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Topic: X-COM Monday Nights Campaign (Read 4486 times) |
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chiz
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Jim was reviewing the last five sets of alien autopsy results when the buzzer in the medical lab went off. The error tolerances on the med-kit chloroplasm transducer had been exceeded again. He'd have to get one of the techs to fix this. He groaned. He still hadn't reviewed the research and manufacturing proposals floated by the various alpha team members. "Too freakin' much to do - I had more free time back when I worked the ER."
Jim sent off an email to two of the techs about the tolerances, and went back to the autopsy reports. If he didn't have time to weigh in on the manufcturing and research priorities, it wasn't the end of the world, the others in the group seemed to be making pretty good decisions.
ooc: My arrival in-game with the downloads may be a bit tight - I was away over the weekend, and won't start the process until 40-50 minutes before game time....
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Jenniza
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Mark, Rebecca and Samantha were settling into their new home in the new WITSEC town with double duty protection by a few X-COM agents lurking in the wings cooperating through FBI sources.
Jane used her 72 hour leave to visit them and they saw Shrek 4 and the Narnia movie as family finally. They all had a good time together.
There was an understood tenstion underneath it all that something was going on that Jane probably couldn't talk about that was related to the recent attack on the family. They were all just glad to be alive and together for the short time that Jane had the 72 hour leave. The family knew to follow the WITSEC agents rules and the added security precations that were in place on top of that.
The rest of the 72 hour leave was a lot of fun for the four of them: with stories of Samantha's exploits, and reminiscing about Mark and Jane as kids, to Mark and Rebecca when they first met. A brief reference of Samuel brought a few tears to everyone's eyes; but otherwise the topics weere generally all very light and he rest of the 72 hours were all very pleasant until it was time for a Jane to go back. They told her to be careful with whatever it was that she was doing and to keep her head down; but, that they were proud of her no matter what.
Jane returned to base with a smile on her face and a pair of CD's of the soundtracks from Shrek 4 and Narnia just for fun that she picked up from a local store that her brother got her as gifts.
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Jenniza
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FROM: Jane Swift, X-COM Field Agent
TO: Michael Garret, X-COM UN Liaison
RE: Mission Report – Base Raid & Cheyenne, Wyoming
We were awoken to a large inbound craft approaching. We were under attack. We stationed men above and launched Interceptors and Base missiles. Although we apparently damaged the craft, it must have released three pods of assault forces to test our strength. Near as I understand it by now, their first wave was the hanger bay, where they killed me; their second wave was their the ducting when they may have taken out one of the medical staff in the new medical lab in the West Wing. Yeah, we could have done better… yeah they probably could have sent more troops… yeah, we could use fusion weapons to defend the base… but, this is how it played out and I defended it with my life while saving a team member’s life when he got hit with a stunner. It may have been Vasily or Dr. Allen, it all happened so fast. [EDIT; I just saw someone go motionless after I knew both had recently been near me.] I didn’t take time to sort out who was who. I took point and absorbed the hits so they wouldn’t get hit in their condition. Wasn’t focused on whether I’d be surviving this maneuver… maybe a glimmer of hope; but, didn’t really have time to do much thinking… mainly focused on protecting his life for most of it. I may have panicked near the end… probably did, I’d bet. I hope that doesn’t cheapen the event.
Later, another large craft landed on All-Mart in Cheyenne, Wyoming. More Sectoids… lots more. This craft had apparently three cocooned comatose adult human survivors; four power cells; two floors and one hell of a fight to the top; but, it was a nice chance to try out team tactics. We did pretty good in that regard. By the way, I’d talk to Ken about helping him and his pilots out with fixing up the ships quite a bit. They were shop out quite a bit… you know that already, I’d assume. I just appreciate everything they do for us. Dr. White did his usual amazing job of patching us up like he did when he brought me back to life… they said I died or whatever the phrase is when the base was raided… felt like it. I’ll be sure to check in with Dr. Beauvais on that matter.
ooc: could have sworn it was a ray that flew by me, but LB's post, two posts down say it was a Psionic attack, so I edited the above to reflect it. I guess I heard/saw the Special FX and instinctively filled in the blanks from years of playing and seeing too many movies and stuff. I just filled in the blanks without thinking... kind of like projecting where the attack came from visually.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 16, 2008, 4:14AM » |
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Jenniza
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Scene: Dr. Beauvais’s Office
Jane knocked on Dr. Beauvais’s door and Dr. Beauvais answered, “Please come in.”
As they sat down, Jane asked, “How are you, Dr. Beauvais?”
The counselor replied, “I’m well, thank you. How are you, Jane?”
Jane looked at the counselor puzzled, “I don’t know to be honest… angry, upset, confused, sad, shocked, like a dozen or more different emotions rolled into one. I suppose that’s natural after death or whatever the clinical term is, not that I care what it is. I certainly felt like death warmed over when I woke up with Dr. White over me and I had a massive headache for a few minutes and couldn’t move my body.”
Dr. Beauvais nodded, “I received a copy of your report. It was fairly thorough. Was there anything you left out?”
Jane returned the nod, “Right before I died, I panicked… then it was too late and I was down… I’m not sure what happened next.. it was an odd sensation… like I was still there watching from a distance or something; but, unable to effect anything. I even thought I saw Catalina about to jam with the hanger lock of the door, than giving up on it; because of the attack on the Medical Lab; but, I could be mistaken. Maybe I overheard someone talking about it afterwards?
Dr. Beauvais considered, “I suppose a simple security check of the base security tapes to make sure you didn’t inadvertently view what transpired couldn’t hurt.”
Jane conceded, “Couldn’t hurt. Meanwhile, I am running through a range of emotions… I’m just glad that I finally got to be the one to stun the Sectoid leader this time… I was tired of feeling like the weak little girl with the stick beating on a piñata. I got to be effective with grenades, scouting, the whole nine yards after dropping in combat.”
The counselor corrected Jane, “According to your report you didn’t make a mistake when you dropped in combat… you were saving a man’s life. What were you trying to prove out there? To who? Why?”
Jane let out a sigh of air, “Maybe to my team or Chief Hallorand or even myself or the Sectoids. I know why I did what I did for my own reasons and I’d probably do it again… maybe there would be a better way, maybe not. I felt like Chief Hallorand and the others didn’t think we did good enough… like dying for them wasn’t good enough. So, I had to do it better. Perform better. Be my best.”
The counselor stopped her right there, “Whoa, lighten up, Jane. No one’s saying you weren’t doing your best or weren’t appreciated. They’re just saying things could have gone a bit better, that maybe next time everyone will be a bit more prepared. Don’t take things so personally. It was a generalized set of statements they were all making. Not something that they were directing at anyone with ill intent. You okay with that?”
Jane thought for a bit, “I suppose so,” as she began to calm down.
They sat quietly for a minute or so to let Jane relax.
Jane spoke up again, “I guess on the positive side: killing me got me to focus better when we went to Cheyenne,” she said with a grin.
The counselor quipped back, “Look, we’re NOT going to kill you prior to each mission just so you can focus better.” They both laughed at the mutual joke that seemed to come out of it.
Jane, still laughing, “Okay, see you next week, alive and well?”
The counselor agreed, “Deal.”
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Lazybones
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Dr. Wagner's weekly e-mail.
FROM: DR. KIMBERLY WAGNER, X-COM RESEARCH LEAD
TO: MEMBERS, ALPHA TEAM
CC: MICHAEL GARRET, GRACE THELON BELUCA
RE: New Research/Manufacturing Priorities
Repairs continue on HQX in the aftermath of the alien attack.
The Laser Cannon project has been completed, along with the work on the alien power supply.
We have now completed all of the work necessary for the development of new experimental aircraft. This work will be done off-site under the joint auspices of X-COM, the United States Department of Defense, and the European Joint Special Projects Agency. The current project is code-named FIRESTORM and will develop a new interceptor that should help us face the larger alien craft with a chance of success.
The prisoners and new technologies that you captured on the Wyoming mission have opened up some new avenues for research.
To summarize, here are our current priorities:
Research Priorities (20 points available)
- Laser Weapons: Research complete. Laser pistols may be constructed.
- Laser Rifle: Research complete.
- Laser Cannon: Research complete. All new interceptors, including the FIRESTORM advanced craft, will be equipped with these weapons.
- Laser Defense: An improvement on the Missile Defense base augmentation, with approximately twice the stopping power.
- Motion Scanner: Research complete.
- Heavy Weapons Platforms: Research complete.
- Alien Medicine: Research complete. The new Medical Lab will produce eight medikits per week. Dr. White reports that when the lab is involved in research projects, such as alien autopsies, the rate of production will slow. Further upgrades may come from research into alien life forms.
- Alien Alloys: Research complete. Personal Armor is now available for manufacture.
- Powered Armor: Chief Engineer Beluca reports that we can now research an improved armor based upon the Elerium-115 power source. (ooc: this is medium armor)
- Plasma Pistol: An alien weapon. We have retained two of these weapons for research purposes.
- Plasma Rifle: A more powerful alien weapon.
- Small Launcher: An alien stun weapon.
- Vibroblade: An alien melee weapon.
- Alien Grenade: These explosives seem to be based on a biochemical agent combined with a tiny amount of Elerium-115.
- Sectoid Prisoner: Research complete.
- Alien Navigation: Research complete.
- Alien Power Supply: Research complete. Project FIRESTORM is underway.
- Sectoid Autopsy: Research complete.
- Snakeman Autopsy: Research complete.
- Floater Autopsy: Research complete.
Current Prisoners held in Alien Containment:
- Snakeman Soldier: We have several of these aliens in captivity. Once research is complete they will be sent to a central holding facility off-site.
- Floater Navigator: Initial interactions with the captives taken in Riverside reveals that the creatures have an alien intelligence.
- Floater Soldier.
- Sectoid Engineer.
- Sectoid Leader. A review of the security logs from the base assault confirms that Vasily was affected by some sort of mental assault from the sectoid leader. While that leader died in the attack, we hope that an interrogation of the leader captured in the Wyoming mission will yield useful information about the alien mental abilities. That leader was also accessing some sort of communication device when it was captured.
Manufacturing Priorities (30 points)
- Research Capacity: Research Lab 2 is fully operational. Further expansions will run into problems due to base size limitations.
- Medical Capacity: the Medical Lab is fully operational.
- Manufacturing Capacity: Workshop 3 is fully operational. Further expansions will run into problems due to base size limitations.
- Base Defense: Missile Defense has been completed. Chief Thelon has noted the technical feasibility of creating a laser defense system, once our research into laser weapons technology is sufficiently advanced.
- Laser Pistol (5): Five units have been constructed.
- Laser Rifle (5): One unit has been constructed.
- Motion Sensor: Two units have been constructed.
- Personal Armor (10): Five suits have been constructed. Helmets have been upgraded to resist mental attacks.
- Medikit (10): Current level: Advanced Medikit 1. Doctor White's medical lab can construct eight of these kits each week without compromising our manufacturing capacity. If you wish to dedicate additional resources to the project, the kits can be produced at a faster rate.
- Heavy Weapons Platform: Rocket Launcher: One prototype (damaged) produced. Laser tanks may be constructed.
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Your current allocations are listed in parens above.
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Jenniza
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ooc: um, I thought only 4 laser pistols were created so far:
Catalina
Dr. Baron
Dr. Allen
Buzz
Am I wrong on this?
I thought Vasily was waiting for his still.
Yoav hadn't gotten one either and Jane just got the only laser rifle due to the only one with the 3 levels of (personal,advanced & heavy weapons proficiency)
ie we don't need another laser rifle til level 9 probably... by then we'll have plasma rifles or fusion rifles but people might be looking to take armor instead, so it might be just one or two of those needed until level 12... not sure if maybe Catalina or Vasily could grab them somehow with Soldier or Gunslinger beforehand... not trying to push it on them.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 16, 2008, 4:45AM » |
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Jenniza
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ooc LB, are we in charge of manufacturing Interceptors and FIRESTORM? When can we order their construction? What are the protocols, etc?
Do we need to "research" and/or "manufacture" Firestorm with "points"
If aircraft are "freebies", then I'd say go with:Research: Prisoners held in Alien Containment:
- Prisoner research completed: Sectoid
- Sectoid Engineer (5)
- Sectoid Leader (5) review of security logs shows that Sectoid Leader capable of “mental assault” on people; captured one from Wyoming mission also had a communications device
- Snakemen Soldiers: (5) then transferred to a central holding facility off-site
- Floater Navigator: Alien intelligence (5)
- Floater Soldier: (TBR)
TBR: To be researched
Manufacturing Priorities:
- Laser Pistols: 4 (10), Soon: More
- Personal Armor: 5 (10), Soon: More
- Medikit: (10) Medical group producing them, it’s possible to manufacture more
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 16, 2008, 5:28AM » |
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Smart Alec
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FROM: V. KASPRJAK
TO: DR. KIMBERLY WAGNER, X-COM RESEARCH LEAD, MEMBERS, ALPHA TEAM
CC: MICHAEL GARRET, GRACE THELON BELUCA
RE: New Research/Manufacturing Priorities
I am thinking of last night and am reading the email. These are my thoughts. Say what you think.
Aliens showd that we have many weakness when they attack base and when they attack Wioming. I run throuh some of the ones I notice.
- We can not stop bigger UFOs in the air
- We can not stop bigger UFOs on the ground
- Base can be assaultd even thouh being underground
- We can not stop their mind power
- Two field teams maybe not enouh, and one has no lasers or armor
Projekt firestorm I hope will help with 1st. That leavs 4. Here is what I recomend we look at and why.
- Alien Leader, 10. Think Jane is right here but need more time spent on this one alien, he is important one. Learn more about alien mind power. Find way to deal with or help.
- Laser Defence, 10. Figure out more powerful way to defend base that X-Com enemies - alien and human - not know about yet.
I not sure how much stuff engineers able to do right now as I guess there is lot of repare of base going on but:
- Personal Armor, 10. We got 5 suits now and Buzz not yet trained on it so we got all we need for now but Beta team can use. Maybe by time Buzz trained, we get around to making new power armor.
- Laser Pistols, 10. Only Doctor Yered have no laser weapon at moment, I have one now from last night, it not bad at all. But again Beta Team probably need extra firepower if fighting going to get more dangerous, alien ships getting bigger.
And here is one I hope you all like but I think you will not.
- HWP, 10. With new laser cannon HWP be much less dangerous to us and much more dangerous to them, I like anti-UFO grade firepower with us on missions please. I think if we build small group of HWPs can use them as base sentries in areas like hangar, and new medical room when we not taking with mission. Also give Beta some cover too.
PS How aliens get into medbay air condition? We got motion sensors, we got robot brains for lasers, we got anti alien gas, must be some way can make vents secure. Medical bay is place must remain most secure of all, if we going to get attackd more in future. |
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OOC: We got a free laser pistol when the research was finished, the 'prototype' weapon that I think Buzz uses. But we definitely have 5 in the group; it's just that Baron had one, so we'll need 6 pistols to make sure everyone has a laser weapon (assuming Jane doesn't need a laser pistol because she has a laser rifle?).
I agree that by the time we're in a position to have more laser rifles in the team, we might have some more powerful options available. Hope so anyway. 
I know equipping Beta Team is a choice that is full of IC practicality while having almost zero OOC benefit, but there it is. 
As far as classes go, I don't think there's any way to get Vasily a Exotic Firearms feat before level 9 (and Heavy Armour until 12!), and I'd like to stick to Daredevil if possible. Having had a few playarounds with the D20 start mod, Daredevil feels like one of those 'slow burn' classes that starts out with few options but gets exponentially better the longer you stick with it.
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 16, 2008, 8:01AM » |
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Jenniza
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ooc: No problems with your assessments, go for it.
Dr. Wagner's list is getting so cluttered, I didn't even register on my scorecard (in my head) that we had Laser Defense as an option to research this week. Hehehe
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 16, 2008, 1:03PM » |
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Lazybones
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on Jul 16, 2008, 5:09 AM, Jenniza wrote:ooc LB, are we in charge of manufacturing Interceptors and FIRESTORM? When can we order their construction? What are the protocols, etc?
Do we need to "research" and/or "manufacture" Firestorm with "points" |
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Advanced aircraft development does not affect your Research/Manufacturing allocations, so yes, they're basically "free".
| - Alien Leader, 10. Think Jane is right here but need more time spent on this one alien, he is important one. Learn more about alien mind power. Find way to deal with or help. |
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Focusing research on leader-types is far more likely to yield results than studying soldiers.
| I know equipping Beta Team is a choice that is full of IC practicality while having almost zero OOC benefit, but there it is. |
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I think that the idea was to equip Beta with Alpha's hand-me-downs. They'll get Personal Armor when you get Powered, they'll get your lasers when you develop plasma, etc. Nothing wrong with giving them laser pistols now, of course.
A few quick notes on weapons: once you research the alien gear, you won't have to manufacture it, you can just keep guns and ammo captured on missions. Also, the plasma pistol and plasma rifle are both Personal Firearms. There may be heavier alien guns you haven't encountered yet. 
| Dr. Wagner's list is getting so cluttered, I didn't even register on my scorecard (in my head) that we had Laser Defense as an option to research this week. Hehehe |
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Would you like me to clear those areas that have already been researched?
If the above comments do not affect your decisions, I'll go with Vasily's recommendations.
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Jenniza
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Somehow the Research List needs to be sorted into Departments or something...
Weapons
Medicine
Engineering
Armor
or something like that... I've been trying to do that... but it'd help if you marked it up better too... I'll try to better annotate this somehow... Gimme a few minutes for an example.
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Jenniza
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ooc: example:
Research Priorities:Weapon Design:
- Laser research completed: Laser Weapons, Laser Pistols, Laser Rifles
- Laser Cannons completed – All new interceptors, including the FIRESTORM advanced craft, will be equipped with these weapons.
- Lasers Defense (10) - An improvement on the Missile Defense base augmentation, with approximately twice the stopping power.
- Motion Scanner: Research completed
- Heavy Weapon Platform research completed – all new HWP’s will be Laser Tanks
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Alien Weapons:
- Plasma Pistol – Alien weapon, we have several in storage
- Plasma Rifle – More powerful Alien weapon
- Small Launcher (Stunner) – Alien stunner
- Vibroblade – Alien melee weapon
- Alien BioGrenade (Electrum-115) – alien biochemical grenade based on Electrum-115
Aircraft & Armor:
- Alien Power Supply: Completed (Anti-matter w/ Electrum-115)
- Alien Navigation: Completed (plus alien power coupling device)
- Alien Alloys: Completed; Personal Armor Available
- (freebie) Project FIRESTORM (Advanced new Interceptor) is underway
Medical:
- Alien Medicine: Completed
- Autopsies completed: Sectoid, Snakeman, Floater
Prisoners held in Alien Containment:
- Prisoner research completed: Sectoid
- Sectoid Engineer
- Sectoid Leader (10) review of security logs shows that Sectoid Leader capable of “mental assault” on people;
captured one from Wyoming mission also had a communications device
- Snakemen Soldiers: then transferred to a central holding facility off-site.
- Floater Navigator: Alien intelligence
- Floater Soldier:
Manufacturing Priorities:
- Manufacturing Labs: 3. Further expansions will run into problems due to base size limitations.
- Research Labs: 2. Further expansions will run into problems due to base size limitations.
- Medical Labs: 1; the Medical Lab is fully operational.
- Defense: Missiles
- Laser Pistols: 5 (10)
- Laser Rifles: 1
- Motion Scanners: 2
- Heavy Weapons Platforms: Prototype (damaged); Laser Tank (10)
- Personal Armor: 5 (10); Helmets have been upgraded to resist mental attacks
- Medikit: Doctor White's medical lab can construct eight of these kits each week without compromising our manufacturing capacity. If you wish to dedicate additional resources to the project, the kits can be produced at a faster rate.
OOC I HATE BULLET DESIGN FORMATTING WITH A PASSION!!!!! Okay, I'm done for now. *pant pant pant* I leave the rest to you to tinker and obsess with. 
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 16, 2008, 3:34PM » |
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vanya mia
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Catalina had spent a the latest of a series of grueling days in the company of Grace. A great deal of effort had gone into working on the surface of the armour to improve it's effectiveness in circumstances requiring stealth. An examination of the most effective patina on the alloy, to minimise shine and allow the surface to subtley reflect the environment around it, had been productive, with Catalina's training and expertise working to identify flaws. Then hours at a time stress testing the armour for small sounds made when moving while wearing it. Some attention had gone into how well the heat signature of the person wearing it could be supressed. Given what they had seen so far, there was no reason to doubt future encounters might reveal creatures able to see in the infra-red spectrum.
Testing was now complete, now it was over to Grace to put it all into practice. Catalina's usefulness had ended and so she was at a loose end once more. Once more back to the feet up on the table position, half-heartedly completing Suduko generated by a game she had downloaded onto her xPhone, when the system signalled emails. The update from Dr Wagner was read thoughtfully, but halfway through Vasily's she began to smirk. Quickly she typed up a direct reply.
FROM: cat.leaveyourhaton
TO: V. KASPRJAK
RE: New Research/Manufacturing Priorities
Weapons and armour for Beta team too, eh? You know if you wanted alien love this badly, Vas, you should have said while we were in Vegas. There was that Area 51 shop with the costumes in. I could have got one of those rubber masks, a toy ray gun, and attacked you to get the game going. An opportunity missed you may never have again! |
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Right, that'll wind him up. She hit the send button with a grin and began on a second email.
FROM: cat.leaveyourhaton
TO: DR. KIMBERLY WAGNER, X-COM RESEARCH LEAD, MEMBERS, ALPHA TEAM
CC: MICHAEL GARRET, GRACE THELON BELUCA
RE: New Research/Manufacturing Priorities
Vasily's outline of the situation makes perfect sense. Base defenses have to be a priority, and with the way that some of them stopped us in our tracks we have to focus on finding out how that works. The use of the weapons platforms within the base was something I was going to propose myself, so I fully support it. We turn over the whole of one lab to producing that.
As for what to make with the others, assuming Alpha has all they need for the meantime then we commit workshop two for making items for Beta team. If Grace needs new armour to be made for the stealth adjustments to be fitted, then we make that and turn over the ones we have to Beta. If Grace can modify the ones we have, then maybe Beta should be asked what they would prefer? We then plough the efforts of workshop two beyond what's needed to upgrade our armour into doing what they select.
I am wondering if the third lab should be ploughed into medkits once more, as after seeing Jane go down I'm not sure we can ever have enough of those. I had only one, and with Buzz knocked down and in a bad way I had just expended it on him. Doc had run back to administer further aid to Buzz, and Vas was blocking the door too far away to help, when she took a bad hit. By the time Doc got to her it was more than the medkit's could deal with.
Should we have more spares then perhaps we would be able to hold a couple we can administer to ourselves in dire need. Doc gets the most out of them, so he should regulate the supply, but he can't be everywhere at once. I can't help but think that if Jane had one spare to use on herself we may not have been in a position of nearly losing her. |
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She grinned again and looked over to the sharpshooter. "Hey Jane, do you think it's possible for Grace to let the armour you and I have out so that the girls from Beta team can squeeze into them? I'm not sure Alyssa would get her backside into either of ours without it."
((OOC - Catalina now has 15 in both move silently and hide for the stealth armour contribution.
As far as the reports from Dr Wagner go, if it's okay with everyone else I'd sooner stick with the current format, LB. It helps me to know what we have already researched, as well as what there is left to do, as reminders when looking at manufacturing options. I've a memory like a sieve, so please don't make me keep my own lists guys!  ))
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 16, 2008, 6:36PM » |
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Jenniza
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VM & LB, my point wasn't to delete entries (like completed, etc) it was to cu down the unnecessary text, to make it more streamlined... SOMEHOW SOMEWAY... to make it more COMPARTMENTALIZED... people think in terms of bunches of data without spurious information.
I was trying to suggest just one of many ways to streamline it... WITHOUT removing inmportant data. My head spins when I read it in its current format. I'm not suggesting removing important data like completed projects... just condensing things and sorting things better.
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Lazybones
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Another option would be to put all the completed work first, and then the new options second, each under a separate header.
Whatever works for you all, I'm flexible.
LB
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Smart Alec
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The email from Cat had been annoying, but he was frankly too busy to post a reply just yet. Or ever, perhaps.
Vasily had to admit, he couldn't make head nor tail of the base blueprints. He was a soldier, not an architect. And he'd never been one to rely purely on maps anyhow; no matter how detailed a map, it didn't compare to getting the lay of the land yourself.
Unfortunately, 'the land' was a network of cramped air vents between the surface and the base. The only consolation was that at least he wouldn't be alone in there...
***
Something as close-to-home as sweeping the base's air-vent system for alien infiltrators was probably not a job for Beta Team. Unfortunately, Alpha and Beta Team were almost all that was left of X-Com US's garrison. The alien attack had been devastating, and there had been few survivors. Director Garret had requisitioned new men for base defence and to replace the dead medical staff, but it would be a few days until they arrived. Until they did, everyone did their part. Anyone even vaguely competent with firearms had pulled guard shifts; Alpha and Beta teams, Hallorand himself, Musa, and even Agent Drake had all taken their turns at post while the engineers and their volunteers worked to put the base back together. In those tense few days, the aliens might well have been able to scour X-Com from the face of the earth had they been so inclined. Everyone prayed not.
A second attack wasn't the only potential threat, of course. The possibility that the aliens had left something behind to finish the job was a pertinent one, and with the base's sensors down, that meant scouting topside and through the air vent system.
***
The Mexican frowned at the boxy device, getting the measure of it. "So what's this thing key off?"
"Micro changes in air density," Jurgen replied, adjusting the motion-sensor and handing it back to to Eleazar. "How effective has it been in the field?"
"It not bad," Vasily replied to the German roboticist, checking the safety on his Glock. There would be no fitting a laser powerpack in these vents. "It given us some good forward intel sometimes. Would have to talk to Cataleena and Jane about it if you want details."
"Hey, man, no need to ask twice," grinned the Mexican. "There any chance of letting us have one of these toys any time soon?"
Ritter and Perez were his comrades for this one. Catalina and Jane were busy with their new stealth armor innovations in between shifts, Vasily thought he'd heard Buzz and Dr. Yered were helping rewire some of the base's damaged electrical systems or something, Dr. Baron and Dr. Allen were helping treat injuries, Ama and Alyssa were busy helping with the hangar repair work and Sveinn was on guard duty - not that he would have been able to fit inside the air vents anyway, especially not with the gigantic cannon that seemed to be his only weapon of choice. "I like to keep this handy... for close encounters," he'd said of the cannon when asked. There had been no arguing with that.
Perez had clearly warmed to the role of leader in his time in X-Com, even insisting on giving a short speech before the three of them began the sweep. "We're all strung out of shape, but stay frosty, and alert. We can't afford to let one of those bastards in here."
"Unless they start coming out of the gotterdammen walls, we should be fine," Ritter had observed.
It was not, all in all, a pleasant job. Climbing up and crawling through the vents was awkward work, and it was too easy to run out of room unless one was careful how you moved. It was dark, and hot ("Yeah man, but its a dry heat!" Perez had cheerfully exclaimed) and the possibility of finding a stray Sectoid saboteur, an alien bomb, or any other kind of horror led the imagination to run wild in the darkness.
Sweeping the vents and making sure they were clean of alien presence wasn't his only reason for being here, mind. As he shined the flashlight around, he built up a mental map of how the tunnels linked, which parts led to what rooms, the places where fans and filters could hopefully deal with alien gas introduced into the system, where the choke-points were, the junctions, the spots that would make good sites for sensor packages and tripwire defences, and the exploitable corners. Simply sealing the vents off from the base was not an option - too much danger of asphyxiating the place, who knew what could happen - and a door would probably not last long against the alien weaponry. So, the only real answer was to make the lives of anyone trying to gain access into the base through the vent network as miserable and difficult as possible.
It hadn't been more than fifteen minutes before Vasily heard the distant shouts of Perez, trying to check on his partner's location. ("Jurgen? Jurgen?" ) Yes, he had thought. that is the feeling of disorientation I wish to inspire in intruders. It had been a good half-hour more before they completed their alloted sweeps, and another ten to find each other again - "It's the acoustics," Ritter explained sheepishly once all three men were actually facing each other. "In this tight space, no-one can hear where you're screaming from."
***
OOC: No prizes for guessing where the inspiration here came from.
Pertinent skill rolls for this one, in case they're an issue - and because skill rolls in posts are what the cool cats are doing now
Climb +6 (for navigating the vertical air vents)
Spot +6 (just in case there really IS something down there! )
and Tactics +5 (to plan out what will likely end up as a series of Home Alone meets The A-Team-style boobytraps...)
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 17, 2008, 4:30PM » |
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Jenniza
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Jane liked the idea that Vasily had and combined it with hers (the paintball practice rounds) and discussed them with the base security chief or whoever was in charge of security to try and include stuff like that for future base preparedness procedures, if they weren't already in place. Ie, to get everyone trained and ready, from engineers, medical, security, and all team members, etc. to be ready to take on full defensive abilities of the base from personal protection to sweeping the base from top to bottom, inside and out, 100%. It was kind of assumed that most of this was already being considered; but, she was just trying to cover whatever was left out.
ooc: awesome post SA!!! Truly inspiring
ooc: ie possibly all personnel should start receiving minor amounts of personal firearms training and there should be several access points for weapons lockers for hem to get to in case they need to defend themselves... under guard of course or some such... ever see Stargate SG-1 when the base is under attack... too frequently ROFL
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| « Last Edit: on: Jul 17, 2008, 6:08PM » |
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