Update 4: Welcome, CorporalMarch 16thWe receive reports of further abductions, this time in Germany, China, and Argentina. A quick check reveals that Europe is getting a bit nervous, so I order the defense of Germany.
Nydus, Rapingshire, Eoxis, and Kirk will be responding this time.
Operation Stone Hero
The site is a parking lot with some stores nearby. The squad begins cautiously moving forward, spreading out a bit to cover multiple directions.
Soon enough, we notice some burning to the left. That's a clue. Not long after, someone thinks they heard something over there. That clinches it.
Unfortunately, sectoids emerge from both the expected direction and the nearby store dead ahead. That leaves few options safe from both approaches.
Not long after, two more sectoids emerge from the store. One is gunned down by Nydus' reaction fire, and the other runs back inside. Even so, Rapingshire takes a hit [3] from an overcharged sectoid, one of the original, fire-direction ones.
Kirk tries to get inside the building, but a sectoid reacts and blows apart the walls. Though she's unhurt, the loss of her cover forces her to run back into the adjacent section rather than opening fire.
Rapingshire runs back, and Nydus takes a chance by placing a truck between her and the store, leaving her open to attack from the side if anything comes closer. It pays off, however, and she guns down another sectoid in the store.
Supported by Eoxis, Kirk returns and blows away a sectoid at relatively close range. With no further hostiles in sight, the mission once again becomes a cautious hunt.
Eoxis moves in and immediately spots two sectoids, one out in the open in the store and one lying in wait behind a car. The one behind the car opens fire on him, taking out a section of storefront, and while he's unhurt, he opts to retreat behind a nearby flimsy wall. The store sectoid repositions itself and then blows away the cubicle wall but not the desk, while the other receives an overcharge from a third, unseen sectoid, then hits him for [2] and obliterates the desk in the process.
Eoxis then moves a bit deeper into the store, taking cover behind a desk, and finds that the store sectoid is just sitting in the corner without cover. He explains why this is a bad idea by executing it. [Crit: 6]
Nydus moves closer but has to reload and has no vision of the remaining target, while Kirk takes up a position near Eoxis, finding, firing at, and missing the last visible sectoid. Rapingshire finally patches herself up with her medkit.
Then, Rapingshire notices how close she is to the sectoid. Dashing forward and positioning herself in front of the car rather than behind it- more in line with where we think the empowering sectoid is- she quickly executes it at near point-blank range and notices the empowering sectoid in the process.
Nydus and Kirk run close to it, taking cover behind a car, and Nydus takes a shot at it. Eoxis runs out into the open, underestimating how close he was, but the sectoid responds by firing at Kirk. Rapingshire, once again noticing how close she is, simply runs up to nearly point-blank and dispatches the last sectoid with a shotgun to the face.
Another flawless victory.
Eoxis and Kirk have both been promoted, to Support and Assault, respectively.
Janna Nydus has also received the honor of being our first Corporal. She'll be a natural choice for when we need a true veteran, I think.
Levelup Choices:Bullet Storm: Firing the primary weapon as the first action no longer ends the turn
Holo-Targeting: Firing at or suppressing an enemy applies a +10 hit bonus to allies firing at that target
And yes, apparently Bullet Storm allows you to attack twice in a round if you don't move. I'm unclear exactly how long holo-targeting lasts, but I could have sworn I've had it apply after the enemy's taken their turn. Might be "until that soldier acts again" or similar.
In any case, as a reward for saving Germany, we receive four scientists and the schematics for laboratories. Also panic increases across Asia and South America. Not much to be done about that, though.
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Topic: Let's Play: XCOM [Update 7.2: Dead but with a descendant] (Read 19003 times)