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[GiglameshDespair]

So my character's weapons won't just be flat-out inferior if I decide to stick to purely ballistic guns?

Well, yes, they will, certainly for a long while yet.
Beam lasers (2nd tier) are flat out better than ballistic (1st tier) - more accurate and more damaging.
Gauss weapons (3rd tier) have the advantage of +1 magazine size over other weapons, but are less damaging than the subsequent tiers of pulse laser and plasma. Pulse lasers also have double the crit chance.

[Mephansteras]

After a bit of dicussion, it is decided that we should not wait any longer to upgrade our weapons to more potent versions. The aliens certainly out-class us in that department!


Another large contact is detected. We send up a fighter to investigate, but we give orders not to engage.


A different type than last time. What are they up to?


We get our answer soon enough. It seems these ships are the ones performing abductions.


Intel indicates light presence at the abduction site, so we decide to send in another training group.



Two events of note happened during the mission.

A new type of alien was detected. A mechanical flying squid by the looks of it. The team didn't leave it alive long enough to see what it does.


Also, one of those suited aliens spat some sort of acid over one of our troops. She managed to avoid taking any damage by hunkering down and staying still while it wore off.


Overall the mission was a success and our troops got valuable experience.




Another Scout ship is detected, and Flash is once again sent up to see if he can take it down


His experience with the alien vessals pays off, as he manages to down it before it escapes. His interceptor does sustain a fair bit of damage in the process, however.


We send in the last of the rookies into the battle. After this, all of our troops will have seen action against the Aliens at least once!


Only one major event of note that battle. A new alien type, some sort of assault soldier with cybernetic jetpacks implanted into it. They were nasty, but the troops did an excellent job taking them out.


Overall, another successful mission! We also captured a functioning alien Computer, which should give us the opportunity to study their technology in better detail.




Gauss weapons also do more damage than beam lasers and have a chance to ignore some armor, but lack the lasers bonus to hit, so it's a trade-off between Beam and Gauss. Pulse lasers I haven't compared to Gauss, and Plasma is generally going to be better than anything else.

[Toaster]

Except for the price tag.  IIRC the pulse lasers have bonus to crit chance.


Also, a team of rookies hitting floaters and taking no losses?  I commend you, good sir.

[UXLZ]

Urgh, that's unfortunate. I guess I could pretend it's new, highly experimental technology when we get up to Plasma-based stuff, but I really dislike the idea of using energy weapons. I don't know why, but I've never really been a fan of them. (Unless they were melee.) I really want to stick to this design as much as possible, because the weapon is freaking awesome. (It does look a little silly though. The girth of the barrel is enormous, at least it seems that way to me.)

Example: http://starcraft.wikia.com/wiki/File:C-20A_SC-G_Cncpt2.jpg

[Toaster]

Plasma is expensive enough that I think that if you want to keep using gauss, no one will complain.  Not my game, of course.

[Mephansteras]

Also, a team of rookies hitting floaters and taking no losses?  I commend you, good sir.

Well, there was an Assault in that group as well. He was rather important. But the rookies did do an excellent job that mission. Especially the guy who has a 58 aim and managed 3 kills anyway. I was very impressed with his results.

Urgh, that's unfortunate. I guess I could pretend it's new, highly experimental technology when we get up to Plasma-based stuff, but I really dislike the idea of using energy weapons. I don't know why, but I've never really been a fan of them. (Unless they were melee.) I really want to stick to this design as much as possible, because the weapon is freaking awesome. (It does look a little silly though. The girth of the barrel is enormous, at least it seems that way to me.)

You're a scout, so that's fine. Much like Ghosts in Starcraft, actually dealing damage is only one aspect of your role.

[UXLZ]

Urgh, that's unfortunate. I guess I could pretend it's new, highly experimental technology when we get up to Plasma-based stuff, but I really dislike the idea of using energy weapons. I don't know why, but I've never really been a fan of them. (Unless they were melee.) I really want to stick to this design as much as possible, because the weapon is freaking awesome. (It does look a little silly though. The girth of the barrel is enormous, at least it seems that way to me.)

You're a scout, so that's fine. Much like Ghosts in Starcraft, actually dealing damage is only one aspect of your role.

Maybe I should read up on what my class actually does... As well as what my progression options actually are as well.

I'm glad to hear I'll be able to keep away from plasma/laser based weaponry without being a liability to the team, though.

[crazysheep]

Good to see Flash splashing them UFOs without dying :3

[Mephansteras]

The access lift is completed and we begin excavations on the second level



The Operations room erupts in a flurry of activity as two alien scout ships are sighted over Africa!


Fighters are launched to intercept. Unfortunately, the first alien craft proves much too tough and our interceptor has to pull out after sustaining heavy damage.


The craft escapes before our second interceptor can engage.


The other alien craft is not so lucky, and is downed with only light damage to our own craft


There is alien activity at the crash site, so the troops are ordered to prepare for battle


A team of fresh troops is assembled for the mission and outfitted with some of our latest equipment


And so begins Operation Blinding Knife

Spoiler: Operation Blinding Knife (click to show/hide)

The troops make their way to the crash site. It is in a major city center, underneath a highway overpass near a gas station and convenience store.


The squad moves up to secure the convenience store, and hears alien activity off towards the right


Taking a vantage point up on the roof, Vector spots a group of the strange cybernetic aliens lurking near the fence. She is spotted as well, and they scatter.


Agalia blasts them with an HE grenade, destroying a bit of the fence that was concealing them and damaging all three of the aliens


Greene sends in a Shredder rocket, but it veers off course and does little damage to them.


The aliens retaliate, but Kaos' suppression fire keeps Vector safe


Meanwhile, one of the aliens uses its jet pack to launch itself behind our troops!



Vector is not amused


Agalia gifts the remaining two aliens with an AP grenade, killing one and badly damaging the other


Which is filled with lead by Kaos


That taken care of, the squad advances on the crashed ship


And spots one of those strange canisters sitting on top of the alien craft, for whatever reason. Looks like we won't be gettting that one.


More sounds from the ship and the surrounding area. Multiple alien groups...this could get bad.



The squad prepares to breach the heavily defended craft, and Kaos catches sight of the crystal alien.


And a pack of the cybernetic aliens.


Agalia attempts to destroy the cover of the crystal alien, but only manages to lightly damage it.


Meanwhile, Greene tries to take out the pack of floaters with a rocket, but only manages to hit one of them with a little bit of shrapnel.


Vector tries to finish it off, but the hit is just shy of leathal


Kaos pins down the crystal alien, and the squad prepares for the alien counter attack


Fortunately, they mostly get into defensive positions. Once Alien reinforcements arrive, the reason becomes clear.


Our troops take the opportunity to reposition to deal with the new threat, and Kaos continues to pin down the crystal alien


The grey aliens attempt to psychicly assault our troops, but the will of our hardened troops is not so easily broken



It is quite likely that Kaos' calm under pressure saved her life, as her barrage of bullets forces the crystal alien's attack to go wide


Greene kicks off our next offensive by blasting the aliens with a well placed rocket, killing several and causing major damage to another


Delta one has moved into a good position and gets a nasty hit on the crystal alien


Followed by a devestating hit from Villiams battle rifle


And finished up with a crack shot by Vector


That threat taken care of, Delta One uses his battle scanner to give us eyes on the aliens cowering back behind the ship


Which Vector takes full advantage off, picking off the alien providing a psychic boost to its allies


Realizing that their position is compromized, the remaining aliens rush forward


But thier aim is poor


And Greene takes out final floater


While Vector cleans up the last remaining sectoid




Great mission all around! Four promotions to Lance Corporal and not a hit suffered on the entire team!


I did forget to put the Marksmans scope on Delta One, though, which is unfortunate. Could have used the squad site a few times, and a proper Scope on Villiams would have been handy as well.

Spoiler: Soldiers (click to show/hide)

Max, you can choose between Covering Fire (overwatch triggers on alien attacks in addition to movement and +3 Aim), Rapid Reaction (Successful overwatch hits grant additional opportunities for overwatch, up to 3 and +3 Aim), and Heat Ammo (Bonus rocket damage to Mechanical units)


Darkening Kaos, you can choose between Covering Fire (overwatch triggers on alien attacks in addition to movement and +3 Aim), Flush (A low damage attack with a high chance to hit that forces aliens to move), and Holotargeting (Gives allies +10 to hit any enemy you attack or suppress). Flush stacks with the ammo types you can get later on, so its often used for finishing off badly injured aliens.


Vector, you can choose between Low Profile (Half cover counts as Full cover), Gunslinger (+1 Damage with pistols and removes pistol aim penalties), or Lone Wolf (+10 Aim and Critical if no allies are within 7 tiles)


RAM, you can choose between Steadfast (Ignore many panic effects and +5 Will), Executioner (+10 Aim & Critical vs badly damaged aliens), or Covering Fire (overwatch triggers on alien attacks in addition to movement and +3 Aim)

[MaximumZero]

I'll take Covering Fire, please.

[Toaster]

Good to see I wasn't entirely useless.  If it'll save you some time, I'll grab Sapper if I level up before eating plasma in the face.

[Darkening Kaos]

   I'll take Holo-Targeting.  Even if I miss, others will have a better chance.

   Putting in an early vote for Armour-based research next.

[Parsely]

Is Jacques out of the hospital yet?

[Mephansteras]

Is Jacques out of the hospital yet?

Nope, Jacques and Jack are both still stuck in sick bay. They'll be out in just a few days, though.

[Vector]

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