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

[EleventhHour]

And... that just about curbs my want to play X-Com for the next few hours.

A night mission, where the UFO crashed. Normal stuff, right? Might lose a guy to reaction fire, but it should be fine. Ah, NOPE. This Floater had super AI. Not only did he snipe a guy on the ramp from the darkness, he killed a second one on the next turn, and when I was getting into range he retreated into the UFO. There was no cover for about 30 squares around it. Each turn he would step out, shoot one, step back in. No misses. I have 2 troopers out of a squad of 10 left, and the alien still isn't dead. (Hiding inside the UFO.) One trooper managed to make it into the door, but reaction fire from the evil floater and it's evil friend killed him.


:::Managed to kill it with my last remaining trooper. All of my Captains, and Colonels that survived almost a dozen missions each are dead.

[Winterwind]

And... that just about curbs my want to play X-Com for the next few hours.

A night mission, where the UFO crashed. Normal stuff, right? Might lose a guy to reaction fire, but it should be fine. Ah, NOPE. This Floater had super AI. Not only did he snipe a guy on the ramp from the darkness, he killed a second one on the next turn, and when I was getting into range he retreated into the UFO. There was no cover for about 30 squares around it. Each turn he would step out, shoot one, step back in. No misses. I have 2 troopers out of a squad of 10 left, and the alien still isn't dead. (Hiding inside the UFO.) One trooper managed to make it into the door, but reaction fire from the evil floater and it's evil friend killed him.


:::Managed to kill it with my last remaining trooper. All of my Captains, and Colonels that survived almost a dozen missions each are dead.

That's why I think that every single soldier must always carry an E-Flare (well, not if it's a day mission, but if you don't usually pay attention - like me - you might as well make it mandatory). Something shoots you from the dark? Throw an E-Flare into its general direction. 19 out of 20 cases, you will see it then, and that first guy lost to the reaction shot will be the only one.

I honestly consider the E-Flare to be one of the most important pieces of equipment. I'm sure it's saved tenfold more of my soldiers than the medikit.

[EleventhHour]

...a misclick just lead to hilarity. I had just enough TU to take a Snap Shot at point blank at a Snakeman, but instead I hit throw... So the soldier, very bravely, threw his gun at the Snakeman. Who proceeded to miss the X-Com entirely the next turn, letting him pick up his gun, and shoot down the alien.

[chiasaur11]

You don't need fingers to mindrape enemies, so no complaining.


And even default human aircraft weapons are superior to alien ones in everything but ammo! Well, except for Battlecruiser guns.
Alien ship designs are like alien tactics - you know they were high when making them, you just aren't sure on what.

I think we have a Commander already. We'll interrogate him... eventually.

BLASTER LAUNCHER BLASTER LAUNCHER.
Boom, there goes half the battlescape!

Yeah, we got a commander. But if there's a base, well...

[Winterwind]

Didn't we capture that commander in a battleship mission? As far as I know, only commanders captured in alien bases allow the Cydonia Or Bust research, don't they?

[Cristo Meyers]

Didn't we capture that commander in a battleship mission? As far as I know, only commanders captured in alien bases allow the Cydonia Or Bust research, don't they?

Nope, any Commander will do.

[Winterwind]

Nope, any Commander will do.

...Huh.
Well, I mean, that's what it says in the game, of course, but I was quite certain I'd read somewhere that... eh, nevermind then.

[Cubey]

TftD had hellish commander requirements. But I always found that any type of commander worked in Enemy Unknown.

[chiasaur11]

Didn't we capture that commander in a battleship mission? As far as I know, only commanders captured in alien bases allow the Cydonia Or Bust research, don't they?

No, the manual lied on that count.

Not that it matters, as the landed battleships guarantee a base.

[Oslecamo]

:::Managed to kill it with my last remaining trooper. All of my Captains, and Colonels that survived almost a dozen missions each are dead.

You're not being hard enough on your troops. I just shot down one rookie after it fell under mind control and shot down one of my officers, and threatened to keep killing on the next turns.

On the other hand, it was a very lousy officer, prone to get mind raped herself now and then, low TU and her aim wasn't anything special, so I consider a quick painless death was actually a rightfull reward for that rookie.

No other soldier fell to mind control during the rest of the battle so clearly my disciplinary tactics were a rounding sucess!

[chiasaur11]

You're not being hard enough on your troops. I just shot down one rookie after it fell under mind control and shot down one of my officers, and threatened to keep killing on the next turns.

On the other hand, it was a very lousy officer, prone to get mind raped herself now and then, low TU and her aim wasn't anything special, so I consider a quick painless death was actually a rightfull reward for that rookie.

No other soldier fell to mind control during the rest of the battle so clearly my disciplinary tactics were a rounding sucess!

Ah.

Well, you also could use the easy to mind control officer as a Psi sponge.

Good safety measure if you don't know who to use.

[BRC]

Speaking of Psi Sponges. Do we have Mind Shields yet?

[Oslecamo]

Good safety measure if you don't know who to use.

Forgive me my UFO ignorance, but what's exactly a Psi sponge?

[chiasaur11]

Forgive me my UFO ignorance, but what's exactly a Psi sponge?

Basically, you take a unit with weak psi, disarm them, and let the enemy focus mind control on them so that they ignore everyone who has guns.

And no, we don't have mind shields. Worked out okay so far, and if we get an avenger at every base, the job gets done just as well.

[Alex Knight]

He did that for some time, then Death slapped a lawsuit on us threatening to kill all our buyers if we kept interefering in her job.

Razzenfrazzen union contracts.....

Oh, Terror From the Deep post should be up tonight.

No casualties in the first two operations!

[chiasaur11]

Razzenfrazzen union contracts.....

Oh, Terror From the Deep post should be up tonight.

No casualties in the first two operations!

Good work.

What dark god did you sign a deal with to ensure this sort of unexpected success?

Oh, and we are working on the Death issue as we speak. Currently we're searching for alternative contractors for our soul reaping contracts.

I can't discuss it further at this time, beyond stating a Mr. Aperture and a Mr. Aperture entrance control person* are currently top candidates.

*Not their real names.

[Alex Knight]

Good work.

What dark god did you sign a deal with to ensure this sort of unexpected success?

The Dark Lord of Copious High Explosives Use.

And using Rockphed as point man, right behind the tank.

[BRC]

Good work.

What dark god did you sign a deal with to ensure this sort of unexpected success?

None, he just scared Death away.

[chiasaur11]

None, he just scared Death away.

Well, let's hope that death keeps that cowardly streak.

[Swot]

Or is convinced the aliens are easier and more rewarding pray.

[Fri]

I've been thinking about starting up a Romance of the Three Kingdoms 11 LP. I figure it's easier to do a screenshot LP on games that are able to be picked up and put down at a whim.


EDIT: Damn I suck at making links.

Holy ****. I just noticed this. I've been wanting to do that for months! In fact, I've been wanting to do that since Nerdo did his Super Robot Wars let's play! It'll be an awesome game to LP, with playgrounders as officers and everything.

I even already got an awesome premise. In GITP's first international meet, there's a freak weather accident, and we're sucked into ancient chineese. Can we go back to our time and conquer the middle kingdom while we're at it?

But I was afraid that it'll take too much of my time, since LP seems to be such a daunting task, more so an LP of a game like that (which I never managed to win even one game). So I keep that in my 'to-do list'

If you do that, I finally can take the idea off my chest for sure

[ZeroNumerous]

But I was afraid that it'll take too much of my time, since LP seems to be such a daunting task, more so an LP of a game like that (which I never managed to win even one game). So I keep that in my 'to-do list'

... I beat the game regularly. It's not hard, just time consuming. I was thinking about GitPers as officers. But I'd need to do a list of people beforehand whom get converted into officers since Rot3K 11 won't let me add them mid-game.

[Fri]

I know. It's time consuming, since the only way to conquer the nation is by military conquest, which I rarely do in games in this type.

[ZeroNumerous]

I know. It's time consuming, since the only way to conquer the nation is by military conquest, which I rarely do in games in this type.

Theoretically you could simply force them to surrender with your immense military might, but that's unlikely at best. Either way, I think I'll make that thread sometime soon.

[pendell]

Basically, you take a unit with weak psi, disarm them, and let the enemy focus mind control on them so that they ignore everyone who has guns.

And no, we don't have mind shields. Worked out okay so far, and if we get an avenger at every base, the job gets done just as well.

Am I correct in guessing this is going to be the fate of my character if psi isn't otherwise suitable for a Mars mission?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

[ZeroNumerous]

Am I correct in guessing this is going to be the fate of my character if psi isn't otherwise suitable for a Mars mission?

Respectfully,

Brian P.

Depends on how many strong Psi guys we got. If you're -too- weak you may just not be brought along.

[chiasaur11]

After the standard post mission cooldown and the handover of most of the blaster bombs to Cubey, I went to check my desk for reports.



Something from Fort Fri. The predictions on completion of the Avenger were unprecidented. I mean, two weeks to build a completely untested design, packed with unprecidented features, and better than anything seen in the universe to date?

Then I remembered that I'd put Knight in charge. Honestly, I'm surprised the engineers managed to convince him the job would take more than an hour.

I headed over to the lab. No new craters, which was a pleasant surprise.

"DUCK!"

I hit the deck as a football looking object zoomed over my head, zigzagged through the hallway, and left via the elevator.

Right. Looked like progress was being made on Blaster Bombs, at least. I walked up to Cubey.

"Got anything for me?"

"We did. You ducked."

"Ha. I meant other than probable death."

"It was a dud anyway. Don't want to risk the live ones on test firing. And of course I do. You think the Lightning would take me a month? Because that hurts me. That hurts me deeply. "

I picked up some papers on the desk.


Defies the laws of physics. Ah, good to see the science department following the Scotty principle. Claim it's impossible so you seem like a miracle worker when you pull it off. Of course, the claims of impossibility tend to work best if they come before you prove them false.


And we had data on the Chryssalids. Nasty critters, but they apparently had a few weaknesses. They only go after moving targets. Explains the snakemen's odd sprint stop movements, at least. Also means a stun bomb protects civvies against them without us having to lift a finger.

Chumbley also'd been hard at work sorting out the information he knew and general invasion plans.

Seemed the Ethereals had a base on Mars. Local HQ only, I assume, but cripple that, and we'd get at least a brief respite.

A few days of rest followed. BRC continued his pamphlet work, Pendell petitioned for a spot on the frontline team, Zero and Ferrus watched a Gamera MST marathon...

Of course, the aliens were planning something. Always seems they are. This time, though, it seemed more desperate than tactical.

The big bosses of the fleet, reduced to attacking Brussels.

Lopez found the first of our enemies.

Unfortunately, the vulnerable psychic was backed by a giant robot. Thing looked oddly familiar, somehow.

A quick attempt at mental probing hit paydirt.
I called up Cubey.
"Lasers? Well, that Muton research mission could have grabbed the tank that got totalled outside the landing craft. I know you're not a scientist..."
I interrupted.
" My degree in Science from Asskicking U begs to differ."
"That... that isn't a real college. In fact, I'm pretty sure you made that school up."
"Did. But a couple million does wonders for getting a university accredited."
"Right. Well, these walkers do seem cribbed from my design for the laser tank, for the most part. Including the plans in case they revolt."
"I'm guessing that's the auto aim system being able to be rewired by authorized X-COM personnel to view itself as a target and a weakness to lasers?"
"Correct. The ability to control it with psionics is new, though."
"And a mistake on our enemy's part."
With our new scout heading for the Terror ship, Lopez checked out the forest.

Three Ethereals. One hovertank. Three guesses who walked away from that one alive. Hint. It's the one that's Lopez.

The hijacked scout found another of these Sectopod walkers. A quick exchange of laser fire dropped both subjects. Ah well. Looked like Trazoi and I would need to check it ourselves.

"Why do I have to go again?"
"You're the perfect combination of reliability and expendability. Also, you've got good enough reflexes to probably not die. "
"Gee. Thanks."

A few Etheals were sitting at a conference table.

Seems they should have picked a non exploding model.

"Found one trying to run. Got him."

One of the last ones was sitting in front of some kind of glowing... orb... thing. No idea what it's for, but it seemed pretty absorbed in watching it. Seemed rude to say anything, so I set the laser to a low volume setting as I perforated the thing's skull.

Other than one cowering in a back room, that was the ball game. Seemed we weren't the only one with a science division capable of reverse engineering gear. Leaving stuff behind is not a mistake to be repeated.

[ZeroNumerous]

One of the last ones was sitting in front of some kind of glowing... orb... thing.

Alien TV! Alien TV! Dibs!

[Swot]

Alien TV! Alien TV! Dibs!

Oh those things get the most channels, ever.

[chiasaur11]

Oh those things get the most channels, ever.

Hey, Trazoi risked his life to find it.

Only fair he gets first crack at it.