In combat
Does Call for Backup cost Action Points?
No. It costs nothing.
- Confidence
- Confirmed
- Verified
- 15 August 2026
- Version
- pre-release (no retail build)
The short answer
No. It costs nothing.
In full
What that means when you are planning
Call for Backup adds a teammate's assistance to the next attack, and because it is free it is one of the few actions that never competes with movement or attacking for a turn's budget. The assisting Operator needs line of sight to the target, and the interface names them before you commit.
It also builds Bonds, which is the reason to use it even in fights you are winning comfortably. Bonds are the main source of Focus Points, so a free action that raises them is compounding into your progression rather than just into this turn.
Hawks' Fearless Leader increases assist damage specifically — and he is in every story fight — so assists are worth more in this game than the mechanic alone suggests.
What we don't know yet
The game has not been released. These are open questions we have chosen not to guess at.
- How much damage an assist adds.
- Whether it can be used more than once per turn.
Next
Related questions
- Do Bonds actually matter in Zero Company?
- Yes — they are the main source of Focus Points, so who you field together shapes your whole progression.
- How many Action Points does each Operator get per turn?
- Three, and they can be spent in any order.
Where this is covered properly
Sources
- Lead Zero Company To Victory on August 27
Electronic Arts · Tier 1 — Official · accessed 6 August 2026
Supports: Operator introductions; 3 Action Points per turn; Advantage caps at 10; the eight Specializations; Bonds in the Personnel Facility; Hawks' species options
- Is Z-COM our new X-COM? Star Wars Zero Company gameplay deep dive
ChristopherOdd · Tier 3 — Hands-on preview · accessed 11 August 2026
Supports: 2:13–13:51 — Sweeping Salvo at 4 Advantage with three uses per mission; Hawks granting an ally 1 AP for 3 Advantage; Combat Recon granting 1 Advantage per unit scanned; the Grit Talent's stacking invulnerability; Heavy attacks taunting; the droideka ray shield; the Scout's Spotted status; Defense as flat damage reduction
- Star Wars Zero Company: turn-based tactics that aren't just for XCOM experts
IGN · Tier 3 — Hands-on preview · accessed 11 August 2026
Supports: 2:15–12:39 — Advantage earned from successful attacks; four difficulty settings; ringing a droideka with Overwatch cones; Bonds granting health and critical damage; changing Hawks' species at the Den; the Bespin guest mission; preview-build defects including shots passing through solid cover