“Xcom 2” has an ultimate difficult feature called the Ironman Mode that can be chosen before a new game. The game will automatically save the game for the players and it will prevent the players from making another save. Every choice they make in it will be final and cannot be reverted by reloading a save in between missions.
Ironman Mode is a very difficult mode, especially if players want to keep their favorite soldiers alive until the end. A fair warning for those who want to attempt this mode - be ready to let go of characters and move on. For those who want to do this, here are some tips and tricks to follow.
Learn to let go
In this difficult mode, players will have to let go of characters that die in the middle of a mission. They will not be able to use the “save scum” method, which is to make a save and then reload it if someone dies on a mission. Instead, they will have to make do with the characters that survive the mission and then move on.
Low-level soldiers as bait and tank
This method might be harsh, but if you want to save your favorite soldiers in battle, you will need to use this. If you have a throwaway soldier or robot (in later stages), then you should use these units to bait the enemies away from your dying soldiers. In that way, they can still heal or hide from enemy attacks until the mission is over.
Prioritize upgrading weapons, then armor
In “XCOM 2,” upgrading armor to increase the team’s survival rate would be the best course of action. In Ironman mode, weapons should be the priority to increase the damage of a unit. The higher the damage of the team, the quicker it is for them to finish a mission with low casualty rates.
After upgrading weapons to the next tier, the next thing to upgrade is the armor to increase the life bar and mobility. This increases the survival rate of the team and can have higher evasion rates than the first version of the armor. This also lessens the chances of getting critical strikes from enemies.
Bring medic specialists and med kits at all times
The important thing to preserve in this mode is survival during a mission and take less damage. In case the odds are against you, always bring med kits and a medic specialist to heal injured soldiers and revive them when bleeding out. This is the last resort method in case the team gets hit a lot of times and needs to survive for another mission and especially for favorite soldiers.
Medic specialists are a must as they can heal other teammates from afar with their abilities. They can also heal those who are in a panic or who are mentally attacked by enemies.
Get under full cover all the time
To increase evasion rates and survive enemy attacks in “XCOM 2,” soldiers should always get under full cover.
This lowers the accuracy rates of enemies firing at your soldiers and in turn lets your soldiers survive. Never leave them without cover and run into another wall, tree, or anything to hide behind.
Check out the "XCOM 2: War of the Chosen" Challenge Mode video here:
