XCOM 2
XCOM 2

Engineering & Facilities

Manage the Avenger's Engineering Bay in XCOM 2. Focus on priorities for constructing facilities, researching upgrades, and manufacturing gear.

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Engineering & Facilities

The Avenger's Engineering Bay is the heart of your resistance efforts, allowing you to construct vital facilities, research upgrades, and manufacture essential gear. Efficient management here is crucial for keeping pace with ADVENT and ultimately liberating Earth.

Facility Construction Priorities

Your initial facility build order will significantly impact your early game. Here's a recommended progression:

  • Guerrilla Tactics School (GTS): This should be your absolute first build. It unlocks crucial squad upgrades like "Squad Size I" (allowing a 5-soldier squad) and "Wet Work" (bonus XP for kills). Building it early ensures your soldiers gain ranks faster and your squad is more effective in combat.
  • Advanced Warfare Center (AWC): After the GTS, the AWC is a strong contender. It allows soldiers to recover from wounds faster and, more importantly, provides a chance for soldiers to gain an additional random perk from another class upon ranking up. This can create incredibly powerful hybrid soldiers.
  • Power Relay: You'll quickly run into power constraints. A Power Relay is essential to fuel your growing base. Consider building it in a "powered" slot (indicated by a yellow icon) if available, as this provides an additional 2 power.
  • Workshop: Once you have a few core facilities, a Workshop becomes invaluable. It provides two Gremlins that can assist adjacent facilities, effectively doubling their output or reducing construction/excavation times. Place it strategically to maximize its benefit.
  • Proving Grounds: This facility is where you develop experimental equipment, from advanced grenades to powerful armor and weapon upgrades. Prioritize this once you have a steady supply of resources and engineers.
  • Resistance Comms: To expand your influence and contact more regions, you'll need Resistance Comms. Build these as needed to maintain contact with the global resistance.
  • Defense Matrix: While not immediately critical, a Defense Matrix significantly improves your Avenger's defenses against UFO attacks, especially in the mid to late game.

Excavation Strategy

Excavating debris and alien wreckage is necessary to open up new facility slots. Here’s how to approach it:

  • Prioritize Powered Cores: Always aim to excavate slots that contain a "powered" core first. These provide bonus power when a Power Relay or Fusion Coil is built on them.
  • Engineer Assignment: Assign engineers to excavation projects to speed them up. A single engineer can drastically reduce excavation time.
  • Workshop Synergy: If you have a Workshop, place it adjacent to excavation projects (or facilities that need engineers) to utilize its Gremlins for faster completion.

Engineer Management

Engineers are your most valuable resource in the Engineering Bay. They are crucial for:

  • Facility Construction: Assigning engineers to facilities under construction significantly reduces their build time.
  • Facility Operation: Many facilities, such as the Proving Grounds, Resistance Comms, and Power Relays, require engineers to operate at full efficiency or to unlock certain functions.
  • Excavation: As mentioned, engineers speed up excavation.
  • Manufacturing: Engineers are essential for manufacturing items in the Engineering Bay, reducing the time it takes to produce armor, weapons, and utility items.

Always keep an eye on your engineer count and prioritize their assignments based on your immediate needs. Early game, focus them on GTS, AWC, and Power Relay construction. Later, shift them to Proving Grounds, manufacturing, and Resistance Comms as needed.

Key Manufacturing Items & Upgrades

The Engineering Bay is where you'll manufacture crucial gear. Here are some high-priority items:

  • Plated Armor / Predator Armor: Upgrade your soldiers' survivability as soon as research allows. Plated Armor is a significant early-game boost.
  • Magnetic Weapons / Beam Weapons: Once researched, immediately manufacture these weapon upgrades for your entire squad. The damage increase is immense.
  • Utility Items:
    • Flashbang Grenades: Invaluable for disabling organic enemies and reducing their aim.
    • Medikits: Essential for healing wounded soldiers in the field.
    • Battle Scanners: Reveal hidden enemies and detect Mimic Beacons.
    • Mimic Beacons: One of the most powerful utility items, drawing enemy fire away from your squad. Prioritize manufacturing these once available from the Proving Grounds.
  • Proving Grounds Projects:
    • Experimental Grenades: Can yield powerful upgrades like Incendiary or Acid Grenades.
    • Experimental Armor: Provides access to advanced suits like the EXO Suit or WAR Suit, offering heavy weapons and increased mobility.
    • Experimental Weapons: Can produce unique weapons like the Plasma Blaster or Shredder Gun.

Remember to consistently check your Engineering Bay for new manufacturing options as research progresses and new resources become available.