[Godzilla Blitz]

Whoops. More specials. The first part of the base assault...

66th Mission: German Base Assault: The Expendables (Part I)

The EU Skyranger hugs the ground as it hurtles northwest on the short, one-hour jaunt to the German base. There is nothing but tension inside the craft, as Astott and Sachmo II try to get this untested team of 12 inexperienced squaddies in the right frame of mind for launching an attack on a PSI-capable, Sectoid-infested base. In turn, the two men walk down the aisle of the Skyranger and offer quiet words of encouragement to these agents that are clearly in over their head. All Sachmo II and Astott can wonder is how many men will die in the next couple of hours.

The mission orders are simple:

1. Inflict as much damage on the alien base as possible.
2. If possible, capture the base commander.
3. Evacuate when command-control breaks down.
4. Leave no man behind.

The Skyranger slows for a few minutes, then hovers, then settles to the ground. The green light goes on, the ramp falls away, and the men scramble out. Within minutes they have cut their way through the vent grids and are rappelling into the dark base below…

Our troops today:

Alpha Team:
1. Sir Fozzie (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)
2. Swaggs (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)
3. Blade III (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)
4. Marmel (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)
5. Japherwaki II (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)
6. Travis III (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)
7. Wolfpack (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)

Bravo Team
1. Astott (Blaster Launcher, Power Suit)
2. Sachmo II (Blaster Launcher, Power Suit)
3. Afoci (Heavy Plasma, Stun Blaster, Power Suit)
4. Mr. Bug IV (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)
5. Condors II (Heavy Plasma, Stun Launcher, Power Suit)
6. Lokugh II (Heavy Plasma, Stun Launcher, Power Suit)
7. Katon II (Heavy Plasma, Power Suit)

Once the assault force reaches the large horizontal shaft that runs over the interior of the base, they split up into two groups (the game does this automatically; I have no control over this). Alpha team heads west along the shaft; Bravo team heads east. Shortly, they arrive at vents over small supply rooms. Each team cuts its way through the grating and drops to the floor below. The seven men of each team are now in small rooms that lie over the main floor of the base. It’s hard to tell exactly, but the two teams look to be about 50 yards apart, which is hardly ideal: it would be much better to be near each other. Alpha team appears to be up against the west side of the base, maybe in the center of the facility. Bravo team appears to be in the north central area of the base. The two teams will have to fight as independent forces for at least the first portion of the attack, and more importantly, our Blaster Launchers are both in Bravo Team. Damn it.

Wolfpack gets us going. He heads down the grav-lift for Alpha team, reaches the bottom, and scans the main floor of the base. Three corridors run from the open room he is standing in: north, east, and south. He spots no movement, no sign of aliens. Japherwaki II is next down the shaft. He takes up a firing position a few feet away.

Astott (the game selects this as well) heads down the grav-lift first for Bravo team. He reaches the bottom and looks around. He is also in a large room. This one has four exits: one north that opens onto another room with some sort of smaller, walled lab inside it; ones east and south that open onto longer corridors that run off into the distance; and one west, that quickly butts into a T-intersection. It is hear that we catch first sight of the enemy: a Cyberdisc is hovering outside the room, at the left side of the T-intersection. It’s about 20 yards away, and has not seen us yet. Astott is too close to fire safely with the Blaster Launcher. Instead, he heads back up the grav-lift. Katon heads down immediately, drops to a knee, and opens fire: laser blasts streak towards the disc and slam into its tough hull. A couple of shots do some minor damage, but the thing quickly reacts and returns fire at Katon. Shots pepper the walls near him, but luckily all of them miss. Katon scrambles back up the grav-lift. Afoci gives it a go next. He drops down the lift, drops to a knee, and gets off a quick shot at the Cyberdisc before it can readjust its aim. Afoci’s aim is true, and his first hit sends the Cyberdisc up in a loud explosion that shatters any element of surprise that we may have had. X-COM 1, Aliens 0.

And here they come! Shots whiz over Afoci’s head from behind. He turns, and sees a Sectoid, standing in the small, interior lab in the room to our north. Afoci opens fire, but the shot is a tricky one: the interior room is walled, with only small windows opening on the interior. The Sectoid is firing from one of these covered positions. Afoci’s shots pepper the walls, but none hit. Mr. Bug IV and Condors II are next down the grav-lift. The two of them reach the bottom and join Afoci in trying to take out this Sectoid. Numerous plasma blasts streak back and forth across the short interval. Finally, Mr. Bug gets a shot through the window that explodes the Sectoid’s head in a splash of green. The thing screams and falls out of sight. X-COM 2, Aliens 0.

Back at Alpha team, Japherwaki II spots a Sectoid rushing up the corridor to his east, about 30 yards from our position. He opens fire on full auto, just as Sir Fozzie drops down the grav-lift to lend a hand. Japh’s shots miss wildly, but Sir Fozzie nails the Sectoid in the midsection and sends it sprawling to the ground. Wolfpack then heads north, to get some space between our now bunched up men. As he heads into the next room, he spots a Sectoid carrying a Blaster Launcher coming into this room from the east! He steps back behind cover. Swaggs drops down the grav-lift quickly and joins him. Together they then lean out and open fire on the unsuspecting Sectoid. Green plasma blasts rip up the room, and one of Swagg’s shots catches the Sectoid in the gut and blows the thing in half. X-COM 4, Aliens 0.

Suddenly, a wave of PSI-energy washes over our men! Katon, back up in the supply room with Bravo team, completely panics and freezes. Damn it! Astott, Sachmo II, and Lokugh II quick try to move behind him. Before they can get there, Katon screams something in Sectoid, twists, drops to a knee, and opens fire on the three men. Sachmo II takes three consecutive plasma blasts from three-feet away. One of the shots rips open the side of his Power Suit and penetrates deep into his torso. He screams and falls to the ground, blood pouring out of his midsection. Lokugh II snaps to his senses, and pulls the trigger on his Heavy Plasma. Plasma blasts slam into Katon’s armor and drive him back against the wall of the small supply room. One final blast catches him in the faceplate and breaks through to his skull, killing him instantly. Katon barely manages a scream before he drops to the ground. Damn it. X-COM 4, Aliens 2.

Back at Alpha Team, a Sectoid enters the long corridor that runs east from our entry room, about 40 yards away, and opens fire on Japh and Sir Fozzie. A stream of plasma sails towards the two men…

And goes between them! The Sectoid then ducks back down the corridor before we can get a shot off. And then another Sectoid appears at the same place! This one’s got a Blaster Launcher! Oh shit! We’re all bunched up! The creature fires. The missile sails down the corridor, right at Japherwaki II, Sir Fozzie, Wolfpack, and Swaggs…

It slams into the wall right behind them, and explodes with a…

(To be continued...)