Released in 2012, XCOM: Enemy Unknown is a strategy video game that combines tactical combat and base management, thereby creating an immersive experience for the player as he fights against an alien invasion. A key area in gameplay is outfitting your soldiers with the best armor to maximize their survival chances. So, armor in XCOM: Enemy Unknown isn’t just a passive defensive element; however, it is highly interactive in the sense of influencing your strategic thinking, how you position soldiers, and, consequently, whether or not a mission is successful. This review will present a deep dive into the best armor options available in XCOM: Enemy Unknown, detailing their benefits, disadvantages, and uses.
Introduction to Armor in XCOM: Enemy Unknown
In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, one of the very key factors keeping soldiers alive is armor. Starting with the strengthening of enemies as the game progresses, it becomes increasingly important for the player to arm his troops properly; otherwise, the armor could mean the life or death of a soldier. Armor increases the health points of soldiers, mobility, allows certain special skills, or even counters some negative statuses.
The game has a progression mechanism where you are able to start with simpler armors eventually leading up to more sturdy choices available upon researching alien technology and finishing missions. Knowing an armor’s pros and cons will come in handy to utilize their abilities best in battle.
Basic Armor Options
Before proceeding to the best armor choices, let us first understand the basic type of armor the soldiers start with and how it changes as you go through the game.
Kevlar Armor
Health Bonus: None
Special Abilities: None
Kevlar Armor is the type of armor soldiers start with. It has no health bonuses or anything else special about it, so it’s actually the weakest type of armor in the game. From then on, your priority should be to upgrade away from Kevlar Armor so that your soldiers can take a bit more damage.
Best Armor in XCOM: Enemy Unknown
During gameplay many armor types become available, each with its own benefits. Depending on their strengths, the best armors in XCOM: Enemy Unknown can be classified into those that provide protection, those that provide mobility, and those that provide special abilities.
Carapace Armor
Health Bonus: +4 HP
Special Abilities: None
Carapace Armor, when compared to Kevlar Armor, stands as the first and most significant upgrade. It safeguards health with a great bonus, directly making soldiers more durable in battle. While the Carapace Armor has no special ability, the extra HP is crucial for soldiers at least from the mid to early levels when the finish starts to ramp up against. This armor should go on soldiers who will be on the actual front lines, such as Assault and Heavy classes: they want to soak up some shots before dropping.
Skeleton Suit
Health Bonus: +3 HP
Special Abilities: Grappling Hook
The Skeleton Suit, therefore, strikes a happy medium between upwardly mobile and health-giving. With a slightly lower health bonus than with Carapace Armor, the real merit goes to the Grappling Hook. It gives one option to scale high ground or move quickly across the map, providing a positional advantage with respect to line of sight. The Grappling Hook can be a godsend for Snipers, who appreciate elevation options to nail their shots and view the entire battlefield.
Titan Armor
Health Bonus: +10 HP
Special Ability: Immunity to Fire and Poison
Titan Armor is ranked among the best armor sets in XCOM: Enemy Unknown due to its huge health-net bonus to any otherwise relatively frail soldiers in its allocating. The +10 HP is the highest in the game, so it absolutely should be equipped by those soldiers who are expected to be in the thick of fighting. Moreover, the armor boasts fire and poison immunities, thereby effectively countering some very pesky enemies that use those attacks such as Chryssalids or Sectopods. Titan armor makes-a-fine choice for your Assault and Heavy units since they often find themselves at the very front line and in dire need of protection.
Ghost Armor
Health Bonus: +6 HP
Special Abilites-Ghost Mode (Invisibility)
The Ghost Armor gives you a critical tactical edge with its Ghost Mode ability making your soldiers invisible for a short duration. This ability is a game-changer in the biggest way: soldiers can flank enemies, sneak past detection, or run for their lives from dangerous situations. Plus, the neat 6 HP bonus makes the Ghost Armor suitable for a plethora of classes. It is perfect for the Assault and Support classes since it allows for strategic movements in and out of battle or the rescue of wounded comrades without drawing enemy fire.
Archangel Armor
Health Bonus: +8 HP
Special Abilities: Flight
Archangel Armor is a preferred alternative, offering great health bonuses and the ability to fly. With the flight ability, soldiers gain extraordinary mobility, able to reach areas that are otherwise inaccessible or even obtain an aerial view of the battlefield. This is quite handy for Snipers who benefit from elevated positions to maximize their accuracy and visibility. Also, the +8 HP bonus energizes any offensive ability by providing adequate protection for soldiers, thereby turning the Archangel Armor into a really good all-purpose option for various types of missions.
Psi Armor
Healthy Bonus: +6 HP
Special Ability: Psi Boost (+20 Will)
Psi Armor is a specialty set of armor fitted for soldiers with psionic powers. It has some health bonus and provides a large Will boost, which makes powers stronger and increases resistance to panic. This armor is necessary for those soldiers actually employing offensive psionic abilities, such as Mind Control or Psi Inspiration, with Will boosts increasing their chances of the athlete’s success. In short, combined with strong Will enhancements, the armor is great for Psi Operatives in the field, who can shift the tide of battle with their mental attacks.
Comparative Evaluation of Best Armor
Each of the best armors in XCOM: Enemy Unknown has its very peculiar strengths, and when choosing, the decision depends much on your overall strategy and the specific needs of your squad. Here is a comparative analysis to serve as your guide in deciding which armor to pursue first based on your different scenarios.
Survivability Focus
Best Option: Titan Armor
Reason: Gaining 10 hit points and immunity to fire and poison are some of the abilities that Titan Armor has to offer for the highest survivability. It is utilized in operations where heavy enemy resistance can be expected or if long firefights are the order of the day.
Mobility and Positioning
Best Option: Archangel Armor or Ghost Armor
Reason: Because of the excellent positioning ability that comes with flight, Archangel Armor allows one to put soldiers in positions where they can do maximum damage to the enemy. Conversely, Ghost Armor invisibility presents another dimension of mobility, including stealth movement and flanking opportunities.
Tactical Flexibility
Best Option: Ghost Armor
Reason: The invisibility gives tactical flexibility for adjusting to battlefield circumstances that change. It is especially useful in situations where one needs to make a surprise attack, take a wounded teammate into hiding, or avoid overwhelming enemy forces.
Specialized Roles
Best Option: Psi Armor
Reason: Psi Armor is the most effective for those who wield the power of mind, the Will boost being very significant. The armor boosts the psi attack and hence must be used by Psi Operatives to defend against enemy psi powers.
Tactical Usage of Armor
When utilizing a particular armor, one must consider its best use under varied combat situations-that way ensuring its tactical potential is fully exploited.
Frontline Assault
Titan Armors are a top choice for frontline soldiers, such as those in the Assault and Heavy categories. These armors come with a sheafy bonus to HP, so the soldier can absorb hits while going forward into an enemy. They also offer immunity to fire and poison, so this will take off the chances of status effects registering to impair his or her efficacy. These soldiers may be good meat shields as they draw enemy fire, while the Snipers and Support units move up to their own strategic positions for the attacks.
Sniper Support
For Snipers, since mobility and positioning are so important, armor that augments it is beneficial. The Archangel Armor fits the role very well since it allows flight, letting Snipers go up to higher positions that provide better lines of sight and enhanced accuracy. Alternatively, the Skeleton Suit’s Grappling Hook also serves Snipers well who fast need to relocate between vantage points.
Stealth And Flanking
Ghost Armor features invisibility ideal for stealth missions and flanking maneuvers. They can move undetected to ambush, or just walk past a heavily defended area. This is particularly useful for Assault units rushing to close in on enemies and for Support units who are either rescuing civilians or wounded comrades.
Psionic Warfare
Psi Armor is meant for the actual soldiers in the field with psionic abilities; hence, it is the primary armor for Psi Operatives. The Will boost given by Psi Armor raises the chance of success for psi attacks that may very well turn the battle’s tide. Used in conjunction with a mission where you expect enemies to have high levels of Will or psi powers, this armor really helps protect your men from panic and other forms of mental torture.
Armor Enhancement and Research
In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, heavier armors require exact research and discipline in managing resources. This is the very reason why you must understand how the armor research progression works when mapping out your strategies to better prepare your soldiers for what lies ahead.
Research Priorities
Specific research projects must be given priority inside your base if you are to unlock the finest armor. Researching Carapace Armor first gives the much-needed survival edge to your soldiers early on in the game. As you continue gathering alien materials and researching other technologies, you then proceed onto the Titan Armor, Ghost Armor, and Archangel Armor.
Resource Management
Recruit advanced armor equipment manufactured using Alien Alloys, Elerium, or other precious materials-old ones-ungratefully. Carrying out resource management is important. Salvage materials from downed UFOs and launch expeditions that reward those materials. Balancing resource allocation between armor upgrades, weapon improvements, and other technological advancements is key to maintain a well-balanced squad.
Should Armor Be Balanced with Other Equipment
It’s tempting to give armor all the attention just because it feels like the most important thing; however, try to maintain the balance between armor, weapons, and other equipment-like grenades, medkits, or special tools such as Mind Shields or Chitin Plating. This multi-pronged strategy really helps soldiers get ready for a batch of threats or different mission types.
Weapon-Armor Synergy
Synergizing the appropriate armor with a fitting weapon load-out can yield potent effects that greatly increase your soldiers’ combat efficiency. Some examples would include:
Titan Armor and Shotgun (Assault Class): Titan Armor’s high health allows the Assault soldiers to rush up to foes and put them down with a shotgun; otherwise, in risky scenarios, they could be subjected to counterattacks.
Archangel Armor and Sniper Rifle (Sniper Class): The ability to fly with Archangel Armor is an excellent match with a sniper rifle because it allows the soldiers to optimize their vantage point for that very long-range precision attack. The imbalance in long-range precision makes them more accurate and damage-efficient.
Ghost Armor and Alloy Cannon (Support/Assault Class): Invisible enemies wearing Ghost Armor combined with a short-ranged Alloy Cannon lend themselves well to carrying out ambushes, delivering heavy hits from unpredictable angles.
Specialized Gear and Armor
Besides standard armor, there also exist specialized items complementary to your soldiers’ abilities:
Mind Shield: Provides additional protection against psi attacks, making it a good complement to Psi Armor, particularly when facing enemies such as Sectoid Commanders or Ethereals.
Chitin Plating: Provides extra health and reduced melee damage, quite useful alongside Titan Armor to further improve a soldier’s tanking capabilities. S.C.O.P.E: Increases aim, making it a suitable accessory for soldiers wearing either Skeleton or Ghost Armor whose mobility and positioning might demand pinpoint accuracy. Strategic Considerations in Armor Deployment
Choosing the right armor for each mission involves predicting the sort of threats you are likely to encounter. Intact tactical map, enemy types, and mission objectives will be of consequence when deciding which armor to put on your soldiers for deployment.
Urban Ops
Small urban settings afford plenty of cover and verticality, allowing for the use of Skeleton or Ghost Armor that can give the wearer the needed mobility and stealth to pursue this terrain. This also gives the Grappling Hook to soldiers for reaching rooftops or speedy travel between structures, and Ghost Mode could help to shun detection when given areas have limited covers.
Open-Field Battles
The Titan Armor’s large health bonus is in great demand when missions happen in more open areas-conducive to, say, farms and wilderness-with meager cover available. The increased protection value lets soldiers take hits in open engagements in which they might have died due to exposure to the enemy.
Base Defense
Holding off waves of hordes of enemies in given moments, fortify Titan armor turns provisionary. For instance, fire and poison immunity bestow resistance against Chryssalids and other enemies that may cause AoE damage, thereby granting one’s defense a serious punch when snipers, in conjunction with the Archangel armor, establish themselves in attack.
Psi Warfare
Whenever you expect severe psi warfare, for obvious reasons, you will need to dress your Psi Operatives with Psi Armor. Increased Will resists enemy psi, boosts his or her own psi power, and better equips him or her to dominate the battlefield. The best way to output this is Psi Armor coupled with the Mind Shields.
Late-Game Armor Strategy
Enemies become stronger in the late game, and the stakes get higher. You should have access to the best types of armor by this stage, with a combination of armors to counter different threats.
Versatility and Adaptability
The squad should be given different types of armors so it remains versatile in any situation. For example, two soldiers wear Titan Armor; another wears Archangel Armor, while the last one wears Ghost Armor as this configuration suits various visions-doing combat scenarios. Wielders of Titan Armor could tank for damages or lure enemy fire, supports from on high using the Archangel Armor, and stealthily act to flank or execute an objective using the Ghost Armor.
Specialized Squads
Depending on the mission, you might have to specialize your squad. For example, whenever the mission has an enemy with heavy psi capabilities, it is best to have a squad decked in Psi Armor and Mind Shields; otherwise, for missions where on-time proximity is essential, like timed missions or with lots of verticality, Skeleton and Ghost Armor could come in handy.
Conclusion: Armor Optimization as a Key to Success
In XCOM: Enemy Unknown, the armor you choose will make the difference between your soldiers surviving an encounter or dying. You must know the strengths and weaknesses of armor types to decide how to strategically fit them to soldiers who are up against the ever-more-challenging threats the aliens throw at them.
Titan Armor offers the best protection and should be given to soldiers who will be on the front lines.
Ghost Armor gives the soldier stealth and speed, good for flanking and avoiding detection.
Archangel Armor provides flight for soldiers with great positioning advantages for snipers.
Psi Armor for Psi Operatives allowing them greater effectiveness in mental warfare.
Skeleton Suit allows for balanced mobility and protection, with the added feature of a Grappling Hook to reach high places.
Selecting proper armor and equipping your soldiers depending upon the mission will maximize their survival and success. Balancing armor upgrades against other technologies and budgetary considerations will keep your team appropriately outfitted and versatile. With proper armor, your soldiers will be able to confront the alien threat and save humanity from extinction.