XCOM Chimera Squad: Achievements XCOM Chimera Squad guide, walkthrough
Last update: 06 May 2020
This page contains a trophy guide for XCOM Chimera Squad. We've listed all 40 achievements that can be unlocked. You will find out what are the requirements for individual achievements and how to get all achievements easily.
- Basic information about the XCOM Chimera Squad achievements
- A New Look
- All Hands on Deck
- ...and Clear ...and Clear
- Anger Management
- Army of One
- Book Smart
- Bottled Lightning
- Brawler
- Caged Sword
- Chain Reaction
- Child's Play
- Chimera Unleashed
- City on Fire
- Daisy Chain
- Ducks in a Row
- Every Timeline
- Extra Hours
- Field Commander
- Friendly Neighborhood XCOM
- Hammer and Tongs
- Heroes of City 31
- I'll Let Myself In
- Impossible dream
- Impregnable
- Kill Switch
- Machine Learning
- Makes the Dream Work
- Mind Nuke
- Need a Lift
- No Stone Left Unturned
- Overqualified
- Pacifist Route
- Phoenix Down
- Reinforced steel
- Sacred Foiled
- Superior Firepower
- Thank You for Your Business
- Up Close and Personal
- Use the Large Cuffs
- Watch Your Step
Basic information about the XCOM Chimera Squad achievements
- You can't get all the achievements during a single playthrough. You need to beat the campaign a few times. Pay attention to the requirements for Every Timeline achievement as well as those that are about using the abilities of specific heroes. You can't recruit all agents during a single campaign. Remember to recruit different agents in your consecutive playthroughs.
- There is only one difficulty related achievement - it is called Impossible Dream. If you want to unlock the majority of the achievements fast, play on the easiest difficulty. Leave the Impossible difficulty level for later.
- None of the achievements require you to beat the game in the Ironman nor Hardcore mode. You can create multiple save files - save the game as often as possible, e.g. to repeat a failed attack or react properly when something unexpected happens on the battlefield.
- Don't forget to take different agents on the next missions. This will help them level up and get access to new skills. If some of the Chimera Squad members spend too much time in the base, you may i.e. have problems with fulfilling the requirements for Overqualified achievement.
A New Look
How to unlock: Launch a mission with no human agents in the squad.
Notes: To unlock this achievement, you need to start a mission with a group of four heroes who are either aliens or hybrids. In this case, the team consists of Axiom (Muton), Verge (Sectoid), Cherub (Hybrid) i Torque (Viper).
You can unlock this achievement way earlier - each time the game allows you to add a new hero to Chimera Squad, choose a hero that is either an alien or a hybrid.
All Hands on Deck
How to unlock: have 8 Agents in the squad during a single campaign.
Notes: this achievement should be easily unlocked during the course of the campaign. Every now and then you get the chance to recruit a new agent by selecting 1 character out of 3 available. The hero required to complete an eight-man team should appear when investigating the second of the three available factions.
For more information about the agents, visit the Chimera Squad section of the guide.
...and Clear ...and Clear
How to unlock: Defeat all opponents during a Breach turn.
Notes: There is no safe way of unlocking this achievement. Unlocking this achievement requires luck, but obviously a lot depends on making good decisions in the Breach phase.
Look for Breach Points, which offer bonuses that make eliminating opponents easier. Bonuses such as a 100% critical hit chance may increase the chances of defeating your targeted opponent during Breach phase. Moreover, attempts to gain the trophy should be performed in small locations, where you can locate and reach all opponents even during the Breach Phase.
Anger Management
How to unlock: Kill an enemy with Axiom while Berserk.
Notes: This is not a difficult achievement. You need to add Axiom, the only representative of Muton race, to Chimera Squad.
Axiom's unique ability enables him to amass Rage. This is done in two main ways:
- By activating Psych Up abilities. You can activate such skills each time you receive control over Axiom - it doesn't spend action points, so you can perform a different action after activating them.
- Rage is accumulated each time the Axiom receives damage from enemy attacks.
After Axiom manages to get enough fury, he'll enter berserk mode, called Muton Rage Berserk. During this effect, Axiom will attack a random character from the ones located nearby, and to gain this trophy, the target must die.
If you use Axiom constantly, he'll be able to become berserk during every battle, so gaining this trophy shouldn't be hard.
Army of One
How to unlock: Complete a mission with only one Agent left standing.
Notes: This achievement is best unlocked in the early stages of the game i.e. when facing less numerous and weaker opponents. Moreover, save the game at the beginning of the mission so in case you complete it with poor result, you can repeat it properly.
Continue fighting until there is only one opponent left on the battlefield. From this point on, stop using offensive abilities with your heroes when it is their turn. Let your opponent knock them down but remember to stabilize their life processes. Repeat this until only 1 opponent and 1 agent remain on the battlefield. Use the agent to eliminate a single opponent and complete the mission.
Book Smart
How to unlock: Complete all of one Agent's class training.
Notes: This achievement can be unlocked by completing all possible training courses for one chosen character from the Chimera Squad.
Look for all possible opportunities to send an agent for further training - they are found in the Training tab of the headquarters. Subsequent training will be unlocked as the character develops. The last training for a character should involve acquiring a new skill.
Bottled Lightning
How to unlock: Capture a Sorcerer.
Notes: The Sorcerers are hooded and powerful adversaries who start to appear when fighting Progeny - one of the hostile factions.
The Sorcerer can be captured in the same way as all other opponents. In our opinion, the best method is to use Tranq Rounds, which, when the opponent is deprived of all health points, results in him or her losing consciousness. You can find more tips and suggestions on a separate page of the guide Stunning opponents - how to do it?.
Brawler
How to unlock: Use Zephyr to hit 3 or more enemies with one use of Crowd Control.
Comment: You can try to get this achievement after you have promoted Zephyr to Special Agent, because that's when crowd control will be unlocked. Wait until at least three enemies are in the close range of Zephyr (or you can approach them on your own). After that you can activate this ability.
Caged Sword
How to unlock: Capture a Ronin.
Comment: Ronin is a unique enemy type that has powerful melee attacks. They should appear first during your investigation on the Sacred Coil faction.
You can capture a Ronin in the same way as the other enemies. In our opinion, the best way to do that is to use Tranq Rounds - enemies lose consciousness when their health points drop down to zero. More tips on Stunning enemies - how to do it? page.
Chain Reaction
How to unlock: Use Claymore to detonate a Shrapnel Bomb with another explosive.
Comment: The shrapnel bomb is available right away when you play as Claymore. Achievement can be earned in several ways and you always have to start by planting the first bomb (for the record it is being detonated after some time). You can drop another bomb in the same place or use a frag grenade or plasma grenade to detonate the bomb prematurely.
Child's Play
How to unlock: Complete The Progeny Investigation.
Notes: Progeny is one of the three main enemy factions which are dealt with during the course of the campaign. You have to start investigating this faction and complete all story missions associated with it. The final task involves defeating the Progeny and taking care of its leader - Violet.
For more information, see chapter Hostile Factions.
Chimera Unleashed
How to unlock: Use every Agent in at least one mission.
Commentary: You can't get this achievement during a single playthrough - you won't be able to recruit all the agents. Replay the campaign and choose those characters you have ignored in the previous playthrough. Send each of them on at least one mission. Try to compose your team in such a way that it would consist of both high-level agents and rookies.
City on Fire
How to unlock: Complete the tutorial.
Notes: This is one of the first achievements you gain during the course of the game. The tutorial is the first mission of the campaign, which consists of three encounters. During the course of the mission, the game will constantly display tutorials and teach you new mechanics.
Daisy Chain
How to unlock: Relocate the same unit with Shelter and his ghost in one turn.
Comment: You can try to get this achievement after you advance Shelter to the highest rank - Principal Agent. Only then the Fracture ability is being unlocked, which allows Shelter to create a clone of himself. Once a clone appears on the map, use the Relocate skill to move the character twice, that is, once playing as Shelter and once playing as a clone. Make sure that both actions were activated in the same round.
Ducks in a Row
How to unlock: Use Blueblood to hit 3 or more enemies with one Phase Lance shot.
Notes: A Phase Lance is a skill obtained by Blueblood which he receives after being promoted to the rank of Special Agent. This ability involves firing a powerful projectile that flies in a straight line and ignores all the curtain buffs along the way.
Take Blueblood with you on a mission. Look for opportunities where there are at least three opponents lined up in a straight line. Align the agent and start planning the shot. At least 3 enemies must be marked in red - this is means that they are in range of the attack and will be hit. The achievement requires that they only be hit - they don't have to die from the attack.
Every Timeline
How to unlock: Complete all versions of each Faction's Takedown mission over multiple campaigns.
Notes: Takedown mission is a final mission for each of the game's three main factions, enabling you to take care of it. Unfortunately, there are only 3 such missions in the game. This means you can't complete all variants of the mission during a single playthrough.
The course of investigations involved in dismantling the faction are affected by the decisions about choosing the next operation, similar to the ones seen in the screenshot above. Try to remember or write down your decisions and behave differently during the next playthroughs of the game.
For more information, visit the page Hostile Factions.
Extra Hours
How to unlock: As Godmother, activate Overtime and down an enemy on both turns.
Comment: Overtime is the last ability of Godmother and you have to advance her to the rank of Principal Agent. After this skill gets activated, wait until two weaker or seriously injured enemies get near the Godmother. In the first round, attack and kill/stun opponent 1. In the second round, strike opponent 2.
Field Commander
How to unlock: unlock all Field Team Abilities.
Notes: The buttons required to activate Field Team Abilities are visible at the bottom of the city map screen, but at the beginning, 3 out of 4 are not available. Here are the requirements to unlock them all:
- Vigilance - available from the beginning.
- Quarantine - you have to recruit at least 5 Field Teams.
- Dragnet - promote at least 1 Field Team to rank 3.
- Major Crimes Task Force - you have to have field teams in all 9 districts of the city.
For more information, see Field Teams chapter.
Friendly Neighborhood XCOM
How to unlock: have Rank 3 Field Teams in all nine districts.
Notes: This achievement should be unlocked in later stages of the campaign, however assuming you won't ignore recruiting field teams. To unlock this achievement, you need to have a rank 3 Field Team in each of the nine districts of City 31 - view the screenshot above to see such state.
You will need large amounts of Intel (Intel - one of the resources in the game) to recruit and promote field teams. Moreover, Improved Field Teams and Expert Field Teams technologies should be developed to enable teams to be promoted to rank 2 and rank 3 respectively. This topic is further described in the chapter dedicated to Field Teams.
Hammer and Tongs
How to unlock: Complete 20 Assembly Projects in a single campaign.
Notes: the Assembly is one of the locations available during your stay at the headquarters. Projects are, in other words, inventions that can be developed through research. Each project takes a certain amount of time and it may also require spending elerium (one of the resources) to finance it. Here is the easiest way of gaining this achievement:
- Choose projects that can be completed as quickly as possible, i.e. in 2-4 days.
- If possible, try to send one of the "free" agents to research. The presence of an agent will reduce the research duration by as much as 50 percent.
Heroes of City 31
How to unlock: win the campaign.
Notes: you can complete the campaign at any difficulty level, including the lowest. The game also allows the difficulty level to be changed during the course of the campaign. You can reduce the difficulty level if, for example, you cannot complete a given mission. See Difficulty Levels page for more information.
More information on the Campaign page.
I'll Let Myself In
How to unlock: Use every type of Breach Point.
Notes: This achievement involves the first part of the attack i.e. choosing entrances through which the area will be attacked. Depending on the location, between one and four entrances may be available. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
- Whenever possible, always send at least 1 agent to each entry, even if it gives you a "penalty" (e.g. a negative Marked status).
- Purchase Auto Key Card and Breaking Charge gadgets that will allow you to select unique entry points.
- Take Torque with you on missions and make sure that she at least once use a ventilation shaft entrance.
Impossible dream
How to unlock: Win the campaign on Impossible difficulty.
Notes: This is the hardest achievement of the game. You must choose the highest difficulty level (Impossible) and you cannot lower it during the game. For more information on the available difficulty settings, see the Difficulty Levels section of the guide.
Try to finish the game several times in order to get a better understanding of the gameplay mechanics and the abilities of individual characters. It's worth noting that you don't have to choose Ironman or Hardcore modifiers, so you can save your progress without any restrictions. Consider going back to an earlier save if, for example, one of your agents gets a major injury or misses his shot at an important point in the game.
Impregnable
How to unlock: Have Kinetic Armor on all 4 squad members at once.
Notes: This achievement is linked to Kinetic Shield, an ability available to Cherub (one of your agents) from the beginning.
This ability creates an energy shield that can protect Cherub or one of his allies. In order to unlock the achievement, you must use this ability in a total of four consecutive rounds - in each round, apply a kinetic shield to another member of the Chimera Squad.
It is recommended to try to get this achievement in the early stages of the campaign, as kinetic shield can be destroyed through strong enemy attacks. Try to place each hero that received the shield away from opponents, preferably behind a full cover.
Kill Switch
How to unlock: Hack an enemy Android with Patchwork and trigger Self-Destruct.
Notes: One of Patchwork's unique abilities enables her to hack machines. Deploy her on missions that involve stopping the Sacred Coil faction, as this is where you'll encounter androids.
Choose Reprogram and use it on any enemy android found in Patchwork's field of vision.
Take control of the hacked Android. The last skill on Android's action bar will be to self-destruct. Choose it.
Machine Learning
How to unlock: Fully upgrade an Android.
Notes: The requirements to unlock this trophy are shown in the screenshot above - after choosing an android in Armory, you need to choose the Upgrades tab and fill all four slots. These are Vision, Processor, Chassis and Motor.
New Android upgrades can be obtained primarily through research projects such as Enhanced Android Processing. Each upgrade must also be purchased in the Supply menu. When buying upgrades, read their descriptions-you will find information which slot they fit. Don't waste money buying two upgrades for the same slot, as a single android will only be able to be equipped with one of them.
You can learn more about machines from the Androids chapter.
Makes the Dream Work
How to unlock: Complete an objective with action from Terminal's Cooperation.
Notes: Cooperation is a skill of Terminal which she receives after a promotion to Special Agent. This skill allows another member of the team to perform a bonus action.
Add Terminal to the team before the next mission. Cooperation is best used at the end of the assignment. Choose another member of the team and after gaining control of him or her complete one of the current objectives - depending on the task, this may involve taking an item from a chest or eliminating all opponents.
Mind Nuke
How to unlock: Use Verge to do 10 or more damage with one Mindflay.
Notes: Mindflay is the name of a skill that Verge receives when promoted to the rank of Special Agent.
In order to have a better chance of unlocking the achievement, choose a mission in which you fight many weaker opponents. Start using Verge's other psionic abilities on opponents (e.g. Stupor, Battle Madness) to "hook them up" to the hero's neural network.
Once you've formed a larger network, activate Mindflay to inflict damage on all wounded enemies. Prepare a saved game in case the damage dealt is less than 10 points. In that case, add another enemy to the neural network and try again.
Need a Lift
How to unlock: Move a VIP with Shelter's Relocate and Torque's Tongue Pull.
Notes: First of all, make sure you recruit both of these agents during a single campaign.
Each of these abilities allows the target to change his location without causing damage. In both cases, wait for the Shelter and Torque to join the mission with the goal of protecting the VIP. Use each skill on at least one VIP (these can be different characters, of course) to move him to another location.
No Stone Left Unturned
How to unlock: Complete every Spec Op at least once in a single campaign.
Notes: Spec Ops can be found in one of the tabs at the city map screen. Their initial list receives updates as time progresses. Further Ops will appear in the course of the game, e.g. when promoting Field Teams to further ranks. The picture above shows the list of all available spec ops - there are 8 of them in total.
Every special operation requires a few days to complete, and you have to deploy one of your agents. Some operations may also require an agent to be at a certain level of experience. It's best to keep track of all newly added operations, so you don't miss any. Later in the game, you can also unlock the option of assigning 2 agents to 2 different operations. This can significantly improve the process of completing them.
Overqualified
How to unlock: Reach max rank with all Agents in a single campaign.
Notes: Principal Agent is the highest rank for agents and you will recognize it after unlocking the last skill on the development tree.
The requirements of this achievement can be met by sending different team members on subsequent missions. After a given agent is promoted to the highest level, avoid selecting him for further tasks (except the most difficult ones, where he may be very useful). This will allow weaker heroes to gain experience points required for further promotions.
Pacifist Route
How to unlock: Complete a mission without killing a single enemy.
Notes: This is not a very difficult achievement, although it requires a mission to be played in a specific way. Here are some highlights and tips on how to achieve this achievement:
- Choose an easy and short mission e.g. one that has only 1 Encounter.
- Try to equip all team members with Tranq Rounds. After being hit with a Tranq Round, the enemy will lose consciousness once you deprive him of all his health points.
- You can also use Subdue or other abilities to render enemies unconscious if necessary.
- Avoid hitting exploding objects found in the area, as they can kill your opponents.
- You don't have to take care of all enemies on the map. Focus on the mission objectives and leave the map as soon as possible, preferably before reinforcements arrive.
On the mission summary screen, the field Enemies Killed should hold the value 0. For more tips on "pacifist" approach, see a separate page: Stunning opponents - how to do it?
Phoenix Down
How to unlock: Complete the Gray Phoenix Investigation.
Notes: Grey Phoenix is the name of one of the three main factions that are targeted by you during the course of the campaign. You have to start investigating this faction and complete all story missions associated with it. The final task involves stopping the Grey Phoenix and defeating its leader - Crew Chief Yarvo.
For more information, see chapter Hostile Factions.
Reinforced steel
How to unlock: Replace an Agent mid-mission with an Android.
Notes: Androids become available after you develop the first research project - Android Personnel. Once you've completed researching the project, you will receive your first Android, and you can buy more from the Supply menu. From now on, the android will travel with the team on every mission.
In order to achieve this trophy, you must:
- Deprive one of the team members of health points. This cannot happen in the last Encounter of the assignment. For example, if a mission has 3 clashes, the agent must be defeated in the first or second clash.
- Save a fallen team member from death.
- Advance to the next clash - a window will be displayed with the option of selecting an android who can replace a revived unconscious agent.
For more information, see a separate chapter on Androids.
Sacred Foiled
How to unlock: Complete the Sacred Coil Investigation.
Notes: Sacred Coil is one of the three main factions that you encounter during the campaign. You have to start investigating this faction and complete all story missions associated with it. The last major task involves stopping Sacred Coil and defeating its leader.
For more information, see chapter Hostile Factions.
Superior Firepower
How to unlock: Equip an Epic Weapon.
Notes: Epic Weapons will start to appear after you have progressed enough in the campaign. There are two main ways to get them:
- There may be rewards for completing certain missions - see information about rewards for completing tasks. When the mission begins, kill an opponent that uses an epic weapon and approach his corpse to retrieve it.
- Also, epic weapons can appear at the Scavenger Market - they are bought in the same way as other items - for intelligence points.
Equipping a weapon means placing it in an active slot of a hero so he is able to use it. The achievement only involves equipping the weapon - you don't have to kill any enemies with it.
Thank You for Your Business
How to unlock: Buy 20 unique Scavenger Market items in a single campaign.
Notes: The rules of getting access to Scavenger Market are described in detail on the following page - Scavenger Market - how to unlock? Even after you've unlocked the market it will only appear once every few days.
All goods on the market are bought with Intel points. It is worth buying new items from the very beginning of the game because as the campaign progresses, the sellers will offer more and more expensive items.
Up Close and Personal
How to unlock: Complete an encounter by only dealing damage with melee attacks.
Notes: This achievement is best unlocked on the lowest difficulty level, in one of the initial missions of the campaign, where you'll encounter weak enemies only. The Breach phase is especially important to be played right - use Cover Rush, or other skills that don't deal damage to your opponents.
Once you start a clash, use your Subdue skill, which involves launching attacks in hand-to-hand combat (the exception being Cherub, who hits opponents with a shield).
Try to attack your enemies one at a time, as the attacks are weak. Each opponent will have to be hit 2-3 times before being defeated in hand-to-hand combat (referring to ordinary opponents, the "elite" from later missions are even more resilient). Fortunately, you only have to score 1 encounter in this way, not necessarily the entire mission consisting of up to 3 encounters.
Use the Large Cuffs
How to unlock: Capture a Praetorian.
Notes: Praetorians are large opponents that should begin to appear when fighting Grey Phoenix.
A Praetorian can be captured in the same way as all other opponents. In our opinion, the best method is to use Tranq Rounds, which, when the opponent is deprived of all health points, results in him or her losing consciousness. You can find more tips and suggestions on a separate page of the guide Stunning opponents - how to do it?.
Watch Your Step
How to unlock: Use Torque to Tongue Pull an enemy into poison.
Notes: Tongue Pull is one of the starting skills of Torque - a Chimera Squad agent who is a snake (Viper). Take her on missions with you.
The achievement is not that easy to obtain, as there must be a cloud of poison nearby. The easiest way to do this is to develop Torque and unlock Poison Spit ability. This attack creates a poisonous cloud at the site of its use.
As Torque, enter the poisonous area and use Tongue Pull to pull an opponent into the gas.