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'No,' says the man in Megapol, 'he must make it himself.' (Can only manufacture items for income.)

1 (3.1%)

'No,' says the man in Marsec, 'he must take it from the aliens.' (Can only capture items from the aliens for income.)

11 (34.4%)

'No,' says the man in government, 'it is unethical.' (Must rely on end-of-the-month money for income.)

5 (15.6%)

I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different. (Keep the money flowing. Bases for everybody!)

15 (46.9%)

Total Members Voted: 29

[USEC_OFFICER]

The Heavy Laser needs more TQs to finish compared to the Gattling Laser. This usually means the heavy laser is probably better somehow... unless they work like in the first game where the rifle was better than the heavy laser in every way imaginable.

At this point we'd be researching Heavy Lasers for selling. Plasma Pulse Cannons are better in every imaginable way.

If prices drop when you flood the market, go ahead and build and sell as much as you want.

They don't. Hence the printing money comment. Well, I guess that the aliens could always destroy the freighters and I'd be dead broke, but that's highly unlikely.

If they don't, it is a pretty cheap tactic. Let's Plays are better when you can lose.

Hence why I have the poll. I'm the kind of guy who likes to use cheap tactics, but this is too easy, even for me.

Also my ship should be named the "STE Porkins".

Btw if I am to be flying the same ship for a while I would like to have another name for it :p I'm thinking "Red Dwarf".

Noted. Also, unless you like the name "Fortress in Spaaaaaace", a new base name would be nice.

[Aptus]

Noted. Also, unless you like the name "Fortress in Spaaaaaace", a new base name would be nice.

Hmm... how about naming it after one of the greatest space heroes of all time... "The Arnold Rimmer".

[LordSlowpoke]

Okay then:

You're allowed to have only three bases with any sort of flying force based on it at all times. In fact, only three bases are allowed to host any sort of soldier force, the rest can be only glorified point defense turrets. You can switch between bases that you're using freely, though. I hope I'm worded clearly enough on this one, but feel free to ask for clarification if I'm not.

Oh, and name them after the fallen pilots and more notable vessels we've lost.

[USEC_OFFICER]

Okay then:

You're allowed to have only three bases with any sort of flying force based on it at all times. In fact, only three bases are allowed to host any sort of soldier force, the rest can be only glorified point defense turrets. You can switch between bases that you're using freely, though. I hope I'm worded clearly enough on this one, but feel free to ask for clarification if I'm not.

I think I understand it. Hopefully the aliens aren't cheating bastards, and the best engines are really freaking fast, else this will probably be difficult. I like it.

[Sheb]

Only income from Corporations.alien stuff is sensitive and shouldn't be sold. And we're not a manufacturing outfit.

Also, only use human weapons. If we use aliens weapons, we're like them.

[Mephansteras]

Posting to Watch. Good LP so far!

[USEC_OFFICER]

I've done the next update. The aliens weren't very complying, so it's kinda meh. However they have been holding out on us, so maybe it's all for the best.

[Sonlirain]

I'd say go wild with the money and build me a fortress base full of turrets (no fighters) named after me with a slightely disconnected from reality commander (also named after me) on board who still thinks it's the second war and space is just a huge ocean.

Just because i'm so darn important.

[EuchreJack]

I say keep building fighter bases until all pilots are available for combat.  Training sux, man.

Also, more bases is more download links.  Research everything!

I wouldn't worry too much about the money.  If this is like most X-Com games, there are easy months and hard months, and you'll need the cash reserve for when the Aliens kick your teeth in.

[USEC_OFFICER]

Sorry that the update is taking so long. The turn is pretty uninspiring, so I'm having trouble getting started. I also think that I'm coming down with something, and since misery loves company the update should be ready for tomorrow or Tuesday.

[QuakeIV]

If its a rather uninspiring turn I'd imagine you can just abstract it a bit.

e: By which I mean nobody will hate you if you skimp on an update that would be boring anyways.  Myself I'd prefer that you only spend lots of time on cool turns.

[USEC_OFFICER]

Update 4: Eh

Spoiler: Main Update (click to show/hide)

Journal of Jacob Reid

Thursday, April 7th, 2067:

I am sorry to report that Commander Jacob Reid has come down with a case of, in his own words

"I-don't-give-a-damn"

and thus has asked me to fill in for him. In the meantime Reid will be looked after by the medical staff of the Fort Skywatch. I'm sure that Reid will thank me later.


By the orders of Commander Reid, research has started on Solar Fusion, to

"finally get that damned research off the list!"


Basic construction on the new base is finally finished. At the urgings of Commander Ashana Dularac, the base has been named the Arnold Rimmer.


The downlink on the Arnold Rimmer is currently researching gatling lasers, to cover the time until two more standard downlinks can be built.


To accompany our new station Reid has ordered the construction of two more bases. Their official names have not been decided yet.


Finally pilot Nirur Torir has left the medical bay and is ready for active service, presumably when the Arnold Rimmer is ready to hold a squadron of fighter craft.


X-COM LOG: 07-04-2067


As the Arnold Rimmer's sensors came online, an alien squadron was detected at 2134 hours. Interceptors were scrambled.


The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Rookie Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi piloting the STE Porkins.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Red Dwarf.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Combat was routine.


Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi, Karl "MONKEY" Head and Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius all downed one alien fighter each.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Wednesday, April 13th, 2067:

Right. I'd like to say that I'm only doing this because somebody is twisting my arm.

I'm not twisting your arm, I reminding you of your-

Shut up TIM. It's not like this is a goddamn crisis.

While this may not be a crisis, I'm starting to worry that you are detacting yourself from the day-to-day workings of the station.

Yeah, well the station seems to be working just fine.

Only because you've been neglecting it for so long.

...

Let's just get this over with.


The geeks have finished work on solar fusion, and a fat lot of good it did. If I had a grade, uh, twelve science textbook I could have told them everything they needed to know about solar fusion.


Anyways we're researching the alien jamming probe thingy. It was the first topic on the list.

...

And?


Oh, and the extra defences on Fort Skywatch are finished.

...

What about the disturbance?


Right. We've detected another hyperwave thingy, meaning that the aliens are moving another one of their cargo-thingies in the area. Mullar has dispatched the fighters, and they'll be back in a jiffy.

There, are you happy know?

I honestly cannot believe that you are the Commander of all X-COM forces in the Frontier.

Yeah, well neither can I.

...

...

...

Well, I'm going to start boozing now, TIM. You got anything else you want to bug me about?

...

...

...

Secret Journal of Jacob Reid

Wednesday, April 13th, 2067:

I've found nothing I didn't know already. In fact, it was probably less. Of course it wasn't a deep scan, don't want base command suspecting anything, but still. It's been a couple weeks since the probationary period is up, and I should have full access to everything. Maybe it's only got a physical copy, but I doubt it.

...

The 'search for old comrades' wasn't a total waste however. A couple of us old fogies are still on the payrolls. Including one Lieutenant Sonny Lirain. It should be easy to transfer him over to Fort Skywatch. He ought to remember a thing or two.


X-COM LOG: 14-04-2067


At approximently 0918 hours X-COM interceptors engaged the alien convoy. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Rookie Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi piloting the STE Porkins.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Red Dwarf.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


The alien craft were swiftly dispatched,


and the contents of the alien container were secured intact and ferried to base.


Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin, CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac and Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius all downed one alien craft. Rookie Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi and LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head destroyed two alien fighters each. For his efforts, Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi has been promotted to Ensign.
   

Journal of Elizabeth Fraser

Friday, March 15th, 2067


Another alien probe has been detected today. It's a sensor probe this time and not a jammer, thank god. Mullar has dispatched... Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin to deal with it. No other alien objects have been detected, so it should be an easy job. Of course this reminds me that the damn probe launcher has gotten out of alignment again. I probably shouldn't be too surprised. It wasn't exactly perfect before the alien attack, and it's probably gotten worse now. I guess I'll send a team down when we have the time. Nobody has seen the Commander for a couple days now, so we shouldn't be launching any probes in the future, and with the list of other important jobs, like looking at those disabled probes. Ugh... Parker has finally gotten off his ass and brought one of those probes to base. It'll take days to go over it piece by piece... Mullar better not blow me off tonight, I swear I'll punch him in the face if he does it again.


X-COM LOG: 15-04-2067


The destruction of the alien probe proceeded as planned.



Several blasts from the plasma pulse cannons rapidly reduced it to ash.


As Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin was preparing to enter hyperspace, several plasma shots glanced across his shields.


A squadron of alien fighters had somehow evaded the sensors of Fort Skywatch.

X-COM LOG: 16-04-2067


Once he was told the size of the alien squadron, Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin turned his fighter around and engaged the enemy, saying that "I've faced worse in the training sims."




All told the mission took barely more than a minute, and ended with all three alien ships disabled, and the Burning Sock II completely unharmed.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Monday, April 25th, 2067:

Things have been goddamn quiet here on the frontier. Until today there has not been an alien in sight. Of course that doesn't mean that we haven't been busy.


We've had shit to manufacture and sell.


The new downlink is finally finished, so research on the jamming probe was finished early.


Not that it was much help, but at least it'll be easier to detect those bastards.


The Arnold Rimmer has also finished its research on gatling lasers. I've ordered a couple to be built, just to see what they're about.


Fort Skywatch is finally researching that alien thingy from last month, and the Arnold Rimmer has started on Heavy Lasers.


Other than that the electroplasmic thingies are finally finished.


Oh, and another hyperwave thing has been spotted. The pilots have been dispatched, so it'll be all over soon.

...

...

There TIM, are you happy?

I am. You finally seem to be retaking an interest in the leadership of X-COM forces. I'm proud of you.

Yeah, and I'm proud that you're no longer ridding my ass. Now scram so that I can get piss drunk.

...

...

...


Secret Journal of Jacob Reid

Monday, April 25th, 2067:

Maybe TIM's right, but I've got more important things to do. Mullar seems to be handling things completely fine, and if things turn sour I can always step in and fix them. Sonny finally arrived yesterday and, well, he's loopy. He had PTSD after the war, and instead of drinking himself to death like me he went down the list of disorders. Right now he think's that it's still the Second Alien War, though I can't understand why anybody would want to relive that. To top it all off he's got enough nervous tics to kill a dog, and a helping of paranoia to boot. He doesn't know anything that I haven't already learned, and if he's picked up anything over the years he's surpressing it to hell and back. Still, maybe I going at this all wrong. X-COM has been involved in a lot of classified shit over the years, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised that their records are full of holes. But people's memories, well, you can't tamper with them, or at least not wholesale like X-COM would have to do. I'd say that it's time for a little reunion, or as close to it as possible.

X-COM LOG: 25-04-2067


At approximently 0920 hours an alien convoy was detected by the Arnold Rimmer. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Rookie Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi piloting the STE Porkins.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Red Dwarf.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Combat was routine.


Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin and Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi both downed two alien craft each. (Don't ask me how. The game also thinks that Monkeyhead did not participate in the mission for some reason.)

X-COM LOG: 26-04-2067


An alien squadron, evidently looking for the destroyed convoy, was detected.


Engagement by X-COM craft did not occur until the next day. The pilot commands are as follows:

Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin piloting the Burning Sock II.
Rookie Fikes "BOOYAH" Ambroksi piloting the STE Porkins.
LT. CMDR. Karl "MONKEY" Head piloting the Azure Lightning.
CMDR. Ashana "GOFORTHEEYES" Dularac piloting the Red Dwarf.
LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius piloting the Reaver One.


Combat was routine. Ensign Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin downed three alien craft, with LT. Mal "KICKASS" Dejulius destroying the fourth.


Journal of Jacob Reid

Saturday, April 30th, 2067:

You know what I just remembered? We have probes.



I've sent... about eight of them to Diablo and the surrounding systems yesterday. Fraser wasn't too happy about that, something about a work overload, but I'd like to get more intel on these supposed aliens. And, well, we found them.








Lots of them, actually. Tons. We're looking at at least thirty alien fighters, and that's lowballing it. I'd say we're facing at least fifty or more. If they started swarming us... I'll have to start to send out probes to see if the aliens have any mining operations. We have the edge in combat, but that doesn't mean a thing if they can pull more fighters out of their ass.

What else do we have here...


Ah, right. Mullar put this on my desk today, muttering something about those bloody idiots. Whether he was talking about the cultists or those congress people I can't say. Back in my day any alien supporters were rounded up and shot. Mostly because they were brainwashed or implanted with god knows what, but the princible stands. How am I supposed to fight a war if Earth is all divided?

...

Well, I suppose that most of our funding comes from the frontier, and Sol can't exactly boycott our companies out here...

...

And I guess that Marsec and the GSC aren't exactly based on Earth either, so they shouldn't be affected...

...

Actually this is goddamned good news. It keeps the focus off of me and whatever shit I'm doing. Well I suppose that an investigation might be launched by the NAA, but X-COM will lock ranks around me like a well-oiled machine. Heh.


Oh, and the new gatling lasers came in. After looking through everything, they seem to be more profitable than the tractor beams. They cost more to produce and take up more space, but the profit per item is cheaper and they can be made in almost half the time. By the time that two tractor beams are made and shipped, three gatling lasers will have already been sold. Or something like that. I'm no economist.

Spoiler: Private Journal of Herbert Mullar (click to show/hide)

Saturday, April 2nd, 2067:

Research begins on solar fusion. Nirur "MEATSHIELD" Torir is released from medical.

Thursday, April 7th, 2067:

The Arnold Rimmer has finished construction. Research has started on gatling lasers.

Friday, April 8th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Tuesday, April 12th, 2067:

Research has been completed on solar fusion. Research on the alien jammer probes has started.

Thursday, April 14th, 2067:

Extra plamsa defences have been completed on the Fort Skywatch. Engagement with alien convoy by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Friday, April 15th, 2067:

Alien sensor probe was detected and promptly destroyed by Jay "EXPENDABLE" Cin.

Saturday, April 16th, 2067:
Engagement with alien craft by the Burning Sock II. No major damage was sustained, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Monday, April 18th, 2067:

Standard downlink completed on Fort Skywatch.

Wednesday, April 20th, 2067:

Research has been completed on the alien jammer probe and gatling lasers. Research has finally been started on the alien structural component, along with research into heavy lasers by the Arnold Rimmer.

Sunday, April 24th, 2067:

Electroplasmic shields have finally been constructed on the Fort Skywatch.

Monday, April 25th, 2067:

Engagement with alien convoy by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.

Wednesday, April 27th, 2067:

Engagement with alien craft by X-COM forces. No major damage was sustained by any X-COM craft, and all alien vessels were destroyed or captured.


Saturday, April 30th, 2067:

Probes were launched into alien space. They were all destroyed by alien fighter craft.

Spoiler: Pilot Roster (click to show/hide)

X-COM END OF MONTH MEETING TRANSCRIPT

REID: Right. I should probably say some inspirational words, but damn it. We're winning and we've been winning for the past few months. We've got our shit together and the aliens don't, and that's that. Mullar, how big is my retirement fund going to be?

MULLAR: I believe it depends on how much command likes you, but our finances are as splendid as ever.


Income from the mining corporations has increased by about a fifth, giving us plenty of money to play around with, especially when you include the money wrapped up in our little manufacturing business.


Additionally two new corporations have set up in the frontier.


The Baldwin Mining Corporation in the Delta Vega system,


and Rowan Manufacturing, inc in the Virgil system.

SMITH: Geez, I wonder why?

[scattered laughter]

REID: Alright then. We've got three bases to spend it on. The two other ones were finished a couple of hours ago. Now I've got plans for them.


The... upper rightish one is going to be called the Sonlirain.

HEAD: Feel sorry for your old buddy, eh?

REID: Yeah, well not exactly. He was a damned good drill sargent in the day, and being around the bend hasn't changed that. The Sonlirain is going to be turned into a training station for any new recruits. X-COM just doesn't train people like it used to.

AMBROKSI: And the other station?


REID: I'm calling it the Forlorn Hope, 'cause... Well no real reason. Sheb's going to be leading that station.

DEJULIUS: You twisted bastard.

REID: Heh, I know what you mean. Oh, and that reminds me. You, Jack, Andrew, Nirur and Bonnie are going to be heading out to the Arnold Rimmer to form a new squadron. It's about time that somebody starting using it.

TORIR: When will we leave?

REID: As soon as possible. It'll be a while before we get enough ships for the lot of you though. Anything else?

TIM: Research has been completed on the alien component.

REID: And?


TIM: The Galactic Science Corporation believes that it is a part of a immense space station.

REID: That's it? It took ten days just to transmit that?

TIM: To be fair, the piece is 213.682 kilometres long, and is filled with various control and shock systems.

REID: That's not the point! I could have told you that it's part of a giant bloody space station!

TIM: And why didn't you say so from the beginning, and thus save ten days of research?

REID: Because... Uh, well, you see... Moving on. Fraser, did you finish looking at that bloody probe yet?



[long pause]



DULARAC: Where is Fraser?

PARKER: She's dead.



[long pause]



TIM: Ah, another human with a taste of the dramatic.

(And on that bombshell I'm ending the update.

The Arnold Rimmer and other assorted stations should be ready in the next month. The Arnold Rimmer would have been ready this month, but I forgot and just kept on making tractor beams. Whoops.

If you remember some of the house rules that were suggested, I'm only allowed three squadrons of fighters. Squadron Alpha will be stationed at Fort Skywatch, Squadron Bravo at the Arnold Rimmer, and Squadron Crap at the Forlorn Hope. Sheb's idea is terrible for running an entire operation, but for a squadron it should be quite good. Or deadly. Either or, maybe even both. Anyways Squadron Crap is only going to be allowed weapons and technologies developed from good old earth, meaning lasers and the base weaponry, along with whatever the hell cold fusion gives me. I might stretch the rules to include technologies developed from alien tech. After all, most of our base technologies are developed from alien tech during the First Alien War. Thus I couldn't use plasma pulse cannons, but I could use the advanced fighter craft. Maybe. I have no clue how to get them yet.

Anyways ith four stations research is going to be a breeze. Sonlirain is researching cold fusion currently, and the Forlorn Hope is researching the alien sensor probe. I also want some better missiles, so Fort Skywatch is researching elerium torpedoes.

Anything else I'm missing? I don't think so. I'd like some more pilots, but other than that everything is fine and dandy. Hopefully the aliens will step up their game so that I don't get more turns like this.

If you're wondering, I took the extra day to polish up the turn a little bit. That, and to try out the Ur-Quan Masters. That thing is LP gold, let me tell you. Open world, full of surprises and deadly as hell. I might do a LP of it after I finish up Interceptor.)

[Mephansteras]

Oooh, cliffhanger!

[QuakeIV]

Maybe they built their station too big and it collapsed into a black hole.

[Sonlirain]

Yay i have a base just for me.

I hereby mandate a Bombardment shield and at least 5 P.W.T. Defences... 6 sonic defences will work well enough tho.