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[NUKE9.13]

Panic is one of our most potent weapons. Sure, destroying military targets will cause some panic. But proving that the military is unable to protect civilians (by attacking civilian targets whilst conventional military forces are helpless) will cause substantially more, I think.

Also, the destruction of a military base can be kept secret. Civilians can be kept away from the site, or they can claim it was decommissioned and used for target practice, or whatever. But it's a lot harder to cover up an attack on a town or city. 

What we can do is offer to cut down or eliminate civilian casualties in countries that cooperate with us.

[piratejoe]

I mean, if we destroy something like, say the Lackland Air Force Base or really any of the many of military instillation's nearby a city they likely won't be able to cover that up. Also, if we just go on a rampage killing a bunch of civilians only the really greedy, desperate, or stupid will want to work with us. Really, there are plenty of military bases right next to cities so not causing panic shouldn't be an issue.

[NUKE9.13]

Greedy, desperate, or stupid describes about 90% of humanity.

Or, to put it another way, the strategy of causing panic to make countries surrender has to work, as it is a central game mechanic.

[piratejoe]

When I said greedy, desperate, or stupid, I meant the REALLY greedy, desperate, or stupid. Besides, infiltration is different from panic, and it likely will help make it easier to do infiltration. Would you rather work with an enemy that's focusing on destroying military installations with their power or would you rather work with an enemy that's indiscriminately murdering people in big cities for no real strategic or tactical reason. And the negatives of slaughtering civilians in a city is multiplied should the attack be thwarted by Xcom, while if we strike a military base and fail, we'd not seem evil.

[Kashyyk]

Commiting acts of terror will cause people to panic, as it shows that no one can stop us. Once people panic enough, the country will stop funding xcom because they aren't protecting people. We can also use it add leverage when negotiating. We'll stop letting your people if you support us instead.

[piratejoe]

I feel like you are missing my point. Also, wouldn't completely leveling a military base not cause some panic? Especially if its one of the many military bases that are nearby cities?

[NUKE9.13]

I feel like you are missing my point. Also, wouldn't completely leveling a military base not cause some panic? Especially if its one of the many military bases that are nearby cities?

Your point appears to be that the GM has given us a self-sabotaging mission. Two, actually, since people probably also won’t appreciate being harvested.
We are the bad guys. And that’s okay. Ebbor is not the kind of GM to set up a game in which one side’s victory condition is unattainable through the means that are explicitly recommended to them.

[Kashyyk]

That's just how terrorism works. You commit utterly heinous acts in the most public way possible, to prove that your opponent is powerless to stop you. When people are terrified that the next attack will hurt someone they love, they will demand that the government stop it.

If the only way the government can stop it is by agreeing to a deal with us, then they are going to do it. That's how terrorism wins.

Attacking a military base will cause the military to panic, but it doesn't strike terror into the heart of the populace in the same way so it won't get the same affect.

It's basically the extreme form of a crime gang trashing your business and beating up your family until you agree to give them what they want.

[piratejoe]

I suppose my plan is more slowly infiltrate the governments while xcom is none the wiser instead of constantly shouting to Xcom "HEY WE ARE RIGHT HERE FOCUSING THIS PLACE IN PARTICULAR COME GET US!" Besides, abductions while likely not good for our image, aren't anywhere near as bad as, say, murdering people indiscriminately in the streets of LA. After all, half the time for all anyone knows, we just kidnapped them and what we did is up in the air and the other half the people just vanish without a trace.

[Failbird105]

Since you're looking for token ideas Ebbor, how about Animal DNA and(because of what we're doing right now) Ancient DNA? I remember the 'Earth DNA' tokens last time seemed to be just human DNA.

[10ebbor10]

Alien Revision Turn

One Ophanim is feeble, its Gifted song barely able to stun one man. Yet, as we all know, greater things are possible together. Through tireless study and effort, we have discovered a way for a group of Ophanim to link their psychic powers together as a Chorus of the Gift. This improves not just their organization, but their offensive capabilities as well.

When multiple voices join to sing, the collective power of them all is like a beacon. Working together, a Chorus of Ophanim is capable of working into an enemy's mind to assail it directly. The force of the assault, depending on how many voices join the Chorus, can damage it and also disorientate it.

Normal 2 + 2

We thought the Orphanim to sing. Organized in grand choirs, they pool their voices together. It's eerily beautiful, thrilling sagas that capture the mind and entrance it wonderful and truly bizarre scenarios. Music that creates visions of alien worlds, of the glory of the Ethereals, of the plight and suffering of the Orphanim. Any human who'd hear it would surely surrender their arms and give themselves.

Unfortunately, their feeble brains are not capable of understanding. They grasp only the barest hints, sufficient only to stun and disorient them, and in fear they lash out, hurting themselves  (fine) or the choir (not fine)

Orphanim : A tiny pancake shaped alien with way too many eyes. Floats using the gift, and can stun enemies. Unit cost : 0.5
---Orphanim Choir : In groups, Orphanim can sing, creating a stronger Gift based effect that can stun, disorient or panic enemies.

Plasma PDW
While the basic plasma pistol is dependable, we can do better. The Plasma PDW is at its core an enlarged plasma pistol with increased ammunition capacity allowing longer bursts of sustained fire, a faster rate of fire to utilize that increase in ammunition, and a slightly longer acceleration period to increase damage.

Normal : 1 + 4

The Plasma PDW is a slightly larger, slightly more dangerous, and slightly more expensive version of the basic plasma pistol. It's quick burst fire and decent lethality make it a good defensive weapon, though it still shares the pistol's weaknesses at longer range and versus stronger armor.

Plasma PDW : An enlarged version of the plasma pistol, capable of firing small bursts of plasma. (0.5 Equipment)

The life on Earth today is but a shadow of what roamed the planet in ancient times. Augmenting our forces with portions of Ancient DNA could make them considerably stronger and tougher than unaugmented forces, or those augmented with common or garden human DNA. The downside is that Ancient DNA is harder to acquire, and often damaged, meaning a successful mission may not result in as much usable DNA- but the added potency should make up for it.

Acquiring Ancient DNA does not require us to search for and excavate fossils, as conveniently the Earthlings have done so for us. Instead, this mission involves tracking human communications to determine where samples may be found- "Museums", "Universities", and "Palaeontology Dig Sites"-, then setting down and eliminating any local resistance, before bagging the bones (or amber, in some cases) and taking off again.

Normal : 4 +1

It's true. This world appears to have possessed many species now lost that could have served us well. But extinction need not be the end. The humans may believe that they now rule the world, displaying the bones of the rulers of old, but we shall give these bones a new beginning. With Gift and technology we can extract the essence and DNA from these long forgotten creatures, and turn them to flesh anew.

Acquisition of Ancient DNA Samples : A simple smash and grab mission directed at stockpiles of ancient and interesting human DNA.


The beginning of the war draws near. Soon our ships will descent from the skies and show the petty Earthlings who their true masters are. The final supplies are being unloaded now, the proceeds from a series of preliminary raids, and then the war shall start.

Alien Supplies (Pick 2)

The following 4 tokens are available.

2 Sets of Adaptive genes, extracted from Earth species, that should make it easier to allow our species to survive in Earth's biosphere without complex equipment.
1 Set of Superior genes, extracted from rare and powerful Earth Species.
1 Ethereal, willing to spare a minute of his time to work on one of our designs.

Spoiler: Equipment (click to show/hide)

Vehicles

Small scout : One of the tiniest vessels at your disposal, the Small scout is both cheap and reliable. Powered by a single Elerium core, the vessel makes decent speed, while carrying up to 2 units to their destination. It's equipped with a plasma turret for self defense . Cost : 1 VP

Equipment

Plasma Pistols : A basic simple sidearm that has been used in many pacification operations. The plasma pistol is a dependable bit of equipment that is light but not particularly powerful.

Plasma PDW : An enlarged version of the plasma pistol, capable of firing small bursts of plasma bolts. (0.5 EP)

Elerium Grenade : The elerium grenade is powerful handheld explosive. Cost : 1 EP

Meld Container : A container filled with the precious Meld, a substance that consists out of billions of cybernetic nanomachines that automatically capture, catalogue and analyse any foreign DNA they find. Greatly increases the effectiveness of recovery operations. If capture threathens, the container will perform an auto-sterilization cycle.  Cost : 1 EP

Aliens
Sectoid : A weak species with a limited capability for the gift. Nonetheless, their simple biology allows to easily clone these creatures and deploy them in great numbers.
Cost 1 UP

Orphanim : A tiny pancake shaped alien with way too many eyes. Floats using the gift, and can stun enemies. Unit cost : 0.5
---Orphanim Choir : In groups, Orphanim can sing, creating a stronger Gift based effect that can stun, disorient or panic enemies.

Misc

Mercurial Shipyards +1 VP next turn, +3 VP thereafter

Mission Profiles

Abduction : A basic mission that focuses on acquiring genetic material by abducting humans   
Raid : A basic mission that focuses on spreading fear by engaging in rampant destruction   
Infiltration  : A basic mission that tries to subtly contact sympathetic elements on Earth   
Acquisition of Ancient DNA Samples : A simple smash and grab mission directed at stockpiles of ancient and interesting human DNA.

Alien Resources

3+1 VP
6 UP
3 EP

Bases
Nigeria (Africa)
India (Asia)

Spoiler: Map (click to show/hide)

Africa
---> Egypt
---> South Africa
---> Nigeria

Asia
--->Australia
--->China
--->India
--->Japan

Europe
--->France
--->Germany
--->Russia
--->United Kingdom

North America
--->Canada
--->Mexico
--->United States

South America
--->Argentina
--->Brazil

Pick your tokens, and write 1 design. From now on, we'll follow proper turn order

TURNTURNTURN

[TricMagic]

Do we have to use them right away? I'd like to grab the ancient DNA first.

2 Adaptive Genes: (1) TricMagic
1 Superior Gene
1 Ethereal to help us for a design: (1) TricMagic

Mostly cause it would be nice to make a Velociraptor group.

As for a design, I'd suggest a better vehicle.

[10ebbor10]

Do we have to use them right away? I'd like to grab the ancient DNA first.

You can stockpile tokens.

[frostgiant]

2 Adaptive Genes: (2) TricMagic, Frostgiant
1 Superior Gene: (1) Frostgiant
1 Ethereal to help us for a design: (1) TricMagic

So many great options in the present animal kingdom, let alone those long past. Pistol shrimps and mantis shrimps are the ones that spring to mind rather quickly, Not to mention this that could happen if we manage to supercharge axolotl regeneration or something.
Super cordyceps anyone?

[10ebbor10]

Oh, just to clarify.

You don't get 2 adaptive genes for 1 pick. You can just choose to pick adaptive genes twice, getting 2 for 2 picks.