Aquatoid Sushi and Lobsterburger

Crazy Photon · February 13, 2011

Geoscape part:

Since the last mission had so many casualties, it's hiring time, so X-COM hired 11 more soldiers, who should arrive in a few days.

Extra corpses are sold, and some extra gauss rifles are sold as well. All jet harpoons and ammo are also sold, since they are way obsolete by now.

Gauss cannon ammo research is complete:

Scientists are now researching the Ion Beam Accelerators.

Triton 1 arrives at base, and it is rearmed with more cannon fodder recruits, a tank, sonic rifles and cannons.

A couple of day passes and the soldiers arrive, most of them are weak and don't have much accuracy, but half of them are quite brave! naming is applied accordingly, and a bit more reshuffling is done on the Triton.

A few minutes afterwards, the sirens go off, the aliens are launching another port attack!

All aquanauts put on their plastic armor and the Triton dusts off...

Crazy Photon · February 15, 2011

Tactical part:

Troops arm the grenades (2 dyes, one sonic). As soon as the tank opens the hatch, a Deep One is spotted:

The tank ignores it for now, and starts looking around for more enemies. Soon, a gillman is revealed hiding just in front of the LZ:

Jurgen puts it to rest quickly by taking an aimed shot from inside the craft. Tracy does the same thing to kill the Deep One. The tank explores a bit more, and Donna takes care of the Deep One that is spotted. End of turn. A couple of blasts are heard, accompanying the screams of civilians that are murdered mercilessly.

A gillman is getting near a civilian in order to give him a bit of the latest record of the sonic rifle, but Javier kills it with another aimed shot. Another one is spotted at the top of the tower, with a corpse on his hands. Several troops try to take it but there is no line of site. Tracy tries moving near the edge of the protective cloud and fire a snapshot, which connects and drops it dead. End of turn.

Several aliens are spotted on the alien movement phase, a gillmen on the first floor of a building, a Deep One on the base of the building, and two Deep Ones on the tower, one at the top and another at the bottom. The top one hides in the room at the top.

The tank advances to the tower to spot the Deep Ones, but a gillmen with a Sonic Cannon is detected. Tracy puts it down with her own cannon. Conner discovers a gillmen hidden just outside of the LZ but hidden in a building, and lays another shot to its head, succesfully. End of turn. A civilian turns into goo, but nothing else happens.

The tank uncovers another hidden gillman, but once a hole is made, Samuel was in a bad spot, so a grenade is thrown at the front of the hole and everyone hid. A Deep One is spotted at the south flank and more troops are in the open, so the second dye gets thrown too. End of turn, the grenades explode, the gillman dies. The tank gets shot and barely survives.

Jose kills the southern Deep One, while Miguel throws a grenade to the gillman that was spotted near the tank. The tank tries to move away from the dead alien, but another one is spotted at the building. Several soldiers try to get it, but there is no clear line of fire. Conner steps just outside of the cloud and gets it with an aimed shot. End of turn.

The grenade explodes but the fence partially stops the explosion enough not to kill the gillman, which advances towards the tank but is unable to shoot it since the tank took over just in time before ending the turn. A gillman technician goes berserk.

The tank valiantly steps out of the hiding place to check if it can spot the alien. It does! and Miguel draws a third eye on its head. Javier discovers the berserking gillman, and nails it with an aimed shot. End of turn. Things get more quiet now. Just as the troops started to spread out, Javier gets the scare of his life, spotting two aliens just a few meters away from him.

He gets behind the small office for cover while Emilio throws them a little... present. End of turn.

The grenade goes boom right in front of them, and roasted they get. Time for the chef to learn how to make Gillmen sushi, perhaps?

The tank spots two hidden Deep Ones. Tracey makes an opening at the room at the top of the tower, and Conner takes the Deep One. After several attempts of making a hole to shoot the other one, Miguel arms & throws a grenade behind it. Javier discovers that one alien had actually survived the previous blast, but quickly fixes that detail. End of turn.

An alien that is on the second floor tries to snipe down Samuel, but it misses, and Samuel shoots back a couple of times. The grenade explodes but the Deep One still stands.

Donna spots a Deep One almost right next to Jose, and he takes it. Donna tries to take the surviving Deep One but misses. Tracey takes it after another aimed shot. End of turn. A Deep One got scared, and after a few salvos from almost everyone, Donna takes it. End of turn.

Emilio tries to throw a grenade inside of the second floor, but misses and the Deep One corpse gets destroyed instead at the end of next turn. Moreover, the alien hiding there went to look what happened, but as soon as his face appeared on the window, Jurgen takes it down via a reaction shot. Another alien seems to be moving in the first floor, this one with a Sonic Cannon.

Emilio tries the same trick, this time it succeeds and the grenade is inside of the building. The gillman blows into pieces since it was very near of it. Another Deep One panicks. The tank looks around but is unable to spot it. The tank goes exploring the north since it's one of the few remaining places. The Deep One tries to take the tank after ending the turn, in a futile attempt to save its life. The tank discovers it and turns away to hide, but while doing so uncovers another gillman on the second floor, so it hides behind a wagon instead.

Several soldiers try to take the Deep One, but all shots miss. Emilio throws his last grenade at it. End of turn. The grenade explodes and takes the Deep One with it. The alien in the second floor panicks, a Squad Leader, apparently. In the next few turns, Donna goes inside of the building and ends the mission by capturing it.

Flawless victory for X-COM!

Savegame for the next commander -> GAME_1.zip

Grossbeer · February 16, 2011

3round begins:

avter overviewing the situation i noticed we have 20 soldiers as garrison. as i like to have at least 2 tritons full of awanauts i ordered 10 more. I sold some soic cannons 2 MC readers (we had 4 in stock) and some corpses.

i razed the 4th sub pen and built a new base named Outpost 1:

after still haveing lots of money i dicide we can extend our labs. they take a long time anyway so we can collect more money along the way for the wages. as living quarters were scares(especially when the new workshop finishes in 2 days) i built another LQ. we will need a second for the labs but only in 10 days (labs take 26 days, LQ 16)

Soon we have no more aqua plasics for armorbulding so i descided to build soem more medkits (as we only have 8 or 9).

All our aquanauts were already armourd so i didnt want to build AP in the WSps (they cost 3000 per piece) after the WS finishes i stocked up our workforce with another 35 techs.

Then the a small sub is spotted, is being a little (by barras and triton) and then ,after the barrra had 60% fuel, shot down.

Daymission begins.

Grossbeer · February 16, 2011

Volcanic terrain, we like that.

After exiting the tank spotted the first gillman with a sonic cannon. hea backs away so the aquanauts have a clear shot:

Samulel Kemp walks out the triton an takes a shot sprazzling the volcanic hill behind the gillman. tracy is next and shoots it dead. The second alien was spotted near the triton in the dark:

it demands a granade, which is primed by gonzales and thrown by marillo. sadly the grenade hits part of the nearby hill, so the gillman stayed unharmed. the second nade' downs it:

Some more scouting, and positioning snipers later:

Samuel Kemp, being on high ground downs it from afar.

Advancing thru the bubbles and dirt from the nade' we spot the USO:

moving the troops around a lil and unvocering some area i join the "ive lost a tank"-Club (heya Verteran ):

2 troops advancing the hill where the gillman took a shot. During the aliens turn we spot a gillman with a sonic pistol in the sub:

trying to surround it we position 2 aquanauts at the entracne and the DUP blowed hole in the sub. The wicked gillman exits the Sub from the entrance and no reaction shot is fired .

Emilio is hit but with 8 hp still alive. "What the hell" he thinks and charges after the alien taking revenge:

while Emilios wounds are taken care of the Tankbusting gillman is being blown to pieces by a sonic pulser.

Searching the Sub shows 4 dead Gillman corpses but otherwise very little loot.

After having secured the sub we spot the last alien, down it and won the mission.

not the best of missions bet we got some exp to the soldiers :-)

here is the save for the next commander(BB): https://rapidshare.com/files/448250633/GAME_1.rar

and here the vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3-aZP-Y03s

Bomb Bloke · February 17, 2011

So I sell off a few gillmen corpses, snub my nose at the continued lack of funds, and proceed to order absolutely nothing. Shove aqua armor on a bunch of rookies and assign them to the Triton. Might as well get some more men eligible for promotion while survival rates are high and difficulty is low.

Ion Beam Accelerator research completes, and the Deep One project quickly follows it. Research starts on the MC Lab; craft weapons can wait a bit.

The stores in the second base complete construction. I'm not sure what the intended layout is supposed to be, so I tack a living quarters module onto that and leave it for now.

A bunch more techs arrive at the first base and together with the previous team they quickly polish off the medkit project. Having nothing better for them to do at the moment I tell them to make more. Lots more.

I discover a USO. It is Very Large and heading north. I send the Triton after it, but it soon disappears from sonar.

And then it turns up again.

It occurs to me about now that I probably should've shifted the rookies off and switched to a full complement of Sonic Cannons before sending the Triton after a Dreadnought. Oh well. It's night time, so I decided to park next to it and see if it decided to take off before morning.

It doesn't. Instead, another Large USO shows up, and the Triton's sonar detects an alien base... Work, work, work...

And so it begins. Yup, she's a big girl all right. Hopefully it's more Gillmen.

It's not Gillmen.

I consider taking off on the spot. I decide against it, and then:

The dropzone falls quiet, and thoughts again turn to evac. The amount of firepower I've got really isn't sufficient to take down the Tentaculats, and the Lobstermen are just laughing at my attacks; I decide to throw everything I can into the Triton and bail.

And then this happened.

The Lobsterman in concern had been wandering around to the south for a while, and had soaked up some fire from my men already. I'd been hoping to take his launcher home with me, but since he'd made it quite clear he intended to keep it, I decided it was time to call it a day.

That's a Tentaculat corpse, for those wondering.

GAME_1.zip

NKF · February 17, 2011

Geoscape Segment

Music accompaniment: Ultima 7 and 7.5's Sea Shanty - demented, I know! Yet strangely appropriate.

By the time the Triton arrives home, the landed enemy subs drop out of our tracking range. I decide to let them go and get around to reorganizing the team.

With funds still at a low state, I sold:

26 Gauss Rifles

24 Medikits

3 Sonic Cannons

3 Sonic Blasta Rifles

10 Sonic Pistols

2 Thermal Shok Lauchers

I ended up selling most of my precious Sonic Pistols, but there's 5 left to keep me happy once they've been researched.

That's raised an extra $4 million to add to the coffers, raising available funds to $6mil. It doesn't stay that way for long since I hire 5 aquanauts to replace those lost in the battle. I know it's not going to be any good against Lobstermen, but I also replace the lost Coelacanth and 40 spare solid bolts to go with it. This still leaves the next commander with a cool $5+ million to play with.

While waiting a few hours for the repairs and rearming, a small sub is spotted flying south from the Colony. Probably one of the build fleet.

A Barracuda is sent to intercept it. When the two craft meet, they are over land so the Barracuda pilot complains vehemently about his contract stating that he's not allowed to shoot stuff down over land, since it's an occupational health and safety hazard. He's a sub pilot, not an aircraft pilot. The fact that he's piloting a flying sub is merely a technicality. Rather than incur the wrath of the submarine pilots' union, I concede and let him tail the enemy ship.

While the Barracuda is following the enemy sub something zips past the two very-very quickly that I couldn't take a snap. It didn't even register, so it may have been one of the earlier detected subs around the colony. Probably the same Dreadnaught that was touched down.

The chase keeps travelling south. By the time the two ships touch water, the pilot decides to be helpful and reminds me four or five times in succession that can't intercept over land then proceeds to knock down the Cruiser between the ports of Dakar and Accra. What's wrong with these pilots?

The Barracuda sustained bit of damage taken from one hit that it couldn't evade, but nothing a few hours of TLC by the greasemonkeys cannot mend.

With the Triton refueled, a few more Sonic cannons are put in and the 5 empty slots are filled with aquanauts of Seaman rank to test their mettle. Most haven't got their suits of Plastic Aqua Armour yet, but this will suffice for now. With the Gas Cannon Coelacanth at least 3-4 days away I'll have to make this attempt without it.

I wait until it is dawn over the crash site, and launch the Triton. On second thought I should've launched before dawn, but the Triton should still get there in daylight.

Thus ends the Geoscape part of my log. To be continued in the tactical segment later.

- NKF

NKF · February 18, 2011

Tactical segment is go!

Music accompaniment: A midi version of Metallica's Call of Ktulu - since I am expecting to fight Lobstermen I felt a heavy and sinister mood would be apropos.

Turn 1

From a quick glance outside the Triton, the outcroppings in the distance suggests we've touched down in rocky seabed terrain. The four nearest the hatch prime their grenades and the turn is ended.

Turn 2 - 6

The turn was quick, but just to be on the safe side a few more turns are ended. Some glimpses of movement are seen outside but otherwise nothing major happens. The quick flashes of movement do suggest that something is nearby. Best be on our guard.

Turn 7 - 9

On opening the hatch, we see the back of a Lobsterman. Everyone pockets their grenades and the Triton is reshuffled to get the shiny new Sonic Cannons to the front. Turn is ended.

Turn 10 (Yes it walked away in turn 9)

Krug Pavlov, quite the marksman in the current bunch, points his sonic cannon and fires. He misses and hits the downward slope behind the Lobsterman. The good thing about this is that he did not attract any attention.

Krug rushes off to the side and Mark Scotney takes his place. He's even more accurate yet he also misses his shot.

Henri Buchard, one of the worst shots of all the aquanauts that I've moved so far takes a snap and hits the Lobsterman squarely in the back. It spins around and retaliates, though it doesn't do any damage. Oddly enough just before it reacted, there was a message saying that there was not enough energy to perform an action.

While scrolling through the troops, Jean Guerin spot something nasty creeping up the side of the Triton. Uma Hand, hidden from the newly sighted Lobsterman, fires her Blasta Rifle twice and both hits connect with the battered Lobsterman and finish it off.

I wish we had a MC Reader at this point, since I'm not keen to launch an attack on the Lobsterman outside just yet.

Jason Remington throws his Pulser out at a wide angle to keep the blast away from the Triton hatch. Just one Pulser. It won't kill the Lobsterman, but it should shake it up a little. Turn ends.

The explosion most definitely hits the Lobsterman, though obviously it's still alive.

Turn 11

When the hatch is opened the Lobsterman has moved away from the Triton and is now near its dead comrade. Miguel Hernandez opens fire with his Blasta Rifle, connects and gets a 'not enough energy' message. The Lobsterman spins around with a sharp retort.

Krug leaps back in and launches an attack with his Sonic cannon - but hits the ground again. He rushes back into the eaves.

Migueal also jumps into the eaves, revealing Henri who was crouched behind him. Again one of the worst shots in the team, but he levels his sonic cannon and snaps a direct hit. The Lobsterman still stands.

Jason Remmington fires a Blasta-Rifle round but it misses.

Uma Hand strikes the rock next to the Lobsterman while a second shot connects.

Jason's second shot misses.

Louis Lefevre snaps with his Blasta Rifle and takes the Lobsterman down.

The turn is ended.

Turn 12

Henri Buchard steps outside of the Triton and notices a Lobsterman to the South. Not being in a position to attack he holds still.

Miguel Hernandez throws a pulser at it. Krug Pavlov tosses a primed pulser to Mark Scotney, who then skilfully lands the pulser beside Miguel's.

Since no one's had a chance to do any recon towards the East, everyone rushes back into the Triton for cover. Turn ends.

The dual blasts fail to kill the Lobsterman.

Turn 13

A quick glance outside proves fruitless - it's too cloudy to see anything. Rather than venture out into danger, a few spare pulsers are set and the turn is ended. Doors are heard, so there must be some around the wreck.

Turn 14 - 16

Miguel makes a beeline to the nearby rock outcrop. Uma Hand joins Miguel on the other side of the outcrop, wary that the other Lobsterman is still out there.

Krug and Henri step out the Triton. Uma inspects the bodies to see what spare munitions are available. Miguel moves to the other side of the outcrop.

After turn 16 ends, Krug is killed.

Turn 17

Uma does something crazy and runs in the direction of the attack. Her effort completely exhausts her, but she finds the Lobsterman.

A series of attacks from all the Aquanauts outside the Triton commences.

Henri hits.

Jason misses.

Mark Scotney hits a rock. As in the game of Rochambeau, rock cancels rock.

Louis Lefevre hits.

Jacqueline Lecointe throws a pulser next to it - her Gauss pistol has no hope of harming the beast ( I know, I know, why did I bring it along knowing we were facing a Lobsterman crew? Why indeed.)

Miguel misses, nearly hitting Uma in the back.

With Uma's life at stake, the turn is ended.

The pulser explodes and stuns the Lobsterman.

Another Lobsterman walks out of the dust particles and heads between the crevice of a rock outcrop.

Turn 18

With Uma safe, another volley of long range assaults commences.

Jason misses.

Henri seems to hit, or at least it sounded like a hit.

Louis hits.

Uma gets up and flees (she's in the way of Miguel's line of fire). The Lobsterman reacts, but misses.

Miguel fires twice, the first misses while the second kills the Lobsterman.

With everyone quite exhausted, the turn ends very dangerously.

Turn 19

Everyone starts to spread out. Henri goes around the front of the Triton to see what's on the other side. No sign of the enemy sub wreck just yet.

The magic turn is up next, so there might be a bit of activity.

Turn ends.

A shot comes out of the direction Henri was scouting and kills him. His primed pulser wipes out all traces of his existence by transforming his body into fish food.

Turn 20

Mark Scotney was caught in the blast and is now literally within an inch of his life remaining. Mark uses all his strength to make it back into the Triton and Jacqueline rips open the medikit to treat Mark's head wound. Being realistic, Mark decides to swap weapons with Jacqueline. Jacqueline gratefully accepts the Sonic Cannon.

In the end Mark doesn't bother to pick up Jacqueline's discard Gauss Pistol and instead decides to chill for the remainder of the mission in the Triton.

Meanwhile...

Louis Leferve finds Henri's killer.

Juan Bonal (the guy who has so far been hiding in the back of the Triton) throws a primed Pulser to Jean Guerin. Jean picks up the pulser, scoots out of the Triton and throws it over the sub and it lands at the feet of the Lobsterman. Everyone on the team already knows this isn't going to be enough, so Jason Remmington grabs a pulser off one of the dead Lobstermen and arms it. He can't throw that far so he calls over to Louis to move closer to take the grenade and finish the throw. Louis takes a few steps and this puts him out of the Lobsterman's field of vision.

Suddenly feeling very embarassed, Jason find himself unable to throw the grenade over to Louis. Uma, already holding an armed Pulser, passes that to Louis.

Louis completes the maneuver.

Both grenades detonate, but again they aren't enough to kill the Lobsterman.

Having moved a bit, the damaged Lobsterman ends its turn in full view of Louis.

Turn 21

Uma takes two shots, one hitting the rock beside the Lobstermen, the other hitting. It stays standing.

Louis takes a shot and stuns the Lobsterman.

Jean Guerin doubles around the back of the Triton to make sure there aren't any other Lobsterman on the other side.

Uma and Jason turn back and face the unknown while Miguel scouts further into the rocks. Turn ends.

A Lobsterman tries to throw a pulser at Miguel, but it lands too close and clears some rocks around it.

Turn 22

Miguel relocates the Lobsterman. Not being any position to attack nor are there any clear lines of fire, he attempts to run for the nearest cover, but the rough terrain proves very difficult and it's slow going. When his time is up he is left quite exposed. Uma and Jason start moving over to provide assistance.

Jacqueline and Louis go to check out the lobsterman that Louis stunned. Turn ends.

Nothing untoward happens to Miguel.

Turn 23

Miguel gets behind cover and his two team mates continue their effort to link up with him.

Louis checks the body and discovers that it's a technician. Not particularly important, but may as well leave it be. Instead he pilfers the Sonic Grenade and moves away.

Turn 25

Miguel gets out of cover and finds the Lobsterman hasn't moved from its spot. He leaps for the rock corner nearby and finds that he can hide safely behind it without exposing himself to the Lobsterman by kneeling. Uma and Jason continue to close in.

Juan Bonal decides to join the fight, drops his equipment and upgrades it by borrowing the late Krug's Sonic Cannon and pulser.

Turn 26

Miguel peek-a-boo's the Lobsterman and confirms that it hasn't moved. Uma hand pops out of cover and fires two Blasta Rifle rounds that connect, then ducks back into hiding again. Jason, not having a clear shot, suddenly gets a clever idea and decides to travel north and do a wide circle around to get another angle on the Lobstermen. He doesn't make it to far.

Juan explores more of the map corner behind the Triton to make sure it is clear.

Turn 27

The last performance is repeated. Miguel spots the Lobsterman, Uma jumps out and fires two rounds. This time nothing seems to connect. Jason travels forth and reaches the rock formations to the north. He starts his wide circle around.

Juan, Jacqueline and Louis begin a wide sweep towards the south.

Turn 28

Going for the hat trick, Miguel pops his head up and spots the Lobsterman for the third time successfully, and quickly ducks back down behind cover. Jason, now in position, attacks but misses.

Uma fires twice, first striking the rock behind the Lobstermen, the second shot connects.

Juan and Louis, though on the other side of the map, have a long narrow shaft between the rocks void of obstructions. This allows them to target the Lobsterman. They attempt to snipe the Lobsterman but miss and hit the rocks. The turn ends.

As if the Lobsterman's fed up with this game of whack-a-mole, or having 4 of 5 Aquanauts firing on it from various directions, it runs towards Miguel and attempts to punch Miguel's lights out. Miguel cowers from the massive claws, but the Lobsterman seems to falter at the last moment and does a small circle.

Side note: I had switched to the Rush'n'Attack (from the 8-bit NES) first map theme music by this time. Was going to use it with the drills due to its stabby theme, but oh well. Wanted something uplifting.

Turn 29

This close to the enemy, everyone that can see it decide not to give it any quarter. Jason fires some rounds and manages to score a hit to the Lobsterman's flank. Miguel somehow fumbles his two point blank shots and destroys the rock he's kneeling behind.

Our heroes have certainly landed themselves in a tight pinch!

Juan, as seen above is only a few paces away from the Triton. He manages to pull off a single amazing snapshot from the LZ to the other end of the map, slaying Miguel's Lobsterman dead several times over. No doubt getting down with the cannon's dulcet tones.

With the threat now gone, Jason turns around to inspect his surroundings. It seems they've just about hit the edge of the eastern edge of the combat zone. This is good as now the aquanauts can fan out in a wide line and do a southward sweep of the map. Or at least that is what we hope to do. Turn ends.

The turn passed almost instantly, this is probably good news.

Turn 30 through 33

Miguel turns as red as the Lobstermen when he inspects the foe that nearly turned him inside out. It was just carrying a drill and three remaining Pulsers. Had he kept his head and joined the attack, they might have had this alien taken down sooner. He refreshes his pulser supply.

Juan Guerin climbs one of the elevated rock outcrops and witnesses a very unusual natural phenomena. Almost the entire western edge of the battle zone is made up of the same elevated rock formations. Scenery appreciation aside, he decides to stay where he is as it turns out to provide a good way to observe the central field.

The next few turns are spent expanding the front-line. Uma, Miguel and Jason are little slow because they have to take the time to weave through and inspect the complicated rock field along their side of the combat zone.

Uma spots the Cruiser wreck on turn 32.

With the wreck spotted, the cordon of Aquanaut start to tighten and surround the ship. Most kneel and face the big gaping holes on either side of the Submarine.

Miguel, climbs up onto the last of the dense rocks on his side of the map and stays at an elevated position. His companion Jason on the other hand continues south, making his way along the edge of the map to get a better view of the path to the sub's doors.

By the end of Turn 33, the Lobsterman in the sub must've noticed the sub being surrounded and attempts to kill Louis with a pulser, but the grenade falls short. Louis lives!

Turn 34

Since we're not likely to be recovering anything from the wreck (well, everyone can see there's nothing more to wreck), Jacqueline and Louis throw pulsers in to rattle the (hidden) Lobsterman a little. Louis throws a little off centre and the Pulser lands embedded in the corner of the sub. Hopefully it'll work still!

Both Pulsers explode, and it's obvious the Lobsterman survived. The alien turn ends instantly and our next turn begins. Very promising.

Turn 35 through 36

Jason Remmington walks up along his side of the sub and spots the back of the head of the injured Lobsterman. It's hiding by the sub's entry portal. Though far away, Louis has a perfectly clear line of fire. He relishes the kill as two rounds from his Blasta Rifle turn the Lobsterman's internals into wobbly jelly.

The mission ends successfully.

And for the next commander:

GAME_1.zip

- NKF

silencer_pl · February 19, 2011

As I took control I have quickly made some room in our stores selling some junk like corpses and other usos stuff. Since we have plenty of cash I didn't sell any extra weapons. Seeing that we have plenty of troops and some or on their way with the Gas Tank. I have also visited our researchers - they are still working on the M.C Lab, so I left them be, but while visitng the engineeres I have ordered them to finish the med-kits and started to manufacture more aqua plastics armor - 10 to be precise.

Re-equiped the Triton to carry 14 troops all with medkits, pulsers and flares. Also 10 of them where assigned with Blasta rifles and 4 with Sonic Cannons with extra clips.

Time passed by and suddenly 2 medium type USOs appeared on the sonar. Swiftly I have lunched two barracudas at one of them and waited what will come next.

After some bit of chasing third USO appeared on the sonar but this one was very small so I ignored it and contiune to pursuit the medium one. Soon after both mediums have touched downed and I have lunched Triton to the nearest one.

Couple of hours later the Triton landed in the vicinity of the USO.

As the men tried to put their first steps out of the Sub, Samuel has spoted first alien carrying their godly hammer of smithing - Disruptor Pulse Luncher. Because every first encounter of alien is terryfing for soldiers he missed his aimed shot. Luckly standing next to him Javier did his job. Because our leading men used their TU's and I didn't want to end in mass aqua murder with another DPL I have ended the turn.

Next turn, followed with discovery of another alien near our sub exit, and Javier once again took care of the problem

Following turns our men finaly made an exit from the sub seperating to cover the map. 3 man were assigned to go top, another 3 to secure middle and another 3 to scout the bottom of map. Bacuse our commander was without armor he was left behind in a sub with 3 men guard squad. Our lieutenant with fresh aqua armor helped with the advance on the middle of the map.

After some turns our man spoted an alien and Martin with Jaime tried to reaction fire him. Unfortunetly the failed but lucky for us, the gilman didn't have plan to blow us to kingdom come with his DPL. So when it was our turn Jamie rushed to catch him so others could take care of him. Unfortunetly he vanished somewhere but he discovered another alien, that was taken care of by Jacqueline with proper aimed shot from her Sonic Cannon.

Next turn the alien with the DPL has decided to show himself but was quickly dispatched by Jamies aimed shot

While the middle and northern group were slowly advancing on the south Samuel has spoted another gilman and the enterance to the USO. With carefull aim the gilman was nomore

Following turn another aliens galore slowly start to appear. And our soldiers swiftly make alien sushi of them.

Unfortunetly this killing spree had to end. Advancing Jamie spoted some hidden alien. He knelt fired his aimed shot and missed. Big bummer - I have ordered all soldiers who had line of fire to dispatch this problem but all failed, and the alien made an example of Jamie by throwing grenade under his feet.

The scream of exploding man somewhat scared our men but our Lieutenant Tracy kept them on their toes and soon after the bastard was smited by the holy retribution delivered by Uma with her Sonic Cannon aimed shot.

The area near USO was finally clear so our men prepared to storm the USO. Turn after turn they slowly began to enter it.

When they have reached the stairs Samuel and Henri raced to the nearest doors of the upper floor which was an engine room. No aliens there, while Tracey and Martin the veteran positioned themselfs on the top of the stairs.

No aliens wanted to show their ugly faces so Samuel and Henri took position near the doors where aliens should be residing

Still no sign of aliens. So Samuel opens the door and spots three gilman in perfect situation. Because we don't show them mercy Henri primes his granade and tosses to Samuel who throws it at them and runs to cover.

The scream of dying aliens was calming and energising to men, because on their toon one decided to send retribution but Martin swiftly took care of him as soon as he showed his ugly face.

Next turn Henri tries to enter his part of room and spots gilman with DPL and delivers quick snap shot to his face. Same goes for Samuel who finds alien again in the room what we think was clear.

As turn ends a gilman squad leader panics revealing his position.

Because his position was well fortified and aliens are known to only panic once. Tracy primed her granade and passed it to Samuel who delivered the package to the bugger.

Turn ends and it is still not over yet. So Henri with Martin as backup entered western part of the sub. Still nothing. Luckly alien showed his face and Henri took care of him ending the mission.

And the result

And the save file

GAME_1.zip

The Veteran · February 20, 2011

Ok after much ado I finally have a bug-free and rather acceptable mission to post so I think we can get back on track now!

I did no buying or selling and unfortunately a further oversight meant I went straight into battle with an incomplete and unarmed squad only 8 of whom had armour! Everyone had guns'n'ammo but not nearly enough grenades for my liking or I would probably have been a bit more gung-ho with this mission.

Anyway here it is and I believe this is the second supply vessel that Silencer spotted landed in his turn but it's unusual if it is. I started the save with both Barracuda's patrolling the area but not wanting to lose out on protection at base I recalled them both soon into playing. The USO was still landed when they left and by the time they'd refueled I'd already missed one encounter(only a very small though) I soon saw another craft though which was a medium USO which travelled from the north to the seas just east of our base and then back north again to the original landing site. This leads me to believe it was the same one previously encountered in that area or if not certainly another supply vessel for the same base.

The Triton was sent out in exactly the same configuration as it has arrived back at base in and after losing contact with the landed sub while en-route it relocated it just prior to arriving to patrol so quickly landed at the scene...

Samuel and Javier started the mission in the doorway so clearing the subs immediate surroundings was down to them. Sam opened the door and spotted a gillman with a cannon who he took out with an aimed shot. The turn was ended. Sam landed a well placed flare that illuminated 2 more gillmen, one cannon and one torpedo launcher. Sam finished off his TUs by killing the one with the cannon but Javier missed the torp wielder so the turn was ended. Next turn There are another 3 misses on the remaining gillman before Javier polishes him off with a snap shot!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/01.jpg

Next turn another torpedo wielding gillman is spotted near the flare and Sam takes him out with a snap shot after missing with an aimed. He then moves out from the sub with Javier, moving South and North respectively to minimise casualties in the event of incoming torpedoes. Unfortunately Javier's luck runs out and he's killed by sonic fire from the SE, there is no sign of the guilty alien in X-Com's turn.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/02.jpg

Sam moves east after locating the soutehrn edge of the map and although the USO is spotted, Javier's killer is not. Martin and Henri leave the Triton and head North, soon reaching the edge of the combat-zone with no encounters. Juan leaves the Triton to backup Samuel who is now at the rear of the USO but dares not risk investigate further alone.

As Henri and Martin turn East at the top of the map, alien fire kills Martin in the alien turn and both Henri and Juan turn their attention to the new attacker, essentially flanking him from north and south respectively. A pulser from Henri decimates the area previously occupied by the killer but there is no visual and the grenade fails to kill anything. Juan heads further North and makes it right through the smoke with no contact. Henri heads cautiously East and spots the Gillman moving to cover in coral in the enemy turn. A snap shot puts the creature down in X-Coms next move.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/03.jpg

As Henri continues to move further East, he's startled by a shok bomb which narrowly misses him from the east. Knowing that unconsciousness is the worst case scenario he continues to move but at the end of the turn he's spotted nothing. Juan moves North to the same patch of coral but he fails to spot the alien too and in the hidden movement Henri is knocked out by another shok bomb. Juan finally tracks down the sapper in the next turn just east of the coral field and a snap shot ends it'sd reign of terror.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/04.jpg

Over the next few turns Juan from the coral and Lt.Tracey from the Triton converge on the USO. Once there, they rest for a few turns to regain lost energy and Samuel throws a pulser around the USO to take care of any stragglers by the door. Javier's killer was still at large after all but the USO doors had stopped opening a few turns ago. The troops take the front entrance and Jean and Jacqueline leave the Triton to reinforce the boarding party. Jacqueline clears the main door and then Juan and Jean move into secure the steps.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/05.jpg

The same two troopers clear the bottom of the stairs and the landing above before a quick scan of the engine room shows another clear room. They take cover there until next turn and still no alien movement occurs. In the next X-Com turn, Jean and Juan move back onto the landing and secure the 2 doors into the main room of the sub.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/06.jpg

Jean opens her door to be confronted with a seemingly unarmed gillman so she shoots it in the back and encounters no further hostiles in the left-side of the USO. Juan meanwhile is greeted by three Gillmen in the right-side and one with a sonic cannon is facing him... Met with a choice between a grenade to guarantee 'job done' but risk reaction fire and a snap shot at the cannon wielder which could fail and also trigger reaction fire, Juan primes his pulser. The last thing he sees as his internal organs are dissolved are the remains of his opponents spattered across the walls.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/08.jpg

Jacqueline moves into the sub to replace Juan and continues to sweep the smaller rooms in the bow with Jean. As Jean comes face to face with a target, Jacqueline puts a flanking manoeuvre into action and zaps him in the spine.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/09.jpg

Next turn Jean spots another gillman in the mainroom through the previously destroyed doorway. When an aimed shot fails to bring the beast down she falls to reaction fire herself and Jacqueline narrowly escapes the blast from her pre-primed pulser.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/10.jpg

Jacqueline, now feeling very lonely, moves back to the main room and spots a torepo wielding gillman above her so she pops it's head off with an aimed shot and moves up the stairs to the top level, hoping to get the drop on Jean's killer.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/11.jpg

Edging her way slowly along the elevated platform, she knows there's an alien below her but can't get a clear arc for a grenade. A few more stps see a pulser dropped right beside the creatures last known position and a scream at the end of the turn confirms a kill. The mission doesn't end however and few hiding places remain... Jacqueline nervously descends into the right-side room and confirms her kill, only to be faced with another weaponless Gillman. A quick snapshot puts it down and ends the mission.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/12.jpg

Not as good as Silencer's work but still an acceptable score!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%203/13.jpg

Here's the file for whoever is next.

Game 1.zip

silencer_pl · February 22, 2011

And the duty calls once again.

First step - sell some junk, second step hire more soldiers (7) to have pretty round number of 30.

After a while a very small scout re-aperd on sonar, so Barracuda-1 was lunch to intercept and destroyed it.

Later I have browsed some graphs - nothing special - just increased activity at north sea - figures there is a colony there. Seeing that we have plenty of cash I got little careless - by the end of month nothing happens - some resarch finished, some buildings done.

The scientists gave us the report about M.C.Lab, so after that I put 2 in HQ, and started to research ION Navigation, that was resaerched quickly. After the Living quaters were done I hired 10 more engineers to later that I made a mistake by this (oh well you can yell at me). Increased Aqua Armor to total of 20 of the original production.

New month, new buildings in both bases living quaters and sub pen at base 2 and lab at hq. I swiftly hired 50 more scientist but for my carelessness I hired them at base 2. God damn it - oh well I can still transfer them - but I forgot that I hired 10 technicians. Fixing mistake I ordered another living quaters and general store in HQ (current stores are full or maybe that tank fills them).

Time passes resaerch is done and we have MAG Ion Armor. Swiftly I order our technicians to manufacture 20. We have plenty of zerbite (500) - so it is more than enough. After the mag ion armor I ordered the transmission resolver.

Soon after a small sub apeared.

Swiftly sending barracuda it manages to catch up and down it. Because downed subs have the privilage of not missing too fast I fast forward so the mission could be made in daylight. Luckly 1 Mag Ion armor was manufactured and our brave commander now acts like tank himself.

In to the fray men!.

The Triton has arrived at the crime scene. Men are armed and the battle begins. Tank begins to search the region (we are at south-west corner). First steps - nothing, then our commander leaves one step and starts to 'fly'. End turn - nothing.

I ordered the tank to go east and the horror:

Yes it is a lobsterman. The adrenaline of our man rised to high levels. Our commander wielding Sonic Cannon - aims, shoots, hits - the bugger is alive - god their tough. Following shot from another Sonic Cannon - 94% aimed shot - hit - stil lives - what the hell that is one mean lobsterman. And another salvos from blasta rifles - plenty of misses 2 hits and its down. Killer - Louis. End Turn. No new sightings.

Next turn - the tank faces north and another creep hiding behind a hill

Yet again our soldiers fire at bastard and finally Miguel kills him (out of 10 soldiers, the 7th one scored the kill). End turn and oh no - retribution some alien threw a grande under the tank blowing him to bits

Our turn - commander moves ahead and spots the murderer:

And once again salvos of sonic fire and we kill him. End turn - nothing. Commander moves again and a lobsterman decides to reaction fire at him hitting in left arm. Fortunetly it is jut a flesh wound - thank god for Ion Armor.

Commander turns and spots him

And again salvos from soldiers to bring him down. End turn - nothing. Not to risk commander further rest of them men start to spread out. But soon Louis got hit in chest from another lobsterman just north of our position. Lucky bastard survived without a scratch, but the hit make him so shaky that his two 50% snap shots missed completly.

Another cannonade with some frag tossing ended the buggers life. Still no end of them. So the only option he must be in the sub. Soldiers were ordered to rally at the sub eneterance and behold the final target:

Because we don't stand a chance against a lobsterman in clear shootout - not in aqua armor at least, we naded him and he felt unconcious.

Victory:

GAME_1.zip

40 of 50 scientist are in transit (10 remain until living quarters are made). Also Barra 1 is 'out of ammo' ordered 10 torpedos so if they arrive lunch and return barra-1 to rearm

Grossbeer · February 24, 2011

Here we go sorry for the delay:

After selling stuff I reequipped the triton with more sonic Cannons (10 cannons 4 balstas), guessing we are facing lobsters next.

Time passes and research gets done. I didnt bother building a sonar at the second base as trans mission resolvers are reasearched quickly. Buld one at the 2nd base and ordered dups and a barracuda there. As some buildings await finishing at the main base (dont want to screw up our choke points) AND not having enough money for a 2nd one at the main base i dintn build the Trans resolver just yet.

I went to Sonic Oscis after that.

Sonn a small USO appeared:

failing to let it land i shot it down and started the mission.

Grossbeer · February 24, 2011

here we go: teh main force is already equipped with mag ion armor, the rest aua plastics.

after exiting and floating we spot 3 aliens in the dark:

not knowing what they are i threw 1 sonic pulser. none dead, this problably mean we face lobsters. i threw 4 more but none kill anything (even tho i threw it exactly on the lobsters 2 each)

as we spread out we finally got a line of fire one one of the lobsters with sonic pistol in his claw. 4 ppl shoot and 2 hit, the sonic cannon finished it off ( with 39% chance to hit btw ^^):

soon we spot the next one near the triton.

after throwing 2 more nades on it and it STILL stands around i descided its time to spread out even more to get those Sonic cannons a lil more into action. After some maneuvering we sonic cannon it out of the battle (it only STUNNED! 2 sonic pulser PLUS one direct hit from behind and its just stunned? DUDE!):

The next alien was a little more off the triton so we can position our flyers onto the triton to have a nice lil vantage point:

We shoot SEVEN times where only 2 missed. The 5th shot finally killed it:

next we manned our triton tower with lotso flyers as the LZ is considered safe. after spreading out our plasic guys we spot the USO:

After closing in to the USO and positioning some on the roof and some to the side, we spot the next Lobster.

Having TU full snipers all over the map we down the bugger with 3 fine sonic cannon shots. the next is not far away:

we poked it with another 3 fine placed shots and kill it. the next step our scou takes reveals yet another enemy in that area:

We burn the rest of our TU (mostly Blasta rifles) and stun it with 2 blaster shots (!). 3 Lobsters down in one turn... not bad for only Sonic cannons/rifles.

Earlier we saw something move inside the sub, but before entering we let our master scout walk some more steps and voila:

Having now fresh TU i figured our sniper will handle it perfectly and as a matter of fact with ONE shot only. The snipers name:

Tracy Moreland.

Finally we destroyed that lobsternest and we enter the sub with a plasic dude from one of them holes. nothing. One of our MAG IONS dudes entered from the roof and spotted the hopefully last alien:

sadly our aqua plasic soldier cant just fly away (or run away for that matter as he has no TUs left... stupid) he got bombed by a pulser:

But soon after some sonic blasters and cannon shots it finally went down and the mission was a success:

For the next commander:

dont forget to build Transm resover in 4 days (as the gen stores finish then:

)

here is the save: https://rapidshare.com/files/449664594/GAME_1.rar

videos:

pt 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvrufkeYpCQ

pt 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cuBhAk-MxP8

pt 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQk-EeQgnqg

pt 4: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCae4qu-KT0

greez

Crazy Photon · February 26, 2011

Geoscape part:

Firstly, I reviewed everything going on - research, production, stock. A few extra corpses are sold, and more dye grenades are bought, and a soldier was hired to replace the latest casualty.

Shortly afterwards, a very small USO appears, and it is quickly intercepted and destroyed by Barracuda 3. All of the supplies arrive. The trooper also arrives but it is just a weak one. "More cannon fodder", the commander mumbled to himself.

Research on the Sonic Pistol is completed, and started research on the Sonic Pistol clip so that one of the troopers can go all grenades and pistols in future missions. A transmission resolver began construction on the main base, and cash gets below the million mark, so it means we either need to be more conservative in expenses or just sell some extra stock to get more cash.

The second MC Lab construction is completed. Magnetic Ion Armour production is also completed, the engineers switched to produce more Aqua Plastics since the supply is low on them.

Sonic Pistol ammo research is completed, and the scientists are now focused on researching Zrbite.

Another small USO is detected, which is then intercepted by Barracuda 1, as Barracuda 3 was refueling after conducting patrols near the alien colony, trying to discover any supply vessels that might be nearby. After

USO 22 is downed, the Triton is dispatched to salvage any remains.

Tactical part:

The troops start rearming, however, it looks like the commander forgot to bring 14 guns instead of 10 :laugh: anyways, the last four troopers were instantly promoted to grenadiers and will fetch some rifles from the alien corpses if needed.

On the first turn all the troops prime their grenades, and the first dye is thrown off outside of the craft.

Once the troops start deployment, the first lobsterman is spotted on the horizon. Two grenades are quickly thrown behind it (The commander will be happy, since he will have Lobsterman for breakfast :oh: ). The grenades explode, but the alien goes on patrolling as if nothing had happened. 5 aimed shoots later, the lobsterman meets his maker, Samuel making the killing shot.

More movement is detected on the same direction were the previous alien was. Yuri takes a look, and 2 more aliens stand next to the corpse. The troops resume fire.

Fortunately, these aliens are facing their back, thus making it easier to get them, both of them died after 2 aimed shots each instead of 4.

More alien movement is seen, this time near the darkness in the horizon. A fourth alien is spotted near the other 3 corpses. Even though he was on its back, it still required 3-4 shots to be killed.

Even more movement is detected again near the rest of the corpses, no doubt the aliens are sending them one by one to investigate what is happening to their other comrades. A short game of hide and seek develops, but the alien is put to sleep after a couple of well placed shots by Henry and Samuel.

The alien ship can also be seen now, however it looks more like a wreckage than a functional ship.

The troops slowly begin to make the deployment circlebigger, and an alien is seen near a coral reef. Samuel gets it after 2 shots. Rodreigo's head was almost shaved after a near miss from a sonic shot came from the east.

Tracy got the alien though, so no worries yet. However, that was the last alien since the mission ended afterwards:

Game for the next commander:

GAME_1.zip

Bomb Bloke · February 27, 2011

We've got very little money. I sold a few more corpses but it may soon be time for someone to take a serious look at the stores and start turfing stuff out, assuming anyone actually wants to spend some cash. On the bright side, our monthly income still hasn't been overwhelmed yet (funding - costs = about a million bucks in our favour), so we don't need to worry about it as yet. Suspect we won't ever need to, if things keep up as they are.

I noticed the lab only had 90 scientists working away, and a check of the base stats indicated it was probably about time to send those other 10 over. They quickly arrived and finally got to work, the slackers.

Armour has been passed out to all units. I assigned all the rookies to the Triton and added enough sonic cannons to arm the entire squad. The ammo reserves are getting a bit low - I only had enough for one clip per unit with one to spare, though the way I figure it, the aliens are probably getting ready to drop the use of rifles soon anyway.

A very small USO appeared but ran off before I could get any shots at it. Another small craft arrived and that time a barracuda reached it - it proved to be a Cruiser. The 'cudda fired off its entire DUP complement before running out of ammo and returning to base. Whoops, I forgot our craft were armed with those things; so I sent out the other interception ship and the enemy went down (luckily it decided to head back towards our base).

This left us out of DUPs, so I sunk a bit of cash into those. While waiting for dawn our Zrbite research completed. I decided to go with the MC Reader next; having a couple of guys sitting in the Triton with those things will take some of the guess work out of battles (much safer shooting aliens at close range if they don't have the TUs to react - it's all well and good in open terrain where we can snipe, but things will get a bit dicey when we have to fight in bases), and we'll need it for the rest of the MC tree anyways.

On to the battle; I've landed in the very south-west-most corner. This here is Yuri. He's just been shot in the face twice with a sonic rifle wielded by a lobsterman. I don't think he noticed, though.

Once that one's gunned down, another enemy is found on a hill to the NE of the Triton. Half the squad shoots at (and mostly misses) it, but it eventually falls unconscious.

Yuri heads north and takes another two rifle shots without injury. The offender also bites the sand, and he continues northwards; yet another alien throws a grenade at him, but misses by about, oh, say, a screen.

Samuel Kemp is sent along the south edge of the map. I'm not really expecting to find much there, but during the alien's turn the rock I had him hide behind gets vapourised. Hmm, can you have vapour under water? Not sure what term I'm looking for here...

I'm mainly using aimed shots, and it's seldom a trooper can move and fire while using sonic cannons. I decide to throw caution to the wind on the basis that I'm not likely to win this battle with single reaction shots on occasion, and order a bunch of soldiers to spread out across the map area, leaving no TUs in reserve.

I decide to simply move Yuri behind a nearby rock and have him kneel, feeling he's used up all his luck for the mission. On ending turn, he promptly spots and one-shots another lobsterman; this one was carrying a sonic cannon. Its buddy appears next to it but is obviously as surprised as I am, and forgets to fire back.

More of my troopers move in that direction and yet another alien is discovered. I manage to take out one, but things are starting to get a bit too spread out and sniping is starting to look dangerous (my units are decidedly between the snipers and their targets); however, at this point I remembered my soldiers had finally heard of this "swimming" thing and so I had them ascend. The entire squad use their available TU reserves but still fail to take out the target, though one manages to get a shot within about five tiles of Yuri (or fifteen tiles away from the alien, to put that in perspective).

During the alien's turn it decides to retaliate with a valiant retreating maneuver.

I find the USO to the NE of the Triton, engines have blown up. Samuel's continued scouting along the south edge "reveals" an alien in an area he can't actually see - Carlos attacks the darkness and wins.

Turn ends with no visible alien movement, Klaus leap-frogs Yuri to the north and finds yet another group of aliens there, who also fall to the snipers back at the Triton. I can't go any further north at this point.

I spend some time creating a proper elevated firing line and start moving soldiers onto the roof of the Cruiser (why sit to the sides of the door when I can stand completely behind it?). It's all pointless though, as Samuel finds yet another alien to the south (again, the snipers back at the Triton do all the actual work) and the mission suddenly ends.

Apparently there's not enough gear to re-equip the Triton, guess we may have to start moving back to blasta-rifles again. :laugh:

GAME_1.zip

NKF · February 27, 2011

Geoscape segment:

My accompaniment for today is an Unreal UMX Mod file called "Hong Kong Streets", from the same mission in Deus Ex. Great for lobster stir-fry.

Starting off with the normal every day stuff. Research, stores, etc.

In the labs I started all the new research topics so that I can sell off the spares to raise some funds. I found it quite interesting that there's another Deep-One Terrorist available for research. Quite rare to get a second one, but we better not look a gift-horse in the mouth. Might come in handy later on.

In the stores, I get together with the quartermaster and we sell some excess equipment and raised $100k in spare funds. I ended up selling a few of the disrupter pulse launchers. We don't have the ammo to warrant having too many launchers at present, so 1 will do. We'll get a few more in due course. We're actually very good on our sonic ammo and sonic pulser supply in general to last us through a couple of missions.

While selling I noticed we had 70 chemical flares. Misclick perhaps? Don't think we need that many if we use them smartly, so I reduced the number down to 15.

I order a few sundry items for the single Gas Cannon. Obsolete though it may be vs. Lobstermen, the explosive and phosphor rounds do offer some practical uses on land.

Back to the Geoscape, I had a niggling feeling there were more bases out there so I sent both Barracudas out to scout along the edge of the African coast for a few hours. Since we're only minutes past from the last mission I don't expect any enemy activity too soon. My worries cast aside, I let the Barracudas head home after a few hours.

With the last batch of aqua plastics production done I put in a request for one suit of Ion Armor for personal use. Due to our low state of funds I decide not to manufacture anything else after that's done.

I decide to do a bit more stock management and sell a few spare Sonic Cannons and top up the DUP Head Torpedoes on top of the previous order. Might be unnecessary once the Sonic Oscillators are around, but they'll still be useful.

Things look like they're going very well so far, so I let time cruise by for a day when...

Talk about intense pressure! This could make or break the whole game and we don't have the cash to set up another Triton at Base 2, hire a crew or buy new equipment.

I do what I can rearming the troops as necessary. Due to the item spawn limitation, there aren't enough sonic cannon rounds generated to be able to arm everyone with the cannons, and there are only a handful of Sonic Pulsers. I'm really glad there are some Blasta-Rifles and Sonic-Pistols on hand and what we lack in firepower we can make up with numbers - there are LOTS of aquanauts.

I'll continue the mission later - but on the brief glimpse of the map before I saved the game I saw a lobsterman in the halls. That's a good sign because it means it won't be an MC fight, and since we're fighting on home turf with the map revealed, any Biodrones on the map will be clearly visible to see.

Wish me luck folks!

- NKF

NKF · February 27, 2011

Tactical segment

(Note, this log only details turn 1 ~ 16. The screenshots and the remainder of the mission will be done later.)

Tonight's music is track 5 of the PSX version of X-COM: Enemy Unknown (or the track that plays 4 minutes into gmgeo2.mid). Soundcard reverb environment set to 'underwater'.

Unexpectedly the base is rocked and a Lobsterman Dreadnought latches itself to the floating base's entry hatch and Lobstermen shockstroopers start crawling up through the sub pens. All the while the standard evacuation procedure is initiated and the non-combat personnel make for the escape hatches while X-Com aquanauts run chaotically in all directions. Many running through the corridors still wearing pyjams, briefs (and one in some Long johns) while fumbling to put on their suits of armour.

The last tech going down down the escape hatch utters "Nice knowing you." very quietly to the nearest aquanaut.

The grab for equipment was also a mess, but everyone managed to secure something to shoot back with.

Turn 1

Inspection of the chaos shows troops are scattered all over the top row of base modules before the choke point, with two aquanauts, Donna Garner and Jason Remmington caught very dangerously in the airlock and living quarters that act as the base's defense choke point. Donna in particular is standing right next to a Lobsterman.

I rush all the upstairs Aquanauts downstairs and those that are in the safe zone around the base quickly do an obligatory though unnecessary sweep of their secured areas just to make sure.

Before any fighting commences, I analyse the corridor layout of the base a bit.

Because of the heavy use of blast doors throughout the base, much of it is segmented off into smaller compartments. This should make it easier for troops to clear it area by area (man do I wish I had thermal tazers and drills now), however there is a long open north-south corridor from the middle sub-pen down the living quarter choke point all the way to the other end of the base. If I move most of the extra aquanauts down this corridor and hide them in the various cubbyholes all the way down to the far end, they'll be able to pop out and snipe at anything coming down this path and pop back in again for cover. At least, that's the theory.

There isn't one along the Airlock, but I see that I can artificially create a west-east firing corridor by manually opening the blast doors along the way, and both of these corridors intersect just south of the living quarters.

Of course, nothing is ever that simple, is it? Aliens tend to infiltrate a little further into the base on Superhuman, and there appears to be a Bio-Drone and another Lobsterman sandwiching the aquanauts at the intersection.

First order of business is to get all those in the open to cover. Jason Remmington is the first to fall as he tries to cross the gap over to Donna. Donna makes it to the safety of the room. Rodreigo jumps for one of the rooms but the Biodrone Louis spotted was looking his way! He is hurt, but still alive. He staggers through the door, throws his Medikit at Rudi Richter who quickly picks it up and patches 3 arm wounds.

Louise Leferve, who was standing right in front of the Biodrone, and who would be a fool to attack it at such close range, turns around and makes a break for it. He is shot squarely in the back, but no damage is dealt. He makes it to the little room where Tracey Conway is hiding. Yuri Gakanovich primes a Pulser to throw around the corner and is shot by the Biodrone when he moves to get a better angle. No damage was done. Weighing up his chances, he follows after Louise rather than running out of time in the open.

Thinking he'd confirmed that the room was clear, Jose Estaves watches in horror as Charlie Lemarchand is killed from a sonic bolt from the corner, which is a blind spot from his vantage point. The base is infested!

With everyone in as much cover as they can reach at this point, I end the turn.

Luckily nothing untoward happens during this phase. Donna, who's in the living quarter choke point, sees a bit of activity during the alien phase. A biodrone moves past the sub-pen, a lobsterman with a thermal shok launcher waltzes up near her hiding spot, and the one that was out in the corridor makes its way into the airlock.

Turn 2

Donna opens the door and fires two rounds at the lobsterman. It doesn't stop the brute. She takes a step to the side so that she's not exposed.

Further back down the corridor, Miguel opens the door and takes a step outside to survey the area. Just as he does a bolt flies out from the down the corridor and knocks him unconscious. On inspecting the map, burn marks are seen in the middle northern hangar, and between the living quarter and airlock chock points. There's nothing around where the first Biodrone was spotted, so we can only assume it ended its turn without moving.

Yuri throws his pulser in its general direction around the corner, taking care not to let it drop to close to Miguel.

Gerhard Hafner, Jose's offsider, spots the Biodrone that killed Charlie exactly where Jose missed it. Since it's far too close and since there are no indications that it has moved, it's deemed far too dangerous to engage. Jose and Gerhard back off, each heading in opposite directions.

More shuffling around moving those deeper into the base to thoroughly investigate their modules as they move closer to the action. After that the turn ends.

Yuri's pulser goes off - but it turns out to have been a VERY bad miscalculation. Base walls are obliterated and most of the aquanauts hiding on both sides of that intersection are exposed. This is followed by probably one of the stupidest deaths ever. The Biodrone seems to miss everyones and instead floats up to the middle of the intersection, goes around the corner and opens the door which Javier Quevedo is standing behind. The moment it opens the door, the weak aquanaut unleashes a point-blank sonic cannon attack and is killed instantly by the resulting explosion. I suspect the Biodrone was going to swat at him ineffectively with its melee attack, but the fool was too fidgety.

Yuri, standing only 4 tiles away from the Biodrone, is unscratched. Thank you Ion Armour!

Meanwhile Charlie's killer, the Biodrone that was too close to Gerhard and Jose, moves off into the main hallway and two quick reactions shots with sonic blasta rifles, one each from Uma Hand and Wolfgang Krause, who are acting as the standing snipers at the northern end of the corridor blow it to smithereens. This unfortunately wipes out most of the hiding places in the Large Sonar module.

Note to self: Go easy on the explosives in base defense missions.

Turn 3

Gerhard and Yuri are sent further southwards to make sure the remainder of their side of the base is clear.

With the safe spots compromised, Olga Alkaviedes and Emelio Aguila walk into the carnage and come next to the lobsterman that was spotted their way earlier. It looks unarmed.

Further up the corridor, the injured Rodreigo steps out to find two Thermal Shok Launcher carrying lobsterman in the Living Quarter choke point. Rodreigo rushes back inside and Olga turns around and hits the farthest Lobsterman by the living quarter choke point square on. I misjudged the amount of time needed to do this action - or rather I misjudged the TU cost for walking through an open doorway, so Olga is stuck out in the open with the unarmed lobsterman behind her.

Tracey, Louise and Yuri come to Olga's aid and each lands a hit on the unarmed lobsterman, but don't do enough to take it down. Emelio, Olga's offsider, steps through the doors and finishes the job.

Donna Garnier takes two potshots at the lobsterman that Olga had targeted. Both shots hit, but neither do anything. She retreats to the safety of the corner.

The rest of the troops towards the rear move to broaden, or tighten, the perimeter and the turn ends.

During the alien turn, troops fielding the Airlock doors spot a Lobsterman walk out and rush right back into the airlock.

A Biodrone is spotted floating towards the chaos that is the intersection past the Living Quarter choke point.

Turn 4

Donna opens the door to find her lobsterman looking the other way.

Emelio pinpoints the Biodrone - and it's in a shockingly bad place to engage it. Rather than attempt to engage it and destroy the surroundings (and Miguel's unconscious body is right next to it). Yuri, Louis, and Tracey, who've been holing up in the wreckage that was their hiding room, race up the stairs to get out of sight.

For the rest of this turn I spent time moving the troops that were deeper into the base. The screenshot above shows their final positions before I ended the turn, but it seems the screencap was taken when the blips were at a low point in their colour rotation, so it's very hard to see everybody.

In the south-eastern part of the base, Gerhard, Jose and Gaston Lecointe carefully inspect three separate bulkheads for enemies, find nothing, and notice they've just about linked up. This means their side of the base is just about clean. Since this hall is clear, Uma, Jurgen and Wolfgang turn to the side and shift their attention to the doorway beside them.

In the south-western side of the base, Grigory Lucketski and Edwardo Gonzales push Jacqueline Lecointe out to scan for enemies along their side. It's clear.

To their immediate north, Tracey Moreland, Samuel Kemp and Javier Gonzales set up positions to attack anything that comes through the airlock doors. If necessary, Carlos Gonzales, Henri Gautier and Klaus Unger are behind the doors of the module just facing the airlock and can provide even more firepower. Turn ends.

During the alien's turn, Tracey shoots at a Lobsterman that stepped out of the airlock and misses. The Lobsterman steps back in. Then, either the same one or another Lobsterman pops out and fires a thermal shok bomb their way. Javier Gonzales takes the thermal bomb square on and falls unconscious, his two comrades are still up.

The turns plods on slowly, but nothing else seems to happen.

Turn 5

Samuel Kemp rushes forward and applies stimulants to Javier. When Javier wakes up, Sam has somehow shoved him in the room beside him. Javier is still too weak to do anything so he stays stock still. His good deed done, Sam runs around the corner.

Rudi opens his door and the injured Rodreigo spots the Lobsterman that's been pinning Donna down in her cubbyhole. Uma hands spots the other one (presumably the one that knocked out Javier.

Since the last Lobsterman is right down her alley, Tracey Moreland takes an aimed shot and hits the lobsterman squarely in the back. It falls, but doesn't die.

Emelio and Olga pop out and take aim at Donna's lobsterman. Both hit but don't kill the Lobsterman.

The Biodrone that we saw is still worrying me, but I can't tell where it might be with the destruction in the intersection. However, with no more burn marks spotted in the sub pens, this could be the last one. But it's too early to tell.

The troops clearing the main base continue to make progress and the turn ends.

Nothing is apparent on the alien turn, but the turn takes a long time to end.

Turn 6

Again Rudi opens the door and that loitering Lobsterman is still hounding Donna. Olga's sonic blasta rifle hits, but only stuns it.

With the lobsterman gone, Rudi runs out to attend to Miguel - but he's too late. Miguel's dead. Rudi retreats into his hiding place.

Javier Gonzales, still very numb from the thermal shok bomb, gets up and goes to reclaim his weapons.

Jose Estavez and Gaston Lecointe set up a sniping post at the end of furthest end of the main corridor. This will help Emelio and Olga a lot.

Turn ends

Right at the start of the alien's turn, Samuel and Tracey do a duet and slay a lobsterman that steps out of the airlock. The next one that comes out seems to throw something, or perhaps shoots a sonic pistol, but nothing happens.

Turn 7

Not taking it any longer, Carlos snaps and rushes to the airlock and opens the blast doors. Three lobstermen are spotted. In a fit of desperation Emelio races from his spot by Olga and opens the intervening blast doors to allow more aquanauts a shot at the trio.

Edwardo Gonzales, the guy one module back, aims his sonic cannon and kills the Sonic Cannon Lobstermen in the front.

Grigory Lucketsky, all the way at the other end of the base aims his sonic rifle and hits the next lobsterman square on.

Suddenly calming down, Carlos decides to get in front of the Lobsterman with the Thermal Shok Launcher, putting it between him and the one with the sonic cannon behind it. In doing so he spots the errant Biodrone. He hits the thermal shock lobsterman and quickly gets out of the way. Henri fires, but misses and makes a hole in the air lock.

Jacqueline, kneeling next to Grigory Lucketsky, aims but hits Klaus Unger in the back. Giving him 1 hit point loss and 1 fatal wound. We'll patch that up next turn. Klaus instead fires his sonic rifle at the Thermal Shok Lobsterman and stuns it.

Meanwhile Rudi Richter spots another Lobsterman coming down the main firing corridor. Jose and Gaston are up. Gaston fires his blasta rifle twice and both shots connect. Jose fires one snap and one aimed shot and this stuns the Lobsterman.

Rudi suddenly goes mad (i.e. I mis-clicked) and abandons Rodreigo. He flees to the room next door, with Yuri's gang still waiting upstairs. Thankfuly he crosses safely.

Uma and Jurgen advance through the doorway they're fielding and kneel in front of it.

Since it's getting rather smokey around where she's been guarding, Olga backs off a bit since she's starting to choke on the dust particles.

Gerhard moves in to add a third sniper to the main corridor.

Turn ends.

Having ended the turn with his back facing away was a bad idea. A Lobsterman waltzes out of the airlock and kills Carlos at point blank range with a single shot. In retaliation, the trio of Tracey, Samuel and Javier each fire a single shot each and kill the Lobsterman.

Turn 8

Henri patches Klaus' scratch and he's back to tip-top condition.

Doors are opened, corridors inspected. All clear for now. Back into cover and the turn ends.

Turn 9

Donna seems to have a penchant for finding Lobstermen in her corner. Another Thermal Shok Launcher toting specimen. Gerhard aims and stuns the Lobsterman with his sonic blasta rifle. Too many are being stunned!

Wait, Donna's not done yet. There's another one! standing on the late Jason Remington's body. Jose aims, then snaps. Both hit. Gaston aims and snaps - both hit the ground in front of him.

Miguel Marillo - so far during this mission easing his way around the side of the battle and for the last two turns hiding in the eaves near the main corridor's sniper trio. He pops out and opens fire with his sonic pistol. Neither shot hits. 'What're you using, a hairdryer?' Gerhard jibes as Miguel jumps back behind cover. Miguel gets his payback when Gerhard attempts a shot but it slams the ground in front of him.

Connor Conway, Miguels neighbour, pops out and scores a direct hit with a snapshot with his blasta rifle.

The injured Rodriego, feeling left out of the battle, makes an attempt. But his injuries make him shoot wild.

Rudi makes an attempt and hits the Lobsterman square on. It still won't go down!

Tracey Conway(the other one up the stairs, not the one guarding the Airlock) leaps down the stairs and at last the Lobsterman falls!

With the main corridor team thoroughly exhausted, there's not much left they can do for the time being.

Olga moves back to her previous guard point now that the smoke has subsided a little.

Turn ends, and the alien turn is long and very eventful

A Lobsterman with a Sonic Cannon pops out the Airlock. Tracey Sam and Javier launch a 4 round barrage and a few shots connect but it survives. The Lobsterman then does a charge to Samual, strikes 4 times and races off to hide in the room nearby.

Down the main corridor, Olga spots a Lobsterman and reacts to it. It hits. The Lobsterman keeps walking and once it reaches the intersection, the Uma and Jurgen sniper team open fire and kill it.

Turn 10

Despite taking 4 big whacks, Samuel is unscathed. He opens the door to find the Lobsterman right behind it. Sam takes a point blank shot with his sonic cannon and kills the crustacean.

Nearby, Henri and Klaus spot something interesting. They both take snaps, first with the sonic rifle then with the sonic cannon. Both shots connect and the Lobsterman falls.

Donna has a quick look out her side of the living quarter waypoint and sees nothing. Off-handedly she says "Hey, anyone notice we've got three Tritons in the sub pens?"

Turn ends

From the hole beside the airlock's blast doors, a sonic pistol Lobsterman attacks Sam and wanders off into hiding.

Then another one walks out the doors proper. I think it was carrying a Sonic Cannon, but after another good old 1 - 2 - 3 from the Sam, Javier and Tracey trio they put an end to it.

Turn 11

"Play it again Sam"

Samuel's unhurt, and he can see the Lobsterman. This means there's now a flaw in the sniper positions, so he'll need to move further back. Also I note that Tracey's only got 1 round left. Luckily she has a Sonic Pistol sidearm packed away.

Sam snaps and hits the Lobsterman, then retreats back to kneel beside Tracey.

Donna - she not a done-a yet. She finds yet another Lobsterman where the last one fell. Either another Lobsterman or this one's just woken up.

Miguel and Connor try their luck. No dice. Wolfgang, walking around the long way over the last turn, arrives to back up these two. His sonic rifle hits, but it doesn't fall. A few paces away, Olga fires and kills the lobsterman.

Turn ends. Nothing spotted, but the turns seem to be getting shorter.

Turn 12

Almost nothing happens this turn. Conner Conway decides to jump across to the wreck where the first Biodrone fell. The idea is to provide an extra angle of attacking the Airlock.

Turn ends

The Lobsterman Samual spotted at the start of the last turn is a Technician and it has gone Berserk.

Turn 13

Klaus Unger walks across to the Airlock doors, opens it to reveal the Lobsterman Technician. Unlike Carlos, Klaus plays it safe and makes sure he can get to safety. He does his by doing a little loop along the hole in the far end of the wall to get back to safety behind the blast doors. (Note, our Lobsterman friend is a bit obscured by the selection arrow)

Connor Conway attacks twice from the flank, taking out a bit of wall but also hitting the technician. Henri shoots, stuns it and pops through the doors nearby for safety. We can't see anything beyond, but that doesn't mean there aren't more. There's definitely that Biodrone we've lost track of out there.

Turn ends. Nothing seems to happen.

Turn 14

Remembering there's a dead Lobsterman in the room opposite, Javier runs in, picks up the Sonic Cannon clip and throws it by Tracey. He ducks back in the room, not having the time to get back in his original spot (he manages to do this in the following turn).

Turn 15 - Turn 16

Nothing much happens. I even stupidly left Donna standing outside her room the last two turns.

Turn 17

So far so good, though I will have to continue the rest of the mission later.

- NKF

NKF · February 28, 2011

No music accompaniment. I need to conserve my laptop battery due to a scheduled power outage.

The mission starts where I left off at turn 16 - I end the turn.

During the alien phase, the accursed Biodrone is seen making its move towards the airlock blast doors from the gaps in either side of them. One of the main Airlock corridor fire team, possibly Sam, fires on it and it backs off.

What's worrying me at the moment is that not only will the walls be blasted open, but the loots that's piled up there too. Can't be helped.

Turn 17

Rather than wait - from his niche off in the corner, Sam Conway destroys half of the Airlock blast doors. Henri and Klaus site the Bio Drone and a Lobsterman with a Thermal Shok Launcher in the airlock. There seems to be an unusually large number of the Shok Launchers at the moment!

Henri fires, the Biodrone retaliates. One of the pair is hit, but no damage is done. He steps into the side door. Klaus fires, the Biodrone explodes, a Thermal Shok Bomb sails through the flying bits Lobsterman meat and other odds and ends and strikes Klaus. Klaus finds he suddenly has a blocked nose, but is otherwise fine.

I lament the loss of all salable items for moment then turn on the Lobsterman in the Airlock.

Klaus fires, but only makes the central Airlock shaft wider. He steps out of the way for the second row of snipers one module back, Edwardo and Emelio and they launch into action. Emelio fires twice but only hits once. Edwardo misses a single aimed sonic cannon shot.

Time for the row three Grigory and Jacqueline - the standing row. Jacqueline fires her Blasta Rifle twice, hits once. Grigory fires twice, both Blasta rounds hit and the Lobsterman is stunned.

Turn ends.

No visuals.

Turn 18

I send Mark Scotney, who was hanging in the eaves next to the sniping team on the other end of the Air Lock firing corridor to back up Connor Conway - just in case.

I have Tracey Conway, Louis Lefevre, Rudi Richter and Yuri Gakanovitch go down from their hiding place and take refuge in the two corners of the primary intersection. I believe it's time to mount an offensive.

My plan is to conduct a pincer movement on the Airlock to secure it, then mount an offensive to reclaim the sub-pens.

Turn 19

With the offensive team making their way slowly up the left corridor, Klaus spots a Lobsterman with its back turned in the Airlock.

Since it's in visual range, Row 2, Edwardo opens his set of blast doors and lands an aimed Sonic Cannon blast in the back of its head. Emelio fires, but misses. Row 3's Grigorly opens the blast doors takes aim and scores one hit out of two. Jacqueline just hits the walls.

Nicely softened up, Henri aims his sonic cannon and kills the Lobsterman. When it turns around it's also carrying a Thermal Shok launcher.

Turn ends

A seemingly weaponless lobsterman is spotted in the darkness of the sub pen. It dives off to the right and vanishes.

Turn 20

Now feeling braver that she's got 4 Mag. Ion Armour hulks behind her, Donna runs out to locate the Lobsterman. It's not in a good line of fire, so we have to ignore it for the time being. Donna rushes back around the corner, but doesn't flee into her old cubbyhole. I slowly advance the assault team - Rodreigo joins in.

Olga joins Connor and Mark in the Airlock corridor hallway. Coincidentally all three are wearing Plastic Aqua Armor.

Turn ends.

Two reaction shots are fired as a second Lobsterman is spotted in the sub pen. Carrying - you guessed it - a thermal shok launcher.

Turn 21

Conner's team advanced - and a fourth Bio-Drone is spotted inside the Airlock itself.

Row-3's Grigory tries to snipe it but instead hits Klaus in the back. This time he sustains some wound but Henri's quick patchup still leaves him with over 50% and 70% standing accuracy with his blasta rifle. Klaus, hidden by the smoke cloud, gets up and fires and it hits. Conner bravely finishes it off and it leaves a big hole where the central shaft for the Airlock used to be. Killing the stunned lobsterman in the process.

Turn ends.

The lobsterman with the thermal shok launcher in the sub pen hits the strike team. Roderigo, who was already rather badly hurt, drops unconscious. Tracey Conway, not having a lot of health, also falls asleep.

Turn 22

Donna and Rudi try to take down the Lobsterman in pairs, but again my miscalculation of the time units required to move across (this time a former wall) ends up stranding them out in the open.

Mark and Conner succeed in infiltrating the first room in the Airlock's blast door area.

I ready several more waves of Aquanauts to back up the main strike team. Turn ends.

The thermal shok Lobsterman fires again and does nothing. Yuri, who had the sense to not rush ahead like Rudi and Donna, retaliates but does not take the Lobsterman down.

Turn 23

I unfortunately have to end the mission short again due to mitigating circumstances involving a power outage and a nearly drained laptop battery. Sorry folks - one more day!

- NKF

NKF · March 1, 2011

Final part of the base defense mission.

Music accompaniment for the remainder of mission was a couple of CDs called Exit Tunes Presents, Re: Packaged and 07 - 09 Memories. Each title starring Crypton Media's series of vocaloid voice synthesisers like Hatsune Miku.

Turn 22 (No, that's correct, turn 22)

When I load up the savegame I discover I've made a rather boneheaded mistake. My last save was made just before I hit the end turn button on turn 22. Now the alien actions leading up to turn 23 in my last battle report are void. After a few tries I simply cannot replicate the exact actions so all I can do is go ahead and reload the game and go with wherever the chips fall.

Turn ends.

What's different now is Donna and Rudi fall unconscious from the Thermal Shok Lobsterman's attack, and the other lobsterman panics. This is fortuitous as it has revealed itself to be a Commander! Alas, no Tazers and we can't use the Thermal Shok Launchers yet. Best thing I can do now is use the Sonic pistol and cross my fingers.

Turn 23

Miguel relays his pistol to Jurgen, who then relays it to Yuri - but drops it 3 tiles away. Red faced, he runs ahead, picks it up and gets it to Yuri. Yuri picks it up and lands exactly 1 round on the unarmed Lobsterman.

Miguel and Jurgen move up.

Conner and Mark do a quick inspection of the blasted Airlock area and slink back behind cover. Olga joins them.

Turn ends.

The Lobsterman with the Thermal Shok launcher charges at Yuri and smacks him a few times. Because the corridor is full of Aquanauts, the Lobsterman's attack attracts a hail of sonic fire, with a few shots hitting but not knocking it down.

The other Lobsterman (Commander) panics.

Turn 24

Yuri is undamaged. He chooses to ignore the Thermal Shok Lobsterman and walks past it to challenge the Commander.

Wolfgang responds to the Thermal Shok Lobsterman. Two rounds fired, one hits and stuns it.

Conner and Mark secure the dusty Airlock, Olga stands in the doorway between them. Noting the severe damage to the floor around the central lift, a warning is issued to the team to walk around it lest anyone falls in.

Yuri snaps at the Commander twice, one shot connects. Not fearing ranged retaliation, he stands his ground. He decides that this is a risk well worth taking, for the intel from the Commander will definitely be invaluable to the cause.

I move the very reactive Uma up a little to provide him with support just in case. She gives everyone a timely reminder to tread lightly over the Lobsterman bodies as there are a lot that are still alive.

Miguel races up to the unconscious Tracey Conway and revives her with two stimulants.

Turn ends

The Lobsterman Commander seems to flee into the corner to get out of Yuri's way, hesitates, and suddenly decides that it's all or nothing and runs at Yuri claws swinging. Yuri takes five nasty smacks from the desperate Lobster.

Turn 25

"Hah! Wild bears hit better than you!" Yuri lands three point blank pistol rounds. Obviously, that's not enough.

Louis Leferve pulls out his Sonic Pistol sidearm and joins in - and kills the Commander. "Oh crud vapours..."

Uma Hand races ahead to check the (two) Thermal Shok Lobsters beside Yuri. They're soldiers. Then onto the ex-commander. It's definitely dead. While she's at it she spots a Lobsterman by the far ramp in the sub pen. Seems unarmed.

Mark Scotney's is in a good position from his corner of the airlock to attack it, and fires two rounds with one strike. Conner repositions himself and manages one attack, but misses. Henri and Kraus abandon their former guard point and each get off a shot, but neither hit. Olga joins in with a kneeling aimed shot, but misses despite her impeccable high accuracy.

Despite the failure to hit the thing, it can't see us so Uma leans out of sight. Tracey picks up her dropped gear.

Turn ends.

Uma's warning never rang truer. One of the Lobsterman Soldiers wakes up right next to Jurgen and rips into him with 6 - 7 attacks with its claws. Jurgen is still standing after the ordeal. Wolfgang, being much more reactive than Jurgen, attacks first. Because he's 1 tile to Jurgen's left and 8 tiles behind, had the shot been accurate he would've turned Jurgen's body into a puddle of goo. However he missed and I am glad he did!

Jurgen then responds with a point-blank sonic blasta-rifle attack, killing his attacker.

Turn 26

On inspection, Jurgen is registering no damage! What a lucky man. The above screenshot doesn't really show much, but it does show how messed up the corridor has become. Jurgen's the plastic aqua armour chap by the door.

Uma re-acquires the Lobsterman by the ramp. Yuri and Uma both open fire. Yuri fires two snaps from his sonic pistol and only one round hits. Uma hits once. Even though it's unarmed, the pair run back into cover in case it's packing Sonic Pulsers. Mark's team in the airlock are up next.

Mark aims and snaps, both rifle rounds connect. Olga's first aimed shot destroys a bit of ramp, while her snap stuns the Lobsterman.

Klaus and Henri have a race and take up positions in the Airlock. There's no telling what's on the upper level, but the base level is ours!

The former row 2 and row 3 snipers race up to replace the spots Klaus and Henri were holding. Now they're acting as a standby support wave.

Tracey Conway and Wolfgang Krause move a Lobsterman soldier and a squad leader into a pile so that they know where the living Lobstermen are. They start wishing they had a Magna-Blast grenade or some GC-HE rounds on hand. Turn ends.

Turn 27

The sniping team that were covering the main corridor consisting of Jose, Gerhard and Gaston move up to assist watch over the live lobster pile.

All of a sudden Miguel has a bright idea and broadcasts it to everyone on the comm channel. "Hey, guys, I got a crazy idea here. That pile of snoozing grunts don't know nothing, and I got here a ticking pulser I've been holding since the start. There's a little room over here. Why don't we do some psychological warfare on the last few lobbies huh?". This is responded with various exclamations from the other troops like "You're crazy!", "that's too dangerous, they might wake up!" and "That's stooping to their level!". Then Miguel says "Hey, you think we're going to get our cut once the eggheads get them?". Silence. this is then broken with unanimous agreement.

Miguel's plan begins. Those nearest quickly grab any valuables. Tracey Conway, out of respect for her dead comrade, picks up his body and begins to move it. Uma Hand grabs the nearest Lobsterman soldier and heaves it part way and throws the body over to Miguel who then lugs it into the room and drops it on the ground.

Those not taking part in this crazy operation make a move to secure the central sub pen, though only Yuri is physically in the sub pen.

Turn ends.

Miguel is nearly hoisted on his own petard. The Lobsterman he dropped woke up and slashes at his side three times.

Turn 28

Miguel is undamaged, so he turns on the Lobsterman and ...

"Where's my gun!?"

I foolishly forget to take a snapshot of this sudden turn of events. Sorry!

Miguel remembers he had passed it forward to Yuri earlier. Uma races to the rescue and throws her weapon over to Miguel, who grabs it and kills the Lobsterman soldier. Miguel hands the gun back to Uma. He realises he has to now drag the body out himself.

The team in the airlock send Conner and Jurgen into the left side of the sub pen.

Turn ends

Turn 29

Proceeding with Miguel's crazy plan, Uma and Gaston each pick up an unconscious Lobsterman and throw them into Miguel's designated room. Miguel on the other hand moves the corpse out. There's still one remaining live Lobsterman up behind Yuri and Louis. I can't have either of these two participate since they're the only ones on that side of the sub pen. Wolfgang is sent up as porter.

Meanwhile Conner takes a peek into the western sub-pen and spots an enemy. Conner hasn't got the firepower so falls back for now. His comrades start filing into the sub-pen. Only Klaus is left behind to watch the airlock in case there was something upstairs.

Turn ends.

The Lobsterman that Conner saw starts to panic and drops its weapon. It's a soldier.

Turn 30

Though I did not want Louis to participate in moving the Lobsterman soldier, he ends up picking it up, moving a few steps and throwing it close to Wolfgang. Wolfgang grabs the body, races it down the hall and throws it in front of the doorway. Gaston takes over, picking up the live lobster and throwing it hard into the room. All the players are in place - but no one has the time to run for cover. One more turn to go.

Emelio, Jacqueine, Grigory and Edwardo march into the Airlock, providing Klaus with support.

Turn ends

Turn 31

Miguel's grand plan in operation:

Pulser set.

Run!

Turn ends

Turn 32

As Miguel had planned, the damage to the base is minimal, but his plan still backfired. There's nothing left of the three Lobstermen! I send a congratulatory note through the PA system, then tell Miguel that he's going to help the cook peel all the potatoes for a week.

"Well, look at it this way, would've been the same result either way, right? Right?"

This is met with glares from his conspirators.

Meanwhile Edwardo Gonzales and Emelio volunteer themselves to investigate the airlock. Edwardo gets on the last remaining working portion of the lift goes to the lower deck. All he finds is the remains of the Biodrone that left the airlock in such a sad state. Emelio falls into the pit and discovers there's a dead Lobsterman there as well. He waits until Edwardo is out of the way and climbs back up. They look up and the airlock above them looks undamaged. They decide they'll need four aquanauts for this job. Grigory and Jacqueline gather around the remaining lift segment.

Conner, now with Henri and Olga as backup, does a fancy run and roll across the open passage to get to the other side. The unarmed Lobsterman soldier is still staring off into space.

Now free of crazy schemes, Wolfgang, Tracey and Gerhard rush to assist Yuri and Louis along the eastern side of the central sub pen. Gaston, Uma and Jose not too far behind them.

Miguel, only carrying an unused pulser and a medikit, finds a corner and starts sulking.

Yuri and Louis meanwhile move off into the corner of the central sub pen, making their move to the nearest passageway.

Turn ends

Olga catches a glimpse of the soldier moving during the alien turn.

Turn 33

Olga, Henri and Conner launch an attack on the soldier. Olga misses, but the other two manage to kill the beast. The three dive back behind cover.

The airlock exploration team go up to the top level one at a time, and each one gets behind a door.

Louis leans around to have a look into the eastern subpen. Nothing.

Turn ends

Turn 34

Simultaneously, all four upper level airlock doors are opened. Everyone steps out. Everyone looks left and then right. Then a synchronous sigh of relief. All clear!

"All right, let's get back downstairs. But first, does anyone remember which part of the lift is still working?"

Turn 35

Tracey and Wolfgang take over from Yuri and Louis while the pair race to cover the far entrance to the eastern subpen.

Mimicking the actions of the team on the other side of the room, Jurgen and Olga cover the near entrance to the western sub pen while Conner and Henri proceed to the far entrance.

Turn 36

Like a horde of angry valkyries, nine aquanauts fly in to secure the central sub pen. The tenth got left behind.

Though things are going well, disaster strikes. Conner begins to inspect the western sub pen but a shot out of the dark kills him. This stops Henri in his tracks and he takes a step backwards through the doorway.

The damaged floor on the far side of the sub pen looks very suspicious. Could be another Bio Drone. Olga and Jurgen enter their side. Both eagerly want to put some distance between themselves and the torpedo stacks so they seek refuge behind the ramp.

Tracey and Wolfgang enter the eastern sub pen from their entrance, but the other pair hang back. There are too many torpedos stacked on their end as well.

Recalling that Miguel still has a sonic pulser on hand, he's summoned from his corner. It could prove useful against the suspicious burn mark in the western sub pen.

Turn Ends.

The impossible happens - A biodrone suddenly appears behind Olga and Jurgen. Both are shot in the back and their plastic aqua armour is unable to protect them.

Where did it come from!?

The burn mark on the other side of the western sub pen reveals itself as another Bio Drone. It attacks Henri, misses, and evades a retaliatory shot from Henri.

Turn 37

On inspecting the overhead map, there seems to be one burn mark on the upper walkway above Olga and Jurgen. Like an assassin, it must've been hiding above them and dropped down behind them after they walked in.

Henri avenges his friend and kills the Biodrone across the room with a single aimed sonic cannon round. It explodes and four smaller explosions follow it as torpedo piles light up the corner of the sub pen.

The aquanauts around the other entrance, realising what sort of foe they're facing, back away from the entrance and brace for an imminent attack.

Tracey and Wolfgang move into the eastern subpen. Not wanting to fall to the same fate as their comrades, they remember to take a glance at the raised walkway behind them.

Since his grenade is no longer needed in the western subpen, Migual corrects his course and moves to the eastern sub pen.

Turn ends

The Biodrone peeks around the corner but ducks back behind the wall.

Turn 38

Henri, teary eyed with the knowledge of what will happen to the bodies of his former friends with his next action, jumps out, drops to his knees and points his Sonic Cannon at the Bio Drone.

Lucky last, he aims and fires his very last round. As if time slowed down to a crawl with the sonic bolt flying through the air, Henri suddenly gets the horrible mental image of the biodrone exploding and setting off the line of torpedos that lead up to where he's kneeling. His fears are abated when the Bio Drone explodes and only manages to set off one pile.

Petrified by the terrible experience, Henri is unable to move for a very long time after this.

Then...

With the heavy loss of a squad worth of brilliant aquanauts, the base is completely secured from the Lobsterman onslaught. Tracey Moreland is promoted to Commander. Javier Gonzales is promoted to Lieutenant.

I'm sorry to say that the next commander will have to pick up the pieces from here, but I guess the important thing is that we survived.

GAME_1.zip

- NKF

The Veteran · March 1, 2011

Ok so here's the next installment and I've got to say I think my luck is a bit off so far in this playthrough :oh:

My first mission was only a cruiser but I had to attempt it with 5 troopers wielding harpoon rifles and a tank.

My second mission was the Shipping Route Terror Mission, which although I wanted it was a real ball-ache!

My 3rd mission was a fairly simple medium sub with Gillmen but still failed spectacularly to live up to Silencer's fantastic and identical mission directly before it.

And now my 4th mission... Maybe a small UFO would be nice, they account for 13 of our previous 21 missions so more than 50%! But no... I don't get any sort of USO, it's another Terror Site... But no problem now we have flying armour right? Well, except this isn't flying armour, it's 'swimming' armour and we'll be fighting on a nice dry island! Still at least it can't be lobstermen and biodrones right? Not after they lost all those troops attacking NKF...

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/01.jpg

So it's off to Sri Lanka... I'd like to point out that this mission occurs the very instant the savegame NKF gave me is loaded which is awesome :laugh: Stupid aliens aren't even giving us time to bury the dead from their attack before launching another one now it seems! As a result of this I do nothing whatsoever in the Geoscape and go straight to the hangar for a quick pep-talk. 9 of the troopers have their cannons taken away and replaced with blasta rifles, ammo allows the remaining 5 to carry the cannons. Wolfgang becomes my avatar and is renamed accordingly while we take Lieutenant Henri with us along with 5 Ensigns and 8 Able Seamen. The Barracudas are used to keep the mission active overnight so the Triton can arrive in daylight so they now need to refuel. 17 hours after detection we arrive...

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/02.jpg

We land on the Eastern side of the island but are in neither corner. I let a turn slide to use up TUs of any nearby hostiles, much to the dismay of an innocent civilian whose screams pierce the troopers armour like a dagger. Samuel is first to leave the Triton and immediately we despair at our situation when he spots a Lobsterman just infront of the craft. He takes an aimed shot but it misses. Yuri emerges to throw a better late than never dye grenade for forward cover and when Tracey spots a contact to their rear Henry does the same.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/03.jpg

In the alien turn, Samuel is shot in the face with a sonic cannon but asides from messing his hair up he's unharmed. A second Cannon wielding crustacean also appears but doesn't have time to fire. The alien at the rear of the craft, so far veiled by the darkness, attempts to grenade the troopers but hits the back of the Triton and destroys a large area of grass. X-Com turn 3 sees some ineffective fire at the 2 lobstermen by the cockpit before everyone returns to the triton and switches dye grenades for pulsers.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/04.jpg

A Biodrone decides to open the Triton door in the next phase of hidden movement and is hit by reaction fire. Thankfully it's the first hit of the mission for the little hover-brain and only a rifle so an explosion with the potential to annihilate the team does not occur! The mini-saucer then disappears along the wing and seems to stop on the roof.

The next few turns see a long game of cat and mouse as only the 2 troopers by the door are able to emerge and take pot-shots at the multiple enemy targets before retreating inside again to end the turn. 2 lobstermen are still at the front of the craft and at least one more is behind it so the troops are totally pinned down! Opening the door on turn 4 reveals a lobsterman right outside but 2 shots from Tracey aren't enough tokill it and Sam has no line of fire!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/06.jpg

Something odd also happens at this point as Sam steps forward to finish off the Lobby and some very lucky reaction fire from one of his friends by the cockpit hits and kills kills the BioDrone that previously opened our door! It was apparently sitting on the wing again this turn so score 1 for the alien menace! However, my notes state this happens in turn 4 but you'll notice the corpse doesn't appear in any images for another 10 turns... It's inexplicable, any ideas would be much appreciated!

Sam fears for his life and on turning to investigate the friendly fire he spots another lobsterman and a BioDrone now in position by the cockpit. He shoots the alien by the door once more before returning inside and sliding the doors closed but still it doesn't die. In turn 5 there is no alien by the door but the 2 by the cockpit remain visible so Tracey sends them a pulser to play with and ducks back inside again.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/07.jpg

There is no kill from the grenade so next turn they check the scene again. The lobsterman from atop the hillock recieves an aimed shot from Samuel's cannon and another from Tracey's rifle. It collapses in a heap but fails to utter the sweet sounds of death... The Biodrone seems to have disappeared but is relocated in the alien turn when the troops are fired on through the roof! No damage is done so presumably it's a line of sight bug but it's thankfully not going to be a game-breaker! While the troops see if they can fire back in X-Com turn 7 they spot an alien through the wall but their x-ray vision fails to reveal the terrain.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/08.jpg

Sam and Tracey continue their game of cat and mouse with several aliens still known to be in the LZ. It takes until the 10th turn for their combined fire to bring down a lobsterman who is visible by the cockpit but another is immediately revealed standing behind the first. Luckily these seem to be slow enemies and there is little reaction fire and no damage dealt by the little there is...

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/09.jpg

With one more enemy still visible and the BioDrone continuing to fire through the roof, Sam and Tracey set out once more to put the final nail in another lobster-shaped coffin by blasting the last lobsterman to pieces. With a safe landing zone finally a distinct possibility they sally forth but soon locate yet another lobby by the cockpit! Trace hits it with an aimed shot before ducking back to cover and there is no reaction fire. Samuel runs out of ammo in his cannon so switches position in the triton with Yuri and his full one! Next turn the lobby seems to have moved onto the hillock by its unconscious friend but Yuri proves his worth by assisting Tracey in tagging it with aimed shots. It still stands at the end of the turn so they both return to the Triton ocne more.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/10.jpg

Returning to finish the job next turn shows no sign of the wounded creature but further exploration reveals 2 lobstermen by the cockpit again! Next time we're going to come in something a little less conspicuous I swear... Tracey retreats back to the triton and Sam emerges again to gift the creatures with a nice sonic pulser. It destroys 2 old corpses but doesn't create any new ones sadly. Also note the dead Biodrone in this image. I told you didn't I!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/11.jpg

At this point it's rather lucky that the landing zone is almost secure as a well placed pulser in the hidden movement destroys the evasive biodrone corpse and also the triton doors... Tracey is now joined by Henri in an expedition to finish off the last 2 lobs and while a few good hits bring one down, the other is nowhere to be seen... Henri moves to the rear of the triton now and climbs onto the wing to locate the BioDrone which is still firing into the cargo hold. Soon enough he spots it but is unable to hit it past the Triton's conning tower so he steps back down.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/12.jpg

Miguel primes a pulser now and plans to present it to the Biodrone next turn while Yuri spots a distant Lobsterman after rounding the front of the Triton. It's in the dark and a few screens away but with plenty of TUs to retreat Yuri takes an aimed shot and kills the beast from afar! Presumably this foe was injured by the grenade blast as even a cannon isn't usually that lucky on it's first shot!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/13.jpg

Miguel's gift reaches the BioDrone shortly but after the smoke clears it's clearly not been successful at clearing the roof so Henri moves to the Triton's rear where he finally achieves a clear line of fire. He also reveals the lobsterman that could somehow be seen from inside the Triton but it's facing away from him. A skillful aimed shot finally takes down the troublesome BioDrone and he hops back into cover behind the Triton to end the turn.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/14.jpg

The Veteran · March 1, 2011

In the next alien turn there is an explosion as a pulser detonates out of view but noone is killed. The Lobsterman who had just been revealed by Henri fires at him but fails to hit and then makes tracks North to a small hill. When control returns to the saviours of mankind, Henri is quick to return the hostile fire and slams an aimed shot into the lobby's back. Yuri moves out from the front of the Triton to get a LoF and an outstanding long shot brings the beast down.

With the Landing Zone now finally clear (it's taken well over 20 turns!!!) some more soldiers begin to exit and spread out. Miguel joins Henri and begins to move north with him while my newest incarnation finally joins the fun by hooking up with Yuri and moving South where we soon discover the coastline of Sri Lanka! Yuri spots a Lobsterman in the distant darkness to the west and notes that this is where the recent explosion occurred. Meanwhile Miguel spots a BioDrone to the NW of the map and so takes cover between two hillocks, hoping to force the alien to pursue him.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/15.jpg

In the alien turn, Yuri receives an onslaught from 2 lobstermen AND a bidrone to the West. Multiple sonic fire impacts his suit as well as a stun bomb but all is ineffective and the hero shrugs it off. Yuri and myself proceed to fill the hostile area with pulsers but in the aftermath nothing is killed. Henri has moved to engage the BioDrone in the North and recieves 2 hits from it upon moving but takes no damage. He fires an aimed shot which misses, then is torn asunder by a single retaliatory shot... How can 2 hits do nothing then a 3rd one kill immediately? :laugh: Miguel fires on the beast that killed his parner but misses in his fury so retreats down the hill once more. The Biodrone chases him in the hidden movement but it's hand to hand attack leaves a lot to be desired and Miguel laughs at the freak.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/16.jpg

Uma Hands and Edwardo now move to the North with the intention of reinforcing Miguel but he deals with the BioDrone magnificently. Taking a few steps back and climbing one level he proceeds to fill it with soundwaves which literally melt it's brain. Henri is avanged but the explosion of the dead BioDrone cremates his remains in an instant... In the South Yuri fires on the BioDrone but misses, receiving 3 hits from reaction fire in return and promptly losing consciousness. I attempt to reach him with a medkit but it's too risky so Mark makes his way over from the Triton instead. Tragically Yuri dies when we end the turn so Mark instead takes his place by my side while I throw another pulser into the lions den and score me a BioDrone.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/17.jpg

The next turn we go for more pulsers again but while my throw goes undetected, newcomer Mark is not so lucky and is somehow killed instantly by a single shot of reaction fire! Miguel continues along the Northern edge of the map now and spots a new BioDrone all the way in the north-west corner, guarding a recently murdered civilian it seems. He can't fire and Edwardo and Uma are too far away to support him so he falls back into some smoke for cover. As we end our turn, the 2 grenades pay for themselves as the first explosion stuns one lobby and the second kills them both! Miguel spots another such creature approaching him from the western reaches of the map though and there's another BioDrone there too. Before he can react there is a claw where his intestines once were and he dies instantly from just one strike!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/18.jpg

Uma and Edwardo soon arrive at the scene but it's too late and they spend the next several turns poking holes in the murderous creature with their sonic weapons. Meanwhile Gaston has left the Triton to rendesvous with myself while I carry on checking the coast for anymore activity. In a moment of madness however he decides to run over to the house which occupies the centre of the island instead...

Edwardo is approached by the Lobby that killed Miguel in the hidden movement but this time his melee attack doesn't do a thing so a Sonic cannon blast to the face teaches the freak some manners. I continue moving west in the next turn and spot another lobsterman by one of those small underground corridor things so I call Gaston back over for support. Then the strangest thing happens. He dies... But I don't know how... There is a few steps of movement and the sound of weapons fire but there is no graphic for the shot that killed him so I don't know what happened. Even with hindsight well and truly applied I can't think of any remaining aliens at this stage who could have fired that shot...

Still he's only French so he'll be replaced with someone better no doubt... I take my first shots at the new alien now and score 1 hit from two snapshots. Samuel leaves the Triton now his heart-rate has slowed some and he reloads his cannon from a nearby corpse before heading to the house with Rudi. In the alien turn I'm shot in the head by my newest target but the new armour saves me from the morgue. Rudi moves West to assist me while Samuel moves to the doorway where Gaston mysteriously expired...

I score another hit on the western lobsterman, with 2 snapshots a turn leaving me enough TUs to sneak slowly out of his LoS. The next alien turn sees another hit from the lobby with my avatar taking minor damage this tim but then I score 2 hits on him the next turn as payback. Still he won't die though... Uma and Edwardo are now in the house and in the hidden turn a lobsterman gets very close to Uma before reaction fire from her rifle tells him to back off and he flees back into the dining room.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/19.jpg

I'm hit again in the same alien movement phase but no damage again this time. It seems my personal luck is finally improving! Rudi reaches a hillock to my NE now and lands a snapshot on my target, drawing some reaction fire at the same time. It's also very clear that a BioDrone has been in the house and it's soon spotted in the next hidden movement lurking in a corner. In the same hidden movement the lobsterman that Uma had shot once already, walked into a closet in Edwardo's LoF and quickly died as 2 well placed shots pierced him from behind.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/20.jpg

Back in the X-Com turm both Rudi and myself fail to hit the western lobby but RF succeeds in hitting me for 0 damage once again! There's no movement in the house when we end the turn but the BioDrone is certainly still there... The firefight in the southwest continues with hits, misses and reaction fire aplenty until finally I score the killing blow personally. Quite right given how many times the git shot me I think!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/21.jpg

Samuel Kemp, our hero for his part in clearing the LZ, now moves into the house hoping to get an angle on the hiding BioDrone. He's in for a surprise when he steps itno the doorway however as another BioDrone from outside the building manages to shoot him through a window and a door for 2 cracking RF hits! Down to 3 health and almost certainly bleeding, there's little chance poor Sam will survive long enough for a medal now... Realising this he plants an aimed shot square in the snipers face before sitting in a corner to await the inevitable.

IMG I did take a pic of this honestly but must've saved over it with the next one :s /IMG

Sick of the steeply rising death-toll we decide the time for niceties is over and Edwardo lobs a pulser at the Bio-Drone's hiding place, removing much of it completely. It moves towards him in the alien turn and hides to the left of the door which can be seen by the fact it is now closed from the outside!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/22.jpg

Edwardo opens the door to get a visual on the BioDrone next turn and then flees to a safe distance to allow Rudi to detonate the sucker. 2 beautiful snapshots do the trick and the remaining walls are demolished by the ensuing death-throes.

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/23.jpg

Knowing there can't be many enemies remaining, Rudi and myself move West to the south side of a hill we know is concealing the BioDrone that killed Samuel. Positioning ourselves just below the top we spend several turns popping up, firing and hiding again until we're rewarded with that sweet final explosion! The game is not over however and we presume the last BioDrone that Miguel spotted in the NW corner remains there, so over the crest of the hill we go only to be confronted with another BioDrone!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/24.jpg

We utilise the same up-shoot-down tactics to take out this new enemy and Rudi proves himself an incredibly durable soldier by frequently recieving spats of 3 hits from reaction fire with narry a scratch on him! As we finish off this new enemy the game still refuses to end so we move into the tunnels under the hills. Or at least I tell them to but instead they climb all over the top of it like idiots... But while doing so they spot this guy in the top floor of what's left of the house!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/25.jpg

A host of aimed shots from myself and Rudi soon demolish the foe who turns out to be a Lobsterman Technician according to his panic report! Still no end-game though so we return to the assumption that the NW BioDrone is still alive and are once again proved correct!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/26.jpg

The same tactic is used once again to destroy the final alien presence but not before Rudi has soaked up another half dozen reaction shots and I've had my fair share too. They don't make these BioDrones like they used to but having just fought 7 of them in one mission I'm still not looking forward to meeting them again!

https://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa460/Tim_Munt/TFTD%20playthrough/Mission%204/27.jpg

So not a terrible score but could've been a lot better. 20 alien casualties for 6 X-Com operatives, including Gaston who was killed by a ghost and poor old Samuel who could still be with us if Gaston hadn't been lost to us.

The next commander will still need to address everything in the geoscape as I literally didn't have a moments peace before the mission began! We're unable to fully re-equip the squad again but I don't know why, it's possible I blew up some medkits I guess but we should have a nice lot of cannon clips now I think.

Good luck to the next commander and please let me have a normal mission next time (or let me guess I get the colony mission right :oh: ) Here is the save:

GAME_1.zip

Crazy Photon · March 2, 2011

Ok, too few soldiers, too many alien corpses... cleaned the mess at the base, namely sold some extra cannons and most of the lobsterman corpses. The tech guys started replacing some of the magnetic ion armors that were lost, and hired 13 more soldiers.

Once the Triton arrives, it is reequipped, and lowered the production on the magnetic ion armor (now building 2 instead of 10), so that we can start producing more cannon ammo sooner.

MC Reader research is finished, and scientists start researching Disruptor Pulse Launchers, hoping to soft lobbies up before finishing them with rifles instead of cannons.

Armor production is finished, and started producing 20 clips for the cannons. Production is quickly finished, so techs start cranking some more ion armors (just the regular ones, so less zrbite is spent).

The new soldiers arrive, and holy cow, lots of them have 65+ accuracy. \o/ Names were modified accordingly, and also reassigned the armor according to the capabilities of the soldier. This also means that the wounded soldiers were stripped of their armor too.

A tank arrives at base, and the Triton is reequipped accordingly. More ammo is produced, this time 15 sonic rifle clips.

End of month is here, and the council is very satisfied, which means more $$$ for X-COM. MC Training selection was also applied, which means that most of our soldiers are in training now, mainly those who have good accuracy and reactions.

Time for mourning the recently fallen soldiers is very short though, since the aliens attack again!

Tactical mission comes tomorrow!

Crazy Photon · March 3, 2011

Tactical mission - Upper deck

The troops start arming their grenades and the standard dye drop is done at the LZ. As soon as the tank goes out, the first hostile is spotted. Gerard quickly dispatch the biodrone from afar.

The troops start moving into the newly formed cloud. A lobsterman is seen at the top of the control tower killing the captain of the ship. A few shots and grenades connected from the distance but it was not enough to bring it down. The troops move to enter the lots of rooms that await. 3 more aliens are spotted in the upper deck - 2 lobbies and a biodrone. More shots connected on the lobbies but again, not enough to bring them down. The tank is moved towards the end of the LZ in hopes of spotting the lobsterman at the top of the tower.

Meanwhile, Grigory and Gerard move at the west part, looking for the stairs that lead to the control room. A lobsterman was guarding the lift entrance but is quickly dispatched by Gerard on a rugby-esque maneuver (basically they exchanged shots at point-blank range). Luckily he has magnetic ion armour so there were no injuries. A grenade was thrown upwards in the lift to soften the lobsterman that was there.

Munty and Tracey go for the east part, and started priming some grenades, so that we can soften lobbies up and then try to one/two shot them. Louis walks carefully at the passage that is next to the room Munty's scouting. He spots a biodrone and a lobsterman, so he goes back into hiding.

After scavenging the rests of the first killed lobsterman, Gerard makes an opening, trying to hop in to the next room. He is shot once from the east, turns out that there was a lobsterman right next to Munty but separated by a wall. Munty makes an opening and quickly kills it. The turn afterwards another biodrone shows up and shoots a couple of times at Gerard, the armor still holding though. Gerard takes it down, and it explodes, blasting the other walls away.

On the next turn, 3 more lobbies are spotted, and Tracey throws the grenade she had primed. Grigory makes another opening so that he can shoot the lobbies from behind. One of the lobbies attempts to slice Munty in half, but since he is a champ he resists, unscathed, and Tracey takes it on the next turn. Munty also peeks at the entrance again, and more of the lobbies are spotted. Gregory starts shooting from the opening, connecting a few shots. Eventually, all of the lobbies are down.

Meanwhile, Jos

Crazy Photon · March 4, 2011

Tactical mission - Part 2 - Summary (this mission was LONG).

Ok, the tank goes scouting as usual, and the last dye is thrown near the lift entrance. A couple of aliens are spotted camping, one at the third floor, another at the ground level. The troops start slowly deploying and taking out what they can see. A couple of biodrones also pose a few problems but they are taken care of. Louis gets seriously injured in an exchange of fire but all of his fatal wounds are treated on time. The campers at the top also jump to the ground level, taking the troops by suprise, but fortunately most of our men had TUs to punch some reaction shots, softening them up before taking them down. Tracey M gets slightly injured after a biodrone attacks her, but it's just a scratch.

Afterwards, the troops splits in 5 groups, Munty and Louis start going to the second floor, Grigory and Tracey M. take the east part of the ground level, Emilio and the tank the west part, Javier and Tracey C. go where one of the aliens was camping to do some sniping, and the remaining stay around scavenging some equipment. Munty and Louis encounter heavy resistance as in short time they had to face 2 biodrones and 2 lobsterman. With a bit of patience and the help of Javier and Tracey they eventually go down.

Gerard, Emilio, Grigory, Tracey M and the tank finally meet at the engine room where some marines were still alive, so they took the stairs to the second floor. Donna gets another alien that was left behind by their comrades. The troops continue clearing the rooms, and Grigory also gets badly hurt trying to kill a lobsterman, and he'll have to rest for some time when he gets back to base. Munty and Louis join them afterwards, Louis starting to feel very tired after all the scouting and injuries sustained. He still has the will to fight though, and gets another lobby that was trying to sneak through the stairs. Gerard also has a close encounter but since it was looking away of the foor, he smartly throws a grenade to soften it up before killing it.

Grigory discovers a biodrone in a very small room. Since he has already sustained a lot of injuries, Emilio takes the initiative and fills it with sonic blasts from his cannon, getting injured in the process because of its high reaction abilities. However, when it goes boom and the walls of the next room go down, a lobster is found hiding among some fuel tanks. The troops couldn't kill it that turn because they had ran out of TUs, and in the alien turn, the lobby charges both soldiers and slices Emilio in half. Grigory wants to kill it but after one missed shot he needs to go away, otherwise he'd be killed too. Fortunately, between Munty, Louis and Tracey M they finally take it down. There was another biodrone too, but Tracey could promptly kill it, ending the mission too.

Here are the results of the battle:

Savegame for the next commander:

GAME_1.zip

silencer_pl · March 5, 2011

This one will be quick and brief.

Checked what is going on in base - hired one soldier, sold corpses, and waited. By some time very small USO has appeard so it was destroyed by our barracuda-1. Time flyed and we now can use the ultimate weapon of doom - the DPL. Transmission resolvers built in two bases - destroyed sonars in HQ, forgot to do that in second base. Research begun on shock luncher,

Ordered construction of 2 MC labs at base 2.

Time speed again and small escort lobsterman appeared on our reslover.

Send interception mission but when our sub entered vicinity of the USO it was too deep. The pilot(?) decided to head home.

Although I should have waited and see where it lands I ordered pilot again to intercept it and he downed it.

I have rearranged soldiers in sub. Being in the 'I lost the tank' club I left it in the base, equiped sub with rookies and our commander Tracy. Forogot to assign more weapons (only did for medkits and granades). Oh well small sub won't be such trouble that I will need all to fire.

So in a day (because the time when the sub was downed was night) troops in Triton arrived.

We start with openning subs hatch and we see nothing:

So Gunter takes his step and spots a loby. Not to block entryway he moves one step ahead and loby greets him with two shots. Lucky his armor shruged it off and he takes another step in lobys direction. Kneels, aims, fires, hit. Another soldier do the same some hit some miss (all of them rooks). I pulled our Commander Tracey and she kills him.

Next turn those who can go up - go up and those who can't back away. While in the process of hiding behind Triton, Martin spots another lobster, and again rooks begin to soften him up, while Tracy does the killing blow.

Next turn, Tim spots another lobster and again rookies soften him and Tracy kills him. 3 kills in a row, she deserves her Rank.

While aliens had their go some crazy lobster throws pulser under Grigoriy. Fortunatly their effectivnes only stays on the floor they exploded so no harm was done. We moved to intercept him and he was dealt by Kruger inside the sub.

Following turns no lobsters were spotted that means only USO remains to check. We moved on and opened the door. Unlucky two lobsters reside there. So I planned to give them pulser sandwich. As I prepared the meal one of them decided to pay us a visit and heavly wounded Tim in leg. So I delivered him his just deserts and healed Tims leg. Unfortunatly the bastard got unly stunned. Having only one lobby to go, we pulverised him with sonic blasters and again Tracy kills the last one.

After that we recovered the remains:

And another commander can do his part:

GAME_1.zip

Grossbeer · March 9, 2011

Another quick one:

Geoscape part:

i bought 20 more soldiers(were filthy rich we can leave the MC monitoring dudes at home now; MC training is done in tactical missions anyways so we souldnt bother training guys... just check their MC str)

sold some sonic cannons and 2 MC readers (we wont need 4 would we?)

Some time passes a very small ship gets nuked by our barracuda and Thernmal shockers (incl bombs) are researched. i noticed that we havent researched sonic oscis yet. i put the eggheads to work. i noticed too that we dont build anything so i ordered loads of medkits for selling ( so the lazy lot does something useful)

Soon enough a small gillman ship arrives gets shot down and salvaged by our troops. i equipped everybody with sonic blasters since gillmen die with 1 shot.

tac part:

we have a rocky map, and start scouting. soon enough we spot the USO:

positioning some guys above the roof of the triton we advance with the others to the sub.

then we spot the first greeny:

2 shots from Gregory missed and so Tracy (got an M in her name) killed it with 102% hit chance.

The scouting contineues and we spot the next alien in the dark area.

our snipers back at the triton hover 1 level up to get a firing line. Jose takes a shot and misses. Grigoriy is next and this time he hits:

in the same turn roderigo (the scout who is nearest the sub) scouts another one in the dark, presumable right behind the sub. Tracy gets up to the highest lvl shoots and downs it:

Yet more scouting revealed nothing, no wonder, that was the last alien.

I figure i can skip upping the Video as it was a trivial mission.

Heres the save: https://ul.to/u80a4c

Aquatoid Sushi and Lobsterburger

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