

   The Guerrilla Training School (GTS) provides critical upgrades, most importantly, Squad Size I, which allows you to bring a fifth soldier on missions. It also allows for training to make your soldiers gain ranks quicker.

8. Is it okay to lose soldiers in XCOM 2?

   Yes, losing soldiers is a part of the XCOM experience, especially on higher difficulties. It’s important to learn from losses and adapt your tactics. It’s all part of the fun!

9. What are the Chosen in War of the Chosen?

   The Chosen are powerful elite enemies with unique abilities, and their constant presence in the missions can greatly increase the difficulty of the game.

10. How do you stop the Avatar Project in War of the Chosen?

    Destroy alien facilities on the map to eliminate the progress that the aliens gain from those facilities. These alien facilities are a key part of the Avatar project and destroying them will reduce the aliens progress on it.

11. What is the max squad size in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen?

    The maximum squad size, without mods and excluding special missions, is six. However, some special missions might allow you to bring up to 8 to 10 soldiers.

12. Can you lose the Chosen’s weapons in XCOM 2?

    Yes, you will permanently lose the Chosen’s unique weapons if the soldier using them dies and is not evacuated from the mission. This makes it especially important to keep your soldiers safe.

13. What is the benefit of having scientists and engineers?

    Scientists accelerate research times and engineers speed up construction, allowing your base to develop at a much more rapid pace.

14. Is the Darkclaw the best weapon in the War of the Chosen?

    The Darkclaw, a unique pistol for the Sharpshooter class, is widely considered one of the most powerful weapons in War of the Chosen, due to its high damage and ability to ignore armor.

15. What is the importance of Intel in XCOM 2: War of the Chosen?

    Intel is vital for purchasing items from the Black Market and revealing Dark Events. These will be especially helpful to the success of your game.