XCOM: Enemy Unknown / Characters
XCOM: Enemy Unknown characters and roles
Identify the important characters, recruitable allies and roles in XCOM: Enemy Unknown.
Edition covered
The 2012 Enemy Unknown campaign. Enemy Within adds Meld, MEC troops, gene modifications and other systems outside these guides. Publisher screenshots are from Enemy Unknown; Long War and XCOM 2 use different rules.
5 characters · one picture per entry · open a picture for full size.
Characters
Quick notes
- Use the staff to navigate headquarters. Bradford, Vahlen and Shen represent different departments.
- Connect research with the equipment budget. Completing a technology does not automatically equip the squad.
- Listen to mission instructions. Council missions may involve escorts, bombs or another objective.
- Remember that soldiers persist between missions. Troops gain promotions and can be wounded or killed.
Connect research with the equipment budget
| Question | Department | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| What can be researched? | Research Lab | Choose a project |
| Can equipment be built? | Engineering | Check requirements and costs |
| Who can deploy? | Barracks | Review wounds and promotions |
| Where are UFOs detected? | Mission Control | Scan and respond |
| Which countries need help? | Situation Room | Inspect panic and coverage |
Useful tip
Troops gain promotions and can be wounded or killed. Train reserves so several simultaneous injuries do not force an entirely inexperienced squad into the next fight.
References
| Reference | Website |
|---|---|
| XCOM: Enemy Unknown publisher listing | store.steampowered.com |
| Enemy Unknown manual | store.steampowered.com |