Star Wars Zero Company Combat Tips — Push Enemies, Overwatch & Instant Kills

Updated August 31, 2026

Winning fights in Star Wars Zero Company isn't always about dealing the most damage possible.

Sometimes the best attack is to move the enemy.

You can push enemies out of cover, knock them into an ally's Overwatch cone, reposition them for an easier kill, or send them completely out of the combat space for an instant defeat. The game specifically highlights Force Push and Uppercut as ways to knock enemies out of cover and into a squadmate's Overwatch.

That makes displacement one of the most useful combat mechanics to understand.

The basic idea is simple:

Don't just ask how much damage you can deal. Ask where the enemy can be moved.

This guide explains how displacement works, how to use Push and Pull abilities, how to combine them with Overwatch, when to look for ledge kills, and how to get more value from your AP each turn.

Related: If you're still building your Operators, check out our Star Wars Zero Company Bonds Guide: Focus Points, Cross Training & Best Combat Synergies for the progression and squad-synergy side of the game. For the strategic side of the campaign, see our Star Wars Zero Company Intel Guide — How to Get More Intel & Spend It Wisely and Star Wars Zero Company Best Zones Guide — Where to Spend Influence First.

📋 Table of Contents

• How Displacement Works
• Push Enemies Out of Cover
• How to Get Instant Ledge Kills
• Push Enemies Into Overwatch
• Force Push & Force Pull
• Bull Rush & Uppercut
• Use Concussion Grenades for Displacement
• How Overwatch Uses AP
• Best Displacement Combos
• What to Do When Pushes Fail
• Advanced Combat Tricks
• Common Mistakes
• FAQ

How Displacement Works

Displacement is any effect that forces an enemy to move from their current position.

In Zero Company, important displacement tools include:

• Force Push
• Force Pull
• Uppercut
• Concussion Grenades

These abilities can do considerably more than simply inflict damage.

Depending on the battlefield, displacement can:

• Remove an enemy from cover.
• Put an enemy into a better position for your squad to attack.
• Push an enemy into an Overwatch cone.
• Move an enemy toward another enemy.
• Knock an enemy out of the combat space.

That last option is particularly powerful. An enemy that is knocked out of the combat space is defeated regardless of its remaining health, turning a positioning ability into a potential instant kill. Official Xbox guidance specifically recommends looking for map edges and catwalks where displacement can eliminate enemies regardless of their health.

Think about the destination, not the target

This is the most important displacement habit to develop.

Don't simply ask: "Can I push this enemy?"

Instead ask: "Where will this enemy end up?"

If the destination removes cover, enters an Overwatch cone, creates a better firing angle, or leads outside the combat space, the displacement can be worth much more than its immediate damage.

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Push Enemies Out of Cover

Cover is one of the biggest factors affecting your chance to hit.

That means removing an enemy from cover can benefit your entire squad, not just the Operator performing the displacement.

The basic sequence is:

• Enemy in cover ↓
• Displace enemy ↓
• Enemy loses cover ↓
• Squad gets better attack opportunities

Force Push and Uppercut are specifically highlighted as ways to knock enemies out of cover.

When pushing an enemy out of cover is worth it

Look for situations where:

• Several Operators can attack the exposed target.
• The enemy is difficult to hit from its current position.
• The enemy is blocking an important route.
• The new position places the target inside an Overwatch cone.
• You can combine the displacement with another Operator's attack.

The key advantage is that you're changing the battlefield for the rest of the squad.

Check the landing position first

Don't use a displacement ability automatically. Before committing, check:

• Where the enemy will land.
• Whether the target will still have cover.
• Whether another enemy will block the destination.
• Whether an Overwatch cone can cover the destination.
• Whether a ledge or other useful environmental position is nearby.

A bad push can simply move an enemy from one safe position to another.

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How to Get Instant Ledge Kills

One of the strongest reasons to learn displacement is the possibility of removing an enemy from the combat space.

If the battlefield gives you a suitable edge, pushing an enemy beyond it can result in an instant defeat rather than a normal damage exchange. Xbox's official tips specifically call out concussion grenades, Force Push and Kabb's Uppercut as ways to shove enemies around maps with lethal drops.

The basic ring-out setup

1. Find an enemy near an edge. Look for areas where the target can be moved outside the playable combat space.
2. Check the direction of the push. The important question isn't whether the ability connects. It's whether the enemy will actually leave the combat area.
3. Use your displacement ability. Force Push, Uppercut, or another suitable displacement effect can potentially create the opening.
4. Take the instant kill. If the enemy is removed from the combat space, you don't need to burn additional AP trying to reduce its health.

Why this is so powerful

A normal enemy with a large health pool may require several attacks. A successful ring-out doesn't care how much health the target has. That makes an enemy standing near a usable edge effectively much easier to defeat.

Don't force a ledge kill

Not every battlefield gives you a useful edge, and not every displacement attempt will produce a ring-out. If the destination doesn't clearly provide an advantage, use the displacement for another purpose instead.

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Push Enemies Into Overwatch

This is one of the strongest combat combinations in Star Wars Zero Company.

Overwatch creates a directional reaction cone. An Operator placed on Overwatch can attack when an enemy moves or acts inside the selected area during the opposing turn.

But you don't always have to wait for an enemy to walk into the cone. You can move the enemy yourself.

The Push + Overwatch combo

1. Position an Operator for Overwatch. Place the cone where you expect the enemy to end up.
2. Find a displacement angle. Use Force Push, Uppercut, or another suitable ability.
3. Move the enemy into the cone. The goal is to place the target directly inside the prepared Overwatch area.
4. Let the reaction attack happen. Instead of waiting for the enemy to cooperate, you've created the situation yourself.

EA specifically recommends using Force Push or Uppercut to knock enemies out of cover and into a squadmate's Overwatch.

Why this is better than normal Overwatch

Traditional Overwatch can sometimes feel like you're hoping the enemy moves into the right place. Displacement changes that.

You control:

• Where the enemy starts.
• Where the enemy ends.
• Where the Overwatch cone is positioned.

That makes the combo much more deliberate.

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Force Push & Force Pull

Force abilities give you some of the strongest displacement options available to the squad.

Force Push

Force Push launches a targeted enemy in a direction. Its most useful applications include:

• Removing enemies from cover.
• Setting up Overwatch.
• Moving enemies away from favorable positions.
• Creating potential environmental kills.
• Repositioning enemies for the rest of the squad.

Force Push can also deal additional damage when a target collides with objects along its path, while sending a target off a ledge can defeat it outright.

Best Force Push targets

Prioritize enemies that are:

• Standing near an edge.
• Hiding behind cover.
• Close to an Overwatch lane.
• Blocking your squad's firing position.
• Standing where another enemy can become part of the setup.

Force Pull

Force Pull gives you the opposite kind of positioning tool. Rather than sending the enemy away, it brings the target toward the position you want.

That can be useful when:

• The enemy is too far away from your squad.
• You want to pull a target into a favorable firing position.
• You want to create an enemy-to-enemy positioning setup.
• You need to move a target away from a protected location.

The important principle is the same: Use Force abilities to control the battlefield, not just to deal damage.

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Bull Rush & Uppercut

Not all displacement comes from the Force. Close-range Operators can also move enemies with melee abilities.

Bull Rush

Bull Rush is an aggressive melee displacement option. It allows the Operator to charge into an enemy, deal melee damage, and push the target backward.

That gives you several possible uses:

• Remove an enemy from cover.
• Move the target away from a dangerous position.
• Create room for another Operator.
• Set up a better attack angle.
• Potentially move the enemy toward a useful environmental position.

Think of Bull Rush as both an attack and a positioning tool.

Uppercut

Uppercut is particularly useful for displacement-focused combat. Kabb can rush an enemy, strike them with a melee attack, and knock them backward. Uppercut is also specifically identified as a way to knock enemies out of cover and into an ally's Overwatch.

That makes the ability especially useful for:

• Uppercut → Overwatch
• Uppercut → Remove Cover → Squad Focus Fire

Current ability information also indicates that Uppercut's AP cost depends on the distance travelled, and a kill can refund the AP consumed by the ability.

Don't use melee displacement blindly

Because these abilities require the Operator to get close, always check what happens after the attack. You don't want to solve one problem by putting your Operator into an even worse position.

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Use Concussion Grenades for Displacement

Displacement isn't limited to Force users and melee specialists.

Concussion Grenades can also be used as a battlefield-control tool. Official Xbox guidance specifically calls out concussion grenades alongside Force Push and Uppercut as tools that can shove enemies around the map.

That makes them especially valuable when you need to move an enemy but don't have the ideal Operator in position.

Look for these opportunities

• Enemy near cover — Push them away from protection and improve your squad's attack chances.
• Enemy near an edge — Look for a potential ring-out.
• Enemy near an Overwatch cone — Use the grenade to help reposition the target into the watched area when the battlefield allows it.
• Several enemies clustered together — Consider whether moving one target changes the positioning of the entire group.

The important lesson is: Don't judge a grenade only by its damage number. A grenade that moves an enemy into a losing position can be more valuable than one that simply deals additional damage.

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How Overwatch Uses AP

Operators have three AP per turn, and Overwatch is an important way to convert remaining AP into reaction fire.

However, Overwatch ends that Operator's turn, so activating it is a deliberate trade: you're giving up the rest of that Operator's normal actions in exchange for reacting during the enemy's turn. Spending more AP can increase the number of reaction shots.

That creates an important combat decision.

You don't always want to spend every AP on direct attacks.

Sometimes this:

• Attack → Overwatch

is stronger than:

• Attack → Attack

especially when you have another Operator who can displace enemies into the Overwatch cone.

Think about your next turn

Before spending your final AP, ask:

• Is another attack likely to kill the target?
• Will the enemy move next turn?
• Can another Operator push the enemy into my cone?
• Is a dangerous enemy approaching?
• Can I cover an important route with Overwatch?

If the answer favors reaction fire, saving your remaining AP for a useful Overwatch setup can be the better play.

Overwatch is directional

Zero Company's Overwatch is based around a directional cone, not an omnidirectional effect. That means positioning matters. A powerful Overwatch Operator in the wrong direction can be much less useful than a properly positioned one with fewer resources.

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Best Displacement Combos

Once you understand the individual mechanics, start combining them.

1. Push + Overwatch

Best all-purpose displacement combo

• Set the Overwatch cone first, then move the enemy into it.
• Overwatch → Force Push/Uppercut → Enemy enters cone → Reaction attack

This is one of the clearest supported displacement combinations in the game.

2. Push + Focus Fire

Use displacement to remove an enemy from cover. Then let the rest of the squad concentrate fire on the exposed target.

• Push → Remove cover → Squad attacks

The displacement doesn't need to kill the enemy to be valuable. It simply needs to create a better target.

3. Push + Ledge

This is the dream setup.

• Enemy near edge → Displace → Enemy leaves combat space → Instant defeat

When the terrain allows it, this can save several attacks.

4. Pull + Squad Fire

Bring an enemy toward the area where your squad has the strongest firing angles. Then focus fire.

• Force Pull → Reposition → Multiple attacks

This can be especially useful when an enemy is protected by terrain or positioned too far from your preferred engagement area.

5. Uppercut + Overwatch

Kabb's Uppercut can become a setup tool rather than simply a melee attack.

• Overwatch first → Uppercut target → Target enters watched area → Reaction attack

This is particularly effective when the enemy is close enough for Kabb to reach but would otherwise remain protected.

6. Concussion Grenade + Environmental Kill

If a suitable edge is nearby, a Concussion Grenade can potentially turn an ordinary encounter into an instant defeat.

• Identify edge → Position grenade → Displace enemy → Remove target from combat space

The game supports displacement-based out-of-bounds defeats, but don't assume every map edge is usable.

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What to Do When Pushes Fail

Displacement is powerful, but it shouldn't become an automatic button.

Sometimes the best destination simply isn't good enough.

• The enemy stays in useful cover — If the target lands in equally strong cover, you may have gained very little.
• The target lands outside Overwatch — If the enemy doesn't enter your prepared cone, the combo loses much of its value.
• The enemy isn't near an edge — Don't waste an action trying to force a ring-out when the terrain doesn't support it.
• The target resists the displacement — Not every enemy should be assumed to respond identically to every displacement effect. If the ability preview doesn't give you a useful result, keep a direct-damage option available.
• The push creates a worse position for your squad — Moving an enemy closer to your Operators isn't automatically good. Check whether the target will be able to attack from its new position.

The safest rule is:

• Only displace an enemy when the new position is better for you than the old one.

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Advanced Combat Tricks

Once you get comfortable with displacement, start looking at the battlefield differently.

Look at the destination, not the damage

A low-damage ability can be worth much more if it:

• Removes cover.
• Triggers Overwatch.
• Creates a flank.
• Produces an instant kill.

Damage is only one part of the value.

Use displacement instead of flanking when possible

Normally, removing cover might require moving one or more Operators around the enemy. Displacement can sometimes solve the problem immediately.

Instead of: Move → Move → Flank → Attack

you may be able to do: Push → Expose → Attack

That can save AP and keep your squad in safer positions.

Plan the enemy's turn before yours ends

One of the best habits is to think one step ahead. Don't simply ask: "What can I do right now?" Ask: "What will happen when the enemy gets its turn?"

A prepared Overwatch cone plus a displacement ability can turn the opponent's turn into another damage opportunity.

Check the battlefield before using Advantage

Advantage is a shared squad resource generated by dealing damage, and powerful abilities consume it rather than normal AP. The pool caps at 10, so allowing it to sit at the cap can waste further generation.

Before spending a large amount of Advantage on a powerful attack, look around. You may discover that an environmental or displacement solution can accomplish the same objective more efficiently.

Use enemy positioning against them

Enemies standing near:

• Ledges
• Narrow paths
• Cover
• Other enemies
• Overwatch lanes

are giving you opportunities. The best tactical players aren't only watching their own squad. They're watching where the enemy has chosen to stand.

Build around complementary Operators

Displacement becomes more powerful when another Operator is ready to exploit the new position.

For example: Displacer + Overwatch Operator is stronger than either Operator working independently.

Likewise: Displacer + high-damage ranged Operator can turn cover removal into a quick kill.

If you're experimenting with different Operator roles, our Star Wars Zero Company Respec Guide — How to Change Class & Refund Focus Points explains how eligible Operators can be rebuilt when your squad needs a different specialization.

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Common Mistakes

1. Pushing without checking the landing zone — A displacement ability isn't automatically useful just because it connects. Check where the enemy will land.
2. Ignoring ledges — If an enemy is standing near an edge, always consider whether displacement can remove them from the combat space.
3. Setting Overwatch in the wrong direction — Overwatch is directional. A poorly positioned cone can completely miss the action.
4. Spending all AP before considering Overwatch — Sometimes your final AP is more valuable as a reaction attack than as another low-probability shot.
5. Using displacement only for damage — The real strength of displacement is battlefield control. Removing cover or setting up Overwatch can be more valuable than the ability's raw damage.
6. Forgetting Concussion Grenades — Grenades aren't only for dealing damage. Look for opportunities where moving the enemy is the better result.
7. Assuming every enemy can always be pushed — Don't build an entire turn around displacement until you've checked the expected result.
8. Forcing a combo when a normal attack is better — Sometimes the simplest solution is still the best one. If an enemy is already exposed and can be killed with a reliable attack, there's no reason to spend extra actions creating a complicated displacement setup.

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FAQ

Can you push enemies off ledges in Star Wars Zero Company?
Yes. Knocking an enemy out of the combat space can defeat it instantly, making displacement particularly powerful near suitable edges.

What is displacement in Star Wars Zero Company?
Displacement refers to abilities or effects that forcibly move an enemy. Force Push, Force Pull, Uppercut and Concussion Grenades are among the game's important displacement options.

Can Force Push remove enemies from cover?
Yes. Force Push can reposition enemies and is specifically useful for knocking targets out of cover.

Can Force Push trigger Overwatch?
Force Push can be used to move an enemy into an ally's Overwatch area, creating a powerful displacement-and-reaction combination.

Can Uppercut push enemies into Overwatch?
Yes. Uppercut can knock an enemy out of cover and into a squadmate's Overwatch setup, making it one of the best melee displacement tools.

How does Overwatch work in Star Wars Zero Company?
Overwatch creates a directional reaction area. An Operator on Overwatch can attack when an enemy moves or acts inside the selected area during the enemy turn. Using Overwatch ends that Operator's turn.

How much AP should I save for Overwatch?
Operators have three AP per turn, but there is no single amount that is always correct. More AP invested can increase the number of reaction shots, so the right choice depends on whether another direct attack is more valuable than preparing for the enemy's turn.

Can Concussion Grenades be used for displacement?
Yes. Concussion Grenades can be used as a battlefield-control option, including situations where moving an enemy is more valuable than simply dealing damage.

Is pushing an enemy always better than attacking?
No. Displacement is strongest when the destination creates a meaningful advantage. If the enemy remains in good cover or moves into an even better position, a normal attack may be the better choice.

Can every enemy be pushed?
Don't assume so. Enemy behavior and displacement interactions can vary, so check the ability result before committing a turn, particularly against tougher targets.

What is the best displacement combo?
The most useful general-purpose combination is Overwatch + displacement. Set an Overwatch cone, then use Force Push or Uppercut to move the enemy into it. This is also the combination explicitly highlighted by the game's official guidance.

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Final Tips

The biggest combat mistake in Star Wars Zero Company is thinking only about damage.

Before attacking, look at the enemy's position.

• Near cover? → Push them out.
• Near an Overwatch lane? → Push them into it.
• Near a ledge? → Look for an instant defeat.
• Near another enemy? → Consider whether repositioning creates a better setup.
• No useful destination? → Attack normally.

The most important rule is:

The best displacement isn't the one that moves an enemy the farthest. It's the one that puts the enemy somewhere your squad can exploit.

Once you start combining Push, Pull, Uppercut, Concussion Grenades and Overwatch, combat becomes less about trading shots and more about controlling where every enemy is allowed to stand.

And if your squad build isn't giving you the tools you need, remember that eligible Operators can be rebuilt. Our Star Wars Zero Company Respec Guide — How to Change Class & Refund Focus Points covers how to change Specializations and refund eligible Focus Point investments.

For the wider progression system, our Star Wars Zero Company Bonds Guide: Focus Points, Cross Training & Best Combat Synergies explains how Bonds and Cross Training can strengthen your squad.

And when you're managing the strategic side of the campaign, the Star Wars Zero Company Intel Guide — How to Get More Intel & Spend It Wisely covers how to build and spend your Intel efficiently.

In Zero Company, don't just attack the enemy where they are. Move them somewhere worse.