History Fanfic / XComTheHadesContingency

* GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion: As stated above, ''Hades Contingency'''s 2022 edition is meant to be this, rewriting the story and world-building to be more in line with developments in ''Advent Directive'', as well as changing some aspects that are deemed to be unfitting with what the story is at the moment. A few examples of the changes brought on by the revision include:

** Expanding EXALT's role in the story prior to ''Atlas Protocol''.
** [[spoiler:Changing the Silent Sniper's identity to a full-fledged character separate from the Commander, known as [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Nero.]]]]
** [[spoiler:Rewriting the mental conversation between the Commander and the anonymous Ethereal in Chapter 26 to introduce the Ravaged One ahead of ''Atlas Protocol''.]]

* {{Doorstopper}}: At ~250k words (expanded to ~450k with the 2022 Edition), this story is fairly respectably sized, being bigger than even literature juggernauts like ''[[Literature/AStormOfSwords A Storm of Swords]]'', which is "only" 424k words long. ''Atlas Protocol'' and especially ''Advent Directive'' are even longer.

* NotSoOmniscientCouncilOfBickering:
** Instead of wholeheartedly supporting an alien combat force like in the video game and only backing out when said combat force does not perform up to expectation, the UN is cleanly divided into two camps from the start: one that tolerates the Commander, and one that wants him gone. The Commander rightfully points out that the Council put him in charge of XCOM, but seems to second guess his decisions at every turn. One of his long-term goals is to make XCOM independent of their funding in time.
** The Commander himself has to be careful about which countries to sell alien tech to on the grey market instead of a universal pool in the game.

* GameplayAndStoryIntegration: Gameplay mechanics like percentage to hit indicators or cover indicators are the result of an augmented reality heads-up display in XCOM's helmets. These elements are later dropped from the story entirely.

* {{Doorstopper}}: At ~250k words (expanded to ~450k with the 2022 Edition), this story is fairly respectably sized, being bigger than even literature juggernauts like ''[[Literature/AStormOfSwords A Storm of Swords]]'', which is "only" 424k words long. ''Atlas Protocol'' and especially ''Advent Directive'' [[UpToEleven are even longer]].

* Doorstopper: At ~250k words (expanded to ~450k with the 2022 Edition), this story is fairly respectably sized, being bigger than even literature juggernauts like ''[[Literature/AStormOfSwords A Storm of Swords]]'', which is "only" 424k words long. ''Atlas Protocol'' and especially ''Advent Directive'' [[UpToEleven are even longer]].

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: Several things like the GameplayAndStoryIntegration or the mysterious silent sniper disappear from mention after a while.
** It is revealed in Ch. 26 that [[spoiler:the mysterious sniper is, in fact, the Commander who has been going on missions to evaluate field ops and personally contribute.]]
** Notably, both of these things are set to receive major changes with the Revision: in the case of the sniper, [[spoiler:his identity is changing to an actual separate character from the Commander]], while the GameplayAndStoryIntegration elements are outright getting removed.

* LuredIntoATrap: XCOM's first post-Germany mission turns out to be this, as the aliens are revealed to [[spoiler:have sent [[TheBrute Mutons]] to lie in wait for the XCOM team. Only Liam and Martin make it out alive.]]

* MyGodWhatHaveIDone: [[DownplayedTrope Downplayed]], but it's hinted at with the Commander; some of the accusations thrown at him during his nightmates imply that he hates what he did during the War on Terror. However, he never shows any significant signs of regret during the rest of the story.

In December 2022, ''Hades Contingency'' has received a [[GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion major revision]], in an effort to update/rewrite plotlines throughout the story and polish the writing, in order to bring it more in line with the level of quality seen in ''Advent Directive'''s most recent chapters. Future revisions for ''Atlas Protocol'' and ''Advent Directive'' are also in the works.

* GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion: As stated above, ''Hades Contingency'' has been significantly overhauled in December 2022, rewriting the story and world-building to be more in line with developments in ''Advent Directive'', as well as changing some aspects that are deemed to be unfitting with what the story is at the moment. A few examples of the changes brought on by the revision include:

* GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion: As stated above, a revised version is in the works, intended to overhaul the story and world-building to be more in line with developments in ''Atlas Protocol'' and ''Advent Directive'', as well as change some aspects that are deemed to be unfitting with what the story is at the moment. A few examples of upcoming changes were shared by Xabiar via Discord, and others can be found in the available previews:
** Rewriting and expanding the background elements surrounding the War on Terror and the Caliphate. Notably, this updated portrayal can already be seen in more recent chapters of ''Advent Directive'' and ''The XCOM Files''; the goal is to bring ''Hades Contingency'' up to date.

Currently, the story is [[GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion undergoing a revision]], in an effort to update/rewrite plotlines and smooth out the writing in order to bring it more in line with the level of quality seen in ''Advent Directive'''s most recent chapters. The revised version is expected to be published in its entirety once completed, but select excerpts are available on Xabiar's Discord channel.

** Notably, most of the early parts of the wider story in general carry the implication that the Caliphate was a terrorist organization from the get-go, but later chapters of ''Advent Directive'' and ''The XCOM Files'' clarify that it was once a legitimate nation that eventually devolved into extremism and terror under its last Caliph. Predictably, the Revision is intended to alter and recontextualize much of ''Hades Contigency's'' backstory as it pertains to the region and the War on Terror.

* ShoutOut: [[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} A sniper named Mordecai.]]

** [[spoiler:Changing the Silent Sniper from the Commander's cover to participate in higher-profile missions to a full-fledged character of his own, known as [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Nero.]]]]

** Rewriting and expanding the background elements surrounding the War on Terror and the Caliphate. Notably, some of the changes can already be seen in more recent chapters of ''Advent Directive'' and ''The XCOM Files''.

** [[spoiler:Expanding the mental conversation between the Commander and the anonymous Ethereal in Chapter 26 to introduce the Ravaged One before ''Atlas Protocol''.]]

** Instead of wholeheartedly supporting an alien combat force like in the video game and only backing out when said combat force does not perform up to expectation, the UN is cleanly divided into two camps from the start: one that tolerates the Commander, and one that wants him gone. The Commander rightfully points out that the Council put him in charge of XCOM, but seems to second guess his decisions at every turn.[[spoiler: He is planning to make XCOM independent of their funding in time.]]

Currently, the story is undergoing a revision, in an effort to update/rewrite plotlines and smooth out the writing in order to bring it more in line with the level of quality seen in ''Advent Directive'''s most recent chapters. The revised version is expected to be published in its entirety once completed.

* GeorgeLucasAlteredVersion: As stated above, a revised version is in the works, intended to overhaul the story and world-building to be more in line with developments in ''Atlas Protocol'' and ''Advent Directive'', as well as change some aspects that are deemed to be unfitting with what the story is at the moment. Two examples of upcoming changes include:
** A full rewrite and expansion of the background elements surrounding the War on Terror and the Caliphate. Some of the changes can already be seen in more recent chapters of ''Advent Directive'' and ''The XCOM Files''.

** Chapter 8, ''UFO Assault: Large Scout'', [[spoiler:has Paige, one of the main POV characters at the time, die during XCOM's first contact with an Outsider, establishing that no, even POV characters ''aren't'' safe in this story.]]
** The climax of the Germany storyline (Chapters 18 to 23) qualifies as a Wham ''Arc'' on its own right:

The story continues in ''FanFic/XCOMTheAtlasProtocol'', where EXALT takes a more direct role post-Gangplank, in ''FanFic/XCOMTheAdventDirective'', which features a full-blown invasion by the aliens and concludes in a fourth as of yet unnamed entry.

Currently, the story is undergoing a revision, in an effort to update/rewrite plotlines (such as the War on Terror and surrounding geopolitical situation) and smooth out the writing in order to bring it more in line with the level of quality seen in recent chapters. The revised version is expected to be published in its entirety once completed.

** Thin Men are actually used in their intended role of alien infiltrators, rather than merely being combat units.
* AnyoneCanDie: A moment's carelessness or unluckiness on the part of a soldier can mean someone's death, even if that character's been around for a while. [[spoiler:Not even POV characters are safe from this; Paige, Shawn, Liam, Luke and Mira all die in the course of this story.]]

* ExplosiveLeash: Luke Warner is revealed to have one of these, implanted by the Chinese government for running over a son of a diplomat, and designed to go off after one year of service with XCOM. [[spoiler:He has Shen create two detonators (one for him, one for Mira), and it goes off during Operation Gangplank.]]

* YourDaysAreNumbered: [[spoiler:Luke has been fitted with a bomb implanted at the base of his head by the Chinese government after his killing of a Chinese dignitary's son, set to detonate after a year of service. This was their offered condition to allow him to serve with XCOM.]] [[spoiler:Mira ends up being forced to detonate it during Operation Gangplank.]]

*** [[spoiler:The mission is seen as a failure by the German government, which withdraws from the Council and begins negotiating with the aliens, which prompts the Commander to finally initiate the [[TitleDrop Hades Contingency]] and instigate a coup against the German government to bring the country back to XCOM's side.]]

* UndergroundCity: This is where the Oyariah live, owing to their natural environment.