XCOM: Enemy Unknown aka the one where Haphazard dies repeatedly

[Ug the Barbarian]

We start in the usual forest type setting.

On the first turn deployment, we spot Sectoids without them reacting



We drop into overwatch positions for this turn.

In the aliens turn, we then encounter one of the games ‘features’. It looks like two alien patrol groups swapped positions faster than I could detect.



Anyway our one reaction shot from Sarlen had missed so we’re starting even.

Ug starts with a 94% shot on a floater which kills it and earns him a promotion

Mardoc is behind full cover on higher ground with a 45% shot. I would have preferred to use a grenade to remove cover but we’re just short of range to do so. He takes the shot and hits a floater for 2 pts damage.

Sareln advances to a full cover slot but saves his shot.
Xenin dashes forward behind a rock and tosses a grenade



It damages the cover and does 3pts damage to a floater

Brackard moves up and takes a 50% shot at the same floater but misses.
Pling advances to full cover but isn’t in sight so settles into Overwatch.

Sareln has a choice of two floater shots at 56% - she goes for the less damaged one, killing it and earning a promotion.

The aliens pull back on their turn

Sareln does a ‘Run & Gun’ move to a better position and hopefully reveal the enemy to shoot



The Sectoids are spotted but scatter out of sight again. Sareln settles for overwatch.
Xenin moves up behind a tree and spots a Sectoid in the UFO. He tries a 45% shot at it and succeeds in getting a kill.
Brackard, Ug and Pling settle into Overwatch but Mardoc has to dash to get to good cover.

A sectoid pops out of cover during the alien turn. Ug and Sareln compete for the kill but Sareln’s lightning reflexes let her shoot first and get the kill. A second moving Sectoid is then ignored.

Whilst Sareln reloads, Mardoc and Pling cautiously advance and go into overwatch. Brackard makes a dash on the right and gets up to the UFO hull. Xenin and Ug sit on Overwatch.

We hear alien movement to the left of the ship but neither the surviving floater or sectoid we’ve previously spotted show themselves.

Mardoc advances and spots the Sectoid hiding behind a tree. However he only has a 25% shot so waits. Sareln moves closer but can’t see the Sectoid for the trees so goes into overwatch. Pling, Xenin and Brackard overwatch as well.

Ug has a 54% shot on the Sectoid so has a try



He gets the kill

Three more Sectoids are spotted in the UFO during their turn. However reaction shots from Xenin, Brackard and Pling all miss.

One Sectoid remains visible – Brackard tries a 50% shot at it and gets the kill.
Ug reloads and everyone else sits in Overwatch but no aliens appear.

Sareln does a ‘Run & Gun’ dash around the left flank to behind the tree where the Sectoid had waited previously. No aliens are in sight so she settles into overwatch.
Pling tries a dash across the open ground in front of the UFO to get into cover on the left of the nearest doorway. Part way across, a sectoid spots her and hits her a glancing blow with its plasma bolts (2 pts damage) but she makes it to cover.

Pling’s courageous sprint allows Ug to see the damaged floater hiding away. Night night.



Brackard reloads and everyone else overwatches.

Pling moves further around the UFO hull and spots the remaining two Sectoids as well as revealing an Outsider



She opts for a grenade, killing one Sectoid and damaging the Outsider



Xenin tries a 55% shot at the Outsider and gets the kill

The remaining Sectoid tries for Pling but only shoots a large hole in the UFO hull.
Pling moves further around the hull to flank the Sectoid and tries a 70% shot but only shoots a hole in the far wall
Brackard has been working his way around the hull in the opposite direction and now takes a 50% shot on the alien to end the mission.

[Ug the Barbarian]

We get four promotions and have another Heavy (Mardoc) and Assault (Xenin)



Also plenty of goodies (6xSectoid Corpses, 3xFloater Corpses, 25xElerium, 60x Alien Alloys, 18 Weapon Fragments, 2x UFO Flight Computers and a UFO Power Source)

Ok notes – panic situation pretty much unchanged. Only a few hours remaining before excavation will allow building Alien Containment. Extra Power Generator and Workshop can be built immediately.

We could easily sell some of the following to get cash to fund this before month end.



I’d suggest ~11 Sectoid Corpses and 4 UFO Flight Computers

Promotions where selection available are:

Ug (Sniper) – Executioner or Opportunist. I’d definitely prefer Opportunist
Sareln (Assault) – Flush or Rapid Fire


The Save

[pling]

The remaining Sectoid tries for Pling but only shoots a large hole in the UFO hull.
Pling moves further around the hull to flank the Sectoid and tries a 70% shot but only shoots a hole in the far wall

Meant to miss, obviously ... only good sportsmanship to miss after the Sectoid did!

(You know that thing that cats do, where when they miss a jump they stalk off in a very dignified fashion pretending they meant to do that? That's the mental image you need for the above sentence )

[uberfish]

excellent mission Ug, another 2 recruits promoted!

Do we need to sell the computers? Can't we just sell off most of these sectoid and floater corpses

[haphazard1]

Nice work, Ug. More loot (less some grenade damage) and a bunch of promotions with no dead and only one wounded. Nice to see some classes other than support, as well. Now we just need a second sniper.

Also, am I the only one who saw Ug's squad selections and immediately thought "Whew, I can't die on this mission (since I am not going)"?

I would avoid selling too many flight computers -- we will need some for a sat nexus, assuming we want (and have engineers and resources for) one instead of an uplink. Corpses we can sell pretty freely, although we should keep enough of each type around to respond to a council request if we are lucky enough to get one.

We may want to invest in one more laser rifle, since we have expanded our squad size. But I think main priority now is to start the alien containment so we can begin capturing aliens and their weapons.

On satellites, I would wait until almost the end of the month. You get credit as long as they are assigned by month end -- you don't actually have to allow time for them to launch. So we can wait in case the panic situation changes. Also, depending on where we put them we will need interceptor(s), and if you assign them at the very end of the month you can use the monthly council money to pay for the interceptor(s) and still have them arrive in time to match the launch delay.

On promotions, I also like Opportunist more than Executioner. And Rapid Fire is way better than Flush, although that is up to Sareln.

[Ug the Barbarian]

I would avoid selling too many flight computers -- we will need some for a sat nexus, assuming we want (and have engineers and resources for) one instead of an uplink. Corpses we can sell pretty freely, although we should keep enough of each type around to respond to a council request if we are lucky enough to get one.

I mention the flight computers because you tend to capture them from most UFOs (more than power sources) and we won't need them for builds or research for at least 1-2 months. Corpses are always good seliing options - I'd just suggest keeping 8-9 Sectoids and Floaters for initial research(1) and possible council requests (usually 8-9). Keep any Chrysalid corpses for the armour

We may want to invest in one more laser rifle, since we have expanded our squad size. But I think main priority now is to start the alien containment so we can begin capturing aliens and their weapons.

On satellites, I would wait until almost the end of the month. You get credit as long as they are assigned by month end -- you don't actually have to allow time for them to launch. So we can wait in case the panic situation changes. Also, depending on where we put them we will need interceptor(s), and if you assign them at the very end of the month you can use the monthly council money to pay for the interceptor(s) and still have them arrive in time to match the launch delay.

On promotions, I also like Opportunist more than Executioner. And Rapid Fire is way better than Flush, although that is up to Sareln.

One more Laser Rifle doesn't hurt - you may also want to invest in Carapace Armour as its ready in 4 days(?).
For buildings, we need to do Alien Containment, a Workshop and a Power Generator if we're going to add another Satellite Uplink & get it operational in the next month plus the 3 Sats for it.

[Sareln]

Rapid Fire. Ugh, how did it get so late?

[haphazard1]

If I am correct, Sareln is now up. Or are there corrections to the following?

Uberfish (On Deck)
Haphazard
Dazedroyalty (skipped)
Ug (just played)
Xenin (out due to DLC incompatability)
Sareln (UP)

[Brian Shanahan]

For reference, I’ve updated the rookies to include Xenin, Tasunke and Brian Shanahan from the original list (just leaves Kagami and Catwalk I believe). Brian I’m afraid you get blue beard as well as hair – as you’ve got to have both the same colour.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

[Sareln]

If I am correct, Sareln is now up. Or are there corrections to the following?

Uberfish (On Deck)
Haphazard
Dazedroyalty (skipped)
Ug (just played)
Xenin (out due to DLC incompatability)
Sareln (UP)

I think so. I should be able to get to it today. Rapid Fire for me, Opportunist for Ug.