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[RoseHeart]

Spoiler: old, see next post (click to show/hide)

Alright, thanks.

[Surprise and Capture]

Ground forces take on an unsuspecting target, such as a corrupted vip or "suspicious activity" in progress.


Better?
or..

Ground forces take on an unsuspecting target, such as kidnapping a corrupted vip in a vulnerable situation or infiltrating "suspicious activity" in progress, as soon as they are detected.

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
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[RoseHeart]

[Surprise and Capture]


A covert mission profile where the enemy is caught off guard, such as kidnapping a corrupted vip when vulnerable, or intercepting xeno activity in urban areas as soon as it is detected.

XenoCeramics(1):Blood_Librarian
AC&AT(0):
Jackdaw(1):Stabby
Surprise&Capture(1):roseheart

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
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[Madman198237]

Advanced Alien-Combating Equipment (ACE)
Made of an improved polymeric fiber (Like Kevlar but less prone to getting denatured) that's highly resistant to heat, and with a set of small, thin, scale-like plates covering the vitals and head, made of ceramics similar to those used on the Space Shuttle (The not-fragile ones used on later flights), this armor promises to be much, much better at keeping our soldiers alive. The helmet covers a lot of the head and has a thin Plexiglas faceplate, and has two small cameras and a powerful light. The smaller camera is a simple visual-wavelength camera, above which is mounted the light. The other camera is mounted on the opposite side of the helmet, and operates in infrared. It comes with an integrated Land Warrior-based HUD (projected onto the faceplate in a configuration chosen by the soldier) and battlefield-control system uplink package, as well as the wrist-mounted buttons to control it. The LW system is reprogrammed to accept data from the soldier's camera systems, as well as drone feeds and feeds from the rest of his squad when desired. The radio broadcasts are retransmitted by the transport craft, allowing Command to show objectives on the HUD.

I'd prefer something like TAV to be the next design, basically taking this from an advanced Land Warrior to something much, much more powerful, capable of displaying things from others' points of view as an overlay, i.e., classic sci-fi see-them-through-the-wall stuff.

ESPECIALLY if we make a fly-sized drone with cameras.

XenoCeramics(1):Blood_Librarian
AC&AT(0):
Jackdaw(1):Stabby
Surprise&Capture(1):roseheart
ACE: (1) Madman

[RoseHeart]

Seems good. Perhaps if Down and Capture can be revised to create Surprise and Capture, then we can do both ACE and S&C.

Consider adding a grapple.

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
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[Madman198237]

I'm going to write up a tactics design here shortly. Do remember that we have an EXTRA design for a new mission type this turn, which means we HAVE to design some equipment since we so sorely lack infantry capabilities. So, separate your votes into the proper categories!

Regular Designs
XenoCeramics(1):Blood_Librarian
Jackdaw(1):Stabby
ACE: (1) Madman


Tactics Design
Surprise&Capture(1):roseheart

I'm not really sure what AC&AT is, it doesn't mention anything. Is it a tactic, or a piece of equipment (What's the "Arc Thrower" part of this mess?)? It has no fluff.

[RoseHeart]

They are from newcom atleast, tasers basically.

Regular Designs
XenoCeramics(1):Blood_Librarian
Jackdaw(1):Stabby
ACE(2):Madman, roseheart

Mission Design
Surprise&Capture(1):roseheart

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
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[Cnidaros]

Alright, we seem to have gotten a good victory here. Some ideas:

XPR-1 Plasma Rifle (using Alien Equipment Token)
By studying the recovered alien weapons, our scientists and engineers attempt to understand the principles of plasma weaponry and replicate it for X-COM troopers to use. The first attempt at such a weapon is not ambitious, copying its mechanisms from alien examples with only minor changes where necessary for humans to wield them.

Could break into the field of plasma weapons early. Given that it's pretty clearly telegraphed in the report that the aliens have subpar (no) armour, we can expect them to revise their own alien alloy armor, so this forestalls that for next turn.

"Mosquito" Combat Drone (using Alien Alloy and Alien Equipment Tokens)
A medium sized quadcopter, either connected by satellite uplink to its controllers back at base, or to local operators in the Skyranger. The drone is equipped with two weapons: a dartgun that fires syringe darts filled with either tranquilisers or poisons; and a taser that fires electrodes. Where necessary, downed alien scout drones are disassembled for inspiration as to how to fit all these systems together in a reasonably small drone. Alternatively, both weapons can be replaced with a single light machinegun. Alien alloy is also used in the quadcopter frame and blades, hopefully allowing it to take one or two plasma shots instead of going down immediately when hit. In combat, the drones are primarily intended to capture alien combatants, and support our troopers if needed.

Because it'll be funny to steal their scout drone idea and do it better than them. Also, as roseheart said, we need to get around to capturing some of them sometime. Using AA armour here will also give us experience in shaping it for a later soldier armour design that's ergonomic.

Mission Type: Combined Arms
This mission emphasises the synergy of air assets and ground troops. While our troops conduct the ground assault, aircraft overhead fire extra missiles into the grounded UFO, breaching a hole for our troops to storm it. Additional fire, either in the form of missiles or strafing runs, can be called down on enemy positions by commanders on the ground, who have direct communication to HQ and the pilots for better coordination. If the reconnaissance UAV is still airborne, it is used by command staff to update ground commanders on the tactical situation.

Basically get air support, and breach that UFO. Hopefully those missiles aren't nuclear? Also kind of fixes the recon UAV idea from earlier, as I thought it would help our battle tactics to have aerial recon, but it doesn't seem to be doing that.

Edit: Votebox:

Regular Designs
XenoCeramics(1):Blood_Librarian
Jackdaw(1):Stabby
ACE(2):Madman, roseheart
XPR-1 Plasma Rifle (0):
Mosquito Combat Drone (1): Cnidaros

Mission Design
Surprise&Capture(1):roseheart
Combined Arms(1): Cnidaros

Surprise and Capture is super vague, and it seems like what we are already doing. I mean, I assume we are doing our best to catch them off-guard by intercepting their missions as soon as we detect them, and I assume we're not putting in calls to Ethereal HQ to warn them. Unless you mean stuff like setting the Skyranger down further away and infiltrating on foot?

[Strongpoint]

Mission Type: Combined Arms
This mission emphasises the synergy of air assets and ground troops. While our troops conduct the ground assault, the Raven overhead fires extra missiles into the grounded UFO, breaching a hole for our troops to storm it. Additional fire can be called down on enemy positions by commanders on the ground, who have direct communication to HQ and the pilots for better coordination. If the reconnaissance UAV is still airborne, it is used by command staff to update ground commanders on the tactical situation.

This can be achieved by revising down and capture. I am not a fan of wasting a design action on it.

Regular Designs
XenoCeramics(1):Blood_Librarian
Jackdaw(1):Stabby
ACE(2):Madman, roseheart
XPR-1 Plasma Rifle (0):
Mosquito Combat Drone (2): Cnidaros, Strongpoint

Mission Design
Surprise&Capture(1):roseheart
Combined Arms(1): Cnidaros

On other hand I like drone idea, the only part that worries me is satellite uplink. They may leave us without sattelites quite easily

[RoseHeart]

Surprise and Capture is super vague, and it seems like what we are already doing.

Perhaps it was, but with the GMs help it isn't now. We won't even be informed about their activities outside of abductions if we don't ask for and are able to respond to that information.

GM question: how do we get countries back, isn't that the the council's job?

You design some kind of trust building mission profile, like taking out alien bases or kidnapping corrupted heads of states or something like that.

This stuff is happening. Our UFO based missions do not suffice for this problem.

Regular Designs
XenoCeramics(1): Blood_Librarian
Jackdaw(1): Stabby
ACE(1): Madman
XPR-1 Plasma Rifle(0):
Mosquito Combat Drone(3): Cnidaros, Strongpoint, roseheart

Mission Design
Surprise&Capture(1): roseheart
Combined Arms(1): Cnidaros

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
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[Strongpoint]

I really love the drone idea... But I think it can be done better. And I don't think that capturing aliens should be our focus ATM. And I am worried that they got the same info from GM > guys, you need armor. Neither I think that we need to focus on improving infantry. We need to make versatile designs that help us everywhere.

X-R-Drone (using both tokens)
X-R drone is a really small jet aircraft. Unmanned jet aircraft. It can be controlled either through satellite uplink or from nearby Skyranger. It is armed with a high caliber automatic cannon with AP bullets and have an underfuselage mount for a single avalanche, air to ground missile, or a bunker buster bomb modified to punch through roofs of enemy UFOs. X-Rs have brand new jet engines, built with the use of new alien derived alloys and advanced electronic suite built by using experience from disassembling enemy scout drones. X-Rs are fast and have high payload, unfortunately that comes for a cost of a small range. Fortunately new system is developed that allows X-Rs to be attached on Skyranger fuselage and launched when needed. X-R drone is capable to both engage with enemy UFOs and provide ground support for X-COM squads. (Can be bought with either V(Suffers from reduced range) or E (need Skyranger to transport it, that Skyranger still can carry troops))

Such design is flexible and helps us anywhere. It gives us tons of useful experience for airforce and drone construction. It gives anti-armor weapon for our squads. It is something that is extremely hard to shot down with plasma pistol because jet speed is a jet speed, you need a dedicated AA weapon to shoot it down. It goes great with ground attack missions should we create one. It even gives Skyranger some weapon to defend itself.


10ebbor10 Is such V\E cost scheme legal?

[RoseHeart]

A covert mission profile where the enemy is caught off guard, such as kidnapping a corrupted vip when vulnerable, or intercepting "suspicious activity" as soon as it is detected.

A covert mission profile where the enemy is caught off guard, such as kidnapping a corrupted vip when vulnerable, or intercepting xeno activity in urban areas as soon as it is detected.

Edited the original, as has only my vote.

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
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[Madman198237]

Guys, are problem is presently the inability to survive contact with the enemy, in addition to our possibly-coming inability to kill them. Personally I think if they've got some sort of miracle alloy that's indestructible to bullets on an infantry scale, it should be impossible for anything short of a nuclear weapon to down their vessels, yet we're clearly NOT using nuclear missiles (EMP would down our own planes' control systems, which makes them incredibly hard to fly).

Ebbor, did we figure out what the silver crates were?

Hostile Engagement Location Protocol
By contacting the nations bogeys are descending towards, we can potentially have a heavily-armed reception committee of anti-ballistic-missile missiles, tanks, air force assets, and soldiers prepared to engage the UFOs before or immediately after landing. If an XCOM mission is en route to engage the targeted bogey(s), the nation will be asked to withhold the attack until and unless the XCOM mission fails, or needs heavy support to prevent the UFO's escape. Otherwise, the nation's forces will be expected to engage the vessels ASAP.

While we can really only expert world-class militaries to fight off a UFO insertion, this gives us the option to turn those militaries against our enemies, instead of having them be inexplicably unavailable for the whole "defending-the-world" thing. At worst, this will put a solid time limit on the enemy---if they wait long enough for the armored platoons to start rolling in, or the airstrikes to get scrambled, they lose by default. At best, we should be able to leave entire sections of the world (Specifically North America and Europe) alone most of the time. I don't care how advanced your weaponry is, if we can down you with fancy missiles the rest of the world's militaries can down you with slightly less fancy missiles in much, much greater numbers. Also, it forms a basis for this revision:

Adjusted Interceptor Missiles
The world happens to have a lot of ballistic missile interceptor missiles, such as the THAAD system deployed by the US Military. UFOs enter the atmosphere at high speeds, from high altitude (duh). Ballistic missiles do the same. A simple adjustment to the missiles' tracking systems (To track entire flying-saucer bogeys, instead of tiny MIRV warheads) allows us to shoot down bogeys with style, with no pilots or incredibly expensive jets at risk---just somewhat expensive missiles that have been in production since the Cold War.

[Strongpoint]

Guys, are problem is presently the inability to survive contact with the enemy, in addition to our possibly-coming inability to kill them.

Our main problem is that we have serious problems with intercepting all UFOs...

Also, I suspect the enemy got the same message from GM > your armor is inadequate and they will create us problems here.

[10ebbor10]

10ebbor10 Is such V\E cost scheme legal?

It's possible for a design to use either V points or E points. I wont guarantee I'll give it to you like that.

Ebbor, did we figure out what the silver crates were?

Oh, I forgot to mention those.

They were recovered, sealed. Opening them revealed a bunch of organic and inorganic elements at roughly 2000 Kelvin. Speculation is either a novelty space heater or something that was equipped with a self destruct.

[Chiefwaffles]

I would vote for armor (if it used the alloys token) but we are dangerously close to the aliens easily beating us at ground:

However, our lack of advanced equipment is so far mitigated only by a strange desire of our enemy not to wear any sort of armor, or even clothing. Given the armor technology of their UFO's, they could certainly deploy armor we can not penetrate with current infantry weaponry.

We should probably make sure this can't happen.

I'm okay with any type of weapon other than plasma, really, if people want to avoid mimicking XCOM too much. I'd also be willing to write out the designs for different types of weapons if people give me the base concept.
Design: XH1 Laser Rifle (Use Equipment Token)
While studying the principles of plasma used by the aliens is still a bit too ambitious for us, we can learn from their weapons and equipment. We can't decipher how the weapons generate and maintain a cohesive bolt of plasma (and many other parts of the weapons) but we can learn how they store enough power to do so.
The alien batteries may not even be the primary method of power generation in their equipment, but tests in the laboratory reveal that they're more than good enough to fit lethal laser generation in a rifle-sized package using these alien batteries.

The XH1 Laser Rifle will be extremely accurate and able to pierce their alloys based on some tests. We also hope that sustained use of it will be able to eventually cut through alien hulls, but that's not a particular design goal.

DESIGN
XenoCeramics(1): Blood_Librarian
Jackdaw(1): Stabby
ACE(1): Madman
XPR-1 Plasma Rifle(0):
Mosquito Combat Drone(3): Cnidaros, Strongpoint, roseheart
XH1 Laser Rifle (1): Chiefwaffles

MISSION DESIGN
Surprise&Capture(1): roseheart
Combined Arms(1): Cnidaros
Hostile Engagement Location Protocol (1): Chiefwaffles

PSEUDOEDIT:
Okay so the silver crates are definitely Meld. If we want to mess around with genetics/cool cybernetic soldiers we should look into successfully securing the stuff.