The XCOM Headquarters is the main base of operations for XCOM and the player's primary interface for managing the strategic elements of XCOM: Enemy Unknown. Nicknamed the "ant farm" by the game developers, it is here the player must manage resources, research projects, facilities and various other undertakings throughout the game.
Facilities
The XCOM Headquarters is made up of numerous facilities that are responsible for managing and supplementing the base's important strategic and research functions.
Static facilities
Several crucial facilities are automatically available to player and their base locations remain static throughout the game.
Mission Control
The focus of XCOM engagement. Features a rotating hologram of Earth (referred to by Bradford and Dr. Shen as a 'hologlobe'). In this room you can scan for incoming alien contacts through XCOM's satellite network (allowing for the passage of time), and missions can be launched from here.
Situation Room
The Situation Room has two primary uses. The first is monitoring the panic levels the individual nations of The Council and launching satellites to help mitigate that panic and provide additional coverage against alien UFOs. The second is managing XCOM's finances and resources; in the Situation Room you can see your monthly expenditures and incomes, visit the Gray Market, and review any Pending Requests from The Council.
Engineering
This facility, managed by Dr. Shen, allows players to build a wide variety of items that have been researched by the scientists in the labs or designed by the engineers in the Foundry.
Research Labs
The research team, headed by Dr. Vahlen, can be found in this location. The laboratory allows players to research upgrades and can be improved to increase research speed. In this room players can also peruse the research archives, detailing previously completed projects.
Barracks
In the Barracks, players can manage their soldiers, including equipping and customizing the troops, managing their skills and hiring new soldiers. There is also a Memorial Wall dedicated to those who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Players can also access the Officer Training School and the Psionic Labs through the Barracks.
Hangar
The Hangar allows players to manage their aircraft, including purchasing new Interceptors, transferring craft between continents, and changing their weapon load-outs.
Module facilities
Dozens of additional facilities can be purchased and built into player bases, bestowing certain benefits. These locations are housed in the base underneath the existing static locations. Most cave locations will require excavation before new facilities can be built in them.
Most of these facilities grant an adjacency bonus, giving nearby rooms of the same type particular benefits, such as rebates on building materials or increased power from power generators. The bonus is granted for adjacent facilities of the same category, not only the exact same type; for example placing a Satellite Nexus next to a Satellite Uplink will also grant a bonus. Such bonuses are typically stated in the facility description. It's also worth noting that these bonuses work with adjacent facilities both to the left and right, and also up and down, so the most efficient placement for four facilities of the same category would be arranging them into a square shape.
Each of these additional facilities require maintenance, which costs a fixed amount each month. The maintenance cost can be reduced by employing additional engineers. With limited resources, players will be unable to build all available facilities simultaneously.
Access Lift
In order to reach each lower levels an Access Lift must first be built. Once in place the lift will allow engineers to excavate the level to make room for other facilities.
Construction cost: §50, 2 Power
Adjacency bonus: N/A
Upkeep: §10/month
Once built, an Access Lift cannot be removed.
Generators
Generators provide the energy required to operate the XCOM facilities.
The cost of building these facilities, as well as the number of engineers required to construct them, increases with each new facility.
As generators are required for continued base operation they cannot be dismantled unless sufficient redundant facilities are available.
Power Generator
Power Generators supply +6 Power.
Construction cost: §60
Adjacency bonus: +2 Power for every adjacent power facility.
Upkeep: §11/month
Thermo Generator
Thermal Power Generators supply +20 Power, but must be built over Steam Vents.
Construction cost: §200
Adjacency bonus: +2 Power for every adjacent power facility.
Upkeep: §23/month
Elerium Generator
Elerium Generators supply +30 Power.
Construction cost: §275, 30 Elerium, 40 Alloys, 2 UFO Power Sources
Adjacency bonus: +2 Power for every adjacent power facility.
Upkeep: §29/month
Uplinks
Monitored by a team of Engineers, Uplinks allow XCOM to launch and manage additional satellites.
Note: The number of required Engineers to build Uplinks or Nexuses is calculated at +10 for each preexisting Uplink and +15 for each preexisting Nexus. Add 5 to this total if you're building a Nexus. Facilities in the build queue count as being preexisting.
Satellite Uplink
Each Satellite Uplink is capable of receiving transmissions from 2 XCOM satellites.
Construction cost: 5 Power, §150 / §100 EW, See note for number of Engineers
Adjacency bonus: +1 satellite capacity for every two adjacent uplinks.
Upkeep: §15/month
Satellite Nexus
Each Satellite Nexus is capable of receiving transmissions from 4 XCOM satellites.
Construction cost: 8 Power, §300, 25 Alloys, 2 UFO Flight Computers, See note for number of Engineers
Adjacency bonus: +1 satellite capacity for every two adjacent uplinks.
Upkeep: §26/month
Research
Research facilities increase the ability for XCOM Scientists to develop new technologies, including weapons, armor and vehicles. Building additional facilities reduces research time as well as unlocking new avenues of development.
Laboratory
Each laboratory increases research speed by 20%.
Construction cost: 3 Power, 6 Scientists (cumulative), §125
Adjacency bonus: +10% increase to research speed for every adjacent laboratory.
Upkeep: §24/month
Laboratories are only required until all research has been completed, at which point they can be dismantled.
Alien Containment
Provides a secure environment to house the alien captives, allowing you to interrogate them in the Labs.
Construction cost: 5 Power, §85
Adjacency bonus: None, Unique Facility
Upkeep: §18/month
The Alien Containment facility is only required until all interrogations have been completed, at which point it can be dismantled.
Engineering
Workshop
Each workshop adds 5 Engineers to staff. Most facilities and items require a specific number of Engineers to be on staff before they can be built, and additional Engineers decrease the overall manufacturing costs of items and equipment.
Construction cost: 3 Power, 6 Engineers (cumulative), §130
Adjacency bonus: +7% refund (+10% in XCOM: Enemy Within) on resources used when building vehicles, Foundry projects, and facilities.
Upkeep: §26/month
Since the Workshops offer a persistent bonus for manufacturing it is recommended to build as many as possible to maximize the effect.
Foundry
A center dedicated to the designing of new items and important upgrades to existing equipment and resources.
Construction cost: 3 Power, §150 / §75 EW
Adjacency bonus: None, Unique Facility. (Counts as a Workshop for adjacency in XCOM: Enemy Within.)
Upkeep: §20/month
Prerequisites: Experimental Warfare
Note that all Foundry Improvements require the continued existence of the Foundry itself to be maintained, even after they are purchased.
- Main article: Foundry projects (XCOM: Enemy Unknown)
Training
Training facilities are required to improve your troops, as well as unlocking powerful new skills and abilities.
Officer Training School
Increase XCOM squad size, earn promotion bonuses, and unlock powerful combat medical techniques for your soldiers.
Construction cost: 3 Power, §125
Adjacency bonus: None, Unique Facility
Upkeep: §25/month
The Officer Training School is required in order to continue using any unlocked abilities and so it's highly recommended that you do not dismantle it once it has been built. If the school is dismantled, all unlocked skills will be unusable until rebuilt.
Psionic Labs
Allows for the testing of soldiers for latent psionic abilities.
Construction cost: 3 Power, §200, 20 Elerium, 20 Alloys
Adjacency bonus: None, Unique Facility
Upkeep: §30/month
The Psionic Lab is only required until sufficient troops have had their psychic powers unlocked, at which point it can be dismantled.
Alien Tech Facilities
Hyperwave Relay
The Hyperwave Relay allows XCOM to monitor alien low-level communications, increasing your ability to detect activity. More importantly the device allows you to identify the crew complement of a UFO before launching any strike mission, giving you the opportunity to tailor your squad to take advantage of an enemy's weaknesses.
Construction cost: 4 Power, §175, 10 Alloys, 1 Hyperwave Beacon
Adjacency bonus: None, Unique Facility
Upkeep: §30/month
Once built a Hyperwave Relay cannot be removed.
Gollop Chamber
The Gollop Chamber allows XCOM to make contact with alien high-level communications, unlocking the final mission.
Construction cost:5 Power, §200, 10 Elerium, 10 Alloys, 1 Ethereal Device
Adjacency bonus: None, Unique Facility
Upkeep: §100/month
Once built the Gollop Chamber cannot be removed.
XCOM: Enemy Within
This expansion adds two new facilities that can be built:
Cybernetics Lab
A facility for augmenting soldiers into MEC Troopers and the creation of MECs.
Construction cost: 3 Power, §50
Adjacency bonus: Counts as Workshop
Upkeep: §20/month
Genetics Lab
A facility created for genetically and surgically enhancing soldiers with superhuman capabilities.
Construction cost: 3 Power, §50
Adjacency bonus: Counts as a Laboratory
Upkeep: §20/month
Base Building Tips
- Focusing on Research Labs, a Satellite Uplink and some satellites in the beginning of the game is a good idea to increase the cash income early on and also reduce panic.
- Later on the Labs can be replaced with Workshops for further increase of engineers and cash/material rebates.
Gallery
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