Missions (LW2)

Generating Missions

Missions spawn automatically as the days pass, and expire after a given window of time. The mission is not visible at this time; the local haven must collect enough intel to reveal the mission. Assigning more resistance members to the "intel" job can make missions considerably easier by discovering missions earlier and allowing more time to infiltrate. A mission's expiration timer starts when it is created, not when it is discovered; most infiltration missions have a base duration of 18 days, which is randomized by a few days each time a mission is created.

Havens each generate "intel points" from having personnel assigned to intel gathering. These points are applied to undiscovered missions in the region at certain update intervals, currently 4 times a day (every 6 hours). Each mission keeps a pool of collected intel points. The difficulty of discovering a certain type of mission is controlled by two numbers: "required intel" and "percent chance per day". A mission cannot be detected until you generate intel equal to the "required intel" value. Once the minimum is reached there is a random chance to discover the mission at every update. The probability is based on the mission's "percent chance" stat, multiplied by the number of intel points collected past the required minimum.

In the table below, a basic level-0 resistance member is defined as one "intel point" per day. A level-1 resistance member is worth 1.5 points, a level-2 is worth 2, and the Avenger scanning is worth 4. Faceless are worth negative 0.5 points. A scientist assigned as haven liaison adds an extra 20% bonus to the entire haven.

Category	Research	Data	VIP	Prisoners	Liberation 1
Mission Types	Hacking	Hacking, Destroy	Rescue/Extract	Jailbreak	Hacking
Required intel (points)	24	1	12	8	22
Discovery Chance (per point)	0.85%	1.75%	0.9%	1.4%	2%

Example: A haven with six level-0 resistance members and one level-1 assigned to intel, plus a scientist liaison, generates 9 "points" per day. The first mission in the liberation chain spawns. The haven can't detect this mission until it generates 22 points, which takes just under 2.5 days.

One day after that, the haven has an 18% chance to detect the mission: it has 9 intel points in the pool (subtracting out the 22 needed for the required intel) times 2% per point. One day later, the haven has 18 points and has a 36% chance.

Types of Missions

Guerrilla Operations

These missions will generate regularly regardless of ADVENT activity in a region. XCOM will infiltrate some city and complete some useful objective, typically acquiring personnel and intel.

• Jailbreak – XCOM must infiltrate an ADVENT jail and rescue 2-4 Resistance members. Success increases the strength of the Resistance in that region. Concealed.

• Rescue VIP - XCOM must lead a VIP (a soldier, scientist, or engineer) to the extraction point. No concealment.

• Hack a Workstation - XCOM must hack a particular workstation. Awards intel upon completion. Concealed.

Retaliation Missions

Retaliation missions trigger with increasing frequency and severity as XCOM takes action in a particular region and draws attention towards it. Retaliation missions have no infiltration timer. The Haven Advisor of a region, if a soldier, will typically be present at these missions, alongside various resistance personnel outfitted with the basic weapons and equipment that rookie XCOM personnel deploy with.

• Rendezvous: When XCOM rescues or recruits resistance members, there is a chance that they may be Faceless; when a Faceless disguised as a member of the Resistance is detected as it goes to meet with its ADVENT handlers, Resistance personnel from the local haven will deploy to the scene and hunt it down. You will not be able to arm or equip a squad to this mission. XCOM must detect Faceless by stationing a solider as the Haven advisor. Concealed.

• Supply Raid: XCOM must deploy a squad to defend a supply convoy and its Resistance personnel from ADVENT attacks. No concealment.

• Intel Raid: ADVENT attacks a Resistance listening post and XCOM must deploy a squad to defend its equipment and Resistance personnel. No concealment.

• Recruitment Raid: ADVENT forces attack Resistance recruiters within a region. XCOM must deploy a squad and extract those Resistance members. No concealment.

• Full Retaliation: XCOM must defend the Haven and it's Resistance members against an onslaught of ADVENT forces until the Skyranger can get into position for extraction. No concealment.

1. Many advent in the AO trying to kill members of your resistance haven. You must rush to kill them to save resistance members. This mission can yield corpses.
2. Advent drops unlimited reinforcements and you must rally all resistance members and soldiers to the EVAC zone to save them. This mission will not yield corpses.

• Region Invasion: ADVENT attempts to retake a liberated region by assaulting a city center. XCOM must destroy a psionic relay that summons continuous reinforcements, then eliminate any remaining forces. No concealment.

Liberation Missions

As part of its attempts to liberate a region from ADVENT control, XCOM will conduct a set sequence of five operations. The early missions are difficult to detect and the later missions receive an substantial bonus to activity level, over and above the strength value of the region.

• Liberation 1: Hacking Guerrilla Op. The mission objectives won't actually have the word "liberation" in the title. But you can tell Liberation 1 from the rewards. It will just be a certain amount of Intel (with no listed Intel package). Concealed.
• Liberation 2: Rescue Defector. XCOM must rescue a VIP from a car and move to the extraction point. Concealed.
• Liberation 3: There are at least 2 possible mission types. One is a Dark VIP mission (which seems to be more common) and also a Destroy the Relay mission. Either mission type you get will have "Liberation" as part of the objective. Now do take note, Lib3 will also have an Advent strength bonus (above the regional base) meaning the baseline activity will be a decent amount higher as well as the tech you'll be facing. So go in nice and prepared for this one.
• Liberation 4 - Regional Network Tower Liberation: XCOM must deploy to and liberate an advent network tower. This will not expire once unlocked, and is quite difficult. Concealed.
• Liberation 5 - ADVENT Facility Assault: XCOM must deploy to and overtake a well-defended ADVENT facility. This will not expire once unlocked, and is quite difficult. Concealed.

Note that failing or skipping a liberation mission does not reset the path. You'll just have to detect it again (unless it's the tower or base, which are persistent once you unlock them).

Collecting Enemy Corpses

Long War 2 uses the correct term for military equipment and supplies: materiel.

Most missions in Long War 2 require you to evacuate and you do not keep the bodies of fallen Advent or Aliens. As corpses are much more valuable in Long War 2 players should make special consideration for missions which do allow them to keep the corpses of fallen foes. Missions that let you keep corpses will list the reward of "enemy materiel".

The following mission types allow collection of enemy materiel:

• Ambush troop column
• Supply raid
• Intel raid
• Haven Defense
• Invasion
• Rendezvous

Strategy

As Vahlen has taught us, explosives destroy all recoverable materiel when delivering the killing blow as both a possible loot drop and the corpse will be destroyed. Flamethrowers also destroy corpses if the initial hit kills the target, though burning damage will leave a collectible corpse and drop timed loot if carried. Consider using the Needle Grenades perk for grenadiers if you are in need of explosives use.

It may be beneficial to sabotage your infiltration percentage to increase the enemy presence if you feel you will be victorious. You are allowed to start any infiltration mission early from the geoscape. Note that enemy readiness will also be boosted if you do this which will increase their detection range, evac delay, and reinforcements strength.