The Hyphen Is Important, I Swear: Let's Play Classic X-COM [COMPLETED]

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Interceptor patrols find another alien base, in Papua New Guinea. This is likely the Ethereal base linked to the recent infiltration of Australia's government.




Ships are spotted on the Australian coast, presumably part of continuing alien operations there.





A pair of scout ships on separate missions get destroyed by our air force.


Engineering facilities are fully on-line at the Asia base. Staff and materials will be transferred there as soon as reasonably possible.


Construction at the new polar base is starting to show results.





The research team gets some results from the Snakeman autopsy and the analysis of the Muton; interrogating the Muton also gives some information on one of the types of alien scout craft.



Research is put into working on new aircraft.



A Muton ship going after our base again is shot down near the German border. Operation Fading Green commences.


Briefing: A Muton scout UFO has been shot down by an X-COM interceptor, crashing in Germany. A ground team has been sent in to neutralize the remaining crew so the wreckage can be salvaged. Given the size of the ship and the damage inflicted, the number of survivors among the alien crew should be low; expect minimal resistance.











The squad is equipped for battle.



Initial recon by the HWP finds a Muton off to the left of the landing site. A few bursts of plasma quickly eliminates it.



As it moves on, however, it's hit by another Muton out of sight, punching through the armor.




Smoke gets set down.



Another Muton gets spotted and sniped.



One more Muton gets shot by a rookie from the deck of the Skyranger, clearing the field. The ground team never comes across the UFO during the battle; however, it turns out the ship was almost completely destroyed, leaving nothing to recover.

Results of Operation Fading Green
HWP: 1 kill, destroyed
Yoko Iwahara: 0 kills, promoted to Sergeant
Donald King: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
Barbara Stephens: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
3 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO damaged beyond recovery

This operation does some good for our budget, but what's really needed right now is some still-functioning ships with engines and Elerium.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Part of the engineering team is transferred to the Asia base.



An Ethereal scout is blasted out of the air over Central Asia.






A Muton attack ship is brought down over Russia's eastern coast. The Skyranger moves in for Operation Green Shore.



On the way to the operation, a small Ethereal Scout far off its mark gets blown to pieces by the Firestorm's plasma beam.












The squad gets armed and ready to move out.

Briefing: A Muton assault transport has crashed down in the forests of eastern Siberia. Enemy forces will consist of Mutons, Celatids, and Silacoids. Eliminate or incapacitate all forces in order to recover the ship.




The ship is right next to the squad's landing site. Smoke is set out.




A Muton is off to the left. It takes four shots, but it's taken out.



A Silacoid is off to the right, getting brought down by plasma fire.


Another Muton is around the corner of the ship. The squad moves around to get out of its line of fire.



A Celatid is near the other door to the ship. It doesn't last long.



A proximity mine is set down around the corner to catch the Muton around the side of the ship.





A pair of Mutons is found and eliminated.


The mine gets set off by the Muton, while a Silacoid creeps out the left door of the ship.



The Silacoid proves to be a difficult opponent, surviving round after round from a plasma pistol before finally going down.


The Muton survived the proximity grenade, but it's in a weakened state, leaving it wide open for some plasma shots.



And another Silacoid is right behind it. Another mine gets set down to block its advance.


The ship gets breached, and we have a clear entrance.


The mine proves to be redundant, as the Silacoid gets shot down before it can even get that far.




A Muton is in the center part of the ship. The firefight ends in our favor, with not a scratch on any of the squad.


A Celatid is around the corner, but it doesn't have a line of attack to anybody.


The squad gets ready to breach the other side.



A Muton around the corner gets quickly eliminated.



The Celatid is handled, clearing the way forward.


A Muton is spotted on the upper level of the ship. Rather than risk getting shot at trying to get a line of fire on it, it's time for a more creative approach.


Commander Reynolds has been given the Blaster Launcher to use for this mission.



The door to the ship is opened and a course is set for the bomb, directly to the top of the ship. It's distinctly overkill, but it eliminates the Muton with minimal risk to our forces.


The reactors of the ship are gone from the encounter with the Firestorm, unfortunately.



A Silacoid tried to sneak past the squad, but it's pinned between two troops at close range.


With resistance on the lower level eliminated, the squad moves up to the top of the ship.


Another Muton is spotted in a shaft similar to the last one that was encountered.



A wounded Muton gets up, but is quickly taken back down by automatic fire.




The door on the right side of the ship is opened, and the Blaster Launcher designates a course for the upper level again.


A Silacoid lurks around outside, far from posing a threat but still needing to be eliminated.



In the control room, we have a Celatid and a Muton that haven't spotted us yet.



The Celatid is taken out without much trouble.



The Muton is pursued through a doorway and taken down in a point-blank confrontation.



One last Muton is found in the entertainment area, getting brought down from behind.

Results of Operation Green Shore
Barbara Stephens: 4 kills
Cpt. Dwight Kemp: 3 kills
Col. Samuel Thompson: 2 kills
Cmdr. Paul Reynolds: 2 kills
Yoko Iwahara: 2 kills
Igor Korkia: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
Evelyn Bradley: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
Evelyn Crossett: 1 kill
Cpt. Victor Maleev: 1 kill
No X-COM casualties
18 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull, navigation systems, and entertainment systems recovered
Debriefing: This was a very well-executed operation, with zero casualties on our side. It's unfortunate no Elerium could be recovered, but the amount of weapons and parts recovered will greatly bolster our funds.


Selling all the surplus from this operation gives us a very good amount of funds to work with.





Some of that money gets put into expanding the capabilities of the Arctic base.




Some funds and materials are put into a new Firestorm.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

The crashed Ethereal scout is still on the ground. However, with the threat of psionics and the no HWPs available for use, it's better to pass on this mission.



Tracking a supply ship finds another alien base in Canada's northwest.




A Muton scout is shot down near the site of the previous crash. This is more within the capacity of our ground forces to recover.


Operation Jade Forest commences.

Briefing: A Muton scout ship has been shot down in Central Asia, just outside of Russian territory. X-COM ground forces have been sent in to salvage the ship. Once all enemy ground forces have been eliminated or incapacitated, recovery can begin.











The team gets armed and ready.



Smoke is set down and the team moves out.



A Muton tries to blend into the grass, but is quickly picked out and mowed down.



Another Muton is found and taken out.


A third Muton is spotted and shot, by the same person who dealt with the other two.





Yet another Muton is softened up by reaction fire before becoming fourth in an ongoing streak.


The ship has been heavily damaged by the interception and crash. With no Elerium to recover, there's no worry of collateral damage.



The Blaster Launcher is aimed into the crashed ship in order to soften up any forces inside.


One of the team scouting around is hit by a Muton just narrowly out of sight.




The Muton responsible emerges from the ship, rounding towards the other side and right into the line of fire of a sergeant who's on a roll.

Result of Operation Jade Forest:
Sgt. Yoko Iwahara: 5 kills
Cmdr. Paul Reynolds: 1 kill
Donald King: Killed in action
6 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull recovered
Debriefing The one casualty incurred during this mission was unfortunate, especially after a flawless operation previously.


Commander Reynolds has earned the name ?Bomber? for his proficiency with the Blaster Launcher.


Sgt. Iwahara has gotten the nickname ?Eliminator? for her relentlessness in recent operations. She shows potential on par with the late former Commander Bailey.


Evelyn Crossett has been nicknamed ?Arms? for her superhuman strength  and her proficiency with heavy weapons.

Our operations have been going fairly well recently, but there's a larger strategic concern. Elerium reserves at our bases are getting very low. With alien craft interceptions generally ending in the complete destruction of reactors, there has been little chance to obtain more. If our supplies run out, we will not be able to operate our Firestorm craft or manufacture more advanced weapons and armor.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Interrogating an alien medic has given us information about a species called the Sectopod.




Scouts are picked up at various points on the decoder network.


The medium Muton scout is shot down over Europe.


The Ethereal scout ship is shot down over central Africa.


The last scout is destroyed over eastern Asia.


The squad is being sent to the crash site in Africa. A medium scout should have few enough Ethereals that our forces can reasonably deal with it.


Operation Crimson Blood commences.

Briefing: An Ethereal scout ship has been shot down over the forests of central Africa. Ground forces are moving in to recover the wreckage. Once all enemy forces are eliminated or incapacitated, the mission will be complete. Despite the small crews, forces must be on guard due to the presence of psychic powers. Attempts should be made to capture at least one Ethereal alive so that these powers can be analyzed.










A careful strategy is being implemented for this mission. The team is being given non-lethal weapons such as stun launchers to minimize risk in the event of mind control being used.



Smoke gets set down.


Two Ethereals are right next to the Skyranger, right next to each other. This is a perfect opportunity for the stun launcher.


One of them gets knocked out by the blast, but the other's still standing.


More attempts are made to stun the second Ethereal, at which point an actual weapon has to be brought in before the alien can fire on the team.


Ironically, the shots from the plasma gun wind up merely knocking the second Ethereal unconscious.


The plasma gun is quickly set down on the ground before any remaining Ethereals can act.


The Ethereals are carried back to the Skyranger. If they do manage to get up, they're unarmed and there's half a squad with stun rods waiting for them.


Iwahara's shown promise, so she takes point and starts searching for more hostiles in the forest.


One of the rookies picks up a dropped alien gun off the ground to back her up.



The team spots an Ethereal just on the edge of their sight, in the thick foliage where it's difficult to hit.


Commander Reynolds picks up a Blaster Launcher round off the ground and prepares to load it.


Unfortunately, the Ethereal attacks the mind of the approaching rookie. Fortunately, their panicked firing is away from the direction of the squad.



The Blaster Launcher is aimed into the jungle. It destroys the ground cover, but there's no sign that we took out the hiding Ethereal.


A slight advance forward shows that it just barely avoided the blast.



Attempts to shoot it go nowhere.


Unfortunately, the one rookie that picked up a weapon is the one that gets mind controlled.



The alien-controlled rookie proceeds to shoot Crossett before attempting to fire at Iwahara. Iwahara is hit, but all the shots do is annoy here.



Attempting to poke the mind-controlled rookie with the stun rod isn't effective with the armor in place.



An attempt is made to hit the Ethereal with the Blaster Launcher, but the round ends up colliding with a tree instead.


The aliens get into Reynolds's head. He's not carrying any ammunition, so the worst is averted; however, this means the squad isn't going to be able to use the Blaster Launcher when it needs to.



A grenade attack wounds two of the squad.




After countless attempts to hit the Ethereal, it's brought down by Bouton, the rookie who was previously under mind control. He immediately drops his weapon before any more mental attacks happen.



Iwahara has a medi-kit, so she gets to work on treating wounds.


A fourth Ethereal is off to the northeast.



Attempting to move toward it to get a better line of sight winds up with a colonel getting hit. He bleeds out before Iwahara can assist him.



One of the team spots, while Iwahara tries to get a shot in.



As the squad's minds continue to be attacked, Iwahara stands firm.



The Ethereal gets taken down in one hit, clearing the site.

Results of Operation Crimson Blood
Sgt. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwahara: 1 kill, promoted to Captain
Gerard Bouton: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant; Wounded, will recover in 17 days
Emille Marcelle: Promoted to Sergeant; wounded, will recover in 13 days
Sgt. Evelyn ?Arms? Crossett: Killed in action
Col. Samuel ?Eagle Eye? Thompson: Killed in action
2 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
2 aliens captured
UFO hull recovered
Debriefing: Successfully capturing an Ethereal is a massive gain. Studying them and their powers will allow a way to develop a countermeasure to their psychic attacks. Hopefully this research will prevent major casualties during Ethereal operations in the future.



All autopsies and interrogations are put on hold to study the captured Ethereals.

[Iced Fairy]

We need mind bullets, STAT.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

\

A scout flies over North America, hunting for a base that doesn't exist. It gets vaporized by interceptors regardless.


However, our Asia base is also being hunted for. Luckily, the alien fleet doesn't find the base.



A squad of rookies is sent to the UK to recover the crashed Muton scout. This mission is being dubbed Operation British Green.

Briefing: A medium Muton scout ship has crashed in the UK, just outside of London. A ground team consisting of trainees has been sent to mop up the site. Once all enemy forces are neutralized or incapacitated, recovery of the wreckage can begin.









The eight-person team is being armed with basic equipment for this mission.


The ship is right next to the landing site. The rookies go forth...


...and are immediately greeted with reaction fire. Not bringing smoke grenades quickly shows itself to be a mistake.




Another rookie narrowly avoids enemy attack and spots a Muton hiding in a grain field. A single blast of plasma takes it out.


Another Muton is spotted in a building, but this one is much harder to hit.


A lucky shot through the windows manages to hit it, but a death cry isn't heard; it's likely just stunned for now.


The team gets lined up around the ship.


The ship is breached, and everything is found in working condition alongside a single Muton crew member. There aren't any bodies, so the others must have fanned out.


Correction: there aren't any bodies as a result of the crash.



The stunned Muton has gotten up and made its way downstairs, at which point it's finished off for good.



A Muton fires from the forest, wounding a rookie and starting a gunfight.


The squad finds two Mutons side by side.


A grenade is used to try and deal with both of them at once.



Throwing the grenade means no time to evade incoming fire, and the wounded rookie can't take another hit.


Some shooting gets rid of one of the Mutons, but there's still another one further back that has to be dealt with.



Trying to walk around the opposite side of the UFO just ends up going into the Muton's line of sight and triggering reaction fire. Two rookies attempt attacking from this direction, and both of them fall as a result.


Eventually, keeping the pressure on works to the team's advantage, and four humans against one Muton means an inevitable ? but costly - victory.

Results of Operation British Green
Claude Gaudin: 2 kills, promoted to Squaddie
Kenji Okabe: 2 kills, promoted to Squaddie
Sumie Matsumara: promoted to Squaddie
Claude Buchard: promoted to Squaddie
Shigeo Koyama: killed in action
Samuel King: killed in action
Kevin Bryant: killed in action
Helga Esser: killed in action
5 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull, reactor, navigation systems, and fuel recovered
Debriefing: While losing a lot of rookies on this operation was unfortunate, this is the first time in a while that ground forces have been able to secure Elerium.



That Elerium is put to use in assembling a new HWP and some more armor.


Another Battleship comes hunting for the Asia base, turning up nothing.



Research finishes analyzing the alien probe, but isn't the biggest accomplishment they've made today.



Analysis of the captured Ethereal is complete. This presents a unique opportunity; by understanding how these powers are used, it might be possible to analyze X-COM's own troops for psychic potential.



Every scientist on hand is put into studying this.












Some new recruits are brought on board.



An Ethereal supply ship is shot down, but it's too risky to recover at this point.


We finally have a functional HWP again.



A scout ship gets obliterated over the Middle East.



Another Ethereal scout is shot down.




A second Firestorm is ready. It gets armed and ready to launch, while Firestorm-1 is shipped off to the European base.



Another Ethereal scout gets eradicated.



One ship escapes radar, but it's hunting for a base that likely doesn't exist.



The Arctic base now has a hangar ready. An interceptor is purchased and is on its way.



Engineering in Asia prepares a Plasma Beam to ship off and arm it once it arrives.



A Muton ship gets shot down in the Arctic, just a few miles from the nearest coast.


Armor at the main base is finished, making the ground forces once again fully equipped and ready.



A Muton ship is splashed down in the mid-Atlantic.


Another scout is shot down in Asia, giving the ground team a good target to go after for the first time in days.

[CyberAngel]

Quite a lot of Ethereals lately all of a sudden.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Quite a lot of Ethereals lately all of a sudden.

If the research report is correct and the Ethereals generally send other species to carry out missions for them, this means one of two things. Either the invasion is nearing its endgame, or the Ethereals consider X-COM's resistance to be such a threat that the alien forces are using the full extent of their powers.



Another Ethereal scout ship is shot down over Europe.



A Snakeman scout gets shot down near the crashed Muton ship.


There are several crash sites on the map right now, but the Snakeman and Muton sites in central Asia are the biggest priority right now.



The science team finishes the initial stages of psionic research. Facilities can now be constructed for the testing of our troops.



Research continues, beginning work on an amplifier.




Work starts on one of the psionic laboratories.


With that milestone reached, it's time to attack the Muton crash site, commencing Operation Verdant Sliver.

Briefing: A Muton ship scout ship has been crash-landed in a rural area of central Asia for about a day. X-COM ground forces, including an HWP, have been sent to recover the wreckage. Once all enemy forces have been eliminated or incapacitated, salvage can begin. Hostiles are expected to consist of a moderately-sized crew of Mutons.











The team gets armed and ready to move out.


The HWP moves out, spotting a Muton on a rooftop.

Some smoke gets set down, and the HWP is pulled back while the rest of the team sits and waits.


A Muton fires from inside the nearby farmhouse, but a hit to the front of the HWP is easy to shrug off.


The tank moves further back into the smoke, and a rookie positions behind one of the landing gear and gets a grenade ready.




The wall gets blown open.



The Muton attempts to hide behind the remaining bit of wall, but it's still vulnerable to the rookie.


With the Muton on the rooftop, the Blaster Launcher is the best choice here.


The HWP raises elevation to spot the precise location of the target, and we find two Mutons. This makes the opportunity only more perfect.


A course for the warhead is set, aiming out of the Skyranger, upward, then curving straight down into the rooftop.



The explosion is so massive it tears off part of the adjacent rooftop.




The crashed ship is close to the landing zone, and it's in good condition. Part of the team moves in and gets ready to assault.






Another Muton tries to come in through the first floor of the blasted-out barn. Both human and alien appear completely unharmed by the exchange of fire, but Iwahara comes in and takes the enemy out.



It's time to breach the ship.



Searching around spots a Muton near the left side. Rather than get into a risky firefight, the team inside the ship pushes towards one side so if the alien moves forward, it will be entering the field of fire.





A sergeant edges up, getting the Muton in one shot and clearing the way to move forward.


Iwahara keeps an eye on the other door as the team slowly edges in.



A Muton comes through, attempting to attack Iwahara with a stun bomb before retreating back through the doorway.




She gives pursuit; there are at least two Mutons in the cockpit area. The one with the stun launcher is a sure kill at this range, and the one facing the other way won't have time to turn around and shoot before she gets back behind the doorway.


Three more of the squad watch the other door.



A single Muton comes through the door and gets blasted before having a chance to attack.


Iwahara continues to attack, advancing on another Muton near the navigation.




It attempts to counterattack with a stun bomb. Iwahara is knocked out, but uninjured otherwise, pride notwithstanding.


On the other hand, the Muton also knocked itself out in the process. The team is done here.

Results of Operation Verdant Sliver
Cmdr. Paul “Bomber” Reynolds: 2 kills
Cpt. Yoko “Eliminator” Iwahara: 2 kills, promoted to Colonel
Gaston Gressier: 2 kills, promoted to Sergeant
Sgt. Maria Jones: 1 kill
Sgt. Igor Korkia: Promoted to Captain
Isao Okamoto: Promoted to Sergeant
No X-COM casualties
7 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
1 alien captured
UFO hull, reactor, navigation systems, and fuel recovered
Debriefing: This is pretty much the perfect outcome to a mission. No dead or wounded for our side, the UFO in pristine condition, and plenty of weapons to use or sell as needed.



Some of the parts and weapons salvaged from the operation are sent to other bases.

As soon as the Skyranger is refuelled and re-equipped, it's time to make a run for the Snakeman ship.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

The squad descends on the crashed Snakeman scout for Operation Jagged Fang.

Briefing: A Snakeman scout ship has crashed in a forested area of central Asia, close to the location of the previous operation. A ground team and HWP has been sent to recover the wreckage. A moderately large crew is expected; once all enemies are eliminated or neutralized, salvage work can begin.














The HWP moves forward, spotting a Snakeman. However, it gets destroyed trying to pull back.



Smoke gives the actual troops better luck, and the Snakeman gets quickly taken down.


More of the squad filters out onto the field.


The squad advances, moving towards the UFO.



With a Snakeman in the hills, the squad uses the trees for cover, where neither side can get a clear shot at each other.


The squad has two Snakemen to deal with, and neither are going to be easy to get a shot at with this terrain.


With the terrain being a massive pain here, it's decided to use the Blaster Launcher to sort things out.



The warhead only gets one Snakeman, but that's one less trying to shoot us.



There's finally an opportunity to shoot the other one, and that opportunity is taken with gusto.


Another Snakeman pops out of the entrance of the ship momentarily before going back inside.


A team gets ready to move in.



The door is pulled open and the Snakeman waiting just beside it is taken down.



A firefight with another Snakeman actually winds up blowing out part of the interior wall of the craft.



An additional Snakeman falls to the volleys of plasma fire.


The team that's breached the ship moves ahead and prepares to advance on the cockpit.



One Snakeman is spotted in the control area and promptly dealt with.


However, there's another right behind it and it immediately fires back.


Attempting to go in from the other side just winds up getting someone else shot by an unseen alien.



One more charge ends in failure, and the offensive runs out of steam.


A dropped smoke grenade goes off.



Iwahara's left sorting things out herself.



Another Snakeman in the cockpit is taken down.





Attempts to attack Iwahara with stun launchers end in failure, and soon she's even cleaned out the engine room as well.

Results of Operation Jagged Fang
Col. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwahara: 4 kills
Cmdr. ?Bomber? Reynolds:
HWP: destroyed
Isao Okamoto: Killed in action
Gaston Gressier: Killed in action
Igor Korkia: killed in action
10 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
1 alien captured
UFO hull, reactor, navigation systems, and fuel recovered
Debriefing: This mission's casualties are a disappointment after the sheer success of the previous operation, but retrieving more Elerium is a victory in itself. Tactical doctrine regarding the use of HWPs needs to be greatly reconsidered; due to the constant cost of replacing them, they should be considered only for base defense operations and missions where the threat of psionics is present.



With the newly-acquired Elerium, engineering finally gets a chance to build some of the flying armor that we've had plans for. Another HWP is also assembled.



An Ethereal scout gets shot down over Africa.


Speaking of Africa, the power suits there are shipped back to other bases for use by our troops. We've managed to avoid an attack on the base in this region so far, hopefully our luck will keep up until more armor can be manufactured.



Some new troops and a Skyranger arrive at the Asia base. This gives us a second squad to deploy; while it's all rookies, they're sufficiently equipped to handle mopping up scout ships and weaker species.




An Ethereal supply ship heading to the US gets sunk in the mid-Atlantic. It's not like we were going to recover it anyway.




The research team has finished developing a psionic amplifier. This will be very useful when we find out the psychic capabilities of our forces.



A Muton ship gets shot down over Europe; either squad is ready to move in and handle the situation.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

The main squad from Europe gets ready to deploy to the crash site in France for Operation Harvest Field.

Briefing: A large Muton scout craft has been shot down over a rural area of central France. Ground forces have been sent to recover the wreckage. Hostiles are expected to consist of a medium-sized crew. Once all enemy forces are dealt with, retrieval can commence.
 










The team gets armed and ready. One of the rookies in the back is given the mind probe to test out.


Smoke gets set down, and the mission commences.



A Muton is spotted north of the landing zone, and the squad opens fire.




The probe is used for the first time, giving some info on the Muton the team is fighting. No wonder they're so difficult to take down; even a standard Muton is approximately three times as durable as an X-COM operative. Their armor is much weaker than the power suits used by our forces, however.




It takes a few shots, but the Muton falls.




Another Muton is much closer to the team, on the edge of the smoke. Iwahara comes down from the Skyranger and takes it out.




Another Muton is behind the building. Rather than try and hit it through the narrow window, it's safer to move up to the wall and get out of its line of sight. A grenade is thrown to try and get rid of some of the alien's cover.




The blast only lightly injures the alien, if at all, but getting rid of the wall is enough of an advantage to win the fight.



In advancing towards the crashed ship, a Muton in a field is encountered. It doesn't last long.


The team gets ready to breach the ship.




Iwahara takes out one more Muton, clearing the area.

Results of Operation Harvest Field
Col. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwahara: 3 kills
Cpt. Evelyn Bradley: 1 kill
Shigeo Iwasaki: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
No X-COM casualties
5 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull and navigation systems recovered
Debriefing: This mission went relatively well. No casualties and some valuable items retrieved, not much to say here.


The engineering team has plenty of alloys to work with, but not much elerium. With this in mind, some early-generation alloy armor is assembled; it's not as good as the power suits, but it should be enough for rookies and security teams.


Speaking of which, personnel have arrived at the Arctic base.



An Ethereal scout gets shot down over the Middle East.


A new HWP is ready for use. It's not being assigned to the squad right now.




An Ethereal supply ship is crashed over the edge of the Gobi Desert while en route to the Ethereal base in the south Pacific.


An old-generation HWP is delivered to the Asia base; it's not meant for fighting the Mutons and Ethereals we currently face, but for mopping up any Sectoids and Floaters that may be encountered again.





A Snakeman assault transport gets shot down in the Middle East, close to the site of the crashed Ethereal scout. This one might be worth attempting to recover if the reactors survived the interception; with our current grade of equipment, the threat of Chryssalids to our forces is greatly reduced.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

As this mission will be the first use of the Flying Suit, it is being designated Operation Noble Ascent.

Briefing: A Snakeman assault transport has crashed in Central Asia. Ground forces, including an HWP, have been sent to clear the area for recovery. Use extreme caution, as Chryssalids are in the area and likely in large numbers. Yoko Iwahara and another colonel have been granted the use of the Flying Suit for combat; that and other X-COM technology should greatly mitigate the threat posed by hostile aliens.











The squad gets armed and ready. Yoko Iwahara and Nikolai Ragulin get flying suits.


Off the bat, there's a Snakeman and a Chryssalid lurking in a field.



The HWP takes them both out without having to move even an inch forward.




The HWP scouts around a bit, finding more hostiles before reducing altitude and entering cover.



A Snakeman emerging from a building is the next to get struck down by the HWP's plasma cannon.




Ragulin demonstrates the capability of the Flying Suit for the first time. Hovering in midair means the buildings are no obstacle for getting a line of fire, and the Snakemen are sniped.


While the Chryssalids are usually dangerous foes, they can only attack and infect what they can reach. With the HWP hovering in the air, it can attack the horde without any fear of retribution.



Iwahara attempts to fire on the crowd of aliens from a rooftop from the rocket launcher. The shot is a bit off course, however.



However, the HWP is able to slowly mop them up with no problem.



Rather than try having the squad fight through the ship, a different plan of attack is considered. Reynolds arms the Blaster Launcher and aims a course for the roof of the ship.



The explosion is just enough to barely punch through the hull.



A shot is aimed into the ship to help clear a way to the cockpit and soften up the crew.


Iwahara and Ragulin get ready to descend into the ship.


The remaining Snakemen the cockpit have either been stunned by the blast or have dropped their weapons in fear.






The two colonels are relentless are clearing out the ship.

Results of Operation Noble Ascent
HWP: 7 kills
Col. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwahara: 4 kills
Col. Nikolai Ragulin: 4 kills
No X-COM casualties
15 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull, navigation systems, entertainment systems recovered
Debriefing: This battle went so far in our favor that it was almost unfair; an entire alien attack force was solidly defeated by two colonels, an HWP, and artillery support. The use of the Flying Suit and other hover technology completely negated any threat posed by the Chryssalids, and any challenge of breaching the ship was undone by using the Blaster Launcher.


Using additional funds obtained from the success of the operation, work on another Psi Lab begins. Screening of troops for psychic capabilities can begin at the start of November.


An alien battleship starts scouring North America for the source of attacks on its scouts and supply ships there. It's not going to find anything.



A scout in Africa might, however, so it is promptly shot down.



A Muton harvest ship is shot down near the Chinese border.



Another troublesome Ethereal scout is shot down.


At the end of the month, we get some good news thrown our way. The remaining nations backing the project are satisfied with our performance overall, giving us a small funding boost. It's not necessarily needed with how much is being pulled in from salvage, but it's still useful.


More good news: the decoder at the Arctic base is completed, extending our detection coverage over the globe.




Yet more good news; the research team has finished developing a new craft, a hybrid fighter-transport. This craft's main advantage is its multi-role function, able to both intercept UFOs and move out to crash sites and other deployment zones. However, there are several disadvantages; it is slower than the Firestorm, it only has one weapon hardpoint, and it can not transport HWPs.



The scientists have a much better understanding of how the alien technology works, and may be able to develop something on par with the larger alien transports. Their progress is eagerly awaited.


The Muton crash site awaits. Hopefully this remains continues the ongoing chain of victories.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Two scouts are picked up on the decoder network.



One ship gets destroyed some distance away from the polar base.



Another gets sunk off the coast of Madagascar.


The Skyranger arrives at the crashed Muton ship. Operation Gobi Sunrise commences.

Briefing: A Muton harvest ship has crashed in the Gobi Desert, near the Chinese border. Ground forces have been sent to sweep the area so the wreckage can be recovered. Enemy forces are expected to consist of a medium to large force of Mutons. All hostiles are to be eliminated or incapacitated.











The team is armed and ready to go. Colonels Iwahara and Ragulin get Flying Suits again.


Smoke gets set down.



A Muton is close to the landing zone. With no way to spot the team firing on it from the smoke, it gets dealt with quickly.



Another Muton is on one of the dunes. This one doesn't last long either.



More smoke gets set down to cover the advance.



A Muton attempts to take cover in the smoke, but it also falls to the ground force.



Another Muton is brought down.


A grenade is flung in the direction of the squad, but winds up falling short and blowing up a group of fallen Mutons instead.












More Mutons fall to the advancing squad.


Iwasaki is hit and falls in battle as the all-out firefight continues through the desert.



Another Muton is brought down; all enemy life signs disappear before the squad can even reach the ship.

Result of Operation Gobi Sunrise
Henry Dreyfus: 2 kills, promoted to Sergeant
Col. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwasaki: 3 kills
Cpt. Victor Maleev: 4 kills
Shigeo Iwasaki: Killed in action
UFO hull, navigation systems, food capsules, and surgical equipment recovered
14 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces.
Debriefing: Having only one casualty is pretty good, given the sheer number of enemies that were faced and the lack of cover available.







Some outmoded facilities at the main base in Europe are decommissioned.





Some alien autopsies are completed by the research team.



One of the interceptors brings down an Ethereal scout ship in Africa.



Two interceptors manage to catch a scout ship at once, and it is promptly obliterated.






A Muton scout ship is shot down over Spain, adding to the lengthy list of alien craft that have crashed in the Iberian Peninsula. Recovery will commence as soon as possible.

[Iced Fairy]

Mindtaking might be a bit away, but it's nice knowing our air defense can pretty much just destroy anything they choose to fly here.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Mindtaking might be a bit away, but it's nice knowing our air defense can pretty much just destroy anything they choose to fly here.

Our air defense is not completely perfect; battleships are still too fast for even the Firestorm to catch, and their weapons and range are superior to any of the currently available fleet.  We will probably not be able to go head-to-head with alien capital ships until the so-called "ultimate craft" is available.



A squad is being deployed to the crash site in Spain for Operation Iberian Sunset. This is being left to the secondary squad from the Asia base.

Briefing: A Muton scout ship has been shot down over the Iberian Peninsula and has crashed in Spain. A ground force from X-COM Two in Asia has been sent to recover the wreckage. Enemy forces will consist of a small to medium crew of Mutons.











The team gets armed and ready for battle.




Smoke gets set down.




A Muton is on the ground near the ramp. It gets quickly brought down by the first soldier out of the Skyranger.



Another Muton in a field doesn't last too long either.


The squad disembarks, getting ready to move out.



Another Muton goes down as the team fans out and searches.



A Muton near the crashed ship gets steamrolled by the advancing forces.



Another Muton is taken out; one of the rookies is already distinguishing himself.




Another Muton comes at the squad, walking right into everyone's line of fire.




More smoke gets set down so the team has an easier time of moving towards the ship.


In no time, it's time to breach.




The door gets pulled open. The closest Muton survives the initial burst of fire, but isn't able to wound or even hit anybody outside.


At least one more Muton is in the ship. This is going to be a risky fight.



A grenade gets thrown towards the center of the ship.


The blast stuns one Muton and causes it to drop its weapon, and softens up another one.



The remaining Mutons are quickly dealt with.

Results of Operation Iberian Sunset
Jungo Fujimoto: 4 kills, promoted to Sergeant
Isao Tanida: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
Shigeo Tanida: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie
Tatsuo Koyama: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie
Kevin Crossett: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie
Dwight King: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie
Leon Gressier: Promoted to Squaddie
Bernard Revenu: Promoted to Squaddie
No X-COM casualties
9 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull and navigation systems recovered
Debriefing: This was a good first deployment for the forces from Asia. Their potential is very impressive.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

A Muton scout exits the atmosphere over Siberia.



Ethereal forces continue hunting for our bases.


One is on the complete wrong side of the continent, and flies off.



A scout ship preparing to establish a new base is blown up over the Indian Ocean.



More battleships continue the search for X-COM facilities. The Europe base evades detection even though Muton forces should already know its location. The Africa base isn't as lucky.

Briefing: Ethereal forces have located X-COM Three in Africa and breached its outer defenses. Security personnel must attempt to protect the base and repel the enemy assault. If these forces are defeated, the base ? and our ability to monitor and defend the African continent ? will be lost.









The squad at the base is under-equipped for a battle with an enemy as strong as Ethereals, but there's no choice but to try.


At least one thing works in favor of the defenders; the enemy must come through a single choke point to enter the base.


One Ethereal is taken down already.


Taking advantage of these storage rooms gives the team two advantages: it allows for ambushes against hostiles passing through, and if one of them gets mind controlled or panics, it reduces the chance for them to attack the rest of the squad.




One of the rookies manages to miss at close range against an Ethereal, and without armor, the return fire is lethally painful.




A second attempt has better results.


And, of course, the Ethereals begin to deliver their specialty.



With a mind-controlled rookie walking into the clutches of the enemy force, he might as well be written off as dead now.



One more Ethereal is brought down during the continuing assault.



With Revenu prone to mental attack, he puts down his weapons. He's like a lightning rod to the Ethereals right now.


Another of the squad picks up the Blaster Launcher off of a fallen alien; although given the smoke in the hallways, it seems like the aliens don't need much help blowing themselves up.


Aaaaaaaaaaaaand of course the one person who can turn the tide of this battle gets mind controlled.



With almost all of the squad dead or mind-controlled, all that can be done is an exchange of plasma fire with the Ethereals.


The two members of the squad  still standing fall under the thrall of the aliens, leaving nobody left to defend the base.

Result of Operation Just Guardian
Sylvie Gaudin: Killed in action
Emile Guerin: Killed in action
Henri Gressier: Killed in action
Sylvie Marcelle: Killed in action
Rene Revenu: Killed in action
Tom Hudson: Killed in action
Shigeo Morita: Unknown
Sigourney Johnson: Unknown
7 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
X-COM Three lost
Debriefing: [incoherent enraged screaming]


X-COM Three has fallen. One of the interceptors is able to relocate to a free hangar at Asia, but the other one is lost.

[Iced Fairy]

Well crap.

Nuke the place from orbit?

[CyberAngel]

Whelp, they're real angry now. About time to invest into base defense facilities (optional, potential effectiveness unknown) as well as visit an alien base to invite their commander for a tea party (STAT).

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Using some of the laser cannons that have been built by the engineering divisions, at least one interceptor is re-armed. Extra lasers are sold off for a vast surplus; millions could be made just by manufacturing and selling those alone.








New bases are set up in Africa to replace the one that was recently destroyed.



A scout ship gets vaporized before it can find the new bases.


Speaking of bases, it's time to retaliate and take out the weakest of the alien bases. While this base has been left intact for an attempt to intercept any supply shipments heading to it, we simply haven't had any luck finding them. It's better to just take the base out now. Operation Cold Vengeance begins.

Briefing: The alien base in Nunavut has been targeted for destruction. X-COM forces have been deployed to eliminate all enemy forces. Hostiles will consist mainly of Mutons, with a small number of Celatids and Silacoids. Once the base is cleared out, any useful material will be salvaged, and what remains of the facility will be collapsed. If it is possible to find and locate the base's commander alive, attempt to do so; otherwise, completely eradicate all alien forces.











Taking no chances here. Two Blaster Launchers have brought in for this assault.



Again, the squad it divided in two. Commander Reynolds and three rookies are at one entrance, with everybody else at the other.



Right off the bat, a Muton is taken down by one of the rookies.



While trying to spot a target, the HWP gets hit by heavy plasma fire. The two team members behind it try stalling the Muton's advance by setting down a proximity mine.


That proves to be the least of their problems, as a Blaster Launcher shot comes down the corridors.




The rookie at the other entrance spots some hostiles waiting around. He survives the firefight with some major wounds, taking out the Muton before it's time to pull out and retreat upstairs.


Another rookie bursts the Celatid open.


The wounded rookie is given prompt treatment by Commander Reynolds.



Another Muton lurking around the entryways gets blasted by the squad.




A Silacoid creeping around gets a taste of some reaction fire.



Another Muton roaming the halls gets mowed down.




Two Mutons standing together is a perfect target for the Blaster Launcher. A course is set directly for the one in the middle of the hallway.


For unfathomable reasons, one of the Mutons is still standing after the blast.



This one isn't, however.



Wounded and attempting to escape, a Muton enters the line of fire of the second team.


A shot heads straight for one of the captains, but they are completely unfazed by it.



Another Muton soldier gets blasted in the back by one of the rookies.



A Silacoid lurking around one of the entryways gets quickly mowed down by the other captain.




The rookies, even with their lack of experience, are proving to be too much for the Mutons.


The control room can be seen close to the main group. After what happened during Oahu Storm, it's important that this area be approached carefully.



The colonels switch to plasma weapons until they're in a clear position to fire on the command center.



While scouting the situation ahead, one of the captains is struck down by the acid spit of a Celatid.


The other captain spots two Mutons near the door. It's probably a good idea to start backing up.



A course is set into the outer door of the control room.


The blast takes out everything in the vicinity EXCEPT for the door.



Time to make our own door into the inner part.


One of the rookies picks up a launcher dropped by a Muton trooper.


A course is directed into the control room itself.



The hunt for Mutons in the hallways continues.



A roving Celatid is taken out by Nikolai's sniping.


Part of the team gets ready to sweep the control room. Or what's left of it, anyway.


Iwahara checks the room out, and there's nothing left in there. Any aliens that were here have been blown up twice over, the computers have been rendered inoperable, and even the floors of the room have been torn apart by repeated explosions. The hunt for any remaining life signs in the base begins.


After a lengthy search, Iwahara is notified to the location of a final remaining Muton by a stun bomb fired in her direction.


She's able to sneak up on it, and with a few shots, there is no one left defending the alien base.

Results of Operation Cold Vengeance
Col. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwahara: 2 kills
Col. Nikolai Ragulin: 2 kills
Cpt. Evelyn Bradley: 2 kills
Oscar Bradley: 4 kills, promoted to Squaddie
Gaston Dreyfus: 4 kills, promoted to Squaddie
Dwight McNeil: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie; wounded, will recover in 31 days
Cpt. Victor Maleev: Killed in action
Henri Dreyfus: Killed in action
Tom Crossett: Killed in action
HWP: destroyed
17 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
Alloys, reactors, fuel, and entertainment systems recovered
Alien base destroyed
Debriefing: Taking out this Muton base is a major win. Considering how much trouble the Hawaii base assault was, the number of casualties taken here is surprisingly low. Hopefully the time comes soon where it's possible to safely go after the Ethereal bases.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Colonel Ragulin has obtained the nickname ?Annihilator? to be in line with ?Eliminator? Iwahara.


Some of the recently acquired Elerium is used to build new HWPs.



A scout ship is knocked out of the air over Siberia.




A Muton ship is brought down over Central Asia. It's time to move in for Operation Solid Counterattack.

Briefing: A Muton harvest operation has been shot down over an agricultural region of northern Iraq. Ground forces have been deployed to the crash site to clear the area for recovery. Enemy forces will consist of a medium to large force of Mutons. Once all enemy forces are eliminated or incapacitated, salvage will commence.













From the start, the squad is under fire, even with smoke in place. Iwahara manages to avoid damage despite multiple shots in her direction.



The Muton outside the landing zone is taken out, clearing the way for the squad.




Another Muton is brought down as the team fans out.






The crash site is nearby; it's time to clear a path. A trio of Mutons quickly fall.


The squad starts pushing toward the wreckage.



A Muton lurking in a hay field is the next to go down.


A Muton grenade falls short of hitting the squad, instead putting a crater in a field. The smoke from the blast will provide some decent cover for the advance.



Another Muton near the ship falls to the continuing assault.




The ship is breached, and the assault on the crew begins.





More Mutons invite themselves to the slaughter.


Some of the team has moved in to assault the other entrance of the ship.




And another entrance is made at the top of the ship, using the Blaster Launcher.


The colonels fly up on top and get ready to assault the upper level of the ship.



A Muton tries to sneak up on one of the squaddies. It doesn't succeed.


Some grenades are dropped through the hole in the hull to clear out anybody waiting in the cockpit.


That proved to be an unnecessary move, but in this case, better safe than sorry.


Another Muton emerging from the ship gets blasted.


A Muton emerges from a gravlift and attempts to attack Iwahara. She comes out of the fight with some minor injuries, but no severe wounds.


The Muton isn't so fortunate.



One last Muton is running about outside the ship, right into the path of one of the squaddies.

Results of Operation Solid Counterattack
Col. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwahara: 3 kills; wounded, will recover in 8 days
Col. Nikolai ?Annihilator? Ragulin: 3 kills
Cpt. Evelyn Bradley: 3 kills
Sgt. Emile Marcelle: 1 kill
Oscar Bradley: 3 kills
13 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull, navigation systems, food capsules, and surgical equipment recovered
Debriefing: This operation went well. Iwahara's wounds are almost superficial and will recover quickly, and now that there is a second colonel with her level of capability, her being temporarily incapacitated is only a minor hurdle. Rather than being sold off, the plasma weapons obtained here will be sent off to the new Africa bases once their storage facilities are ready.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Another Ethereal scout gets shot down over the southern tip of India.



One of the new HWPs is finished. It gets shipped off to the European base for use by the main squad.


The reactors and computers recovered from the Muton base have been shipped to the Asia base to be used by engineering.


A new hangar at the Arctic base is ready.



Research has managed to finish drawing up the plans for the so-called ?ultimate craft?. The Avenger is the apex of X-COM's reverse-engineering efforts. Its speed outclasses all known alien ships, and as a transport it has almost double the capacity of the Skyranger. Most importantly, the Avenger is capable of interplanetary travel; once the coordinates of the alien stronghold are locked down, we will be ready to commence the assault at any time.





The parts and materials needed to construct one are available, so engineering begins work right away. A large amount of work is required; the ship won't be ready for approximately a month.


Another HWP is ready.



Another Ethereal scout ship gets sunk off the coast of Portugal.


A Psi-Lab is ready, but due to paperwork and bureaucracy and other reasons testing won't begin until the start of November.



Research gets some more information from studying the aliens. The data includes a Celatid autopsy, plus intelligence about alien abduction missions. Slowly, the scientists are starting to piece together the goals of the invasion.



A Snakeman terror ship is shot down in the Thar Desert near the border of India. While Iwahara's still out of commission, there's another colonel who can fill in for her, two HWPs, and plenty of capable troops. The assault is ready to begin.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Operation Wild Tortoise commences.

Briefing: A Muton capital ship has landed in Asia to commence a harvesting operation. There is a narrow window of opportunity to attack the ship, eliminate the crew, and prepare the ship for recovery. Hostiles will consist of a large Muton crew, with some Celatids and Silacoids also present. Forces are to avoid damaging the engines of the ship, and if possible, locate and capture the enemy commander; otherwise, all enemy forces are expendable.











Everyone gets equipped for battle. As Reynolds and Tanida aren't actually leaving the Skyranger, they're being given just Personal Armor.


Smoke is set down and the squad prepares for battle.



A Celatid is hiding behind behind the hedge, in the grove. A grenade is used to clear the cover.


Destroying the orchard exposes a Muton, which takes out one of the rookies.




The Celatid is eliminated, but the Muton is still nearby.


Grenades are thrown at the squad, but fall a bit a bit short.


A sergeant is wounded by a Muton shot, but is treated by a rookie with a Medi-Kit.



The Muton attacking the squad from the south has been dealt with.



There are two other Mutons to the west. They are outnumbered and outgunned, and quickly fall.


Yet another Muton attempts to shoot at the squad with a Blaster Launcher, but merely explodes one of its allies with a miscalculated course.



It's hard to see Mutons in the thick grass, but even still they can't escape from the squad.



A rookie's wounds have gone somehow gone unnoticed up to this point. Fortunately, they are treated before they become fatal.



A Silacoid that's been ineffectively lurking is taken out.



A Muton on the edge of the squad's vision is located and eliminated by a captain.


If the squad goes in through the main entrance, they will be surrounded not only by the four main hallways of the ship, but the upper level as well. Anyone in the center of the ship is vulnerable to being ambushed from four to six directions at once. A far safer course of action is to punch through one side of the ship with the Blaster Launcher, and proceed down one hall to the center.



The blast puts a hole in the hull, and a Muton can be heard screaming as the warhead explodes.



A Silacoid is creeping around the main entrance to the ship. It's a short-lived nuisance.




One of the captains gets in a firefight with a Muton. He survives with light wounds. The Muton doesn't.



The leg wound is patched up, leaving the captain to fly up and assault the ship.




The HWP takes out another Muton soldier emerging from the ship.




The two captains get ready to assault the battleship through the breached hull. The one Muton at the entry point doesn't put up much resistance.



Another Muton makes a futile charge out of the ship.




A few more Mutons get taken out, clearing the area. An entire battleship, almost fully intact, is now ready for capture and salvage.

Results of Operation Wild Tortoise:
HWP: 1 kill
Cmdr. Paul ?Bomber? Reynolds: 1 kill
Alan Wright: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie
Cpt. Claude Gaudin: 4 kills, promoted to Colonel, wounded
Sgt. Oscar Bradley: 2 kills, promoted to Captain, wounded
Gaston Dreyfus: 2 kills, promoted to Sergeant
Spencer Miller: Promoted to Sergeant
Helen Jones: Wounded
James Davies: Killed in action
14 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
1 alien captured
UFO hull, reactors, navigation systems, fuel, and entertainment systems recovered.
Debriefing: Losing one rookie is an acceptable loss, given the sheer amount of Elerium and valuable components that have been recovered.







More rookies get screened.


With the newly obtained Elerium, some more power suits are manufactured.





Construction continues on the new Africa bases.



A scout ship gets shot down over Greenland.



A scout ship gets detected on the radar of the North Africa base. With no interceptors ready there, a craft from Europe scrambles and shoots it down.



More scouts in Africa are detected and neutralized. It's impossible to tell what type of aliens the crew are, so forces are not being deployed in case it's Ethereals.


Another Ethereal scout goes down in the Arctic.


Research has finished an autopsy of the Silacoid.


The second Psi-Lab is ready.



An Ethereal supply ship is prevented from reaching its destination in the South Pacific.





More ships get shot down.



Interrogations provide some information on the alien craft. The difference between the smallest scouts and their largest capital ship is staggering.






The scout in the Arctic gets shot down, but we just have to wait out the battleships. They leave without finding the Asia base.


Interrogation provides some information about the Snakemen.



With the Power Suits done, some more Flying Suits are requisitioned.



Another Ethereal scout is shot down. These are like irritating flies that won't go away.



A Muton supply ship is spotted on radar. Pursuing it leads us to the alien base in the southern United States. This was previously assumed to be an Ethereal base, but if the information is incorrect, that means there is another alien base that is open to being raided. In the meantime, ground forces will be attacking the supply ship that is on the surface.

[CyberAngel]

I certainly like how "punch a hole in the hull" proves to be a both flashy and effective breaching tactic.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

The Muton supply ship slips away before the Skyranger can arrive.


Col. Claude Gaudin has been granted the nickname ?Eraser?.



An Ethereal scout gets brought down over the Arctic.



The month ends. Almost all of the funding nations are impressed by our performance.




Psionic training commences. Anybody who's not on active combat duty gets put through screening for psychic capability.












Alien ships line up to be shot down by the X-COM air force, leaving wreckage all over the Eastern Hemisphere. However, a Snakeman scout manages to slip past the radar.


Hangars are ready at the new Africa bases. Interceptors have been ordered and will be delivered shortly.



A Sectoid scout gets shot down over Europe; we haven't seen these in a while.




The research division manages to develop a ?mind shield?, which will defend X-COM bases against detection and attack.


There is also some information obtained about a live Silacoid specimen.


Interrogating a captured navigator gives some information about the nature of alien terror operations.


Speaking of which. There's no time to wait for daylight; the squad has to get over there right away.

[Iced Fairy]

Welp.  That's a bummer.  We were doing so good shooting everything down too.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Briefing: Cape Town, South Africa is under attack by aliens. The composition of this force is unknown, but recent hyper-wave transmissions suggest that the enemy will be composed of Snakemen and Chryssalids. Ground forces are to eliminate all hostiles and protect as many civilians as possible.











The squad gets armed for Operation Midnight Savior.


Arriving at night makes things much more difficult. Regular night battles are difficult enough, but the threat of Chryssalid ambushes at nighttime is a dangerous proposition.


The hunt begins with the HWP encountering a Snakeman up against a warehouse entrance.



The tank takes some minor damage, but the Snakeman takes the worst of it.




Another Snakeman around the corner gets blasted by the tank.



A Chryssalid is camoflauged by the darkness, but the vehicle's still able to find it and target it. Although it's hard to tell, the target goes down after a few bursts of plasma.





More Chryssalids lurk the streets, under the cover of night. The HWP has to clear them all out before any troops can proceed.




A grenade is thrown from the Skyranger to clear away a wall, exposing a Snakeman. The resulting exchange of plasma fire severely damages the HWP, but it holds on long enough to take out the hostile.




A civilian survivor is spotted; a massive unlikelihood given the threat of the Chryssalids. The squad keeps a bead on this noncombatant, determined to keep them protected.


Advancing down an alleyway, the HWP gets hit by a shot from a lurking Snakeman; the damaged armor just can't take another hit.


A proximity grenade is set to block off the passage.


Another Snakeman shoots a rookie before creeping out of the hole in the warehouse wall.


Another grenade gets thrown in the warehouse.




Colonel Iwahara blasts a Snakeman trying to sneak up on her, then uses the walls of the warehouse to hunt down whichever Snakemen remain.



A Snakeman threatens the lives of two survivors. Fortunately, it's bought down before it can have a chance to attack the remaining civilians.



Iwahara comes across multiple Snakemen in her advance. Surrounded, the best she can do is stay out of sight until the opportunity comes to strike.





When the chance comes, she strikes hard, taking out two hostiles.



A second salvo takes out a lurking Chryssalid, although she barely has time to get back into cover before the Snakemen counterattack.




Iwahara is wounded, narrowly surviving. She charges down the remaining Snakemen before retreating.



One more alien is taken out, clearing the district out.

Result of Operation Midnight Savior
Cmdr. Paul ?Bomber? Reynolds: 2 kils
Col. Yoko ?Eliminator? Iwahara: 5 kills; wounded, will recover in 33 days
Col. Claude ?Eraser? Gaudin: 4 kills
Alan Wright: 1 kill
Naohiro Noguchi: Promoted to Squaddie; wounded, will recover in 4 days
Scott Jones: Killed in action
HWP: Destroyed
14 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
1 alien captured
9 civilians killed by aliens
2 civilians rescued
Debriefing: We lost another HWP, lost a rookie, and Iwahara's out for another month. On the other hand, it's amazing that any civilians survived this disaster.

[Iced Fairy]

Could be worse I guess.  I was expecting a pile of bodies.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Could be worse I guess.  I was expecting a pile of bodies.

So was I, really.


Interceptors are now ready at the new Africa bases.



The secondary squad from the Asia base is going after the crashed Sectoid scout. Operation Border Break commences.

Briefing: A small craft has been shot down near the German-Dutch border. A small ground team has been sent to recover the wreckage. Hostiles will consist of a small Sectoid crew. High-ranking Sectoids and psionics are unlikely to be present. Once all enemy forces have been eliminated or neutralized, salvage can begin.











The secondary squad gets armed and ready. They're not as heavily armed as the main squad, lacking things like the Blaster Launcher, but against mere Sectoids the squad could have come with laser weapons and it would have been overkill.


Smoke gets set down...


...but a Sectoid has a line of fire directly to the door of the Skyranger from a nearby building.


Nobody in the squad has even taken a step yet and already somebody's dead. Not a good start.



A Sectoid on the roof of the building is taken out.


The rocket launcher is used to blast away the wall of the second floor in case there's anybody still inside.



Another Sectoid is spotted inside a barn, and falls to the advancing squad.



Another Sectoid is spotted in a building. The scout gets into cover, and a grenade is used to blow away the wall.


Unfortunately, the Sectoid survives the grenade, and the blast has opened up a line of fire between it and multiple troops.


It doesn't survive the resulting firefight, but one squad member is seriously wounded, having taken three shots to the chest.


Another troop is ambushed by a hidden Sectoid while continuing to search the area.



It's spotted through a hole in a wall it made while trying to shoot another squad member; giving a captain a line of fire proves to be its last mistake.

Results of Operation Border Break
Cpt. Isao Tanida: 2 kills
Shigeo Tanida: 0 kills, promoted to Sergeant
Dwight King: 1 kill
Tatsuo Koyama: 1 kill
Leon Gressier: Wounded, will recover in 13 days
Sgt. Jungo Fujimoto: Killed in action
Kevin Crossett: Killed in action
4 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull fragments recovered
DebriefingThis mission went below expections.




An Ethereal ship deposits some supplies at a base, outrunning any available interceptors.







The science team has finished some new defensive tech; an anti-air platform based on the Blaster Launcher technology, and a system that can repel attacking ships and allow any base defenses to fire again. With this done, there isn't much else for the researchers to do; just a few obsolete weapons projects, some assorted alien interrogations, and looking at a few redundant UFO components. We would lose nothing by trimming the research division back down to 50 scientists and scrapping one of the laboratories; it would cut down on costs, and create some space to re-expand engineering at the Europe base.



With production of additional armor finished at the Europe base, some new weapons are produced for the interceptors at the Africa bases.



With the Avenger completed, some of the fusion missiles are constructed for it.






The Plasma Beams are quickly finished, and they're shipped off and equipped.




An Ethereal supply ship is shot down over Russia.







More scout ships are hunted down and neutralized.




A trio of battleships appears on radar. This... isn't good news.


The decoders are ready at the Africa bases, expanding X-COM's communications network to cover almost all of the eastern hemisphere once again.


The Avenger goes after one of the battleships, but even a few fusion missiles isn't enough to shoot one down. The counterattack leaves the X-COM craft slightly damaged, forcing it to pull back.


One of the battleships lands. Taking on an entire battleship's worth of Ethereals is a terrible idea; we're likely losing a country here. If we're facing Ethereal infiltration fleets, it means the aliens might be going all-out.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

Redundant facilities at the new Africa bases are removed, solidifying the chokepoints at their entrances. Troops and HWPs are being requisitioned to act as security forces.


Alien forces have manged to establish a base on Sri Lanka.



A load of Ethereal supplies is dumped into the ocean before it can arrive at its destination.



A pair of Snakeman ships appears on the communications network.




Letting the scout for the terror operation get away is something that can not be allowed to happen; the pursuit is relentless.




The other scout goes down in roughly the same location.


Forces are mobilized for Operation Outback Rattler.

Briefing: A large Snakeman scout has been shot down over the Australian Outback. Ground forces from the X-COM Two base in Asia have been deployed to clear the area for recovery. Enemy forces will consist of a small crew; resistance should be minimal.











The team gets armed and ready. Rocket launcher is ready to go if needed, although an HWP has been brought for recon and can also cover that role.


Smoke gets set down and the squad starts to move out.


The UFO is visible from the landing site, although the sight of smoke means that there's likely some major damage.



A Snakeman near the entrance of the ship doesn't last particularly long.



Another lurking Snakeman to the south gets brought down by the squad.



An alien spotted off in the distance by the HWP is sniped by one of the team.



The squad moves in on the entrance of the UFO.



One last Snakeman and a navigation console get blasted by a squaddie, clearing the area out.

Results of Operation Outback Rattler
Bernard Revenu: 2 kills, promoted to Sergeant
Isao Fujimoto: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
Tatsuo Koyama: 1 kill, promoted to Sergeant
Dwight King: Promoted to Sergeant
No X-COM casualties
4 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull and navigation computer recovered
Debriefing: A well-executed, straightforward operation.


The promotions aren't just for the troops who were involved in the mission; the growing ranks mean a few veterans in Europe get some new titles as well.

[Tamer Anode/Cathode]

With no objections, the research division is cut in half. The reduction in science staff will significantly reduce X-COM's monthly costs, mitigating the effect of any financial loss from alien infiltration in Africa.



A scout ship is shot down over the US. It's too small to be worth attempting to recover, though.



Another Ethereal supply ship is dumped in the South Pacific. At least it's highly unlikely that the alien forces will come crawling out of the oceans searching for revenge.





Security staff and HWPs arrive at the Africa bases.



This is like a sign. A new recruit shares the name of one of X-COM's first decorated officers. She is brought to Europe.



Pursuing a supply ship locates an Ethereal base in Nigeria.



Another scout is shot down.




A Sectoid scout ship is spotted over Europe. The close range of the laser cannons leads to some slight damage to the attacking interceptor, but the alien craft goes down.


Operation Grey Skies commences at dawn.

Briefing: A scout craft has crashed on the coastline of France. Forces from X-COM One are being deployed to clear the site for recovery. Enemy forces will consist of a small to medium crew of Sectoids. High-ranking Sectoids and psionics will not be present.











The squad gets equipped for battle. More Flying Suits are available for the elites.


The HWP scouts the immediate vicinity; things look clear from here.


A few rookies move out; unfortunately, supplies of smoke grenades ran out, but the area is clear and the buildings provide plenty of cover against hostile fire.



The first Sectoid that's encountered doesn't last long.



A Sectoid emerging from a barn gets sniped.



Another alien is lurking inside, but it also quickly falls.


An attempt by a Sectoid to attack with a grenade just creates some defensive smoke.




Another Sectoid gets spotted and shot from afar.



Some rookies breach the entrance of the ship, taking out a lone Sectoid.


The HWP spots one last Sectoid hiding in the shadows, blasting it with plasma.

Results of Operation Grey Skies
HWP: 1 kill
James Wright: 3 kills, promoted to Squaddie
Helen Wright: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie
Andrea Sharpe: 1 kill, promoted to Squaddie
No X-COM casualties
6 aliens killed by X-COM ground forces
UFO hull and navigation systems recovered
Debriefing: Sending a fully armed, fully armored squad against Sectoids was probably complete overkill. Even so, it's good to have a mission go off without a hitch.

[Iced Fairy]

At least it's highly unlikely that the alien forces will come crawling out of the oceans searching for revenge.

 :colbert:

Anyway I imagine it's fun stomping the aliens like they used to stomp us.  Too bad we can't do that to Ethereals.