The Council has called X-COM in to deal with suspected alien sabotage at a commuter train station in India.
Operation Fading Druid
Kolkata, India
May 24, 2015
Maj. Martina 'Claymore' Braun Kills 1/32
Cpt. Claudia 'Collateral' Wolf Kills 2/2
Lt. Kalee 'Hex' Pillai Kills 2/10
Rk. Hans DeWitt Kills 2/2 Captures 1/1 (Promoted to Sq./Heavy)
Rk. Anastasiya Morozova Kills 0/0 (Promoted to Sq./Heavy)
Rk. Richard Evans Kills 0/0 (Promoted to Sq./Assault)
With so much of our active roster on the injured list, the remaining rookies have been called up for duty. Sq. Garcia, however, was left behind, as it was necessary to field more non-snipers. Cpt. Skinner's laser rifle was again assigned to a rookie, in this case Rk. DeWitt. DeWitt and Evans were issued arc throwers, while Morozova was given the medkit.
After exiting the Skyranger, our team encountered a plasma energy device that Dr. Shen theorized to be a power node, feeding power to a larger explosive device in the area. Maj. Braun deactived the device, while the rest of team got into cover. Two thin men emerged from hiding to defend their operation, wounding Rk. Morozova, though her armor absorbed the worst of it. The snipers took care of the thin men, allowing Morozova to move forward to another power node, which flushed out two more thin men. They foolishly fled through over a subway car, directly into the field of fire for the test of the team. Cpt. Wolf gunned down one, while Rk. DeWitt disabled another with his arc thrower. Rk. Morozova took this opportunity patch up her wounds and armor with the medkit.
The skirmish then moved further into the station, where another pair of thin men were found defending a rather large bomb of unknown destructive potential (though given its secondary power supplies and the known potency of the alien weapons, our estimate is staggering, to say the least.) The thin men were apparently willing to die when the bomb went, for it was close to detonation by all outward signs.
Rk. DeWitt fried one of the thin men with his laser rifle, while Morozova, Pillai, Wolf, and Evans closed with the bomb. Maj. Braun, meanwhile, frantically deactivated power nodes on the cleared side of the station. Cpt. Wolf killed the last thin man, and Rk. Morozova disabled the device. This prompted the entrace of two last thin men, who entered from the roof. The team opened fire, with Rk. DeWitt and Lt. Pillai scoring the kill shots. With the area secure, they collected their captive and headed home, leaving bomb disposal to the Indian authorities.
The Project used the cash reward from the Council to fabricate two nano-fiber vests, which were sold to the South African government at a profit, and then began construction on another satellite uplink facility. Dr. Shen was hoping to begin work on an upgraded facility using the alien computers, but we do not yet have enough engineers to verify that is not a security risk.
Project Rictus Research Report
The research staff has completed their design of a powered exoskeleton. Partially based on the floaters' cybernetics, it is a lightweight exoskeleton, capable of support its own weight and augmenting the wearer's reflexes.
To avoid restricting the user's field of movement (particularly important when mechanically aping their movements), the armor provides less physical protection than the Carapace armor developed in Project Thorax. It is hoped that the enhanced evasion abilities will more than compensate for that lack.
With a high-density power cell on board, and a dramatically reduced weight, the engineers have attached a grappling hook and winch, responding to requests from the troops for a better way to reach high ground.
X-COM Project Monthly Report, May 2015
Activity:
Council Missions Completed: 1
Abductions Stopped: 2
Satellites Launched: 2
Research Projects Completed: 7
UFOs Raided: 1
UFOs Escaped: 1
Monthly Reward: 805 Credits, 5 Scientists, 4 Engineers
Grade: C
Brazil has withdrawn from the Council
Areas on Concern: Panic remains in in Africa, Argentina, France, and Australia. We cannot afford to have more nations leave the Council.
Memorial
Lt. Humberto 'Doomsday' Pena 9 Kills 1 Capture 8 Missions (Heavy) Operation Crimson Knife 4/24/15
Sgt. Jan 'Cyclops' Meer 6 Kills 5 Missions (Sniper) Operation Frozen Stranger 4/18/2015
Sq. Dylan O'Brien 2 Kills 3 Missions (Heavy) Operation Cryptic Shield 5/21/15
Sq. Liang Zhou 1 Kill 2 Missions (Assault) Operation Brutal Stallion 5/10/15
Rk. Anna Visser No Kills 1 Mission Operation Devil's Fog 3/1/15
Rk. Esperanza Suarez No Kills 1 Mission Operation Frozen Stranger 4/18/15
Rk. Brittany Willis No Kills 2 Missions Operation Brutal Stallion 5/10/15
Duty Roster
Maj. Martina 'Claymore' Braun 32 Kills 13 Missions (Sniper)
Cpt. Claudia 'Collateral' Wolf 2 Kills 1 Mission (Heavy)
Lt. Kalee 'Hex' Pillai 10 Kills 7 Missions (Sniper)
Lt. Adam 'Werewolf' Wright 9 Kills 3 Captures 7 Missions (Assault)
Sq. Victor Garcia 1 Kill 1 Mission (Sniper)
Sq. Hans DeWitt 2 Kills 1 Mission (Heavy)
Sq. Richard Evans No Kills 1 Mission (Assault)
Sq. Anastasiya Morozova No Kills 1 Mission (Heavy)
Infirmary
Cpt. Jack 'Skinner' White 11 Kills 10 Missions Wounded 5 Days (Support)
Cpl. Rosalia Gonzales 6 Kills 3 Missions Wounded 4 Days (Support)
Sq. Tristan Bernard 1 Kill 1 Mission Wounded 8 Days (Heavy)
Rk. Richard Wilson No Kills 1 Capture 2 Missions Gravely Wounded (13 Days)
We've broken ground on a new power plant to be build around two of the alien power cells, as well as another workshop for our growing engineering staff. The man-portable Gatling laser has been fabricated, assigned to Cpt. Wolf.
We've also built two more satellites, which were subsequently launched over France and Australia.
Project Reports for Projects Corvid, Jacamar, and Snapdragon
Our science division believes they have successfully reverse-engineered the alien plasma weapons, and can produce them in scales from pistols up to interceptor-mounted cannons. For now, they have retrofitted the captured devices that survived the reverse-engineering effort: adapting them for human ergonomics (e.g. attaching pistol handles to the sectoid wrist-blaster) and removing the bio-locks and self-destruct mechanisms.
Project Golem Research Report
With the Project Rictus combat exoskeleton in the bag, the research teams have designed a full suit of powered armor. "This newer armor system is heavy", explained Dr. Vahlen, "with the result that it amplifies the wearer's strength, rather than reflexes. With that much mass, it simply will not move faster than an unencumbered human being. However, this extra carrying capacity allows for thick, protective armor plates, as well as secondary systems such as a self-contained breathing unit to shut out environmental hazards such as smoke or the Thin Man venom. Our troops should also find the climate-control much more comfortable, even if it does not directly enhance their combat abilities."
For a lack of alien material on which to work, the research labs are currently idle. For a lack of funds (an apparently permanent state of being), so is the engineering bay and foundry.
X-COM Project Monthly Report, June 2015
Activity:
Satellites Launched: 2
Research Projects Completed: 4
Monthly Reward: 945 Credits, 8 Scientists, 5 Engineers
Grade: A
Areas on Concern: Panic remains in in Africa, Argentina, China. We cannot afford to have more nations leave the Council.
Memorial
Lt. Humberto 'Doomsday' Pena 9 Kills 1 Capture 8 Missions (Heavy) Operation Crimson Knife 4/24/15
Sgt. Jan 'Cyclops' Meer 6 Kills 5 Missions (Sniper) Operation Frozen Stranger 4/18/2015
Sq. Dylan O'Brien 2 Kills 3 Missions (Heavy) Operation Cryptic Shield 5/21/15
Sq. Liang Zhou 1 Kill 2 Missions (Assault) Operation Brutal Stallion 5/10/15
Rk. Anna Visser No Kills 1 Mission Operation Devil's Fog 3/1/15
Rk. Esperanza Suarez No Kills 1 Mission Operation Frozen Stranger 4/18/15
Rk. Brittany Willis No Kills 2 Missions Operation Brutal Stallion 5/10/15
Duty Roster
Maj. Martina 'Claymore' Braun 32 Kills 13 Missions (Sniper)
Cpt. Claudia 'Collateral' Wolf 2 Kills 1 Mission (Heavy)
Lt. Kalee 'Hex' Pillai 10 Kills 7 Missions (Sniper)
Lt. Adam 'Werewolf' Wright 9 Kills 3 Captures 7 Missions (Assault)
Sq. Victor Garcia 1 Kill 1 Mission (Sniper)
Sq. Hans DeWitt 2 Kills 1 Mission (Heavy)
Sq. Richard Evans No Kills 1 Mission (Assault)
Sq. Anastasiya Morozova No Kills 1 Mission (Heavy)
Infirmary
Cpt. Jack 'Skinner' White 11 Kills 10 Missions Wounded 5 Days (Support)
Cpl. Rosalia Gonzales 6 Kills 3 Missions Wounded 4 Days (Support)
Sq. Tristan Bernard 1 Kill 1 Mission Wounded 8 Days (Heavy)
Rk. Richard Wilson No Kills 1 Capture 2 Missions Gravely Wounded (13 Days)
After more than a month of relative quiet and Council Nations tending to their own problems (Likely a response to Brazil's lack of faith in the Project,) we've received more reports of alien abductions in China, the United Kingdom, and South Africa. Due to high panic levels across Africa, we're responding to Pretoria.
Operation Broken Fall
Pretoria, South Africa
July 10, 2015
Maj. Martina 'Claymore' Braun Kills 2/34 (Promoted to Col.)
Cpt. Claudia 'Collateral' Wolf Kills 2/4
Cpt. Jack 'Skinner' White Kills 3/14 (Wounded 12 days)
Lt. Adam 'Werewolf' Wright Kills 0/9 Captures 2/5 (Wounded 7 days)
Cpl. Rosalia Gonzales Kills 0/6 (KIA)
Rk. Richard Wilson Kills 0/0 Captures 1/2 (KIA)
With our most experienced officers out of the infirmary, this mission was expected to be relatively straightforward. Cpt. White, Cpl. Gonzales, and Rk. Wilson were equipped with newly adapted plasma rifles, while Maj. Braun carried the pistol adapted from the sectoid blaster as a sidearm. Cpt. Wolf bore her new heavy repeating laser. Lt. Pillai was sidelined for this mission, as having her carry her .30 caliber rifle into the combat zone seemed oddly archaic alongside alien weaponry and high-tech lasers. Instead, Rk. Wilson was selected to gain more experience. Wilson and Wright bore arc throwers for this mission.
Big Sky set down outside of a graveyard, encountering two mutons and a red-armored creature as well. Initially believed to be some kind of muton commander, the creature demonstrated a frankly shocking ground speed and great endurance, soaking up first a blast from the Major's plasma pistol, followed by fire from Wilson, White, and Wolf before Lt. Wright put the creature down with a blast from his arc thrower. Hopefully Dr. Vahlen's staff can glean some information from the creature, even though it was grievously injured before it was disabled.
It is clear from the creature's raging charge (and distraction by each new attack) that is is not a commander or elite solider, but a shock trooper, a living weapon. If this is what these aliens reserve bigger, more imposing armor for it is no wonder they began singling out our more heavily armored troops in Operation Severed Pyre.
A firefight ensued with the remaining mutons: it was observed that they were carrying heavier plasma weapons than they'd been seen with previously. Again, these creatures attacked with explosive devices, destroying the wall and igniting the vehicle our troops were using as cover. The carapace armor protected them admirably from these initial attacks, but Cpl. Gonzales was still shot and killed before she and Rk. Wilson disabled one of the creatures and White and Wright brought down another.
At this point, we encountered more aliens, apparently operating out of the graveyard's outbuilding. A kind of miniature flying saucer unfolded into horrifying, segmented cannon and killed Rk. Wilson. So much for him gaining experience on this mission. It was accompanied by a smaller robotic system. Three thin men scattered when spotted. Another muton also emerged from the building.
The firefight continued, with White and Wright pushing forward, supported by Wolf. They took down the muton, while Braun killed a thin man and forced the cybernetic disc to retreat with a well-placed laser beam. The smaller accompanying robot was seen repairing it, so Braun shot it as well. When the disc returned, Cpt. Wolf blasted it out of the sky.
Yet another muton emerged from hiding, but Wright was able to take it out with the last of the charge on his arc thrower, while White and Wolf mopped up the remaining thin men.
The research wing is examining our new captives and the wreckage of the alien robots. Meanwhile, our engineers are attempting to duplicate the plasma-based explosive power of the alien grenades and upgrade our medikits with some of the drugs distilled from the Thin Man biochemistry. It looks like we're going to need both.
Damn. This is well told.
The engineering wing is going on something of a spending spree, commisioning yet more satellites and developing a recoil-reduction system for our full range of sidearms. Two new troopers have been requested to fill the gaps left by the deaths of Gonzales and Wilson.
A French biochem firm requested several thin man bodies, at higher than market rates. We were happy to oblige: they stink up the place, even on ice. We suspect they are working on similar lines to out own medikit research. This was a refreshing change from last month, when we were forced to turn down requests for equipment and bodies we simply did not have available.
Project Tempest Research Report
The captured muton was a treasure-trove on information about alien weapons, revealing several secrets of their design that we had needed to work out by tedious research. However, it is hoped this information will help us in duplicating the larger plasma weapons the mutons are now carrying.
The facilities staff is now working to repair the damage the specimens inflicted on the Containment chamber and reinforce key portions in preparation for interrogating the muton 'berserker'.
Damn. This is well told.
Thank you. I must report one erratum: Maj. Braun was wounded by a grenade in the previous mission. It was my oversight to report her promotion but not injury in the mission report.
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A larger alien craft (it appears to be of the angular pattern that shot down Raven-2). A response team was dispatched, led by Cpt. Wolf and armed with lots of rocket launchers and machine guns.
Our data feed indicates it is not going well at this time.
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Operation Twisted Fog
Landing Site, Black Forest, Germany
July 11, 2015
Cpt. Claudia 'Collateral' Wolf Kills 0/4 (KIA)
Lt. Kalee 'Hex' Pillai Kills 0/10 (KIA)
Sq. Tristan Bernard Kills 3/4 (KIA)
Sq. Hans DeWitt Kills 2/4 (KIA)
Sq. Richard Evans Kills 2/2 (KIA)
Sq. Anastasiya Morozova (KIA)
Cpt. Wolf rounded up the squaddies and set out to clear the craft and bring back what we could. Evans and Morozova carried arc throwers, while Bernard brought the medikit. DeWitt was equipped with one of the captured alien grenades. Lt. Pillai was pleased to finally get her hands on Col. Braun's laser rifle.
On approach, the craft was guarded by two mutons and another of their 'berserkers'. A great deal of fire was exchanged, to little effect. When the berserker got closer, it because the priority target, with the team successfully taking it down by combined fire. At this point, the armed mutons both shot Sq. Morozova, killing her. Two thin men leaped down from the top of the craft to join the mutons: Sq. DeWitt took them out with a rocket. Sq. Bernard patched up some wounds Sq. Evans had sustained. With capturing an Outsider still a priority, and with Evans carrying the last remaining arc thrower, it seemed important. The mutons began moving back toward the entrance to the craft, deploying their grenades against our troops in cover, leaving Cpt. Wolf bleeding on the ground, and the medkit already exhausted. Sq. DeWitt and Bernard were at this point able to bring down the mutons.
A third thin man appeared from within the craft: Sq. Evans pursued it, cornered it and put it down, only to find himself face to face with three well-entrenched mutons, who killed him before he could take cover or the other survivors could affect rescue. The mutons were covering behind pods filled with what looked like human captives, suggesting this is the type of craft implicit in the alien abductions.
Our remaining troops took the fight to the mutons. An alien grenade killed Lt. Pillai and brought Sq. DeWitt within an inch of death. Sq. Bernard used his rocket to injure the offending creature, allowing Sq. DeWitt to kill it with a burst of machine-gun fire. Around this time, Cpt. Wolf's vitals feed went flat.
These two then reloaded, and advanced to find the remaining mutons had retreated within the craft. With victory within grasp, and allies to avenge, they moved forward. Following procedure, they flanked a doorway, breached the door, and opened fire on the two mutons found inside. Their camera footage indicates they successfully wounded the mutons, but the mutons responded with yet another grenade, square in the middle of the doorway, killing them both.
With all vital signs at zero, Big Sky retreated to a safe distance, returning after the alien craft left. The aliens had left behind the bodies and their gear: even Bernard and DeWitt, who died inside their craft. Something fishy is going on. Braddock articulated it, "They clearly have the technological superiority to simply wipe us out if they desired. The thin men speak our languages, so if they had demands, they could convey them. They escalate the troops they send against us as fast as we can upgrade our weapons. It is almost as if they are toying with us. But why?"
We've requested additional troopers. Only three, as that is the most we could afford to requisition from the council nations.
Total Party Wipe! O.o
<cue Diablo I dialogue> Their deaths... will be avenged!</end dialogue>
We've responded to reports of alien abductions in Mumbai. The battle was costly, but ultimately we were victorious. Full report later.
Projects Rubicon and Anaconda Research Reports
The 'berserker' specimen follows the same broad lines as the mutons, being much more closely related than the floaters. It severely damaged some equipment before it was subdued. Unlike the mutons, which had a great deal of information on tactics and weaponry, the berserker seems nearly mindless. After excising or cauterizing certain parts of the creature's brain, we were able to electrically stimulate parts of its motor cortex, allowing us to analyze its movement within the heavy armor to which it has been fused. This has informed the theoretical development of heavy armors. ADDENDUM: I will never witness one of Vahlen's "interrogations" again. They turned that monster into some kind of meat-puppet. It was horrifying. -- BRADDOCK
On dissection, we confirmed that the creatures were based on muton stock, sharing the same genetic code. However, several glands have been enlarged several times over, while most of the forebrain is dramatically reduced, which we believe to be a result of these hormones. Analysis of these glands indicates they are analogues to adrenaline, testosterone, endorphins, and cortisol. They appear to be compatible with human biochemistry: Dr. Vahlen believes they can be purified into a cocktail to heighten our soldiers reflexes and pain thresholds.
Project Enigma Research Report
The cybernetic disk specimen seems to straddle the line between a machine and a living thing: while it appears primarily robotic, according to our analysis it seems to have a silicon-based biochemistry. We can only imagine the origins of such a creature: silicon-based life has long been theoretically possible, but we cannot imagine such systems as the specimen's weapon evolving naturally. On the other hand, these creatures do not show signs of the same kind of grafting that produced the floaters. Could it be an entirely artificial organism?
It is not all additional questions, however. The creature's targeting and flight-control mechanisms can be adapted for our satellite network, providing better course guidance for our interceptors, increasing their time within range of the alien spacecraft.
Project Arachnid Research Report
The secondary drones, however, seem to be purely robotic, with the purpose of repairing alien mechanical (or semi-mechanical, in the case of the cybernetic disks) systems. It also has a low-output energy weapon that seems to be primarily defensive: it may double as some kind of tool. Dr. Shen believes that its power source can be overloaded explosively, and that we may be able to subvert these robots' foe-identification protocols for our own benefit.
The Foundry reports it can now replace the high explosives in our grenades with a small amount of elerium to generate a plasma explosion, roughly equivalent to the grenades carried by the mutons.
Upon receiving reports of alien activity in Mumbai, Alexandria, and Acapulco, we've assembled a response team. They are being dispatched to India on the promise of a veteran soldier. After our recent losses, we need to rebuild our officer cadre.
Operation Crimson Thunder
Mumbai, India
July 18, 2015
Lt. Adam 'Werewolf' Wright Kills 0/9 Captures 0/3 (KIA)
Sq. Victor Garcia Kills 3/4 (Promoted to Cpl.)
Rk. Christine Ulrich Kills 3/3 (Promoted to Sq./Heavy, Wounded 5 days)
Rk. Charlie Hicks Kills 1/1 (KIA)
Rk. Mohammed Jawahir Kills 1/1 (Promoted to Sq. Heavy, Wounded 7 days)
Rk. Lea Mertens Kills 0/0 (KIA)
This mission was a meatgrinder. Lt. Wright took up his scatter laser once again, and Rk. Mertens took the other arc thrower. Sq. Garcia was passed Col. Braun's laser rifle and S.C.O.P.E. module. Rk. Ulrich was issued the medikit. Rks. Hicks and Jawahir were given the new plasma grenades coming out of the Foundry. The recruits were all armed with captured plasma rifles (now designated 'light' plasma rifles to contrast them with the heavier weapons now borne by the mutons.)
Shortly after landing, the team encountered another cybernetic saucer creature and its accompanying drone. Wright and Mertens moved forward to engage, only to have their cover destroyed when the disk flung another of the alien grenades. Wright struck the creature with a laser blast, while mutons appeared from up the street. Mertens was killed by a savage blow from a berserker, before combined fire could bring the creature down.
Things went downhill from here. The destruction of the central cover prevented the remainder of the squad from moving up to support the Lt. or Mertens, and for every muton they killed, another seemed to appear up the street. Wright succumbed to a blast from the disk's cannon, screaming to the rookies to stay back. Rk. Ulrich was able to finish the creature off.
Rk. Jawahir bravely exposed himself in order to throw his new grenade under a truck in which three mutons had taken cover: injuring them and exposing them to fire from Ulrich and Garcia. With the area temporarily secured, Hicks moved forward to dispose of the drone. He did so, but was flanked by two more mutons from further up the block. They killed him. At this point, there was little the others could do but wait for the mutons to approach and gun them down as they did so.
Ulrich and Jawahir are being promoted to the heavy weapons corps, for their skills as a gunner and grenadier, respectively.
In gratitude, India has transferred us Cpt. Neha 'Boomer' Mehta, a veteran of the Assam Rifles with a strong track record against the alien's recent incursions.
The engineering bay is having a busy month. They've completed a new satellite nexus based around the alien computer systems, and a slew of satellites to go with it. We now have (or will soon have) satellites in orbit over Mexico, China, India, Nigeria, and Egypt.
With Mexico now under our protection, the the American aerospace industry has been inclined to grant X-COM a massive subsidy, something we've taken advantage of in ordering a new Raven interceptor to take on alien craft the new satellites detect over Africa.
The Foundry has also been able to retrofit all of our pistols with a magnetic anti-recoil system that should increase their lethality and precision.
Cost-savings in the new workshops has brought many of these projects in under-budget, allowing us to requisition two more recruits from the Council.
We're receiving an urgent call from the Council. Apparently a VIP associated with the American aerospace companies with which we have recently formed a partnership has drawn the attention of the aliens. Using his connections with the council, he needs immediate evac to a secure facility. In exchange, he will lend the Project financial support and grant us access to his company's engineers.
He has been IDed as a Mr. Thomas Hutch.
Operation Defiant Jester
Los Angeles, United States
July 22, 2015
Col. Martina 'Claymore' Braun Kills 5/39
Cpt. Jack 'Skinner' White Kills 2/16 (Gravely wounded 18 days)
Cpt. Neha 'Boomer' Mehta Kills 0/0 (Wounded 9 days)
Cpl. Victor Garcia Kills 6/10 (Promoted to Sgt./Earned nickname 'Zulu')
Rk. Tymon Xenakis Kills 0/0 (Promoted to Sq./Heavy)
We rounded up all of our soldiers not currently in the infirmary and set out. Being slightly short staff, this conveniently left a seat vacant for Mr. Hutch on the way back. Col. Bruan and Cpt. White took up their usual gear, while Cpl. Garcia went back to his .3006 rifle. Rk. Xenakis was issued carapace armor, a plasma rifle, and a plasma grenade. Cpt. Mehta inherited Lt. Wright's gear.
The Skyranger set down near Mr. Hutch's limousine, above the roadway. The snipers took up covering positions, while the captains went down the embankment to find Mr. Hutch. Rk. Xenakis was kept in reserve. Shortly, thin men emerged from the figurative woodwork and began shooting up the place, including Cpt. Mehta. The captains called back to the snipers as they spotted more X-rays, allowing hte snipers to keep up a steady rate of fire, bringing down alien after alien (and leaving a noxious stench in the air.)
When Cpt. White reached the limo, he was told by Mr. Hutch's bodyguards that he had panicked and fled up the roadway moments ago. Cpt. Mehta pursued, and was afflicted with the thin men's spat venom. Cpt. White took cover behind the limo, and exchanged fire with the aliens, particularly those on the roadway and out of the snipers' lines of sight. He took down a few, but earned the majority of the incoming fire in exchange. He paused to apply his medikit to his wounds.
Rk. Xenakis moved up to the snipers' firing line and added his fire: the aliens poisoned him in response.
Meanwhile, Mehta found Mr. Hutch and directed him toward the Skyranger. Mehta ran ahead to draw their fire. Hutch reached the limosine, and the aliens again spat poison instead of trying to reach him behind cover. He again lost his cool, and ran out, exposed against a wall. Cpt. White bravely followed him, using the medikit to purge the poison and shielding the VIP with his body. That turned out to be necessary, as the aliens soon rendered White unconscious with more plasma fire.
However, the VIP was soon safely on the Skyranger and the area secured. Under the watchful eyes of Braun and Garcia, Mehta and Xenakis were able to haul White back to the Skyranger's medical facilities.
During the after-action briefing (which was held in the infirmary, as most of our troops are there at this point in time), Garcia's performance with the rifle was compared to the British's performance during the Anglo-Zulu war, particularly as depicted in the 1964 film Zulu. The name has apparently stuck.
The X-COM project is clearing out the morgue freezers, reducing our back-stock of sectoids, thin men, and floaters by selling them to biotechs, collectors, and other gray-market buyers, netting more than two hundred credits.
We are still retaining some against future research or need for their implants.
These funds, together with Mr. Hutch's reward, are being spent to bring our troops back to operational levels, requesting three more recruits. Additionally, we're bringing on six more recruits to form a third fire team if necessary.
We've also spent some funds on medical training for our troops and other staff to help preserve their lives in the field and speed their recoveries in the infirmary.
The last of this surplus is being spent on fabricating plasma cannons for our Ravens in Europe and Asia.
We're received alerts of an alien terror attack in Rosario, Argentia. Time to saddle up.
Operation Empty Gaze
Rosario, Argentina
July 28, 2015
Col. Martina 'Claymore' Braun Kills 1/40 (KIA)
Sgt. Victor 'Zulu' Garcia Kills 2/12
Sq. Christine Ulrich Kills 0/3
Rk. Laurent Thomas Kills 1/1 (KIA)
Rk. Cameron Scott Kills 3/3 (Promoted to Sq./Assault)
Rk. Johannes Vandermeer Kills 1/1 Captures 2/2 (Promoted to Sq./Assault)
Civilians saved: 9/18
We brought an excess of recruits for this mission, as a raw recruit armed with a plasma rifle carries more firepower with more accuracy than a heavy-weapons specialist with a machine gun. Some type of obscure regulation or combat doctrine prevents just equipping heavy-weapons specialist with a plasma rifle. Braun and Ulrich carried laser weapons: Garcia had his rifle. Scott and Vandermeer carried arc throwers. Ulrich had the medikit. Garcia and Thomas had plasma grenades.
Big Sky set down on a ruined segment of highway that was being assaulted by the aliens.
Two floaters were cleaned up without excess trouble: Rk. Thomas was wounded when Sq. Ulrich accidentally set fire to the car behind which he was covering.
Next, the team encountered a cyberdisk, with attendant drone, and a pair of mutons with a berserker. Thomas was killed by the cyberdisk after being caught outside cover, trying to get some civilians to safety. Braun, the greatest hero of the invasion thus far, succumbed to a savage blow from the berserker after shooting it three times, without quite killing it. Most of the rookies panicked when this occurred.
A cat-and-mouse shuffling of position ensued with the mutons, ending with one dead and another unconscious. Our troops moved forward, reaching the end of the road, only for two more mutons and another berserker to approach from behind. Fortunately, the high ground protected our troops whilst they reversed their cover, and the berserker was brought down before it could do any harm. Again, one muton was killed and the other captured.
Two more captives for Vahlen, and two more heavy plasma rifles to work with.
We've prepared two more satellites, now scheduled to be launched over the UK and South Africa, bringing the entire world under our watchful eye, except for South America, where Brazil has left the Council, thus prohibiting us from interfering, and the Andean Nations lie unprotected. There is currently discussion of it it is worthwhile to expand our uplink capacity to launch an additional satellite.
X-COM Project Monthly Report, July 2015
Activity:
Council Missions Completed: 1
Terror Missions Stopped: 1
Abductions Stopped: 2
Satellites Launched: 7
Research Projects Completed: 5
Monthly Reward: 1,956 Credits, 14 Scientists, 15 Engineers
Grade: A
Areas on Concern: There are a few hot spots, but we have no urgent need to reduce panic in any particular area of the world. We still need that Outsider.
Memorial
Col. Martina 'Claymore' Bruan 40 Kills 16 Missions (Sniper) Operation Empty Gaze 7/28/15
Claudia 'Collateral' Wolf 4 Kills 3 Missions (Heavy) Operation Twisted Fog 7/11/15
Lt. Humberto 'Doomsday' Pena 9 Kills 1 Capture 8 Missions (Heavy) Operation Crimson Knife 4/24/15
Lt. Kalee 'Hex' Pillai 10 Kills 8 Missions (Sniper) Operation Twisted Fog 7/11/15
Lt. Adam 'Werewolf' Wright 9 Kills 3 Captures 9 Missions (Assault) Operation Crimson Thunder 7/18/15
Sgt. Jan 'Cyclops' Meer 6 Kills 5 Missions (Sniper) Operation Frozen Stranger 4/18/2015
Cpl. Rosalia Gonzales 6 Kills 4 Missions (Support) Operation Broken Fall 7/10/15
Sq. Dylan O'Brien 2 Kills 3 Missions (Heavy) Operation Cryptic Shield 5/21/15
Sq. Liang Zhou 1 Kill 2 Missions (Assault) Operation Brutal Stallion 5/10/15
Sq. Tristan Bernard 4 Kills 2 Missions (Heavy) Operation Twisted Fog 7/11/15
Sq. Hans DeWitt 4 Kills 2 Missions (Heavy) Operation Twisted Fog 7/11/15
Sq. Richard Evans 2 Kills 2 Missions (Assault) Operation Twisted Fog 7/11/15
Sq. Anastasiya Morozova No Kills 2 Missions Operation Twisted Fog 7/11/15
Rk. Anna Visser No Kills 1 Mission Operation Devil's Fog 3/1/15
Rk. Esperanza Suarez No Kills 1 Mission Operation Frozen Stranger 4/18/15
Rk. Brittany Willis No Kills 2 Missions Operation Brutal Stallion 5/10/15
Rk. Lea Martens No Kills 1 Mission Operation Crimson Thunder 7/18/15
Rk. Charlie Hicks 1 Kill 1 Mission Operation Crimson Thunder 7/18/15
Rk. Laurent Thomas 1 Kill 1 Mission Operation Empty Gaze 7/28/15
Duty Roster
Cpt. Neha 'Boomer' Mehta No Kills 1 Mission (Assault)
Lt. Victor 'Zulu' Garcia 12 Kills 4 Missions (Sniper)
Cpl. Christine Ulrich 3 Kills 2 Missions (Heavy)
Sq. Mohammed Jawahir 1 Kill 1 Mission (Heavy)
Sq. Tymon Xenakis No Kills 1 Mission (Heavy)
Sq. Cameron Scott 3 Kills 1 Mission (Assault)
Sq. Johannes Vandermeer 1 Kill 2 Captures 1 Mission (Assault)
Rk. Marilyn West
Rk. Xue Shen
Rk. Lorenzo Gallo
Rk. Stephen Rice
Rk. Wendy Bennett
Rk. Anders Johannessen
Rk. Callia Xenakis
Rk. Esha Venkatesan
Infirmary
Cpt. Jack 'Skinner' White 16 Kills 12 Missions Gravely Wounded 9 Days (Support)
We've requested two more recruits to kill in the roster.
Research is working of the heavier plasma weapons borne by the mutons, while the Foundry is investigating whatever it can, despite our shortage of alien materials. Due to our recent losses, they're testing the idea of deploying an unmanned combat platform instead of human troops, and a handful of other gear improvements done in human-made materials.
With a surplus of funds for the first time, the engineering staff is going nuts. They're excavating more space, building a new workshop and another satellite uplink, a new satellite, and finally be building the alien implants into uplink modules for our interceptors.
The last of our alloys have been recast into a prototype of the exoskeleton armor. There was a desire to make a full power-armor suit, but the materials were just not available.
Project Kestrel Research Report
The labs have managed to retrofit the mutons' plasma rifles for human use: mostly lightening and rebalancing. They also believe the have reverse-engineered blueprints that will allow us to fabricate duplicates.
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We've requested two more recruits to kill in the roster.
LOL - not even waiting to let the aliens snuff 'em any longer, eh?
"Well, Commander, they were just going to die brutal, painful deaths anyway. This way is kinder."
:-P
Another alien craft has appeared over Japan. Raven-1 was scrambled, weapons hot and ready to try out his new plasma cannon.
Once visual contact was established, we confirmed this was the largest bogey yet. Still, with his new upgraded armament, Raven-1 had no trouble bringing it down.
A strike team is being assembled. They have orders to take the craft at all costs: civilians are dying and disappearing every day while this invasion goes on. We need answers, both literally and figuratively.
Operation Secret Summer
Crash Site 3, Japan
August 4, 2015
Cpt. Neha 'Boomer' Mehta Kills 0/0 (KIA)
Lt. Victor 'Zulu' Garcia Kills 5/17 (Promoted to Cpt., Wounded 4 days)
Cpl. Christine Ulrich Kills 0/3 (KIA)
Sq. Mahammed Jawahir Kills 2/3 (Promoted to Cpl., Wounded 5 days)
Sq. Johannes Vandermeer Kills 2/3 Captures 2/4 (Promoted to Cpl.)
Sq. Cameron Scott Kills 0/3 Captures 1/1 (KIA)
Sqs. Scott and Vandermeer carried the new heavier plasma rifles and arc throwers. Lt. Garcia wore the new skeleton armor, and Col. Braun's old gear, including the newly upgraded S.C.O.P.E. Ulrich and Mehta also carried laser weapons. Sq. Jawahir carried only a machine gun, but his skill lies primarily in being a grenadier.
Our troops boarded the wreck (still aflame from Raven-1's handiwork), opening a room that manifested two of the outsiders. Sqs. Vandermeer and Scott each tagged one as they emerged from the room, with minimal trouble: they reverted to their crystalline forms when shocked.
Apparently roused by these interactions, mutons, berserkers, and thin men came pouring from the other end of the the ship.
Lt. Garcia used his grapple to reach high ground and dispense precision death, while the rest of the strike team skirmished. Metha emptied both proverbial barrels into a berserker before Garcia dealt it the killing blow: counterfire burned him down from his exposed position. Ulrich was gunned down attempting to flank the muton on lower ground. Scott reached cover, but was also subsequently killed as a second wave of mutons arrived.
Two floaters, which bore much more augmentation than previously encountered, appeared and engaged Garcia, who defended himself rather well with rifle and pistol, despite having no proper cover.
Jawahir took the muton reinforcements nearly single-handed, using his full complement of explosives to take down a muton and badly wounding a berserker, which he finished with a burst of machine-gun fire, after surviving its brutal attack.
The second floater was carefully goaded into the open and stunned by Sq. Vandermeer.
The surviving members of Strike 1 moved toward the rear of the large craft (by now believed to be a supply ship of some kind by Dr. Shen), where they discovered two crysalids, possibly freed from their containment pods in the crash, roving the woods just outside. The crysalids rushed their position, drawn by warm bodies to implant, but were gunned down was they approached.
The salvage team recovered a great deal of material from the wreck, though much was ruined by Raven-1's weaponry. We look forward to examining it all, and thank the soldiers who gave their lives so that we could take it.
X-COM is on hiatus this week: I have writing to finish. We will return next week, same Bat-time, same Bat-channel.
Awww....
Finally: Outsiders successfully ARC'd! Nicely done, squad. Nicely done!
This has been an exciting time at X-COM headquarters.
Project Novato Research Report
The crystals left by the Outsiders have a number of unusual properties. They emit (and resonate with) a very specific cluster of electromagnetic frequencies: identical between the two crystals we've captured, despite differing topologies. Out initial conclusion they were merely a tuning crystal, akin to the crystals used in old radios. AHowever, a more detailed analysis revealed them to be a silicon-based organic analogue, similar to the semi-living features detected in the cybernetic disks.
Additionally, Dr. Shen discovered the crystals to be transmitting, or attempting to transmit, information. "This signal is too regular," he explained. "I don't know what it's saying. It could take years to break the encryption. But that can't be noise."
As a result, the specimens were carefully isolated in a dampened Faraday cage while further analysis was conducted. They were then subjected to carefully monitored pulses of radio waves, designed to emulate the encrypted signal we've already picked up. A basic call-and-response pattern was established: Dr. Shen speculates that it is essentially an encrypted hailing signal, meant to establish contact before exchanging real data.
With this protocol established, we began broadcasting the first part of the signal via our satellite network, and listening for the response. This quickly allowed us to triangulate the origin of the response signal: not in space as we'd expected, but under Iceland. Once the location was known, an alien structure was clearly visible under thermal imaging.
Dr. Shen is working on transforming one of the outsider shards into a beacon of some kind, which should allow us to approach and breach the structure before attracting attention.
Projects Dreadnaught and Montezuma Research Report
The 'heavy' floater specimens are built along the same lines as the floaters we've already encountered, but with more armor and even more organic systems removed. It's arms, for instance, are now entirely robotic.
Those systems that have not been removed are at least behind armor plate, making the creature far less vulnerable injury. We've discovered some principles of modular design which seem to be less about ease of construction or operational efficiency, but more about ease of replacing damaged parts. With additional study, Dr. Shen believes he can retrofit our Ravens in a similar manner, making it faster to return them to flightworthy status after a dust-up with alien craft.
Also, the more conventional rocket/jet propulsion of the previously encountered floaters has been replaced by a hybrid gravitic unit. Our interrogation of the live specimen, like with the other floaters before, yielded little information, but gave us a chance to examine the unit in action. Dr. Vahlen believes that information will be helpful in later research to emulate the alien gravity propulsion.
We've also requested more troops to replace our recent losses, and we've improved our training an intake procedures such that we can assign troops to a specialty without first field-testing them. This is partially due to better screening techniques, but also because, after months of this invasion, most of our recruits have additional experience fighting the aliens in their home countries.
We've also begun a new training program that should make our soldiers less likely to panic on the battlefield.
Dr. Shen's foundry has also been busy. They've managed to emulate the auto-loaders used by the mutons, which should allow our soldiers to have longer engagements without reloading. They've also developed plans for the Semi-autonomous Heavy Infantry Vehicle: an unmanned platform carrying a rather large gun. It can be directed remotely, but is capable of limited autonomous operation, especially with targeting. One such unit, reinforced with alien composite plating, is under manufacture, to be used in raiding the alien base.
We've also created four of the new powered-armor suits for our troops. We expect heavy resistance in assaulting the alien base.
Lastly, Raven-3 in North America is being upgraded with a new plasma cannon.
I suffered a TPK raiding the alien base (so many Berserkers...)
A write-up will come, eventually. But right now I'm feeling slightly discouraged about proceeding.
Ross! The same thing happened to me =P
I haven't touched the game in like 2 months as a result, so I feel your pain!
Is this playthrough finished? If so, then it is a shame.
I don't see myself continuing it at this point. Sorry.
The aliens won.
The same fate has befallen me more times than not, Ross. TPKs have a way of sucking all the wind from one's sails and by the time the mood strikes to play the game again, I'd rather just start over at that point.
I understand Ross.
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Hrmm. X-COM 2 canonically occurs after humanity surrenders. Turns out I was right all along.
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Hrmm. X-COM 2 canonically occurs after humanity surrenders. Turns out I was right all along.
We would have won if your squad had not had a TPK. ~scolds Ross~ It is all YOUR fault!
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Hrmm. X-COM 2 canonically occurs after humanity surrenders. Turns out I was right all along.We would have won if your squad had not had a TPK. ~scolds Ross~ It is all YOUR fault!
Strictly speaking, it was a Muton Berserker's fault.
Strictly speaking, it was a Muton Berserker's fault.Hrmm. X-COM 2 canonically occurs after humanity surrenders. Turns out I was right all along.We would have won if your squad had not had a TPK. ~scolds Ross~ It is all YOUR fault!
Yea, yea. Blame the aliens. j/k.