This guide is intended as a comprehensive strategy guide on Chromosome Evil. It will detail information regarding basic game concepts, resources, weapons, enemies. In addition to details tactical and strategic concepts to help you win the war.

This guide is NOT intended as a walkthrough of the game. This guide will be offering tips on strategies, but this guides author feels the onus is on the player to find their way through the missions.

This guide is up to date for version version 1.12 (9th of April).

*THIS GUIDE IS STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS, ANY FEEDBACK OR YOUR OWN TIPS ARE APPRECIATED*

There are three difficulty modes available, these being Easy, Normal and Hard. The differences between the difficulties is listed below.


Critical to note is that there are two methods players can save their game.

• Autosave - The game will save the game at the start of every new zone the player enters. The autosave will only be available for the latest zone you enter, you cannot load autosaves from older zones. This feature is only available in Easy and Normal, and is disabled on Hard.
  
• Manual Save - For the cost of a one (1) Action Point and a set amount of Food resources (based on the amount of soldiers you have), you can save your game manually. This can be done at any time, you can only have one (1) save slot but you can reload this save from any point in the future. This feature is available on any difficulty.

Important to note is that on the Hard difficulty, the only way to save your progress is via a manual save. This becomes a major strategic decision as you will be forced to expend precious resources and action points to save your progress.

Active Pause is a unique mechanic which, on Normal and Hard, must be unlocked via a Engineering upgrade which becomes available after several in-game days. On Easy this ability is freely given to the player at the start of the campaign.

Days until end notes how many days you will have until the "final" event and thus the end of the game. You have more days to prepare on lower difficulties, and less on higher.

The over-world represents one half of the game, from here you direct your strategic actions. The principle resource of the overworld are action points. Action points are required to enter buildings and perform specific actions such as resting, healing or scavenging.

Action points are granted to a player on arrival to a new zone.

• You start with the game with three (3) action points.
  
• With research, you can gain up to three (3) additional action points.
  
• Hidden in some mandatory missions you may find a rare TROJAN upgrade, each TROJAN grants you one (1) additional action point. You can find between two (2) to three (3) during a campaign. Each TROJAN needs to be interacted with via any soldier type to acquire, and it takes a significant amount of time to complete the interaction.
  
• You can gain one (1) action point at the penalty of doubling the cost of engineering projects

A TROJAN.

TROJANs are typically hidden in dark areas of the map, but will be highlighted if you move your cursor over it.

During certain missions you may discover interactive consoles that can, if activated with ANY class, grant you additional temporary action points for the zone you are in.



As you can see in the image above. Each possible structure you can enter has small 'squares' denoted underneath, which give an indication for the amount of action points requires to enter. However these squares can also infer how "valuable" the structure is. Generally, the more action points needed to enter an area, the more valuable, worthwhile but riskier the area is.

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There are a set of options you can undertake on the overworld aside from raiding buildings, some of these options must be unlocked via research.

Available from start

• Manual Save - 1 AP/Food Cost: Will create a save point. Escalating cost based on the amount of soldiers you have.
  
• Search for Survivor - Variable AP/Food Cost: Will search for a survivor, the AP and food cost depends on the zone you are in (1 AP Residential, 2 AP Downtown, 3 AP Industrial). You may either find a new soldier to recruit, or a NPC survivor you can interact with.
  
• Scavenge - 1 AP: Will scavenge for resources. Will grant you a random amount of a random resource. Good action economy, and generally a good usage of excess APs, but no control on what resource you find can make this unreliable. (Finding a ton of upgrade items or RPG rockets can be strong, but finding a lot of food is not as good).

Must be researched

• Heal - 2 AP/Medical Supply Cost: Will expend a variable amount of medical supplies to heal all of your troops. The amount used depends on a combination of how much damage all your soldiers have suffered and how much research you've placed put into this.
  
• Rest - 2 AP : Will increase your squad's morale by at least 1 point.
  
• Scout - 2 AP: Will decrease enemy aggro by at least 1 point.
  
• Training - X AP: Will grant your troops a variable amount of experience points.

Searching for survivors is best done in residential zones due to the very cheap AP and food cost. Scavenging is a great way to accrue excess resources if you have any excess APs and the remaining structures to raid are likely not going to yield much. Overworld healing is very efficient in terms of using medical supplies, but does consume significant amounts of your limited AP.

There are a total of ten (10) resources you must gather during the course of the game. Some are more vital than others, but you will need them all at some point.

Ammunition

• - Bullets: Ammunition for most firearms
  
• - Shells: Ammunition for shotgun style weapons | Less common than bullets
  
• - Rockets: Ammunition for rocket launchers | Very rare, and even rarer to find a soldier wielding an RPG, but incredibly powerful.

Supplies

• - Medical Supplies: Used for healing soldiers and upgrading medical equipment | Generally do not need a large reserve for healing if you heal constantly from the over world, large amount of these are needed for medic equipment upgrades, and tactical in-game healing consumes a large amount.
  
• - Weapon Components: Upgrade firearms
  
• - Armour Components: Upgrade troop armour
  
• - Wood: Used to construct barricades and repair environmental objects. Ammo for Bow weapons. | Generally plentiful if you are not needlessly constructing barricades. But don't be afraid to use it.
  
• - Tools: Upgrade engineering projects, upgrade engineer equipment and construct environmental traps | Hard to come by but very necessary for engineering upgrades
  
• - Food: Hire new troops, perform certain overworld actions and for bartering/trading | Generally plentiful and easy to acquire but can be rapidly consumed.
  
• - Fuel:Used to travel between zones. Ammo for Chainsaws. | Used up quicker than you would expect, if you run out of fuel you'll be forced into a scavenge mission to find more fuel at a aggro/morale penalty.

A general rule of thumb for resource distribution in different scavenging zones is listed below, the concept of zones is explained in the overworld strategy section. This is not a hard and fast rule as most resources can be found in all zone's, but in lower quantities if they are outside their normal zone.


There is also a 11th resource known as Research Points, information on RP is noted in the subsequent 'Research' section. You will passively earn RP at the start of each zone and you can find intractable paper desks in certain missions that will grant you more RP.

Your primary objective is to prepare for the "final" confrontation which occurs automatically once all 16/18/20 days have elapsed OR you have completed all mandatory main missions. This objective is mandatory.

(Be warned that completing all mandatory missions will automatically bring you to the final mission, even if you had some days remaining. The game does not warn you about this)

Your secondary objectives are to repair the global satellite network and conduct research into a vaccine against the enemy virus. These objectives are optional, however in order to achieve the 'best' outcome you must complete both objectives.


The top line indicates the days left until the final encounter. The middle line indicates your satellite progress, and the bottom line indicates your vaccine progress.

Both secondary objectives are completed by interacting with appropriate consoles that will provide progress towards completing the task, some additional progress can be gained from random NPC encounters or certain mandatory missions. An objectives is considered complete once you have achieved a 100% rating in its category.

In order to achieve your secondary objectives you will need to seek out locations that provide opportunities to advance them.

Furthermore you will need at least one Medic and one Engineer in your squad in order to complete both secondary objectives. Without both it is impossible to progress both objectives.

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There are three unique overworld zones you can enter, each of these zones are predisposed to feature certain kind of structures, thus different kind of resources to find, these are.

• Residential - Cheaper Soldier Recruitment Cost. No opportunities to advance secondary objectives
  
• Downtown - Very strong opportunities to advance vaccine progress. Some opportunities to advance satellite progress.
  
• Industrial - . Strong opportunities to advance satellite progress. No opportunities to advance vaccine progress.

Vaccine progress can only be advanced from raiding Hospitals and downloading research progress, and Hospitals can only be found in the Downtown zone.
Satellite progress can be advanced from two locations, the most reliable location are Factories in Industrial zones, and uncommonly Police Departments in the Downtown zone.

Vaccine progress is generally harder to come by due to it being limited to a single location, however any progress you collect will generally advance your progress further than satellite research. A single raid on one Hospital might advance your progress by 30% to 40% whereas a Police Station/Factory may only advance your progress by 10% to 20%

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Considering all this information it would be preferable to raid Downtown and Industrial Zones and to avoid Residential zones outside of securing cheaper recruitment costs for new soldiers.

Furthermore these two zones contain highly valuable resources. Downtown can provide the player with a wealth of ammunition, weapon and armour components. Whereas Industrial zones provide sufficient fuel for transport, as well as large amounts of tools for vehicle upgrades.

When traveling between zones you are given the choice of what zone to travel to next. One of the zones will be considered a 'main story' zone while the other two will be optional. Optional zones will not progress the main story. No matter which zone you go towards the final days timer will decrease. If you chose to visit too many optional zones and do not advance the main story, you may fail the game.

You must be very mindful of when to explore optional zones and when to continue to the main story zones. You should only explore optional zones two (2) to four (4) times per game to avoid leaving you in a situation where you cannot complete the main story.

Your best strategy is to only explore optional zones when you are the main story zone is not going somewhere you want to go AND you are running low on important resources such as fuel or ammo, or you wish to gain progress towards your secondary objectives

Morale, Aggro and Evolution are metagame concepts that have a major impact on tactical missions and in the overworld. These three systems are affected by actions and random events that occur on the strategic overworld. The status of these systems are displayed to you on the main overworld screen, as denoted below.


Top is Morale, Middle is Aggro, Bottom is Evolution

Morale affects the price of actions performed in the overworld and also impact the outcome of events in the overworld, specifically how much or little bonuses you get from positive RNG events.

Aggro affects the quantity of enemies you will fight during tactical missions. The higher your aggro, the more enemies you will encounter during missions. Keeping aggro low will keep enemy numbers low, and vice versa.

Evolution effects the type of enemies that will begin to appear. Higher levels of evolution will allow far more powerful enemy forms to begin appearing, which generally makes the game much harder.

Morale and Aggro are both increased or decreased based on a combination of player actions during events, mandatory missions or pre-mission random encounters. In some circumstances the player may be forced into a event that penalizes the player, other times an event may offer the player a chance to avoid a negative event if you select the right choice, or pay a cost.
Some NPCs that the player may encounter while searching for survivors may offer services that can increase morale or decrease aggro, for a price.

Be warned that running out of fuel will generate an event that, while granting you fuel, will max out your aggro.

Evolution is progressed independently of the player, and is mostly affected by the progress the player is making on the main story. Evolution will generally trend upwards however actions taken by the player during certain mandatory missions may have a positive effect against evolution.

After completing several mandatory missions you will rescue support vehicles that unlock the Engineering and Research projects.

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Engineering allows you to spend components to upgrade your APC, granting your APC a range of bonuses or features. These are.

• RADAR: Provides a mini-map radar of item locations, higher levels will unlock additional objects the radar can track
  
  1st Upgrade

  2nd Upgrade

  3rd Upgrade

  4th Upgrade

  Effect

  Unlocks Radar, Track Troops

  Track Enemies

  Track Lootable Objects

  Track XXX

  Cost

  50

  100

  150

  200
• ENGINE: Will increase the amount of 'prelude' time the player has when entering a new map. This increases the amount of time the player has until the 1st enemy wave spawns.
  
  1st Upgrade

  2nd Upgrade

  3rd Upgrade

  4th Upgrade

  5th Upgrade

  Effect

  Cost

  40

  80

  120

  160

  200
• CREW SPACE: Increases the amount of soldiers that can be acquired. Default is 3, each upgrades improves this by +1.
  
  1st Upgrade

  2nd Upgrade

  3rd Upgrade

  Effect

  +1 Troop Capacity

  +1 Troop Capacity

  +1 Troop Capacity

  Cost

  100

  150

  200
• COMMAND MODE: Allows the player to pause the game during combat. FREE on Easy.
  
  1st Upgrade

  Effect

  Unlocks Command Mode

  Cost

  100

• SCANNER: Shows how much time until the 1st enemy wave arrives
  
  1st Upgrade

  Effect

  Unlocks Scanner

  Cost

  75

• FUEL: Decreases the amount of fuel used when traveling between zones.
  
  1st Upgrade

  2nd Upgrade

  3rd Upgrade

  Effect

  Decrease Fuel Cost By X%

  Decrease Fuel Cost By X%

  Decrease Fuel Cost By X%

  Cost

  40

  XXX

  XXX

NOTE: When you rescue the Engineering vehicle, you are given the option of granting you a permanent +1 action point at the cost of doubling the cost of every Engineering project. This is a permanent choice for the remainder of the game.

It is very unlikely you will be able to upgrade every component of the APC, you will need to be selective based on your personal preferences.
Furthermore many of these upgrades will require you to also conduct 'Research' to unlock them.

In terms of strategy. The best upgrades to focus on are a combination of the COMMAND MODE, ENGINE, CREWSPACE and FUEL upgrades. These upgrades grant you real and practical bonuses to your ground and strategic operations. Decreased fuel travel costs will mean you need to loot less fuel, a stronger engine gives you more time to loot and secure a map before the first waves of enemies arrive, crew space simply lets you hire more troops. Command mode is self explanatory in that it grants you a major tactical advantage.

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Research lets you unlock either new Engineering improvements, Equipment upgrades or Environmental possibilities. Research is conducted by spending research points (RP), you will accrue these passively every day, you can also earn these by investigating terminals with Engineers/Medics during tactical ops.

Notable research projects are as follows.

• Research Bonus: Will boost your daily passive RP
  
• Action Point Gen: Each upgrade will grant you an additional action point per day, upgradable to a maximum of three (3) bonus action points.

The human forces under the player's command are represented in three different classes. These are the Soldier, Engineer and Medic.


The Soldier is a dedicated frontline combatant. They carry the widest range of weapons and are the only class to have access to armour points as well as combat helmets. They can tank damage and dish it out, and are vital to your short term survival.


The Medic is a healer. They have access to tools that allow you to heal your troops in the field, in addition to possibly having access to boosters that could enhance the combat prowess of your troops.
Their medical knowledge allows them to perform the vital task of researching information regarding a vaccine, in addition to downloading research data to boost your own research.


The Engineer provides an array of support services. They are the only class able to construct barricades and build traps. Some Engineers can also deploy Sentry Turrets to provide additional firepower.
Their technical knowledge allows them to perform the vital task of repairing the global satellite network, in addition to downloading research data.
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As will be detailed in later sections, the equipment and armour a troop carries is not interchangeable, and is thus restricted to the specific troop you hire. This does mean that each unique troop will carry the same equipment during different playthroughs.
The list below denotes every single hire-able unit in the game, and what equipment they carry.

Soldiers
*ONeal is a game start soldier you are guaranteed to have. Hudson J can be selected as your second game start soldier.

Engineers
*Curtis can be selected as a starter engineer.

Medics
Alex I. can be selected as a starter medic.

Information regarding stats, upgrade costs and the effects of stats/

WORK IN PROGRESS

Every weapon and equipment piece in the game can be individually upgraded. All weapons require weapon components to upgrade, though most equipment require alternative items to upgrade.
Weapons and equipment are tied to the soldier who wields them, they are not interchangeable.

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Pistols/Rifles
These weapons use for their ammo.

Pistol

Standard issue sidearm that is commonly used by most soldiers. While it is overall the weakest offensive weapon in the game, it's chief advantage is that its fairly cheap to upgrade and it has a long firing range, a solo engineer or medic with this weapon can easily defend themselves against a few rogue enemies.

Base Damage: 4
Base Ammo: 6
Upgrades

Submachinegun

asd

Rifle

asd


Minigun

asd
Base Damage: 5
Base Ammo: 35



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Shotguns
These weapons use for their ammo.

Shotgun

Base Damage: x
Base Ammo: 2



Peacekeeper

A very powerful variant of the shotgun, features far greater accuracy, extended firing range and damage output. If sufficiently upgraded it can annihilate large hoards of enemies. Its only drawback is that it is very expensive to upgrade and it is a fairly rare weapon to find in the hands of a soldier.

Base Damage: x
Base Ammo: 2


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Explosive
This weapon uses as its ammo.

RPG

The only explosive weapon in the game, the RPG is the most powerful direct fire weapon in the game. It deals massive single target damage to whatever it happens to strike, and has a large area of effect damage radius.
Its critical weakness is this weapon uses very rare RPG ammo, and is capable of inflicting friendly fire, even killing the operator if fired at a target too close to them. It is also possible for the operator to mis-fire and fire an inaccurate shot, the rocket will not swerve far from the intended target, but be wary.
Due to the power and rarity of the ammunition. Its operator will only fire the weapon with your direct orders.

Base Damage: x
Base Ammo: 1

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Other

Melee

asd

Bow

Uses as ammo.
asd

Katana

Melee weapon
asd

Chainsaw

Uses as ammo.

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Equipment

Medkit

Standard issue medical kit for Medics. Will slowly heal all troops, including the user, that are under its effect. Upgrades increase the healing rate or increase the healing radius.
Requires to upgrade

Booster

Uncommon issue kit for Medics. By default provides +1 bonus too all stat fields for any troop under its effect. Upgrades can provide additional bonuses.
Requires to upgrade.

Repair KIt

Standard issue kit given to all Engineers, required to construct barricades and traps.
Requires to upgrade.


Turret

Uncommon issue kit for Engineers. Allows user to deploy a sentry gun that will fire on enemy targets at the cost of X to deploy them.
Requires to upgrade.

Armour, akin to weapons and equipment, is tied to the troop using it and is thus not interchangeable. Armour represents defensive uniforms that all troops are equipped with, that can be upgraded with armour components to increase their defensive properties. All armour pieces require armour components to upgrade.

There is a critical difference to note between Soldier armour and Engineer/Medic armour.

• Soldier armour will provide armour points to its user, armour points represent a second set of health for that user that will absorb 100% of all damage taken until depleted.
  
• Engineer and Medic armour do NOT get armour points. Upgrades to Medic/Engineer armour will provide boosts to overall health and immunity to certain negative status effects, but they won't provide additional physical protection.

Armour points are essentially a second set of regenerating health that will absorb all damage before the soldiers actual health. Armour points will regenerate for free during tactical missions while the soldier is not currently being attacked, the rate of armour regeneration can be increased with upgrades to that armour.

This functionally means that Soldiers can afford to tank damage without compromising their health, whereas the more support oriented Medics and Engineers have no capability to tank damage.

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Certain forms of EXO Armour exist, in universe they are considered a form of power armour. However in spite of their appearance they generally do not provide more protection than other forms of armour, but more support or speed oriented abilities.

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SOLDIER ARMOUR
Tank Armour

Theoretical Stats
Armour Points: 130 AP - 210 AP
Armour Regen: 2 - 3 Regen Per Second
Move Speed: -2 to +1 Speed Malus/Bonus
Potential Immunity: FIRE, BLEED

Provides the theoretical best protection possible of any armour and can possible provide immunity to fire and bleeding damage, both common sources of damage over time.
Suffers from a movement speed penalty to the user and the lowest armour regeneration time of any armour. Movement speed malus can be negated if player upgrades alternative choices but at the cost of overall armour protection.
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Shooter Armour

Theoretical Stats
Armour Points: 90 AP - 180 AP
Armour Regen: 9 - 11 Regen Per Second
Potential Bonuses: +20 to Reload Speed
Guaranteed Immunity: BLEED

Cheapest armour to upgrade and provides the fastest armour regeneration of any armour, suitable for hit and run style combat. Can either provide bonus to reload speed, further enhancing HnR combat, or a boost to overall protection to be almost on par with tank armour.
Only provides protection against bleed damage.

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EXO Armour

Theoretical Stats
Armour Points: 60 AP - 120 AP
Armour Regen: 4 - 6 Regen Per Second
Potential Bonuses: +1 to +3 Move Speed
Guaranteed Immunity: POISON, FIRE

Weakest overall armour in terms of protection. However can grant immunity to poison and fire damage, and a large boost to movement speed with decent armour regeneration.

SOLDIER HELMETS
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Heavy Helmet

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Optic Helmet

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Smart Helmet

MEDIC ARMOUR

ENGINEER ARMOUR

Basic explanation of the enemy and survival tactics in exploring and finishing missions.

WARNING : UNMARKED SPOILERS AHEAD

The game currently features three endings, based on three different paths that the player can take based on the choices and actions you take. Two of these paths are considered to be "hidden" endings.

These divergent paths will change the mandatory missions the player is forced to take, this can have a significant impact on your tactical game play.

The first five (5) mandatory missions are compulsory and identical between playthroughs. A quick summation

• M1 - Rescue Military Personal.
  
• M2 - Recover Abandoned Gear. Unlocks ability to level up and upgrade soldiers.
  
• M3 - Reboot Vehicle. Opportunity to loot resources while defending your APC.
  
• M4 - Rescue Engineering Vehicle. Unlocks Engineering.
  
• M5 - Rescue RnD Vehicle. Unlocks Research.

The sixth (M6) mission is the first point of divergence. During this mission the player encounters the 'Alpha Predator' for the first time in a farmhouse that is difficult to defend. The player is expected to flee this encounter. After fleeing the Alpha Predator the player will eventually encounter the creature a second time, in a far more favorable combat environment. Successfully killing the creature will lock the player into the Meet Brother path, the main path.

However, during your first encounter with the alpha predator if you are successful in killing it you will be given the choice of proceeding with the Blow It! path, or returning to the Meet Brother path. This is the first hidden path. Killing the creature during the first encounter is a very difficult encounter, and is best accomplished with several soldiers with long range firearms (Minigun or Rifles).

Alternatively if the player flees from the alpha predator during the second encounter, this will lock the player to the Alpha Predator path, the second hidden path.


The Meet Brother path is the primary path, and easiest one to complete.
The Alpha Predator will see you attempt to learn more about the creature and hunt it down for good in a prolonged hunting campaign.
The Blow It! path sees you assisting the military conduct a major operation against the enemy, it is the most difficult path.

WARNING: MARKED SPOILERS AHEAD

This brief section will detail the location of all known TROJAN locations. Spoilers are in place if you wish to keep this a secret for your entertainment

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• Mission 1 - Rescue Soldier: Hidden in northern room in cover of darkness
  
• Mission 7 - Underground Lab (Blow It! path): Blocked by exploding barrels in central room, will need to complete secondary objective and have soldier with armour/flame resistance to pick it up
  
• Mission 7 - Pharmacy Egg Extermination (Brother path): Hidden second area of the mission, directly above the exit hidden in the dark. Easy to miss.
  
• Mission 9/10 - Rescue Civilians (Brother/Blow It! path): Hidden in dark alley to the north-west of the starting location outside the barricades.
  
• Mission 9 - Night Escort (Blow It! path): Can be found after 3/4ths of the way through the mission on the right-side of the map.

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In any one playthrough a maximum of three (3) TROJANS can be found and recovered, for a bonus of up to +3 action points.

Thanks to the following people for their help with the guide

Porcy - For information on characters
zalex101001 - Helping with item upgrades and TROJANs