Mastering Chemical Warfare: A Guide to Gas Grenades in XCOM 2 (and How to Get More)

Introduction

Imagine this: Your squad is pinned down. A Chryssalid lurks just out of sight, ready to pounce. A Sectopod looms, its cannon primed. Hope seems lost. But then, a well-placed Gas Grenade billows out, engulfing your enemies in a cloud of noxious fumes. The Chryssalid is weakened, the Sectopod distracted, and your soldiers have a chance to breathe. This is the power of the Gas Grenade in XCOM and this guide will help you master its use.

Gas Grenades are an often-overlooked but incredibly valuable tool in the XCOM arsenal. They offer strategic advantages that can turn the tide of battle against even the most formidable alien forces. They aren’t just for dealing damage; they’re about control, manipulation, and creating opportunities for your squad to thrive. This guide will explore the ins and outs of Gas Grenades, covering their benefits, tactical applications, and, crucially, how to bolster your supply through conventional means and, if necessary, the console command.

Understanding Gas Grenades in XCOM

Let’s delve into the specifics of what makes Gas Grenades so effective. In essence, these grenades deliver a cloud of poisonous gas that lingers for several turns. This cloud inflicts poison damage to enemies caught within its area of effect at the end of each turn. The initial burst of gas also has a chance to disorient and weaken enemies.

One of the most critical aspects of their effectiveness is understanding their influence on different enemy types. While the basic gas effect can impact most organic enemies, some, like robots or those with natural resistance, will be far less affected. Knowing your enemy is crucial to deciding whether a gas grenade is the best course of action.

Consider, too, how environmental factors influence Gas Grenade effectiveness. Like any projectile weapon, Gas Grenades will be affected by cover. A grenade thrown behind full cover will have minimal impact, as the cloud will be dispersed or blocked. However, throwing them to flank or clear enemies hunkered down behind low cover will prove significantly more effective.

Advantages of Using Gas Grenades

The real strength of Gas Grenades lies in their versatility. They offer a range of tactical advantages, including:

Crowd Control: When faced with a cluster of weaker enemies, such as Advent Troopers or Drones, a single Gas Grenade can disrupt their formation and significantly reduce their combat effectiveness. The poison damage whittles down their health while the chance to disorient can prevent them from taking accurate shots or using special abilities.

Disabling: One of the most significant effects of gas exposure is the weakening debuff. This debuff reduces an enemy’s aim and mobility, making them easier to hit and less likely to flank your soldiers. This can be invaluable when dealing with high-threat targets like Mutons or Andromedon.

Area Denial: Gas Grenades are excellent for controlling the battlefield. By throwing one into a doorway or choke point, you can force enemies to move into less advantageous positions or delay their advance, giving your squad time to reposition or set up ambushes.

Strategic Synergies: Gas Grenades work exceptionally well in combination with other abilities and equipment. For example, following up a gas grenade with an explosive can create a devastating chain reaction, as the enemies are already weakened and disoriented. Pairing them with flashbangs can further incapacitate enemies, rendering them virtually harmless for a turn or two.

Disadvantages and Considerations

While Gas Grenades offer significant advantages, they are not without their drawbacks. Careful planning and awareness are essential to avoid unintended consequences.

Friendly Fire: The most obvious risk is the potential to harm your own troops. The gas cloud affects everyone within its radius, regardless of allegiance. Avoid throwing them into areas where your soldiers are likely to be caught in the blast or move into the cloud.

Enemy Resistances: As mentioned earlier, some enemies are resistant or immune to poison damage. Robots, heavily armored units, and some alien creatures will shrug off the effects of Gas Grenades.

Limited Supply: Gas Grenades are a limited resource. You can’t simply spam them in every encounter. Managing your inventory and prioritizing their use in the most critical situations is crucial.

Tactical Use of Gas Grenades

Effective use of Gas Grenades requires careful consideration of the battlefield, enemy positions, and your squad’s capabilities. Here are some key scenarios where Gas Grenades can shine:

Best Scenarios for Deployment

Against Groups of Weaker Enemies: Gas Grenades are ideal for dealing with clusters of low-health enemies, such as Advent Troopers, Sectoids, or Drones. The poison damage and disorientation can quickly eliminate or incapacitate these threats.

To Flush Enemies Out of Cover: Enemies hunkered down behind cover are difficult to hit. A Gas Grenade can force them to move, exposing them to your soldiers’ fire.

To Debuff Strong Enemies Before Engaging: Before engaging a high-threat target like a Muton or Sectopod, a Gas Grenade can weaken them, reducing their aim and mobility, making them easier to handle.

Against Stationary Targets: Turrets and other stationary targets are particularly vulnerable to Gas Grenades. The lingering poison damage can quickly destroy them without exposing your soldiers to direct fire.

Positioning and Timing

Where to Throw Them for Maximum Effect: Aim for areas where the gas cloud will cover the most enemies or force them to move into exposed positions. Consider using high ground to increase the range and coverage of the grenade.

When to Use Them in the Turn Order: It’s often best to use Gas Grenades early in the turn, before your soldiers move into position. This allows you to control the battlefield and force enemies to react to the gas cloud.

How to Predict Enemy Movement: Try to anticipate where enemies will move and throw the Gas Grenade accordingly. For example, if you know an enemy is likely to flank, throw the grenade in their path to disrupt their movement.

Team Composition Synergies

Classes that Benefit: Grenadiers are the most obvious choice for using Gas Grenades, as they can carry multiple grenades and have abilities that enhance their effectiveness. Specialists can also benefit from using Gas Grenades, as they can use their hacking abilities to weaken enemies before throwing the grenade.

Abilities that Complement: Abilities that provide additional debuffs, such as the Ranger’s “Venom Rounds” or the Sharpshooter’s “Lightning Hands,” can amplify the effects of Gas Grenades.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Throwing them Blindly: Don’t throw Gas Grenades without knowing what’s on the other side. This can lead to friendly fire or wasted grenades.

Forgetting About Friendly Fire: Always be aware of your soldiers’ positions and avoid throwing Gas Grenades into areas where they are likely to be caught in the blast.

Wasting them on Resistant Enemies: Don’t waste Gas Grenades on enemies that are resistant or immune to poison damage. Focus on using them against vulnerable targets.

Obtaining Gas Grenades: Methods and Strategies

Acquiring a steady supply of Gas Grenades requires a multi-faceted approach:

Conventional Methods

Purchasing from the Black Market: The Black Market occasionally sells Gas Grenades. Check the inventory regularly and stock up when they are available.

Crafting in the Proving Ground: The Proving Ground allows you to craft Gas Grenades. This is the most reliable way to obtain them, but it requires resources and time.

Looting from Missions: You can sometimes find Gas Grenades as loot during missions. Keep an eye out for supply crates and enemy corpses.

Managing Resources to Acquire Grenades

Prioritizing Proving Ground Projects: Focus on researching and building the Proving Ground as early as possible. This will allow you to start crafting Gas Grenades and other valuable items.

Investing in Relevant Research: Researching technologies that improve grenade effectiveness, such as “Alien Biotech,” can make your Gas Grenades more potent.

The “additem” Console Command: (for when you’re in a pinch!)

Warning: Be aware that using console commands can be considered a form of cheating and may diminish your overall gaming experience. Proceed with caution.

Enabling the Console: To use console commands, you may need to enable the console in the game settings or through a configuration file. The exact method varies depending on the version of XCOM you are playing.

The Exact Command: To add Gas Grenades to your inventory, open the console and type: additem gas_grenade x replacing “x” with the quantity of grenades you wish to receive.

Understanding the Syntax: The command additem tells the game you want to add an item. “gas_grenade” is the item code for Gas Grenades. The number specifies how many you want to add to your inventory.

Modding for Gas Grenades (Optional)

The XCOM community is incredibly creative and has developed numerous mods that enhance and expand the game’s features, including Gas Grenades.

Mods that Enhance

New Types of Gas Grenades: Some mods introduce new types of Gas Grenades with different effects, such as stun gas or acid gas.

Modifying the Effects: Others tweak the existing Gas Grenades, altering their damage, range, or duration.

Where to Find Reputable Mods

Steam Workshop: The Steam Workshop is the most convenient place to find mods for XCOM. You can easily browse, subscribe, and install mods with a few clicks.

Nexus Mods: Nexus Mods is another popular source for XCOM mods. It offers a wider selection of mods, but requires manual installation.

How to Install Safely

Always read the mod descriptions carefully before installing them. Make sure the mod is compatible with your game version and that it doesn’t conflict with other mods. Back up your save files before installing any mods, just in case something goes wrong.

Conclusion

Gas Grenades are a versatile and powerful tool in XCOM. They offer a range of tactical advantages, including crowd control, disabling, and area denial. By understanding their mechanics, strengths, and weaknesses, you can use them to turn the tide of battle against even the most formidable alien forces. Whether you choose to acquire them through conventional means or resort to the console command, mastering the use of Gas Grenades will significantly improve your chances of success in XCOM. Experiment, adapt, and find the strategies that work best for you. Good luck, Commander.