X-COM: Oscar Company Edition (Picture Intensive)

[Davis, E.]

Ok, so October round up. I accomplished another step towards complete victory, but that will be covered in the next post.

Operation Devil's Sleep



So, I shot down the largest UFO to date, and WE LANDED IN THE UFO! So, you get the idea that this is going to be big. It was. Enormous map, and we lost an unnamed in one of the most brutal firefights yet. Thankfully, everyone else walked away. Not unscathed, but walked away.





Final Law



This is the start of the reign of Wilkas, the terrifying badass. I now have psionics researched, and it is her and Stringer that have the gift. Now, that being said, Wilkas is on the front lines and has a chance to use her mental abilities. This mission finished with capturing a Sectoid Commander (courtesy of Ms. Wilkas). Here is the update from my Psi lab, closing shot of Wilkas, and AAR for Final Law.







Devil's Shield



This was a Terror mission in which we almost lost five people, and actually lost none. Furby, sporting his elite skills and new Archangel armor, emptied his entire rifle in one turn, decimating the Crysalids by HIMSELF! Davis got stuck out in no man's land and was able to duck a few shots that could have killed him. They didn't, so we all come home after one of the easiest missions to date.





There is one more mission (see next post) but I think it would be clear by this point that the council was pleased.

[Davis, E.]

Operation Cryptic Summer

So, for those of you following along with the story (not just keeping tabs on your current badass), you will remember an artifact we recovered from the alien base way back when. So, we have researched it, installed it into a radar facility, and it is now online. This is what it helped us find.



Type: Overseer. Objective: Final Preparations. That doesn't sound ominous, right? We shoot this scumbag down and it's time to gear up. Say hello to the team. Note: Davis is still wounded, so he will finally miss a mission. Disappointing, but it doesn't matter that much. He'll get a comeback tour.



Briefing


Starting point


This mission went nearly perfect (till the end) so there isn't much to report. Snipers kill, everyone else moves up, and we continue the slaughter of the invaders. Here's a good Stringer picture. Oh yeah, it's dead.



So, Avery and Ward go left and end up entering the UFO from the front. Cruz and Wilkas take right and pound their way through most of the defenses. Stringer did them well with overwatch. So, we get to the final, center area of the UFO. Took a picture in case things went wrong.



And then we see this. Looks like something special to take home to the researchers.



Commencing the attacking and killing, Here's Stringer, totally missing his shot. He wasn't the only one. Ward nearly got himself killed, and Wilkas was left exposed from both of them. Thankfully, the aliens can't shoot well either.



Wilkas finishes up, capturing the Ethereal, a brand new alien that is HORRIFYING. Sectoid commanders are laughable compared to this guy, and we captured him.



So, we come home, but before the AAR, there are a few things to take care of first. Unload the new artifact. Our brain trust (Doctor Vahlen, head of Research, and Doctor Shen, head of engineering) discusses this new thing. And then this happens...







I don't know what it is, but we need to figure it out quick. Also, the AAR.

[Davis, E.]

November Updates

Remember, researching, building, all those things to figure out what is going on with our new artifact and that ship THE SIZE OF A CONTINENT! Also, as I said, the age of Wilkas has dawned. I'm not sure who's more terrifying, her, or the aliens.

Broken Sentinel 






Sacred Sentinel 


Get ready to see a lot of Wilkas in her Black Psi Armor. She kills many things with her brain now. And she is in a position to end things quite often. Terrifying with that bright red hair.




Hot Mother 






Lost Summer - This was a council mission, requesting we extract a VIP. I grabbed the council request this time. Also, we lost the VIP. Bad move on my part and he got gunned down. We killed all the aliens though.





And a shot of us unloading from the bird.






So, also this month, we finished our installation of the new artifact. Actually, this happened about half way through the month, but I wanted the extra money to ensure I had the gear I wanted for the final assault. Also, the council is still happy.

[Davis, E.]

So, when an action comes with a warning, it's a good sign that awesomeness is about to ensue. Here it comes people, welcome to the end of the game. There were so many cut scenes in here, including voice over, that this won't do it justice. I had to run with it though. I am giving you the best I can.

The first cut scene starts with Wilkas, our volunteer, heading towards the artifact. As you can see, the rest of the world is watching safely from another part of the base via camera. This is a series of pictures I took from the cut scene. I don't capture it, but a voice on the other end summons her to the Temple Ship. The last one is of a grim Wilkas ready to do what must be done. (Yeah, that stupid big ship is a temple. Note the background of these pictures. I didn't see half this stuff while playing. Glad I took these for you guys.)









So, the typical picture of the team and briefing. Yes, this is the best gear I can run for them all. I should have grabbed a mind shield for a few people, but it's my first time at end game.





So, I'm taking some extra photos on this run, to show as much as I can. I missed the Skyranger coming in, but there is one of them touching down, and then a tactical unload.





So, the mission walks us through every variety of alien, with the voice over talking about how each one was a failure. Apparently they were trying to create the perfect combination of mental ability and physical power. Wilkas's contact with him left her being called "the new one" and it seemed that we had somehow finished the work that they started. So, some gratuitous combat footage. I tried to get everyone, but I think Cruz and Davis got missed.









So, nothing terribly exciting. Some of the exchanges got a little tight (like when the sectopods missed me a bunch, thank you very much), but we advanced steadily. So, we get to the end, and we find this. The leader of the aliens. He starts talking about how the Ethereal's failed to ascend, and had to feast off the gift of lesser races. Sound like psychic vampires. Crazy stuff.





So, we do what we do and shoot him. I think Stringer connected with a head shot for massive damage. Everyone around him fades and he dies screaming that we need them, so they can show us the path. And then, the temple ship starts to collapse. (Of course it does). Davis, Wilkas, and Ward take a look before all three start heading for the door. A latent psychic link stops Wilkas, and she realizes what must be done. Ward and Davis call to her from the door, but she psychically pushes them out and slams the door. (I only got the door closed.) Then she proceeds to take control of the temple ship.















So, the ships starts blowing apart, and back at base, they confirm that it is acting like a black hole. The skyranger takes off (reporting that Wilkas was left behind) and then, well, follow the pictures guys. It's amazing.









(This picture demands a caption. Central Officer Bradford demands to know which way the ship is moving. The terrified radar jockey simply says. "Up")

[Durant, M.]

I can't think of anything to say except this was SO badass.

OSCAR COMPANY! YUT!