The biggest change in Long War is how you manage the Avenger and your Resistance Havens. You are no longer just responding to pop-up missions; you are actively scouting for them. Haven Management and Jobs
You can no longer instantly drop into a mission. Sending a squad requires time to infiltrate the area undetected.
The fundamental rule is to run as much Intel as possible in your active, non-liberated regions. You should consider (putting all but two rebels on Hide) when the region strength (STR) reaches 5 or 6 (enemy presence there becomes too high), as missions become incredibly difficult and retaliation risk soars.
Long War 2 is a monumental challenge, but it is also the most rewarding way to play XCOM 2. It transforms the game from a fast-paced tactical shooter into a deep, strategic war of attrition where every mission, every soldier, and every decision has real, long-term consequences.
A mission with 8 hours to infiltrate is a trap. Send a single Shinobi to scout and abort, or ignore it. Never suicide squads for bad timers. xcom 2 long war guide
Unlike vanilla, you don't launch missions immediately. You must "Infiltrate" by sending a squad and waiting on the Geoscape.
: A 100% infiltration level is your baseline, typically resulting in an "Extremely Light" (6–9 enemies) presence. Launching earlier (e.g., at 50% or 0%) will face significantly more enemies, often overwhelming your squad.
Advent gets Muton Centurions and Shieldbearers.
The secret is not perfect tactics. The secret is . Build depth in your roster. Never risk a mission for a "maybe" reward. Treat every wound as a lesson. And above all, remember: the Avatar Project is a timer, but so is your soldiers' sanity. Rotate them, respect the Fatigue, and always— always —bring a Flashbang. The biggest change in Long War is how
You cannot "game over" the Avatar Project instantly like in vanilla. It is a swinging pendulum. It will go up; you must learn to manage it, reduce it via raids and special ops, and buy yourself time.
A massive, untimed assault against a fortress holding 30 to 40+ enemies. Bring your strongest, most heavily armed A-team. Winning this completes the liberation. Class Builds and Squad Composition
The utility backbone. Equipped with medical protocols for healing and hacking skills to shut down robotic threats or hijack enemy towers.
The scout. Keep them in concealment to map out enemy pods. Do not break concealment unless absolutely necessary to secure a kill. Sending a squad requires time to infiltrate the
This is the actual number of ADVENT legions stationed in a region. Higher strength means tougher enemies and more reinforcements on missions.
The counter-intuitive trick:
The tactical layer in Long War 2 is more punishing and demanding than ever before. Here's how to fight smart.