In XCOM: Chimera Squad, the battle for control over City 31 introduces players to several powerful enemy factions. One of the most prominent and mystifying of these groups is the Progeny, a cult-like organization with a strong emphasis on psionic powers and mind control. Facing the Progeny requires a deep understanding of their tactics, enemy unit types, and how to best counter their psionic abilities. Whether you’re new to Chimera Squad or strategizing how to beat the Progeny more effectively, mastering this faction is key to ensuring the survival of your squad and the city.
Overview of the Progeny Faction
Psionically Powered Threats
The Progeny are characterized by their extensive use of psionic energy. Unlike other factions that rely on brute force or robotics, the Progeny use the mind as their weapon. Their units are often equipped with abilities that can stun, disorient, or take control of your agents, making every encounter potentially dangerous if not managed carefully. They also field a mix of human and hybrid operatives, all seemingly united under a strange cult-like devotion to their leader.
Narrative Importance
From a story perspective, the Progeny represents an ideological threat as well as a physical one. They oppose the integration and peace efforts in City 31 and believe in empowering psionics above all else. As the first major investigation you can choose in Chimera Squad, they provide a unique introduction to how the game handles faction-based narrative arcs and enemy strategy diversity.
Progeny Unit Types
Understanding Enemy Roles
When dealing with the Progeny, recognizing each enemy unit’s capability can give you a significant advantage. Here’s a breakdown of the core enemy types you’ll face:
- Acolyte A low-tier psionic user that can use Stupor to disorient your agents, or Mind Flay to deal damage to multiple targets. They’re fragile but dangerous if ignored.
- Resonant These mid-level enemies have stronger versions of psionic attacks and can charge up an area-of-effect blast. Eliminating them early prevents damage spikes later in the encounter.
- Brute A melee-focused enemy who charges your front line. They are often used to break overwatch and tie down mobile agents. High health and aggressive behavior make them priority targets.
- Sorcerer One of the most dangerous units in the Progeny lineup. They can summon psionic shields, levitate agents out of cover, and perform devastating attacks. Take them out quickly or crowd-control them early.
- Psionic Suplex Some units may use powerful crowd-control abilities like levitation or mental control, especially when boosted by Resonance Fields or special effects.
Special Traits and Mechanics
Progeny enemies often gain buffs from environmental objects or psionic energy fields. They may also use psionic amplifiers found in the combat map to extend their ability range or power. Disabling or avoiding these zones can limit their effectiveness and keep your team safe from unexpected attacks.
Combat Strategies Against the Progeny
Control the Controllers
Because the Progeny relies heavily on mental control and disruption, prioritize enemies that can affect your squad’s actions. Acolytes and Resonants may not deal huge damage individually, but their ability to incapacitate agents can break your formation and make other enemies more dangerous. Use agents with crowd-control resistance or psionic immunity to hold the front line.
Use of Breach Tactics
Breach mode in Chimera Squad is your opportunity to set the tone for each encounter. When facing Progeny groups, use breach abilities that disorient or surprise enemies to limit their early-round effectiveness. Skills like Flashbang Grenade or agents with Psych Up can negate psionic opening moves.
Prioritize Sorcerers
Sorcerers must be dealt with swiftly. Their ability to shield allies and remove your agents from combat makes them high-value targets. Coordinate multiple agents to focus fire on Sorcerers during the first or second turn, or apply status effects like stun or bind to disable them before they act.
Exploit Fragility
Despite their powerful abilities, most Progeny units have relatively low armor and moderate health. Use explosive damage, armor-piercing weapons, and flanking shots to bring them down quickly. Keeping pressure on their formation prevents them from setting up devastating psionic combos.
Best Agents to Use Against the Progeny
Mind-Resistant Operatives
Bringing agents who can resist or neutralize psionic effects gives your squad a major advantage. Consider including the following:
- Patchwork While more focused on tech enemies, her ability to disable enemies with Stasis Field can neutralize key Progeny threats temporarily.
- Zephyr High mobility and immunity to mental effects make her ideal for targeting Acolytes and Resonants early in the fight.
- Verge His own psionic attacks allow you to fight fire with fire. Verge can put enemies into Stupor, Battle Madness, or simply remove threats from the battlefield via Mind Flay.
- Claymore Excellent at punishing groups of tightly packed enemies. His shrapnel grenades and bombs ignore cover, which is valuable against enemies using psionic buffs.
Equipment Considerations
Equip agents with items that improve willpower, resist mental attacks, or enhance initiative. Items like Flashbang Grenades, Mind Shields, or Tracer Rounds help maintain control and maximize your team’s accuracy and survivability.
Progeny Investigation Progression
Stages of the Investigation
The Progeny campaign arc consists of several missions leading to a final showdown. As you progress through the investigation, you’ll uncover more about their objectives and their leader’s role in the plot. Key missions will include:
- Early Disruptions Minor Progeny attacks on City 31 infrastructure. Missions here allow you to collect intel and gear up.
- Psionic Amplifier Facilities Assaults on locations where the Progeny are boosting their abilities. These are often difficult but yield valuable rewards.
- Final Mission A climactic battle against the Progeny’s leadership. Expect multiple enemy waves, Sorcerers, and complex psionic mechanics to overcome.
Rewards and Gear
Finishing the Progeny arc rewards you with advanced technology, unique story progression, and access to equipment that boosts psionic resilience. Completing their story also removes them as an active threat, reducing city unrest and allowing you to shift focus to other factions.
Tips for Success
- Use cover wisely; Progeny enemies often levitate or bypass traditional defense positions.
- Control key targets early; don’t let Acolytes and Sorcerers set up combos.
- Keep your team spread out to avoid area psionic attacks.
- Focus fire on psionics before tanky enemies like Brutes or Guardians.
- Choose investigation missions based on your squad’s current strength and loadout.
The Progeny in XCOM: Chimera Squad are a uniquely dangerous threat that requires planning, precision, and adaptability. Their heavy reliance on psionics introduces gameplay mechanics that can turn a battle against you in a single turn. However, with the right squad composition, equipment choices, and mission strategy, you can neutralize their threat and restore order to City 31. Understanding their unit types, prioritizing high-threat targets, and using crowd-control abilities of your own will give you the upper hand in every Progeny engagement.