X-COM II: The Earth’s Revenge (Part XI)

[Godzilla Blitz]

Originally Posted by ardent enthusiast

Crap! There goes my ride!

The top two agents get a ticket.

[Poli]

Go Go Gadget Ardent!

[Poli]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

The top two agents get a ticket.

ROCK ON!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 7: Aliens

Naiwf spots an alien in the room to the south, but before he can get a shot off he's hit with a hard wave of PSI energy. He immediately starts babbling in Sectoid! Oh crap.

He breaks west through a side corridor and into the room with Ardent and Blade6119. Both men are stunned to see Naiwf bearing down on them with a weapon. They hesitate. Naiwf doesn't. He pulls the trigger on his heavy plasma on full-auto from ten feet away.

Plasma screams towards Ardent's chest...

X-COM 5, Aliens 4

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   0
Alf III           Normal     0
MrBug IV          Normal     7    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     0  
Katon II          Cautious  -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   6 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal    -8   
Breeze            Normal     0   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive 0       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[Godzilla Blitz]

Whew! This is exhausting. Time for a little break. I'll be back this evening.

[Poli]

HATER!!!!! GET BACK HERE!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Just kidding. Just a moment. It takes a while to write the death reports up.

[Poli]

UGH!

[Poli]

Please don't die...please don't die. NAIWF, I'm your friend, buddy. Don't shoot me. Don't shoot me.

[Poli]

Do a good job, do a good job, do a good job!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 8: X-COM

As Blade6119 stares in disbelief, plasma slams into Ardent's chest plate, denting it badly and knocking the wind out of Ardent. Unable to breathe, Ardent tries to pull the trigger on his heavy plasma, but his arms have gone numb from the blast. He stares at Naiwf helplessly. Fire, Blade6119, fire! What is wrong with you? Ardent snaps off a prayer to the god of X-COM. Instead of firing, Naiwf turns and darts back toward the bunker room.

Ardent coughs, gets a gulp of air down, and bolts after Naiwf. He turns the corner and spots him, ten feet away, running toward Mr. Bug's position. Ardent manages to pull the trigger this time. Three bolts of plasma cover the distance in a flash. They hit Naiwf in the back and punch through the weak rear armor. Naiwf's spine is cut in two, his back is shattered, and he tumbles forward to the base floor, dead.

Behind Ardent, Blade6119 snaps out of his funk and gets going again. He races to the Sectoid that Ardent killed and looks at the weapon: Blaster Launcher and three missiles! Yes! Bonus point to Ardent! Blade6119 frantically starts picking up the weapon and ammo.

To the east of this, Mr. Bug advances into the south room, fully expecting to see a Sectoid, but there is nothing in here. Mr. Bug now recognizes this room as the outer shell of the command center. We're closing in. Behind him, Breeze jogs to catch up.

To the east yet again. Lokugh breaks right, away from Wolfpack, and heads east. There should be a Cyberdisc down that way, as well as a large unexplored area. Should be the best direction for points.

Wolfpack starts cautiously down the corridor to the south. He draws near a fuel cannister room and pulls out a grenade to clear the room.

Back in our entrance room, Katon continues to hum Barry Manilow songs.

Up above, Split personality draws the next lot and drops to the base floor. He heads east to help out with Lokugh and Wolfpack.

X-COM 5, Aliens 5

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   0
Alf III           Normal     0
MrBug IV          Normal     7    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     0  
Katon II          Cautious  -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious  10 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal    DQ   
Breeze            Normal     0   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive 0       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[Poli]

Sorry, NAIWF.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 8: Aliens

An alien pops around the corner of the command center, right in front of Mr. Bug! The alien gets off one shot first, but it sails just to Mr. Bug's right. Mr. Bug gets off a reply that is right on target: it blows a hole in the Sectoid's stomach. The creature falls to the ground, dead.

Ardent's kill and now Mr. Bug's cause our morale to soar again. But just then, yet another wave of PSI energy slams into our troops. Blade6119--with his newly armed blaster launcher--starts to shake, twitch, and mumble in Sectoid. His eyes glaze over and he glares at Ardent, just ten feet away.

X-COM 6, Aliens 5

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   0
Alf III           Normal     0
MrBug IV          Normal     9    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     0  
Katon II          Cautious  -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   10 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal    DQ   
Breeze            Normal     0   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive  DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive 0       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[Godzilla Blitz]

Not kidding this time, though. I really do need a break.

I'll be back playing in about 15 minutes. Next post should be up in about a half hour or so.

Edit: Pizza in. Ginger ale in. Pee out. Back at it.

[illinifan999]

Boy the illinifan family has had it's ups and downs. Getting picked for the final assault, and having a member run away in battle. We're special.

Oh yeah, poor ardent.

[JeeberD]

Wow, this is great stuff, GB. And after reading up to this point, I'm really glad that I was a winner in the contest and didn't have to come on this mission. This is getting rather ugly...

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 9: X-COM

Blade6119 hangs on! He stays with us! He's looking might shaky, though. We'll have to take that blaster launcher out of his hands after one quick shot.

But first, Mr. Bug advances toward right side of the shell that runs around the command center. At once, he sees both a Sectoid, further along the right side, about 15 meters away, and a Cyberdisc, about 15 meters away, advancing on Mr. Bug down a side corridor! Two-on-one!

Mr. Bug twists for the Sectoid as all combatants open fire. Mr. Bug's first shot sails wide. A plasma blast from the Cyberdisc blows a hole in the wall beside his head. Mr. Bug gets off one more shot that goes well left, and then a blast from the Cyberdisc decapitates him in a splash of blood and bone. Mr. Bug's lifeless body falls to the floor of the base. To the east, the Cyberdisc that killed Mr. Bug registers on Wolfpack's HUD, down the long corridor that stretches in front of him. The thing's back end is just visible, as it hovers there, waiting for more agents to approach. Wolfpack takes careful aim and pulls the trigger. Plasma races down the hall and slams into the Cyberdisc. The thing erupts with a crash, and we see a Sectoid body come tumbling down the hall in the explosion. Wolfpack got a pair!

No one has any shot on the Sectoid that was in front of Mr. Bug, but Blade6119 plots a quick course with the blaster launcher and pulls the trigger. The rocket tears around the command center and...

...goes down the wrong corridor? Huh? It explodes harmlessly, about 20 meters away from the Sectoid. I thought you couldn't miss with those things, and now we've missed twice in two missions. Aargh.

Time to close in.

As Blade6119 puts down the blaster launcher and drops his other weapons, Ardent heads for the command center throught the corridor to his south. He gets five feet forward when he spots a Sectoid approaching him from the left side of the command center, about 10 meters away. Both combatants go for their weapons at the same time, but Ardent is on fire today: he gets off his shot first and blows the alien's head apart. The thing collapses to the ground, dead.

To his east, Breeze and then Split Personality head straight south, for the command center. Breeze makes it to the opening onto the command center, and holds there.

To their east, Wolfpack tosses his grenade into the fuel cannister room to clear it. Lokugh quickly cuts east, then south, ignoring flanks and unexplored rooms. He'll bear straight for the heart of the base.

Katon continues to panic.

Up above, let's hear a big hand for Alf, who drew the last lot, and finally comes down the grav-lift to get into the action.

X-COM 9, Aliens 6

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     0
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   12 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     0   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive 0       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[jerk3616]

Holy crap, dude. Not even one of my patented "assless chaps" comments is going to lighten the mood when these soldiers come home. Someone needs to go all Tony Montana in there...

"Say hello....to my LITTL' FRIEN' !!"

Boom.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that whoever "goes all Tony Montana in there" needs to make sure that they're not standing on a balcony overlooking in indoor fountain when they do. Do alien bases have indoor fountains?

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 9: Aliens

Nothing. The base falls completely silent.

X-COM 9, Aliens 6

[illinifan999]

/cue dun dun dun music

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 10: X-COM

On the east side, Lokugh sprints for the remaining unexplored areas of the base. Weapon pointed front, he's relying on his lightning reflexes to help him react to a threat.

In the north-south corridor to his west, Wolfpack has to hold up to wait for the grenade he threw last turn to explode. He had it set on delayed timer.

One more corridor to the west, Breeze heads for the spot where Mr. Bug was killed. As he gets to the outer shell of the command center, he turns a corner and comes face-to-face with a Sectoid! Breeze has no time to fire. Instead he brings the butt of his heavy plasma up into the jaw of the Sectoid. The heavy metal snaps the creature's head up. The alien staggers, jams his plasma pistol into Breeze's stomach, and pulls the trigger. Breeze twists at just the last second: the shot glances off his side armor and slams into the base wall behind him. Breeze then brings the butt of his heavy plamsa back down for the Sectoid's head. The Sectoid pulls back at the last second; the butt of Breeze's weapon misses his head, but catches the Sectoid's pistol, knocking it to the floor. The Sectoid lunges into Breeze--who is off balance from missing with his weapon--and pushes him up against the base wall with a thud. The wind goes out of Breeze's lungs with a whoosh. Man and alien lock arms, but Breeze is much bulkier than the light-boned Sectoid. In a matter of seconds, Breeze gets a two-handed headlock on the Sectoid's skull. Using his body for leverage, Breeze lets out a primordial roar and twists violently. The Sectoid's neck snaps with crack. Breeze lets go. The body falls to the floor of the base.

As this fight went on, both Split and Alf were racing to the scene. Split gets there just as Breeze steps back to catch his breath. Split jumps over the dead Sectoid and heads into the outer shell of the Command Center. Alf, still a few meters back, reaches Breeze and checks to see if he is ok.

To their west, Ardent retreats for the Blaster Launcher that Blade6119 had to abandon. Once there, he scrambles to arm it. Meanwhile Blade6119 starts to get himself back under control. He should be ready to get back into action momentarily.

Even Katon's head seems to be clearing. He may not be out of this fight completely, either.

X-COM 10, Aliens 6

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     0
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   12 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     3   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive 0       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[Breeze]

AWESOME!!!!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 10: Aliens

As Split gets his bearings in the outer hallway of the command center, a solitary plasma blast comes streaking out of the darkness to the south, through the devastation from Blade6119's earlier blaster missile shot.

The shot catches Split below the waist, punches through the armor, and blows a hole out of Split's groin. Split drops to his knees as blood and entrails drain onto the floor. Split looks down, says goodbye to everyone in his head, together they all fall over, dead.

On news of this, Katon flips out again.

X-COM 10, Aliens 7

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     0
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   12 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     3   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive DQ       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[RealDeal]

Looks like the winners of this contest will be anyone who survives it.

[Tellistto]

Man, GB, Breeze needs some bonus points for that kill, if for nothing else than being the most creative kill in the mission!


Tell

[JeeberD]

A groin shot has got to be the worst way to go...

[jerk3616]

Ugh...not the prettiest way to die, Split. I'd empathize with you, but I might want to have children someday, not to mention my aversion to searing pain in my groin.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 11: X-COM

Ardent jams a missile into the blaster launcher, plots a course for the origin of the shot that killed Split, and pulls the trigger. The missile winds around the command center and hits the wall on its southern edge. We hear the large explosion as the missile tears apart another chunk of the base. Following on its heels, we hear a Sectoid screaming in agony! Ardent is putting on a one-man show!

Blade6119's confidence took a big hit when Split got killed. He'll still need to calm down more before he can get in on the action.

To the east of them, Breeze and Alf head slowly for the command center.

One corridor to the east, Wolfpack shakes his head and wonders why his grenade hasn't gone off yet. He's sure he primed it. Frustrated, he decides to go for it. He sprints forward, grabs his grenade, and tosses it furhter south into the enemy base.

To his east, Lokugh continues his wreckless, headlong rush through the east side of the base. He's now in a large laboratory, with human body parts in glass chambers all over the place. Still no sign of aliens. He starts to break west for the general area of the command center.

Behind all the action, Katon sees a mouse and has a panic attack.

Can't be too many aliens left. Ardent holds a big lead and looks to have gotten himself a trip on the Avenger if he can hold things together. Wolfpack holds a slim lead over Breeze for the second spot, but it's still anyone's game down there.

X-COM 11, Aliens 7

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     0
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   14 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     3   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive DQ       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[jerk3616]

Good thing you told Ardent how to load a blaster launcher, GB.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 11: Aliens

A wave of PSI energy slams into us. Alf, right beside Breeze, starts blubbering. He completely freezes up. Damn it.

Breeze, get out of there, quickly.

X-COM 11, Aliens 7

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     -2
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   14 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     3   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive DQ       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[Kodos]

Wow! Who would have thought Ardent would be putting on a show?!?

[RealDeal]

You're on the spaceship, Ardent. All you got to do is (i) don't die and (ii) don't wig out.

I got seats saved for us at the back of the spaceship. I'll bring the bong, and you bring the beer.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 11: X-COM

As Breeze moves straight for the command center, Ardent stuffs another missile into the Blaster Launcher, plots a course into the heart of the command center, and pulls the trigger. The rocket disappears through a rip in the wall and explodes inside. A series of explosions rattle the base, as we must have hit some kind of ammo facility inside. A Sectoid scream once again follows the explosions. Ardent is a killing machine.

The kills spark the confidence of both Blade6119 and Katon, who are both finally feeling good enough to return to action. They grab heavy plasmas from the bodies of the dead and head toward the action.

To the east, Lokugh heads for the command center at a fast trot. Still no sign of aliens on this side of the base.

Wolfpack's grenade still doesn't go off. He gives up waiting for the thing, and sprints south, past it. Both Breeze and he are only a few meters away from being able to enter the command center.

Getting inside first and surviving is worth two points. Two points would put Breeze ahead of Wolfpack...

X-COM 12, Aliens 7

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     -2
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   16 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     3   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive DQ       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[Godzilla Blitz]

Turn 11: Aliens

Our threat sensors turn green! It's over! They did it!

Well done, men!

I'll be back in a few minutes for a wrap up and final score adjustments. The game is giving us credit for 14 kills and I've got us down for 12. Someone (most likely Lokugh and/or Ardent, I think) is due some points.

X-COM 12, Aliens 7

Scoreboard Update

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     -2
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   16 
Lokugh III        Agressive  1       
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     3   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive DQ       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

[Breeze]

Who got in first???

[3ric]

Wow.

[Kodos]

I feel like the bald officer in Top Gun who has to tell Maverick that he's getting his dream shot...

[jerk3616]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I feel like the bald officer in Top Gun who has to tell Maverick that he's getting his dream shot...

"You'll be flying a plane full of rubber dog sh*t to Mars!"

[Fonzie]

That was a terrific read, GB.

[jerk3616]

I agree with Fonzie...I really enjoy all of the write-ups and reports. I do think I could have gone without the visual of the groin-shot kill...

Seriously. Awesome job!

[Godzilla Blitz]

Wrap Up

Kills: Ardent Enthusiast, 7; Wolfpack, 2; Katon II, 1; Lokugh III, 1; Breeze, 1; Mr. Bug IV, 2.
KIA: Danny Van Halen, Mr. Bug IV, Naiwf, Chuck U Farley, Split Personality III, Glengoyne, Hoops Guy.
Wounded:
Attribute Improvements: All survivors.
Final score: 610.
Mission Notes:
Ardent Enthusiast put on what has to be one of the best displays of heroism X-COM has ever seen.

Seven dead. Ouch. I'm glad we're nearing the end.

Lokugh III and Ardent had the two missing kills. I missed hearing the scream from the kill and thought he only wounded him. Ardent must have gotten a pair with one of his blaster missile shots.

No one got into the command center before the last alien died.

Adjusting their totals gives us our...

Final Scoreboard

Name              Mode       Points
Danny Van Halen   Normal     DQ
Wolfpack          Cautious   4
Alf III           Normal     -2
MrBug IV          Normal     DQ    
Blade6119 IV      Normal     -1  
Katon II          Cautious   -1 
Ardent Enthusiast Cautious   18 
Lokugh III        Agressive  2      
Naiwf             Normal     DQ   
Breeze            Normal     3   
Chuck U Farley    Aggressive DQ       
Split Pers III    Aggressive DQ       
Glengoyne         Normal     DQ  
Hoops Guy         Cautious   DQ

Congratulations to Ardent Enthusiast, who not only won the competition, but I believe also set a single mission record for kills with seven! Wow! (I think Raven Hawk had six on one mission, which was our best to date). Incredible performance!

Second place goes to Wolfpack, whose one huge shot took out two aliens and earned him a seat on the Avenger.

[Wolfpack]

*whew* I was going to be miffed if I lost out because I waited around for a dud grenade to go off and never got into any more action because of it.

[Breeze]

Damn, 1 point short of second place. My one kill was impressive though.

[Godzilla Blitz]

Update

December 11

The Skyranger limps back to base with its dead.

A single plume of black smoke rising into the morning sky marks the last alien base on Earth.

No other UFO activity occurs today.

D-Day minus three days.

December 12

We're now on real-time, meaning that we'll move the game forward one day for each real day. Our Mars launch will be on Sunday.

This afternoon, we'll have our random drawing for the last seat on the Skyranger. I'll then pick the alternates.

X-COM Command starts moving material for the final mission.

D-Day minus two.

[Fonzie]

Originally Posted by Godzilla Blitz

This afternoon, we'll have our random drawing for the last seat on the Skyranger. I'll then pick the alternates.

Do the wimpy folks (like, say, Fonzie III, for example) on the "In Transit" list qualify for the random drawing?

[Godzilla Blitz]

Mars Strike Team Omega

Filling in the pieces up to now:

1. Commander Kodos
2. Captain Revrew
3. Colonel Jfbbis
4. Colonel Wade Moore
5. Captain Jeff Nights II
6. Captain AStott
7. Sergeant Thomkal II
8. Sergeant Achilles
9. Sergeant Swaggs
10. Sergeant Coffee Warlord II
11. Segeant Jeeber D (the game just promoted you)
12. Squaddie Raven Hawk II
13. Captain Qwikshot II
14. Squaddie Illinifan V
15. Squaddie Ardent Enthusiast
16. Squaddie Real Deal III
17. Sergeant Wolfpack
18. ??

Alternates:
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.

Next up...
The Random Draw. One agent selected from all our agents. Including the folks listed as in transit. Not the people on the waiting list, though.

[JeeberD]

Woohoo, made it to Sergeant! Now I can order around those damn squaddies. Hey you, Squaddie Enthusiast! Come here and shine my boots!!!!

[Abe Sargent]

That was great. Very suspenseful.

-Anxiety

[MrBug708]

Kill Ardent

*knocks on wood*

[Godzilla Blitz]

Random Lottery

Well, with eight agents dying over the past two missions, the odds just went up considerably to be selected in the lottery for the last ticket on the Avenger. The current Vegas odds are about 33-1.

We'll still have the alternates to pick, but this is the last guaranteed seat on the plane. Please keep in mind that Jfbbis is still in a coma, though, and stuff can happen between now and launch, so that alternate list could be important.

Ok, without further ado, I roll the first die, then the second. Check the numbers to the specially designed chart I made...

The winner is...









Tasan II!
Tasan II's dad was a veteran of 15 missions and 7 kills, but for Tasan II, the mission to Mars will be his first taste of combat! How about that! He's got a bravery of 10, unknown PSI skills, and Jeeber D-like reactions. The perfect choice for our 18th man!

Vegas odds on his survival are rumored at 400-1.