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[Blood_Librarian]

When I say bullets, I mean ano tank sized rounds from rifles of similar quality. They will have the fins slash manuverability that would be possible with current technology.  They would be most useful I'm situation thst they are naturally advantagious. 100 meters and above.

The Operator would either designate a target or blind fire with the commands placed. The bullet has the ability to change its aerodynamic profile so that high energy manuverin isn't required.

The bullet, whether it's remotely controlled or autonomous,  also has its built in programming this means that it guides itself to the enemy target as well as the manually committed commands. The rounds would typically have explosive or perhaps chemical payloads to take down the enemy, and of required it could detonate mid air.

When I say Program, it isn't litterally typing in commands and hacking it (unless the soldier wants it to be), it could be optimized so that a target has to designate the range and shoot ( or much more of we had the capability to do more to Input)

Utilizing the program isn't the problem.

I find it harsh that you say "never". At the very least snipers or marksman in long range fights would be more accurate by a huge degree if the can change the bullets aerodynamics mid air with programming.

[Madman198237]

But it's still not feasible. We probably won't be deploying tanks unless something drastically changes, and even then firing at 100 meters means you have LESS THAN (Tank shells travel at speeds greater than 1000 m/s) 1/10 of a second (TOTAL!) to change course. That's not enough time. Blind firing with commands placed is just a fancier way of missing your target, by the way.

Yes, let's use a modern grenade launcher with airburst functionality instead. That gets us EVERYTHING WE NEED, with none of the just-gonna-ignore-these-laws-of-physics that is required by your method of bending the flight paths of bullets substantially.

[Blood_Librarian]

Apologies, I meant to say "Anti-Tank round", not rounds from an actual tank. The smart rounds would be at the very most, fired from Automatic Weapons from either an exosuit-wearing individual or a sniper rifle designed to take out materiel adapted for anti-alien usage.

 Computers think much faster than a person to the point where miliseconds is enough time to be cutting it without alien technology. It would be idiotic to assume that only the person would be the one controlling the weapon. Manual commands are the way that the User would allow the weapon to steer into the general direction of the target (Go down the street and make a hard left, eg). The bullet itself will also have automatic systems designed to guide the weapon in ways the user cannot fully express themselves in. This is possible because the rounds are small enough that even small changes to their aerodynamic profile can result in massive changes to where it hits over a hundred meters.

With the proposed "smart munitions", A soldier would be able to use a grenade launcher that goes into a building, and then steer into a room to kill an individual. A sniper with an appropriately sized rifle could theoretically make shots through buildings or form extremely far away locations. (Armor piercing Round that goes through a building to kill an enemy, Shooting from an airplane to kill an enemy combatant. Aircraft weapon that provides sniper level accurate fire.)

It also opens up the way for automated machines, because if the user is only there to "start" the path while the computer handles everything else, the user could be eliminated in the long term.)

Far more then a grenade launcher with a airburst functionality, as this is the evolution of such a weapon that gives us ways of dealing with threats that would otherwise be impossible.

[10ebbor10]

Revision

NOTSOFT Enhanced Retention (NOTSOFTER)
By borrowing a few SAS, SEAL, and yes, even a couple Spetsnaz trainers, we hope to bring our program up to its original specifications. The apparent focus on brutality is to be discarded for a focus on efficiency and training value. Instead of raw brutality, we will have hard training regimens with a purpose. Also, there's no reason for permanent injuries in a reasonable training regimen. Whatever weird thing is causing those, we got rid of it. Strained muscles and bruises are to be expected, even broken bones if, for example. However, it should not be so traumatic as to permanently debilitate them, that's just ridiculous.

Easy : 4 + 3 +1 ( Unexpected Boon

It turns out that bringing in outside help was exactly what the NOTSOFT program needed. The new NOTSOFTER program is a hard, fair and most importantly efficient training program, that gives our forces all the training they could potentially need on their basic set of equipment. Removing the undue harshness and injuries has dramatically increased retention rates, and has had a significant positive effect upon our forces.
In essence, the new NOTSOFTER program is the ultimate result in effective training standards. Any further improvement would neither unconventional approaches, or focus on specialization.

In other news, several of our officers have taken the opportunity to develop ties with the various organisations from which we have drawn our new trainers. Although a bureaucratic quagmire, the possibility now exists to "borrow" a few forces should we so require.

UFO DETECTED

Craft(s): Small/ Very Small
Destination: Japan
Current Trajectory : Landed, Preparing for take-off
Squads Present : 1*Sectoid, 1*Scout Drone, Mysterious Boxes

Bogey 004 and 005 were detected together, operating in a lightly populated area in Southern Japan. Thanks to local forces, we have plenty of UAV footage on the threat. Bogey 004 appears to be an ordinary UFO, the same type we've shot down twice before. Imagery indicates that the aliens are present in the same numbers as they were in Nigeria:  one groups consisting of "Sectoids" and another group of silvery drones referred to as Scout Drones. Their objective too appears to be the same, the non-lethal capture of as many humans as they can find.

We appear to have caught them just as they're ending their operation. Video footage shows the Sectoid loading their UFO with humans as well as mysterious glowing boxes that we have not seen before. We can only speculate as to their purpose, but they seem important. Certainly the sectoids show more care with them as with their human captives.

Our information on Bogey 005 is limited, consisting of a single fragmented picture taken just before it blaster the UAV out of the sky. It appears to be smaller, but that's all we can say.

Craft(s): Small/ Very Small
Destination: Brazil
Current Trajectory : Low altitude, Leading for Landing

Military radar systems have spotted what we believe to be Bogey 006 and 007. They appear to be flying at low altitude, likely on final approach to land. We do not have much information, we do know that there are 2 UFO's, each the same size or smaller than the UFO's we saw last month.

Spoiler: Technology (click to show/hide)

Vehicles

Raven (Interceptor) : Way beyond the bleeding edge of technology, the Raven is far beyond any other jet fighter ever build on Earth. With upgraded avionics, adjusted tracking, and advanced pulse detonation engines, the Raven is capable of pursuing even high speed alien craft. If needed, it can use it's avalanche missiles to shoot down any intruders.   Cost :   2  VP

Skyranger (Troop Transport) : World's first supersonic troop transport. The Skyranger is high speed, heavily armored troop transport, capable of deploying and retrieving a single squad of soldiers in various situations. Cost : 1 VP

Equipment

Basic XCOM Rifle : XCOM's standard rifle. Cutting edge, custom designed, yet still affordable. Part of standard equipment.
Cost : 0

Basic XCOM Grenade : A simple grenade. Activate, throw, explode. Part of standard equipment.
Cost : 0

BASIC XCOM PISTOL : A simple, highpower pistol. It packs a pretty heavy punch, making it an effective if chalkenging sidearm Part of standard equipment.
Cost : 0

Training Program

Rookie Training Program : A basic introduction to the entire Xcom project. The absolute minimum that any soldier needs to know to operate successfully at XCOM. Cost : 1 Unit Points.

NOTSOFTER training regimen : A hard, effective international training regime, that gives our soldiers the tools and capacity to deal with aliens. Trains forces to a standard marginally higher than that attained by most special force units Cost : 1 Unit Points.

Inter Agency Cooperation teams : As part of ties developed through the NOTSOFTER training regime, we now have the capability of drawing upon special force teams. They're not as well suited to fight aliens as we're however, and nations will object if we keep losing them. Cost 1 Unit Point    [SPECIAL : Can't use XCOM GEAR, No vehicle needed for deployment when used in North America or Europe]

Mission Profiles

Interception : A simple mission profile that focuses on intercepting an alien vessel as soon as it's detected, destroying it before it can do any damage to any innocent people.

Down and Capture : A more complicated mission profile that focuses on downing an alien vessel (or waiting for it to land), and then storming it with ground forces.

XCOM Resources

Island Mountain HQ [An isolated, hidden underground base on a remote island in the Aegean]
Aereal reconnaissance program : A simple program that allows us to requisition drone reconnaissance on suspected UFO sites.

6 VP
3 UP
3 EP

You have now entered the Intercept phase.

Using your available resources, create as many missions as you want to attack any of the targets on the list above.

Example :

1 Raven [Intercept Bogey 001]

Or

1 Skyranger [Down and Capture Bogey 002]
1 Rookie Squad

AABBCCDD

[Strongpoint]

A hard, effective international training regime, that gives our soldiers the tools and capacity to deal with aliens. Trains forces to a standard marginally higher than that attained by most special force units Cost : 1 Unit Points.

I never expected that... nice.

We can consider sending two ravens and two Skyrangers, one in in each direction... But this looks super risky against two UFOs. I think we should let one go and send two Ravens and two Skyrangers to another. We need to get something to study.

Plan Carnaval
[Down and Capture Bogeys 006 and 007]
2 Ravens
2 Skyrangers
-2 NOTSOFTER units

Plan Carnaval (1) Strongpoint

[Blood_Librarian]

6 VP
3 UP
3 EP

2 Ravens and 2 Skyrangers are sent out. The Skyrangers are equipped with  NOTSOFTOR troops. (Why haven't we designed any equipment?)

For 004/5, Ranger 001 and Raven 001 will be deployed. Ranger will land, and attempt to take down the UFO site of 004. the Raven will attempt to destroy 005 and then provide support for the mission against 004 afterward. A single  NOTSOFTER Unit will be on standby to be picked up by the skyranger should 005 have living entities for the second engangement.

Ranger 002 and Raven 002 will attempt to attempt to down ONE UFO, and land on it, Letting the Ranger put troops down on the ground, the Raven will act essentially as gaurd, keeping the flying UFO off balance, if possible a second UFO cna be downed, but it will be bombed.

Operation Rising Storm

Plan Carnaval (1): Strongpoint
Operation Rising Storm (1):Blood_librarian

[Strongpoint]

They are taking off in Japan. We have no teleports. Chances are that single Raven will need to fight vs two UFOs in the air. Do you like the chances? I don't. Especially considering that their UFO is new, it is at least revision worth of improvement versus stock Raven

[RoseHeart]

rSR1

roseheart's Strategic Report #1

Fact Sheet
•They have increased UFO deployment (3 to 4)
•Not all UFOs are familiar
•Their ground forces have not shown new units
•They have new "boxes" of unknown, high value purpose
•They are aware of our drones

Extrapolation
They have spent at least some resources on UFOs, and perhaps some creating the boxes. Since we are only at turn 2, this is all or most of what our adversary in the sky has been up to.
We must not let them leave with those boxes.

It is highly doubtful the boxes will be used to aid craft development, thus they are likely planning, satified with their UFO upgrades, to shift focus on new alien units.

I would recommend we pressure their UFOs this turn.

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
/\ •V I G I L O• /\\
/\ \C O N F I D O/ /\\

[Madman198237]

2 Ravens to intercept the landing UFOs, two Skyrangers to tackle the landed ones. Those small ones are counter-interceptor/fighter UFOs, I can almost guarantee it. There's no other reason for them to deploy smaller craft.

I don't think we can order our Ravens to down the smaller ones first, otherwise I'd have them try it.... But for now:

Operation Sledgehammer

[Intercept Bogeys 006, 007]
2 Ravens

[Down and Capture Bogeys 004, 005]
2 Skyrangers
2 squads NOTSOFTER troopers

Two Ravens will hopefully be enough to bring those things down, even if they've got a new fighter. The other bogey is going to hopefully get swamped in numbers. Man I wish we had developed the armor suit.

Plan Carnaval (1): Strongpoint
Operation Rising Storm (1):Blood_librarian
Operation Sledgehammer: (1) Madman

[RoseHeart]

deleted. Thought we had more unit points.
We are taking a risk, no matter what we do.

Head to head our ground units lose, miserably.
Our aircraft "were" on par.

Any battle in the air or on land we make, we need an advantage.

I will only vote for a plan that acknowledges these realities.

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
/\ •V I G I L O• /\\
/\ \C O N F I D O/ /\\

[Strongpoint]

Madman198237 You want to send unarmed Skyranger against an armed UFO that shot down an UAV drone, right? I want to know, how do you think, what stops it from shooting down Skyranger(s)? And what will Skyrangers do if they arrive after both UFOs are in the air?

[Chiefwaffles]

The most important thing is to capture the landed UFO (whilst preventing its escort from shooting down Skyrangers). The other UFOs can be put off for now.

Operation Burning Shroud
[Down and Capture Bogeys 004, 005]
1 Raven (Escort Skyrangers & Intercept escort)
3 Skyrangers
3 Squads NOTSOFTER troopers

If they developed some kind of escort (which seems likely) for their UFOs, that means they likely skimped on ground designs. Meanwhile, we greatly improved the strength of our forces - a NOTSOFTER squad should be substantially better than a NOTSOFT squad, and we can afford three times the number of squads. I'm fairly confident in ground success.
Not so much in aerospace success, which doesn't matter as much because we need to get our foot in the door alien tech-wise.

So we spend most of our efforts on making sure we can secure the ground, and also get a Raven in order to make sure our Skyrangers don't get shot down by whatever shot down the UAV.

Plan Carnaval (1): Strongpoint
Operation Rising Storm (1):Blood_librarian
Operation Sledgehammer (1): Madman
Operation Burning Shroud (1): Chiefwaffles

Sidenote: there's apparently an XCOM random mission name generator available online. Never will I run out of operation names now!

[Madman198237]

I'm making the assumption that our guys DON'T have a built-in idiot-ball, and can decide "Hey it shoots down drones, we're going to land a little ways away, OK?"

[RoseHeart]

Plan Carnival
Pros:
-Focused attack on 006 + 007 ups %.
-Chance to get spacecraft and weapon tech.
Cons:
-004 + 005 escape with boxes, likely improving units faster.

Summary/Consequences: This plan will be a trade. Aliens WILL benefit. We, MAY benefit, possibly a lot, possibly not at all/be eliminated.


Rising Storm
This plan unfortunately is too low % to consider closely.


Sledghammer
Resources spread too thin.


Burning Shroud
I believe this to be an improved delegation of resources over Carnival. But Carnival has better priorities.



This is a bad round for us on the best of days. Yet I see no better option than a trade.

For this round to have been a positive, we'd have needed either VP and or improved Ravens to handled 2 locations.
My prayer is we can get some shield tech to add to the ravens.
Their firepower is not in question so much as their survivability.

  X•COM TRUSTEE   
/\ •V I G I L O• /\\
/\ \C O N F I D O/ /\\

[Chiefwaffles]

If they have an escort UFO patrolling the area, we'd probably have to land the Skyrangers an impractical distance away. That and I'd really rather be safe here than have our Skyrangers shot out of the sky.