MENACE's OCI Rework Rebuilds the Progression Layer — Dev Diary 49 Explained

The update that makes you want to start over — almost

Five months into Early Access, MENACE gets what the studio calls its biggest change of Early Access. Overhype Studios detailed it in Dev Diary #49 on July 10 before releasing it on July 14. OCI stands for Operational Capability Improvement (per Dev Diary #8): the upgrades installed on the Impetus ship between operations. Spent OCI points are automatically refunded, although the studio recommends starting a fresh campaign.

Update, October 26, 2026: The system has kept evolving. The Mission Selection Overhaul of October 1 adds a fixed amount of OCI points per operation based on its rating and lets enemies use off-map abilities. The Balancing Update of October 14 then raises the cost of several OCIs, such as Automated Supply Compartments (from 100 to 130).

Overhype Studios says it treated the old system as a temporary system before delivering the more detailed version it had in mind. The rework rebuilds the progression layer that connects operations, but it also spills into tactics: off-map abilities, the authority cap and the squaddie limit change too.

Three renamed slots and always-available base OCIs

The Impetus keeps three OCI slots, renamed to better fit certain modules: Bridge, Hull, and Armament. Each slot ships with “base OCIs” that are always unlocked, with no faction trust required: Command Room (+1 squaddie per mission), Intelligence Center (+1 intelligence), Quarters, Garage, Main Battery, Armed Dropship or Support Module. Faction OCIs then layer on top of these bases as your trust with a faction grows, eventually replacing them. Each unlocked OCI comes with an upgraded version, usually more expensive to install, that can change what the module does in a fundamental way.

Factions now offer 12 OCIs to unlock and 12 trust levels, instead of 8. Each slot gets an OCI tree that gives a clear at-a-glance picture of what’s available and what’s already installed. Progression becomes readable at a glance.

Off-map support changes how you plan

Off-map capabilities — airstrikes, orbital support — now operate per-operation instead of per individual mission. They’re resources to manage across a full operation, with timing that actually matters. Burning your support early in mission one can leave later missions without a safety net. Orbital abilities take 2 turns to arrive but hit harder; airpower abilities rely on dropships that can loiter near the battlefield for only one turn, and a ready ability not used in time is wasted.

What changes with off-map support is the planning: planning an operation no longer means optimizing each mission in isolation — it means thinking about the campaign as a whole.

Should you restart?

Existing saves remain compatible. Spent OCI points are automatically refunded, which lets players redistribute their investments without starting from scratch. Overhype Studios still recommends launching a new campaign, because the update changes progression and balance quite a bit.

Patch 0.7.8 also touches company composition: maximum authority is capped at 120 and each hired squad leader or pilot removes 4, while the number of squaddies the Impetus can hold is limited, with the Quarters OCI raising it. Enemy reinforcements were also reworked to be fairer.

What to watch next

The real impact on campaign longevity and faction balance will show up over the next few weeks. Hotfix #9, released July 16, has already corrected several OCI values, so the numbers are still moving. For the broader context, see the MENACE Early Access analysis.

Going further

Sources: Dev Diary #49 — OCI Rework · OCI Rework release notes