In XCOM 2, Council Missions are a series of missions that are given to the Commander by the Spokesperson of the Resistance. In each Council Mission, the player controls a squad of soldiers to engage ADVENT and alien forces and complete mission objectives.
Council Missions are marked with a white logo of a building or vehicle on the Geoscape. (The logo is dependent on the type of mission.)
Unlike Guerilla Ops and other missions, no Council Mission allows for the Commander to manually place an EVAC zone. Instead, a dedicated EVAC zone is provided at the area of operations, and it cannot be changed unless access to it is made impossible (via explosives or other means), in which case it will be moved to a different location.
There are three possible Council Missions. Two of the three missions begin in concealment. All Council Missions are timed. At the end of the mission, any soldiers left off the EVAC point will be captured by ADVENT forces.
All Council Missions require interaction with a VIP. For a mission to succeed, the VIP must be extracted to the EVAC zone by the end of the turn limit. It is not necessary to eliminate all enemies in the area of operations.
Council Missions
Rescue VIP
The VIP escapes to safety on the EVAC zone, with one XCOM soldier standing guard on the roof.
This mission begins in concealment.
In this mission, a VIP must be rescued from one of two locations: an ADVENT vehicle, or an ADVENT prison. The player has 12 turns to rescue them from the vehicle/prison and bring them to the EVAC zone, along with all XCOM soldiers. At the end of the 12-turn limit, any soldier who has not evacuated will be captured by ADVENT forces.
The mission will fail if the VIP is killed or the VIP is not evacuated within 12 turns.
Objectives:
- Rescue VIP from ADVENT <location> (either "ADVENT vehicle" or "ADVENT prison.")
- Extract VIP at designated location
- Extract all XCOM soldiers
Extract VIP
In the Extract VIP mission, the VIP grabs the rope as he's reeled up into the Skyranger.
The mission does not begin in concealment.
In this mission, XCOM has the VIP in tow, and the VIP must be brought to the EVAC zone and evacuated, along with all XCOM soldiers. At the end of the 12-turn limit, any soldier who has not been evacuated will be captured by ADVENT forces.
The mission will fail if the VIP is killed or the VIP is not evacuated within 12 turns.
Objectives:
- Extract the VIP at designated location
- Extract all XCOM soldiers
Neutralize Enemy VIP
An XCOM soldier, carrying the unconscious form of the VIP, brings the VIP back to the Skyranger.
This mission begins in concealment.
In this mission, a VIP working for ADVENT must be neutralized (either killed outright or subdued and carried to EVAC) and brought into XCOM custody. The player will recieve Supplies in either case, and Intel if the VIP is recovered alive.) At the end of the 12-turn limit, any soldier who has not been evacuated will be captured by ADVENT forces.
The mission will fail if the VIP isn't evacuated within 12 turns or all XCOM soldiers die and the VIP cannot evacuate.
Objectives:
- Capture or kill enemy VIP
- Extract all XCOM soldiers
Rewards
Council Missions are guaranteed to offer Intel as a reward, while VIP extraction missions may also award an Engineer, Scientist, or captured XCOM soldier as a reward.