Eragar's Untitled Campaign

Game Master Eragar

I'll actually make an introduction post at a later point when we have all our players. For now, those of you who are here can feel free to interact with each other.

You each arrive at the top secret facilities you will be commanding. Opening up your terminals, you begin connecting with the commanders of other cells, as well as reviewing your available assets.

INITIALIZING...
+++ Boot Sequence: Complete +++
+++ Integrity Check: Complete +++
+++ Establishing quantum encrypted Connection: Done +++
+++ Starting Image and Speech Recognition Subroutines: Check +++
"Hello, XCOM. My name is Tarvi. I speak for the German cell."
The voice sounds ... unusual, but if you didn't know it (yet) you wouldn't suspect it to be synthetic.
Your screen show a hologram of an hovering eye on metallic background rather than the face of another Commander.

Minder 1 here. All scanning and monitoring systems online. Interceptors are gassed and ready to go. Let's give them what for.

A trim man of middle age with a neat mustache flashes onto your screen. His camouflage uniform bears no badge of rank or insignia.

"Parker here. X-Com is officially operational. PACIFIC SENTINEL is online and awaiting hostile contact. Pleasure to meet you all."

A new window opens and and shaved dark haired man beggining his forties appears.

"Anderson here, I've had few problems with arrival but Czech Cell will be fully operational and combat ready under six hours."

Minder reviewed the work logs during a quiet moment. He opened his comm and called in to the science team manager.

Science team: Both teams, please research weapon technology.

He wanted to capture an alien alive...do some experiments. But for now, better weapons would have to do.

Colonel Weston Parker wasn't much on formality, normally. Almost 40 years of special ops, black bag snatch and grabs, and other skulduggery sort of preclude large ceremonial formations. Normally, the sorts of operations he was familiar with not only weren't commemorated but officially never happened. But normally, you don't retire from almost 40 years of meritorious service only to be pulled back in 6 months later. Normally, you aren't told by a man with 4 stars on his shoulder that Roswell wasn't a hoax. Normally you aren't shown video of little green men that are armed to the teeth and pissed the f+@% off.

But that's why Colonel Parker was here. He didn't deal in normally.

Parker strode into the cavernous hanger of Pacific Sentinel toward the raised podium set up toward one end between a Sparrow and a Skyranger, a large American flag hung between them. In the crowd, the ranking enlisted man bellowed "ATTEN-SHUN!" It was hardly necessary. The almost 200 military men and women now under Parker's command had been standing in formation at attention, and doubtless remain there until the end of the world, a time the Colonel was going to ensure was a long, long way off.

"At ease." The sound of hundreds of feet shuffling to parade rest was deafening in the quiet hanger.

"Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Colonel Weston Parker, United States Army Special Operations Command, and until recently, retired." That bad joke got a rough scatter of laughter out of the assembled troops. Parker relaxed a little and finally began to look them over.

"Some of you may know me, some of you may know of me, and some of you might have a guess what we're doing here, but most of you I imagine, are just as goddamned confused as me about this whole thing as me." A much bigger laugh this time. Good. They're going to need it.

To Parker, it looked like a Children's Crusade arrayed before him. A bunch of kids playing soldier. But he knew out there there was a dozen Green Berets, a few Delta boys and SEALs, Marine Raiders, Rangers and Force Recon. Hell, they'd even grabbed some FBI HRT to act as a capture team and a couple of Airforce Para-Commando medics. They were at least as old as him when he got started, but he could never remember ever being that... young

"Well, I'm here to give you the truth." The air in the room one again got hard, military. "Those of you who aren't already, you are now officially granted clearance level Delta Green. The paperwork will come later. Ladies and gentlemen, there's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to rip the band-aid off. The earth is currently being visited, and possibly prepared for invasion by, a hostile alien force from beyond our solar system."

There was none of the expected shuffling or whispering. The assembled mass simply stared straight ahead. Good.

"These creatures possess superior weapons technology as well as, we assume, faster then light travel. They have already performed attacks and abductions at several locations globally. Our government had partnered with others throughout the world to form a united front against these invaders. Doubtless, you'll have noticed the various uniforms assembled here, and doubtless you'll have figured out that each of you was hand pick as the most professional, exemplary soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and agents this country has to offer. But we now have a responsibility greater then this country, truly the greatest mankind has ever known."

Parker pauses and lets out a deep sigh.

"This is the part, in the movies anyway, that I would tell you to forget the units you came from, to coalesce into a giant happy family and kick E.T. back into space." No recognition of E.T., mused Parker, god I'm old. "But that's not what I'll tell you now. What I'll tell you now is to remember your old units. Take pride in what you did and do. Take you memories, you skills. Hold onto your lives and families. Take the best of yourselves, and help us create the greatest fighting force humanity has ever known. Help us destroy a threat to not only our lives, our country and our families, but every family, every country, and every life on the planet earth. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to X-Com."

2 giant banners unfurl on either side of the American flag behind Parker. The assembled personnel clap, knowing, if not totally understanding, the importance of this situation. The blue and black pennants sway back and forth enblazened with the name "X-COM" and the slogan "Viglio Confido."

My God, Parker though, how many will I have to send to die?

From a side hall in filed older, balding African American man in a labcoat and sweater, security badge swinging wildly. Looking for all the world the stern professor, Dr. Emmanuel Washington, PHD Physics and Biology, was just that.

"This Dr. Washington." Parker continued, "He leads the science team that will be supporting you in the field. He's already forgotten more things about these creatures then you'll ever know, so listen closely as he gives you all the details we have. You may be seated."

As 200 trained killers and associates settled into their seats, Dr. Washington makes his way to the podium. Before he reaches it, Colonel Parker puts a hand on his shoulder and leans into him.

"As soon as you're done here," Parker intones quietly, "I need you and your teams working on cracking the alien comms. If they send a dick pic, I need to know which of their freaky green balls is bigger."

Washington, seemingly immune to humor of any sort, simply responds "Of course, commander." before taking the podium. Parker makes his way to a seat set aside for him next to the stage.

Washington began. "Good evening everyone. I am Doctor Emmanuel Washington, lead scientist with the US X-Com project. I will now take you through a, regrettably, truncated power point presentation about the Alien visitors, their suspected biology, weapons, technology, sociology and disposition. This should only take a few hours. Lights please?"

Parker settled into his chair, and employed a trick every soldier his age had mastered years ago, sleeping with their eyes open. It's not that he didn't think what the doc had to say was important, but he'd read and re-read every document the doctor had access to and some he didn't. He knew that just about every combat tested soldier in the room was doing the same thing, if for different reasons. They knew all they needed to know.

There was a target. It needed to be killed. And they were the ones to do it.

The not-quite-right voice continues.
"I am looking forward to work with you all.
Present personal contributes to an impressive 11 percent of my total tactical-situation-and-response raw data.
Short silence
I like to propose the first point of agenda: Sharing of Information.
The amount of raw data we have about this new, unexpected threat is ... low.
The German cell I represent, has gone to considerable length to build massive research capabilities, in the hope to uncover as much helpful information about the nature of this alien attack as possible.
But without raw data, alien specimen, samples of their technology, detailed encounter records and movement tracking, we cannot conduct helpful research with the required speed.
Thus, I highly recommend, that we all work together and share all available information regarding this threat as fast and complete as possible. "

The german commander is somewhat off-putting, especially since he refuses to reveal his face. Perhaps his brusque tone is indicative of German efficiency, but it puts Minder 1 off a bit.

Still, there's work to be done I agree, Tar. There's a lot we can do to coordinate our efforts. My team is currently researching improved weapon technology...though we could do a lot more if we could get our hands on those terrifying blasters that the extraterrestrials are using.

While lisening to analysis of hidden german commander, Anderson thinks about who he is, but decides to not comment about Commander Vi's breach of etiquette, since there are worse offenses...

Who speaks like that? Genius with speech disabilities? Still, sounds reasonable. There are plenty of questions about other cell leaders in Commander's mind, that have to wait for later as now it is his turn to present stance of Czech cell.

Even though we don't have a lot of raw data we can make assumptions about capabilities of ETs... Anderson stops shortly to gather his thoughts and make others on channel to start thinking the way he wants. As you might know the amount of weird sightigns has increased over time. First one in 1947, New Mexico, Roswell. Authorities did good job covering this and several other sightings. There were no xeno weapons in Roswell, so this wasn't invasion like now, but instead a simple recon or maybe even a test to see how we would react to first contact... If our enemies are competent enough they would study us and thanks to internet and broadcasting everything about us into space they have much better data about us, then we about them. To find a way how to defeat this threat we must find what are their goals so we can assume their next steps and deny them...

There is plenty of data hiding in plain sight, all abductions couldn't be random. They might be looking for people in critical positions to weaken us or they can be interested in our genetics, because from top secret sources I was shown evidence of troopers with paranormal abilities, something that shouldn be posible and we don't understand, BUT it is real and must be accounted for.

Commander becomes silent for a while, drinks some water and smiles as he sees other commanders having more questions now than before, however before anyone gets to ask Anderson resumes his speech.

I'm glad you are interested in this strategy, but there is one very big problem that could mean that even with all possible intel we might lose. Because alien ships coming from outer space which means our enemies found a way to combat background radiation in space, either advanced materials or through some field manipulatios, and their ships can enter our atmospere meaning their ships must have some kind of heat resistant materials....Both of this means that there might be some ships for which we might not have any answer at all. No matter how powerfull and durable their ground units are, a tank shell or air-to-ground missile should be capable of destroing them, however as they get bigger, like spaceship capable of interstellar travel, there might not be a missile big enough for them. Due to this problem I reccomend making better ground-to-air or air-to-air weaponry our top priority to give us best chances of simple survival...

Parker nods his head, put more at ease by the competence of opposite numbers.

It's agreed then. We share what we can between our research teams. I've got my boys working on cracking the bastard's comms. Sooner we know what they're doing, sooner we can stop it.

He shift back into his chair, placing a worried hand on his chin.

Additionally, I'm sort of out here by myself, but you all could benefit from a regular Skyranger shuttle service between your bases. Wouldn't take too much time with their souped up engines to get from spot to spot, and you can shift resources around to where they're needed.

Since we're only waiting on BoggBear (and a little bit from Anderson) at this point, I'm going to go ahead and get started)

As the five of you conference, a sixth image appears--the XCOM shield logo, trimmed in gold and blue, and etched with the words Vigilo Confido. A voice accompanies it.

"Hello commanders. I trust that you have all been briefed on our situation. As of yet the world at large does not know of our... visitors. But it will be at most a few weeks before they do, and then chaos will erupt across the globe.
For now, your mission is to combat these extraterrestrials wherever you can find them--and thus show the people of the world that we can fight back. Without their help and support, nations everywhere will degrade into anarchy, and we will lose this war before it has even begun.

Right now in Australia, Bolivia, Central Africa, Russia, and the United States--as well as at each of your facilities--we have have satellites, radar arrays, and other forms of sensors capable of detecting alien ships. Elsewhere we are blind, and will have to rely on information which may be unreliable.

I'm afraid your resources are limited for the time being, as many world leaders wish to pursue other options before committing funds to our organization. I only hope their foolishness does not destroy us all. Good luck commanders. We will be in touch.

I'll try to get a map up tomorrow, but right now you guys have radar coverage over most of the world--excluding southern Asia, most of the Middle East, Antarctica, Alaska, and Greenland. I can give a more complete list if you want, or you can wait for the map.

As you each pull up the holographic representation of the world, contact alerts start popping up. One, two, five. A dozen, three dozen...
For a moment you feel complete overwhelmed as the numbers continue to grow, but then the artificial intelligence kicks in and begins eliminating false contacts. Once the metaphorical dust settles, you are left with 11 aerial contacts.
With the computer accessing various military, law enforcement, and civilian channels, another overlay representing ground contacts appears on the map--approximately 20 of these glowing red across the globe.

-------

All told, there seems to be quite a lot of alien activity.
Putting these in spoilers for organizational reasons. All of this data is plugged directly into the same network, so you all have access to it and can all look at everything here.

Any single aircraft will have time to investigate 1 contact per turn. Keep in mind that if you manage to shoot down a UFO over land, you can then send a Skyranger to investigate that new ground contact.
So, decide what you want your interceptors to do. You are welcome to coordinate among yourselves, and can even have multiple players send planes to the same place for a better chance to take down the UFO.

EDIT: The rule about aircraft taking only one mission is not hard and fast. If there are multiple places close together, or if it's a false contact, you might be able to squeeze in more.

As the mysterious man begins uploading intel into our systems, Anderson start checking the closests. When trying to find out how far is our reach. He activates the comm and calls Central Officer.

Centra how far can our birds reach?

Is there any limit regarding distance from our base, problems with airforces of non-member countries, and do we know anything about UFOs?

Before getting his answer Anderson returns to map with plenty of red and blue dots.

Colonel Parker I appreciate your offer, although it might be difficult to utilise due to our distance.
However I would like to make additional point to my previous statement about my assumption of enemy air superioty. Because my expperience with aircraft if rather limited I would prefer if one of you who is more competent in aviation than me to take a leading role in trying to solve our disadvantage in skies.

When listing the alien locations could you add next to coordinates at least a name of country? It's great for immersion, but having to locate their position myself doesn't add a whole lot and just takes time

EDIT: Regarding the ground combat rules: 1) Can our soldiers make multiple attacks per round? What about multiple grenades?
2) How grenades work in terms of accuracy?
3) What about sniper rifles needing two actions and sniper only having one agility?
4) You have talents natural leaders and perceptive on a same line and Repair kit has bad formating

++++ Earlier ++++
"Currently research capabilities are distributed to three projects using about equal processing power.
First one will look into improved personal armor for our troopers.
The second one is developing improved training facilities using novel virtual reality and AI technology.
The final group is trying to develop a mathematical model, allowing us to provide insight into the strategic goals and movement of our alien attackers.
The last one will likely be a long-term project but can hopefully give us insight into their strategy at some point, allowing us to counter major undertakings and detect weaknesses."

++++ NOW ++++
Only seconds after the coordinates are uploaded, a warning claxon becomes audible over the link to the German cell.
It is quickly filtered out, replaced by the voice of TAR-VI.
"Likely enemy contact in direct vicinity detected.
Sending in troops to investigate and stop them.
Further ground contacts located in Iceland and Turkey.
UFO-contact over Spain.
Suggesting a joint attack by all European interceptors, followed by a ground investigation team to put down survivors and secure salvage."

Can flyers be used to check out a ground site and then turn and try to intercept a UFO?

+++ Computing Troop Composition for first engagement +++
>> Squad 1: Corp. Weber, Corp. Dahn*, Corp. Dorscht***, Corp. Adler
>> Squad 2: Corp. Dreher, Corp. Gorba, Corp. Fritsch, Corp. Dobler
>> Squad 3: Corp. Ruta** (Frontline Loadout), Corp. Abdelau, Corp. Schmidt, Corp. Krumpf
Loading Special Equipment list:
* non-lethal weapon
** tactical shield
*** Medi-Kit

>> Pilots Darca and Schwarz: Interceptors
>> Pilot Eisenmann: Skyranger, deploying Squads 1-3 immediately
>> Remaining Troopers: Training session with the Sergeant, reflex training (8xAgility, Sergeant as instructor, 8 extra upkeep)

We should more clearly delineate which contact we’re engaging. Eragar, can you number them? Tar, you posted first, you get first pick. I’ll choose targets after you.

Alright, here's all the contacts numbered and with countries listed. I'll get a map up in a moment

Map Link The white circles are where you guys can see UFOs at. I can give closeups on any area you want

Minder 1 to ops. Commit interceptor 1 to aerial contact 7 and intercepter 2 to aerial contact 8.

He considers the ground board. Lets send the bus (the ship with two passenger compartments) to contact 18. Loaded out for high lethality, low collateral damage engagement. Reserve the other ship for clean up after we blast 7 from the sky.

Parker to ops. Dispatching Little Bird 1-1 and 1-2 to Air Contact 13 on the board. Loading up both Big Bird victors to deal with whats left.

He turns to his own XO and get down to specifics.

I need those interceptors in the air in five minutes, Skyrangers loaded with Gunman 1, 2, and 3, and Griffin 1 and 2 and in the air in 15. Interceptors are to engage only over an AO where the crash site can be secured by ground teams.

Parker, do you mean Air Contact 3? There are only 11 air contacts right now.

Anderson sits in his chair carefully watching the contacts on map being selected by other cells when noticing possibly farthest contact in Australia being chosen by British cell

Anderson to Minder 1. I see that you want to protect her majesty's land, but wouldn't it be wiser to dispatch that response team to Iceland? It's much closer and I worry that aliens my be away before your troops arrive. Iceland on the other hand is much closer and your men have much higher chances of catching ETs during their plans.

Also, because we have plenty of fighers in Europe what if you would send both interceptors to target the UFO 7 in spain, while my interceptors would take care of 8 in Cameroon? We haven't seen any confrontation with enemy airforce and I don't want to take any chances

Commander awaits Minder 1's response and alarms his own men to get combat ready.

Squad MAGENTA is to check possible contact 11 in Turkey with propable higher concentration of enemy forces, in case it's just some of our terrorist friends, there is confirmed sigting 12 of xenos in Libya that might still be waiting for you.

Squad ORANGE along with both interceptors will move to Cameroon to engage UFO 8, Skyranger is to stay away from UFO and only move in and land once it's down.

+++ [/i]Special Mission assignment for Interceptor 1, flied by Cpt. Schwarz:
Low-Height fly-by over suspected ground target.
Try to confirm sighting of enemy activity in the region.
Time over mission area: 5 minutes.
Afterwards, link with Interceptor 2 and any allied aerial forces and attack confirmed enemy air contact above Spain.[/i] +++

To use the new numbered target system:
Sending troops to ground target 9.
Have one interceptor fly-by over suspected ground target 9 to try and confirm enemy activity, before following my other interceptor on its mission to bring down aerial target 7 over spain.
Note that pilot of Interceptor 1 has greater speed than my other flyer, so they should probably arrive at the same time.

I didn’t think we were limited by time and distance. If that’s not the case, I’ll investigate Greenland.

It was said that even though we can reach anything we see, there might be chance that once we arrive ET`s would already leave.

Also what about UFO targets? We have a bit too many birds for not so many targets.

Yeah, 3 sorry.

+++ New orders: Interceptor 1, Skyranger: Change course and follow Interceptor 2 at max speed.
Intercept UFO and send in ground units as soon as it hits the ground.
Any alien is to engage on sight and killed.
If possible, try to catch one alive using non lethal weapons.
Advised course of action: use flashbang and tear gas against a single enemy, engage and capture.
Don't risk too much.
NOTE: Forced from allied XCOM cells will accompany you on this mission. +++

"TAR-VI to Anderson and Minder1.
German ground target was fake.
Redirecting forces to UFO hunt.
If you bring it down before my forces arrive, you may want to keep your forces back, cordoning the landing site until my troops link up.
I have three full squads in my bird.
They have nowhere to go and we could overwhelm them with numbers and multi-directional, coordinated attacks."

Anderson to Vi
Unerstood, I see that now there are plenty of interceptors assigned to UFO 7, I have two birds moving to engage UFO 8 in Cameroon but with some assistence we could take a risk and try to engage UFO 9 Kenya. It's bigger and there could be some chance of taking it down with more interceptors. There is still chance that it might leave before we get to it, but the potentional rewards could be worth it.

An irritated voice breaks into the channel.
"Har ni fortfarande inte fått någon ordning på systemet ännu?"

After a brief pause the voice comes back, somewhat less irritated now.
"Vad menar du med att jag är live?"

After another brief pause, the voice returns, now speaking calmly and somewhat controlled.
"Gentlemen, this is the commander of the Nordic countries, code name Viking."

Once again, although these are in spoilers, the information is available to everyone.

Listening to live report from contact in Africa, Anderson smiles a little, knowing he's been like as this UFO doesn't have any weapons like the Canadian one.

After enemy aircraft falls Anderson start issuing new orders.
Sparrows fly over the crash site and report the visual status of UFO.
Skyranger 2 move in to the crash site and prepare for landing half a kilometre from the UFO. Approach with cation, for as we know enemy crew might be alive and ready to defend themselves. Sparrow 1 and 2 are to remain in the air as long as possible to provide as much intel as possible and in extreme circumstances air support.

What about ground contact in Turkey or Libya?
And do you know equipment of my troopers since they are only ones without it in your doc

Although not 100% confirmed, flyovers do report usual activity in both Turkey and Libya.

I do know the equipment loadouts for your soldiers, I just haven't had time yet to put them in. Does your spreadsheet show which ones are going where?

1-1, remain beyond maximum weapons range and stay evasive. Try to draw their fire but do not engage. Focus on staying mobile. 1-2, let's welcome ET to earth.

German Ground Battle in Spain

The German Skyranger touches down near the crashed UFO in Spain, which is still largely intact. The soldiers rush out, some taking cover behind a small hill while the others stay out in the open trying to get a better view of the ship.

Radios call out movement among the brush and trees, and your soldiers wait only for your order.

TARVI, I've color coded your three squads. Red is Squad 1 (with Corporal Weber), Green is 2 (with Dreher), Blue is 3 (with Ruta). The white circle is the UFO, the purple circles show visible enemies, the red shapes are hills.
The guy on the rock and the one just to the right of the UFO are small spider-like creatures. The thing to the far left is some sort of four-legged creature, and the remaining two are hovering slightly above the ground and look mechanical.

If anyone else is sending soldiers to Spain, they still can. They'll just show up later. I'll try to get some of the other combats up tonight as well, although I might have to wait until tomorrow afternoon.

+++ Enable Tactical Response Subroutines +++

Tactical: Commit squads 1 and 2 to Skyranger 1. Send to Greenland.

Minder 1 watches the UFO over Spain blip off the radar, replaced by a red X to represent a crash. He flips channels.

Bates, gas up your bird. I'm sending you and Squad 3 to Spain to give support for the cleanup.

He then triggers his comm to Elofsson's channel. Viking, hello. I'm Minder 1, UK ET response. I'm sending a team to Greenland now to investigate a landing. Can you standby for backup if we need it? You should be able to reach the spot quickly.

"What?! Greenland? We have contacts in Greenland?!"

A series of Swedish swearing ensues.
"I was informed of contact in ICELAND, and have already dispatched troops to that location.
Can I have confirmation that the contact is in Greenland and not Iceland? If so I'll redirect the troops, otherwise I'm afraid I'm already committed."

"Hello --- Viking.
This is TAR-VI, representive of the German cell.
My intel calls out possible ground activity in Iceland as well.
Greenland is free from contacts - as far as my raw data goes.
...
TAR-VI to Minder1:
Engaging alien contacts in Spain.
My troops will engage any visible target but will await your people before trying to enforce entry to the grounded UFO."

"What?! Greenland? We have contacts in Greenland?!"

A series of Swedish swearing ensues.
"I was informed of contact in ICELAND, and have already dispatched troops to that location.
Can I have confirmation that the contact is in Greenland and not Iceland? If so I'll redirect the troops, otherwise I'm afraid I'm already committed."

Whoops, my mistake

"So we have a contact in Iceland then? Well good, I've committed a full 16 troops to that location."

Again a short burst of swearing occurs.
"I committed them earlier, since I had to make a decision when our communication was not working properly, they should be nearing the target already."

British Ground battle in Eastern Canada

"Is this information accurate? We have successfully shot down two UFO's at this point?
I ask because it seems SOMEONE hasn't been giving me the right information, and SOMEONE is going to get a stern talking to after this is done, isn't that right, lieutenant?"

TAR-VI to Minder1.
Crew of downed ship has left the UFO and is engaging my men.
ETA of your troops?

Simultaneous to the voice transmission, a long, heavily encrypted file is sent to all cells, containing real-time analyzed data about encountered enemy troop types.

Oh...here we go...

Minder 1 to tactical leaders. Heavy weapons target the robots, light gunners target the four leggers. Front line engage the humanoids. Minimize collateral damage and human casualties.

He clicks over to TAR's channel Squad 3 is en route to Spain now.
What's the ETA?

Hard to say exactly, but it will probably be about 2 or 3 rounds

In a stunning display of airmanship, Little Bird 1-2 rolls out of the way of incoming fire, and utilizes the momentum from that movement to slingshot his missile directly into the path of the UFO. Secondary explosions ripple along the length of its hull, and the saucer-shaped object plummets towards the rocky ground below.

I somehow missed Parker's post about his interceptors until just now. I'll try to get the rest of the ground battles set up when I get home from work.

"Hah! A Third confirmation of an UFO having been taken down!
Hmmph, pity we can't take them all down.
Especially that huge contact..."

It's all good man!