New Recruits Tend To Drown A Lot (TFTD Liveblog Thingy)

Commander's Log - March 30, 2040

Sonar picked up an alien sub that was a lot larger than any we've previously encountered. I dispatched Barracuda-One to engage it; while the X-Com vessel was damaged, it did successfully down the enemy sub.

Triton-One is on its way out to salvage it; I've had the other Barracuda patrolling the area, in case the Eeks somehow manage to repair the sub and make their getaway before the Aquanauts arrive.

Also, we've got some new recruits coming in - dmboogie and Space Jawa. For the time being, they'll be assigned to the base-defense squad, under the command of x2wolf and Kwas.

End log.

((Welcome aboard, both of you! And I'll do my level best to make sure you don't die on your first mission, dmboogie.))

edited 31st Jul '10 11:28:48 AM by RangerSix

COMBAT REPORT - MARCH 31, 2040

Personnel deployed to combat zone:

Ensign Myst Rose
Ensign Jack Harkness
Ensign Princeps Augustus
Able Seaman Michael Nesmith
Able Seaman syd
Able Seaman Spencer Tracy
Able Seaman Owen Harper
Seaman nos
Seaman Armin Shimerman
Seaman Siegfried Farnan
Seaman Guido Talbot
Seaman Parson Gotti

Yana (via remote link): This is one of their big fish, people. Exercise extreme caution - we don't know what kind of nasty surprises they have in store for us.

(WHIRR-CLUNK)

(CLUNK CLUNK CRUNCH)

Myst: Well, I know one right off the bat - we landed right next to it!

Princeps: Holy shit, we did at that!◊

Nesmith: And, hey, look at that - an Eek, ripe for the plucking!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

(KSSHOW)

syd: Oh, HELL no bitch!◊

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Nesmith: I'm going to head around towards the front of the vessel.

Yana: syd, Princeps, Myst, cover him.

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

(KSSHOW-CRACKLE)

(THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE)

Myst: FIRE IN THE HOLE!

(WHABOOM)

Nesmith: He's still standing!

Princeps: Not for long!

(THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Princeps: See?

(WHSS-THUD)

syd: GRENADE!

(WHUMPF)

Nesmith: Will you look at that, the Eeks blew a hole in their own damn sub.◊ They really did us a favor!

Myst: Don't get cocky. There's one hiding just around the corner.

(WHSS-THUD WHSS-THUD)

(WHUMPF WHUMPF)

Tracy: . . . Did those Eeks just waste two grenades?◊

Nesmith: Yup. And I see both of the throwers.◊

Tracy: Good. Kill 'em.

Nesmith: With pleasure.

(THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Nesmith: One down.◊

Tracy: I can't get a bead on the other.

(KSSHOW-CRACKLE)

Nesmith: YAUGH!

(PSHHEW-THWUD)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Tracy: Take THAT, you bastard!◊

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

syd: There's one on the ridge overlooking the Triton. Wonder why he's staring off into the distance - has he been smoking something?

Princeps: Who cares? Kill him already.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

(PSHHEW-TWHUD)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

syd: Th'hell you do that for, Tracy? That Eek was mine!

Tracy: Hey, don't look at me. The gun went off by itself.◊

syd: Sure it did.

Yana: Will you two stop bickering? You're like an old married couple!

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

Myst: Contact. Taking the shot.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Myst: Eek is down. Oh, and I've found the main doors.◊

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

nos: Got another Eek outside the ship. Taking the shot.

(THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE)

nos: No dice. Tracy?

Tracy: On it.

(PSHHEW-THWUD)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Tracy: Got him.

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

Princeps: Whoa, shit, where'd he come from?

Harkness: Who cares? Let's kill him!

(THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Princeps: Sneaky git.

Harkness: Sneaky, DEAD git.

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CRUNCH CRUNCH)

Harper: Hey, Tracy, you dropped your spare clips.

Tracy: Thanks, Owen. I hadn't even noticed they were missing.

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

(WHSS-THUD)

nos: GRENADE!

(WHUMPF)

nos: *blows a raspberry at the alien* GREEN EEKS CAN'T THROW!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

(WHIRR-CLUNK)

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK)

Myst: I'm inside the ship. There's an Eek on the next level up.

Yana: Myst, do not engage. Wait for the rest of the team.

Myst: Copy that.

(PSSHOW-CRACKLE)

Tracy: Eek in the crater!◊

nos: I see him. FIRE IN THE HOLE!

(WHSS-THUD)

(WHABOOM)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

nos: That got him, but good.

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

Yana: Myst, Princeps, Harkness, and nos - you're all in position by the main entrance, right?

Myst: Yessir, we are.

Yana: Okay, people, I want you to load fresh clips before you breach.

(CH-CHK! CH-CHK! CH-CHK! CH-CHK!)

Harkness: We're fully loaded, sir.

Yana: GO!

(WHIRR-CLUNK)

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK)

Harkness: CONTACT!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK)

Princeps: Got a dead Eek in the engine room.

Myst: Negative for contact.

nos: Negative contact.

(PSHHOW-CRACKLE)

Harkness: Got a shooter up those stairs!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

nos: Not anymore!

Yana: Looks like he was the last one. Good work, people. Now bring that thing home!

edited 31st Jul '10 9:16:14 PM by RangerSix

Commander's Log - Supplemental

This sub was quite the treasure trove.◊ It had a fairly large crew, which meant a lot of equipment to recover.

In addition, the sub itself was much larger than any of the others we've encountered thus far, with a proportionally higher level of salvageable parts.

The only downside to this was that we lost Aquanaut Nesmith.

Still, all told, this was a rather valuable mission.

Commander's Log - March 31, 2040

Well, the latest monthly report is in. We seem to have mollified the Americans, and several other groups - including the Alaskans, the Egyptian Cartel, the Brazilian Union, and the Korean Federation - are exceedingly happy with our activity.

The Australasian Conglomerate, however, isn't.◊ Looks like we need to establish a presence in the Pacific.

I think we'll set up shop in the South Pacific - between the Solomon Islands and Fiji.◊

End log.

Commander's Log - April 5, 2040

Location: Augustica Base

Another batch of Eeks decided to hit a port city today - Aberdeen, this time.

First Bombay, then Anchorage, now Aberdeen. Are they trying to tell me something?

No matter - I've dispatched Triton-One, with a full complement of Aquanauts, to deal with the alien terrorists.

COMBAT REPORT - APRIL 5, 2040

Personnel deployed to combat zone:

Ensign Jack Harkness
Ensign Princeps Augustus
Ensign Myst Rose
Able Seaman syd
Able Seaman Spencer Tracy
Able Seaman nos
Able Seaman Owen Harper
Seaman Parson Gotti
Seaman Armin Shimerman
Seaman Jacques Cousteau
Seaman Siegfried Farnan
Seaman Guido Talbot
Seaman Space Jawa
Seaman dmboogie
Yana: Watch your backs, people. Echo's been keeping a low profile of late - I don't know what they've got planned, but whatever it is . . . it can't be good.

Myst, I want you to take syd and dmboogie out and scout the area immediately surrounding Triton-One.

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK)

Myst: I got nothing.

syd: Nothing here but some old barrels and piles of tires.

dmboogie: Uh, all clear here.

Yana: All right, then - syd, you get up that watchtower, take a look around.

syd: On it.

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK)

syd: Nothing but a couple civilians, sir.◊

dmboogie: Contact! It's one of those grey things!◊

Yana: Do you have a clear shot, dmboogie?

dmboogie: Aye, sir!

Yana: Terminate it with extreme prejudice, then!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Deep One: GURHURGLE.

dmboogie: Eek is down.◊

Myst: Got another one in that storage area.◊

Yana: We should try to take one of those grey ones alive, if possible. The green Eeks accompanying them seem to be a command-and-control force; the grey ones are the main terror troops.

Space Jawa: I've got a Thermal Tazer. Shall I join them?

Yana: Please do, Space Jawa.

(CLUMP CLUMP CLUMP CLUMP)

Harkness: Contact - green Echo on the roof of that small garage.◊

(POINK-CRACKLE)

(WHUMPH)

Harkness: GYAAAH!

Farnan: Oh, now that just won't do!

(WHIRR-THWAP)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Space Jawa: HOSHIT! ECHO! ECHO ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER!

dmboogie: Time to thin the herd, then.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Deep One: GURHURGLE.

dmboogie: One down.

Tracy: I got the other grey one in my sights.

(PSSHEW-THWUD)

Deep One: . . .

Tracy: Well . . . it's down. For now.

Myst: I'll take the third - the one by the crates.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Deep One: GURHURGLE.

Space Jawa: That just leaves the greenie on the roof of that watchtower.

Farnan: I say, there's another Eek by that garage!

Shimerman: I see him.

(PSSHEW-THWUD)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Farnan: Nice shooting!

dmboogie: Got the watchtower greenie in my sights. Taking the shot.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

dmboogie: He's down.

Princeps: Hey, Yana - you won't believe what I just found.

Yana: Let me guess . . .

Princeps/Yana (in unison): A crate labeled "Top Secret: X-Com"!◊

(KSSHOW-CRACKLE)

Space Jawa: Oh no you don't!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: . . .

(PSSHOW-CRACKLE)

Space Jawa: AURGH!

dmboogie: JAWA!

Farnan: I'm not sure if this is the blighter that killed Space Jawa, but I'm taking the shot anyway.

(WHIRR-THWAP)

Gill Man: . . .

(KSSHOW-CRACKLE)

Myst: Oh, no you don't!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

(WHSS-THUD)

(WHUMPH)

Myst: . . . Did that Eek just blow itself up?

syd: It must have been carrying the Idiot Ball.

dmboogie: Contact by the railyard!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Myst: Nice shot, Boogie!◊

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK)

Princeps: I see one of those grey bastards. Myst?

Myst: Way ahead of you, Princeps.

(WHSS-THUD)

(WHABOOM)

Princeps: He's still up. Taking the shot.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Deep One: GURHURGLE.

Shimerman: Contact!

(SIZZLE)

Shimerman: AUGH!

Farnan: I believe this'll sort that blighter's hash!

(WHSS-THUD)

(WHABOOM)

Deep One: GURHURGLE.

Yana: Looks like that's the last one. Come on home, people.

Commander's Log - Supplemental

We lost three good men today - Space Jawa, Armin Shimerman, and Jack Harkness.

However, we saved several civilians, recovered several alien artifacts, and captured three live aliens for interrogation.◊

Perhaps not the best showing, but decent.

End log.

Commander's Log - April 6th, 2040

Location: Augustica Base

Research on the Gauss Rifle has been suspended for the time being; I have re-tasked the scientists, asking them to focus on the live aliens captured during the past few months, and we've got our first batch of results.

The interrogation of the alien officer captured earlier in the year - a Gill Man Squad Leader, to be precise - has yielded some interesting◊ information◊.

It seems that these aliens are utilizing tactics akin to those used by the aggressors in the First Alien War, attempting to subvert the various governments and corporations that fund X-Com in order to turn them against us.

Also, the Gill Man as a species - according to the scientists at Augustica Base, they may be a previously-unknown branch of human evolution, one subverted by the current aggressors for their own purposes.

I have asked that they now study the captured terrorist assigned to the Gill Man terror squads - one which the aforementioned species seems to refer to as a "Deep One". Studying the unnatural resilience of this terrorist species might yield some valuable advances, ones that might serve to increase the survival rate of X-Com forces.

End log.

Commander's Log, April 6, 2040 - Addendum

Location: Augustica Base

Shortly after the science team delivered its report on the interrogation of the captured Gill Man Squad Leader, the sonar arrays at Augustica Base picked up an alien vessel touched down off the coast of Scotland.

Barracuda-One has been dispatched to keep it under surveillance, while Triton-One moves in to deploy troops and the Coelecanth SWS to capture the vessel.

End log.

Wow, I sure didn't last long, did I?

That's life in X-COM.

Hey, at least you lasted longer than dmboogie did in the Enemy Unknown liveblog.

Poor guy got shot the moment he got off the Skyranger

Give me an aquanaut if you get a spot open :p

Perfect timing, Arilou - I actually just got a batch of new recruits in!

(Also, I've finished the sub capture mission. I've got some screenshots to resize and rename before I post it, though - and I've also completed the Deep One autopsy. Now working on researching Aqua Plastics. After that, it's the live Deep One terrorist I've got, and then Plastic Aqua Armor ahoy! )

Woo! Not only did I survive the mission, I actually killed stuff!

Karma owes me for Enemy Unknown liveblog.

You should of named it "New recruits die. Also, Lobstermen." considering it's TFTD.

Also, mind giving me a spot? I want to take revenge on those damn lobsters for a cruise ship mission that I still haven't forgoten.

@TMM:

1) I prefer this title, really. (Although "New Recruits Die Some More" might have worked.)

2) Sure thing. I'll bring you in after the next mission, okay? (It's a Calcinite/Aquatoid terror mission in the Maldive Islands.)

Also, there's an Incredibly Lame Pun coming up in the next log.

COMBAT REPORT - APRIL 6, 2040

Personnel deployed:

Ensign Princeps Augustus
Ensign Myst Rose
Able Seaman syd
Able Seaman Guido Talbot
Able Seaman Siegfried Farnan
Able Seaman dmboogie
Able Seaman Spencer Tracy
Able Seaman nos
Seaman Parson Gotti
Seaman Jacques Cousteau
SWS - Coelecanth/Gas Cannon

Yana: All right, people. We don't have as many troops for this mission as we did for the last; however, we do have the Coelecanth up and running again, so I'll be controlling it from Augustica Base.

Also, keep in mind that this is one of their medium vessels; expect a lot of heavy Alien resistance. Tazer the enemy troops if you can, but don't take any unnecessary risks. Okay?

Myst: Understood, sir.

Yana: All right, then. Now, let's get out there and find that sub!

(WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR)

Yana: Heading southeast from the Triton. No sign of Echo as yet.

(CLUNK CLUNK CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

Farnan: I say, there's one of the blighters over by that black smoker!

(PSSHEW-THWUD)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Farnan: He shan't trouble us any more.

(WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR)

Yana: I have an Echo sighted.

(PSSHEW-KAWHANG)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Yana: He's down - oh, look, there's another one over by that lava flow.

(PSSHEW-KAWHANG)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Yana: And another Eek speared.

syd: Got something near where that Eek grenade went off. Taking the shot.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(THUPP-BLOOP)

Myst: . . .

Farnan: . . .

Yana: . . . That's new.

syd: I think I see the guy that fired . . . whatever the hell that weapon was. FIRE IN THE HOLE!

(WHSS-THUD)

(WHABOOM)

(KSSHOW-CRACKLE)

syd: AUGH!

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

Princeps: Whoa, hey. Eeks north of the sub!

Talbot: I see 'em.◊ Eat this, Echo!

(PSSHEW-WHUMPH)

Gill Men: HURGH . . .

Talbot: Guess high explosive is toxic to Eeks, heh heh!

Princeps: Got a couple more Eeks ahead. Shit, one of them's got those weird grenades in hand!

Yana: Target him first, then!

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH)

dmboogie: Hey, I see the Eek that got Myst and Siegfried. Taking the shot.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

(THUPP-BLOOP)

dmboogie: . . .

Tracy: . . .

Cousteau: Sacre bleu! You monstre, 'ow could you DO such a theeng?

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Talbot: He's still standing, Jock.

Cousteau: JACQUES!

Talbot: Whatever, man. Don't worry, I got just what the doctor ordered - a few grams of lead azide with a contact-fused detonator!

(PSSHEW-WHUMPH)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Talbot: And that takes care of THAT thorn in our side.◊

nos: Now for the other one - the one on the ridge to the north.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(KSSHOW-CRACKLE)

Yana: Oh, no you don't!

(PSSHEW-KAWHANG)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(CRUNCH CRUNCH)

Yana: Oh-ho-ho, trying to sneak up on me now?◊ Have a harpoon!

(PSSHEW-KAWHANG)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR)

(KSSHOW-CRACKLE)

Yana: Mmm-hmm . . . I've found the sub, and there's an Eek standing guard near it. Someone put him out of my misery, please.

nos: On it.

(THUPP-CRACKLE)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(WHUMPH)

Yana: Hrm. He must have been getting ready to throw a grenade at the Coelecanth. Good thing you killed him, eh nos?

nos: Yeah, I guess. Oh, hey, I've found the main entrance. Talbot, you want to blow the bloody doors off?

Talbot: You got it, nos.

(PSSHEW-WHUMPH)

Talbot: Someone order a wall-door salad?

Everyone: *anguished groans*

Yana: With the doors thus disposed of, I'll send the Coelecanth inside and take a look around, see if I can't soften up the crew a bit for the rest of you.

(WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR)

(CLUNK CLUNK CLUNK)

Yana: SURPRISE!

(PSHHEW-KAWHANG)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

(PSHHEW-BLOOP)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Yana: . . . What the hell just happened? Talbot, did you fire on the sub?

Talbot: Negative. Whatever happened, the Eeks did it to themselves.

Gill Man: *incomprehensible, panicked screaming*

Yana: Hm, sounds like someone's not happy.

Princeps: I think it came from the upper deck of the sub, Yana.

Yana: Well, let's see if I can get the Coelecanth up these stairs . . . ah-hah, I see the Eek.◊

(PSSHEW-KAWHANG)

(BLOOP)

Gill Man: HURGH . . .

Yana: And that, it seems is that.

(WHIRR WHIRR WHIRR)

Yana: Um, could someone give me a hand? The Coelecanth seems to be hung up on something.

edited 8th Aug '10 6:15:09 PM by Ranger Six

Commander's Log - Supplemental

An intact alien sub, lots of artifacts and sub components, and a single casualty.◊ It sounds almost too good to be true, but it is.

Additionally, the weapon used to incapacitate four members of the recovery team - Spencer Tracy, dmboogie, Myst Rose, and Siegfried Farnan - seems to be a non-lethal one that utilizes extremes of temperature to render those targeted unconscious, as the aforementioned Aquanauts reported a sudden feeling of intense cold before they blacked out.

We shall have to study this weapon. Perhaps we cna utilize it in place of our Thermal Tazers to incapacitate Alien troops for study and interrogation.

Commander's Log - Sunday, April 11, 2040

Location: Augustica Base

I've just received some interesting reports from the science team.◊ They've completed an autopsy of one of the grey-skinned aliens that accompanies the Gill Men on their assorted terror missions - a being which they've nicknamed a "Deep One".

It seems that their so-called "skin" is actually a material similar to that used in the construction of the Alien submarines, which would explain this race's resilience.

The next logical step, according to the scientists here at Augustica Base, would be to study this material, with an eye towards creating armor with protective capabilities akin to that of the Deep One's skin.

They do, however, caution that we may need to study the Deep One further in order to fully understand the material - luckily, we captured a live Deep One during the counterterrorism operation in Aberdeen earlier this month, and this should prove valuable to the science team's research.

End log.

edited 8th Aug '10 6:28:10 PM by Ranger Six

Commander's Log - Monday, April 26th, 2040

Location: Augustica Base

Initial facilities at Redback Base have been completed; we've got additional facilities under construction now, but for the time being the base's assorted monitoring systems are operating as an extension of those at Augustica Base.

And a good thing too - the systems at Redback Base picked up an emergency transmission from Maldive Island. It seems that the Eeks have launched an attack against the resort there.

I've dispatched Triton-One to deal with the situation; joining the team for this mission is our newest recruit, Arilou. I hate to put new recruits through the wringer as soon as they get off the boat, but that's the way it has to be sometimes.

End log.

...Wait, I survived?

It wasn't really clear, it only said the weapon was non-lethal in the aftermath...

Lucky as hell you got that live deep one. I remember the first time I played TFTD I made it to june of the 2nd year before realizing something was screwed up.

Yeah, dmboogie, you got hit with a Thermal Shok Bomb (TFTD's answer to the Stun Bomb). I haven't researched the Thermal Shok Bomb or the weapon that fires them yet, though I do have samples of of both in storage.

(Also, I've never seen the Eeks actually use Thermal Shok Bombs in combat until now.)

Hey, folks. Sorry about the lack of updates here, but A) life has been hectic, and B) I'm trying to beat a Shipping Lane terror mission.

(Apparently, there's an invisible alien running around the map - I say "invisible" because I've swept the ship's upper levels top to bottom three times, and every single alien I've encountered has been killed. But for some strange reason, it won't let me move on to the lower decks. As I've spent about fifty turns hunting for this elusive bastard, I'm about ready to give it up as a bad job.)