Part 7

Learn how to manage panic in XCOM: Enemy Within, including causes like alien missions and terror missions, and reduction methods like satellites.

Panic increases when alien missions are successful in a nation. On easy or normal difficulties, a successful alien mission increases panic by one bar in the affected nation. On classic or impossible difficulties, panic also increases in other nations on the same continent: one bar for the continent on classic, and two bars on impossible. This means the target nation can gain two bars of panic on classic or four bars on impossible if ignored. Up to three continents can be targeted simultaneously, and you can only complete one mission before others are considered ignored. Losing satellites to UFO incursions causes two bars of panic. Letting a landed UFO leave causes two bars of panic, and a UFO fly-by causes one bar. Ignoring or failing a terror mission results in immediate withdrawal of the target nation.

Panic can be reduced by using satellites. Deploying a satellite over a country immediately lowers panic by two bars, and the longer it stays, the lower panic drops. To launch a satellite, go to the situation room, click 'launch satellite,' select the nation, and click 'launch satellite' again. You will be warned if the satellite is defenseless without an interceptor stationed there, so order one from the hanger menu. Satellites can be shot down during a UFO fly-by, but interceptors with avalanche launchers can handle most UFOs. Building satellites requires uplinks, which in turn require engineers. Engineers can be obtained by waiting until the end of the month (nations with satellite coverage provide engineers), building workshops (which provide 5 engineers), or completing abduction missions.

When an abduction mission occurs, you choose one of three nations to aid, while the other two gain panic. Each nation offers a bribe: a soldier of a specific class ranked major, or $200. Unless a nation is about to reach maximum panic and you lack available satellites, choose based on the reward. If a nation offers 5 engineers, prioritize it, as more engineers reduce costs and allow for more satellite uplinks, leading to greater satellite coverage, more engineers, and further expansion.

Shooting down UFOs and intercepting landed UFOs also reduce panic.

The situation room will also alert you to council missions, which include:

• Bomb defusal: Trigger nodes on the map to increase time to find and disarm the main bomb. The mission ends when all aliens are dead and the bomb is defused.
• Target extraction: Approach an unarmed NPC (non-player character — anyone the game controls, not you), gain control, and fight off aliens that appear. Escort the NPC to the skyranger landing site.
• Target Escort: Similar to Target Extraction, but the NPC is already under your control with enemies present. More enemies will appear as the NPC nears the extraction zone.
• Asset Recovery: Eliminate all aliens on the map. Certain items are marked as important; destroying them will fail the mission. Aliens do not attempt to destroy or steal these assets.

Special scripted missions are discussed in Section 4.