XCOM: Enemy Online

INTERMISSION 04

Since I'm on officer track, I make an unusual choice and take Steadfast instead of Smoke Grenade. Officers can sub out their willpower for all their other troops', so if I can't panic maybe nobody else can either. Also, I have a cool helmet.

SPEC DC123456789 I just elect to make a Gunner in the hopes that Suppression and Holo-Targeting will eventually make up for his low aim.

SPEC erez87's aim scores don't really support being a Scout or a Sniper, so I hit randomize in the hopes of getting him to be a Field Medic or Grenadier; he ends up as a Rocketeer. With the right equipment, he can carry a single rocket launcher with above 70 aim, so that's not really too bad.

SPEC Popcornlord has the opposite problem of having too good an aim to really be a Support; on random, he winds up as a Gunner, which is a fairly good deal.

SPEC The Farow becomes an Assault because he's cursed with assault rifles and with a shotgun aim doesn't really matter, plus he has high mobility and good defense.



We acquire more mans. I'm hiring a bit conservatively due to our promotion rate, but we're gonna want 50 SPECs by May. Trust me.



Russia wusses out. I wonder what could've caused this???



Just before our new troops come in, we get a call from Nigeria.



For the first (but certainly not the last) time, I won't be leading a mission, and we don't have other Field Medics, so I elect to use SPEC CivOasis and Justokre as an insurance policy, along with four more PFCs.

A reminder that Beagle is currently streaming, if anyone's interested.

MISSION 04: TWISTED HEART

In which we take the fight to space. Office Space.



My plan is to move SPEC CivOasis to hardcover on the right, and move everyone else left. Doing so triggers a Sectoid pod.



SPEC Justokre moves up to get into rocket position and takes out a Sectoid on the right. Inconclusive shooting happens back and forth between everyone else and the other two.



SPEC CivOasis gets a critical on the rightmost one on a 43% chance to hit.




The other has his cover blown by PFC Lord of Elves, and is promptly gunned down by PFC EQandcivfanatic.




I sent everybody else left, per the original plan, and SPEC Justokre gets in some damage on a Sectoid that flees outside after PFC Nuke misses. SPEC CivOasis shows off the power of Squadsight and takes it out no problem.




SPEC Justokre makes a tricky shot with a rocket to take out the second while leaving the Meld unscathed. He destroys all its cover, but does no damage to it. PFC Spryllino however is on the case.





I move PFCs EQandcivfanatic and Lord of Elves around the left, and PFCs Nuke and Spryllino around the right. PFC Nuke picks up the Meld along the way, and PFC Spryllino confirms the enemy's position in the back and greivously wounds a drone.





SPEC Justokre attempts to make a hole to shoot into the interior with, but misses just enough for it to be less than effective. PFC Spryllino finishes the job.




PFC Lord of Elves surprises the Sectoid squad leader, but missed, and PFC EQandcivfanatic cleans house through the new doors we've made.



PFC Nuke dings the last Drone to death.

INTERMISSION 05

SPEC EQandcivfanatic becomes the last of the standard soldier classes we have yet to see, a Grenadier, meaning he can carry 2 grenades per slot. After picking an Assault Carbine to up his mobility, he can also shoot fairly well at 77.

SPEC Nuke becomes a Field Medic and gets respeced for mobility over aim.

SPEC Spryllino becomes a Scout and also gets respeced for mobility, and gets a shotgun. Scouts can technically carry Sniper Rifles, but without something like Snap Shot, their utility with it would be limited.



A day later, our new recruits come in, and we pick up PFCs BILLSIF, ~Darkening~, Northern Wolf, and Thlayli.



I build an Access Lift to expand our base and hire 5 more soldiers.



We get our first real UFO.



Mongoose goes up to take it down, and gets shot up for his troubles. Snowcone brings home the bacon.




We finish Alien Weaponry and start on Experimental Warfare, while also building our first S.C.O.P.E., which boosts aim more than a laser sight and also improves critical chances.



Even more new PFCs arrive, Jehoshua, bonefang, das, germanicus12, and tuxedohamm.




The aliens decide to test our defenses, with two more UFO Scouts running our defenses. We shoot neither down and get Blinker and Shotgun shot up for our troubles. We're currently defenseless in the air. Long War's air game is really harsh in this way; we need more Interceptors soon.



At any rate, another call comes in.



And we're off again.

MISSION 05: SECRET GRAVE

Again with these mission names, Bradford.



We start out in the open and move to the right to get into heavy cover provided by the bus.



SPEC Shadowbound isn't so hot with a shoota, missing a 49% shot on a pod activated by moving PFC Lord of Elves.



I make what turns out to be a questionable choice here. I know there are two Sectoids by the two cars at the front of the bus. If I make PFC Lord of Elves throw an HE grenade, he has a good chance of lighting both cars on fire, as well as the front of the bus, in which case they have no cover at all that won't explode next turn. Or I can move him into cover, since he's already moved once. He doesn't have LOS on either Sectoid directly, so I throw the grenade.



I turn out to only ignite one, but it's the right one. Then a funny thing happens.




The injured Sectoid runs up to the burning car and gets a flank on PFC Lord of Elves through the window, killing him on a flank shot, while the other fails a mindfray on Thlayli. Nobody panics at the loss of PFC Lord of Elves, and we hold the line.




Their choice was a poor one. The memorial doesn't record PFC Lord of Elves as having gotten any kills, but I know he killed those two.



Pressing up further, PFCs BILLSIF and Grandkhan light up a Sectoid. PFC BILLSIF is apparently also auditioning for a trickshot team.



Efforts to frag the remaining two fall short.



Both wind up panicking off a piddly psychic attack.




SPEC Shadowbound appears to clean up, but one gets away. PFC Grandkhan finishes the job. Then we activate a Drone pod.



PFC Thlayli picks up the Meld before the car goes. We get 4/5 (you get 1 even if the canister decays) and Vahlen whines about blowing it up but whatever.



We miss the drones a lot, and kill the lead of the three, but they do their usual shtick and fly up, sniping SPEC Shadowbound. Fortunately he shrugs it off.






What follows is a lot of missing and damage resistance.




Both I and PFC Grandkhan eat plasma for our hubris in relying on guns.




Finally, PFC Thlayli ends one, and SPEC Shadowbound takes no chances on the last one, taking out the remains of the second Meld canister.



Operation Secret Grave turns out to be a grave for only one Humie.



For anyone who's felt the last few missions seemed really easy, this is more Long War's speed in terms of death and injury. This map being extremely open didn't help; the moment I saw it pop up I was wishing I'd brought SPEC CivOasis for those long sightlines. Welcome to the new normal.



Welcome to the Long War.

I didn't need this mortal coil anyway.

INTERMISSION 06

LCPL Shadowbound picks up HEAT Warheads in sickbay.



We make some more S.C.O.P.E.s What is that supposed to be an acronym for anyway? Who knows. I think Shen is screwing with us. Our Satellite Uplink also completes.



Suddenly...



Yeah, bomb disposal. I love UXO. How hard... can it be?



Yeah, no. I know what's coming, so we're taking our Sniper, rockets, medikits, and two Scouts, because to make this not-awful, we're gonna need all of it.

MISSION 06: BANISHED STAR

The aliens have parked a fusion bomb in a cemetary. We have to disarm it before it vaporizes the city, and our squad.



We deploy looking out over the cemetary, and have to work our way to various power nodes and deactivate them to delay the bomb going off until we find it. Convenient, yeah? SPEC pole475 deactivates one moving forward.



Sending SPEC justokre right activates a new enemy: a Thin Man. They have highly accurate light plasma rifles and spit an acid cloud that will damage you for every action you take except hunkering down. Needless to say, being flanked by one is a bad time.





SPEC erez87 moves up and puts in 4 damage on a flank, but it's not enough. SPEC spyrllino can follow it up with a 70% pistol shot... but it's better to be safe than sorry.





Two Sectoids move up during the alien turn. SPEC CivOasis takes care of one on a 76%, and fortunately power nodes are hardened, so SPEC erez87 gets the other.



We move up through the ossuary at the center and find the bomb, and three more sectoids.




One bites it and another is winged by SPEC pole475's fragmentation grenade, while SPEC CivOasis almost takes out the third.





SPEC spryllino misses both of his pistol shots on a flank so pole475 runs up to force the issue, easily getting through overwatch fire with lightning reflexes.



Two more Sectoids appear and get flashbanged, rendering them ineffective. Our follow-up rocket is less than stellar, merely knocking out the cover of the one nearer to SPEC erez87.





SPECs Spryllino, Nuke, and erez87 clean house.



We take positions around the bomb and deactivate it, dropping in three Thin Men. One doesn't even make it down.




The other two are taken out by SPEC spryllino and CivOasis. Superior firepower and cover wins in the face of to-date heavy opposition.





gg no re

INTERMISSION 07

SPEC CivOasis takes Low Profile, making him less vulnerable. SPEC erez87 takes HEAT Warheads like SPEC Shadowbound did.



We sell some Meld and dead Sectoid bodies to buy a 5th Interceptor.



Unfortunately, it's a bit too late as a UFO Fighter appears on a satellite shootdown mission.



With no opposition to drive it off, it succeeds. This is why air cover is important. On the other hand, we have two satellites almost ready to go, and while this is a setback to our fund-raising, it's not supremely damaging.



Our new Interceptor comes in and this Guest is a real joker.



We sell Weapon Fragments to Canada. Completing requests means panic in the country in question will go up slower, and you get rewards. We need Weapon Fragments for research, but I'm willing to make the call.




We put satellites back up over Germany and up over France, the latter netting us a request reward.




I hand out even more Weapon Fragments.



With all the cash, we buy a 6th interceptor. I probably could've waited until the end of the month, but eh.



And so ends the first month of the XCOM Project. We only get a B really due to the satellite shootdown, which was on the RNG. Higher performance gives somewhat more money, but we're relatively flush with cash anyway.



In addition to building a third satellite, I order some more S.C.O.P.E.s, bringing our total to 5, and take us down to the third sublevel of the base, ordering up more troops and keeping $120 on hand to build another Fission Generator with.

INTERMISSION 08

We get our sixth pilot. Since Luckymoose is sour about not having appeared and would like to be a pilot, we can pretend this is him.



We get four new PFCs: J.K. Stockholme, ZeletDude, Daftpanzer, and bestrfcplayer.





UFO-6 shows up and Snowcone and Shotgun take it down. This one survives impact.



Time to go.

MISSION 07: BLACK HYMN

Bradford, I know this UFO crashed in Sweden, not Germany. Seriously, what the hell?



THIS IS NOT "A DENSELY POPULATED AREA WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS," BRADFORD.



We trigger a Sectoid pod on our first move. We trade some shots and do some damage, but no kills.



The Farow panics on a mindfray.



BILLSIF earns a promotion with a triple-kill off a frag grenade. By killing the Sectoid that's mindlinking, he also kills the one that's being mindlinked.




The last one tags me for 2 damage but doesn't get through my armor. Handy fact: only damage above your armor rating counts for injuries. Anyway, we get tired of this dude and bestshot9 takes frags him.



Hey, look, a UFO.



We move up through the tree line to form a firing line.



We move The Farow in and trigger the UFO's Outsider. Outsiders in LW get 10 health, regenerate health every turn, and are really accurate. You don't want to get into a shooting war with one. Thlayli tags it, BILLSIF misses.



CivOasis follows it up.



The Farow activates run and gun to finish it up close and personal.



The mission doesn't end so there's still something to kill. I go around the UFO to pick up some Meld. Fun fact: in LW you get more Meld the better the aliens are doing to try and help you out (they're teching up in the background too). We're at +5 currently. I don't think I've ever seen it go over +7.



So we move into the UFO on the basis of the noises we're hearing...



Only for three Thin Men to run in through our overwatches.





CivOasis, I, and The Farow handle it cleanly, but this could've been fairly bad.




MISHUN COMPREET

INTERMISSION 09

We sell some damaged UFO parts for cash. Don't question who buys this stuff.



The Farow gets Close Combat Specialist, which allows him to automatically shoot anything that comes within four tiles. BILLSIF becomes a Sniper, bestshot9 becomes Infantry, and Thlayli becomes a Medic.



Oh, well, okay then.



Be that way.

MISSION 08: SWIFT GIANT

WASSUP, HOUSTON, WUSSUP? WUSSUP, HOUSTON, WUSSUP? HOUSTON, JUMP ON IT, JUMP ON IT, JUMP ON IT!



Straight up, I hate this map. Its deployment sucks.




We trigger some dudes on the left. They're called Floaters, though really Jetters would be a better name. No, not like Derek. justokre ruins their day.





Nuke's not quite ready for a trickshot team but he gets the job done, as do pole475 and J.K. Stockholme.



Two more Floaters come down the street.



justokre is a bit off target on this pair.




J.K. Stockholme finishes one off, but the second survives what's thrown at it and manages to damage justokre for his troubles.




pole475 picks up some Meld since he's not in a position for the firefight, and bonefang moves up for a Hail Mary shot... which he misses. Daftpanzer misses a follow-up overwatch shot as the Floater moves...



... and doesn't shoot, allowing justokre to pay it back easily.



We move up while reloading and healing, triggering three more Floaters.





Daftpanzer gets shot up pretty good by one on overwatch, but gets in a good grenade, and bonefang takes another out.



Daftpanzer moves back and justokre shoots up a Floater that moved into the street, while pole475 kills a third with a a frag.



Eventually Nuke takes it out.




Daftpanzer is our first gravely wounded soldier. JUMP ON IT!

INTERMISSION 10

pole475 picks up Battle Scanners, allowing him to see things remotely, and also invisible things.



Nuke actually takes Smoke Grenade, because he's not officer track. J.K. Stockholme becomes a Grenadier seemingly in spite of his high aim, bonefang becomes Infantry, and justokre takes HEAT Warheads like every other Rocketeer.




Experimental Warfare completes, and we start on Alien Materials. We start on a Fission Reactor and sell some Weapon Fragments.



We get PFCs Dreadnought, bombshoo, Lord_Iggy, thomas.berubeg, ChiefDesigner, and Milarqui. We hire 1 more to bring us to an even 50, and get our 2 S.C.O.P.E.s, bringing us to 5.








We get theDright.



Whoo.



I got a bad feeling about this one, so I go a little heavy.

MISSION 09: FROZEN TEARS

One guess what Bradford's favorite movie is.



These helmets and lights look cool in action, FYI. That's why we wear them.




It's an okay deployment zone, and we get an early indication as to where to the bad dudes are. I go with CivOasis up the tower on the left in case it's populated.




Shadowbound does his thing.




ChiefDesigner and CivOasis clean up.



I get an inkling as to where the remainder of the enemy are, so I have Shadowbound do something a little different.




Maybe it was a bad idea, given our grenade rolls.



They swarm out into the open and miss literally every shot though.





We gun them all down for their troubles.




LET IT GO, LET IT GOOO...

INTERMISSION 11

With the promotion of myself and CivOasis, we earn the Officer Training School. I decide I don't like my nickname so I change it. ChiefDesigner becomes a Sniper. We start building the OTS and fail to shoot down a Scout UFO before it leaves.








We finish up Alien Materials.




Realistically, we want these, but they'll have to wait as we couldn't afford what they give us anyway.



So we take this, because it's the next best thing.



Sure.

MISSION 10: VENGEFUL THRONE

NOT THE PAPER



So Terror Missions suck because inevitably at least one enemy pod blocks your advance while the others kill the civilians you're supposed to save. You're lucky to walk out with half of them alive. Each one you lose increases panic by 2 (or more).




Early on we find some Floaters and fire ze missiles. It's less than effective.



I kill one.




mrrandomplayer misses a shotgun shot and gets a hurtin' in return.




We shoot some of them back.




We shoot a zombie. Yeah, zombies and aliens.

207

mrrandomplayer's revenge, only in lower case, this spring








'CAUSE THIS IS THRILLER, THRILLER NIGHT, AND NO ONE'S GONNA SAVE YA FROM THE BEAST ABOUT TO STRIKE

mrrandomplayer gets healed during all this. Eventually mrrandomplayer misses and we gotta finish the sequence with a bang.



A second Floater pod appears and we hit it with the heavy stuff, leaving us one rocket. That'll be important shortly.



So after some more shooting, the Floater on the left has Shadowbound suppressed (if he moves, it'll fire on him, and if he doesn't, his aim's for crap), the one on the right is on overwatch, and there are four Chrysalids behind him. Chrysalids make zombies. This is a bad place to be.



mrrandomplayer runs up and kills the one that's supressing.



Shadowbound gets hit while falling back, but stays up.





justokre uses his last rocket to damage the Chrysalids, and EQandcivfanatic throws a frag, killing two. The last two get gunned down by Popcornlord and myself.




mrrandomplayer pitches a frag at the last Floater and Shadowbound gets his revenge.







Shadowbound's nickname strikes me as appropriate.

INTERMISSION 12

Shadowbound picks up Snap Shot from the infirmary.



EQandcivfanatic gets Sapper.



We continue our proud tradition of arms trafficking.

MISSION 11: FINAL HERO

Goddammit, Bradford.

251

Seems decent enoug—





Turn One: Two Thin Men and a Seeker. Seekers are normally invisible and try to find isolated units of yours to strangle. If they're visible, they act like Thin Men that can fly, minus the acid. Yeahhh. CivOasis misses too.





ere87 and bombshoo don't, but it's not enough and CivOasis takes a hit.



While dramatic, our retaliation is less than effective. It does kill their cover though.




CivOasis and Lord_Iggy take a Thin Man out.



Owen Glyndwr brings the pineapple.



The second Thin Man runs like a coward.




ere87 gets shot, Owen Glyndwr is missed twice, and erez87 brings the pain. We activate two drones on the left.



After killing one, the Thin Man drops down over there.




Lord_Iggy and CivOasis show him out.



CivOasis also shows out the Floater that Owen Glyndwr spends most of the mission dueling. Judging by the contrail on the right, he's on a trickshot team too.




Guess this was like one of your "Final" Fantasy games, huh, Bradford?

INTERMISSION 13

Lord_Iggy becomes a Scout, Thlayli picks up Smoke Grenade.




We complete UFO Analysis: Scout and start Plot Xenobiology.



We feed Canada's Meld addiction.



Mexico pays us in more than chicle, so we deliver.