Brief Xcom Diary

[Panda with issues...]

After not one, but 2 generous people donated me a copy of Xcom, I thought I'd put up some brief thoughts and notes.

Mission 2, and I've already got Ghostwolf67 killed. He was rubbish. In heavy cover and still took a critical hit to the face, nothing I could have done, he never even shot at an alien... This panicked Hazeldean, and he cried like a baby for the next couple of turns.

Meanwhile, Ronin and Rojaws are doing work, With Rojaws an in your face assaulter (much like real life) and Ronin supporting up.

 

[Ronin Storm]

Yeah, this is the way to play. With names of people you know. On Iron Man mode so there's no take-backs.

I reckon you should make sure that Nanor makes your squad.

 

[Nanor]

Yeah gurrlll hit me up with some X-Com action. I'll be the Assault Rifle toting Assault who throws grenades and shouts profanities.

 

[BiG D]

You need to let the random name generator do its thing, otherwise you'll miss gems like "'Whisky' Dong Chu"

 

[SgtFury]

I tried that, my wife got a bit concerned when I said I got people we knew killed.... whoops!

 

[Ronin Storm]

I tried that, my wife got a bit concerned when I said I got people we knew killed.... whoops!

But we need the tales of how Nanor 'naded Haven causing him to panic and shoot DocBot in the arse...

 

[Panda with issues...]

Yeah, this is the way to play. With names of people you know. On Iron Man mode so there's no take-backs.

I reckon you should make sure that Nanor makes your squad.

Yeah, no take backs, no cloning. I'd like to say he died well, but he was nothing but a disappointment to me.

 

[Panda with issues...]

You need to let the random name generator do its thing, otherwise you'll miss gems like "'Whisky' Dong Chu"

That's funny too. I had a 'Jack Door' or something earlier.

 

[Panda with issues...]

Dear Mrs Inglis,

I regret to inform you of the death of your son, Edward. I'd prefer to inform you that he died in the service of a greater good, but he made me swear I'd never lie to you if it came to this. His death was needless and pure carelessness on my part as his friend and commanding officer. In a rather blase manner, I ordered him to investigate the exploded gaseous corpse of one of our foes, and he was poisoned, and succumbed to his malady before the mission was done. he never fired a single shot. I know it is little consolation, but I know now not to order any more of my friends through bilious vapours, and I have now worked out how to equip a medkit, so perhaps his death was not in vain.

I do not know how I will deal with the day to day stress of dealing with his death. He may have informed you, but he was in a long term relationship with one of his squadmates, a Pvt. Rutter, who has become insubordinate and rightly deeply angry with the arbitrary nature of his end. I fear what she will do to the foe (or me) in combat.

Sgt. Panda.

 

[Panda with issues...]

Pvt. Rutter did not survive the subsequent mission. It was almost as if she did not wish to remain alive after the death of her beloved.

Lt. 'Strings' Storm is out wounded, with all these casualties, it's like the heart of the squad has been removed.

 

[Ronin Storm]

Time for Squad Raw Recruit to take the field!

 

[Panda with issues...]

OK, now this is bullshit. I failed a mission because it created an extra objective before the time limit, when I had only budgeted for the objectives I got to start with. Additionally, for some reason one of my squad died despite the mission ending before she bled out.

Not impressed.

 

[Panda with issues...]

I regret to inform you all that Captain Ronin 'Strings' Storm, Lt. Cristina Sghibartz and Pvt. Steven Hollis have been killed in action. Sghibartz' death was pure game bullshit, but Strings was killed desperately defending civilians, as was the raw recruit Hollis. Neither of them were a match for zombies. 'Smash' Rojaws has undertaken further close combat defence training to prevent similar occurences.


OOC: I'm running out of friends fast...The rookies aren't doing so well.

 

[Ronin Storm]

Yeah, this game is brutal for that sort of thing. I recommend action movie stars after you've run out of friends.

 

[Panda with issues...]

'Smash' rojaws bought the farm, I just want to cry.

 

[Cookalarcha]

Haha Panda the games not forgiving for a new starter. That's why I said I restarted several times. But the easiest nation to start I found was North America unfortunately. But once you get the hang of playing safe and the tech upgraded, you find out it gets a lot easier. I am looking forward to your entries when you come across some really annoying melee units.

 

[Panda with issues...]

Kind of pissed off with the interface now. How the fuck do I revive a stabilised soldier? How the fuck do I use the grappling hook? None of hisis even made remotely clear.

Full squad death. Operation Smokey Pipe claimed the lives of 'Smokey' Panda, Sam 'Angel' Bradley, Talya Dosaj, Zoub, Trax and Clive Trueman.

 

[Panda with issues...]

Basically out of friends names now, so I'm going to call that quits for that playthrough. Fuck it. While about half of the deaths are definitely my fault, I would probably peg the other half on what I would tentatively call game bullshit, and that's really pissed me off.

 

[Cookalarcha]

I am sure to stabilise you need medkit or some sort of tech or skill but its been a while since I played. It is awfully hard to start playing but like i said once you get the hang of iy, it's a great game. Just how you described blood bowl to me. And 3rd time lucky for me on my play throughs to get a good enough start to actually make the ending of the game. My advice is don't do the primary mission of pentrating the underground base too early. I was majorly under developed and got owned the first time

 

[Ronin Storm]

Courtesy of Nanor, I've been having a look at the XCOM Long War mod, which I'm enjoying so far. More character customisation options, higher tempo, but more marines to compensate, and a real reason to use the mechanised SHIV (humans need to rest). It's a bit harder as the missions throw more aliens at you and the aliens feel like they deliberately try to cull the injured ones (though you do too, against the aliens, right?) but you field a 6 man squad from the start.

Panda was injured in his first mission out but he did rank up and become a medic. Ghostwolf bought the farm on our first level 3 abduction; the tooltip said "swarming" and they weren't kidding. He died holding off the swarm buying time for the remenants of the squad to pull out. Nanor also valiantly held the left flank on a downed UFO mission, only to be vaporised by the craft's commander. A bunch of other movie action heroes went down with him, but we were successful through their sacrifice. More on this story as it develops...