Hard Light Productions Forums

Off-Topic Discussion => The Classics => Topic started by: NGTM-1R on May 08, 2012, 10:02:53 pm

Title: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 08, 2012, 10:02:53 pm
TFTD called.

It won't let you go.

Current list of people who are in for this:

Sandwhich (request)
BlueFlames (didn't get soldiered last time)

Anyone else up to be cannon fodder?
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: z64555 on May 08, 2012, 10:04:47 pm
I humbly submit my request to be a test subject this time. That engineering job last time didn't pay well enough for the bureaucracy I had to go through, Lol.
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: Spoon on May 08, 2012, 10:10:03 pm
always
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: Talon 1024 on May 08, 2012, 10:10:32 pm
I'll give it a shot. :P
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: Scotty on May 08, 2012, 10:21:44 pm
Interceptor pilot Scotty reporting for another tour of duty.
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: Polpolion on May 08, 2012, 10:24:46 pm
put me in
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 08, 2012, 10:24:56 pm
Aw, fer... Sign me up as a soldier. I'll take a torpedo/disruptor launcher. It seems to be effective.

I guess this means that the race to T'Leth is on?
Ha ha, just kidding, you'll win at this pace :)

EDIT: Oh yeah! Make sure to at least get a mod to fix the bugs. And I want to see a high difficulty, you can do it!
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: KyadCK on May 08, 2012, 10:34:32 pm
Sign me up!
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 08, 2012, 10:39:35 pm
EDIT: Oh yeah! Make sure to at least get a mod to fix the bugs.

Nevaaaaah!

We shall research the Tasoth Commander!
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: BloodEagle on May 08, 2012, 10:52:17 pm
I'm in.
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 08, 2012, 10:54:11 pm
I'm in.
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 08, 2012, 11:06:09 pm
I always was better at swimming than piloting...
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 08, 2012, 11:31:42 pm
I'm in.
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: StarSlayer on May 08, 2012, 11:38:34 pm
/me grabs swimmies

(http://www.theguiltyparent.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/im0025191.jpg)

Let's Rock!
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: jg18 on May 08, 2012, 11:57:30 pm
Sure, sign me up.
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: Goober5000 on May 09, 2012, 12:07:44 am
Sign me up for aquanauting. :nod:

Also, thread split to hopefully attract new interest.

And yes, keep an eye on your research tree.  Don't render the game unwinnable, like I did on my first attempt. :(
Title: Re: FINE THEN, WE'LL DO MORE
Post by: watsisname on May 09, 2012, 12:16:37 am
If there's still room, I'm game!

TO THE SEA!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Mongoose on May 09, 2012, 12:34:27 am
Yeah we're doing this.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: mxlm on May 09, 2012, 12:39:45 am
Murder time fun time. I have another life to give.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: IronBeer on May 09, 2012, 12:56:25 am
I am always ready to die for my planet. Hopefully it'll be at the hands of the aliens this time.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 09, 2012, 01:19:17 am
I hope to contribute as much a I did last time..Nay, more.

Time to punch the aquatic aluiens in the snot to establish my (our) superiority.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on May 09, 2012, 01:34:27 am
You can get me murdered if you like. Though, you can just do "Akalabeth" and drop the gay Angel bit
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: The E on May 09, 2012, 02:02:33 am
I need to be in this.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 09, 2012, 02:02:54 am
I need to be in this.
QFT
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: LordMelvin on May 09, 2012, 02:08:35 am
Melvin the Bold, Duke of Melvinia reporting for cannon fodder duty!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: The_Force on May 09, 2012, 02:12:56 am
Ready to go, lets hope I last longer this time.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 09, 2012, 02:30:28 am
Due to a chronic fear of being fragged by a squadmate's grenade, I wish to be an interceptor pilot.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: deathfun on May 09, 2012, 02:37:45 am
I would love to be part of this
Sign me up
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 09, 2012, 02:57:04 am
Well, back into the meat grinder.  War is hell, but there doesn't seem to be any other option with these aliens.

Sign me up.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: LHN91 on May 09, 2012, 04:22:53 am
Aw, what the heck. Sign me up too. Might as well get in on the action this time around.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Dilmah G on May 09, 2012, 04:51:04 am
Saw the last one, was amazing.

Dilmah G is keen.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MatthTheGeek on May 09, 2012, 05:37:16 am
I have no idea what the **** this is about, but I heard I should sign up, so lets go.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Dragon on May 09, 2012, 05:42:35 am
Sign me up either for a pilot or a sniper (if the game has them).
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: pecenipicek on May 09, 2012, 06:06:34 am
sign me up as "Vrga von Splatterfeffer"


:p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Kobrar44 on May 09, 2012, 06:10:53 am
Count me in as infantryman. Being a pilot is no fun :o
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Madcat on May 09, 2012, 08:40:52 am
Hell yeah I'm in for this!
Make me a soldier, it will be a spectacular field trip!

...and probably very short too
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Rodo on May 09, 2012, 09:26:41 am
I sence this will be fun to watch as well.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Ravenholme on May 09, 2012, 10:25:12 am
Sign me up!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: redsniper on May 09, 2012, 04:26:46 pm
First by land and now by sea.

(I'm in.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Col. Fishguts on May 09, 2012, 05:02:16 pm
More redshirting... hell yeah.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Rhymes on May 09, 2012, 05:19:10 pm
Last run was amazing. 

Sign me up.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 09, 2012, 09:50:35 pm
As in the last game, our base has been positioned to defend our best sponsors; the US and to a lesser extent Europe. After the US government derped out last game, it fell within a week of our return from Cydonia, particularly after the Chinese released footage of Shanghai and the Nigerian government provided documentation of the first and second attacks on Lagos in Nigeria to the UN. They're now one of our best supporters.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/Westlant.png)

Internal layout is similar to Area 51, as you can see. We're also close to flat broke after reequipping our soldiers and interceptors properly.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/westlandupclose.png)

This is the Barracuda. It will be our primary interceptor craft. It's a remarkable craft, a submarine with aircraft-like handling and more importantly aircraft-like speed, plus full flight ability for overland pursuits. This is achieved by superheating air or water with lasers and directing it as thrust. The system is quite efficient, if a bit bulky; it's not suited to carrier-based aircraft, or believe me we'd be operating more mobile than this. Though in certain configurations the Barracuda carries a small group of passengers or a weapons officer, ours do not. Some other configurations are semi-autonomous, but experience from the First Alien War has taught us that automated systems are not always reliable in the face of alien electronic warfare. Piloting duties have been given to Scotty and FireSpawn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/Barracuda.png)

The Triton is our assault transporter. The Triton was developed for the US Navy to deploy SEALs anywhere in the world within a couple of days, remaining underwater. Ours are on loan from the USN but we're supplying the crew. Our pilot will be jg18.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/Triton.png)

And this is our tank. We've generally avoided underwater-only weapons elsewhere, but the Aquajet Coelacanth's heavy firepower will be useful for terrain clearing underwater, while it can still scout on land if we're called upon there. We suspect we will be, despite the proliferation of HLPX-COM derived laser weaponry in the last forty years. Returning for tank operations will be Spoon. (Why mess with a good thing?)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/Coelacanth.png)

Also, whoever the hell took all our royalties on that tech: You're in deep **** if we catch you. Seriously, you're better off jumping in front of an alien weapon right now. That money could have helped defend Earth.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 09, 2012, 10:58:09 pm
I miss the lasers already. :(

Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: redsniper on May 09, 2012, 11:03:25 pm
Omggggg, TEH SEQUAL has begunnnnn!!!!!!111one
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 09, 2012, 11:24:00 pm
Das Spoon? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSxBLRs7c-c&feature=relmfu)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 09, 2012, 11:31:11 pm
The good news: most of the month passed quietly.

The bad news: our first deployment is on land. The aliens have attacked the dock districts of Toyko. Triton-1 just went feet-dry over Sendai and is less than twenty minutes from the target area. We will land in daylight, which is a minor consolation.

Welcome to Japan. Remember that any tentacle monsters sighted here are actually not normal. Also note the Triton doesn't have landing gear in a traditional sense; we're disembarking directly onto the ground via an actual door, which closes when not in use. Back in the First Alien War we always sweated with possibility of alien throwing a grenade or firing a Blaster Bomb into the back of the Skyranger. Fortunately this is no longer possible.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/welcometotokyo.png)

Here's another improvement: we've actually taught people to open doors without going through them!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/opendoors.png)

"Contact! Single hostile in the open with a pistol. Looks like some sort of...reptile man." Sandwhich steps up with his Gas Cannon and says he's got this. Then he goes down dead after missing his first shot. Polpolion brings the alien down with an HE round from his own Gas Cannon. We've barely stepped off the damn Triton for the first time and we're already losing people. (Seriously, Sandwhich died right outside the door.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/firstkill-1.png)

Two more aliens, on the other side of the Triton.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/twomore.png)

SpardaSon does something no HLPX-COM operative has ever been required to do in live combat before: he throws a grenade. It's actually a very good throw, too. He dropped it right between the alien's legs.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lookdowndumbass.png)
Good kill!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/goodkill-1.png)

SpardaSon and StarSlayer, moving to flank the first alien, come under fire from the Southeast. No source is visible. Popolion's Gas Cannon rounds do not prove sufficient to mousehole buildings for a thorough check. Polpolion advances and spots the alien, but his round misses and blasts the building it's standing next to shreds instead.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wat-1.png)

Everything you ever heard about the ****tiness of the HLPX-COM Rifle was true. Everything you ever heard about the ****tiness of the Jet Harpoon was far too ****ing kind. Scourge of Ages and Talon 1024 fired twelve rounds at this alien for two hits. It's still standing. BlueFlames finally drops it with one last hit, but it's simply clutching at the wreck of its gun arm rather than actually dead!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/finally-1.png)

One more contact to the south. The second north alien takes a potshot at Polpolion but misses by a couple meters. StarSlayer then walks up behind it and demonstrates to it Earth legend about aliens by shoving his Thermal Taser up its ass.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/surprise.png)

The southern alien takes a carefully aimed round from Polpolion's Gas Cannon between the eyes. An HE round. The Biology division isn't going to be very pleased with the mess you made of him, man.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lookmanohead.png)

The greyish alien demonstrates none of the resilence of his comrades. Talon 1024 took him down with a single Jet Harpoon round after StarSlayer determined another surprise tasering wasn't feasible.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wimp.png)

Another alien tries to shoot BlueFlames as he sweeps around a building. The alien misses by a couple of meters. BlueFlames one second later comes all the way around the corner and, demonstrating remarkable accuracy, drops the alien with the first fully successful auto burst ever fired by an HLPX-COM operative. And he did it with a Jet Harpoon. (Though, to be fair, Goober would have fired this back in the other game if the first Sectoid he shot inside the Medium Scout from Mission 1 had been resilient enough, or his gun had been ****ty enough; the same can probably be said of some Heavy Plamsa auto bursts.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/blueflames.png)

SpardaSon is fired upon by another pistol-packer in the alien turn and returns a round successfully after it misses. But the Jet Harpoon's ****tiness denies him a kill. Scourge of Ages reports another greyish brown alien on top of a port crane.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/cranegame.png)
Polpolion takes careful aim, and for the first time misses. Talon 1024 takes over, with a single perfectly aimed shot to the left eye. Impossibly, the alien remains on its feet.

SpardaSon locates his previous tormentor and places a second shot into their chest, but again the alien stays on its feet. It takes another four rounds, and one good hit, from Scourge of Ages to bring it down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/goddamnjetharpoon.png)

The alien on the tower hasn't engaged anyone yet. It apparently doesn't have a gun, so in the new StarSlayer Tradition, it's proposed to try and sneak up and taser the bastard. Talon rejects this plan and instead puts a second Jet Harpoon bolt into the alien's right eye, which does finally kill it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/allthereistoknowaboutthecranegame.png)

Polpolion spots another below the crane and fires another shot, which also misses but sprays it with shrapnel from hitting one of the supports. He yells for help and ducks. SpardaSon, well over forty squares away, turns and fires from the hip.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hehit.png)
He hits. I wish the Jet Harpoon would decide if I'm supposed to be damning or praising it.

One more along the dockfront. Polpolion trades several shots and tosses a grenade, but the grenade is short and the shots miss high. MP-Ryan and BlueFlames burst into the second level of a bypassed building and confront an apparently unarmed alien and a second grey-brown one. Two hits from the Thermal Tazer are required to stun the first, and then both grab cover while the grey-brown isn't looking at them.

Across the way, Polpolion goes down with an alien weapon round in the gut from his opponent of the last few turns. CommanderDJ and BloodEagle both put six rounds downrange to try and kill the alien, but only BloodEagle strikes home; the single round was exceptionally well-aimed, as it suffices where other times the Jet Harpoon has required three shots.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lastone-1.png)

BlueFlames manages to sneak up behind the grey-brown one while it checks on its compatriot and Thermal Tazes it in the ass. A final alien, one of the grey-brown ones, ducks out to check on the alien BloodEagle just killed, then charges back behind a large group of crates. CommanderDJ, unwilling to risk more HLPX-COM lives pursuing it, elects to sacrifice the dead alien's corpse and tosses a grenade. He gets his kill.

Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/missioncomplete-2.png)

All four stunned aliens are apparently different; a squad leader, a techie, soldier, and a terrorist. It's not a bad haul for a first mission.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: pecenipicek on May 09, 2012, 11:40:58 pm
better start than my first ufo:ai mission... :D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 09, 2012, 11:42:40 pm
Poor Sandwich. :(
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 09, 2012, 11:51:18 pm
Nothing like a toasted Sandwich just two steps outside the Triton's door. Welcome to HLPX-COM 2.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Rodo on May 10, 2012, 12:00:48 am
 :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 10, 2012, 12:09:36 am
thisgonbegood.gif
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 10, 2012, 12:28:29 am
I'm shaping up to be another cool alien killer like last round.  Now I've jinxed myself by saying this. :(
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 12:38:25 am
I'm shaping up to be another cool alien killer like last round.  Now I've jinxed myself by saying this. :(

You spoke truer than you knew. But then, you were already dead by the time you posted this, so perhaps not.



After our first interception missed making contact due to losing the target while the Barracuda was vectoring out, we detected an alien sub on the bottom very close to our base. Barracuda 1 and Scotty arrived to conduct hold-down operations quickly, and Triton 1 was close behind.

Fortunately, we got in replacements. Please welcome Goober5000 and watsisname to the squad. Talon 1024 and Scourge of Ages have been issued the Gas Cannon that formerly belonged to Sandwhich and Polpolion.

We've landed in an area of volcanic activity. First person to put their foot in lava or superheated water gets to walk home.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/blacksmokers.png)

First contact and first hit are Goober's, but it takes another shot fired by BlueFlames to actually put the alien down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/scratchone.png)

Goober5000 did not survive his first two turns. An alien ambushed him and killed him, before ducking into cover. BlueFlames responds with a grenade. Grenades underwater, you say? Remember your streetlight poles in the First Alien War: Physics is a lie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/grenade.png)
He takes cover and moments later the alien is blasted, but stills stands.

It then fires twice at the tank. One misses over. One is a solid hit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/beholdspoonswrath.png)
DO NOT **** WITH HLPX-COM TANKS. Spoon fires a reaction shot to blow the **** out of him.

We've located the enemy craft. It's quite small; probably less internal space than a Medium Scout, to be honest.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/smallufo.png)

CommanderDJ decides he wants to walk home. Without feet.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/commander.png)

An alien ducks out and fires, inaccurately, at SpardaSon. He fires back, also inaccurately, before it hides in the UFO again. Meanwhile, CommanderDJ has discovered something fascinating: Physics is even more of a lie than we thought. Convection does not exist, and one may stand on lava without harm.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/commander2.png)

Efforts to close in rapidly are to no avail; SpardaSon, only just promoted to Ensign, takes a round in the head. Even if he could have survived it, at this depth the breach in his suit was instantly lethal.

Another alien advances and takes a round from watsisname, who was buddied with SpardaSon. It spins around to try and escape, and freezes in place to discover something it did not expect: CommanderDJ and BlueFlames are lurking almost immediately next to the door and right behind it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/HELLO.png)
CommanderDJ brings it down with an auto burst.

The first UFO breach of the Second Alien War does not go well. Talon 1024 leads, firing a solid Gas Cannon round into one alien. It survives and returns a round to kill him. MP-Ryan is next through the door. He kills the alien Talon wounded, then fires a snapshot at the second alien.

He misses.

And hits the alien submarine's engine, killing the second alien with its explosion. Mission Complete. We lost more people taking a single small UFO then in a terror raid.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mission2complete.png)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 10, 2012, 12:59:13 am
You know, that lava looks strangely like sulfur dioxide...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 10, 2012, 01:09:54 am
Take that, physics!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 10, 2012, 01:27:42 am
Goober5000 did not survive his first two turns. An alien ambushed him and killed him, before ducking into cover.
Boo. :(  Oh well, at least I legitimately got killed by enemy fire this time. :p  And I thank Spoon for avenging my death. :yes:

I'll request that Goober5001 be brought up for active duty.  BUT before you hire him, you have to hire Sandwich -- I don't know who this "Sandwhich" guy was that managed to hijack his spot.  Good riddance he got killed right outside the doorway.  The real Sandwich gives Serious Sam a run for his money.  I recommend making him a sniper armed with a Torpedo Launcher or something similarly devastating.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 01:30:32 am
I made the mistake of showing the first thread to some friends, and now I'm getting requests for soldiering from off-site.

:wtf:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 10, 2012, 01:33:31 am
I made the mistake of showing the first thread to some friends, and now I'm getting requests for soldiering from off-site.

:wtf:

HLPX-COM is a huge hit!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 10, 2012, 01:44:04 am
Ah, I know what happened to all the physics. I sort of bet them in a game of poker I had with some snakemen who stayed after the first war.

Suffice to say, those guys have some serious poker faces.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 10, 2012, 01:53:56 am
Good to see Spoonzer Elite staying true to his name. :yes:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Hades on May 10, 2012, 01:54:38 am
Sign me up as well :>
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 10, 2012, 02:08:27 am
2 death per mission? This does not bode to well.
But at least that means I should get on the team in the enxt mission or so.....


And damn Goober, you are frighteningly consistent.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 10, 2012, 02:16:59 am
On the upside, Goober couldn't evolve into PyroGoober what with being underwater and all. :U
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 02:30:24 am
On the upside, Goober couldn't evolve into PyroGoober what with being underwater and all. :U

You can fire Incendiary ammo underwater. It even burns for a turn.

I'm not sure why you'd want to unless you're exploiting the incendiary damage processing bug. But you can.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 10, 2012, 02:50:28 am
On the upside, Goober couldn't evolve into PyroGoober what with being underwater and all. :U

You can fire Incendiary ammo underwater. It even burns for a turn.

I'm not sure why you'd want to unless you're exploiting the incendiary damage processing bug. But you can.

physics and chemistry both weep

Then again, underwater lava flows you can walk on, so I shouldn't be surprised!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 10, 2012, 05:25:53 am
Natzi HLP science SNEERS at thermodynamics!

http://irregularwebcomic.wikia.com/wiki/Nazi_science
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Veers on May 10, 2012, 06:42:11 am
Count me in again please :)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Colonol Dekker on May 10, 2012, 06:51:19 am
As if i needed to ask.

Me please.

Any slot.


One of my driving mantras..............ANY SLOT >:D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 10, 2012, 09:18:47 am
Count me in again please :)

OHGODNO!!!   :shaking:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Turambar on May 10, 2012, 10:59:40 am
I volunteer to be uploaded to the next X-COM sea tank
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 10, 2012, 11:59:34 am
Quote
MP-Ryan is next through the door. He kills the alien Talon wounded, then fires a snapshot at the second alien.

He misses.

And hits the alien submarine's engine, killing the second alien with its explosion.

That wasn't a miss, that was situational awareness.

=)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 10, 2012, 01:54:03 pm
Das Spoon? (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSxBLRs7c-c&feature=relmfu)
  :lol:

Good to see Spoonzer Elite staying true to his name. :yes:
  :yes:

Boo. :(  Oh well, at least I legitimately got killed by enemy fire this time. :p  And I thank Spoon for avenging my death. :yes:
I didn't even noticed you dying, I just reaction fired on that smug shooting at me.  :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 01:58:33 pm
You can learn a bit more about my thoughts at any given moment by what I named the pic. Assuming it makes sense.

That one, for example, is "beholdspoonswrath".
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 02:06:40 pm
Also I should note the game spends a lot of time making hideous spitting noises that are probably related to the encapsulated version of dosbox acting up, but...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 10, 2012, 02:18:18 pm
Also I should note the game spends a lot of time making hideous spitting noises that are probably related to the encapsulated version of dosbox acting up, but...

I noticed that too, I thought it was just my laptop. Eventually I just disabled the music. Sound works fine though.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 10, 2012, 02:20:51 pm
I request that SpardaSon22 be cloned for the sole purpose of avenging SpardaSon21's death.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 03:10:10 pm
I am about three seconds from frothing-at-the-mouth incoherent rage over the Jet Harpoon.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 10, 2012, 04:28:16 pm
I am about three seconds from frothing-at-the-mouth incoherent rage over the Jet Harpoon.

Even worse then the XCOM Rifle?

Couldn't you just ask your scientists to adapt the XCOM Rifle for underwater use, using compressed gas as propellent?  :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 10, 2012, 05:01:59 pm
I am about three seconds from frothing-at-the-mouth incoherent rage over the Jet Harpoon.

Looks like I've had some luck with it, in the first two missions, by sneaking up behind my target, putting the muzzle of the gun to the alien's torso, and holding the trigger down, until the magazine is empty....and then repeatedly tazing the body, until its innards are cooked well-done.  I imagine that's the kind of thoroughness that the funding nations appreciate in a soldier.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Ravenholme on May 10, 2012, 05:15:03 pm
I was discussing TFTD the other day with an equally nerdy zoology student friend of mine, and the Jet Harpoon being a crappy POS is always the first thing that comes up after we get done talking about the related thing that got us onto the topic.

Frothing, incoherent rage!

And then we loaded up DOSbox from his USB stick and gave it a go in the computing labs >__>
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 05:24:19 pm
We missed our second sub, as it outran Barracuda 2 and FireSpawn when it came off the bottom, and Triton 1 did not arrive in time.

Our good news is that we're planning to exploit a new weapons' market, much as we did the last time, in Gauss weaponry, and we've gotten in replacements: Mongoose, KyadCK, and by special offsite request via Steam, Jack Folstam.

At the moment Triton-1 is at its cruising depth of 1000 feet, in route to the Canary Islands where an alien attack has been reported. We're landing in darkness, unfortunately. Flares and IC rounds are issued.

There are some nice little resort houses here. Those will have to be checked. The good news is the windows aren't ones you can fire through easily.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/resorthouses.png)

BlueFlames sets an alien on fire, but Kyad brings it down with a couple of Jet Harpoon shots (out of six). It's the reptile men again. Others are reported to the north. Another to the southwest, apparently unarmed. KyadCK empties the remaining four rounds in his Jet Harpoon at it for one hit and no visible effect. Watsisname and Jack both take careful aim and then miss. Goddamn it, Jet Harpoon!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/****ingworthlessguns.png)

StarSlayer spots an alien and shoots it in the side with a reaction shot. It ducks for cover, but he pursues. It takes two of his autoshot rounds to bring it down after the first one misses. (Yes, at this range. **** these guns forever.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/****youforever.png)

Meanwhile, Kyad reloads and fires, and along with Jack and watsisname misses an aimed shot at their own alien. The ****er who designed these things better also jump in front of an alien weapon rather than let me catch them. Watsisname finally brings it down next turn after Kyad and Jack both miss again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/final****you.png)

BloodEagle enters a house, kills the occupying grey-brown alien, and exits the same way.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/inandout.png)

Vacation-goers. Eyes off the swimsuits, people, unless you want to literally lose your head.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/swimsuits.png)

Shots are taken at StarSlayer and the tank. This alien wins top marks for sneaky, having hidden on the top floor of the house, but scores very poorly on target selection since it saw Mongoose and BloodEagle and then turned to fire at a civilian instead. (Though it did kill her.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hechosepoorly.png)
It took all three rounds of an auto burst from Bloodeagle to bring them down.

StarSlayer spots an alien on the roof of the hotel and though he gets a hit, fails to bring it down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/snipa.png)

Oh and there's another inside the hotel.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lurklurk.png)

Another emerges from the back of the hotel while more shots are taken at the Tank, or StarSlayer. Jack, on the opposite side of the map, has an alien fire a pair of inaccurate rifle shots at him; next to it is another of the gray-brown ones. Jack hits the rifleman once, Kyad hits the other. Watsisname throws a collection of clean misses. BlueFlames, whose incendiary rounds burn oddly yellow all things considered, contributes by setting the rifle-wielding alien on fire. But it's MP-Ryan who gets the kill, emerging from behind one of the resort houses to fire enfilade.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/MPRyan.png)

The alien on top of the hotel goes down with a second round sticking out of its head, this one from Scourge of Ages.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deadsnipa.png)

BloodEagle throws a grenade northward while Scourge of Ages engages the alien which came out of the back of the hotel. Neither gets a perfect shot, although BloodEagle at least did not need to. Scourge of Ages takes cover. The alien fires...but at the tank. They really don't like tanks.

Jack gets his first kill, bringing down the second alien that he spotted after it attempts to flee.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/shotintheback.png)

BloodEagle's grenade does its work effectively.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/grenaded.png)

A couple of snapshots from StarSlayer and Scourge of Ages take down the one that came out of the hotel.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hotelnotell.png)

Mongoose blasts open the hotel for Scourge of Ages to take a few shots at the alien inside. One hits, but it's not enough. It tries to hide as BloodEagle also takes it under fire. Mongoose is having none of its bull**** and follows up with a second HE round that blasts wooden shrapnel everywhere, from the size of a toothpick to the nice arm-sized chunk currently embedded in the alien's chest.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/remodelling.png)

It is not open bar! This one took a pair of shots, one from watsisname (who fired carefully past MP-Ryan) and one from MP-Ryan, and stayed standing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/notopenbar.png)

An alien on the second level of the hotel blew itself a hole to throw through and then tossed a grenade at Kyad's feet. Despite the fact several people were in the theoritical blast radius (actually, I count three), quirks of terrain shielded two of them. But not Kyad. The alien MP-Ryan was facing didn't attack but fled into the dining area. He pursued and brought it down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hotpursuit.png)

Scourge of Ages finds the alien which killed Kyad. He fires two good rounds, but it takes two more from StarSlayer to finish the job. Jack Folstam locates the another pair of grey-browns, one ducking in and out of a bunkerlike structure, one in the open. Four shots at the one in the open get only one hit, and this isn't one of the total wimp grey-browns. BlueFlames misses with an HE round, but follows with another next turn that actually does the job even if it was short by half a meter.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/shortbutgood.png)

BlueFlames then brings down the ducker with a reaction shot. He also notices the Moai. Why are there Moai on the Canary Islands? Well, apparently history is a lie too.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/moailie.png)

MP-Ryan finds the last one deep inside the bunker.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bunkher.png)

Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mission3complete.png)

We initially didn't intend to issue Gauss weaponry and instead wait for alien-tech guns, but after this fiasco the immediate production and issuing of Gauss Rifles has been mandated. (Which is just as well, as we didn't have enough Jet Harpoon ammo to fully rearm when we returned to base.) We're also going to switch over to alien grenades shortly following the failure of the Magnablast thrown at Goober's killer to do the job.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: deathfun on May 10, 2012, 05:40:12 pm
These HLPX-COM operatives are dropping like flies
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 05:54:15 pm
It's kind of perverse, but there's a lot more garbage clogging the sight lines underwater than there is on land a lot of the time. If I can see them, the odds are I can protect my troopers from them, so open terrain favors us most of the time.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 10, 2012, 06:23:02 pm
I'd like to requisition the AirWolf team to install an upgrade for my barracuda. A turbine booster will work wonders on my ability to catch those fish rogering intersolar foreigners!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: KyadCK on May 10, 2012, 06:30:39 pm
Sigh... that sucks. Was there enough left for cloning?

Also, the hell happened to plasma weps? Back in the first war we could fly, we could take hits from just about anything, we didnt have crappy guns, and we sure as hell showed the doors who's boss back then too. :hopping: Damn politicians were probably getting on our ass about how its not politically correct to just gun down a door... 
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 10, 2012, 06:34:00 pm
Holy ****, stop shooting at my (uglyashell) tank! Get off mah planet (again) alien scumbugs! (or bags)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 06:46:50 pm
And China just derped out on us and signed a pact with aliens. They're not even operating near the base so we can intercept them, and...yeah.

At this point I'm really not optimistic about this goddamn game.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 06:56:03 pm
Terror attack in Bombay. Mount up folks, we'll be landing in daylight.

We're still short on accuracy, but as BlueFlames and StarSlayer demonstrated here by killing two aliens bracketing a civlian, not on stopping power.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bracket.png)

It took us quite a few shots to bring down this guy; BlueFlames fired four, Mongoose one, and mxlm four, but Jack finally brought it down with his second.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/cranegame2.png)

This one took a round to the face from BlueFlames, quick and clean for once.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/oneshot.png)

This one on the other hand required aimed fire from about five people to drop, with the final shot going to BloodEagle.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/likeaneagle.png)

Jack kills an alien, and a forklift, real good. He's lucky the forklift blowing up didn't hurt him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/realgood.png)

BlueFlames makes the first combat use of the alien Sonic Pulser. Over the fence, into the yard, detonation in three...two...one...it's good!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/itsgood.png)

mxlm makes his own first kill checking a disused train depot.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mxlmkills.png)

Mongoose responds to the movement of multiple aliens south of him with another Sonic Pulser and calls for backup. He gets one kill with grenade; the other was out of the blast radius and rushes up to meet Jack, who shoots it in the face. Another emerges from the flames caused by BlueFlames' earlier Sonic Pulser and fires at Jack, but misses. Jack has time to note that the alien is itself on fire. Scourge of Ages spots another offering support and brings it down with an HE round, before Jack kills the one on fire.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/itsamassacre-1.png)

mxlm, turning to engage aliens spotted on the second level of the train depot by BloodEagle, hits one, then the other, with an auto burst. But he only kills one of them. He resigns himself to a quick death.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/quickdeath.png)

It does not happen. Impossibly, the enemy trooper panics and drops his weapon. mxlm gets his third kill of the mission.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/isaytheenay.png)

Mission Complete. Once again, I'm not sure where we killed a civvie.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mission4complete.png)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 10, 2012, 07:01:37 pm
Question: do you have an established marching order that you're moving us out of the vehicle?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 07:06:20 pm
Sorta. The tank goes first, then the people tucked behind it, and then the other eight move out in their order of who's closest to the door. The game determines where you stand when the Triton lands and I don't have much control over that.

Also!

Gauss tech is based on the alien plasma weapons of the first war. Even forty years later, with active mining on Mars,  Elerium is an incredibly precious resource. Its use in military applications is strictly forbidden, particularly after we declassified what you can do with an Elerium-boosted nuke. Replacement technologies had to be pursued.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/gaussrifle.png)

Alien weapons technology is based upon directed soundwaves. It's a fairly well-adapted method of fighting underwater, and they're extremely powerful. They don't work as well on land, but they're still effective and the screeching they make when they fire is hard to forget. Sonic Pulsers are an omnidirectional application of this technology with over twice the lethal radius of our grenades.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/pulser.png)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 10, 2012, 07:18:26 pm
Quote
Mission Complete. Once again, I'm not sure where we killed a civvie.

Might've been one of the grenades?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 10, 2012, 07:21:03 pm
What's the squad composition look like?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 07:23:43 pm
And then I lost the whole squad to Tasoths from ****ing nowhere on my sixth mission and there were ****ing Triscenes and Nautoloids and SCOURGE I'D LIKE TO EXTEND A SPECIAL **** YOU for suggesting I play this on Superhuman.

Seriously. Scourge of Ages himself was damn near untouchable, kept his cool to the end as last man standing, but I couldn't pull this out.

THE ALIENS MAY CONQUER EARTH, BUT I CAN RESTART THIS GODDAMN GAME AT A LOWER DIFFICULTY.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: General Battuta on May 10, 2012, 07:25:47 pm
were you seriously playing tftd on something other than beginner!?

don't DO that
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 07:26:28 pm
Indeed I was.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 10, 2012, 07:34:19 pm
Indeed I was.

(http://media.comicbookmovie.com/images/users/uploads/28535/butthurt.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 10, 2012, 07:39:55 pm
The shame is eternal!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 07:41:13 pm
I haven't actually seen the game lost movie, yet, but I'm pretty sure it's coming.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 10, 2012, 07:43:14 pm
ROFL! Sorry, about that I guess. Pretty awesome way to go out though. Tasoths. That's harsh.

Even though we all died, I'd still like to say:
I am the greatest! I am untouch-  :beamz:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 07:49:12 pm
Okay, so. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rz2zQ2u2Zmo)

Once more, from the top, tomorrow.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 10, 2012, 07:51:32 pm
I'd be okay with that as long as I'm still an Interceptor/Barracuda pilot.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 10, 2012, 07:52:07 pm
/me patches the holes in his swimmies with duct tape

Well I suppose I'll put in for round deuce.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 07:52:25 pm
I'm just going to keep everyone from the pre-total party kill era for the new game, honestly. Still got the list.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: General Battuta on May 10, 2012, 07:57:36 pm
I think you missed a chance for a good trick explaining how the events of UFO Defense led to TFTD and exactly what kind of threat we're dealing with.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 07:59:41 pm
Possibly. But then I'm really not supposed to know that yet.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 10, 2012, 08:12:46 pm
You LOST?
(http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/272/014/e6a.jpg)

Ah well. From the beginning, then! I demand to be the first to discover non-existent convection! I was going to have it named after me and everything.
Title: The Stars Are Right
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 10, 2012, 09:07:33 pm
So what happened?

Squad One was en route from WestLant to a ship attack when, for no apparent reason, all their guns and gear morphed back into the stuff they previously had, and they all felt as though someone had crossed their graves.

MechaCthulhu rose with his lost city and destroyed the race of men-But then he thought that was mighty boring and hit the reset button.

Triton 1, touching down for UFO recovery in the Grand Banks after Scotty shot it down.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 11, 2012, 01:44:54 am
Don't forget me!
As soon as a spot opens up among the groundwater-pounders I want in.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: ZekeSulastin on May 11, 2012, 02:55:21 am
I want to die horriblysave da world!  Sign me up for pretty much anything that's open :)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 11, 2012, 03:08:14 am
Let's get this (new) party started!

(http://www.store-rooms.com/Image.aspx?src=300_sku2209.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Grizzly on May 11, 2012, 05:55:34 am
I wish to sign up as well.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Madcat on May 11, 2012, 06:26:31 am
My wish to sign up still stands!
Especially now after that tragic failuregritty action on the first run.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: jr2 on May 11, 2012, 07:01:26 am
Where/whenever you need me, toss me in.  :nod:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: esarai on May 11, 2012, 10:51:34 am
I'm reenlisting!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: IronBeer on May 11, 2012, 12:00:07 pm
I'm reenlisting!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Talon 1024 on May 11, 2012, 12:04:21 pm
Me too.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: KyadCK on May 11, 2012, 12:06:47 pm
I'm reenlisting!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 11, 2012, 01:13:26 pm
I'm going to enlist too. Maybe with some field experience I can let the engineering department know why we hate the jet harpoon so. (Maybe with a live-fire demonstration).
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 11, 2012, 01:19:27 pm
I'm in.  Again.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Gortef on May 11, 2012, 02:38:44 pm
As I said already on the other TFTD topic by Scourge:

"Sign me up. I can be anything; Rifleman, Heavy... corpse. I'm not that picky."
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Rhymes on May 11, 2012, 02:58:41 pm
I'll volunteer myself for whatever you need: driver, demolitions, meat-shield, that guy that gets the coffee, whatever.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 11, 2012, 04:17:00 pm
Peace, you're all still on the list from the first time. Well, except Gortef, and he is now. I'm in the hunt-the-last-alien portion of the mission now, and it promises to be a pain in the ass, so this could take an hour or two.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Kobrar44 on May 11, 2012, 04:25:51 pm
I'm in the hunt-the-last-alien portion of the mission now, and it promises to be a pain in the ass, so this could take an hour or two.

Just BURN AAAAAAAAAALL THE THINGS!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 11, 2012, 04:43:54 pm
With what, Jet Harpoons?

There is one major change this time, involving the tank. The Aquajet's low ammo supply basically meant I didn't use it for fear of needing it later, so we went to...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/colincathy.png)

There have been a number of reports of commercial aircraft lost in this area. The UFO was in fact maneuvering to stalk an airliner when it was abruptly bounced by Scotty and FireSpawn and shot down by both of them in concert. (The actual kill goes to Scotty, but both fired.)

"Contact, looks like...THAT'S A SECTOID!" Spoon remembers well the enemies of the First War.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/secccccctoiiiidddds.png)

mxlm and Bloodeagle manage to kill it with splash damage that penetrates rents in the thin aluminum skin of the airliner.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/secccccctoiiiidddds2.png)

The enemy UFO is fairly large, comparable in size to a Large Scout.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/largescout.png)

The planes are surprisingly intact considering we think the aliens brought them down. Actually, they're just surprisingly intact in general; they should have pancaked or shredded when they hit the water. No sign of human remains, but jg18 reports the engines still read as active and there is movement inside them. They'll have to be checked out.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/daplane.png)

BlueFlames and Jack enter the plane. An alien throws a grenade and is taken down by BlueFlames; the grenade lands on the top level of the plane above them and blows the hell out of First Class, but does nothing to the soldiers.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/firstclassisdead.png)

Scourge of Ages locates another on the other side of the UFO. “Sectoids, confirming Sectoids!”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sectoids3.png)

Then he tries to kill it. He gets a hit, but Mongoose has to bring it down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dascourge.png)

What's this bit? I'm not sure, but I think it might be the rear end of the airplane. It's weird, it's like somebody cut it into neat chunks and then transported it to the seabed very carefully. Then we showed up to blow it all up with grenades.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/backend.png)

Like MP-Ryan did to this guy.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/grenadetag.png)

There was an alien right inside this door, but CommanderDJ killed it. More doors. We're gonna need more people to handle this.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/doors-1.png)

The second opening of the door reveals a second alien. It too experiences warm greetings from CommanderDJ. The advance continues. Note, please, the placement of StarSlayer and watsisname. It's actually important, as it gives you the ability to see into the final compartment without moving there. Looks clear...but probably isn't. Aliens can actually hide in apparent line-of-sight in TFTD
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/looksclear.png)

It is clear. The last one is hiding somewhere. TFTD increased ground clutter and map size both, so hunt-the-last-alien isn't uncommon. The ship is empty. Internal layout is pretty complex, but it must have paid off; despite taking several torpedo hits the ship appears to be structurally intact and no systems have obvious damage. While the recovery crew will be happy, this means we might have to pull the kill if the aliens actually bottomed to try and hide from the Barracudas. They wouldn't be the first people to go to the bottom and silent to try and hide a sub.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/intact-1.png)

watsisname checks out the cockpit section. You know, this is a weird airliner.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wierdplane.png)

And the last alien was...hiding in the bathroom. BlueFlames, disgusted by its efforts to use the sink as a toilet, opens fire.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/foundyou.png)

Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/missionreallycomplete.png)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 11, 2012, 04:49:04 pm
Squad composition ("*" indicates the ability to carry heavy weapons)

BlueFlames, Able Seaman
Scourge of Ages, Able Seaman
BloodEagle, Able Seaman *
CommanderDJ, Able Seaman
MPRyan, Ensign
StarSlayer, Able Seaman
watsisname, Seaman
Mongoose, Ensign
Jack Folstam, Seaman
mxlm, Able Seaman *

Currently everyone is armed with a grenade, and the event of night combat a flare. Since we only have two heavy-weapons troopers the assignment of our two Gas Cannon is obvious; one clip AP and two HE for daylight operations, additional clip of white phosphorous rounds for night.

Riflemen have a Jet Harpoon and two clips plus a Thermal Tazer for CQC. We're hoping to trade them for Gauss weapons late this month or early next.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Droid803 on May 11, 2012, 05:23:57 pm
Hell why not, sign me up.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 11, 2012, 05:36:03 pm
You know, that UFO kinda looks like...  :wtf:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 11, 2012, 05:45:25 pm
You know, that UFO kinda looks like...  :wtf:

Ah, the grand HLP penisquest! Actually, though, if you look at where the engines are, the door's on the front.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 11, 2012, 06:02:45 pm
You know, that UFO kinda looks like...  :wtf:

Steve Irwin's murderer?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 11, 2012, 06:09:34 pm
Steve Irwin's murderer?

It's a little-known fact that Steve Irwin was actually killed by aliens.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 11, 2012, 06:45:25 pm
Steve Irwin's murderer?

It's a little-known fact that Steve Irwin was actually killed by aliens.

The bastards!
I loved watching that crazy Aussie poke angry animals with a stick, and they took that away from me! Load my Barracuda with napalm and point me to the nearest alien orphanage.  :mad2:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 11, 2012, 07:08:59 pm
Quote
And the last alien was...hiding in the bathroom. BlueFlames, disgusted by its efforts to use the sink as a toilet, opens fire.

Grotesque, alien scum!  ****ting in the sink is an exclusively human passtime!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 11, 2012, 07:13:46 pm
Quote
There is one major change this time, involving the tank. The Aquajet's low ammo supply basically meant I didn't use it for fear of needing it later, so we went to...
Time to spray and pray!

You know, that UFO kinda looks like...  :wtf:
I bet Trashman modelled it.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 12, 2012, 01:50:25 am
Welcome to the Tanaga Islands, where an alien attack is currently in progress, and so is our response. We weren't able to get enough Gauss ammo to equip everyone, so two people (Jack and mxlm; there were screwups in weapons issue too) still have Jet Harpoons.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tanagaislands.png)

Do not **** with tanks, dammit!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/donot****tanks.png)

Scourge of Ages, preparing to enter the hotel, meets this alien. It does not survive.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/backdoor.png)

Despite six people shooting at this alien, the only person who hit it was mxlm, who had a Jet Harpoon and didn't kill it with one hit. Yes, that's right, all you Gauss Rifle jockeys blew it and got shown up by somebody with the ****tiest gun in X-COM that can still be considered an actual gun. Spoon had to clean up after it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/cleanup.png)

Nice hotel, got a sauna for some reason and a beachfront, an alien in the closet-wait that's not supposed to be there, kill it Scourge!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/saunaalien.png)
Not that there's anything wrong with being in the closet, unless you're an alien.

This guy came from nowhere, not as much as the Demented Fuzzy Shivan on the ramp, but the tank or someone should have spotted him. He also went to nowhere. I'm not even sure he fired. BlueFlames did, though, and got him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nowhereman.png)

Bloodeagle gets a kill. watsisname spotted, but he's barely able to move under the weight of the Gas Cannon he ended up with, so his moving around makes it hard for him to shoot things.

Jack and his Jet Harpoon welcome you!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/greetingsfromearth.png)

One more for the Spoonzer. I should note that it takes more than one shot even for the tank sometimes, but not this one after Spoon put the shot into this guy's forehead.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/spoonzer-1.png)

*screech of surprise* “Sorry ma'am!”
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mpyran.png)

One for watsisname, now that he's finally gotten to a good overwatch position.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/watsisit.png)

BloodEagle runs up and stuns an alien inside the large bunker thing. Normally by now this thing has cost me a soldier, but for some reason the alien didn't try to engage BloodEagle when it ducked out a few moments ago.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/stunna.png)
Does anybody know what this damn bunker is even supposed to be? It's not a real bunker, no fire ports, and while the jigger in there does suggest that it's designed to protect against explosions this is a freaking resort. In the Tanaga Islands. Wherever those are. (Apparently near New Zealand from the end-mission location of Triton 1.)

Another for mxlm with his Jet Harpoon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mxlmthedestroyer.png)

That was somebody's wife, you fiend! Killing people in the honeymoon suite! CommanderDJ will avenge them!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thelastdj.png)

watsisname hits another, but apparently even the Gas Cannon AP round isn't gutsy enough to ensure a kill as we saw with Talon 1024's death back in the other attempt.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/watsisit2.png)
mxlm finishes it off. Damn Gauss people, you're getting dissed here.

Mongoose spots the last one in an area that's technically still dark (spotting is weird in TFTD) and blasts it with an HE round. Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/watsisname.png)

An alien ship buzzed the base while the team was out, then outran pursuit. Fortunately nothing came of it.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 12, 2012, 01:59:43 am
Also, FireSpawn is in need of more time in the Barracuda simulator, as he managed to go Winchester on Barracuda 2 without downing a small alien sub. It was pure luck that the sub stayed in the area long enough for Barracuda 1 and Scotty to vector out, acquire on their own sensors since it had passed out of base sensor range, and make intercept.

Triton 1 launched as well at about the same time Barracuda 1 did. jg18 should deliver the team in daylight to an area just off the continental shelf of Africa in the South Atlantic.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/inbound2.png)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 12, 2012, 03:59:18 am
The unfortunates who have Jet Harpoons (or maybe fortunate if mxlm is any indication) this time are Mongoose, who is to be commended for not hogging the good gear despite being an officer, and Jack Folstam again.

Bottom conditions include disused wellheads and signs of dumping. Things have hit the bottom in small clusters or singly, kicking up mounds around them and partially burying themselves. No sign it's due to an organized effort or the destruction of a ship. And I don't think the UFO was dumping barrels out the back as it went down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bottomconditions.png)

Jack hits this one but the Jet Harpoon is still the Jet Harpoon, and Scourge has to finish it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hijacked.png)

Mxlm, freed of concerns about civilian causalities and given his proper weapon, opens up on this alien with HE. It's a direct hit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mxlmthereturn.png)

More fodder for mxlm. The ease of the game is starting to concern me, but at least there's stuff to intercept now.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/morefodder.png)

The dumping hasn't complete destroyed the environment here, we're starting to encounter small amounts of coral in little forests. Still no sign of the UFO. TFTD is actually a very visually appealing game for its era; I'm hoping we'll get some of the shipwreck or underwater ruins terrain to show that off eventually.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/forests.png)

Several turns, once the limits of the battlescape have been established, are spent organizing into a proper sweep formation. The effort is somewhat wasted as the northernmost teams have already found the opposite edge lengthwise as well. But then the southern teams report a structure rising from the murk; it's the UFO.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/UFOses.png)

The alien ship initially appeared undamaged, despite a minimum of four torpedo hits. Appearances were deceptive; one of the engines detonated due to damage. Interior damage is impossible to assess from outside.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/damaged.png)

We just lost CommanderDJ and Scourge of Ages to a alien which ducked out of the doorway. Another took a potshot at Jack as he prepared to enter through the hull breach, and is lurking right inside the door. MP-Ryan took down the alien on the exterior. Jack killed the other moments after I took this screenshot.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dammit-1.png)

Mission Complete.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 12, 2012, 07:36:40 am
Nooooooooo. Two Able Seamen down. And I didn't even get to walk in lava again.

Well, whenever a spot frees up feel free to resurrect/clone me.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 12, 2012, 08:13:11 am
You'll have to wait in line for those of us that still havn't died.

Time for me to shine! (Or die horribly and miserably)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 12, 2012, 09:13:29 am
I thought we were all adults here. Can't you guys clean up after yourselves?.
I demand overtime pay for all the extra panzering I had to do.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Backslash on May 12, 2012, 09:27:25 am
Nice, sign me up!  The waiting list is long but you never know how many losses there will be.

Did you switch all the way to Beginner or go for some difficulty in the middle?

TFTD is one I never did finish.  Some of the later two-part missions were LONG.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BloodEagle on May 12, 2012, 10:07:13 am
The alien didn't attack me in the mission before last, because I've been eating the hearts of my kills.  That's how you gain their tasty courage.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 12, 2012, 01:02:19 pm
Who is in the waiting queue currently?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 12, 2012, 01:40:33 pm
Aw, seems I am stoppable after all. My clone will have revenge! When a spot opens up anyway.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 12, 2012, 02:25:47 pm
Who is in the waiting queue currently?

The "ressurection" queue or the normal queue?
For hte normal one, check the first two pages of this thread, as peopled applied in a specific order.
IIRC; I should be next in line.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 12, 2012, 02:55:41 pm
I'm asking NGTM-1R.  I want to see where Sandwich and Goober5001 are on the queue, because there were a lot of names.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 12, 2012, 03:08:48 pm
Dont' you mean Goober5004? If this is a continuation of hte previos LP that is....
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 12, 2012, 03:33:21 pm
No, because the numbering reset (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=80798.msg1607177#msg1607177).
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 12, 2012, 03:35:59 pm
I still claim that's a numbering mistake!
You are Goober5003!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 12, 2012, 05:02:56 pm
Who is in the waiting queue currently?

Second Lifers and Special Offsite Request are tossed in more or less when I feel like it, though I do try to do mainly first-timers in any particular group of recruits. IronBeer and TrashMan are the two I hauled in to replace our most recent losses.

Not Recruited Yet
Akalabeth Angel (or Devil or something)
The E
LordMelvin
The_Force
deathfun
Alex Heartnet
LHN91
Dilmah G
MatthTheGeek
Dragon (reserve pilot)
Kobrar44
pecenipicek
Madcat
Ravenholme
Col. Fishguts
Rhymes_With_PSYCHO
Hades
Veers
Dekker
Turambar (reserve tanks)
Gortef
ZekeSulstain (who is only on this portion because he registered to make the request here)
Backslash

Second Lifers
Goober5001
Sandwich
SpardaSon22
CommanderDJ 2.0
Scourge of Rages

Special Offsite Request
Argenteus a.k.a. Fox
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 13, 2012, 05:27:14 am
Unles you start playing relaly bad, the waiting list will be longer than a rollign stones concert one.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 13, 2012, 09:30:55 am
I got the impression that XCOM is a meatgrinder for new recruits, though.  On any given mission the odds of a squad member dying is pretty good.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 13, 2012, 12:02:36 pm
Also I should note the game spends a lot of time making hideous spitting noises that are probably related to the encapsulated version of dosbox acting up, but...

Hi again! I found this thread, that may help: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2632578
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: ZekeSulastin on May 13, 2012, 02:40:26 pm
ZekeSulstain (who is only on this portion because he registered to make the request here)

I resent your implications! >:@

1) You fail at spelling
2) My first post was actually over in the Dimensional Eclipse thread, as noted in that post; in fact the post in here was my 6th!
3) At least I actually posted here with a forum account unlike SOME people on your team!

*wanders off to make a mission involving destroying the SJ NGTM-1R after more futzing with libx52pro/stickshift*
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 13, 2012, 04:14:06 pm
*ZekeSulastin was shortly afterwards eaten by a Xarquid*  :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 13, 2012, 06:01:27 pm
Barracudas 1 and 2 intercepted a Large UFO in the mid-Atlantic between Africa. The good news is both survived. The bad news is they scored only one hit. The very bad news is that FireSpawn returned to base in the single most damaged Barracuda anyone has ever seen, with one side of the craft simply gone, and Scotty came back with most of his control systems shot and a large hole through the craft where the secondary crew position normally is.

The UFO got through. It has landed on Ascension Island. They hit a resort. Why they'd hit a resort on Ascension when there's RAF Asencision Island, an ESA rocket tracking station, the BBC's major relay for the Atlantic, and one of five ground stations that help operate GPS, I don't know.

In fact why the **** is there even a resort? Ascension was actually the stone frigate “HMS Ascension” and a direct property of the Royal Navy until 1922. Commercial air travel was only inaugurated in 2003 with a cap of six flights a year. Ascension is a dismal place, a volcanic cinder. It doesn't even have native trees, most plant life is imported. The largest native animal is a eleven-centimeter wide land crab.

Anyways, there's a sniper on top of the hotel. We can't get a direct line of sight at him, and mxlm can't reach him with a grenade for some reason. (The game is *****y about the battlescape not only having walls, but also a ceiling which can't be thrown through.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/snipa-1.png)

I'm mainly just hoping he doesn't drop a grenade over the edge.

Our vacationers this time are overweight guys in swim trunks. Do the aliens just hit homosexuals-only resorts? Do they somehow project a field that causes people of one sex to be unable to flee the area? The world may never know.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/vacationers.png)

StarSlayer spots the first alien we can actually engage. He misses, and TrashMan gets his first kill instead. For some reason it was buried up to its waist and when it died it disappeared below ground level. Yeah, explain that to me.

Mongoose, in turn, is the first person to get a good line of sight at the green guy and his giant Sonic Penis Joke Waiting To Happen. He fires...and misses. But somehow the alien never wakes up to incoming fire and even turns around and looks without shooting. Mongoose gets him next turn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/snipethis.png)

BlueFlames climbs the stairs and discovers he was lucky not to be shot in the back. Possibly because the alien wasted all its TUs trying to kill a civilian and failing. He kills it. Meanwhile outside, MP-Ryan has the grass under his feet blown away by a Sonic Cannon round as he advances, but it missed. He grabs cover and throws a flare, illuminating the alien for Jack to drop with a center chest shot. Shouldn't have come out of your bunker, buddy.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bunked.png)

The tank spots, and StarSlayer kills, an alien, there's other one is out of everyone's line of sight for some reason. Even the tank, which is the one spotting it. Then when Mongoose does kill it, it disappears beneath ground level. What the ****, TFTD!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/whereismyalien.png)

Missed BlueFlames with a reaction shot, he didn't miss back. Whoops!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nomiss.png)

Would you prefer to meet StarSlayer or an alien in a dark alley? Either way, somebody dies. I thought it would be StarSlayer, when his one hit didn't drop the target, but improbably the alien didn't return fire on its own turn. TFTD is glitchy as hell today. StarSlayer got it on the next turn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/StarSlayer.png)

Aww man stop getting your electrically charged gunk all over the tank! It doesn't work and I don't even want to know what organ it came from.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/spoogingthetank.png)
Then TrashMan shoots the tank in the back while trying to kill the alien. Mongoose takes over and does it correctly with a shot at over forty squares.

Watsisname found an alien. And died, in here, in another bizarre bunker structure. Conjugal visit rooms? World's worst mazes? Created solely to kill my soldiers? I want to know!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/watsisdead.png)

Teleporting again. Might have been dangerous if not for the arcing path the shots from these critters follows meant he shot the ceiling instead of BlueFlames. Ironbeer gets the kill.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/teleportingontorampsagain.png)

So an alien opens the door, sees Jack, and walks away. What. On his own turn, Jack follows and shoots it in the face twice.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/what.png)

Moai make rude gestures.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/rudegestures.png)

mxlm also comes around this corner and gets shot, but falls down unconcious rather than dead. MP-Ryan is next and kills the alien, some green-skinned cock-jockey with a pistol. Then MP-Ryan remembers that mxlm was carrying an armed grenade and just manages to grab it and activate the safety features before it goes off.

Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/completed.png)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 13, 2012, 06:39:42 pm
The very bad news is that FireSpawn returned to base in the single most damaged Barracuda anyone has ever seen, with one side of the craft simply gone, and Scotty came back with most of his control systems shot and a large hole through the craft where the secondary crew position normally is.

The Award of the Mechanic's Nightmare

The award itself was a gray statuette of a HLPX-COM mechanic with a wrench uprased as a weapon. The mechanic's expression was of pure, if silly, rage.


Oh, and thanks for the spotting Spoon!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 13, 2012, 07:01:01 pm
I hope Scotty didn't come back as part of his Barracuda. :nervous:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 13, 2012, 07:30:54 pm
Quote
Then TrashMan shoots the tank in the back while trying to kill the alien.
This again!?  :mad:

Quote
Aww man stop getting your electrically charged gunk all over the tank! It doesn't work and I don't even want to know what organ it came from.
eeww

Oh, and thanks for the spotting Spoon!
my pleasure
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 13, 2012, 08:55:12 pm
Nooooooooooooooo!

My ghost shall haunt the **** out of this accursed bunker on this accursed island. :V

Godspeed, Spoon!  May the electric goo never tarnish your shiny hull!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 13, 2012, 08:55:58 pm
If it's a bunker.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 13, 2012, 09:01:23 pm
If it's a bunker.

Probably something like a wine cellar...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 13, 2012, 09:07:10 pm
The very bad news is that FireSpawn returned to base in the single most damaged Barracuda anyone has ever seen, with one side of the craft simply gone, and Scotty came back with most of his control systems shot and a large hole through the craft where the secondary crew position normally is.

The Award of the Mechanic's Nightmare

The award itself was a gray statuette of a HLPX-COM mechanic with a wrench uprased as a weapon. The mechanic's expression was of pure, if silly, rage.

I get it.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 13, 2012, 09:37:38 pm
If it's a bunker.

hurricane shelter?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: IronBeer on May 13, 2012, 11:56:37 pm
watsisname, I hardly knew ya'. /salute
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on May 14, 2012, 12:07:18 am
If it's a bunker.

Probably something like a wine cellar...

I always assumed those rooms were changing rooms for the beach, or outdoor bathrooms myself.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 14, 2012, 01:25:56 am
Quote
Then TrashMan shoots the tank in the back while trying to kill the alien.
This again!?  :mad:

Yes. And like last time, your karma vodoo will be useless :)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 14, 2012, 02:48:14 am
Back to Tokyo!

One for Spoon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/spooon.png)

Okay, we've got at least four aliens in this area to the north of the LZ, most of which revealed themselves by taking shots, and why they've not managed to kill anyone I don't know. They didn't even get the civvie. Let's start cleaning this stuff up.

Jack hit this one after it took a couple shots at other people and missed them. BlueFlames finished it off.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thereisnogod.png)

IronBeer stunned this one, and Mongoose and Akalabeth killed the two other aliens which were north of that. The greybrown in the yard was also a BlueFlames kill from an earlier turn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thereisnodog.png)

This guy has gone incredibly ****ing grenade happy. See all that smoke? That's him throwing grenades. Why does he does he do this? Some aliens are issued melee weapons and four grenades. But aliens don't actually understand how to use non-innate melee weapons so they throw grenades until they run out and then wander around like idiots. Jack got a hit but BlueFlames had to finish.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/notverybritishgrenadier.png)

Mongoose finds another and offers greetings from Earth.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/antiprotondeath.png)

Who killed that alien? I don't know. I didn't do it. I assume mister pistol here did it, but nobody will ever know because Jack shot it a couple seconds later, followed by StarSlayer blasting down the back wall of the building to get at it for the killshot.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/whokilledgreenie.png)

StarSlayer rejects this alien's claim that he really works here.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ijustworkhere.png)

Mission Complete, and...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lyingbull****game.png)
Wait what? Nobody died! I checked the map for X-COM corpses loading a previous save and couldn't find any. What bull**** lies is this, TFTD?!

I had to compare post-mission and pre-mission Aquanaut rosters. Apparently Akalabeth did not survive his first mission, but I never heard a death scream, much less saw him fall. :confused:

Illumination firing with Gas Cannon wasn't very effective on this map or the last, primarily because they're so cluttered and bumpy. I'll have to reconsider the willy pete. Also, a lack of things to intercept is worrying me, so at this point we're putting up another base off of Japan in the hopes of being able to spot and attack more alien ships.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 14, 2012, 05:10:17 am
I did a similar "Wait, what?" before reading your last paragraphs.  Unexplained deaths FTL. :[
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 14, 2012, 06:03:41 am
I am honestly very confused. I assume the alien that Mongoose killed was the one who killed Alakabeth, but as I said I never saw a shot, saw him fall, or heard him cry out...and I'm not sure that alien even had LOS. They don't need it technically, I mentioned the arcing shot they have before, but they need it to target if there are no other living aliens with line of sight. And there were not.

But spotting is ****ed up in TFTD. I've mentioned that too.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 14, 2012, 06:24:26 am
It begins...

And it will keep happening until trashman bites it.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 14, 2012, 06:56:54 am
The very bad news is that FireSpawn returned to base in the single most damaged Barracuda anyone has ever seen, with one side of the craft simply gone, and Scotty came back with most of his control systems shot and a large hole through the craft where the secondary crew position normally is.

Those alien pilots are insane! That thing just came swooping out of nowhere. If it wasn't Scotty screaming "DIVE! DIVE! DIVE! HIT YOUR BURNERS PILOT!" over the comms, it would be all of my Barracuda smeared along the side of the UFO rather than just the left.

 It could have been none at all, but I discovered a shocking lack of afterburners when the enemy craft was only a few feet from the port hull.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MatthTheGeek on May 14, 2012, 06:59:37 am
Obligatory "Avoid the alien craft and you won't get hit, pilot !".
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 14, 2012, 07:37:23 am
Question - did I do anything that mission? I see my name on the screenshot, but all the text doesn't mention me at all.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Ravenholme on May 14, 2012, 07:41:26 am
Question - did I do anything that mission? I see my name on the screenshot, but all the text doesn't mention me at all.

Don't think you did, I think you just happened to be selected in that screenshot.

On the plus side, you didn't do anything.

No friendly fire!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 14, 2012, 10:54:07 am
I request to "accidently" firendy-fire Ravenholme next mission.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on May 14, 2012, 02:50:49 pm
I had to compare post-mission and pre-mission Aquanaut rosters. Apparently Akalabeth did not survive his first mission, but I never heard a death scream, much less saw him fall. :confused:

Illumination firing with Gas Cannon wasn't very effective on this map or the last, primarily because they're so cluttered and bumpy. I'll have to reconsider the willy pete. Also, a lack of things to intercept is worrying me, so at this point we're putting up another base off of Japan in the hopes of being able to spot and attack more alien ships.

I probably faked my death and went AWOL then went and got sushi
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: watsisname on May 14, 2012, 03:55:05 pm
That's not sushi!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 14, 2012, 04:52:41 pm
Question - did I do anything that mission? I see my name on the screenshot, but all the text doesn't mention me at all.

You probably took a couple shots at the beginning, most people did, but when you get down to it who gets kills and who goes first is semi-random.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 14, 2012, 08:57:07 pm
Tasoth. We're better-prepared this time, but not by much. Not enough. I pulled the plug after I had to stun people in the transport when they got MC'd. (Fortunately no losses.) Fortunately we've got some sub intercepts in the pipe that will hopefully help make up for it.

We're here in the mid-Atlantic, east of Iceland, near the mid-Atlantic Ridge. We're back to the black smokers. BloodEagle is possessed by the Spirit of CommanderDJ.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/commanderdj.png)

StarSlayer and the auspiciously nicknamed rookie The E prepare to breach.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/preparetobreach.png)

One hostile. No others. Kill goes to The E.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/breach.png)

We've got our Hyperwave Decoder equivalent, the Transmission Resolver, working. We're still building them mind; the first one will go up at Xenowatch off Japan, the construction work on the other will be done sometime this month. But for now, FireSpawn shot down a sub, recovery time.

For some reason, this guy didn't react to the tank. But he reacted to mxlm, two badly aimed shots. That will...cost him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/slowreaction.png)

Oh ****, there was a wellhead there wasn't there? No oil leak but...what the hell, people? That's a huge mess of bubbles, can't see crap through them.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/oops-1.png)

Kill to TrashMan. We'll miss you when the tank takes its revenge.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/killt.png)

Kill to BloodEagle.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bloody.png)

We're getting flashes of movement through the cloud, but no solid contact to shoot at. Scratch that, the alien just took two shots at TrashMan. He returned one. Both sides hit nothing. mxlm misses an aimed shot from his Gas Cannon. MP-Ryan brings the alien down with a Gauss round.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/stacker.png)
A lot of aliens right there. Maybe they saw the Triton land and were waiting for us. Their spacing could use work; we could have killed them all with a pulser. (We have pulsers again.)

Mission Complete. The four aliens we killed apparently composed the entire crew of the UFO.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/completion.png)

Next up: ship attack. North African coast. Daylight. Green men. We can do this.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 14, 2012, 09:23:30 pm
Easy peasy. If you've got a couple of hours to kill and enough ammo.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 14, 2012, 09:55:24 pm
If you've got a couple of hours to kill and enough ammo.

Something...special is planned, in that regard.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Akalabeth Angel on May 14, 2012, 10:20:04 pm
That's not sushi!

The terror mission was in Tokyo, I'm sure there's sushi somewhere
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 15, 2012, 04:18:35 am
First kill to BlueFlames. You might notice nobody seems to have ammo in these screens. Well... Ammo? We're we're going, we don't NEED ammo. (XCOMUtil. Pretty much all the options except for improved Gauss and bugfixes are off; no, we're not going to deploy soldiers from the Barracudas or anything like that, I simply demanded the game stop flipping out on me.)

Mxlm and BloodEagle have been issued the newly-research Sonic Cannon for field testing, but our first kill goes to BlueFlames. MP-Ryan follows up by shooting the guy on the top of the bridge, but Mongoose spots another one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/snipetheroof.png)
IronBeer gets that one.

The tank is stuck on the helipad here, but it's positioned to provide some supporting fire in case of more people on high spots.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/stuck.png)

Most of the team is pushing into the ship's structure, but the Sonic Cannon and two people with rifles are going up top. IronBeer and Mongoose, though they're going into the superstructure, are actually headed to the top of the bridge.  By the way, all these barrels loose on deck is...kinda stupid, guys. They're just going to go over the side in the first rough weather you hit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/idiots.png)

An alien emerges from the bridge tower onto the main deck, and then goes down with a gaping hole in place of its face from MP-Ryan shooting it. IronBeer opens the door to check for others. There's one on the floor below, but no line of fire. The E, en route to dispose of that one, meets another hiding in a corner.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/theestrikesback.png)

It does not survive. BlueFlames goes after the original target. The alien's a tough bastard, and survives the shot into the side, but another one takes his leg off and the alien expires on the floor from shock and rapid blood loss.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/flamingidiots.png)

There were two on the lower deck of the bridge area. Not anymore. BlueFlames, checking the second, discovers it was completely unarmed. Well that was a kind of ****ty thing to do, alien commander. TrashMan spots another one on the upper deck, fires three completely ineffectual rounds, and watches the alien fire two completely ineffectual rounds back. Round two has Trash fire six shots ineffectually and the alien return one that's useless. Goddammit, you both suck. Trash, if you miss this one I'm turning you into dog food.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dogfood.png)
Sadly, he didn't.

This one was here in the special Peeping Tom Corridor. What, you think it's not? Then explain why the crew quarters have a porthole onto an empty covered corridor unless somebody wants to watch people wank!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wanker.png)

Last one!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lastone-2.png)

Or...not.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/intothedepths.png)
Ship missions are like Cydonia, in that they're two-stage. Unlike Cydonia, they must fully cleared. Other two-stage missions include Colony Attacks now. (This also means I have to take a whole lot of pictures; this update has 27 and I didn't even take one for every alien.)

You start off in a pretty ****ty position where the aliens have lots of elevated terrain to use against you. First spotted goes to the tank, first kill to mxlm. Note that they actually have a whole other story to place snipers on, this guy's just derping out.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/elevation.png)

Containerville. They're stacked up and everything, real pain in the ass to search, but I don't dare skip them.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/alienbuddha.png)

This guy shot. At what is anybody's guess, it was up on the next stack of containers, but he did fire. Then he turned at the sound of The E firing at him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/theereturns.png)
Too late.

Snipers are supposed to have weapons, but nobody told this alien until Jack put a round through its left eye.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/jacksaves.png)

In the future, MicroProse will be a rich and powerful company. And won't be called Firaxis. Right guys? Right?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/poorprophecy.png)

If you meet the alien Buddha on a cargo container, kill him. And...oh man is that a Spectrum Holobyte logo? Next they'll have containers in here with the Sierra mountain on them...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/alienbuddha.png)

More exercise for mxlm's Sonic Cannon. Unless the thing suddenly explodes, I think field testing can be considered successful.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/fodder.png)

There was an alien here but The E's burst took out some barrels as well and the resulting explosion killed the body. Insult to injury and all that.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/killedthebody.png)

Note to StarSlayer: Gauss weapons are not effective for giving gentle love taps. Neither are Thermal Tazers.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/notalovetap.png)

Mongoose and an alien do quick-draw at 20 paces. Mongoose won, despite scaring the hell out of me by missing to either side with his first two shots.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/quickdraw.png)

In the future, Spectrum Holobyte will be involved in recycling! Right guys?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/spectrumholobyte.png)

Walking through all these barrels which will blow up if anyone stupid shoots them quite frankly scares the **** out of me, but the aquanauts don't complain. Unless they do. You guys complaining?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/complaining.png)

Those engines are surprisingly quiet. The aliens are as well; two of them, both armed with Sonic Cannon. But mxlm has one of those too. He takes the head off one alien, but we've still got mister clueless up there.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/clueless.png)
Clueless was still clueless when The E opened the door next turn and fired three rounds into his ass.

Last one. For real this time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/reallylast.png)

Or not. TFTD processes the Alien Turn quicker than Enemy Unknown, so my rough guesses about the number of remaining aliens are rougher than I'd like. StarSlayer handles it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/whatno.png)

But we've still got at least one more. StarSlayer locates it, and one thing can be said for this alien: he was running to the sound of guns, trying to help his buddies.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tothesoundofguns.png)
Bravery is all well and good, but you don't charge somebody with an automatic weapon, y'know?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/automaticweapon.png)

These two-stage missions, you win them? You win them big. Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/winbig.png)
Near as I can tell, the carryover of a few extra corpses is a response to the fact I accidentally duped them by having them on the persons of my aquanauts at the start of the next stage; I'm used to a version of TFTD which screwed you in regards to stuff left on stage one, so I grabbed any Sonic weapons which eventually disappear from the drops and their ammo, and a few corpses simply because they were close to my guys when I killed the last alien on stage one. Oops!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: deathfun on May 15, 2012, 04:45:27 am
Not bad at all. Seems to be the HLP operatives are dying less as of late
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Kobrar44 on May 15, 2012, 05:42:43 am
Are you so badass or is this beginner?.. or both?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 15, 2012, 05:56:15 am
Are you so badass or is this beginner?.. or both?

TFTD was the first X-COM I played. I'm good at this game.

On the other hand it should also be acknowledged it's beginner. But Beginner in TFTD is actually natively harder than Superhuman on Enemy Unknown. Besides, we haven't gotten into psi-spam madness yet. That'll shoot the casualty rate up.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BloodEagle on May 15, 2012, 09:45:53 am
Why....  Why were you collecting the civilian corpses?  :nervous:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 15, 2012, 10:03:28 am
I have to wonder how bad my accuracy stat is......
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 15, 2012, 11:56:13 am
Why....  Why were you collecting the civilian corpses?  :nervous:

Civilians don't leave corpses. He grabbed the alien corpses for research and resale, I presume.

And good work on no deaths, especially without armor!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: The E on May 15, 2012, 12:07:41 pm
Let us look at the facts. There were more alien bodies recovered than what can be accounted for by in-mission kills. Therefore, we have to conclude that some of the "civilians" who died during that mission were actually alien infiltrators.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: KyadCK on May 15, 2012, 12:24:41 pm
Let us look at the facts. There were more alien bodies recovered than what can be accounted for by in-mission kills. Therefore, we have to conclude that some of the "civilians" who died during that mission were actually alien infiltrators.

Sadly, no  :(

You didn't take the stuned aliens into the calculations, of which there were 3. 21 dead, 3 stuned, 23 recovered. Must have lost one over the edge or something.


Note to self: Lrn2read    23 corpses huh? I guess live ones arent corpses...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: impala69 on May 15, 2012, 12:42:54 pm
Cool.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: General Battuta on May 15, 2012, 12:45:34 pm
Cool.

You're a bot bro
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 15, 2012, 12:50:52 pm
Cool.

You're a bot bro

Get the thermal tazer, we can apprehend him for tests.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: General Battuta on May 15, 2012, 12:54:53 pm
DON'T BE FOOLED BY HIS STRANGELY LIFELIKE POSTS

HE'S A (MUSTANG) BOT
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 15, 2012, 02:04:45 pm
DON'T BE FOOLED BY HIS STRANGELY LIFELIKE POSTS

HE'S A (MUSTANG) BOT

TrashMan seems to have some experience shooting mechanized objects.  Perhaps we can use his services here?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 15, 2012, 02:24:28 pm
I'm sorry. I keep confusing the tank for a vending machine or a Necron. I got a beef with both.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 15, 2012, 06:40:26 pm
Why....  Why were you collecting the civilian corpses?  :nervous:

...you can't do that, you know. (No literally, you cannot. They drop as items but don't show up.) I meant aliens.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: DireWolf on May 15, 2012, 08:54:49 pm
These threads are really well done, and I bow to your impressive X-Com skills (seriously, I struggle on beginner in UFO defense).
I volunteer for evisceration red-shirting if there is any space left in the roster.

e: I also love the sailor civilians' logic. "Hey, I know what we should do! Since there are aliens shooting at us, lets hind behind this precarious unsecured pile of explosive barrels! What could possibly go wrong!"
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BloodEagle on May 15, 2012, 09:51:01 pm
Why....  Why were you collecting the civilian corpses?  :nervous:

...you can't do that, you know. (No literally, you cannot. They drop as items but don't show up.) I meant aliens.

Is there a reason to do that, though?  [/doesn't have tftd]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 16, 2012, 12:17:15 am
You could stun the civilians and then move them, while they're stunned, out of the way to keep them safe. Or just stun them period, as aliens don't recognize stunned civilians as targets and would have to grenade them to hurt them while they're stunned anyways. (Stunned is dead is stunned, as far as how you're tracked is concerned; it turns you into an item on the battlescape and items can't be shot with guns, only blown up with explosives.) It might also be necessary for simple crowd-control if they jam doors or passageways; on the Ascension Island mission TrashMan had to stun a civilian for blocking him from checking out the big south bunker. Of course there's a bug where if the civilians wake up after stunning they're counted as hostiles.

A similar bug applies if you mind-control civilians to make sure they don't charge into your lines of fire. Civilians don't actually count as a side, you see. There's a single-bit flag, 1 or 0, for side. Civilians don't have it. When a unit is mind-controlled, the bit comes into existence for a civilian, and when they fall out of mind control, the bit flips...so suddenly they count as aliens and you have to kill or stun them.

But there's no reason to ever interact with dead civilians.
Title: MEET THE LOBSTERMEN
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 16, 2012, 12:29:09 am
We have an alien sub downed off on the Grand Banks people, saddle up!

At some point I'm just going to give the Barracuda pilots a license to destroy any ship they find dumping and blame it on the aliens.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dumping.png)

Contact, finally, on Turn 3. Kill goes to TrashMan, who also spotted. Sectoids again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/moresectoids.png)

Contact, we have the ship. It's damaged.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/daufo.png)

A single alien is encountered to the south, and let me tell you, Sectoids look stupid with these huge Sonic Cannon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tothesouth.png)
BloodEagle removes his cranium, which in any case was actually smaller than stock of his gun.

That was it. We've seen crews of seven or eight on these before, but apparently the two we killed and the two bodies we found were the entire crew. Odd. It's also possible, though exceedingly rare, for the entire UFO's crew to be killed on impact.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thatsit.png)

Xenowatch off Japan just received its Barracuda, so we're activating our reserve pilot, Dragon. It's not armed yet, unfortunately, but it will be soon. But mentioning Japan brings us to the bad news.

The government of Japan has attempted to sign a pact with the aliens. I say attempted, because once it came out what the Diet was trying to do, the country went nuts. Large portions of the military, including nearly the entire JMSDF, mutinied. The population is rioting in the streets after the Tokyo attack. While there are currently a number of JMSDF units crashing on our couch at Xenowatch, the aliens have effectively neutralized the country by provoking a civil war. They, and their funding, are out of the picture.

We have got our Transmission Resolvers up at both bases. Their first detect: A craft carrying “lobstermen” to the Mediterranean. Scotty brings it down off Port Said. Triton 1 is outbound now. (We still haven't replaced  all our Gausses, so this is going to be fun.)

Didn't take long to find the UFO.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/didnttakelong.png)

And...what the hell are you, sir?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lobbies.png)

Okay people, take him down! One hit from MP-Ryan, no effect. Five hits from StarSlayer, still no effect. Seventh hit is to TrashMan. Alien drops. Jesus Christ on a pogo stick. Another one emerges from sub. IronBeer, the tank, and BloodEagle all engage him and hit with all their shots. One Sonic Cannon, three Gas Cannon, and one Gauss Rifle round later, the alien takes a badly aimed shot at Ironbeer and goes back inside the sub. And you want to know what's best?

The bastard who took seven Gauss rifle rounds isn't even dead!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/notevendead.png)

He's really extra special not dead, too, as he got up the next turn and tried to kill IronBeer with his apparently fully functional claws. Fortunately IronBeer dodged it, and then didn't crap himself as nearly the entire rest of the squad opened fire on an alien he was standing next to; StarSlayer fired twice, MP-Ryan once, and BloodEagle twice. Of those StarSlayer struck home with both rounds and BloodEagle finished the thing when his second Sonic Cannon shot hit. Nine Gauss Rifle rounds and a Sonic Cannon shot. IronBeer understandably moves the hell away from the thing even if it's really dead now.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/flying****.png)

IronBeer opens the door and confronts a pair of aliens. His response is an “OH **** NO!” and he dives out of the way.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/oh****no.png)

BloodEagle to the rescue; he drops one with a Sonic Cannon hit and reveals...jesus there's ANOTHER one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/anotherhere-1.png)

MP-Ryan manages to spread some hits around between the two still standing and drops one with Gauss fire. BlueFlames takes four hits to get the last one to fall, though nobody's counting on either one staying down. And...mother of god, there's still one more!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/notmore.png)
It takes a crappily aimed shot at BloodEagle. He takes a couple of crappily aimed shots back. MP-Ryan sprays out six shots with his Gauss and hits once. StarSlayer adds a couple more. BlueFlames manages to miss all four of his shots.

And IronBeer? He finally kills it with two more Gauss hits. But we ain't done yet people! There's another behind the sub. IronBeer goes directly to the nuclear option: Sonic Pulsers.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nuclearoption.png)

It...did not work.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nonukes.png)

BlueFlames tosses another over the roof of the sub. Both landed and went off right at this guy's feet, then he moved in his own turn. They still didn't work.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/motherofgod.png)

IronBeer finally puts three Gauss rounds into the bastard which drop him...stunned. No death scream.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/motherofgod2.png)

Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/missioncomplete-3.png)
See those live aliens? I didn't stun any of them deliberately. They survived because they're stupid ridiculous tough killing unpossible death**** mcsoul****ter types.

IronBeer had a grenade out because I was going to nuke the inside of the alien sub and make sure I killed them all by blowing up their corpses. (Dead or unconscious thingies in both games count as objects, not units, and have no armor or HP. They are easily destroyed by explosions. Even unconscious. It's a good way to deal with dead aliens that might get up again.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 16, 2012, 12:43:41 am
This is why I wanted a Psi-Amp in the last campaign!  Aliens may come with tough carapaces, but they don't wear tinfoil hats!

In any case, if Xenowatch needs experienced personel to back up their incoming recruits, I'll volunteer for a transfer.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 16, 2012, 01:00:52 am
Unfortunately one of the specimens did not make it to the lab.  It *may* have mysteriously found it's way into a boiling pot, then on a platter with butter and cocktail sauce.  It *may* have tasted better than Alaskan King.

(http://www.simpalife.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/crab-legs.jpg)

A proposal to sell it on the exotic food black market and contracting to do a season of Deadliest Catch *may* have ended up in the HLPX-COM funding suggestion box.

Did I mention it *may* have been incredibly delicious?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: esarai on May 16, 2012, 01:22:45 am
Oh crap did my name get dropped from the enlistment roster?

Because that'd make me sad panda.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 16, 2012, 01:33:33 am
Checking.

Hmm, it must have. Oops. Added again. Ten people on the list will probably go to Xenowatch, assuming they don't get recruited to cover up losses from dealing with Lobstermen.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 16, 2012, 08:31:11 am
Well, Trash is dead. And Lobstermen mobbed the latest LZ. But by god we're going to kill them all, and they taste good with butter.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 16, 2012, 08:47:32 am
True Heroes never die!

The foul Xenos shall fall beneath the might of humanity.
Brothers, For the Emperor!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 16, 2012, 09:14:17 am
Cripes, my accuracy was in the toilet last mission.  I blame the distracting thoughts of lobster dinner...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 16, 2012, 10:23:02 am
Well, Trash is dead.
oh noes (http://youtu.be/GjjZGyYcH9E)
Took Karma long enough, probably got caught in a traffic jam?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 16, 2012, 11:13:08 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxZASSqP0h4
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Talon 1024 on May 16, 2012, 11:21:36 am
I said a few pages back that I'd like to re-enlist...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 16, 2012, 12:56:01 pm
Nice work with the gauss there!
Title: Re: MEET THE LOBSTERMEN
Post by: IronBeer on May 16, 2012, 01:22:46 pm
IronBeer opens the door and confronts a pair of aliens. His response is an “OH **** NO!” and he dives out of the way.
Hey, at least I didn't pull a Zacam there and managed to finish my line! Amazed I survived that mission ON POINT.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 16, 2012, 11:15:33 pm
Okay, so, short bit. I've had some bad news so I'm not going to complete the FSC assault tonight.

So much like the emergency deployment of Gauss weaponry when the Jet Harpoon became too terrible to withstand, we've made an emergency issue of Sonic Cannon to give our troopers a better chance against Lobstermen.

Again with the dumping? This is the North Sea, actually fairly close to our base, where Scotty downed a cruiser. Cruisers aren't very impressive; they're really like Large Scouts from the First Alien War, and you'll recognize them as the manta rays or giant dicks, depending on which end you think goes first. Due to some kind of screwup, two of you didn't get weapons. Instead you're filming for Deadliest Catch 2040 and I can totally blame StarSlayer rather than myself.

This guy took three Sonic Cannon hits and he's not actually dead. Final shot to StarSlayer, but BlueFlames and TrashMan both scored hits.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/threehits.png)

Two hits. Got a kill out this one, as well, it goes to StarSlayer.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/twohits.png)

Mongoose arms himself off one of the dead aliens and the advance continues. Lobsterman on a hill. First hit to mxlm, killshot from The E. Mostly we're taking aimed shots, the Sonic Cannon lack an autofire feature, which is kinda crappy when you can't one-shot kill.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/twoehits.png)

The last alien came out of the UFO, shot and killed TrashMan, and succumbed to return fire from The E, MP-Ryan, and Jack all in the same turn. Mission Complete. (I think XCOMUtil broke cruiser crew sizes in comparison to escorts rather than fixing the escort-survey ships swap...)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deadtrash.png)
Title: Breaking The Alien Bank
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 17, 2012, 06:55:51 am
Then there was a landed fleet supply cruiser near Africa, so I sent the squad out, and they still haven't gotten a replacement for Trash in. We open the door and...crap. Two detects right off the bat.

There are actually three of them though only one is directly facing the Triton. Commendations to jg18 for having faked them out about the LZ. IronBeer and BloodEagle drop one, at least temporarily. BlueFlames actually put one down, though not dead, with a single shot. Jack, MP-Ryan, and Mongoose have to combine their fire to drop the last one, with the actual kill (this one was a kill!) going to Mongoose.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/two.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/one.png)

Goddammit, Turn 3 and we've got THREE MORE. jg18, I withdraw my commendations, you apparently faked them out by landing in the middle of them. Also if you landed ON any of them, you're cleaning them off the Triton. I don't have enough guns for this ****!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/threemore.png)

BloodEagle and IronBeer got this one, for good.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/takeone.png)

BlueFlames and The E, again for good.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/taketwo.png)

Mongoose, StarSlayer, and Jack. It would have been just two, but StarSlayer missed. Also for good.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/takethree.png)

MP-Ryan, mxlm, kill with two hits.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/takefour.png)

Also, the Fleet Supply Cruiser? It's goddamn huge. Three levels, entrance on the top we can't use because of a current lack of a way to get up there, entry is actually on the second level rather than the first if I remember correctly. Sweeping in large enough teams for safety is going to be a *****.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/a*****.png)
It might actually be bigger than the Battleship of the first war.

Check this out. Portholes are for chumps, we're going to proceed at several thousand knots while underwater with actual open holes in the hull. Engineering sanity is for the weak! Crew safety is for morons!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/physicsisanalien*****.png)

Last guy outside the ship, I think. Of course, everyone derps out. IronBeer misses. Mongoose misses twice. Jack misses. StarSlayer hits...once. Not enough.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lastguy.png)
IronBeer hits it again next turn after it tried to chase after him. (Seriously it decided for some reason to spend all its TU on a charge, didn't fire.) Then he derps out. Jack misses. StarSlayer misses. Mongoose takes snaps, so two shots chance. It is unnecessary. First-round kill.

This is a Lobsterman without a gun. (Meaning he's probably a grenade fanatic, so we better kill him now.) The E and BlueFlames actually get the job done with two hits. (MP-Ryan missed.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lobstermanwithoutgun.png)
I should mention: Lobstermen have one of the most unique, and memorable, death screams in the X-COM games. It sounds like distorted whalesong.

This may be the second one we've spotted down on the second floor.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/secondmaybe.png)
Actually scratch that, BlueFlames went for a shot and spotted the other one. (Dropped him, too, with one hit, though it's not dead.) mxlm goes wide for a shot under the concourse and locates ANOTHER one. He also drops it stunned with one shot.

Then the last one came up the lift, bringing it within line of sight and striking distance of the only person in the ship who hadn't yet fired: MP-Ryan. It goes down with a second hit in the face and no head.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/instantlyregretthis.png)

We've got a single remaining hostile on the bottom level; IronBeer has shot them once with reaction fire but they're not dead yet. MP-Ryan, moving to attack them, has one of the stunned ones wake up and attack him; they miss and he kills it, then charges on to confront the other point-blank and kills them too.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/rampage-1.png)

I believe I mentioned there was a door on the top. Here it is. The Lobsterman is a victim of The E, though BlueFlames contributed a hit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/uptop.png)
Another one, you can see it down in the corner there, was on the bridge when it went nuts and tried to use its drill on a console, then ran out and got shot in the chest by The E. Showing great presence of mind, he grabs his stun rod and brings the alien down alive on our turn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/capyou.png)

Last one was still on the bridge, waving his claws around. Probably trying to take off. Well, he ain't doing that no more after getting shot in the front by The E and then finished with a back hit from BlueFlames.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/takeoff.png)

Mission complete. Look at all this crap! The UFO Recovery Team is gonna be on-site for days.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lookatallthis.png)

Also before I forget, congrats to StarSlayer for being the first person to reach 70 TUs. Try not to die. We had a couple close calls; the tank got a bit shot up and one of the Lobstermen somehow fired almost sideways rather than hitting BlueFlames at three squares, plus MP-Ryan dodging three claw strikes in close combat and somehow getting the Sonic Cannon on target to kill his opponent. (Serious respect for that man, it'd be like trying to CQC with a bagpipe.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Madcat on May 17, 2012, 08:41:41 am
NGTM-1R, by now I assume your X-COM skills must have reached godlike level. How you manage to bring all of them through on this kind of mission is remarkable, to say the least.
And it seems The E hasn't lost a step either in his latest reincarnation. He must be out of bubblegum all the time.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: The E on May 17, 2012, 08:59:42 am
Reincarnation? Pah, same old dude!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 17, 2012, 09:34:44 am
Glad to see my vanguard-driven charge-melee skills are paying off in another environment too =)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Mongoose on May 17, 2012, 01:36:43 pm
At the risk of inevitably dying in the next mission, I'm actually holding my own this time around.  Sweet.
Title: KNOW YOUR FOE: From the Desk of Doctor Fox
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 17, 2012, 06:25:06 pm
We have a whole heck of a mess. There's a Dreadnaught on the bottom off the coast of Morocco, and another Fleet Supply Cruiser was shot down near the Florida Keys. The Triton will be taking off to assault the Dreadnaught shortly, but first, we need to get everybody briefed in.

Weapons
Most of you are familiar with the Sonic Cannon now. If you aren't, you should be. We'll also cover its smaller cousins, which aren't likely to be issued here but might be at Xenowatch. The Sonic system of weapons is very impressive, and in all honesty there are parts of it we still don't truly understand; coherence of the bolt for one. But we can copy what we see, and in the end all you really need to know is which end you point and what you pull to shoot. A sidenote: the person who chose the name "Blasta" has been sacked.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/cannon.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/cannonclip.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/rifle.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/rifleclip.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/pistol.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/pistolclip.png)

Enemies

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/aquaauto.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/aqua.png)
As near as we can determine, these Sectoids are not actually affiliated with the Ethereal Empire like the ones we fought in 1999. They're running their own show. Our captures have been unfortunately low-ranked so we know relatively little, but they were quite surprised to discover both the current date and the First Alien War. We think, although we can't prove, that this group was on the run from the Ethereal Empire when they accidentally crashed their ship (or city; they've described it both ways and don't appear to get Stargate Atlantis jokes) into Earth.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/gillauto.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/gill.png)
The Gillmen are something of a surprise. We knew, for example, there were male and female Floaters back during the First Alien War, but the distinction was academic after the surgical hatchet job the Ethereals did on them. This is the first time we've ever encountered direct evidence for the concept. No, for the record, female Gill Men aren't very sexy. The difference is in fact hard to assess at a glance. The Gillmen appear to regard us as usurpers and despoilers of a world that should have been theirs. They also resent their servitude to the Sectoids, which was a survival choice, but we doubt we can use this for psy-ops or a wedge between the two groups. They hate us more, and the Sectoids' Molecular Control tech makes it unlikely a Gillmen rebellion would get far.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lobbieauto.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lobbie.png)
The Lobstermen appear to be the Sectoid answer to the Mutons. There is, however, no question of their being a naturally evolved creature.. Lobstermen are manufactured, not born; most of them is mechanical and assembled, then biological bits plugged in. There are only a few components that are completely biological; the brain, one of the three pairs of eyes, magnetic sensing organs which let them operate at deep and murky depths without getting lost. Of interest is that their claws have a similar hydraulic boost system to the Chryssalids, though mechanical rather than biological. We don't know what to make of that, considering the two branches of aliens we've fought are separated by several million years.

They are also far more intelligent than Mutons; they easily show a human level of problem-solving ability. The good news is, we think they're slow to manufacture. If we keep killing them at our current rate we might be able to wipe them out in a year or two, assuming no further manufacturing capacity is brought online.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deeponeauto.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deepone.png)
The Deep Ones can be summed up as "disturbing". If we fail, they could well be the future of the human race. They are part Sectoid, part human host. They could be considered a failed experiment, since they're not as tough as either, but their skin material could make good armor if it were applied more than paper-thin and we've learned a lot about how to make such a suit by studying Deep One anatomy.

This is a mistake the aliens have made. We expect it to cost them dearly.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 17, 2012, 07:13:59 pm
Interesting, most interesting.
I like reading those
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 17, 2012, 07:24:58 pm
There were both green and grey guys, are the both Gillmen?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 17, 2012, 07:32:46 pm
There were both green and grey guys, are the both Gillmen?

Deep Ones are actually grey-brown in the game, the pictures for these are just bad and wrong. (Like them having weapons; they never do.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 17, 2012, 07:52:40 pm
Also I've been informed PB might be freaking out, so it might or might not be time to delay until I can get their premium service.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 17, 2012, 08:46:21 pm
The Lobstermen appear to be the Sectoid answer to the Mutons. There is, however, no question of their being a naturally evolved creature.. Lobstermen are manufactured, not born; most of them is mechanical and assembled, then biological bits plugged in. There are only a few components that are completely biological; the brain, one of the three pairs of eyes, magnetic sensing organs which let them operate at deep and murky depths without getting lost. Of interest is that their claws have a similar hydraulic boost system to the Chryssalids, though mechanical rather than biological. We don't know what to make of that, considering the two branches of aliens we've fought are separated by several million years.

Might just be a case of convergent evolution, both species arriving separately to the same result.  Won't be the first time someone has had the same idea as someone else.

Also I've been informed PB might be freaking out, so it might or might not be time to delay until I can get their premium service.

Have you considered Imageshack?  It's slower, but doesn't do stupid things like that.
Title: Making Bank
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 17, 2012, 10:00:51 pm
So. The Dreadnaught. Is that thing. It's huge.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/oh****.png)

jg18, next time we want a little distance, okay? Two aliens to the south; we think those things are stun weapons but we're not sure.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/south-1.png)
BlueFlames got the one near the container, BloodEagle the one near the ship. BlueFlames got a kill, BloodEagle just a stun.

Goddammit, a loss on the breach. (IronBeer.) This thing just turned one of our people into a zombie which spawned another of them, just like a Chryssalid. We killed all of them, but dammit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/****youall.png)

Apparently this ship too has a bunch of holes in the hull while moving around at over 740 knots even at cruise speed. At least some of them are on both sides.

Outside, we've still got nothing. Inside, we have the game continuing to make hideous spitting noises even when I turn the music off. **** you, game, **** you. Jack finds another alien with the stunny thing and shoots it, and it returns fire. Then this  happens: It just knocked three of us and itself unconscious. BlueFlames, BloodEagle, and Jack probably aren't going to wake up anytime soon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/unconciousness.png)

The E and MP-Ryan got this one, but there's one without a gun running around somewhere.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/mpe.png)

Found it and killed it, same pair.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/samepair.png)

They're just running to get shot by these two now. Until, at least, they survive, and fire their silly stungun to stun themselves and The E. Dammit people, laying down on the job.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sleepingonthejob.png)

StarSlayer got killed; not by the torpedo-armed alien's gun, it blew its shot, but got him with its claws. MP-Ryan stuns it but we've got another one with a similar weapon still.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dyingonthejob.png)

They stunned BloodEagle, but between him and MP-Ryan we killed the stunner, now we've got mxlm stunning the torpcarrier.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/morestunning.png)

Mission Complete. And the UFO recovery team thought they were busy earlier.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lolwin.png)

Considering the state of the squad, we're not going after the downed FSC. We don't have enough able bodies with guns to take on another large ship full of Lobstermen.
Title: Active Duty
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 17, 2012, 10:19:25 pm
Active Duty
Squad One, WithFeeling
BlueFlames, Able Seaman
BloodEagle, Able Seaman *
MPRyan, Ensign
Mongoose, Ensign
Jack Folstam, Able Seaman
mxlm, Able Seaman *
The E, Able Seaman
LordMelvin, Seaman
The_Force, Seaman
deathfun, Seaman

Squad Two, XenoWatch
LHN91, Seaman
Dilmah G, Seaman
MatthTheGeek, Seaman
Kobrar44, Seaman
pecenipicek, Seaman
Madcat, Seaman
Ravenholme, Seaman
Col. Fishguts, Seaman
Rhymes_With_Psycho, Seaman
Hades, Seaman

Support Staff
Spoon (WithFeeling Tanks)
Scotty (Barracuda 1)
FireSpawn (Barracuda 2)
jg18 (Triton 1)
Argenteus a.k.a. Fox (Head of Biology/sometime trooper)
z64555 (Head of Technology/sometime trooper)
Dragon (Barracuda 3)
Turambar (Xenowatch Tanks)

In The Queue
Not Recruited Yet

Alex Heartnet
z64555
Veers
Dekker
ZekeSulastin
Gortef
Backslash
esarai
DireWolf

Second Lifers
Goober5001
Sandwich
SpardaSon22
CommanderDJ 2.0
Scourge of Rages
Talon 1025

Special Offsite Request

Argenteus a.k.a. Fox
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 17, 2012, 10:50:46 pm
Quote
Then this  happens: It just knocked three of us and itself unconscious. BlueFlames, BloodEagle, and Jack probably aren't going to wake up anytime soon.

Anytime is a good time for naptime!

Quote
Active Duty
Squad One, WithFeeling
BlueFlames, Able Seaman

Umm....  Holy ****.  I figured that, with my luck, whilst napping, I'd be expected to catch an armed grenade.  I'm glad the rest of the squad was able to educate the savage, alien scum about the sanctity of naptime!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Mongoose on May 17, 2012, 11:39:15 pm
Who else was killed besides StarSlayer?  I don't think you mentioned a name on that one.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 17, 2012, 11:50:28 pm
Oh, we'll definitely have fun with the Alien Re-animation tech. Live-fire Live-Target practice for X-Com Aquanauts will be expected by the end of Q2.  :yes:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 17, 2012, 11:57:32 pm
Who else was killed besides StarSlayer?  I don't think you mentioned a name on that one.

Oops. That was because at the time, I didn't see. Meant to edit that in. IronBeer.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BloodEagle on May 18, 2012, 12:16:16 am
After the stun hit, I was afraid none of us were going to make it out.  Well, actually I was unconscious.  But my first thought after getting back up was that.
--Personal log entry 01
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 18, 2012, 12:56:19 am
Wait I have BloodEagle get stunned twice. What.

TFTDDDDDDD!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 18, 2012, 02:12:16 am
Reincarnation? Pah, same old dude!
And forty years older!  (Which is probably why you had to re-learn all your skills.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Kobrar44 on May 18, 2012, 03:54:43 am
...
Squad Two, XenoWatch
...
Kobrar44, Seaman
...

Just Kobrar. 44 is just my age.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 18, 2012, 04:01:48 am
It's important, so we can put in 45 when you die.

If you die. Which is really pretty likely, but we do have Mag Ion Armor in the pipe.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 18, 2012, 04:28:33 am
A bit too late for me...lol
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 18, 2012, 05:29:48 am
Any high ranking catches with our many captures that last time?
Man, we've recovered so many alien technology and materials with these last two missions, the techlab is going to have a field day.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 18, 2012, 05:32:28 am
Any high ranking catches with our many captures that last time?
Man, we've recovered so many alien technology and materials with these last two missions, the techlab is going to have a field day.

We nabbed the Commander off the Dreadnaught, and we've got a couple of Navigators and a Squad Leader.

Basically we have everything we need to finish the game in theory. I'm still probably going to run a Colony Assault at some point just to show it off.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: IronBeer on May 18, 2012, 07:34:55 am
Oops. That was because at the time, I didn't see. Meant to edit that in. IronBeer.
Aw. All I ask is: assuming there's enough of me left, bury me with the biggest ****ing gun you can spare. When the freaks invariably drag my spirit to T'leth, I'll have some cleaning up to do!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 18, 2012, 08:06:48 am
...


Balls


Viking Funeral, and I want the lobster that killed me served at the feast.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 18, 2012, 09:38:14 am
...


Balls


Viking Funeral, and I want the lobster that killed me served at the feast.

I shall drop a MOAB on your funeral barge. Light it up in such a way that even Odin would be envious of you.
Title: Rookies and Technical Stuff
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 18, 2012, 05:45:13 pm
Shipwreck area this time. More Lobstermen, and all you rookies. 50 TUs, nobody new better than 60. This is gonna go badly!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/rookies.png)

Deathfun brings it down after the other two rookies miss. BloodEagle softened it up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deathfun.png)

Meet the prototype tanks. We sold the design for startup funds, so they're pretty common in the world now. We called them Sea Wolf, but they weren't as fast as the Coelancanth and they were about half again as large as the new model. Of course, the Coelancanth is itself pretty much at the end of its useful lifespan, with the Gas Cannon model at the least. We need a new tank.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/swsproto.png)

LordMelvin and The_Force (Is he a cop? A Jedi? A Jedi cop? We never did find out!) killed this one...after deathfun missed.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/melvinforce.png)

The_Force has the honor of making the first one-shot genuine kill on a Lobsterman.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/usetheforce.png)

Parts of ships all over the place. Bridge areas, deck houses, shaft tunnel and prop, ship bits of all sorts. There's a huge mess here. More than one vessel's worth. Frankly the area off Port Said shouldn't be this much of a mess, I can only assume the Egyptians aren't being truthful about their ship disappearances due to aliens. We'll have to station a Barracuda for patrol to map all this and see what's up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deckingshafts.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dickingshafts.png)

Small alien craft take away the problem with having enough people and instead make it impossible to jam enough people in to reliably gun down Lobstermen. I was lucky BloodEagle was standing in the right place to fire a pair of snapshots with his Sonic Cannon and kill the Lobsterman here.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/yousuckgame.png)

Despite what it looks like, this isn't from the alien ship blowing its engine. An alien threw a grenade at everyone inside the ship...but they were inside the ship, and the grenade was actually pretty short too. Some idiot just gave himself away.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/grenades-1.png)

Then on the next turn it throws two more. What the ****. There are a pair of grenadiers. BloodEagle gets one. LordMelvin hits the other with one shot and misses the second, but then deathfun and The_Force strike out. It looks like everyone's about to eat a grenade...when Jack Folstam fires from all the way across the map, a good eighty squares, to place a beautiful hit right into the Lobsterman's chest. You rookies owe him, 'cuz otherwise you'd all be fish food about now.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/pullingitout-1.png)

Mission Complete. A good outing for the rookies, though less-tough opponents would have been preferable.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/rookieoftheyear.png)

Xenowatch performed its first successful interception, above the Arctic Circle. Since they don't yet have a Triton, we'll be sending Triton 1 and Squad 1 to handle the recovery. They'll be carrying with them some new technologies.


We knew for a long time that the aliens were using a plastic-like material of incredible strength, even better than Alien Alloys from the First Alien War, for their UFO hulls and weapons casings. But we couldn't do anything with it. It was nearly impossible to just cut in the thicknesses we recovered it in bulk off UFOs, and we couldn't cast it or mold it. It wasn't until we examined the first Deep Ones we killed that we even had a clue.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/aquaplastics.png)
Deep Ones are coated in Aqua Plastics. Literally. The layer is very thin, far too thin to stop a weapon despite the obvious nature of the coating as an attempt at armor, and the stuff is flexible, but our examination concluded it wasn't flexible enough to eliminate the need for articulated joints in the material. Deep Ones don't have articulated joints in their coating. Examining the anatomy of their joints revealed instead natural electro-magnetic organs that we realized must be able to reshape the Aqua Plastic coating on the fly.

The result was Plastic Aqua Armor. The design is conceptionally quite advanced: compartmentalized, it reseals itself if damaged within seconds, and good to about eight hundred meters depth for the length of the typical mission. But though it was a sound design, we never deployed it. The first reason was a huge shortage of materials, as at the time we'd recovered only a couple of small UFOs. The second was that it had already been outpaced by the deployment of new alien weapons. The armor won't protect against Sonic Rifle hits and most of the Aquanauts we had at the time simply wouldn't have survived even the decreased damage.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/aquaarmor.png)
(No seriously, Aqua Armor has 60 frontal protection. The Sonic Rifle has an average damage of 90 and max of 180. 60 damage negation ain't **** by April.)

Research into live Deep Ones, so we could better understand the mechanism, and UFO power systems eventually gave us a better option: Ion Armor. These are direct descendants of the Power Suit and Flying Suit of the First Alien War, but they have a number of new features. As with the Aqua Armor, they are self-sealing, but the rate of sealing is much improved. Someone wearing a breached suit will barely even get wet. They're also good at nearly any depth. You'll note that the all-around protection has been somewhat lessened in comparison to the Power Suit, and Flying Suit, but the frontal protection much improved. The reason is simple: we demanded and got a suit that will stop a Sonic Cannon hit to the chestplate without breaching most of the time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ionarmor.png)
We still didn't deploy it, because we were still short of materials. And by the time we weren't...

Magnetic Ion Armor improves the protection of Ion Armor much the same way Flying Suits did for Power Suits. It also solves some of the issues we've had fighting underwater. Many of the places we deploy have serious bottom currents, and visibility is usually less than forty meters. Anybody who swims up ends up getting swept along and hopelessly lost pretty fast. The Magnetic Navigation, based on alien tech, and the miniaturized alien propulsion system which can actually propel an Aquanaut around at nearly twenty knots, make it possible to move around in three dimensions safely where previously we were pretty much limited to walking around on the bottom. Bad news: it doesn't really fly on land.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/magionarmor.png)


The first use of Mag Ion Armor: BloodEagle parks himself on top of the Triton...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ontop.png)
...to shoot this Gillman.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lethal.png)

This one shot at the tank, missed, got shot at by the tank, hit, and while staggering around with a giant harpoon bolt sticking out of his chest then had The_Force blow his goddamn head off with a Sonic Cannon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/unluckyhead.png)

And this one? He was magic. The E, The_Force, LordMelvin, and the tank all took an aimed shot, and all missed by a good bit. We were about ready to declare him The One, when BloodEagle shot him in the crotch. Which still was kinda suboptimal, but he's a Gillman getting shot with a Sonic Cannon, so optimal placement isn't that big a deal.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thenotone.png)

Never underestimate the power of a Spoonzer. Even one that's technically obselete. Or you end up like this guy, who thought it'd be safe to step out the door and got oneshot by the tank.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/spoonswrath.png)

The last guy runs out of the sub while The E and LordMelvin are blocking the door, rebounds off The E's armor, and gets shot in the chest by LordMelvin. Mission Complete!


You probably remember when I said we needed a new tank. We have a new tank. Two, actually. The first is the Coelancanth/Gauss.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/Coalengauss.png)
We don't think we'll use it. The design team came in late, and it's effectively obsoleted by the next vehicle. Because our research into alien submarine construction lead us to...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/subbuilding.png)
A teleoperated one-fourth scale prototype, which we nicknamed “Displacer” because of its alien engine systems. It floats; it even manages to render itself so light that it floats in air, and it actually has an impressive top speed of 240 knots in or out of the water, making it more akin to an attack helicopter in behavior than a tank. As soon as the test program was completed, though, someone pointed out we had built a new tank without meaning to. The testing gear was removed and a Sonic Cannon added.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/displacer1.png)
Is it the Spoonzer V or VI? Up to you guys how you want to number the Gaussie, if you do.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 18, 2012, 06:37:43 pm
Since we had a precursor design in the Coelacanth/Gauss, I move that the Displacer/Sonic becomes officially known as the SpzKpfw VI "Hammerhead".
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 18, 2012, 06:43:41 pm
BAH!  SpzKpfw VI "Tiger Shark".  Has to be Tiger.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 18, 2012, 06:51:12 pm
Since we had a precursor design in the Coelacanth/Gauss, I move that the Displacer/Sonic becomes officially known as the SpzKpfw VI "Hammerhead".

How about SpzKpfw VI "Hammerkophai"
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 18, 2012, 07:02:05 pm
It can't be the Hammerhead, because we'll have something else with that name later and that would just be confusing.

Although what we name this one will probably have an affect on the next model, the PWT Displacer.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 18, 2012, 08:00:40 pm
What about the "SpzKpfw VI: Sonic Ladle"?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 18, 2012, 09:28:51 pm
Was I sipping a margarita on a sunny beach somewhere these last missions,  or what? =)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 18, 2012, 09:32:04 pm
Was I sipping a margarita on a sunny beach somewhere these last missions,  or what? =)

Pretty much. I'm trying to get the newbies to suck less, so people with 70+ TUs are hanging out on the Triton playing cards.

Fortunately the newbies are coming along rapidly so you'll get back in the action soonish.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 18, 2012, 11:33:33 pm
Was I sipping a margarita on a sunny beach somewhere these last missions,  or what? =)
Given what we are fighting, careful about those beach vacations.  They could prove quite fatal, considering you don't have your fancy armor and weapons handy when relaxing in the sun...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 19, 2012, 12:16:37 am
Ironically, some of those French swimsuits offer better protection than our standard issue gear... even though they are so delectably revealing of ladies' anatomies.  ;7
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BloodEagle on May 19, 2012, 12:50:43 am
This is due to the combination of Chainmail Bikini (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ChainmailBikini) and Armor Is Useless (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ArmorIsUseless).

That DEX bonus is good for something, you know.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 19, 2012, 01:05:07 am
It can't be the Hammerhead, because we'll have something else with that name later and that would just be confusing.

Although what we name this one will probably have an affect on the next model, the PWT Displacer.
BAH!  SpzKpfw VI "Tiger Shark".  Has to be Tiger.
Hammerhead will be taken later on, so you win by default.  I claim some small satisfaction though from you using a name that's also used by my source of inspiration. (http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Tiger_Shark) :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 19, 2012, 01:17:32 am
Hah.  I was just combining PzKpfw VI Tiger with dangerous aquatic predator.  Bonus points for actually being a thing.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 19, 2012, 01:23:34 am
Well, tiger sharks actually exist (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_shark).  It just happens Games Workshop took the names for Tau vehicles from aquatic creatures. :P  "Hammerhead" happens to be the name of the Tau's hovering tank with a big cannon, which I figure makes sense for the latest, hovering version of the Spoonzer Elite with a big cannon.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 19, 2012, 02:47:48 am
The door to the Triton opens upon a new age. An age of new tanks, new armor, and-hey you asshole! Stop ****ing up my monologue by ineffectively shooting the tank!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/anewage.png)
The E kills him and the Displacer goes up and over the Triton to check out the other side.

Welp, aliens here too! The_Force gets the one behind the hill, but Spoon misses the guy hiding out in the coral forest.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/anewage2.png)

It turns out the tank scares the crap out of these dudes, since they react to it by turning and moving away. The E and The_Force again kill a couple of aliens.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/twomore-1.png)

Now, we get tricky. The E and The_Force head for the doors on the FSC. LordMelvin and deathfun, however, are four stories up. Remember the Fleet Supply Cruiser has a top entrance? They're going in that way. Spoon sends the tank to tag along. BloodEagle, Jack, and MP-Ryan set up to defend the Skyranger, while mxlm runs a close sweep and avoids getting out of line-of-sight.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dynamicentry.png)
BlueFlames and Mongoose were supposed to help, but got distracted by the sonar arrays in the back of the Triton.

Now why would they be that? Pretty lights? Well actually it's because some asshole just tried to blow up the Triton. I assume he was trying to kill BloodEagle and his grenade was short, but either way he's going to pay for that.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/blowupallthetritons.png)

The Spoonzer VI moves out to spot, and locates two aliens. mxlm killed the near one, but the other goes to the tank as an object lesson in why it's stupid to try and use stun bombs on tanks.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tanksdontstun.png)

There was a Gillman hanging out in the top entrance area. Emphasis on the “was”. But again spotting in TFTD is wonky and it's still dark up there though LordMelvin could spot and shoot into it. This screen was taken several turns later. (Then Gillman #2 showed up and wrecked it; he went deathfun.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/topdown.png)

The E peers into a window. Looks like nobody's home.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/flyingpeepingtoms.png)

Then this asshole has to ruin that impression by shooting at The E while he floats on over to the door. Sure buddy, like that's gonna help. The two of them trade fire again, but both miss. (The Gillman fired at what I'm pretty sure was greater than 45 degree angle off the pointing of his gun.) Oh well, time to find out if this Magnetic Ion Armor really works!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/testing1.png)

The Gillman didn't cooperate in testing the armor. He shot the UFO while trying to shoot The E, then ran back inside in embarrassment. It ain't gonna help! The E will ensure you just die tired!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dietired.png)

Squad 1 sends greetings.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/greetingsfromsquad1.png)

An alien comes up the lift, right next to The_Force, only to have The E blow most of its internal organs out its back with a reaction shot. So much for a stealthy lift ambush.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/stealthyliftambush.png)

Okay, so, here. The E can actually only see one alien. He has not yet fired. The one that's still standing shot its buddy in the back trying to fire at him. Why does he still see two? **** if I know. (I think it's a bug.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/one-1.png)

And then there were none. (Definitely a bug, The_Force could only see one and when I switched back to E he suddenly saw only one as well.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/none.png)

Why hello there!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/yhelothar.png)

Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wewon.png)

Now we're recovering the Cruiser that XenoWatch intercepted. It went down just off the edge of the permanent ice shelf of the Arctic and...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/notinkansas.png)
What.

Either we stumbled into a very well preserved sixty-five million year old Gillmen settlement they were checking out again or something is very wrong here.

Well, this guy isn't going to tell us because he's kinda dead now. It was kinda gratuitous to shoot him in the butt, though, The_Force.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/intherear.png)

He was the only one left alive after the crash. Apparently the temple was some kind of Grecoaztec synthesis. We're hoping to drag one of our captured Gillmen out there and get them to explain this.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thefaq.png)

Recovering the other FSC is going to have to wait. The Triton was inbound to the crash site when we detected major alien activity on the seafloor not far from our base and it was rerouted. We don't know what they're doing. We know they're not going to get to do it.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 19, 2012, 04:25:01 am
How do you keep getting Gillmen in you missions? I've still only seen them in terror sites, and even then, not for a while. And I'm jealous that you found one of the ruins maps, those are cool.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 19, 2012, 04:44:57 am
How do you keep getting Gillmen in you missions? I've still only seen them in terror sites, and even then, not for a while. And I'm jealous that you found one of the ruins maps, those are cool.

Dunno, they just launched a bunch of base building missions and I've shot down all the things, so they sent in more. All told an alien base mission usually involves about 7 ships. Hence why we had that run of Lobstermen, as they were trying to set up near our base so we killed them all.

There's an Aquatoid base near Xenowatch that they'll be raiding supply cruisers from probably.
Title: The Motherlode: 2002 Score For One Mission
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 19, 2012, 07:01:01 am
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/intothedark.png)

Green pyramids. Feels like Cydonia. Of course, Cydonia didn't have these. Jack killed it but BloodEagle softened it up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tasoth.png)

The_Force took a shot, but missed. Jack killed this Sectoid.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sectoidess.png)

And...ah frak it's the brains with the tentacles again. A number of MC attacks landed but nothing stuck, this time. LordMelvin retaliates for the efforts to **** with people's heads.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tentaclesforbrains.png)

Incoming fire has the right of way. Tasoths missed the tank and LordMelvin. BlueFlames and MP-Ryan get shown up by still fairly junior The E after they both miss the Tasoth that shot at LordMelvin. On the other front, The_Force gets a kill after BloodEagle spots a Sectoid and a Tasoth standing next to each other. The Tasoth succumbs to the vengeance of Spoon. Nobody shoots at a Tiger Shark and lives.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nobody.png)

BloodEagle spotted and killed another Sectoid. We're not getting as much resistance as I expected, though half the damn team just panicked. The rookies actually seem to be handling the MC-spam better than most of the vets, excepting Jack and MP-Ryan. Speaking of which...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/psispamwhenyouredead.png)
Spam that. Courtesy of MP-Ryan.

One of the Tasoth is hiding in there, so LordMelvin threw a grenade into the entrance. The Tasoth is now presumably injured. We know he's flipping out, considering you can hear him screaming, and we've spotted him moving about.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/entry.png)

And Spoon hunted down a lone Sectoid and killed it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thewrathoftigersandsharks.png)

The team seems to have pulled themselves together now. We've killed eleven aliens, most of them are probably dead. The injured Tasoth is still panicking, and Spoon found another one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/spoonzerVI.png)
A couple of shots took care of the problem.

BlueFlames drops the injured Tasoth so it will stop screaming conspiracy theory crap in languages we don't understand. A Sectoid was lurking right next to the deployment area but didn't have a gun so he couldn't do anything.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/misery.png)
The E puts him out of his misery.

This guy never panicked, why the crap did he drop his gun? Oh well, easy kill.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/easykill.png)

One last alien, which Spoon finds and destroys.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/onelastalien.png)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tothedepths.png)

This...isn't like Cydonia at all. It honestly looks pretty, well, human.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lookshuman.png)

MP-Ryan killed this one as it came down a lift.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/surprise-1.png)

And another for MP-Ryan.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/anotheroneformp.png)

Sectoids and Tasoth, same as the surface. Probably some more of the tentacle monsters, too. MP-Ryan is hogging all the kills, as he gets another Tasoth. So far only deathfun has gotten a kill of anything else.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hoggingthekills.png)

Really, though, it looks really human.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/reallyhuman.png)

Oh yeah, floating brain dudes. Spoon, do your thing. Also, the walls in this room are some kind of light-devouring void. What the hell?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/death2allbrains.png)
(Having an SWS to soak up the tenteculats is kind of nice; I don't usually have a Displacer when this mission happens.)

And...what the crap, where'd he come from?! He's got a stun weapon, so rather than risk reaction fire BlueFlames and deathfun prod it with stun rods until it drops.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sneakybastard.png)

The ability to zombify people is insignificant next to the power of The Force a Spoonzer VI.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/zombiethis.png)

More Sectoids. This is only the second we've seen on this level, but they weren't thick on the ground up top either.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sectoidess2.png)

This guy had the drop on BlueFlames...admittedly only with a stun weapon, but he did. Instead, he flipped out, dropped his gun, and ran towards him. Then away again. Then towards, running in little circles until he ran out of TU.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/whatisthisIdonteven.png)
BlueFlames celebrates his good fortune by...missing an aimed shot. Dammit!

What the christ is THAT?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/whatthechrist.png)
Whatever it is it just ate a Sonic Cannon shot and didn't act too bothered.

Jack, demonstrating considerably more courage than sanity, went in with a stun rod and prodded the giant jellyfish until it stopped moving.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ballsnotbrains.png)

BlueFlames managed to miss three consecutive aimed shots at the panicking Tasoth, so deathfun had to kill it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deathfunwins.png)
(check out the cool green shot trail; you get those underwater, but not land)

BloodEagle, determined to be even more ballsy and yet dumber than Jack, takes on a tentaclebrain with his stun rod. He won, too.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/insanelystupid.png)
But then he has to have the tank save him from another one.

And that's it. We've killed them all. We win.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/weWIN.png)
Mother of god, do we win. That's as much as half of our score for last month! (The extra corpses again; this time I didn't carry any. I have no idea what happened.)

We made 6.1mil off selling misc. junk, excess weapons and Aqua Plastics, and alien corpses. On this mission alone.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: pecenipicek on May 19, 2012, 08:37:17 am
also, wooo, i'm not dead yet :p

(even tho XenoWatch had only one mission so far. unless i missed something)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 19, 2012, 08:50:31 am
also, wooo, i'm not dead yet :p

(even tho XenoWatch had only one mission so far. unless i missed something)

You guys have had one interception. No, wait, two.

You only just got a Triton.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: pecenipicek on May 19, 2012, 09:11:55 am
also, wooo, i'm not dead yet :p

(even tho XenoWatch had only one mission so far. unless i missed something)

You guys have had one interception. No, wait, two.

You only just got a Triton.
considering i havent ever played any X-Com, and my only experience with the gamestyle is from UFO:AI, cut me some slack for not following everything 100%? :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 19, 2012, 09:23:38 am
I'll request that Goober5001 be brought up for active duty.  BUT before you hire him, you have to hire Sandwich -- I don't know who this "Sandwhich" guy was that managed to hijack his spot.  Good riddance he got killed right outside the doorway.  The real Sandwich gives Serious Sam a run for his money.  I recommend making him a sniper armed with a Torpedo Launcher or something similarly devastating.

Personal Log, Sandwich; January 28th, 2040: The night before reporting for duty at my new HLPX-COM assignment, I felt the need to unwind. Alcoholically. Hopping over to a nearby dive, I sat down at the bar and ordered a pint. Soon enough, the evening turned into a blur of conversation... I don't remember much. I figured I must have eventually collapsed and been taken back home by some good Samaritan, because I woke up in my bed.

That night, though... wow. My dreams were bizarre... probably all the suppressed stress from the impending HLPX-COM assignment, allowed to come to the fore by the sleep and alcohol. I dreamed I was in a pitch-black room, strapped to a padded surface by my arms, legs, and chest. I felt the pinch of IV tubes in my arms. I could sense that I was surrounded by machines - something to do with a barely audible whirring (cooling fans?) combined with the way the my breathing echoed back into my ears. I didn't know how I got there or what day it was. The dream felt like it lasted forever. In it, I drifted in and out of consciousness, never knowing if I was "falling asleep" or being put under by something coming through the IV tubes. I never heard or saw anybody else.

Like I said, bizarre.

I woke up in my apartment. Aside from a nasty hangover headache, I felt as good as could be expected. Glancing at the clock, I saw I had about 30 minutes to report in to the HLPX-COM base on the other side of town. I rushed out of the apartment, go-bag in hand, hopped onto the maglev, and was at the enlistment desk with 2 minutes to spare. I handed the duty officer my ID. He swiped it and handed it back to me, and then turned to his monitor. Slowly, a confused, flustered look came over his countenance. He picked up the phone and spoke into it quietly but very intently, glancing at me occasionally. Suddenly, strong hands grabbed my arms, and a voice spoke from behind me, "Son, come with us quietly please."

That's when I found out that it hadn't been a dream.

The rest you know. The investigation, the slowly unraveling puzzle of what had happened that night, the 'roid lookalike that had replaced me so perfectly that nobody had noticed, and where I had been for the past 2 weeks. I was told of the outcome of that first mission, told that the bizarre kidnapping might have just saved my life... it's weird. I feel like I've been cheated out of a game of Russian roulette. Sort of a mixture of "how dare they!?" and "Well, 'puddle of gore' isn't really my favorite look anyway." Sure, being replaced probably saved my life, but I swear if I ever find out who was behind drugging me at the bar that night, I'll wring his worthless neck.

The doctors tell me I'm fine, that nothing's been removed (or added) as far as they can tell. I've passed the rigorous gamut of physical and mental tests they put me through and been cleared for immediate return to duty. I guess thinking that a horrible experience was a dream has it's advantages.

So now here I am. In a personnel "holding pattern" at base, waiting for the call to be transported out to whichever underwater HLP-XCOM base I'm to be assigned to. I've been trying to keep up with the progress of the war, both through the public news channels and the base intel reports. I fill the rest of my time in keeping up with my training, especially on the newer weapons being developed by the science division from recovered alien tech. Some fascinating stuff, that.

I hope to have a chance to use it someday.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 19, 2012, 11:01:44 am
I am Soooo digging this new SpzKpfw
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 19, 2012, 11:12:41 am
I can't belive how little casualites you are having. Aliens panicking left adn right, droping their guns and missing 99% of all shots.
you are blessec wiht some uber luck.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: IronBeer on May 19, 2012, 12:04:35 pm
you are blessec wiht some uber luck.
However, you and I (among a few others) were not.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 19, 2012, 12:31:52 pm
Just gonna throw this out there, the next tank should be the SpzKpfw VII "Sea Lion".
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 19, 2012, 02:07:40 pm
I propose that everyone currently involved in the game write their own personal logs in between missions, to spice things up a bit. :)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 19, 2012, 03:43:19 pm
Dear log,

This cloning vat is BORING to wait in. And being all naked? What's up with that. Couldn't they clones us with some pants on? I'm gettin' uncomfortable with Trashman over there, with his eyes all lookin' at stuff. I miss shooting aliens. Oh man that was fun.
Doc Fox came by to check our progress the other day, he says it might be a while before we see action. The enemy has been routed at every turn.

Oh no. Don't tell me the Alien Containment is full, again. Oh no not my tube not my tube not my... **** it.
Well so now there's a Gillman here. Probably a Gillman, possibly a Gilllady, if the science reports are accurate. That won't make this any less awkward. I'll just... scoot over to this corner.

I'll just take a nap. Here in my tube.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 19, 2012, 03:47:07 pm
Whoa whoa whoa, wait, who authorized using the cloning vats as temporary storage for captured aliens? That's just asking for a massive failure, especially when (not if) they find the access panel to the cloning controls!

Excuse me while I go chew some techies out.  :hopping:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: The E on May 19, 2012, 04:19:44 pm
Personal Log, Eberhard "The E" Gustaffson

I never expected this. I thought that, after we went all the way to ****ing Mars to blow up everything that threatened our way of life, it was over. Even though it seemed just that tiny bit too easy back then, we were all convinced that the big threat was past, that if anything, cleanup operations were all that was left to do. When I signed the order to disband the original HLP-XCOM, I did so in the firm belief that humanity as a whole was equipped to deal with everything that would come, and that an organization such as ours was no longer necessary.

I do not regret the things we did. If we were fighting humans, our tactics and methods would have been decried as monstrous; our use of horrifying weapons of mass destruction be called excessive by those sitting at home watching the newscasts. As it was, we did what we had to to keep humanity safe, and none of the people under my command would have acted differently. There aren't many of us left, now that a new threat has risen quite literally in our backyard. Thankfully, the Powers That Be have decided to resurrect HLP-XCOM to combat it. For a while, I was contend to stay away from the frontlines; combat is a young man's game, and I no longer am one. I tried to do my bit, training militias and advising governments, but as I watched coastal cities being evacuated, beaches that once were teeming with laughter and love being patrolled by drones and heavily armed men, I could no longer stand back and do cheerleading from the sidelines.

So I reenlisted, as a simple grunt. I am impressed by the skill and courage these new recruits have, they remind me of the old Squad One in many ways. Hell, some of them are the sons and daughters of people I commanded back in the first xeno war. I try my best not to "game the system" to my advantage; if there's one thing these ****ing aliens have taught us, it's that the only thing that counts are results, and the people getting them.

As we sit back in Battutas' Bar (Dude may not have been much of a soldier, but hell if I have ever seen a better run establishment to kick back and relax in), I know that once more, we will prevail. We went to Mars and came back with nary a scratch, we will go to the deepest, darkest places on this planet and root out these ****ers once and for all.

Hell, we may even allow some of them to live on.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 19, 2012, 05:23:26 pm
Personal Log, MP-Ryan.

After spending one mission guarding the Triton and drinking margaritas, I've made a very important discovery:  tequila hangovers appear to improve alien-killing performance by a significant margin.  Either that, or my teammates spent last mission drinking their own beverages, because it appears I had to do all the hard work.  Come to think of it, I bet the pansies were probably drinking lemon gin, the better to get their panties removed back at base.  Next time we're clearing froggies and lobster out of a tourist hotspot I'm going to have to order some of the new fodder to sample the beach bar and quit drinking the weak girly stuff.  Either that, or I'm transferring them to Xenowatch next chance I get.

It's a damn good thing Mongoose and I are leading this ****show, though the new bunch of recruits do appear somewhat more promising than the last group of cannonfodder.  I can't believe the one even shot the damned tank.  Here I thought The_E's stories of FF on the tanks were just the exaggeration of a grizzled old grunt - so much for that theory.

Time to go test my hangover theory again.  Hopefully NGTM-1R requisitioned more tequila - I think we're getting low.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: pecenipicek on May 19, 2012, 05:38:28 pm
i'll try to join in the logs if i survive the inevitable first proper xenowatch mission :D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Rodo on May 19, 2012, 05:47:37 pm
hahahaha, you're all insane people.

and I love it :D
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 19, 2012, 05:51:46 pm
Personal log, TrashMan

Damn those aliens. Didn't they learn anything during the last war?
It's been a while since this s*** started but I still can't get over it that they are at it again. I was soo looking forward to my R&R and my basking in my status as war hero. What's not to like? Fame, fortune and chicks... but duty calls.

Heck, E is back and still seems his old self. A but rusty, but still the killing machine we all remember. Never could top him back then and I don't think I will now. But I'm just glad to have him with us again.
Spoon is also back. He and his tanks. And his mumbo-humbo about karma and his pretty little darlings. The way he polishes that thing it's disturbing. And he drives it like a drunkard, always getting in my line of fire...then blaming me when the armor gets singed. Heh, as long as his tank is in front, soaking up damage, I couldn't care less tough.
We are the elites of the last war, the baddest of the bad. I killed my fair share of alines and these aquatic bastards. And now we got a snazzy new armor too.
So why do I have this nagging feeling, this churning in my stomach? Why do I have the feeling I won't be coming back today?
...
Oh well...we all have to die one day, right? Lock and load and all that jazz. Here's to hoping I bag a few more before my time is up.

P.S. - if I die, I leave my gun to whomever angered Spoon the most.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 19, 2012, 05:57:03 pm
BloodEagle, Jack, and MP-Ryan set up to defend the Skyranger

Oh cool, did one from the First Alien War crash and sink?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: LHN91 on May 19, 2012, 05:58:32 pm
If I survive the first Xenowatch mission where I'm mentioned  :p I'll look at making a log. Not that I have any kind of humorous writing skill.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 19, 2012, 07:01:32 pm
Oh god, now I need to read all this. Later, later.

BloodEagle, Jack, and MP-Ryan set up to defend the Skyranger

Oh cool, did one from the First Alien War crash and sink?

This is the ninth time I've had to avoid writing that and the first I failed. Dammit.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Mongoose on May 19, 2012, 08:05:41 pm
War...war never changes.  And not even death can change that.

I don't remember anything from that final mission--an unfortunate side-effect of the regeneration process.  Hell, maybe it's for the best...I don't know that I'd want to relive my final moments anyway.  They say I gave a noble account of myself in my final battle, that I downed a couple of alien bastards, and even withstood a hit that would have floored most men.  I wasn't so lucky the second time.  After I came to, floating in my tube, the techs said it was a miracle that there was enough left of me to put me back together.  I sometimes wonder...could the me that came out the other side still be called "me" in the first place?  Who knows.  What I did know is that, while my personality and memories were intact, the reflexes and instincts that had been honed through months of intensive training were not.  Oh sure, I eventually got back into the field, labeled with the dubious nickname "Junior," but it was with a bunch of scrubs, and we only ran a few token missions.  The legendary Squad One was already well on their way to staging the final assault on Cydonia, and soon after that, X-COM was disbanded.  We could all go home.

What was I left with?  Other than my service medal and the blank spots in my reconstructed mind, nothing but a lingering sense of regret.  What would it have been like had I made it through that fateful mission?  Would I have achieved the highest level as well?  Would I have had the chance to show what I was capable of, instead of watching the entire war play out on news reports?  These questions gnawed at me for decades, and I didn't have any good answers.  That's why, when news first broke of the seaborne menace, there was a part of me that reacted with...joy.  This was my chance, a chance to finally put aside those old regrets.  I was starting to push "old," but there was still enough life left in these bones for one more go-round.  Hell, if a legend like The E was up for the challenge again, there's no way I'd miss it either.  So I re-enlisted in the newly-formed unit, vowing that they wouldn't catch me off-guard two lives in a row.  Unlike the old expression, sometimes, you don't only live just once.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: IronBeer on May 19, 2012, 10:27:27 pm
IronBeer waited by the alien sub's outer hatch. The lights above him blinked sporadically and sparks popped though the water. There were alien agents still in the crashed sub. He didn't see them, but he had expected them now for years. His time as a spirit after a friendly-fire death had revealed the hidden alien city of evil: T'leth. He had known about the city for years, had tried to warn Commander NGTM-1R for just as long. But his warnings were ignored, and now it was too late.

Too late for now, anyways. HLP-XCOM had been resurrected to fight a new alien menace, one IronBeer knew was striking from that cyclopean terror-realm. IronBeer was an HLP-XCOM marine, and had been a more regular marine serving the United States for 14 years. When he was young, he loved watching the big ships come and go through the port in Houston. One day, a young IronBeer told his father "I wanna be on the ships, Daddy!"

"No! You will be killed by ALIENS!"

For a while, IronBeer believed his father's desperate warnings. Then later he grew older and skeptical, and finally stopped believing his old man.

But now, standing outside the door of a wrecked submarine clearly of non-human construction, IronBeer knew there were aliens.

"This is The_E!" His earpiece crackled. "IronBeer, I hate to do this to you, but we need you on point for the breach! Waste anything non-human you find, but don't get too far up!"

"Three!" A nearby squadmate signaled with three outstretched fingers.

IronBeer checked the power clip on his sonic cannon- full charge.

"Two!"

IronBeer flexed his hands, craned his neck a bit, shrugged his shoulders under his suit of heavy armor.

"One!"

IronBeer planted a foot, prepared to move.

"Gogogogoggo!"

The door to the alien craft slid away and IronBeer blew through the doorway, turning to face a corridor with some distinctly non-human figures skulking within.

"He is going to kill us!" One of the figures croaked in an unintelligible language.

"I will shoot at him!" Said a nearby lobsterman in the same language.

IronBeer didn't know what his targets were saying, and didn't care in the slightest. An ultrasonic blast from his weapon blew apart the nearest creature with a heavy BWOMP sound and a satisfying spray of greenish viscera. The lobsterman ponderously raised its own sonic cannon at IronBeer and loosed his own sonic blast. It missed IronBeer's helmet and left shoulder by only centimeters, instead putting a frighteningly large dent into a nearby wall. The two traded shots for several seconds. While the lobsterman never managed to actually hit IronBeer, the creature severely messed up the area around the marine. IronBeer landed a few hits on his foe, but to no avail.

Suddenly, several large chunks of metal came crashing down around IronBeer and his opponent, blocking the two from each other. Still hyped up from the intense firefight, IronBeer screamed "NO! I MUST KILL THIS ALIEN FREAK!" to an audience that couldn't possibly hear him.

The next thing IronBeer knew was the subtle feeling of something large and sharp retracting from a hole in his right upper back. Turning abnormally slowly, IronBeer found himself face-to-face with some kind of floating brain, its wicked-looking beak streaming blood. With scenes from his life flicking through his mind, regret and sorrow quickly began gnawing at his heart.

The last thing IronBeer knew as the gnawing grew stronger was a radio message, drifting through the ever-deepening fog in his mind.

"No, IronBeer. You are the aliens!"

AND THEN IRONBEER WAS A ZOMBIE!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 19, 2012, 11:03:33 pm
Our research into UFOs has left us with a number of projects. First, the Manta.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/manta.png)
The Manta has gone through a number of revisions. Initial specifications called for two weapons hardpoints, two crew, and six passengers; overall size and weight similar to the alien Escort. We started designing it just after we took our first Escort in fact. It became obvious early on this was too ambitious. We didn't know enough about alien tech yet to make it work. A much more modest proposal included no alien tech navigation or engines, two crew, and two weapons pods. The hull and hull form would incorporate alien tech and lessons learned from UFO design.

In the meantime, however, we deployed the Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark for combat testing with Squad 1, and XenoWatch (who only just now got a Triton for Squad 2), had plenty of time to use their Barracuda to pace their own Tiger Shark in tests around the base. The Displacer hull has given us plenty of experience with alien-tech engines and navigation gear, so the Manta proposal was again revised to include alien engines and navigation.

Regardless, such a long gestation period means we're not going to build one. We have better stuff in the pipe.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hammerhead.png)
Following on the Manta came the Hammerhead. The Hammerhead team started work on the design just after they finished working on the Displacer hull prototype. The Hammerhead has one weapons hardpoint and the ability to carry twelve troopers, though no tanks. We might actually build one. Only one weapon isn't much of an issue since we have...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sonicoscillator.png)
Sonic Oscillators. Like the Plasma Beams from the FAW, our sonic cannon weaponry for interceptions came from pulling guns off alien ships and studying them. In this case, though, we started with the very best: the weapons the Dreadnaught that taking cost us StarSlayer and IronBeer. While ours lack the range and power of those weapons due to the fact we had to scale them down a bit, they still outrange all alien craft but the Dreadnaught.

Due to circumstances of their design recovery, each Sonic Oscillator is named after an HLPX-COM operative who was lost to the aliens. Barracuda 1, first equipped with them, mounts cannon StarSlayer and IronBeer, named for the soldiers who lost their lives getting us these weapons. Barracuda 2 carries cannon Akalabeth and watsisname. Barracuda 3 carries cannon Sandwhich and Polpolion; four other cannons have been built and will be named and assigned to craft as they come into service.

(And we're now taking volunteers for Triton 2 and Barracuda 4, btw.)

Oh, and...Squad 3, EastPac, has just been activated. They'll be operating on the other side of the Pacific from Xenowatch, off the Western Seaboard of the US. Unless any of them volunteer for other duties, the composition will be:

Alex Heartnet
z64555
Veers
Dekker
ZekeSulastin
Goober5001
Sandwich
SpardaSon22
Argenteus a.k.a. Fox
Gortef
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Cyborg17 on May 20, 2012, 12:28:04 am
I'll take Triton duty, unless there's still a massive number of people not doing anything.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 20, 2012, 12:50:08 am
Subject: "z64-555"
Date: [Redacted]

Fist day as a HLPX-COM Operative! All these years, I've been stuck behind a desk job under the label of "Alien Technology Engineer" that mostly involved pushing papers around instead any of the awesome reverse engineering.

Up until this day, I've been getting mixed reviews of the operation. Casualties are supposedly low, but then again, when did command ever tell the whole truth?

I'm stuck with a group of other rookies, but since we're somewhat late in the game we're outfitted with the higher tech weaponry. That is, if you don't mind the broken gear that came from Squad 1 and 2. I'm not going to even ask if it was from somebody that made it or didn't.

My brother, [Redacted], better known as z64-556, seems to be doing well in the sister operations. Detachment [Redacted].

My combat title is "Combat Engineer," which hopefully means I'll get to blow up stuff in addition to recovering the loot. Lately, we've been getting more and more delicate equipment from the raids, and unfortunately most of it was trashed due to rough handling. Command put me here so I can oversee the recovery operation right from the start of the combat to ensure we get the needed tech.

Oh, and I also get to play field mechanic for Spoon's tanks. The displacer has a tendency to clog up with seaweed when not taken care of properly... which I get the joy of cleaning out that crap.

Haven't been issued weapons yet, but I hope I get something like the Blasta. I don't like the name, but I prefer rifle-sized weaponry over pistols and cannons. I dunno, it's just something about rifles that makes me like them.

Don't wait up for me,

--Z
Title: RE: Incorrect posting
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 20, 2012, 01:29:49 am
TO: Xenowatch Field Commander
CO: Xenowatch
FM: Alex Heartnet, HPLX-COM Operative
RE: Incorrect posting

-----
Path: Xenowatch Barracks | Xenowatch Internal Communications | Xenowatch Command Center
-----

To whom it may concern:

I do believe there may of been a mistake in my posting.  My training lies in gunship piloting, not foot combat.  The only small arms I know how to use are sidearms.

I hereby request my transfer to the first available Barracuda squadron immediately.

- Alex Heartnet
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 01:43:29 am
Fixed. You'll fly Barracuda 4 out of EastPac.

Next: the last mission before we do Squad 2's first.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 01:47:18 am
We've brought down an alien Battleship off Tripoli. The area was part of a experimental underwater habitat, so we brought in Triton 1 and Squad 1 quickly to clear it. We suspect this is roughly equivalent to the Terror Ships from the FAW.

First blood to BloodEagle.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/firstblood-1.png)

Doesn't look too big, does it?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/firstlevel.png)

Well, that's 'cuz you're looking at it wrong. The design is actually fairly graceful as alien craft go. Certainly moreso then the UFOs of the First Alien War.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/battleship-1.gif)

The bottom floor is a mess. The engines all blew out judging from it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bottomfloor.png)

Good news: A Tentaculat attempted to charge us and instead got himself blown away by Jack. Bad news: Lobstermen and Tentaculat. The E, clearing one of the habitat buildings, took a Sonic Cannon shot to the chestplate. His armor held, but he and the Lobsterman are having a shots-into-the-dark slinging match.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deadtenteculat.png)

BloodEagle confronts another Sonic Cannon-armed Lobsterman. Surprisingly, he drops it with one shot for our second genuine one-shot one-kill for these creatures.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lobbiemans.png)

The E's armor holds a second time, and a third, and then two more. (What the hell; five shots, three turns.) He replies again with his fourth round into the alien and it finally drops dead. The new Magnetic Ion Armor has proved its worth beyond all doubt.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/testedtodestruction.png)

MP-Ryan had a brief shooting match with the alien on the stairs, where it hit him once and he hit it twice. It wasn't prepared to deal with that; but MP-Ryan's armor didn't breach. Then he and deathfun took down one near the doors (which is invisible due to perspective). The Mag Ion Armor is doing superb work this mission.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/diediedie.png)

LordMelvin comes face to face with another Tentaculat, but he kills it before it can react.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/closecall.png)

More damage. This ship would have had a huge haul of equipment and fuel undamaged, but our Transmission Resolver reported its mission orders were to attack surface targets and that couldn't be allowed. If you're curious how we figure these things out, it's just basic traffic analysis. They use certain frequencies for different mission types.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/moredamage.png)

MP-Ryan and Jack shot this Lobsterman twice, but it wasn't enough to drop him, so they retreated down the lift again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/peekaboo.png)

BloodEagle, still clearing exterior structures, runs into this pair. He kills the Tentaculat and the Lobsterman doesn't appear to immediately notice.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ohhai.png)
The next turn, he shoots it in the back and it spins around to return two shots. One was a miss, but the other struck BloodEagle's faceplate. Which did not breach. Granted it's only a Sonic Rifle shot, but that's still quite impressive. It takes another turn, and another shot, to finish the matter.

Jack finally finishes off the obstinate Lobsterman on the third level, and he and MP-Ryan get the last one on the bridge. Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/missioncomplete-4.png)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Cyborg17 on May 20, 2012, 02:52:51 am
It'll take more than that to take out The_E, fishface!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: The E on May 20, 2012, 03:26:28 am
Rage is one hell of an anaesthetic.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 20, 2012, 07:43:17 am
(You really should include geoscape shots so we can tell what date/time it is... ;))

Sandwich's Personal Log, date: [redacted]: Finally shipped out. Got choppered out from Alameda to a Los Angeles-class sub a few miles offshore, which took me out to... well, I'm not entirely sure. The sub took a few days getting here; not sure if it was travelling slow and silent or fast and loud. We're presumably somewhere in the Pacific, and probably closer to the western US seaboard than Japan, but for all I know, we could be near Hawaii.

Wherever we are, this facility is brand-spanking-new by the looks of it - probably built no more than a few months ago. Underwater, that's actually not a good thing. There hasn't been time to find and repair all the usual leaks that come with building underwater facilities. Thankfully, the only leak in our quarters is near the drainage grate, so we only have a small unusable floor area. Poor guys in Room 103 - they've got leaks above a couple of bunks.

Speaking of the other guys, I can't believe who I ran into here - The Goobster! He's going by Goober5001 for some reason these days. Anyway, we go back quite a ways, in basic training. I think I even.... yeah, here it is! A photo of the two of us on leave back in the summer of 2029. Man, those were the days...

(http://staff.hard-light.net/sandwich/images/sandwich-goobster.jpg)

It's good to have someone I know here. The other guys all seem like good, solid folks, but there's nothing like an old, trusted friend to have  your back in combat situations. I told him about the bizarre ordeal that happened to me; he had some interesting things to report of his own related to that. Apparently, he had- dangit! The alert just sounded, gotta run!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 20, 2012, 08:35:59 am
Log entry #likeIeverkeepcount

They told me they needed the best, they wanted this old electronic man back on the controls for the X-COM tanks again. I could not refuse.
So here I am again, piloting state of the art submarine tanks with alien pew pew lasers. I don't think I've lost my touch but I think I'll leave the maintenance up to the young kids. I'm getting too old for this.

I must be really bored inbetween missions, I've never been one to keep a diary.
It's such a hazzle
Screw this.

-end of log


Log entry #likeIeverkeepcount2

Ha! That crazy old fool Trashman is finally sharkfood. Good times, good times.

-end of log
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 20, 2012, 08:48:31 am
[Start Log]

So, here I am. Strapped into a flying submarine, and more metal than meat.

It's been so long since one of my squadmates dropped a grenade at my feet and killed me. Yeah that's right, I was dead. The doctors said that my heart stopped beating when we were only minutes out from the base. Can't say that I was surprised, considering that the blast peeled me open like an orange.

I was lucky is what they kept on telling me after I woke up in the medlab six months after the war ended. I didn't feel it, that's for sure. I was only awake for a few hours before the Commander strode into the ward covered in the medals he earned for "saving the world", and told me that my brother was a hero. That was all I needed to know.

Years passed and I was stuck in a hospital room, not even able to sit up on my own.  Then one day, He walked through the door. I didn't even get the choice to say no.

The surgeries were inhuman. The put stuff in, took even more out and almost all of it while I was awake. Then they took what was left and wired me into an old modded suit of flying armour, before plugging me into a simulator for a few days.

It turns out that with my new...body, I made for a more effective pilot. I could pull maneuvers that would crush a normal person's organs, and process information at a greater rate due to having more circuits in my head than a cyberdisk. Did I also mention the small Elerium warhead embedded in my chest? Yeah, the official story is that it's a powersource, but how many reactors have an implosion device and hyperwave receiver? Not many I'd guess.

So, here I am. Nothing but a damned tool for command to use, and ensure it stays loyal with a ****ing small scale WMD.

Maybe after all this is done and the rest of those alien bastards are dead, I'll just take a leisurly stroll outside the base.

Yeah, that sounds great...
A nice long walk....I think I might even lose the armour. Enjoy the feel of water on my skin...
...
...
...Damn it...

[Recording Ends]
 
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 20, 2012, 09:06:35 am
Personal Log, MP-Ryan.

Hypothesis tested and null rejected - tequila hangovers are indeed good as an alien-killing performance enhancement.  If this operation ever gets declassified, I'm shooting for an Ignobel Prize.

Also - I'm off to get whomever put the final touches on that Magnetic Ion Amrour rip-roaring drunk - smart bastard deserves some free drinks on me after his invention saved three of us last mission.  I'm sure The_E echoes the sentiment, but I'm betting he's too busy pulling the lucky horseshoes out of his ass to join us for drinks tonight.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 20, 2012, 09:09:58 am
Dammit E.
5 shot and you're still alive? Are you sure your last name isn't Kal'el?
Title: KNOW YOUR FOE: From the Desk of Doctor Fox 2
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 10:30:33 am
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tasothauto.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tasoth-1.png)
We have no idea what to make of the Tasoths. Like the Ethereals did, they violate most known laws of physics and biology. Unlike the Ethereals, their mechanism for getting away with this is completely unknown. Tasoth have an open circulatory system, something which shouldn't work at all for anything larger than an insect. There are only a couple of internal organs, a very small brain and a digestive/excretory system. They have a partial exoskeleton of Aqua Plastics but for the most part appear to maintain their shape via pressure, like a balloon. This would make them incredibly vulnerable to most weapons, but the lack of solid objects in their body actually offers them a fair measure of resistance to Sonic weaponry.

Their late appearance, their possession of MC powers, and their resistance to Sonic weapons suggest the Tasoth may have been designed specifically to combat HLPX-COM and based on knowledge of the events of the First Alien War. Despite the observation of their behavior, suggesting great bravery in captivity, we do know one thing from combat experience: Tasoths are aware they're one step up from walking balloons. They will run to the sound of guns, but if injured or if many of them are killed, they quickly panic.

Though they can be briefly returned to life by the aliens even after technically dead, we've never witnessed it in the field. Considering they tend to deflate once badly injured, it's possible the aliens simply don't bother as they wouldn't normally be able to still effect their environment.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tentaculatauto.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tentaculat.png)
Tentaculats, despite their Lovecraftian appearance and excess of brain matter, behave in an animalistic fashion and do not appear to have any psionic or Molecular Control powers that pose a distance threat. There is no sign of reproductive organs or excretory organs and their DNA code is remarkably short, with as far as we can tell zero coding left over from previous evolutionary steps. This, and their inability to survive without eating highly processed food, leads us to believe they are engineered creatures. The problem is we have absolutely no idea how they work. At all. The zombifying process is an absolute mystery to us, as is the method in which zombies act as hosts for new Tentaculats. We knew at least how the Chryssalids worked; these we do not. Our working hypothesis is for some kind of specialized psionics or molecular control. It came about after our captured Tentaculat managed to zombify someone in Alien Containment without coming into physical contact with them. They were, in fact, separated from the Tentaculat by a three-inch titanium plate at the time.

It is also of interest that, left to its own devices, a Tentaculat is incapable of distinguishing friend from foe. Aliens carry small IFF tags which flash coded infrared signals that allow the Tentaculats to distinguish them. We have been unable to crack the codes; they appear to change often and be unique to individual ships and installations. We know for a fact, however, that if the tag malfunctions or is removed Tentaculats will attack aliens, as the creature the Tentaculat zombified in Alien Containment was a Sectoid.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hallucinoidauot.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hallunicnoid.png)
It is of interest to note that the Hallucinoid's ranged attack can only be used out of the water; we didn't even know about it until somebody was dumb enough to lift the lid on the tank we were keeping it in. This egregious violation of procedure was quickly self-correcting, as the Hallucinoid shot the responsible tech and killed her. Since Hallucinoids cannot leave the water that we know, they are unable to support their own weight on land, it is unlikely to be a problem for Aquanauts in the field.

The Hallucinoid is as mindless as most of its closest kin, with aliens taking direct control via Molecular Control implants in it when they need more than very basic predatory behavior out of them. They should nonetheless be ranked a high threat, as our armor designs did not anticipate the need to handle this kind of temperature shock and could be seriously damaged by it. Hallucinoids are extremely hard to keep alive in captivity. Ours died in only a couple of days and was clearly sick for most of that time.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 20, 2012, 02:06:10 pm
The techies these days seem to be more ignorant than the ones we had during the FAW. Just who hired these people, anyway?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 20, 2012, 02:24:33 pm
Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: [redacted]

Well, apparently that alarm was the biosensors of one of the containment cells going off. The programming detected a change in readings it didn't have a preset response for, so it took the cautious route and set off the entire facility's alarms. Apparently, the containment cell in question had been holding a Sectoid we'd captured God-knows-when - had being the operative word. It currently contains a zombified Sectoid.

Freakish aliens. Kill 'em all.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 02:59:03 pm
The techies these days seem to be more ignorant than the ones we had during the FAW. Just who hired these people, anyway?

Partially it's the fact we're even more isolated than before so it's harder to get good staff, and partially it's the fact that, well, our knowledge base is narrower. We have hundreds of years of studying land animals. Even by 2040 you'd be hard-pressed to say we have a single century of intensive study of sea life.

And some of this crap is downright weird.

However, as Squad 2 proves, that's really not a problem when it dies after you shoot it.



The scene: The Sea of Japan, about 11:30am local time on the 14th of June. Triton 2 has just touched down for Squad 2's first mission. We think there's a colony around here; we know for sure that Sectoid-crewed Fleet Supply Cruisers make regular runs. Squad 2 is here to raid one of those ships for fuel, engine, and navigation parts; anything else is just gravy.

Turambar drives the tank out the hatch and around the back of the sub, where it's promptly shot at twice for a miss and a hit. This is, however, a Tiger Shark. You're going to have to work harder than that to bother a VI. MatthTheGeek and Kobrar44 fire the first shots of Squad 2 in anger. Both hit their targets. Two Sectoids down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/squad2greetings.png)

LHN91 gets his first kill. We've had some MC attacks land but nobody appears to have been affected.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/LHN.png)

And now pecenipicek gets a first-round kill on another Sectoid. You know, the rookies are really making a good impression here. Especially considering some of the Squad 1 veterans having occasionally questionable accuracy.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/peceout.png)

And then MatthTheGeek had to blow it all by missing a Sectoid. Fortunately, Kobrar44 didn't. (If these two screens look similar, it's because they are; maps are assembled from “building blocks” and alien spawn points in these blocks are always the same, though they move around a bit if you give them time. Which we did not.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/kobrastrike.png)

With Col. Fishguts we're back to form; this was a moderately difficult shot considering the range and the level difference. The aliens are MC-ing the hell out Hades for some reason, but it's not sticking.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/fishgutsshoots.png)

pecenipicek took a Sonic Cannon shot in the stomach, but his armor held. Response was a little rocky, the rookies aren't used to getting shot at, and pecenipicek and Rhymes_With_PSYCHO missed their return shots. Madcat didn't.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/madcata.png)

Kobrar is tearing the hell out of this mission. It's his first combat, six turns in, and he's got three kills already.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dayofthekobra.png)

Well, they were rookies, it had to happen. Five people fired at this Sectoid and missed. Dilmah G then made them all look shockingly incompetent by taking it down with a shot from the hip at about thirty squares.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dilmahg.png)

They're still attacking Hades with MC stuff, but aside from a brief dip in his morale (which went right back up with Dilmah G's kill), it's just not accomplishing anything. Matth also seems to be subjected to some of it now, but he's proving equally resistant.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hadesisimmune.png)
(I checked after the mission; it turns out Hades has the lowest bravery stat on the team, with a flat 60, with everybody else somewhere between 61 and 70; they just kept trying to panic somebody who doesn't.)

Again with the five-people-miss bit, only this time it's Madcat on cleanup.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/madcatprime.png)

And, uh...mission complete. Breaching the UFO was never required, the entire crew came out to meet Squad 2 and got killed outside their ship.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/endgameiguess.png)
Aside from a few real screwups in the accuracy department, that was a very good performance from a new squad. The haul of stuff we're not going to keep is worth about 2.7mil for further operations.

Squad 1 ran a pretty routine recovery mission again an alien Escort that was shot down in the North Atlantic. These small ships really don't handle it well when we hit them with Sonic Oscillators and it was in very bad shape, so material recovery was minimal, but dead Lobstermen are always welcome.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 05:12:03 pm
There's an alien colony very close to our main base. Squad 1 intercepted the first alien supply run to it. The mission was not very notable except on three counts. First, The E is not the Last Son Of Krypton. He actually got hurt here, though considering it was just a lucky rifle hit, not by much. (1 HP, truly a devestating blow.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lastsonofkrypton.png)
However, he inadvertantly proved that the armor resealing systems work, as his chestplate absorbed a further two hits from the same source without breaching. (Plus one more later in the mission; The_Force also took a rifle hit to the chestplate but no breach.)

Second, we've confirmed the deployment of a new alien weapon. We're calling it the Disruptor Pulse Launcher for now; it shares a number of similarities with the Blaster Bomb launcher but we haven't actually seen one fired yet. The technical types are working on an example as we speak.

Third, The_Force actually ran out of ammo while storming the bridge and had to finish the last Lobsterman with his Thermal Tazer.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 20, 2012, 05:34:56 pm
Do you get access to alien weaponry from weapons that you pick up and bring with you from missions?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: LHN91 on May 20, 2012, 05:47:42 pm
So my first kill was juuust interesting enough to register a single sentence.  :p Might take a shot at a post-mission log tonight, if I can put a decent piece together.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 05:57:26 pm
Do you get access to alien weaponry from weapons that you pick up and bring with you from missions?

More or less. You grab it off dead aliens at mission's end, unless you manually drag it into the Triton and abort. Once you research them you can build your own, but there's rarely a reason to. Maybe if you're absolutely starved for pistol or rifle ammo (or Thermal Shok Bombs, which happened to me once), but actual weapons not so much.

Every Sonic Cannon we're using right now was recovered from the battlefield by Squad 1. Similiarly back in HLPX-COM 1, every weapon that went to Cydonia, aside from the guns on the Laser Tanks, was recovered from the battlefield and turned against its makers.

You can't use weapons until they're researched; presumably they have some kind of safety systems that have to be bypassed or made to recognize humans as valid users.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: pecenipicek on May 20, 2012, 06:43:21 pm
hell yes :D we survived.

i'm assuming that the squad 2 is in magnetic armor, right?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 07:27:10 pm
i'm assuming that the squad 2 is in magnetic armor, right?

Yes. Hell, I wouldn't send anyone out at this point without it unless there was no way to get it to them and we really needed a warm body.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 20, 2012, 09:22:25 pm
You can't use weapons until they're researched; presumably they have some kind of safety systems that have to be bypassed or made to recognize humans as valid users.

Or maybe that's because your troops need to know what it's meant to do, how to perform maintenance on it, how to reload it properly, and last but not least the risks of using it.  Many of these weapons might not be designed for human hands and require modification to use.  It might not be immediately obvious how to fire them, and operating some of the more exotic alien weapons (Like the waypoint-following Blaster Bombs) might involve far more then "point at enemy, pull trigger".

These aren't simple firearms that you can just pick up and take apart.  These are exotic alien weapons that employ unfamiliar technologies and might operate on physics principles that were previously unknown to mankind.  And it is very important that human soldiers are able to use them safely without the weapon blowing up in their hands and spraying hot plasma everywhere.

Hense, figuring out how to use one takes a significant amount of lab time, especially when one considers the safety precautions the scientists need to use.  But once that is done, it's not terribly difficult for the engineers to just copy the alien weapon design, even if they don't fully understand the physics behind the weapon.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 09:57:15 pm
While there's truth to that, some of them (the rifle and pistol in particular) are fairly clear how to use; but you simply cannot pick them up and fire them even in an emergency.

Putting human on the userlist is sadly one of the most important steps.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 20, 2012, 10:03:07 pm
Well, the problem is with the weapons' safety mechanism. Each weapon is specifically tailored so that only a handful of "users" may actually be able to fire it. Some of them, particularly the more advanced models, require a psionic / molecular synchronicity with said users.

We think this is the Alien's countermeasure to having enemy combatants (us) picking up their weapons in the field and using it against them, then and there. By slowing us down, they essentially buy time so that their engineers and commanders can form new technology and strategies against their lost tech. (On the good side, it seems we've been reverse engineering faster than they can form effective tactics and new tech)

So far, we haven't been able to fully mimic the safety mechanism... we only understand enough to disable the damn thing so that we can strap on some pistol grips and a trigger that humans can use (It's absolutely ridiculous how sensitive their triggers are! some are as delicate as half an ounce of pressure to discharge!)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 20, 2012, 10:37:47 pm
So far, we haven't been able to fully mimic the safety mechanism... we only understand enough to disable the damn thing so that we can strap on some pistol grips and a trigger that humans can use (It's absolutely ridiculous how sensitive their triggers are! some are as delicate as half an ounce of pressure to discharge!)

Except that once you research what it is, you can now pick it up from alien corpses without any loss in functionality.  Clearly, the bottleneck isn't in the physical design of the weapon.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 20, 2012, 10:40:51 pm
You mean to tell me the operatives are able to use them without modifications?

Sheesh. There's a couple thousand bucks wasted on special order customizations. I'm guessing somebody developed a molecular synchronizer without the adequate paperwork. Great.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 20, 2012, 11:08:16 pm
Yeah, pretty much.  If some shmuck of a new recruit picks one up off the field, he can just start shooting (if you have it researched).
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 20, 2012, 11:40:32 pm
About an hour after dawn, local time, two hundred and fifty kilometers off the Irish coast. This is normally Squad 1's territory, but Squad 2 needs more experience, so they were sent out for this mission.

The tank is playing peekabo with a Lobsterman, which has actually managed to damage it slightly. LHN91 joins the exclusive “I legitimately oneshot a Lobsterman” club when he spots another one while moving to support. (After three other people missed it.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lhn911.png)

The tank blasts its dance partner after having wounded it in the arm twice over the last two turns.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/perfectimmortalmachine.png)

The accuracy issues that Squad 2 didn't have in the last mission are killing them this time, as all but three people on the team missed their shot (two of the others couldn't draw a line of fire, and Rhymes_With_PSYCHO hit with one and missed with one).
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/missingyou.png)
He responds to the Sonic shots flying all around him by throwing a grenade...which strikes an intervening object and the damn idiot's actually inside the blast radius of his own grenade.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/uramoron.png)

Rhymes_With_PSYCHO's third shot is not a miss. Scratch one very stupid Lobsterman.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/uramoron2.png)

pecenipicek confronts an alien inside their ship at point-blank range. It shoots him twice in the chestplate with a Sonic Rifle, and is very unhappy to discover this doesn't do ****. Unfortunately neither he nor Hades putting rounds into its head and chest appear to bother the Lobsterman very much either.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wellthatwentwell.png)
Then one of the next two rounds the alien fires penetrates, badly injuring pecenipicek; he goes down and goes into shock almost instantly. Hades blasts the alien in response, killing it.

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/minorvictories.png)

Due to his injuries pecenipicek will be out of action for over two months, so we're transferring in Doc Fox from Squad 3 to fill the gap until Squad 3 gets its own Triton.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 21, 2012, 12:42:50 am
About an hour after dawn, local time, two hundred and fifty kilometers off the Irish coast. This is normally Squad 1's territory, but Squad 2 needs more experience, so they were sent out for this mission.

What?!  Those scummy rat-bastards are horning in on our territory?!  Do they think we're just going to sit back and take that kind of treatment?

You're damn right we'll sit back and let them do the heavy lifting!  I don't care if it's called paid holiday or not, any time I can spend lounging at base, instead of visiting an alien cross-fire, sealed in an air-tight sweatbox, is time well spent!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 21, 2012, 01:01:33 am
Personal Log, MP-Ryan

Squad 2 spent today hunting aliens in our theatre of operations.  The boys from Squad 1 and I spent the day relaxing by the [moon]pool in lawn chairs, drinks in hand, poker chips on the table.  I think it's pretty obvious who came out the better in this command decision.  Also, I am not playing poker with these fellows ever again.  I've been forced to req' cheap tequila, and that doesn't bode well for anyone...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: deathfun on May 21, 2012, 02:48:38 am
I've killed a few people
Good thing I've lived up to my name
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: mxlm on May 21, 2012, 03:07:29 am
How many fatalities have we suffered at this point? They seem extremely few and far between.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Madcat on May 21, 2012, 05:10:57 am
Personal Log: Madcat / Entry #3
Date: [Redacted]

So, my Squad finally got a Triton and proceeded to engage in combat operations.

I am certainly not one to believe in luck, at least I never had much of it when rolling the dice or playing cards. So I didn't care about the rumours trickling over from HLPX-COM Squad 1, stating that the commander would have the luckiest hands and barely ever lost an operative. You know how people tend to blow things out of proportions the farther information spreads, and you never get to the truth anyways until you go in and experience yourself.
Well, two missions in with a squad of guys all as green behind the ears as myself, I start to get a sense of where the rumours come from. We encountered some really gnarly alien freaks already, but except for one bad injury we came out pretty much unscathed. Everything went well beyond my expectations. Racked up two kills on the first mission myself, not a bad way to start!

At this point I don't care whether it is luck, fate or supreme commanding skills, as long as everything goes that well I'm not complaining about anything. Well, except about the rancid smell inside this oh so shiny looking armor. But I suspect that might be coming from myself...

[End Log Entry #3]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Doc Fox on May 21, 2012, 05:53:46 am
[Medical Officer's log; Entry 2. @ Squad 3 MedBay]

Seems someone screwed up my paperwork. They must have lost the page with my qualifications... the fools in admin put me in to the medbay. Dammit Jim, I'm a Molecular Biologist, not a doctor! Lets see how this goes then... Luckily most of the gear is automated. Good thing too, you don't want to be waiting for more medical staff when fooling around with pressure, or when in a remote location. Suppose I'll go make myself a cup of tea, and draft a letter to see about getting reassigned to a more suitable post...

[End log.]

[Amendment #1 @ Squad 3 Hanger]

Seems someone recognised the flaw! I'm being transferred out today to join squad 2. At least they'll have samples to work on...

[Amendment #2 @ Squad 2 Hanger]

...What exactly do you mean by "You're a trooper"?!


Hi Guys!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 21, 2012, 07:11:27 am
Sandwich's Personal Log, Date: [redacted] (We really could stand to see the geoscape, NGTM-1R...)

Logistics. It's all about logistics.

Those of us in Squad 3 have been here for days, weeks even, sitting on our collective arses - and why?

Lack of activity in our area?

Nope.

Insufficient training?

Nope again.

Poor quality equipment?

Third time's a nope.

The reason is logistics. The ability to get from point A to point B. And Squad 3, dear reader, has no such capability. We can't leave this base! We're stuck here, geared up and ready to go, but with no way to actually get there! Seems like a waste of resources to me... I mean, we're getting our salary, getting paid pretty good money as a matter of fact... and for what? To SIT ON OUR BUTTS.

A few of the other troopers are going a bit stir-crazy about this whole thing, (semi?)-jokingly threatening to assault the next UFO crash site in the escape modules. I've seen the looks in their eyes every time we get reports about the other HLPX-Com facilities' missions, especially when good soldiers get wounded... times like that, I almost pity the first aliens Squad 3 encounters.

Almost.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: LHN91 on May 21, 2012, 09:41:28 am
LHN91 - Post-Mission Log

Apparently, I am far better at this whole "killing aliens" business than I thought I would be.

I mean, when I signed up, I just hoped I survived my first mission. And here I am, in my second mission, managing to single shot a Lobsterman right at the beginning of the mission after 3 other people managed to shoot right past it.

Maybe I'm a bit more cut out for this job than I thought.

Maybe I'm speaking too soon.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 21, 2012, 11:34:23 am
Subject: "z64-555"
Log Number: 270
Date: [Redacted]

One of our guys, Doc Fox, was transferred over to Squad 2 after their latest mission resulted in an injury. Even though the reports say there wasn't much damage, somebody in the human resources department thinks that they should have a month or two of physical therapy.

"Physical therapy," [scoffs], more like resting under a Caribbean sun drinking a couple of daiquiris and enjoying the view!

Well, at least one of us is going to see some action. I remember when Squad 3 welcomed Doc to HLPX-COM with the traditional
:welcomegreen:

[laughs] The guy nearly fell over when he saw the welcome beam cannon, and he did when its warm rays of gratitude struck him!

Ah, well. at least he's a doctor... he should be able to keep the rest of squad 2 patched up. (Or is he a biologist? I forget which)

The guys here are getting more and more agitated over the lack of a Triton at our base. I heard from Sandwich that one of them thought they could use the escape modules to get us into a combat area. I looked into it, but unless the squishies land within 50 miles of us we won't have enough fuel in them to RTB.

Some of the same guys keep asking me if I could build a Triton for them, but I repeatedly tell them that the base doesn't have the necassary machinery to upkeep one, much less build one! All we have here are some low grade laser mills that we routinely use to repair the weaponry with... and our stock of aquaplasics keeps getting low whenever we need more targets for shooting practice.

Twiddling my thumbs,

--Z

Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Gortef on May 21, 2012, 03:23:21 pm
--- Gortefs personal log ---

[Entry number #1]
[Date Redacted]

I finally got myself to open this thing. Looks rather fancy if you ask me, but I guess I can manage to write something into it.
We didn't have these during the first war, at least I didn't. I was a fighter pilot and the planes computer did all the necessary logging, so I could just go out there do my job and hit the bed (or bar) after a mission.

I know that some of us have almost managed to write more than is required for an average novel. Sandwich for example seems to walk around staring at his log all day long, one must wonder how he manages to evade all the obstacles. Weird thing that happened to him now that he's being mentioned, but ever since the first war I haven't been that surprised anymore.
Gotta buy that guy a drink after our first mission, if we both survive that. I can't imagine how it must have felt having ones identity stolen.

So they decided to put me into the field this time. Squad 3. Actually I quite like that since now I can work with others instead of just a machine.
I liked my plane, don't get me wrong. That ol' buddy made his kind proud performing so well. But it's good to be with others on a mission for a change.
If we ever get into one. I heard that there had been some complications with our Triton, so it's arrival has been delayed.

Oh sheesh, now I'm turning into one of those "writers".

Gotta stop for now.

[End of entry]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 21, 2012, 04:16:06 pm
How many fatalities have we suffered at this point? They seem extremely few and far between.

6 in the first attempt, 7 in the second. 4 wounded, only one of whom was out of action for more than four days (which is about how long new hires take to get to you or personnel to transfer) so bringing in reserve troopers has generally been a waste.

Most of our losses have been to reaction fire at short range; the aliens don't seem to do nearly as well on their own turn, primarily because I work very hard to kill any who have direct line of sight.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 21, 2012, 04:44:46 pm
You gonna add some geoscape shots next time so we can see what date/time it is? ;)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 21, 2012, 04:56:54 pm
You gonna add some geoscape shots next time so we can see what date/time it is? ;)

Maaaybe. Date and time are deceptive since the main base runs on Zulu time and so everybody else gets screwed. (Hence why I give time in local in the last few.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 21, 2012, 08:29:00 pm
Maaaybe. Date and time are deceptive since the main base runs on Zulu time and so everybody else gets screwed. (Hence why I give time in local in the last few.)

Pfft... I still want to know what date it is for the logs. ;)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 21, 2012, 09:13:00 pm
Frankly if the aliens ever stop sending Escorts out to look for our bases... They've switched from looking for the main post to looking for XenoWatch, now, though why I don't really know, as XenoWatch hasn't carried out interceptions in over a month though their assault team has been active.

Alien activity is generally somewhat low. Squad 1 is responding to a number of downed Sectoid and Tasoth small craft around Europe, Squad 2 is staying close to home in case their base is assaulted though Dragon is getting a fairly good workout (and has finally made ace a couple months after Scotty and FireSpawn) downing alien ships looking for XenoWatch. Alex Heartnet and Barracuda 4 staged their first successful interception when one of the ships looking for XenoWatch strayed too close to NorthPac instead.

There is a new confirmed alien base near the North Pole. It's just a little too far from home for Squad 2 to raid the supply ships into it, so we will be removing it from the equation soon.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 21, 2012, 09:35:44 pm
So, between First and Second wars, how many kills do I have so far?  Enough to be a double ace, easily, but I wonder if I've got 15 yet. :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 21, 2012, 11:16:02 pm
So, between First and Second wars, how many kills do I have so far?  Enough to be a double ace, easily, but I wonder if I've got 15 yet. :P

Honestly, I suspect you made fifteen kills during the first; by now you're probably at thirty or twenty-five over all. (Making you far and away the highest-scoring ace since WW2; Dekker probably has a similar kill total from the First Alien War alone.) XenoWatch's Barracuda has seen remarkably little action, as right after we put up the base Japan went to hell and alien activity fell away. Dragon has only just recently reached ace; a lot the UFOs his base is detecting are actually headed up to the arctic circle or near Alaska, and Barracudas don't have the range of the old Interceptor. They can't chase very far.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 22, 2012, 09:22:25 pm
Just for Sandwich. We're currently around 8am local time, off Kamchatka.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/derpaherpa.png)

The start here was kinda a cluster****. The tank took three rounds just driving out the door, and Kobrar took one shot in the arm that was actually a miss of one meant for the tank. Ravenholme patched him up with a Medikit and injury doesn't look too serious.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/clusterfrak.png)
Kobrar and Turambar killed the two aliens who offered resistance at the door.

Shoot at the tank and the tank shoots back.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thedogbitesback.png)

Quite abruptly the rest of the aliens shoot at the tank from hiding and get taken down by return fire from either the tank or LHN91. Well, that was boring.

Next mission!

It's about noon, local time. Squad 1 is deployed to Hudson Bay in Canada, about ten kilometers from the shore. This is pretty inshore and you might ask why the Canadians didn't send divers to do it. Well, they have Jet Harpoons, we have Sonic Cannon and Mag Ion Armor. That's why.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/squad1arrives.png)

Lobstermen. The Canadians were lucky they stayed out of this. The_Force and The E dropped this one with a couple of hits in the back of the head. (Yes, even from behind they take multiple Sonic Cannon hits usually.)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bloodylobbies.png)

Front, back, it still takes two hits minimum unless you're lucky/incredible. But four shots, as The E and LordMelvin missed.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bloodylobbies2.png)

Reverse slope shot and therefore tricky in theory. The E hits; The_Force misses; MP-Ryan puts out its left eye and it goes down. Stunned. Freaking Lobstermen don't even die correctly.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bloodylobbies3.png)

deathfun engages a Lobsterman only to discover that nobody else can see it. Spoon rushes the tank over to provide support and gets a hit, but the bastard doesn't go down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bloodylobbies4.png)

Then we have a rather impressive mess on the alien turn. A grenade is thrown at the tank by someone we don't see, LordMelving takes a Sonic Cannon hit in the chest which fails to penetrate his armor and returns a hit against the Lobsterman who shot him, and the injured Lobsterman fires at, and misses, the tank.

Though badly damaged, the Tiger Shark remains operational.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tryagain.png)

deathfun puts down the injured Lobsterman with another hit. Spoon concludes that the Lobsterman who grenaded him is kinda a big deal and blasts it, admitting the tank to the “I legitimately oneshot a Lobsterman” club. And lastly, LordMelvin, Mongoose, and finally MP-Ryan are required to put down the Lobsterman that shot the first of those people.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/fourhits.png)
(Somebody fired a 0% hit, probably, or at least low enough that it was totally negated by armor.)

That wraps up this set. These missions are more or less representative of most current HLPX-COM activities; simple, occasional injuries but usually not serious, small numbers of enemy troops. But we do have something interesting coming up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/intercepting.png)

Barracuda 3 and Dragon are in pursuit of an enemy craft on a search for our bases. The more interesting blip is the one downbound over China; the monthly supply mission to the alien colony in the Sea of Japan. Triton 2 is being launched for the raid.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 22, 2012, 10:14:13 pm
Dear lobstermen:

If you're going to operate in my country's territorial waters, you're only going to do it with one freaking eye!  Good luck with the depth perception! (See what I did there? :P)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 22, 2012, 10:21:54 pm
Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: August 7th, 2040

I've got 20 more days until my birthday. I'm turning 34.

Here's hoping I live long enough to be there when it happens.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 22, 2012, 10:34:29 pm
Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: August 7th, 2040

I've got 20 more days until my birthday. I'm turning 34.

Here's hoping I live long enough to be there when it happens.

At least you're not retiring next week :nervous:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 23, 2012, 08:32:50 am
About two hours later, Triton-2 touches down to raid the FSC.

Well, no problems finding the UFO. Cyborg17 parked the Triton directly in front of it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/rememberwherewelefthecar.png)

First blood should have been to Ravenholme, but he missed, so the first two Sectoids went to Kobrar and Doc Fox. Curiously they both actually ran out to meet us, and then neither of them actually faced the Triton, with one looking back towards the door to the UFO and the other looking off to southwest.

There was a moment here I really wish I could have captured with video or a gif, but basically one of the Sectoids fired a Disruptor Pulse Launcher at the guys by the Triton, or so I thought. The Disruptor Pulse headed out that way, but then turned and came back at the tank. (That's actually somewhat clever, going after the rear armor, but as we'll see they negated all this.) Thanks to the magical power of bull****, the round clearly passed through the tank. Thanks to the alien's power of stupidity, they didn't navigate the weapon at level two and commence a terminal dive to target. The Disruptor Pulse flew off the map edge there without detonating.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/whatisthisIdonteven-1.png)
(Blaster Bomb and Disruptor Pulse 101: In an open, outdoor environment, always climb the weapon to level 2 and maneuver there, then dive on the target. Depending on the game version you may want to use either a shallow or vertical dive, as some versions of Enemy Unknown have a bug where Blaster Bombs directed vertically instead fly straight south. Either way, though, the bomb will fly through its last waypoint and continue in that direction. If you don't hit the target, it's hard to miss the ground.)

Final score, if you can spot the bodies through the murk: LHN91, two misses, Dilmah G, one hit and one kill, MatthTheGeek, one hit, one miss, one kill. And the tank shot the wellhead to make sure if we didn't kill the DPL-carrier that he certainly couldn't see **** to target anyone else.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/finalscore.png)

LHN91 makes up for his earlier bad aim by killing this guy who was harassing the entry team. If guy is the right word. Describing utterly genderless Sectoids is kind of a pain, gets pretty samey.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/LHNnnnn.png)

Doc Fox looks in a window and spots a Sectoid on the lift, so he shot it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lookingforcats.png)

Remember how The E is not the Last Son of Krypton? Well it turns out Dilmah G might be.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/xrayvision1.png)
He sees an alien! But it's not anywhere I can find, so I pop up the minimap.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/xrayvision2.png)
He sees an alien that's still inside the UFO. Through a wall. What. (There are glitches regarding sightline, and explosive penetration, with diagonal walls. This can be exploited, but I'm trying not to do that sort of thing, so.)

Trying to exploit the same reverse-slope trick as that Lobsterman, but without the competence since his enemies came from the the diagonal flank he left open. Sectoids never learn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/neverlearn-1.png)

Someday, they plan to teach Sectoids to face towards the enemy.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/towardstheenemy.png)

Meanwhile outside, MatthTheGeek panics and drops his gun. Well, at least he didn't try to spray Sonic Cannon fire. Since you can't, since it takes your entire TU stock to fire the thing twice in snapshot mode. (I'm not kidding.) Rhymes_With_PSYCHO and Ravenholme have a brief but heated discussion with this Sectoid, who actually took a pair of Sonic Cannon rounds to kill. That makes him the toughest Sectoid I've ever seen.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/toughestsectoid.png)

Now that Matth is panicking, they managed to mind control him. (It took them about three attempts, though.) He still doesn't have a gun, so he waves his arms about at his fire buddy, Col. Fishguts, who simply sighs. A Sectoid decides the best plan is to run around in front of an open door where Ravenholme can see them, and gets reaction-shot.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/reactionshot.png)

Giving grenadier jobs to the two guys who will be on the bridge of the ship seems pretty stupid to me, but I'm not a Sectoid. Doc Fox, Kobrar, do your thing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/notasectoidthanks.png)

Ravenholme reactionshots yet another alien doing the same thing as the first, and we are done here.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/donehere.png)

Total haul in stuff we aren't going to keep: $7,353360. (Which at this point, stuff we aren't going to keep breaks down to everything but Zrbite, Sonic Cannon ammo, Disruptor Pulses and ammo, and Heavy Thermic Lances we might never be able to use.)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 23, 2012, 09:01:02 am
Operations. We have a cruiser down near Baffin and Victoria Islands. This is the sort information we get from our Transmission Resolvers. Why they think we have a base up there, we are not sure.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ops1.png)
Triton-1 is inbound to the downed Cruiser here, while Barracuda 2 is conducting a hold-down exercise over an alien ship that's on the Grand Banks and Barracuda 1 is inbound to relieve them; a necessity with the Barracuda's short legs and time on station.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ops2.png)
You can see all four current HLPX-COM Bases as well. WithFeeling is off the Straight of Gibraltar, with its accompanying colony. XenoWatch over in the Pacific is keeping an eye on its colony. NorPac is over off the California coast, while the newest base is the one in the Atlantic Narrows, which hasn't been named and isn't really operational; their hanger and Transmission Resolver aren't complete yet.

We know there's another Colony somewhere above the Arctic Circle, but we haven't located it precisely. This is one the list of targets, but whether it will go to Squad 1 or Squad 2 is undetermined as of yet. We're waiting for a sufficient stock of Disruptor Pulse Launchers plus ammo. Since we don't actually need to take anything from the Colony alive, scorched earth is our planned tactic.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MatthTheGeek on May 23, 2012, 12:44:06 pm
Meanwhile outside, MatthTheGeek panics and drops his gun.
inb4jokes about French dropping guns.

There. Covered my six on this one at least.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 23, 2012, 01:42:12 pm
Meanwhile outside, MatthTheGeek panics and drops his gun.
inb4jokes about French dropping guns.

There. Covered my six on this one at least.

Just out of curiosity, are you covering your six with the white flag, or are you saving that for later? :P

(Couldn't resist, sorry!)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 23, 2012, 01:44:11 pm
inb4jokes about French dropping guns.

There. Covered my six on this one at least.

...did we know you were French?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: General Battuta on May 23, 2012, 01:51:08 pm
inb4jokes about French dropping guns.

There. Covered my six on this one at least.

...did we know you were French?

If you've interacted meaningfully with the community in the last ~six years, yes  :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MatthTheGeek on May 23, 2012, 02:07:08 pm
You know, there's that thing called IRC. Has existed since '88. Ever heard of it ? It's cool stuff, you should try !
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Mongoose on May 23, 2012, 02:21:17 pm
Oui.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MatthTheGeek on May 23, 2012, 02:22:47 pm
(http://img.izismile.com//img/img3/20100518/640/great_notes_with_640_59.jpg)

:nervous:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 23, 2012, 02:45:14 pm
^speaks the truth.

The colony mission ended up going to Squad 2 by default after BlueFlames was slightly injured in the cruiser mission. Triton 2 patrolled the area until Cyborg17 located the colony, then came in for a landing. We're really deep here, and beneath the Polar Icecap; there's almost no light regardless of time of day.

No seriously. We can't see **** down here.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/handinfrontofface.png)

Pretty much everyone gets hit with an MC attack, the majority falling on MatthTheGeek and Kobrar. Nothing sticks. The first kill in our assault goes to the tank and Turambar, who pop up over the Triton and kill this Sectoid for the hideous crime of not looking in the direction of the enemy. Recurring theme.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deathpenalty.png)

The tank, checking out this structure, pokes its nose around the corner and then thinks that was a very bad idea. Fortunately, we have alternate options. Hades? Kill them all.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/killthemall.png)

Much as I'd like to just kill everyone and take everything in the colony for us, we have a relatively inexperienced team and there are a lot of MC attacks flying around, so we're going to do a smash-and-run. MatthTheGeek, Ravenholme, and Rhymes_With_PSYCHO form a tight perimeter for security while the rest of the team moves for the door.

The tank clears out the other side of the entryway while the team moves inside. Cyborg17 and the Triton dust off; it's not safe for the Triton to remain on the ground during the assault.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/entry-1.png)

Again with the grenadiers inside an enclosed space. LHN91 and Kobrar, on point, encountered these two and killed them.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/enclosedbrains.png)

The alien turns? They're really long and I didn't need the extra pucker factor, y'know. But then, we can just blow the hell out of the central area rather than try to breach, like so.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/blasterbombsaregod.png)

I then had Doc Fox and Hades blow the hell out the area above the elevator as well and finally sent the tank after some guys who came running towards the explosions from outside.

In we go!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/goingin1.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/goingin2.png)

Maybe it's just me, but these guys seem like they'd get the concepts of “art” and “culture”. That's a pretty stark contrast to the Sectoids we fought in the FAW.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/artsy.png)

Sweeping is dull. The base is big; aliens are few. (I should note in all the time I've played TFTD, I've never completely secured a colony; they're just too large and cluttered to sweep effectively since the second and third floors are actually used and there are a lot of links between the floors. It's easily twice or more the size of Cydonia.)

Oh, and where Baby Sectoids come from.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/storks.png)

Lobstermen can survive having a Disruptor Pulse shoved up their rear end. Yes, I'm a bit mad about that. I suspect Doc Fox is too, after how much trouble it was to plot a course for the thing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/upyours.png)

Are those...Crinoids? Paleozoic-era ones? I think they are. They're very much stalked and that's almost unheard of in modern varieties outside of deep water...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/crinoids.png)

Couple of dead lobbies; Doc Fox, Col. Fishguts, Rhymes_With_PSYCHO and MatthTheGeek all contributed something.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/deadlobbies.png)

Primary target located. We know from interrogations the command center has an upper entrance, directly above the target device. This is it. A DPL or two and we're done. Hades has sufficient ammunition on him.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/primarytarget.png)

The southernmost searching group, consisting of Doc Fox, the tank, and Kobrar44 pulls back to the exit point. The northwestern-most search pair of Madcat and Ravenholme were doing the same thing (along with linking up with Dilmah G, who was guarding Hades but can't move nearly as quick since I run the DPL people out of TUs so they don't reaction-fire it) when they ran into a Tentaculat lurking near their exit to the top floor. It soaked a Sonic Cannon shot from Madcat, but didn't survive the second one from Ravenholme.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/teameffort.png)

Shot one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/shotone.png)
It works. The control center is confirmed destroyed. Time to evac.

Dilmah G saves Ravenholme from getting zombified by reaction-firing this Tentaculat which turned up from god knows where.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dilmahg-1.png)

Pullback is smooth as silk. No further opposition materializes.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/silky.png)

Cyborg 17 reports light fire as he comes in to pick the squad up, but the moment the Tiger Shark makes an aggressive move towards the source, whoever was shooting splits. Mission Complete.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/colonizethis.png)

Triton-2 emerges from the permanent ice cap and reports success to HLPX-COM command.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/returntrip.png)

In other news...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tut.png)
We apparently owe the Aliens quite a bit, considering they killed the dinosaurs for us. Unfortunately for them, whatever Sectoid faction they represent no longer exists and hasn't for at least forty million years. We are not dealing with an invasion from space. That would be easier. The alien force is based somewhere on Earth, almost certainly below the waves or we would have run into them long before we were ready to fight.

This means we must be prepared to go this city, T'Leth, and destroy it. As we have no idea where it is or how deep we'll have to reach, and our current Tritons and even the Hammerhead have a depth limit that would put some areas out of our reach, a new craft to deliver this assault is needed.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/levi.png)
The Leviathan was built for the sole purpose of taking an assault force anywhere the aliens could possibly be hiding. The fact it can go one-on-one with pretty much any alien ship we've encountered is purely incidental to this. The Leviathan is certified able to dive five kilometers deeper than the deepest areas of the ocean we know exist. Squad 3 will be shifting to WithFeeling and will man the Leviathan for its shakedown runs, while Barracuda 2 will shift over to the hanger that would have taken Squad 3's Triton at NorPac. We estimate the Leviathan will be operational before the end of August.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 23, 2012, 03:02:02 pm
Quote
The colony mission ended up going to Squad 2 by default after BlueFlames was slightly injured in the cruiser mission.

Inform Squad 2 that they may take this mission, for I am tired and shall be taking a nap!  Those bloody proletariat can learn to work for their wages!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 23, 2012, 03:47:31 pm
I volunteer for gunnery officer on the Leviathan when the attack goes out.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 23, 2012, 05:32:19 pm
I volunteer for pilot duty on the Leviathan....Assuming I don't get sunk before then.
Title: Sandwich is, in fact, badass: Part The First
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 23, 2012, 05:45:42 pm
Squad 2, in the process of killing aliens, discovers priceless historical artifacts.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/squad2seesnew.png)
Which are then Sonic Pulser'd. Oh well!

Sandwich was added to Squad 1's deployment roster when mxlm was laid up for a couple weeks with a crush fracture from a close-quarters tangle with a Lobsterman.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sandwichsfirst.png)

BloodEagle takes a hit as he exits the Triton. His armor holds and he returns fire accurately, killing the Sectoid. He, MP-Ryan, and Spoon spread out to secure the immediate area. The UFO is located pretty quickly and Sandwich, The_Force, MP-Ryan, and BloodEagle are directed to secure it while the rest of the team and the tank secure the surrounding area.

Two points of entry: the main doors, and area where the engine blew out. The_Force and MP-Ryan will go through the doors, Sandwich and BloodEagle through the hull breach.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/entrytwos.png)

One alien set himself up with an elevated position to watch the main doors, but deathfun takes it out with a long-range shot from the roof of the Triton.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/unsniped.png)

Ship's a mess. Both engines blew. There are a number of bodies (I count three), but none of the survivors are still inside.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nosurvivors.png)

Sandwich takes down an alien spotted by the tank. This picture doesn't really tell the whole story, mind.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sand1.png)
This one does; the red line was added to show the shot's path. Forty or fifty squares, against an elevated position, and it was still a perfect headshot. As rookie openers go this is definitely one of the best I've ever seen.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sand2.png)

The last alien was either cowering in fear of our prowess or just thought he had a good hidey hole. Either way, nobody escapes The E.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nomanescapesthee.png)
Title: Sandwich is, in fact, badass: Part The Second
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 23, 2012, 06:22:04 pm
So, time for the next one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sandwichssecond.png)
Sandwich apparently gained four TUs from one kill. Considering the normal rate is one or two, apparently the game was as impressed as I was. The mission was largely routine at first; previous experience with downed Escorts has taught us that the crews tend to stay in the ship.

The E found this one lurking in a small nook in the rocks outside it, but otherwise that seems to have held true.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hidenotfromthee.png)

This guy ducked his head out, and immediately got shot at. The_Force reaction-fired, and missed. Sandwich reaction-fired, hit, and killed it. Excuse me, are you sure you're a rookie sir?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sureyourearookie.png)

A brief exchange of fire between The E, The_Force, and a Tasoth in the main area of the alien craft gets the Tasoth killed and The E's armor another new dent. Sandwich locates another in a side room and hits it, but it doesn't go down. deathfun moves over and blocks the door, but The E takes a more direct approach and blasts out part of the wall...which gets him shot twice more, but again his armor holds.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/invincible.png)
deathfun kills the Tasoth.

Mission Complete. The Leviathan is now ready for action, so Sandwich (and Doc Fox) are going back to Squad 3.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 23, 2012, 08:19:02 pm
Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: August 22nd, 2040.

'Bout flipping time. Not that I'm happy that poor mxlm got laid up in the medbay for a few weeks, but seriously, I've been out here for months without seeing any action.

The troopers of Squad 1 are a good, talented bunch. They've been leading this offensive from the word 'Go', and they know it. Ok, so the E is apparently invincible... I think his time just hasn't come yet. Don't get me wrong, I'm not rooting for it to come anytime soon... I just firmly believe that until your time has come, you effectively are invincible.

In any case, glad to see I still got a feel for the trigger. Certainly raised a few eyebrows with that shot.

I think I'll call my Sonic Cannon "Vera". I wonder if anyone will get the reference... probably not. They're all too young. *sigh*

In other news, I'm definitely looking forward to crewing the Leviathan on her shakedown cruise. That thing's an absolute beast. I wonder where we'll go... the Mariana Trench's the deepest spot on the planet - gets my vote at least.

Chow time, gotta run. More later!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 23, 2012, 08:35:53 pm
Quote from: NGTM-1R
Spoon concludes that the Lobsterman who grenaded him is kinda a big deal and blasts it, admitting the tank to the “I legitimately oneshot a Lobsterman” club.
Like a boss  :pimp:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 23, 2012, 10:23:14 pm
Dear lobstermen:

If you're going to operate in my country's territorial waters, you're only going to do it with one freaking eye!  Good luck with the depth perception! (See what I did there? :P)
:lol:


Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: August 7th, 2040

I've got 20 more days until my birthday. I'm turning 34.

Here's hoping I live long enough to be there when it happens.
Wait, you were born in 2006?  That would make you the youngest admin ever!


inb4jokes about French dropping guns.

...did we know you were French?
As an admin, you could have checked his email address. :nervous:


This one does; the red line was added to show the shot's path. Forty or fifty squares, against an elevated position, and it was still a perfect headshot. As rookie openers go this is definitely one of the best I've ever seen.
*applauds*
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 23, 2012, 11:01:18 pm
 :wtf: What rank is The E?  Apparently he has an anchor and chain, which I assume he uses to garrote Lobstermen with?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 23, 2012, 11:46:30 pm
:wtf: What rank is The E?  Apparently he has an anchor and chain, which I assume he uses to garrote Lobstermen with?

I believe that is Lieutenant.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: deathfun on May 23, 2012, 11:50:24 pm
Are you sure it isn't Juggernaut?
How many times has he been shot?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: jr2 on May 24, 2012, 01:13:13 am
:nervous:

Where/whenever you need me, toss me in.  :nod:

:confused:
Title: Leviathan Operating Manual
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 24, 2012, 01:17:57 am
The following excerpt from the Leviathan's operating manual is classified Top Secret.  Diverging any information, directly or indirectly, to any persons not specifically authorized by <Redacted> is punishable with death, under <Redacted>

...The command bridge of the Leviathian submarine contains multiple workstations for use by the crew.  A brief summery is as follows.

The command station (CMD) is for handling communications, plotting ship courses, and generally assisting the CO in his duties.

While the ship can be flown from the command station, the navigation station (NAV) is where the actual piloting of the craft is usually handled, and displays far more in-flight instruments then the command station does.

The weapon station (WEP) is where fire control is normally handled.   While the pilot does have access to some of the onboard weapon systems, most test pilots find the task of flying an advanced submarine too difficult to have to worry about performing gunnery as well.

All three of the above workstations are capable of giving a rough, at-a-glance damage report for armor damage, structural damage, subsystem damage, subsystem power levels, and flooding.

For a more detailed damage report, one should consult the engineering station (ENG).  The engineering station can also be used to direct the onboard auto-repair system, as well as monitor remaining fuel and ammo stocks.  Power can also be re-directed to prevent brownouts in case onboard power systems sustain damage.  However, the auto-repair system has only a limited capability to repair structural damage.  Heavy structural damage should be repaired in a drydock instead.

And finally, the remote control station (REM) allows for robotic craft, such as camera drones and tanks, to be directed from a safe distance.  While the workstation can theoretically be used to control multiple vehicles at once, tests have shown that each crew member can only be expected to control one robot at a time.  The remote control station has room for as many as three crew members to accommodate this.

Overall, there is a great deal of redundancy built into the workstations.  One can fly the ship from the engineering station or operate the weapons from the command station if need be.  However, each workstation was designed primarily for a specific task.  Standard protocol should be to not deviate from a workstation's assigned task unless the heat of combat or unusual circumstances dictate otherwise...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BloodEagle on May 24, 2012, 03:32:55 am
BloodEagle's Personal Log; Date: August 23nd, 2040:

It's been two days since it last happened.  I had opened another door and had gotten shot, again. 

Looking at the scorch marks shows me how near of a thing it really was.

The psychiatric team here at the base assures me that I'll get better with time.  Not sure if I entirely trust people who hide keys in coconuts, though.

In any case, I still flinch whenever I hear or see a door slide open.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Kobrar44 on May 24, 2012, 04:10:36 am
Does the game even care about the distance? At 0 distance there is 100% accuracy, but I can't remember there being any accuracy penalty due to large distance. I often fire from ~50 squares and often hit.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 24, 2012, 04:54:08 am
Does the game even care about the distance? At 0 distance there is 100% accuracy, but I can't remember there being any accuracy penalty due to large distance. I often fire from ~50 squares and often hit.

UFO Defense doesn't care about range.  I haven't played or read up enough on Terror from the Deep to know for sure, but it's not much more than a palette-swap and retabling of UFO Defense, so I doubt there's a range factor in figuring whether or not a shot hits.  It just looks freaking amazing when you fire a ridiculously long range shot and have the bullet-cam scroll the screen about four to six times, ending with a lethal hit to an alien cranium.

Actually, there is a sort of accidental range factor that plays into accuracy at very close range.  When a character rolls a miss, the game picks a random vector within a certain arc of the intended path of the shot for the shot to travel down instead.  If this random vector happens to intersect the target, that "miss" still deals damage, despite the attack roll not working out originally.  This means that at really close ranges, it can become difficult to actually miss a target, since so many of those possible "miss" vectors still intersect the target, even though the attack rolls going on in the background are unaffected by range.

So, yeah....  The difference in accuracy between one space and five spaces is pretty significant, where the difference in accuracy between ten spaces and fifty spaces is negligible.  Remember that, when you're fighting Chryssalids, and every shot counts:  Just get right in their faces, and you can't miss!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 24, 2012, 06:51:06 am
Does the game even care about the distance? At 0 distance there is 100% accuracy, but I can't remember there being any accuracy penalty due to large distance. I often fire from ~50 squares and often hit.

Sort of. Rolling a miss applies a deviation of random size and direction to the shot. At ten squares, particularly for a vertical deviation, this may not matter. At twenty, it probably will, but still might not if it's really small. (I've seen plenty of aliens get shot in the arm at twenty squares.) At fifty, you'll be able to tell if it missed at all. My personal favorite was from an Enemy Unknown game where I had somebody fire the Rifle and the shot's offset from the target was greater than the distance fired.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Rodo on May 24, 2012, 08:09:16 am
You lost no one! I demand more BLOOD, this doesn't feel X-COM at all!

 :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 24, 2012, 08:50:58 am
You lost no one! I demand more BLOOD, this doesn't feel X-COM at all!

 :p

Man, I have played TFTD for years, into the ****ing ground. I have driven this game until the wheels fell off and then continued on the rims, ground them down to the axel. I am being about as uncareful and risktaking as I can manage by now without going into split-personality territory.

If you want mass casualities and madness, wait until we do HLPX-COM 3 with either Apocalypse or the Firaxis reboot and you can watch me flounder around in the dark like an absolute moron.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 24, 2012, 11:33:04 am
TFTD is frightened of Squad 3. I say this because the game has memorydumped twice while I try to play out their first mission.
Title: Squad 3 Rolls Out, Now With Audience Participation
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 24, 2012, 11:59:35 am
Squad 3's first outing starts with an interception by Dragon and Barracuda 3; rather than deploying Squad 2 to pick up the pieces afterwards we're going to give the Leviathan and Squad 3 some exercise. Because they're rookies excepting Doc Fox and Sandwich, we've given them very good company: no less than three Spoonzer VI Tiger Sharks will be along for the mission.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/goodcompany.png)
Hell, the tanks could probably complete the mission alone while Squad 3 plays poker on the Levi.

Funny sidenote: The Leviathan isn't really that much bigger than the Triton. In fact, it's definitely smaller vertically.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tinylevi.png)

Dekker locates the first hostile, four turns into the mission. Hey Gillman!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/heyyou.png)
Well, despite scaring the crap out of me by looking like he was going to hit the chair, the shot was good.

Gortef meets an alien coming down the stairs and reaction-shots it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/reactions.png)

Well, it had to happen I suppose. Sandwich missed this guy and hit the structure, but SpardaSon22 picked up what he dropped.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/pickupthespare.png)

Veers spotted this one but missed it. Gortef, despite having to shoot through a wide variety of pipes, staircases, and other random crap, made a solid hit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/gortef.png)

It's 24 turns in and we've checked all the buildings and killed all the things and there's apparently one left, but if you know where, you're a better person than I. No, seriously, check this out.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/checkthis.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/checkthis2.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/checkthis3.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/checkthis4.png)

Those little pagoda thingies we can't even get inside? The fact this late in the game the alien hasn't emerged to shoot at someone yet argues he's stuck somewhere and can't. Anyways, you guys figure this out, I'm going to go eat breakfast and come back to the mission later. I'll let you know then if your "the last alien is here" was correct.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 24, 2012, 12:26:58 pm
I see some dark spaces south of the enemy sub. Check there. Otherwise, blow up the things you can't get to, and double-check the corners of the map.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 24, 2012, 12:51:49 pm
My money is on the last alien wandering around in such a way that it missed Squad 3's LOS, whist sweeping around behind their search pattern.  If you double-back to the Leviathan, you'll probably run into the thing standing out in the open, like a complete derp.  Sectoids (and oddly, only Sectoids) do that to me all the time in UFO Defense.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 24, 2012, 01:32:16 pm
Explode ALL the things!!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: ZekeSulastin on May 24, 2012, 04:12:59 pm
Explode ALL the things!!

I concur.

(Also I'll try to do a log at some point - I'm just not well versed in that sort of writing ...)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 24, 2012, 04:38:22 pm
Well, it had to happen I suppose. Sandwich missed this guy and hit the structure, but SpardaSon22 picked up what he dropped.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/pickupthespare.png)

Sandwich's Personal Log (in-mission audio recording):

I had to do it. I just couldn't help it. Making the vets from Squad 1 look a bit like amateurs is all fun and games, but these guys, my squad? Nahh... So I waited for my chance, when I was sure nobody would get hurt by my "miss", blew the shot, and let someone else take it. Should help his morale quite a bit. :)

I also spotted the last alien about 20 minutes ago, tangled up something fierce, weapon arm totally caught up. I was pretty sure he posed no threat to anyone, so I just kinda left him there for someone else to spot. Let them get the glory of the kill. I've had enough of that to last me a lifetime. I'm a bit perturbed thought that nobody's spotted the thing yet though... we've had people pass that area twice already. Guess I need to speak to the gunny about some training time for these guys - tech 'em how to see, not just look.

On the other hand, perhaps not... I certainly don't want anyone asking the wrong questions about my particular set of talents... the past is past for a reason, and I'd greatly appreciate if it stayed there. Those are not times I want to revisit.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 24, 2012, 08:59:58 pm
Well, Scourge was semi-correct. He was in a corner. He was also a good twenty feet off the ground and your guess is as a good as mine when it comes to how he got up there, and I was actually semi-sure I'd cleared it because sometimes blowing up the pipes actually does damage to things near them. Sometimes, meaning not always.

Random Gillman #579, you were a pain in the ass to find, it's good to see you go!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/randomgillman.png)

Not difficult, but a good start.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/agoodstart-1.png)

Next up: We know the Leviathan flies, so the next step is to kill something with it.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 24, 2012, 09:12:25 pm
Sandwich's Personal Log (in-mission audio recording):

Well, someone finally spotted the alien. We humans have been so ingrained to look around us that we often neglect the 3rd dimension. Hopefully, this will have taught my squadmates a lesson in that regard. I had to learn the hard way, 12 years ago, and it cost one of my mates the use of his legs. I'm just glad this lesson didn't have to come the hard way as well.

We're heading back to base now. Not a bad first mission for Squad 3 and the Leviathan. Not bad at all.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 24, 2012, 10:17:02 pm
Subject: "z64-555"
Log Number: 280
Date: [Redacted]

Squad 3 finally saw some action today. My place on the Triton was taken up by one of the three Spoonzer tanks, which where sortied as a precaution to make sure the guys get back in one piece.

The tanks are remotely operated, and can be piloted from the base or from the Triton itself. This last option was proven as a necessity in the FAW, where the distances between the Earth bases and Cydonia proved due to be troublesome to the communications lag.

I helped with the logistics of piloting the three tanks. There's only one control station issued per base, and as such there's only one pilot that actually operates the tanks deployed in the field. Luckily for the pilot, I've managed to tweak the onboard AI so that they can be commanded via waypoints. We didn't have such a luxury in the FAW, and the commanders favored having only one tank per sortie to prevent the pilot from being over-fatigued.

Ok, so maybe it wasn't just me that tweaked the AI. I had some problems with the communications protocol and had to call up Goober for help. Before he was put on the battlefield, he was a pretty awesome CSE and programmer. There's a rumor floating around that he had to be cloned during the FAW several times, but as far as I can tell those rumors are just that.

Alright, the guy's just got back. Sandwich seems a bit quite for some reason, especially since everybody else keeps ridiculing him for missing a shot. Dekker's over there laughing with the commander about lawn chairs, too.

At any rate, it's time to break out the drinks!

--Z
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 01:03:08 am
The game is getting kind of twitchy, sometimes dumping memory or locking up several times while I try to play a mission. I hoped to wait until we has psi gear this time, and to further train up Squad 2 and Squad 3, but that doesn't appear to be an option as we're slowly progressing towards the sort of TFTD meltdown that'll cost me the save.

We're going to T'Leth before the end of November. The MC Strength stats for all squads will be in by then, so we should be able to assemble a decently sized strikeforce that won't kill each other. And let the Aqua Plastics fall where they may.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 02:44:45 am
So, the Leviathan shoots down a cruiser full of Tasoths. This will actually be something that, while normally considered commonplace in X-COM games, we've never done before: a combined interception and recovery mission.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/interception.png)

The aliens must have some kind of cultural prohibition against looking directly at enemy transports or something, since a lot of them don't do it. This Tasoth, for example, got shot in the back by Dekker because it wasn't looking at the transport, but didn't turn around to defend itself. Then as Veers' Sonic Cannon round flew past its head it still didn't turn around. Finally ZekeSulastin shot it again, killing it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lookatthetransportnow.png)

Goober spotted, dropped to one knee to fire, and shot this one in the chest. It wasn't nearly as sturdy as the other one was and went down dead. Veers makes up for his earlier mistakes by getting the one hiding behind it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/twoinarow.png)

Zeke takes a reaction shot which misses, but nails the alien after it blows its own chance and the turn changes.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/zekeeeee.png)

Goober reaction-shots a Tasoth that runs out the hulk of the downed ship. Damn guys, even Squad 1 isn't quite this quick on the trigger.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/quickonthetrigger.png)

Another kill for Zeke, his third of the mission, against a Tasoth which for some reason decided to grenade the corpse of its buddy, and itself. What is with aliens not getting how to use grenades?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/foolswithgrenades.png)

Sandwich engages a Tasoth but hits a wellhead...whose explosion for some reason actually kills the Tasoth. Inconsistent results from shooting piping again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/inconstant.png)

The last one standing is engaged by Dekker, Veers, and Zeke, but only Veers actually hits it and it stays standing. Rather than accomplish anything with its great luck, the Tasoth goes berserk and shoots the landscape while spinning around on one heel. Dekker misses again on the next turn, but Zeke brings it down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/lastaliendinosaur.png)

We had three different Dreadnaughts show up with base attack orders, but because their scouts all got killed or looked in the wrong places, none of them ever approached an HLPX-COM base and we didn't have to send anyone out to engage them.

The little guys just keep on coming, and Leviathan 1 keeps shooting them down. A second Tasoth cruiser.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/secondshootdown.png)

One of the Tasoths Sonic Pulser'd everything. The grenade actually landed on the Leviathan's wing, but the combination of some distance and Mag Ion Armor prevented anyone from being hurt. Even the tank isn't.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/yoursonicpulserswillnotavailyou.png)

The Tasoth made the mistake of standing where we could see them after tossing the grenade. SpardaSon22 takes them down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/scratchthepaintwillyou.png)

Lots of incoming fire, at least three sources. SpardaSon22 took a hit in the chestplate but his armor didn't breach. Three people returned shots but nothing hit. Backslash begins the cleanup process by killing this one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/firstclean.png)

SpardaSon tosses a grenade in the direction of his own opponent's hideyhole. z64555 adds a second grenade; one improvement in our gear and technology since the FAW is we managed to rig both our Magna-Blast and Sonic Pulser grenades not to fratricide each other.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/bamandthetasothisgone.png)

Goober5001 gets the Tasoth that fired at him earlier.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/resistingtheadminstration.png)

The grenades go off, the Tasoth there is killed, and we win. Game over, alien guys.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wewin-1.png)

Next time Squad 3 goes out, and it will likely be soon, they will have yet another tank accompanying them, although this time not as a bodyguard but for field testing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/pwt.png)
Meet the Spoonzerkampfwagon VII, the Sea Lion. It uses a weapons system similar to the Disruptor Pulse Launcher for maximum firepower, but we have questions about its practical battlefield uses and especially its low available ammo supply. Combat testing will help resolve them.

And as we've spotted a medium "Hunter" UFO, which is actually our first detection of a medium-sized UFO yet, over Finland and dispatched Leviathan 1 to engage it, we'll soon find out.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 25, 2012, 02:51:10 am
So who's officially the flight crew of Leviathan-1?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 02:53:22 am
You and FireSpawn, since nobody else volunteered.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 25, 2012, 06:28:31 am
Sandwich engages a Tasoth but hits a wellhead...whose explosion for some reason actually kills the Tasoth. Inconsistent results from shooting piping again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/inconstant.png)

Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: [flippin' redacted again]

Another mission, another lesson to teach. This time: Make the battlefield environment work for you. The commander gave me an order to take that guy out, so I did in the most effective manner I could. Computer games used to toss this scenario at players all the time... a huge gathering of enemies in a level, far earlier than the player would typically be equipped to deal with them traditionally, conveniently oblivious of the explosive barrels right behind them. Well, in real life, you want to take advantage of those situations any time you can, not just when it will take out a large grouping of enemies, but when it will take out the one solitary gunman-err, gunthing.

There's also a converse lesson to be learned here, too: stay away from things that go boom.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 06:33:36 am
[flippin' redacted again]

(pssst, it's the same as the one from the interception screen)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 25, 2012, 06:45:04 am
If you want mass casualities and madness, wait until we do HLPX-COM 3 with either Apocalypse or the Firaxis reboot and you can watch me flounder around in the dark like an absolute moron.

Apocalypse? That one is really different in may ways. I can say I loved it, aside from the retro-desing.
Been a long time since I played it tough.
 
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 25, 2012, 08:11:48 am
We still need to fill up the engineer and captain seats on Leviathian-1.  (Spoon obviously gets the tank control seat)

I volunteer NGTM-1R as the CO of Leviathain-1.  That way he gets to actually get out of his command center and onto the field.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 25, 2012, 08:31:20 am
I volunteer for the engineering post.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: FireSpawn on May 25, 2012, 08:43:59 am
[Start Log]

I heard....whispers in my head today, as i was piloting the Leviathan. When we touched down, the whispers became screams.

The same thing, repeated again and again. Screaming. Always screaming.

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 09:37:08 am
Again with the poor use of grenades. There was nothing in there and the cul-de-sac contained the blast.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/grenadeuselessons.png)

Sandwich makes two contacts. One of them has a Disruptor Pulse Launcher. Gotta deal with that.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/twocontacts.png)

The Sea Lion launches its first shot. It lands significantly off-target and the reload system is slower than expected. The Tasoth survived. Well, this is one field test that's not going well. Zeke drops the Tasoth with the the DPL, Gortef brings down the other.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/derpatanka.png)

Two grenades land, one of them blowing up the corpse of the DPL Tasoth. The other lands just short of SpardaSon22 and the Sea Lion. Neither has their armor breach.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/sonicnothings.png)
The thrower was another DPL Tasoth. Why they didn't use their Disruptor Pulse Launcher is a mystery I am completely uninterested in solving. The Sea Lion launches its second missile. This one has a much tighter plotted course with a sharp terminal popup and dive maneuver, so the deviation shouldn't be as bad.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/goodhitgoodhit.png)
It wasn't. Direct hit, good kill.

Dekker spots a second Tasoth with a DPL next to the the first one the Sea Lion killed and brings it down. At this point I think we can call the threat level of this mission “ridiculous”.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/dplseverywhere.png)

The aliens continue to blow up their own corpses and gear. This one went to one of the Tiger Sharks and SpardaSon.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/atthedoor.png)

While this one went to Sandwich and Backslash.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/makeowndoors.png)

Sandwich met an alien with a stun weapon. It demonstrated some fire discipline when it didn't actually shoot him after he missed it, but that did not buy it anything since Sandwich simply shot it the next turn.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nogood.png)

Mission Complete. Considering the number of Disruptor Pulse Launchers in play (we recovered 8 of them from the field and I think several of them were blown up by errant grenades) I'm surprised, though gratified, that things went so well.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/gratified.png)

The M.C. stat results should be in pretty soon and I can think about organizing a final assault team. We can either run some missions with it, or go direct to T'Leth. Your choice.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Alex Heartnet on May 25, 2012, 09:39:28 am
Corrupted save files sound scary.

I say assemble launch the assault sooner rather then later.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 25, 2012, 10:07:15 am
Forward! Make Cthulhu the aliens regret the day they set foot/paw/claw/tentacle/brain on our soil sea-floor!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: SpardaSon21 on May 25, 2012, 11:15:11 am
Purge the aliens from planet Earth.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 25, 2012, 11:45:45 am
Do it before I die of old age.  :p
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Gortef on May 25, 2012, 12:43:52 pm
--- Gortefs personal log ---

[Entry number #2]
[Date Redacted]

I had forgotten all about this thing here. But for a good reason, we finally got ourself a transporter. And not just any transporter but a Leviathan, it's a beauty.
That means our High Commander has been sending us onto misson after mission so I haven't really had time to think anything else.

I almost forgot my promise to buy Sandwich a drink when we get back from our first mission.

I got a nice shot even if there was lot's of obstacles in the way, but I gotta say that if you see a spot you just take the shot. I saw that alien elbow nice and clearly.

Team spirit is good and we're depating wether we should hit the aliens back or play defencively a bit more. Let's see how this goes.

[End of entry]
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: esarai on May 25, 2012, 01:24:23 pm
---Personal Log---
Date: f**k you, space-time

I never put much stock in leaving logs, but I guess it's the last thing I have to do to keep myself from going stir-crazy with all this waiting.  I'm back up for enlistment with HLPX-COM.  That's something I never expected.  We went to Cydonia and gave those ET's the boot, a real hard lead boot.  I thought that was the end of it, and after HLPX-COM disbanded the only people interested in someone whose specialization is 'killing aliens' is the military.  I signed on, they shunted me to R&D as a f**king lab rat.  'Cryostasis for medical purposes' my arse.  SURGERIES DON'T TAKE 40 YEARS.  Everyone I knew went off and had a life while I chilled out like a popsicle.  I quit first thing after they thawed me, but finding a job after being frozen 40 years is even harder than after curb-stomping alien invaders.  Didn't even give me my back-pay.  Something about 'sleeping on the job.'

But guess what? The HLPX-COM program started up again.  Who would have thought.  'What the hell, I might as well' was all I could think.   Ran down to the recruitment office asap, but apparently 40 years of cryo means I'm on the bottom of the list.  And so here I am, back with HLPX-COM and it only seems like 6 months since Cydonia.

If I don't get my assignment soon, I'm going back to the Army, gonna get those idiots to freeze me till the world ends or there's a coup.  They'll do anything as long as it's 'for science.'

---End Log---
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 25, 2012, 02:15:21 pm
[flippin' redacted again]

(pssst, it's the same as the one from the interception screen)

Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: August 30th, 2040.

Dangit, I missed my birthday in all this mess. :nervous:
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 09:12:05 pm
If I don't get my assignment soon, I'm going back to the Army, gonna get those idiots to freeze me till the world ends or there's a coup.  They'll do anything as long as it's 'for science.'

At this point you, and the other four people who enlisted/reenlisted without getting soldiers, are slated to return on October 9th, for HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 25, 2012, 09:27:12 pm
I'll fly the Interceptors on that one, too. :P

At this point I'm fairly certain I'm the only participant in all three X-COM let's plays to have not died a single time, despite having participated in ground combat in two of them.

My log entry will probably happen sometime after the final assault.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 25, 2012, 09:30:06 pm
At this point you, and the other four people who enlisted/reenlisted without getting soldiers, are slated to return on October 9th, for HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel

Are you accepting early applications for that run? Or just for the folks who didn't make it into this LP?

/me also prepares to prod NGTM-1R to do Apocalypse next
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 09:49:16 pm
I'm not taking earlies because we know so little about the game, it's impossible to predict how many people will get in. Hell, this run of TFTD was completely bizarre when it comes to causalities.

RE: Apoc: Maybe if I spend a few months figure it out, but by then it's pretty much time to start thinking about Enemy Unknown again.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Rodo on May 25, 2012, 10:13:09 pm
Apoc is nice, that's the first version I've played.

Oh those damned brainsuckers, damn them to hell!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: KyadCK on May 25, 2012, 11:21:08 pm
If I don't get my assignment soon, I'm going back to the Army, gonna get those idiots to freeze me till the world ends or there's a coup.  They'll do anything as long as it's 'for science.'

At this point you, and the other four people who enlisted/reenlisted without getting soldiers, are slated to return on October 9th, for HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel

*Kyad Pre-Orders a spot on HLP-XCOM 3*
Title: The All-Time HLPX-COM 2 Soldier Roster (pre-T'Leth version)
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 11:42:05 pm
Active Duty
Squad 1, WithFeeling (Triton 1)
BlueFlames, Lieutenant, 77 TU, 29 Missions, 21 Kills, M.C. Strength 52
BloodEagle, Commander, 81 TU, 29 Missions, 22 Kills, M.C. Strength 71
MP-Ryan, Commander, 77 TU, 29 Missions, 19 Kills, M.C. Strength 79
Mongoose, Captain, 80 TU, 29 Missions, 15 Kills, M.C. Strength 81
Jack Folstam, Lieutenant, 78 TU, 29 Missions, 12 Kills, M.C. Strength 57
mxlm, Ensign, 74 TU, 27 Missions, 13 Kills, M.C. Strength 41
The E, Lieutenant, 73 TU, 26 Missions, 21 Kills, M.C. Strength 90 (I swear that's natural.)
LordMelvin, Lieutenant, 67 TU, 15 Missions, 11 Kills, M.C. Strength 42
The_Force, Ensign, 66 TU, 15 Missions, 15 Kills, M.C. Strength 45
deathfun, Ensign, 74 TU, 15 Missions, 14 Kills, M.C. Strength 39
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"

Squad 2, XenoWatch (Triton 2)
LHN91, Ensign, 67 TU, 10 Missions, 10 Kills, M.C. Strength 75
Dilmah G, Ensign, 64 TU, 10 Missions, 6 Kills, M.C. Strength 53
MatthTheGeek, Able Seaman, 65 TU, 10 Missions, Kills 6, M.C. Strength 51
Kobrar44, Ensign, 65 TU, 10 Missions, 12 Kills, M.C. Strength 42
pecenipicek, Able Seaman, 57 TU, 2 Missions, 1 Kill, M.C. Strength 62 (missions count is low because he was out of action for 44 days with serious wounds; still is, actually, though he's only a couple days from returning to duty)
Madcat, Ensign, 67 TU, 10 Missions, 4 Kills, M.C. Strength 73
Ravenholme, Able Seaman, 65 TU, 10 Missions, 10 Kills, M.C. Strength 99
Col. Fishguts, Able Seaman, 65 TU, 10 Missions, 2 Kills, M.C. Strength 61
Rhymes_With_Psycho, Able Seaman, 63 TU, 10 Missions, 3 Kills, M.C. Strength 55
Hades, Ensign, 64 TU, 10 Missions, 10 Kills, M.C. Strength 78
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"

Squad Three, WithFeeling (Leviathan 1)
z64555, Able Seaman, 61 TU, 5 Missions, 1 Kill, M.C. Strength 70
Veers, Able Seaman, 64 TU, 5 Missions, 1 Kill, M.C. Strength 12
Dekker, Able Seaman, 64 TU, 5 Missions, 1 Kill, M.C. Strength 33
ZekeSulastin, Able Seaman, 62 TU, 5 Missions, 5 Kills, M.C. Strength 81
Goober5001, Able Seaman, 62 TU, 5 Missions, 3 Kills, M.C. Strength 52
Sandwich, Able Seaman, 66 TU, 7 Missions, 8 Kills, M.C. Strength 72
SpardaSon22, Able Seaman, 64 TU, 5 Missions, 6 Kills, M.C. Strength 26
Doc Fox, Ensign, 61 TU, 11 Missions, 7 Kills, M.C. Strength 69
Gortef, Able Seaman, 63 TU, 5 Missions, 3 Kills, M.C. Strength 49
Backslash, Able Seaman, 56 TU, 5 Missions, 1 Kill, M.C. Strength 5
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VII Sea Lion"

Support Staff
Spoon (WithFeeling Tanks)
Scotty (Barracuda 1, Leviathan Weapons Officer)
FireSpawn (Barracuda 2, Leviathan Pilot)
jg18 (Triton 1)
Doc Fox (Head of Biology/sometime trooper)
z64555 (Head of Technology/sometime trooper)
Dragon (Barracuda 3)
Turambar (Xenowatch Tanks)
Cyborg17 (Triton 2)
Alex Heartnet (Barracuda 4)
CommanderDJ 2.0 (Leviathan Engineer)

The Fallen
The First Attempt
Sandwhich, Seaman (Deceased by Sonic Pistol shot, Mission 1; Toyko)
Polpolion, Seaman; made two kills but did not survive the mission (Deceased by Sonic Pistol shot, Mission 1)
Goober5000, Seaman; made a hit but did not survive the mission (Deceased by Sonic Pistol shot, Mission 2)
SpardaSon21, Ensign (deceased by Sonic Rifle shot, Mission 2)
Talon 1024, Able Seaman (deceased by Sonic Rifle shot, Mission 2)
KyadCK, Rookie (deceased by Sonic Pulser, Mission 3)

The Second Attempt
Scourge of Ages, Able Seaman (deceased by Sonic Rifle shot, Mission 3)
CommanderDJ, Able Seaman (deceased by Sonic Rifle shot, Mission 3)
watsisname, Able Seaman (deceased by Sonic Pistol shot, Mission 4)
Akalabeth, Seaman; made a kill but did not survive the mission (deceased by...probably a Deep One, Mission 5)
TrashMan, Able Seaman (deceased by Sonic Cannon shot, Mission 11)
IronBeer, Able Seaman (deceased by Tenteculat attack, Mission 12)
StarSlayer, Able Seaman (deceased by Lobsterman claw strike, Mission 12)

Will Return In: HLPX-COM 3: A Very Firaxis Sequel
Scourge of Ages
Talon 1024
esarai
DireWolf
Title: Final Assault Crew
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 25, 2012, 11:49:27 pm
This will be the team that goes on the final attack. I could take two more, I guess, or drop two and take another tank, but I rather like the four from each Squad symmetry to it and frankly with M.C. resistances like this it'll probably come down to weapon against weapon. We can win that without the extras.

If this is a colossal mistake and we needed two more people...oops.

Final Assault Team (Leviathan 1)
BloodEagle, Commander, 81 TU, 29 Missions, 22 Kills, M.C. Strength 71
MP-Ryan, Commander, 77 TU, 29 Missions, 19 Kills, M.C. Strength 79
Mongoose, Captain, 80 TU, 29 Missions, 15 Kills, M.C. Strength 81
The E, Lieutenant, 73 TU, 26 Missions, 21 Kills, M.C. Strength 90
ZekeSulastin, Able Seaman, 62 TU, 5 Missions, 5 Kills, M.C. Strength 81
z64555, Able Seaman, 61 TU, 5 Missions, 1 Kill, M.C. Strength 70
Doc Fox, Ensign, 61 TU, 11 Missions, 7 Kills, M.C. Strength 69
Sandwich, Able Seaman, 66 TU, 7 Missions, 8 Kills, M.C. Strength 72
LHN91, Ensign, 67 TU, 10 Missions, 10 Kills, M.C. Strength 75
Hades, Ensign, 64 TU, 10 Missions, 10 Kills, M.C. Strength 78
Ravenholme, Able Seaman, 65 TU, 10 Missions, 10 Kills, M.C. Strength 99
Madcat, Ensign, 67 TU, 10 Missions, 4 Kills, M.C. Strength 73
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"
SWS Displacer/Sonic "Spoonzer VI Tiger Shark"

I probably won't be able to detail the mission until Sunday, if that; T'Leth is long.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: StarSlayer on May 26, 2012, 12:18:53 am
Give em' hell (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSxBLRs7c-c&feature=relmfu)

I'll put my name down for HLPX-COM III The Firaxining
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Mongoose on May 26, 2012, 12:57:01 am
Sweet, I made out well in MC.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scourge of Ages on May 26, 2012, 01:31:25 am
Scourge's log. Earthdate: August 31st, 2040

They finally let me out of the cloning tanks. I got my old bunk back, and some standard provisions; I even found that my dress uniform and off-duty stuff was still all intact!
The new body is performing as well as anybody could have hoped. Who would have thought that a grizzled vet like me could have a whole new life like this? All it took was absorbing a coherent sonic bolt to my gut and swimming around inside my suit at 50 atmospheres of pressure for a few minutes... Sure, painful, but what in life isn't?
It's great to see my pals from the FAW back in action, The E, Goober, Spoon, ummm... the rest. Some of the guys are getting a little cranky after 40 years, but who can blame 'em? They still own anyway. I swear I hears The E yelling at a rookie the other day, something about his lawn, but it was probably a joke or something.

I haven't gotten back on the active roster yet, and it doesn't look like I'll be able to, at least for a while. But I'm keeping busy, training with some of the captured alien weapons, trying to get my pre-demise physique back. I've been studying the UFOpaedia and doing guard duty at the labs and workshops, hangin' out with my old buddies, meeting new faces, taunting the jerks in alien containment (but not from too close after what happened to that lab assistant the other day, ouch).

Commander picked an assault squad for the attack on T'leth, some of the absolute finest soldiers I've ever had the privilege of meeting. I know these guys, and I wouldn't be surprised if the baddies just pack up and surrender when the Leviathan touches down. Heh, I only wish I could be there to see the looks on those critters' ugly, scaly faces as they soil themselves.
Oh wait, Spoon'll be sending us a live feed from the battle, sweet!

Tear 'em up, guys!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Goober5000 on May 26, 2012, 02:21:43 am
Apocalypse? That one is really different in may ways. I can say I loved it, aside from the retro-desing.
Been a long time since I played it tough.
You need to learn to spell what you're trying to say.


Corrupted save files sound scary.
The continued existence of T'Leth threatens the very fabric of reality itself!


Sandwich's Personal Log; Date: August 30th, 2040.
Well, there were two missions in that post.  The date of your log was actually August 23rd.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: CommanderDJ on May 26, 2012, 02:56:00 am
Geez. Two LPs in a row and The_E is an absolute badass. 90 MC strength!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 26, 2012, 03:07:29 am
Does anybody know if the new X-COM game will have Interceptors?  I'm looking to fill out my campaign medals. :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 26, 2012, 03:12:20 am
Apocalypse? That one is really different in may ways. I can say I loved it, aside from the retro-desing.
Been a long time since I played it tough.
You need to learn to spell what you're trying to say.

Hello Gramar Natzi. Nice to meet you.

I wans't aware can is spelled in any other way than can.


Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Ravenholme on May 26, 2012, 04:36:36 am
Holy crap, my M.C. stat is through the roof.

Also, put me down for HLP XCOM III.

And now that I'm on holiday I may just start my UFO-ET playthrough, but I warn people now. That game is SNES hard, so I may end up restarting. A lot.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: deathfun on May 26, 2012, 04:56:06 am
I appear to be quite close to the bottom when it comes to MC...
Ah well. I'll take my 15 missions and 14 kills

Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 26, 2012, 06:25:27 am
Dear diary

I took a look at the MC reports of the squads. Of course, that old die hard The E remains ever sturdy of mind. Maybe he got even more stubborn with old age!
What really caught my interest though, is *99* freaking MC on Ravenholme. I've hereby given him the nickname Akira. (Because after this second war, X-COM will almost surely put his brain in a jar for research and safe keeping)

Now I promised these guys I'd set up a live camera feed for the final assault... What button does what again..?
...I'm getting too old for this.


/end log
Title: For everybody trying to sign up for the sequel: LRN2READ
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 26, 2012, 06:51:21 am
I'm not taking earlies for 3 because we know so little about the game, it's impossible to predict how many people will get in. Hell, this run of TFTD was completely bizarre when it comes to causalities.

Those four got in because they volunteered for this one and I didn't get to them, so they get special treatment. The rest of you suck. :P

Now I'm off to Palomar for the rest of the day, I'll catch you all on the flipside.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: The E on May 26, 2012, 07:10:49 am
Well, given how well my avatar is doing in these games, I just have to pick up the Firaxis game as well.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 26, 2012, 10:03:32 am
Subject: "z64-555"
Log Number : 287
Date: [Redacted]

The M.C. results are finally in! Although I personally think my rating of 70 is inadequate, compared to some of the other guys it's spectacular (especially that one guy who had a rating of 5, wow.)

In addition to the M.C. results, the commander posted the assault team roster for the attack against the aliens main colony, T'Leth. I found my moniker on that list, so it looks like I'm going with them this time!

I... I'm elated to know that I'll be helping the team on the front lines instead of the sidelines this time, but I'm also a bit worried.

I mustn't think about it much more than that, because I know that it'll only get worse if I do. Plus, if I show any signs of breaking down, I'll get kicked off the roster. I don't want that.

One good thing about being a technology officer is that I'll have an insight to the alien's technologies. I'll get a chance to salvage whatever tech I can get in my pockets, and maybe if I'm lucky I'll get a hold of some really cool stuff. On one of my last missions, I picked up a strange piece of Zrbite that looked to be of a different purity or possibly a special alloy. I haven't gotten time on the mass spect to take a look at it, and I don't trust the tech's in there to keep the thing in one piece after that last time.

I guess I'll go back to working on stuff for that game during my down-time.

--Z
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 26, 2012, 08:04:57 pm
Sandwich's Personal Log, Da-ahh, who gives a crap - I'm going to T'Leth! I've also got the highest mission:kill ratio of the T'Leth squad - 7 missions, 8 kills. Booyah! A few guys from the entire force had a better m:k ratio, but they weren't quite hardy of mind, if you know what I mean. :)

To be continued when I return victorious... or in a body bag.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: deathfun on May 27, 2012, 04:57:09 am
Given how things have been going, I don't think anyone is coming home in a body bag
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MatthTheGeek on May 27, 2012, 05:17:17 am
Famous last words...
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 27, 2012, 06:26:55 am
I would like to state that whoever designed this is a giant piece of **** for making my guns disappear between stages, and they can go **** themselves.

EDIT: More specifically, my Disruptor Pulse Launchers and their ten rounds of ammo have completely disappeared, along with thirty clips worth of Sonic Cannon ammo.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 27, 2012, 07:48:16 am
Send a pre-cog bug report to Firaxis, to make sure they don't include that bug in their game. ;)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 27, 2012, 07:50:00 am
Well, uninstalling X-COMUtil fixed it. So we'll just have to do without it. (That's kinda a stupid thing to do, though, X-COMUtil.)
Title: T'Leth: Stage One and Stage Two
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 27, 2012, 11:20:15 am
Welcome to T'Leth, folks. We've got a long haul ahead of us. Extra ammo has been issued to all Sonic Cannon-armed troops.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tleth1.png)

Basically this looks like an artifact site, only it's really, really dark.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/reallyreallydark.png)

It's also infested with Sectoids. This one actually took a Sonic Cannon shot in the side from Zeke and stayed standing, but he killed it with the second one.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/overwhelming.png)

The team has been separated into two groups at start; a pair of Tiger Sharks, LHN91, Mongoose, ZekeSulatsin, and z64555. The other group contains a single Tiger Shark, and everybody else. Progress is slow; all angles have to be watched as the enemy could appear from any direction. No organized attempt at sweeping and clearing is made because of the need to conserve ammo.

We also encounter basically no enemies. A couple of Hallucinoids approach but get blasted by the tanks. At least one Sectoid, attempting to use his Disruptor Pulse Launcher, manages to blow himself up.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/whatisthis.png)

This one met a tank. He was not ready for such a thing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/Idonteven.png)

I'm hoping that's A Way Out.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/wayout.png)

Way Out confirmed, despite the asshole who tried to camp it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nohonore.png)

Everyone is given a minute to rest up once the team is assembled at the exit, while one of the tanks blocks the lift. Then it's time to move on.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/weout.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/weout2.png)
Total ammo expenditure: about ten Sonic Cannon rounds. Total casualties: None.

Second verse, same as the first.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tleth2.png)

The second level starts with The E reaction-shotting a Tentaculat. The area is cramped and the Spoonzers are having trouble maneuvering, frequently having to blast a way forward themselves or with the help of Hades and Ravenholme's Disruptor Pulse Launchers.

Still encountering few enemies. Blowing a path forward, we hit the opposite side of the map without making it to the exit. Spreading out, BloodEagle encounters a Lobsterman which he shoots with his Sonic Cannon. It turns around and fires its stun launcher, knocking itself out, but BloodEagle's armor blocks nearly all the stun damage. His left hand is briefly numb.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/stunna-1.png)

This was actually the first Disruptor Pulse we fired in the mission to kill something, rather than for demolition.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/killyou.png)

Doc Fox kills a Lobsterman with reaction fire. A second, with a Disruptor Pulse Launcher, charges and takes several swings at him with its claws ineffectively, one being stopped by armor and one being a miss. He kills that one as well on our turn with two quick snapshots. Madcat clears the room they came out of.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/ARF.png)

We're running out of map to explore here, and probably aliens too. (Judging from the length of their turn.) What the hell happened to the heavy resistance we were told to expect?

One of the tanks kills a Sectoid and...a Deep One. Damn, haven't seen one of those in a few months. Mongoose, meanwhile...what the hell is that.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nautilus.png)

Mongoose' one shot only pisses it off, and it shoots him back, at least three times. MP-Ryan returns a further two rounds to kill it even as Mongoose crumples to the ground, badly wounded. Mongoose' multiple suit breaches and extensive injuries kill him before MP-Ryan can reach him with a medikit.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/fornaut.png)

Way Out.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/exitdoor.png)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/weout3.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/weout4.png)
Total ammo expenditure: Between half and a third of the tank batteries, thirty Sonic Cannon rounds, ten Disruptor Pulses. (Nearly all of it for demolition rather than combat.) Total casualties: Mongoose.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Madcat on May 27, 2012, 01:37:21 pm
I am delighted to be part of the T'Leth assault and volunteer for HLPX-COM 3! Let there be blood... uhm... slimey alien gore!
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Ravenholme on May 27, 2012, 02:29:44 pm
What was that thing that killed Mongoose? :O

And, I'm thinking of going ahead with my UFO ET playthrough, though I won't be able to match NGTM-1R's awesome pace. It's being done with that mod that everyone plays the game with (Bmans or something), and the game is SNES hard. Restarts are very likely, and I've never yet completed the game (or gotten hugely far towards the Endgame), but then I did only start playing it about a week before I got into finals revision mode.

Who wants in?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Mongoose on May 27, 2012, 02:52:17 pm
Figures.
Title: Spoonzer Elite: T'Leth Part 3
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 27, 2012, 03:04:45 pm
Final level, final assault. Trivia note: neither the minimap nor the save feature work here. The Ultimate Alien is a metagaming bastard.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/tleth3.png)

The greeting party is a single Lobsterman with a Disruptor Pulse Launcher and a lack of the will to use it. He gets killed by one of the tanks. More troublesome is the likelihood we'll have to blast out paths for the Tiger Sharks again.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/hesdeadfox.png)
Note that this place looks like nothing else we've ever seen.

Sonic weapons are ineffective in blasting out a path for the Spoonzers, so it's time to go to the bigger guns. Once that's done, the tanks advance into the next room, confronting several Lobstermen with a mix of DPLs and stun launchers.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/isaidadvance.png)

The DPL Lobsterman is taken down at once as a priority target. Stun bombs are not effective against Displacers. At least one Sectoid stuns itself firing on the lead Tiger Shark, while other Sectoids and Lobstermen are dispatched by the guns of the three Spoonzers as they push forward. The aliens put up a stalwart resistance, but without the proper weapons to harm armor it is futile. The last standing Lobsterman flees, but is trapped by one of the Tiger Sharks before he can reach the temporary safety of a door the Displacers can't pass through. It turns for a final stand, firing its ineffective weapon one more time...and stuns itself, while the tank watches in silence.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/crushthemorshootthem.png)

This spasm of resistance over, Disruptor Pulses are used to clear the way for the advance of HLPX-COM armor. I should note that the last two levels, M.C. attacks have been completely absent. They were dirt common on the first, but nothing stuck.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/blackandgrim.png)

The grim black Tiger Sharks push on. Two Deep Ones fall to one of the tanks, while another spots one of the Nautilus creatures that killed Mongoose. Again a single round was not sufficient to dispose of the creature, but it did not return fire this time.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/nautyou.png)

It returns fire on its own turn. Damage is severe to the Tiger Shark, but not enough to stop it, and it kills the alien creature.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/unstoppable.png)

These guys really, really do not get it about stun bombs not stopping tanks. They keep trying and keep dying for their troubles. Neither do the Tentaculats get that tanks are immune to them.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/getthis.png)

More DPL fire to clear the way for the tanks. At this point the only real threat to the mission appears to be that we might run out of Disruptor Pulses. In counterpoint to that, we still have nine people with Sonic Cannons that haven't even engaged the enemy on this level yet.

We eventually break out into this large open area.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/intheopen.png)
It's empty. We haven't encountered any hostiles in some time now.

More Disruptor Pulses to clear out doorways. We're getting close to the end of our stock by now, and the end of that we've grabbed off dead aliens.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/clearance.png)

Fortunately we're also getting close to the end of this maze. One more long hallway; one more set of doors. Through them, one of the nautiliod creatures attempts to bar the way, but it is no match for three Tiger Sharks. The tanks spread out, scouring this room. No other enemies present themselves.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/scouring.png)

The last door falls before a Disruptor Pulse launched by Hades. A wall of mobile black metal and Aqua Plastics fills the entrance.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/blackmetal.png)

Lovecraft was wrong!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/thestarsarewrong.png)

No force more terrible, no force more powerful, than the works of human hands.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v307/ngtm1r/theworksofhumanhands.png)

Mission...Complete.

Munitions Expenditure: 17 Disruptor Pulses, 35 Displacer/Sonic shots. Casualties: One Tiger Shark seriously damaged, one Tiger Shark lightly damaged.

A few aliens escaped T'Leth while it was in its death spasms, via UFOs. Most of them were shot down by member nation naval units on the scene, the Leviathan, or Avenger 1, which was reactivated in anticipation of this very thing. Some had space-capable craft and managed to make it offworld, preferring to face the Ethereal Empire rather than a vengeful HLPX-COM. They carry with them tales of huge, jet-black monsters that can not be stopped by any craft of mortals and terrible human implements called "spoons".
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 27, 2012, 03:14:37 pm
And the Spoonzer Elite carries the day.

Out of curiousity, what date did the actual T'Leth assault happen?  I've gotta get my dates straight for the long-overdue journal entry coming up.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 27, 2012, 03:24:05 pm
Out of curiousity, what date did the actual T'Leth assault happen?  I've gotta get my dates straight for the long-overdue journal entry coming up.

September 2nd, just after midnight in GMT.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Madcat on May 27, 2012, 03:51:55 pm
Personal Log, Madcat:

Mission accomplished! And I even got to clear a room...!

But once again, it is beyond my comprehension how the commander was able to get us through that assault with so little casualties. It seemed all far to easy, almost as if the outcome was predetermined. His skills seemed to be just inhuman, sometimes even scarily so.
Now, after our return from T'Leth, I should be happy and cheerful, but actually I'm left wondering. I'm almost too afraid to think about it... but could it be possible that maybe... maybe... HE IS THE ALIENS!?
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Scotty on May 27, 2012, 04:04:03 pm
Personal log, Commander Roberts.  Callsign "Scotty"
X-COM base "WestLant"
2 September 2040

The Second Alien War is over, and we won it.  Just like the last one.  Just like the next one.  I've put boots on the ground and flown head to head against the first alien menace, and dueled deep beneath the sea to fight the second.  I've taken hits, come back with half the ship I left with, and still gone out time and time again.  Now, at the tender age of 60, I find myself simultaneously the oldest surviving and highest scoring ace since the Second World War.  I've been to the skies and into the seas.  Landed on Mars and plumbed the deepest depths of the darkest oceans.  I've shot down or sunk any kind of alien craft you can care to name, and survived.

But now, it's time to go home.  I'm handing in my commission to spend as many years as I can muster with what family I have left.

Until the next war.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 27, 2012, 04:08:39 pm
Mission accomplished! And I even got to clear a room...!

You actually took a shot or two on the first level, and everybody shot things (for demolition) in the second, but there was just...very little resistance, in the parts where the primary fighting fell on the infantry. It surprised me a lot. I was expecting Sectoids with Disruptor Pulse Launchers around every corner in the first part, but if I had to guess there were ten or fewer of them on the whole map in reality. The second couldn't have had more than one or two other aliens we didn't actually fight, considering how much of the map we blanketed. So that would mean there were...maybe six or seven of them on the whole map?

And the third, well, we had to go everywhere and we definitely killed everything. At the end after the tanks shot the Hallucinoid in the last room, the game didn't even bother with an alien turn.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Spoon on May 27, 2012, 05:19:29 pm
We did it men, we kicked their asses again. It... took a lot, getting my spoonzer's to do all this work... But I did it for Earth, and you, my comrades.

And now... I can finally rest...
(http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/757/2z3vzwj.jpg)
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: Sandwich on May 27, 2012, 05:58:31 pm
Sandwich's Personal Log, Date: September 3rd, 2040

Mission accomplished, and I'm going home... and just in time for my 33rd anniversary, too. My wife will be pleased. :)

Gotta buy Spoon a round of drinks - his tanks took the brunt of the final assault, and probably saved most of our lives. Shame we weren't able to get to Mongoose in time... that one will haunt me till the day I die.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: General Battuta on May 27, 2012, 06:00:28 pm
I think it was the relative lack of casualties, unfamiliarity with TFTD, or a general surfeit of tension, but I just couldn't get into this one the way I did the last one.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 27, 2012, 11:00:48 pm
I think it was the relative lack of casualties, unfamiliarity with TFTD, or a general surfeit of tension, but I just couldn't get into this one the way I did the last one.

Don't really blame you on that. To be honest I felt almost the same way, since I know TFTD so well. This wasn't as much fun for me personally.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: TrashMan on May 28, 2012, 01:12:03 am
Tanks make it too easy. :P
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: z64555 on May 28, 2012, 01:32:52 am
Subject: "z64-555"
Log: 290
Date: [Corrupted Data]

@(*&#^ if the log is (A...+= ay, since my recor[corrupted]. We managed to )(*37 T'leth, and (*& only #^& casul[corrupted]

We're on our way back to )(*#, so hopefully I can fi) &*is blasted thing. It started to malfunction )( @9on as we got near T'leth, possibly due to *$*vy MC activi@!

[Debug Log]
>: set mode
:VOICE TO TEXT...Error!
:VOICE RECORD...Error!
:TEXT...Ok
:?
>:text
:Recorder mode set to TEXT
>: exit
:Logging out from Debug Console, Goodbye!
$End

<>Ok, it lookz like the text module is ztill working, but damn is it annoying.
<>The recorder module's keyboard is too zmall for MagIon armored glovez.
<>I doubled checked the local prezsure to zee if I could take off my glove to get at the keyboard, but it would be crushed in an inztant.
<>
<>Damn 'esz' key is malfunctioning, too. frak.
<>
<>Anyway, we managed to kick their aszes.
<>I packed as much loot az I could put in my duffel bag before takeoff.
<>Command'z real eager to get uz out of there, ezpecially zince there'z ztill a lot of activity around the zite.
<>The dizrupter tankz performed very well, but az usual, the intakes ztarted to get clogged.
<>
<>We couldn't very well stop to clean it out, zince we had very little time before the baze woke up and overrun our positions.
<>In a final effort, all of the tankz formed up in main control area and targeted the 8 devices and annihilated them.
<>I zaw some interezting ztructures in the area, but again due to time could not persue.
<>Maybe once things cool down, I can get a recovery team out here.
<>

[End Log]



Subject: "z64-555"
Log: 291
Date: September [corrupted]

[Debug Log]
>:Warning! Critical error in sector 473 "Voice Recognition Core"
>:Recording mode has been set to TEXT
$End

<>Ok, I'm back on the transport with all I could carry.
<>Zome of the guys picked up some ztuff too, probably for zuveniers.
<>
<>Well, I guesz... oh frak
<>

[End Log]



Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: MP-Ryan on May 28, 2012, 11:02:38 pm
Mongoose, this last bottle of tequila is in your memory.  You will be missed, but never forgotten.
Title: Re: HLPX-COM 2: Electric Shot From Deep One Boogaloo
Post by: BlueFlames on May 29, 2012, 02:02:29 am
Mongoose, this last bottle of tequila is in your memory.  You will be missed, but never forgotten.

May he have sense enough to lie on his psi evaluation, in his next life.  :nervous: