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First Month Walkthrough on Legendary Vanilla Difficulty
By Laguna Queen and 5 collaborators
Understanding the key technical mechanics to achieve that no margin of error!
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pstaci49
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Le piètre joueur français
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Corrosivz
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Comrade Lei Feng
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Laguna Queen
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Category: Achievements, Characters, Gameplay Basics, Walkthroughs
Languages: English
Posted
Updated
1 Feb @ 7:06am
20 Mar @ 4:55pm
704 Unique Visitors
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Guide Index
Overview
Introduction 
Legendary Difficulty Disclaimer 
How to Navigate the Sections 
How to Save Properly 
1st Mission (Non-Tutorial) 
1st Month Research 
First Time at Avenger HQ 
Important Rumors 
Understanding Avenger Movement 
Discretion of What Equipment To Use 
Strategic Save 
2nd Mission (Guerilla) 
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Specialist 
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Grenadier 
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Sharpshooter 
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Ranger 
3rd Mission (VIP) 
Guerrilla Tactics School: 2nd Grenadier 
Expanding Contacts 
1st Supply Drop 
The Dark Events 
IMPORTANT: The Progress Reset Bug 
4th Mission (Retaliation) 
5th Mission (Counter Dark Event) 
The Avatar Project (Red Ticks) 
Guerrilla Tactics School: 2nd Specialist 
Blacksite: Early Recommendation 
Blacksite: Loot Farming 
Blacksite: XP Farming 
How Much Is Enough? 
Epilogue 
How can I contribute to help? 
Copyright Notice 
Join Our Group to Subscribe! 
Comments
Introduction
The quality over quantity approach to push XCOM beyond their limits for brutal efficiency! The sections focus to create the strongest foundation by masterfully handling the first month!

Note: The same knowledge can be applied to lesser difficulties.

Please click here for the Advanced Warfare guide:
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2803040578
Why are you writing this guide?
I enjoy helping others by writing about technical topics to a higher standard and provide key findings for a higher chance of success!

Who is the intended audience?
The guide is for everyone, but much friendlier to new players. Everything will be explained to be on the same level as those who are the most experienced. The writing will be easy to follow with plenty of screenshots for those who are too lazy to read everything!
Legendary Difficulty Disclaimer
Every aspect on this difficulty has enhanced hardships that include stronger enemies, doubled research and building requirements, and more expensive cost of facilities/equipment.

The only benefit is having a delayed implementation of the next enemy tier with the exception of those being present in the main mission by the Avatar Project.
How to Navigate the Sections
The structure of contents is organized in chronological order for smoother flow when elaborating on each important event.

Each mission contains basic details of an approximate time/date of its occurrence, total number of enemies, and reward. Technical information about combat tactics are fully elaborated on how to flawlessly deal with increasingly dangerous enemies.
How to Save Properly
Each save serves as a strategic checkpoint to include important details like before certain events or starting missions. Key events include hours before the Monthly Debrief to roll for better Dark Events and options to hire more Scientists/Engineers.

Note: Save files have occasional errors with loading and backups are needed.

For Ironman, additional save backups bypass the limitation and best to have a single active campaign at a time to avoid confusion when both the profile and save files are needed.

Their location is: C:\Users\<userid>\Documents\My Games\XCOM2\XComGame\SaveData
1st Month Research
Weapons research will take priority until armor research is needed to unlock plasma weaponry.

1. Modular Weapons
2. Hybrid Materials
3. Resistance Communications
4. Partial Magnetic Weapons (After reducing with Insight at least once)
First Time at Avenger HQ
The initial tasks are to research Modular Weapon and build Guerrilla Tactics School.
If a favorable resistance rumor does not appear after viewing Geoscape, load an earlier save on the last turn of the first mission.
Important Rumors
The most valuable Rumors are described below to obtain rare or unique rewards.
Rumor Name
Reward
Stockade/Landmark
Engineer
Fire Axis/Distress Beacon
Scientist
Clinic/Radio Beacon
+3 Avenger Power
Gang Warfare/Gathering Mob
Additional Guerilla Op or Supply Raid
Heat Signature/Air Strip
+1 Resistance Contact
Alien Wreckage/Battle Site
Cave/Weapons Dealer
Important Elerium Crystals
Rewards that are not listed above are ranked as mediocre and better to scan at Resist HQ for more Intel or faster construction.
Understanding Avenger Movement
Several hours of precious time are wasted when the Avenger travels back and forth between two locations on Geoscape. The preferred method is to stay and complete the scan whenever possible.

If there is an ongoing threat, the important point of interest can only be finished when requiring <1 day, but still has a chance risk to dismiss a critical mission.

Note: Longer distances require more wasted time to travel.
Discretion of What Equipment To Use
The Smart Shopper guide fully elaborates on the optimal uses of PCS and Weapon Upgrades.
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3232797806
Note: Any weapon upgrades that are of stock grade has more value of being sold off than used because they have same resell value of superior quality ones.
Strategic Save
Each save serves as a strategic checkpoint before critical events that transpire within a few hours. They include Dark Counter/VIP missions for better rewards or Monthly Debrief to generate more Scientists/Engineers to hire.

For Ironman, only one single active campaign is advised instead of having multiples to avoid save dysfunctions. Both the Profile and Save files are needed to bypass the limitation, in case of a redo.

Their location is: C:\Users\<userid>\Documents\My Games\XCOM2\XComGame\SaveData

Note: Save files have occasional errors and merits the need of backups anyways due to the recent patches.
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Specialist
The Jack Of All Trades who gathers as much rewards from electronics and skullmining later.
Battle Medic is the secondary role to heal injured soldiers during battle.
The Haywire Protocol is mandatory to take control of any mechanical units, such as Turrets, MEC, or Sectopod.

Note: This class will be the highest DPS later on in mid-late game with the Guardian ability.
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Grenadier
The Great Mobile Equalizer in the early game that stabilizes the increasing enemy difficulty.
Shredder softens up the armor of next tier enemy unit(s) to bring their strength down.
The Heavy Gunner expertise makes enemy engagement more manageable to the squad's current level of firepower.
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Sharpshooter
The Long-Range Powerhouse who inflict crippling or lethal damages at great distances.
Deadeye gives a chance to instantly kill any high HP enemies like Viper, Officer, or Sectoid.
Long Watch extends the Overwatch range for easier participation in ambushing enemy reinforcement drop(s)!

Note: Such combination of Sniper abilities allow ambushes to be initiated from afar to have the targeted enemy pod to charge into the squad's line of fire.
Choosing Soldier Abilities: Ranger
The Reconnaissance who locates enemy pods and spot for the Sniper to initiate a brutal ambush.
Phantom allows concealment during Retaliation to rescue civilians without alerting the enemy.
Additional task is to safely recover loot without exposing self to danger or attracting further enemy attention.

Please click here to fully learn about the Ranger:
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3269083608
Guerrilla Tactics School: 2nd Grenadier
In a few days, the GTS will be finished and begin training a second Grenadier.
The Grenadier is preferred as the effective early DPS and armor shredding until plasma weaponry is researched.
Expanding Contacts
The Resist Comms research increases the maximum contacts without constructing a new facility.
When there is no worthwhile Rumor to scan, begin scanning the region with the Advent Blacksite.
1st Supply Drop
The monthly report must be redone until it indicates that 2 Doctors can be hired at Resist HQ.
The Scientist should be hired first after completing the supply drop scan before the Engineer.

Note: The Doctor title is used for both Scientists and Engineers in the monthly report.
The Dark Events
The most dangerous Dark Events are described below and is safe to have only one of them.
Dark Event Name
Rationale
Alien Cypher
Doubles the Intel price to expand contacts and Black Market shopping!
Advent Rural Checkpoint
Decreases the next monthly supply!
Any Avatar Project Breakthrough
Adds 1-2 red tick(s) to Avatar Project
The Counter Dark Event mission will always remove one for each month.

Note: A strategic save is needed to have a better roll and find out the hidden ones without wasting Intel!
IMPORTANT: The Progress Reset Bug
The Resistance HQ visit must be postponed until the Advent begins their Retaliation.
Failure to pay heed will result in resetting all progress that includes excavation, research, and etc.
The Retaliation site must be visited first prior to the Resistance HQ to purchase another Scientist.
The Avatar Project (Red Ticks)
After the first month is up, the Avatar Project will be initiated and immediately go to 3 red ticks!
Its monthly progress will always go up by one and additional ones from new Advent facilities.
Any other standard Alien facility needs to be destroyed as soon as possible, with the exception of the Blacksite that needs to be repeatedly done.
Guerrilla Tactics School: 2nd Specialist
Once the second Grenadier finishes training, the next one needs to be Specialist.
Such reason is for double Intel rewards when using Skullmining in mid-late game. However, tech score development requires many missions and better if done earlier.

Note: The best time to increase Squad Size I is when the second Grenadier finished training from GTS to avoid deploying a Rookie.
Blacksite: Early Recommendation
The earlier commencement of such mission is strongly encouraged to obtain 125 supplies!
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3394765907
The chances of success are high, as long as there are 5 soldiers deployed with the required ranks to possess the mandatory abilities.

Note: This mission can be repeated indefinitely for loot and XP, as long as the Vial was not taken.
Blacksite: Loot Farming
One random enemy will drop loot and more with the purchased Vulture GTS Tactic.
Superior grade equipment is a rare find that may be related with current soldier ranks.
Each Elerium Core sells for 40 supplies when Black Market is very interested and at least 25 of them are recommended.
Blacksite: XP Farming
Soldiers will gain unlimited experience but at a reduced rate because of the failed mission.
Approximate number is around 26 for the entire Squad to be Colonels.
The leftmost Grenadier started his first mission on Blacksite and reached Colonel on the 24th time.

Note: The consecutive months will be that much easier with a fully promoted Squad!
How Much Is Enough?
There is no actual answer because more supplies now mean much faster development.

Such repeated mission will be a test of patience and endurance, but can be expedited by grabbing only the loot and quickly evacuating.
Epilogue
The next month will have a massive supply boost from the sold loot to build key facilities without any restriction!

The Magnetic Weapons research should be near completion with Guass weapons being focused next.

Please show support for the guide through Awards!!!

Click here to see the next month!
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3411857037
How can I contribute to help?
Best way to support the guide is through🎖️,👍,🌟,and 💬!

𝓣𝓱𝒆 𝓐𝔀𝓪𝓻𝒹𝓼 𝓗𝒆𝓵𝓹 𝓣𝓱𝒆 𝓜𝓸𝓼𝓽!!!
Copyright Notice
This guide was written by Laguna Queen et al. (2025) on Steam, and not to be republished without crediting the authors and gaining their permission. We can be reached through the the guide comment section below.

We have no guide sites outside of Steam and please contribute to the actual creators, not plagiarism websites!

Try reading the guides for other games:
Here are other detailed guides that are not only comprehensive but tailors different themes and challenges:

For Frostpunk,
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2793028492
For Warhammer 3,
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2782133378
For Crying Sun,
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1871229945
For Company of Heroes 2,
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2806468945
For Dead in Vinland,
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1996086549
For Infectonator : Survivors,
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=742714265
Join Our Group to Subscribe!
The subscription is in the details of the top most announcement in our Church of Lina group.

To join, simply search for the group or click the link below to see the full list of written guides:
https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/groups/ChurchofLina
1 Comments
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Mou bu 28 Feb @ 2:59pm 
Everything summarized within the month—Well done Laguna commander. Thanks u!