This is the ancient laptop we'll be using to communicate with the outside world. From here we can hire mercenaries, read e-mails, browse the web, and more. While we aren't able to do much at the start, I browse through my e-mails and set out to make an IMP.
An IMP is basically a customizable character you build from the ground up. You decide their skills, stats, and talents. Since I limited myself to one, I decide to make one which would be my "main" character.
My first characters were close range brawlers. This worked alright, but due to the plentiful amount of close range mercenaries available for hire, I decided to run with a long range character for the session that I finished without a crash.
Orbnet is a lethal killer at range, and tends to stay out of sight. He sees enemies before they see him. He is mediocre in noncombat tasks, and isn't a very good leader.
With that in mind, the mercenaries I hired had an emphasis on complementing the weaknesses my main character had.
Meet MD. He's cheap, and he'll keep his fellow mercs patched up. But don't expect him to win a firefight. I hire him for a week.
Nails is an animal, and he's our close range brawler. He has a knack for explosives and machines, which will undoubtedly be useful later on. I hire him for a week.
To round out our roster I hire grace. Quick on her feet, she'll be able to bounce around the battlefield, pelting enemies with her SMG. She's also a good leader when needed and has a knack for knife throwing. On top of all that, she's cheap. I hire her for a week.
With that done and nearly no money in the bank (hopefully I won't regret that), I shut down the laptop and take a look at the map.
From here these seems to be a lot to look at. Since it's the start, however, most of it is meaningless. I switch to the tactical view in Omerta, where the mercenaries will be arriving soon.
We land in a bombed village. Everything is in ruins. The objective is to clear the village, and find the rebels.
Before I have much time to move, a loyalist finds us. I move Orbnet into the sandbag position for long range spotting and shooting and move Grace up to the door.
Remembering the run command (running uses up the energy bar (blue) faster, but moving costs less action points), I move Grace even further around the building. She'll ambush that loyalist from behind.
MD moves up to guard the door, and I have Nails move east to guard our flank.
Enemy movements were unknown.
Back to my turn, I move Grace up and into the building, and she runs smack dab into the enemy soldier.
I have Grace put a little over five bullets into his head and move on.
Grace and Nails expand their search circle and clear out buildings, while MD and Orbnet take the rear in support.
While rounding a building to flank, MD come across two enemy soldiers hold up in the building Grace was about to clear.
Grace steps into the window and fills the two enemies with bullets.
While exploring the eastern side of the village, Orbnet comes across an enemy at range. Unfortunately equipped with a close range weapon at the moment, he can't do anything but retreat back a bit. I set up Nails in an ambush position.
Next turn comes around, and MD spots another loyalist.
Moving MD and Grace into position, I thought I had the drop on him. But he had a buddy. Not willing to risk any lives, I back up and wait for them to come closer.
Nails' ambush works. I get ready to blow off the loyalist's head...
And he clean misses. I don't understand how. I guess shotguns are pretty inaccurate even at point blank. Orbnet takes a few pot shots but Nails isn't looking too good.
Going back to the other side of town, I have MD move into a flanking position and end the turn.
Nails takes a few shots, but thankfully due to the loyalist being wounded he didn't have many action points. I try to get Nails some distance. Unfortunately Orbnet comes with some pretty heavy duty armor, and isn't able to move far and assist Nails.
In a last ditch effort to save Nails, I run Grace across the battlefield and pelt the wounded loyalist. Most miss however, due to his prone status. I was pretty worried now because I had two mercs exposed. It was X-Com with bad accuracy all over again.
MD explores the perimeter, and the two loyalists were no where to be found. I was rather surprised the AI made a tactical retreat. Usually AI is pretty aggressive.
MD interrupts and spots the loyalists that ran. Seems they were in the building. Unable to do anything, MD takes some fire but doesn't take any hits.
Sick of this, with Nails almost dead from multiple rounds of being shot at, I move Grace to point blank range and go full auto on the loyalist. The loyalist finally goes down.
MD is, as predicted, useless in combat and takes heavy damage.
Grace runs in and as usual deals with the problem.
Due to MD being too far out and Nails bleeding to death I decide to have Orbnet patch him up.
Next turn, Grace rushes back in and pops the last loyalist, bringing her kill count to five. Definitely the MVP of this battle.
Battle ends, and everyone gets healed up.
I scavenge the place. Most of it is pretty mediocre, though I did find some ammo and a holster.
A little boy comes out of one of the bomb wrecked houses. I scare him off and follow him back to his mother. Being part of the rebels, I convince her of my affiliation with Enrico and she leads me to the rebel HQ.
The rebels aren't pleased, but I'm let in nevertheless.
I'm greeted by the Rebel leader, and after much discussion, we pledge to work together. My next objective is to clear the road to a larger town, Drassen. Looking at the map, Drassen has an airport and a mine, which will come in handy for our war effort.
With this small base all I have to work with, it'll be difficult, that's for sure.