XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel: How to get it, and what to use it on

XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel
(Image credit: Firaxis Games)

XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel is one of three currencies you'll be juggling in the latest XCOM, but it's arguably the most important one of the bunch. That's because this is the main resource used to maintain control over District Unrest on the City Map found at HQ. Failing to keep the peace in XCOM: Chimera Squad will eventually lead to a state of City Anarchy, at which point it's game over completely. 

XCOM Chimera Squad tips | Best XCOM Chimera Squad weapons | Best XCOM Chimera Squad armor | XCOM Chimera Squad district unrest and city anarchy 

Thankfully, it's fairly easy to get XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel, so long as you know where to look, but it's worth considering exactly how much you can get from each activity, and where best to spend it. This XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel guide is thus here to help, starting with a list of all the actions that reward you with the currency: 

 1. Upgrade Security Field Teams to earn weekly Intel 

XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel

(Image credit: 2K Games)

Field Teams can be deployed into each of the nine districts across City 31, and doing so brings in a steady stream of income while also unlocking special Field Team abilities that can be used to reduce or freeze the levels of Unrest or Anarchy on the map. 

Though it'll cost you some Intel in the short term, a fully upgraded Security Field Team in a district on the City Map will bring in 25 Intel a week, while also awarding a bonus 30 Intel as a reward for completing a District Mission.  

2.  Take Specs Ops missions for Intel rewards 

XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel

(Image credit: 2K Games)

Certain Spec Ops missions, such as Legwork, can reward players with up to 65 Intel upon their completion, at no cost other than losing access to a Unit for a few days. You will find Spec Ops missions as one of the options in the menus back at HQ, and can assign up to two agents to different Spec Ops missions at a time after building a Rank 3 Security Field Team and completing the Improved Spec Ops project in the Assembly.  

3. Complete Missions, Operations, and Situations

XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel

(Image credit: 2K Games)

These are your classic XCOM-style encounters that can be undertaken as part of the main campaign, and though not every mission will award Intel for their completion, you can see exactly what rewards each one will offer in the description shown on the City Map.  

4. Capture enemies to gain Intel from them 

XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel

(Image credit: 2K)

Instead of killing foes on the battlefield of XCOM: Chimera Squad, you always have the option to subdue them with a melee attack or Tranquilizer Round, provided you're close enough to the targeted enemy to make the play. If a successful Subdue takes out the target's entire life bar, they will be captured instead of killed, providing a chance to acquire Intel from them after the mission is complete. Every enemy you capture adds a 20% chance to gain Intel at the end of each mission.  

What’s the best way to spend XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel? 

XCOM: Chimera Squad Intel

(Image credit: 2K Games)

So, you've collected heaps of Intel from each of these sources, but what to do with it all? Well, I'd suggest first prioritising Security Field Ops to ensure you have a steady, recurring stream of Intel, to the point where you won't even have to worry about hunting it down for yourself any more. 

After that, feel free to buy yourself some powerful new tools and gadgets from the Scavenger Market, or deploy Finance and Technology Field Teams to bring in more Elerium and Credits into your inventory, which can then be used to upgrade the best XCOM: Chimera Squad Armour and best XCOM: Chimera Squad weapons. 

For more, check out more upcoming PS4 games for 2020 and beyond, or watch our latest episode of Challenge Radar below. 

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Alex Avard

I'm GamesRadar's Features Writer, which makes me responsible for gracing the internet with as many of my words as possible, including reviews, previews, interviews, and more. Lucky internet!