Hey, everybody else has started a let's play and abandoned it. Lets Play X-Com!

[Kane]

Psh. There are cheaper ways to do that - we could send him alone on a mission, for example.

Good thinking. Or release a crysalid in the base. (Just telling him we did so might work, but then he might be upset after we* you guys sent him on a wild goose chase. A live chrysalid might cause less damage.

*I don't have a high enough psi-score to be able to use 'we', do I?

[chiasaur11]

Well, it was the beginning of another month. Last month we'd taken everything the Snakemen could throw at us with nary a problem. Which meant that some new problem was just waiting to try to kill us.



And my remarkable ability to call them continues.

I went over to talk to Chumbley. Might be able to get a little foreknowledge of these guys.

"Hey, Chumbley: Whay do you know about some worthless lumps of alien tissue called 'Ethereals''?"

"They're a myth, as far as I can tell. A race of ancient psychics, who 'enlighten and guide us towards the truth of the Jjarro' or some such claptrap. Just a myth, an excuse to keep the Snakemen and Floaters in line."

"Funny story about that, little buddy. Funny, funny story."

I decided not to tell the troops about the Ethereals. Might not be good for morale. On the other hand, it'd be pretty funny.


"Troops, good news! We're facing down a race of psychics known only as myth to the elite of the invasion force, beings who have secretly masterminded centuries of foul crimes beyond our understanding. Therefore, every besides me just gets a laser pistol and a stun rod. BRC and Tengu, you still get Psi Amps."

Sgt Fiddler had the funniest look of raw terror on his face I'd ever seen when he replied.
"How does that make any sense? We're going against the worst things the aliens can send! We should be breaking out the heavy plasmas for this."

"It builds character."

"Character building requires the individual having his character built still be alive at the end of the exercise."

I sent Fiddler out with Lopez on "Scouting Duty" as penalty for his insolence. They spotted our prey immediately.

It would be a tough mental duel, of course. Preserving the sense of self in the face of indescribable evil. I, of course, would succeed, but even forcing these cloaked fiends to panic would be an uphill battle.

Or not. I rule.

I sent the latest pawn in my mad schemes into the UFO.

It got messy pretty quickly. Seemed that most of the crew was still in the UFO. Tengu and I sorted the matter. BRC had a little trouble, though. Seems the upper class somehow is not fond of the concept of being brutally slaughtered in a revolution.

As the last of the aliens desperately tried to leave the abattoir inside the UFO, Fiddler silently dropped behind them.


And with that, we had two of the alien leadership caste safely stuffed in the cargo hold.

Mission went well. Seems that for all the fear these things inspire, they're no bigger issue than anything else. That sort of work called for an alcohol based celebration back at base!


It may have been an error to do that, as it seemed I'm more likely to sign forms for promotion when I've had a few too many.

And it wasn't until morning I realized how far Cubey would go to get back at me for the stun launcher incident. He'd sent an entirely useless craft design. A deathtrap.

We really need to get him a blaster launcher soon.

[Cubey]

Lightning was actually a design by some of the resident dissidents. "Giant robots? Pfeh, totally impractical. Power suits? Who needs that crap. Efficient and realistic designs rule the day, we'll make one for you!" And they did. With predictable results. But I thought you might like it nevertheless.

You don't? Well, I didn't like the Small Launcher either. I'm eagerly waiting for Blaster Launchers now. *prepares a Dart Gun research project. Just in case*

[EleventhHour]

Bringing home an awful lot of aliens. Shouldn't they be dead BEFORE Cubey gets them? Who know what they'll get up to with the squid-heads in R&D. All babble that doesn't mean much to anyone, except each other.

>.>

[Cubey]

I'm not interested in normal aliens. Only Sectopods and Cyberdiscs.

OH WAIT!

You mean I get them as in can research them? Ah yes, I totally knew what you meant. Well... in that case... we must research life aliens for the betterment and survival of mankind! Even if they aren't cool robots!

Don't judge me.

[pendell]

And it wasn't until morning I realized how far Cubey would go to get back at me for the stun launcher incident. He'd sent an entirely useless craft design. A deathtrap.

I must disagree. The lightning is an excellent go-fast ship. If you're in North America and a battleship lands in Australia, the Lightning will get you there quickly enough to catch them on the ground. The harvested elerium makes up for that expended in the move.

Of course, the AVENGER is better for the same role.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[SlyGuyMcFly]

What? I got promoted? Does this mean I´ve got actual responsibilities now?

>.>

<.<

This is going to cut down on my time in the vid-room isn´t it?

[Alex Knight]

Good thinking. Or release a crysalid in the base. (Just telling him we did so might work, but then he might be upset after we* you guys sent him on a wild goose chase. A live chrysalid might cause less damage.

"Might"? "MIGHT"? No, it *would* cause less damage.

Besides, the commander has promised me Reaper-riding on those days. It's like bull-riding, except that a bull isn't likely to try and eat you if he bucks you.

[Cubey]

I must disagree. The lightning is an excellent go-fast ship. If you're in North America and a battleship lands in Australia, the Lightning will get you there quickly enough to catch them on the ground. The harvested elerium makes up for that expended in the move.

Of course, the AVENGER is better for the same role.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

And then there's that thing that Lightning has space for only 12 people, and no HWSs. Its exit is also an UFO-style repulsor lift, straight into the open, rather than a ramp - it really is a deathtrap.

[Artanis]

The Lightning is also only one tech away from the Avenger. So not only is it a low-capacity deathtrap, but it's a low-capacity deathtrap that would probably still be under construction when you gain the ability to build something much, MUCH better.

[Oslecamo]

The Lightning is also only one tech away from the Avenger. So not only is it a low-capacity deathtrap, but it's a low-capacity deathtrap that would probably still be under construction when you gain the ability to build something much, MUCH better.

I prefer to think of the lighting as a (hard) learning step necessary to build the avenger.

After all, the first gunpowder weapons in the battlefields were also quite lethal to the user himself, but they were necessary to develop weapons that didn't explode in your face

[pendell]

And then there's that thing that Lightning has space for only 12 people, and no HWSs. Its exit is also an UFO-style repulsor lift, straight into the open, rather than a ramp - it really is a deathtrap.

Are you sure? I was playing with a lightning two nights ago or so,
and I could exit in flying suits from four corners of the ship. That's a much better breakout move than having everyone walk down the ramp and get instantly shot from multiple directions. Instead, I was able to break out in multiple directions at once to spread mucho pain and suffering.

I agree that no HWPs is a pain, because I depend heavily on them, but by the time I have flying suits and psi-amps it isn't *quite* as much of a handicap as it would be in earlier missions.

REspectfully,

Brain P.

[chiasaur11]

Are you sure? I was playing with a lightning two nights ago or so,
and I could exit in flying suits from four corners of the ship. That's a much better breakout move than having everyone walk down the ramp and get instantly shot from multiple directions. Instead, I was able to break out in multiple directions at once to spread mucho pain and suffering.

I agree that no HWPs is a pain, because I depend heavily on them, but by the time I have flying suits and psi-amps it isn't *quite* as much of a handicap as it would be in earlier missions.

REspectfully,

Brain P.

The going out the sides is neat, but it's a glitch as far as I can tell. Yes, the one excuse for the lightning's existence is a mistake.

[Artanis]

And even then it doesn't help the Lightning because a similar glitch lets you exit out the side of the Avenger.

[Thanatos 51-50]

I totally don't reject my description on the first page.
Especially since it seems I'm collecting two paychecks for it. X-Com rocks! Let's kill some filthy Xenos, guys!

[Gralamin]

Are you sure? I was playing with a lightning two nights ago or so,
and I could exit in flying suits from four corners of the ship. That's a much better breakout move than having everyone walk down the ramp and get instantly shot from multiple directions. Instead, I was able to break out in multiple directions at once to spread mucho pain and suffering.

I agree that no HWPs is a pain, because I depend heavily on them, but by the time I have flying suits and psi-amps it isn't *quite* as much of a handicap as it would be in earlier missions.

REspectfully,

Brain P.

Your using X-COM Util, aren't you? One of the things it does is remove the clipping on the Lightning's walls, allowing you to go through them.

[Cubey]

No, that Lightning wall clipping bug occured to me in an unpatched game as well. Same for Avenger, although only in the Amiga version.
It of course means that you actually have means of exiting the unit for HWPs, but you still cannot load any on the aircraft.

EDIT: Interesting. I've seen the pictures of Lightning on the UFOpaedia page and it seems to have a normal ramp, with a door even. That's not how I remembered it. Maybe xcom util changed it?

[chiasaur11]

No, that Lightning wall clipping bug occured to me in an unpatched game as well. Same for Avenger, although only in the Amiga version.
It of course means that you actually have means of exiting the unit for HWPs, but you still cannot load any on the aircraft.

EDIT: Interesting. I've seen the pictures of Lightning on the UFOpaedia page and it seems to have a normal ramp, with a door even. That's not how I remembered it. Maybe xcom util changed it?

Nope. Just checked.

A boring old Ramp. And the door doesn't open.

Worst ship ever.

Also, anyone at Fort Fri:

Tomorrow will be...

interesting.

[EleventhHour]

Interesting?

Was the base attacked? Alien breakout? Uhm... something catastrophic that I can't think of?

[Alex Knight]

Interesting?

Was the base attacked? Alien breakout? Uhm... something catastrophic that I can't think of?

I organized a full-contact football game, and forgot to bring any pads.

[Rockphed]

I organized a full-contact football game, and forgot to bring any pads.

Hey, that was fun! It wasn't my fault nobody else tried very hard!

[EleventhHour]

I found my first alien base, and the game crashed. '

*watches the football game from the pile of science equipment bleachers*

::Uhm, desperate question.

Is it normal for... 1,2...6. 6 UFOs to appear, and disappear as my Interceptors try to keep with all these targets, one after another in about 10 seconds?

Nevermind. I went to try and fight with the one that landed (Very Large) and it wiped out my team of 12.

[Alex Knight]

\/- Oh, piffle. You know that Knight would come back, promoted again. Covered in alien blood.

I like the way you think.

[pendell]

Your using X-COM Util, aren't you? One of the things it does is remove the clipping on the Lightning's walls, allowing you to go through them.

Negative. I'm playing X-Com from gametap . It's been upgraded a bit but still has the wall bug .

If by "worst ship" you mean "worse than skyranger, FIRESTORM or AVENGER" I would agree. But if you mean "completely and utterly useless" no.

Things about to get interesting at Fort Fri, eh?

*Slams a clip in* About flippin' time. I want to get my alien-killin' on.

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[pendell]

I found my first alien base, and the game crashed. '

*watches the football game from the pile of science equipment bleachers*

::Uhm, desperate question.

Is it normal for... 1,2...6. 6 UFOs to appear, and disappear as my Interceptors try to keep with all these targets, one after another in about 10 seconds?

Nevermind. I went to try and fight with the one that landed (Very Large) and it wiped out my team of 12.

The answer to your crossed out question is yes. When aliens are attempting to build a base or execute an infiltration, you will see a *lot* of saucers all landing in the same area, often large ones. This will culminate in the landing of a VERY LARGE contact, which isn't called a 'battleship' for no reason :).

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[EleventhHour]

The answer to your crossed out question is yes. When aliens are attempting to build a base or execute an infiltration, you will see a *lot* of saucers all landing in the same area, often large ones. This will culminate in the landing of a VERY LARGE contact, which isn't called a 'battleship' for no reason :).

Respectfully,

Brian P.

I already quit that round of the game, but question ; letting all those UFOs get away drags down my 'rating', doesn't it?

[Winterwind]

I already quit that round of the game, but question ; letting all those UFOs get away drags down my 'rating', doesn't it?

As far as I know, what it actually does is not so much dragging down your rating, as increasing the rating of the aliens. However, since the end-of-the-month rating is actually the difference of your and the aliens' rating (if I am not mistaken, which may well be), the result is pretty much the same.

[Oslecamo]

Spoiler

Show

It should have been a routine mission. The enemy ships shouldn't have that kind of firepower. It was what high command told us. But that ship had serious firepower. Serious enough to bring us down. Several of us died in the crash. But we still have plenty. I ordered to form a perimeter and secure the area while I plan how to get out of here, so I can fill a proper report on the enemy's new technology.

...

Enemy ship landed nearby. It's unloading something. Sent scouts to see if I can find anything about it.

...

Before he died, the last scout reported no less than eleven mechanized enemy units. Armed with deadly weaponry and tick platings. I declared full alert. All units to return to the our ship to fend them off. This goes against all our intel. When I make it out of here, I'm gonna press some serious charges against high command.

...

The lower deck is lost. Most of the soldiers dead...All dead...I tried to control them, but they're just too many...Kill one of them and two step over his corpse to press the assault. They aren't even using their heavy weaponry anymore...They pounce upon us and beat us down with their strange clubs. I feel the agonizing pain of each of my subordinates as their minds bo blanck from the impact, much more painfull than death. I fear I may never see home again.

...

I can't get out. They've take over the command bridge. I had to empty a whole plasma clip at point blanck range just to take down one of them. Metalic steps just over the corridor, geting louder and louder. I can't get out. They're coming...

And this is how I captured my first sectoid leader.

Yes, I had the brilliant idea of equiping one of my interceptors with double laser cannons. After it disintrigated a smaller UFO(no loot, booo!), I just kep it on the hangar and used the other one with avalanches.

Untill a medium ship shows up on my radar. I send out my laser cannon interceptor and proceed to shoot it down.

I then send out the skyranger. I have only two stun rods. And it's night time. But all my troops are powered armored!

What ensues is a quite bloody battle, where my troops walck aimlessly on the night desert, but still manage to cut down the aliens who don't seem able to pierce my armor! One woman took over 8 plasma shots over the mission before going down!

Since I don't have worcking mind probes yet, once inside the alien ship I send my stunrod wielding troopers in front, stunning all aliens I find. They eventually go down

The sectoid leader meanwhile keeps shooting and falling back all the way to the last room. He mind controls my soldiers and makes them drop the stunrods! I just have others pick them up. They get shot down. More soldiers pick up the bloodied stunrods and corner the sectoid leader, finnally capturing him! Yay me!

Now I have a worcking psilab(altough I still didn't get to assign soldiers to it), I'm researching psi amp, and since I also have the hyperwave decoder, no filthy aliens can evade me now!

I also took the practise of when attacking medium sectoid UFOs , equiping all but my best troops with stunrods. A bersekered soldier with a stunrod won't be able to hurt his teammates. I then proceed to charge against the aliens and beat them into uncoscioness with my rookies, wich really makes me feel like the roles on the game have been reversed.

[Fri]

bwahah, that's awesome. We're such a disheartening presence now, aren't we? Now who's the underdog isn't really clear anymore.

[pendell]

I already quit that round of the game, but question ; letting all those UFOs get away drags down my 'rating', doesn't it?

Yes, but not by much. I wouldn't worry about it. Just intercept what you can. You'll get points.

Just research hyperwave decoders and intercept what you can, when you can. Pretty soon you'll be self-sufficient from UFO recovery and your own manufacturing. Once you're self-sufficient, the rating isn't important -- which is ironic, because you'll be hitting so many your rating will be through the roof.

Respectfully,

Brian P.