>>2529580
>>Go for the arms, blast them off so it can’t keep slashing!

>>2529580
>Aim for the legs, bring it to it’s knees!

If we're running low on supplies, then perhaps some improvisation will do? There has to be a fire extinguisher somewhere here.

>>2529580
>>Go for the arms, blast them off so it can’t keep slashing!

>>2529580
>Go for the arms, blast them off so it can’t keep slashing!
Remember the basics of CQC!
The enemy can't knife you without arms to knife you with!

>>2529580
>>Go for the arms, blast them off so it can’t keep slashing!

File: New Contact 3.jpg (207 KB, 1920x1080)

207 KB JPG

Arms. The alien's deadly arms need to be removed from the equation. Who knows what other things it’s capable of, but you know for sure that it’s arms are trouble. With the combined firepower in everyone in the room, the thing dazed and pinned down long enough for a decisive play. Hopefully nobody shoots you by accident in the close range shootout.

If you’re lucky and your aim is on point, maybe you can get both. You’d like to see what other tricks it has without it’s arms. With your scatterlaser pumped and primed once again you move closer your target, set on removing at least one of it’s appendages before it can realize and retaliate!

>Roll 1d20+3

Rolled 13 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2529755

Rolled 1 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2529755

Rolled 11 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2529755

>>2529769
... god damnit

>>2529769
Starting to think the dice is rigged...

>>2529825
I concur. It's the dice's fault.

>>2529830
Starting to remind me of the VMQ2 Incident desu.

>>2529825
>>2529830
i mean... the chance to get at least one 1 in 3d20 is like 14% isn't it? the results we've been getting in this thread aren't exactly unexpected.

>>2529894
VMQ2 in general was an 'incident'

>>2529917
yeah, best of 3 d20 systems have you rolling crits way to often.

File: MEC PUNCH.png (1.89 MB, 1281x721)

1.89 MB PNG

You aim and start firing at the arms, hoping to remove the limbs before they can cause any damage. The thing starts to curl up as you shoot blast after blast, seeming to shrink from your scatterlaser’s fury. Yes! It’s working! You think you’ve got it under contro--

You don’t realize it striking back at you until it’s far too late. Like a coiled up jack in the box, it suddenly springs up lashes at you with it’s damaged arm, the claws digging in past your external armor and shattering your ceramic plate underneath in the process. It hurts like hell! The swing and it’s impact knocks you off your feet and forces you onto the ground as your weapon slides away from your grasp.

Bullets and laser fire shoot at the beast repeatedly, but just as quickly as a chunk is removed it is regenerated. It steps forward to you almost lackadaisically ignoring the gunfire, looming above you and groaning again. It drops it’s foot on your chest and you feel the force of the beast press down upon you, the air from your lungs is rapidly forced out of you. Smaller chunks fall and land on your body, the smell is pungent, reminding you of rotting flesh. For all you know in this moment, it probably is. It pulls it’s good arm back, ready to pierce you through head and end your life, your vision swimming from being crushed under its weight.

It’s then you hear someone shout, crying out in a mix of shock and rage. Somehow amplified by the electronic tone in her voice.

[NO!] Rachel roars.

Something large and metallic collides with the beast knocking it off to the side. From your point of view it’s as if a train had crashed into it at full speed. Rachel tackles the thing, using the full weight of her MEC suit in the process.

You cough and wheeze, your vision a blur as you attempt to come to your senses. At the corner of your eye, you see Rachel clash with the beast, from the floor you can’t make out who's winning, but you see her wind up her KSM and unleash one hell of a haymaker at the thing!

As much as you'd like to stare and watch the spectacle you have to help! To your side, you see the red glow and blurry outline of your scatterlaser. With difficulty, you roll to the side, fumbling on the ground for the familiar weapon, dragging yourself agonizingly closer to it.

You hear the beast make noise once again, this time it's a more intense roar instead of a groan. As it is now not liking the situation it's in. All the while you hear the sounds of shredding metal, likely coming from Rachel's MEC suit.

Fuck! Why is your damn scatterlaser so far away!?

(Part 1 / 2)

File: Just imagine her MEC suit(...).png (269 KB, 1908x1980)

269 KB PNG

You finally finally manage to reach over and grasp the handle of your scatterlaser, yanking it towards your grip. Heaving, you turn back over and start to sit up, priming your weapon to open fire from the ground. Instead, you see the head of the beast thump with a disgusting splorching noise right before your feet. You look down at the head and the fucking thing starts to gurgle again it’s red eyes glaring at you-- only to be STOMPED into nothing by Rachel’s MEC.

In a daze, you look up to your savior, her right arm -- the one with her KSM -- is drenched in the beast’s flesh or whatever it accounts to it. Rachel took one hell of a beating in the scuffle, her suit has numerous gashes, exposing the circuitry within, her MEC suit twitching slightly as sparks flicker from the chassis. Smashed against the nearby wall as is the rest of the beast, it’s corpse finally still, it’s liquid flesh oozing at the ground around it.

[G-G-Gotcha.] Rachel says, her voice’s modulator stuttering. With her non alien coated arm she reaches down and gently pulls you back onto your feet. She grins at you, even as bit of blood goes down the side of cheek.

>Is she alright?
>Ask if you look like shit.
>Just thank her.
>You’re at a loss for words right now. Fuck, this mission sucks.
>Other

>>2529941
>>You’re at a loss for words right now. Fuck, this mission sucks.

>>2529941
>Is she alright?

>>2529941
>>You’re at a loss for words right now. Fuck, this mission sucks.

File: Falynn.png (275 KB, 1000x1200)

275 KB PNG

>>2529894
>>2529918
>guaranteedreplies.jpg

>>2529975
I don't get it. What's VMQ2?
vampire the Masquerade Quest?

File: [ANGRY STATIC].jpg (153 KB, 800x600)

153 KB JPG

>>2529975

>>2529941
>You’re at a loss for words right now. Fuck, this mission sucks

>>2529941
>>Is she alright?

>>2529941
>Just thank her.


Well, time to improvise again. I'm thinking of using the Elerium Core as an IED.

>>2529982
Valkyria Merc Quest 2
I never actually read it but it apparently ended in a giant shitstorm

>>2529941
>>You’re at a loss for words right now. Fuck, this mission


>>2530030
I wouldn't know about the shitstorm since I read only the archives for it, but I think Merc agrees it was a low point in his writing career. We just pretend it never happened.

>>2529952
>>2529964
>>2529986
>>2530038
Loss of words it is, writing!

>>2529825
>>2529830
>>2529917

Times like these remind me a bit of what Machiavelli wrote about Fortune/Fate/Luck.

It fucks up all of your plans.

So, you have to be adaptable in order to either turn misfortune into an opportunity, or find a way to minimize risk.

Then again, Machiavelli never had to deal with 4chan dice systems....

File: Logo.png (362 KB, 535x535)

362 KB PNG

You breath. You take steady breathes, or well, as best as you can. Rachel’s waiting for a reply and you give her a thumbs up, but otherwise imply that you need a moment, even if it’s a very short one. She gets the hint and goes over to really make sure that alien is dead.

When Bradford had explained this would likely be the most difficult mission, he wasn’t kidding. You stiffen and then turn to where you had left Sweet, ready to stumble over and ask for how he’s doing. Thankfully, probably one of the few fortunate things to happen is that you see one of the scientists, mousy looking woman with glasses far to large for her, finish administering one of Sweet’s Medikits onto him. She was the one who was composed enough to call for you over. Judging by the concerned but not crestfallen looks on the other scientists crowded around Sweet, you are fairly sure he’s alive and stabilized.

That moment of relief is gone just as quickly as it washed over you as reality sinks in. You take a moment to lean near the hole in the wall the beast of an alien burst through and continue to catch your breath, looking around and gauging the situation. It’s not pretty.

Looking inside the other room you can see the remnants of the Council security team. Intel prior to mission counted at least a platoon’s worth of soldiers stationed to protect Dr. Marazuki and his team. Inside you count around ten--twelve exhausted and injured soldiers. The beast had slain three of them before you and the rest of the team arrived, unfortunately counting the one soldier that was thrown through the wall.

Your squad isn’t doing better either. Sweet is unconscious, Peppermint’s a stone's throw away from death’s door, Zhang’s injured, you’re injured and ANOTHER ceramic plate is busted, and Rachel’s MEC suit -- while not critical -- is moderately damaged. Burnout is the only one uninjured by his sheer luck and agility at the very least. Doing a quick mental count of utility items you realize Strike-1 currently has a motion scanner, one battlescanner, and a couple of medikits, not counting everyone's weapons.

Not a lot to scrape by.

(Part 1 / 2)

File: Peppermint.png (49 KB, 504x1089)

49 KB PNG

As you collect yourself, Peppermint has managed to corral most of the civvies to one side of the building, though by the sounds of her voice it’s become hoarse from shouting and demanding the civvies her loyalty for their own good. Coupled with her injuries, she’s likely not having a good time with it. Glaning around she spots you and makes her way over, wincing and taking a wide berth as Rachel stomps away at the corpse of the alien, ensuring it’s dead.

“What are your orders now, Dozer?” Peppermint asks you, coughing.

You don’t reply right away, still collecting yourself.

“Hey!” Peppermint growls at you and grabs your shoulder, yanking you from against the wall. It’s more the surprise than her strength that gets you as she’s starting to look somewhat pale. She shakes your shoulders slightly. “Don’t you dare check out on us like Rook! Focus damn you! I haven’t seen the VIP and the survivors don’t know his status after that… thing attacked. Zhang says the smoke outside is clearing and the aliens outside my wisen up. Also, what should we do with the surviving soldiers? That incompetent leader of theirs is in the next room.”

You blink. Peppermint’s glaring at you, demanding an answer. It’s like a slap in the face or a bucket of ice water being pouring over you. Looking around and assessing things you realize that given the nature of your squad’s strength, you can really only address two of those right away. The question is what to prioritize?

Pick two!
>Check the status of Dr. Marazuki. He’s the main objective.
>Secure the hole in the wall. The last thing everyone needs is more aliens.
>Find Bannon. You need these surviving troops on the ball and working together with your own.
>Other

>>2530210
>Secure the hole in the wall. The last thing everyone needs is more aliens.

>>2530210
>Check the status of Dr. Marazuki. He’s the main objective.
>Secure the hole in the wall. The last thing everyone needs is more aliens.
>I'm not checking out peppermint, just trying to figure out how to salvage this utter shitshow.

>>2530210
>>Secure the hole in the wall. The last thing everyone needs is more aliens.
>>Find Bannon. You need these surviving troops on the ball and working together with your own.
Either the VIP is dead, or he isn't. If he is alive we need to make sure he doesn't die if the aliens attack again by securing the perimeter.

>>2530210
>>Secure the hole in the wall. The last thing everyone needs is more aliens.
>>Find Bannon. You need these surviving troops on the ball and working together with your own.

As much as I don't want to, we may need to 'lend' Bannon or his men Sweet's rifle and pistol to earn some modicum of trust.

>>2530210
Supporting >>2530227

It seems that we must MacGuyver a solution to this shitshow, and hopefully come out less dead than expected.

I think we should try to take inventory of any and all possible resources available by asking a few of the scientists/civvies for absolutely ANYTHING we can use to make the most adhoc traps to ruin the X-Ray's day (fire extinguishers, cleaning supplies, industrial chemicals, heavy furniture, stationary, etc.).

We should at least have some knowledge and experience in what people are capable of improvising from our pre-XCOM days.

>>2530210
>Secure the hole in the wall. The last thing everyone needs is more aliens.
>Find Bannon. You need these surviving troops on the ball and working together with your own.

If we called in the ravens would they be using normal cannons or lasers?

>>2530210
>>Check the status of Dr. Marazuki. He’s the main objective.

>>2530210
>Check the status of Dr. Marazuki. He’s the main objective.
>Secure the hole in the wall. The last thing everyone needs is more aliens.

There's a definite possibility that finding Bannon ends in a gunfight.

>>2530219
forgot my other vote
>Check the status of Dr. Marazuki. He’s the main objective

File: XCOM Raven.jpg (167 KB, 2000x1250)

167 KB JPG

>>2530294
Calling the vote here, it looks like it's going to be finding Dr. Marazuki and securing the hole in the wall, writing!

>>2530294
The Air Game in the quest is currently transitioning into laser weapons for the Ravens. There's a flight of four Ravens in the air and only two of them have laser cannons at the moment. The other two have more standard load outs, so Avalanche Missiles and the like.

File: Observatory Map.jpg (529 KB, 1000x601)

529 KB JPG

You really really want to give Bannon a piece of your mind, but that can wait. The other soldiers are supposed to be competent enough to handle themselves, you hope. They’re currently still collecting themselves from the clusterfuck. You’ll get a status report from them as soon as you’re done with the other objectives. You’re going to have to leave them to it. Stepping off from the the wall, you nod reassuringly to Peppermint.

“I’m good.” You say.

She nods back, ending the conversation there.

“Alright, listen up squad!” You pipe up, getting your team’s attention. “Rachel, Zhang, you’re on perimeter. Make sure nobody enters this building from the hole. Peppermint and Burnout you’re on civ duty, number one priority is finding the VIP and helping get a headcount on all the survivors.”

There’s affirmations from the squad, looking over to Rachel you see her linger over the dead alien, kicking it one last time.

[D-d-dead as disco.] Rachel says in satisfaction, you’re a bit uneasy by the way her voice modulator is broken but she gives you a thumbs up this time with her KSM equipped hand. It’s still drenched in the alien goop. [MEC s-suit integrity at 55.6% and ammunition l-levels optimal. I-I’m good.]

“Alright.” You nod. “Just take it easy.”

“What will you do?” Burnout asks you.

>Assist in finding the VIP and dealing with the civvies.
>Provide additional Overwatch at the hole in the wall.
>Other.

>>2530404
>Assist in finding the VIP and dealing with the civvies.

>>2530404
>Assist in finding the VIP and dealing with the civvies.

>>2530404
>Assist in finding the VIP and dealing with the civvies

>>2530404
>Provide additional Overwatch at the hole in the wall.

>>2530404
>>Assist in finding the VIP and dealing with the civvies.

>>2530404

>Assist in finding the VIP and dealing with the civvies.

>>2530404
>Assist in finding the VIP and dealing with the civvies.

>>2530410
>>2530415
>>2530422
>>2530425
>>2530436
Finding the VIP it is, writing!

File: Telescope Room.jpg (577 KB, 1600x1066)

577 KB JPG

“I’m going to help you and Peppermint out. Let’s go.” You say.

At that, you move to work quickly with Peppermint and Burnout, getting all of the civilians accounted for and more importantly trying to find the man you are looking for. The Commander expressed that she’d like as many of the VIP’s team to be rescued safely as you can, but the main objective that supersedes everything else is the doctor himself.

You leave Peppermint and Burnout to focus primarily on the civvies, mostly because Peppermint’s intimidating aura is enough to get them in line, it’s not the nicest way but it’s the most efficient. You can apologize later. You move throughout the building, leaving the council soldiers alone as they tend to the wounded. Some of them have cracked under the pressure, and you can’t really blame them. Even XCOM’s troops have snapped all to easily and they knew what they were getting into.

You decide to enter the main telescope room, the layout of the building leading all the way to it. Entering, you see that what was once an expensive piece of equipment designed to study the stars is essentially a giant hunk of metal and broken glass from combined plasma and ballistic fire. There’s hundreds of spent bullet casings strewn about on the floor, and much to your surprise, there’s even a dead Floater hanging of the upper awnings where the telescope dome had been blasted open. The security team held off well.

To your surprise however, you see the VIP himself, Dr. Hongou Marazuki in the room. The man is feverishly working by one of the computer consoles. Right in direct line of sight to the hole in the wall. All it would take is one Floater to peek in. The only escort he has is one twitchy looking soldier, gun raised nervously upwards to the ceiling.

(Part 1 / 2)

File: XCOM_EU_Hongou_Marazuki.png (73 KB, 243x226)

73 KB PNG

“S-sir, how much longer until you’re finished…?” The nervous soldier all but begs Marazuki.

“I need more time.” Marazuki explains calmly, even as he works at a rapid pace. “We cannot afford to lose all of our findings to the aliens.”

“Well why couldn’t you have sent one of your assis-- h-hey! What are you doing here!?” The soldier spots you and swivels around weapon drawn at you.

Marazuki pauses for a moment to look over to regard you.

“Hello. You are from XCOM yes?” Marazuki says, extending a hand out to the jumpy soldier’s weapon and carefully pointing it down. “He’s here to help us. You could start by telling me the readouts from that monitor over there, please. To sooner the better.”

Marzuki points to another console in the room as he goes back to work The twitchy trooper doesn’t like this, glancing both at you end at the open part of the dome. He’s practically pleading for help here to you, not wanting all the deaths from his own to be wasted because of him. Marazuki is surprisingly pretty well composed despite the entire situation… tn definitely reminds you of Dr. Vahlen or Dr. Shen when they’re at their best. Damn, you’re impressed but you quickly shake your head. Mission first!

“Did you hear me, soldier? Should I repeat myself?” Marazuki asks you, eyes still glued to his console.

>Check out those readings. You reckon if you do so the sooner you can leave this possible killzone.
>Ask what Dr. Marazuki is looking for. You need to know just how important this is that he’s risking his life.
>Request backup from Peppermint and Burnout, the other civvies can wait.
>Get him out of here. This is a disaster waiting to happen!
>Other.

>>2530516
>Check the readings

>>2530516
>Check out those readings. You reckon if you do so the sooner you can leave this possible killzone.

>>2530516
>>Check out those readings. You reckon if you do so the sooner you can leave this possible killzone.
Can the soldier not put something in front of the window or something?

>>2530516
>Check out those readings. You reckon if you do so the sooner you can leave this possible killzone.

>>2530516
>>Check out those readings. You reckon if you do so the sooner you can leave this possible killzone.
Get ALL the info possible. Faster we do this the faster we can leave.

>>2530516
>Check out those readings. You reckon if you do so the sooner you can leave this possible killzone.

>Out of jumpdrives to store the data?

>>2530527
>>2530528
>>2530539
>>2530544
>>2530546
>>2530560
Checking the readings it is, writing!

File: What the fuck are you loo(...).png (144 KB, 1198x843)

144 KB PNG

“Got it!” You say, hurrying over to the requested monitor. Taking it out of standby, the monitor lights up to reveal… something.

You can only assume it’s some kind of star map or something, with dots in numerous colors that you can safely deduce are stars. Probably. But besides that, the rest is a complete and utter mystery to you. No seriously. To make things worse, there are several additional pop-ups besides the main program, with just as much confusing information that only seems to compound things.

You’re a soldier not an astrologist!

“I need you to listen carefully and I will walk you through it.” Marazuki explains to you, quickly making his way over to another console in the room. His singular escort nearly trips as he moves to follow his charge.

Right... right, you’ve been trained to follow orders. This should be easy right?

“Ok, I’m ready!” You call back, pulling yourself together and willing your mind to comprehend this monitor enough to help.

And then, Dr. Marazuki starts his instructions. He doesn't start things slow.

>Roll 1d20

Rolled 13 (1d20)

>>2530592

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>2530592

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>2530592

Rolled 5 (1d20)

>>2530592

Rolled 7 (1d20)

This would have been the perfect moment to get triple 20s and change from trooper quest to scientist quest

Rolled 4 (1d20)

>>2530592

File: Logo Wide.jpg (198 KB, 1920x1080)

198 KB JPG

After giving the rest of the squad a heads up you begin your frantic and hopefully precise work with Marazuki. You hit the ground running, shouting back information as soon as you are requested and directed to do so. Position here, data there, readout here. Your mind is boggling at the information but your understanding does not matter at all here, the only thing that matters is that you’re transferring the right data to where Marazuki needs it.

Thankfully, you’re able to keep up with Marazuki, giving him the data he needs. You were really worried there for a second at first that you’d cock it up, but you can handle looking at screens and saying numbers aloud. The only thing that trips you up however, is the sound of gunfire erupting again on the other side of the building. You’re so focused on being the relay for this information that you don’t waste any attention listening unless it’s the situation gone really FUBAR. It fortunately doesn’t, from what snippets you catch.

As you work, things start to become clearer to you. Just enough to get a full picture of what the scientists here were doing. You were confused at the emphasis of the purple dots in the screen that Marazuki was making a big point of focusing on at first. It soon dawned on you that those purple dots were moving far to quickly to just be stars. They have to be UFOs. Did these scientists figure out alien UFO flight patterns?

You don’t know much about what’s going on in Mission Control, but Bradford and his team and by extent XCOM are more reactionary instead of proactive in their operations. XCOM is able to intercept UFO movement once they enter atmosphere in conjunction to XCOM’s satellite network, but not farther. If Marazuki was capable of figuring this out by themselves without XCOM’s tech and funding this is game changing. Judging by the sheer intent and determination from the astrologist, that this his and his whole team’s contribution to the war effort. There’s probably more to gleam, but you can always ask later once the mission is over.

No wonder the Commander and the Council want this man extracted.

“...Alright. This will suffice.” Marazuki says, stepping back and holding a portable hard drive in his hands. “The losses suffered from my team will have not been in vain. I am done.”

The look of relief in the nervous trooper’s face is palpable.

“Great, let’s get you out of here.” You say, ushering both Marazuki and the escort back towards the doorway you came from. You’ll need to round up some more guns to keep watch but right now the first order of business is getting Marazuki out of the room.

As you open the doors, you come face to face with a squad of council soldiers and a man who you can only assume is Captain Mark Bannon.

(Part 1 / 2)

File: Captain Bannon.png (248 KB, 348x384)

248 KB PNG

You don’t need to look at the nametag on his uniform to know it’s him, given the air of ‘authority’ he has with the other soldiers with him. Looking at him face to face, you see that Bannon is portly, tired, and while not as jumpy as Marazuki’s escort, he’s twitchy. Frayed. Clutched in his hands in a vice like grip is a sidearm. You guess he’s either attempting to do what you just FINISHED doing or something else entirely, you can’t tell.

You lock eyes with Bannon and he looks back at you. The soldiers beside him freeze. Everything that happened earlier comes back to your mind fresh all at once. The bullshit, the injuries, everything, all because this man before you didn’t let you in and left you out to dry.

How… how do you deal with him?

>Punch him. Deck him right in the face and leave it at that. Assume control of the operation.
>Shout at him. You’re not going to hit him, but you’re going to explain, very fucking clearly, the hell he’s caught. Assume control of the operation.
>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.

>>2530736
>>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.

ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL

>>2530736

Give him "The Look" not out of anger, but out of pity.

>>2530733
>>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.

>>2530736
>Shout at him. You’re not going to hit him, but you’re going to explain, very fucking clearly, the hell he’s caught. Assume control of the operation.

>Find his second in command Parker and make him do everything.

>>2530736
>Punch him. Deck him right in the face and leave it at that. Assume control of the operation.

>>2530736
>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.
This fuckin guy

>>2530736
>>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.

>>2530736
>>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.

>>2530736
>Shout at him. You’re not going to hit him, but you’re going to explain, very fucking clearly, the hell he’s caught. Assume control of the operation.
Sweet catharsis

>>2530736
>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.
also:
>Give him "The Look" not out of anger, but out of pity.

>>2530805
Supporting.

>>2530805
We're not wasting time laying this clown out, we have an operation to salvage and people to exfil. If those soldiers want to get out of this alive they better follow us.

>>2530805
Supporting, we can't waste time on this clown. We have lives to save and an operation to salvage.

>>2530736
>Completely ignore him. He’s no leader, and he’s not even worth wasting a breath at. Assume control of the operation.

>>2530740
>>2530746
>>2530754
>>2530760
>>2530777
>>2530805
>>2530817
>>2530837
>>2530848
Ignoring him and giving the Look it is, writing!

“You! What the hell are you doing in this building!? You almost ruined everything!” Bannon fumes, flaring up in anger.

You stare at him.

“That little heroic entrance you made is a glaring weak point in our defenses! Now those damn aliens are very likely to pour in and kill all of us! We have to watch the observatory and NOW we have to defend two weakpoints at once.” Bannon scowls in frustration, pinching his nose as he attempts to deal with this ‘situation’.

You keep staring at him.

“Hey! Are you even listening to me!?” Bannon takes a step toward you, pointing directly at you. And then it clicks, and a whole new level of frustration hits him. “Stop giving me that damn look!”

At that very moment, you tune him out, your eyes glazing past him and instead at his soldiers.

“We’re going to need your help. We have a way out and you all are more than welcome to join us, but we need your full cooperation to work as a team here.” You explain calmly to the other soldiers.

“WHAT!?” Bannon’s eyes bulge. You continue to ignore him.

“...Sir?” One of the soldiers says hesitantly. Good, they’re calling you sir. They’re giving you authority, not to hammer it in.

“I need a full count of what equipment and supplies you have left and how many able-bodied men and women who can still fight. I also need you have a layout of the building or just any specific weak points besides the dome and the hole we made as soon as possible. I especially need as much information on how that alien got inside.” You continue, addressing the troops directly.

“It… it was one of the technicians!” A soldier stammers. “I-- we don’t know how but once the fight started the guy started freak out, as if having a seizure and then… he started to melt and-- oh god…”

Great. The aliens have shapeshifters now. Of course they do, why wouldn’t they? Bannon is infuriated at the troops speaking to you, trying to come up with a ‘proper’ reaction. You keep ignoring him.

“You three.” You point to a trio of soldiers. “Help round up all the civilians in one place so we can keep an eye on them. There’s already two of my own working on that.”

They look at each other and then they comply, hurrying off to do so. Bannon is completely losing it, his cheeks turning red in fury. You are indifferent to this.

“Don’t listen to him! Listen to me! I am your commanding officer god dammit!” He shouts and stamps his foot on the ground. He continues to start shouting off commands and orders but the troops just stand there, dumbfounded at what’s happening and instead looking to you in the hopes that you can get them out alive instead of waiting to die.

You'll gladly try your best.

(Part 1 / 2)

File: Vigilo Confido.jpg (120 KB, 736x640)

120 KB JPG

Even as Bannon makes a racket however, you’ve already pulled the soldiers attention with your clear and concise gameplan. Survival first, particularly with Dr. Marazuki, everything else is second. You direct the rest of the soldiers around besides the twitchy escort, which you have him take a moment to relax, the kid having earned it for not turning tail running away as you worked with Marazuki in what would’ve been a very deadly situation. Speaking of which, you have Marazuki and his hard drive stay right beside you. He’s more than happy to do so upon hearing you have an immediate way out for him and his team and also successfully helping transfer that data for him. Extra browny points, you suppose.

As you turn to leave Bannon moves to stand in your way.

“You… can’t do this…” He says, glaring at you with pure venomous hate.

Your reply is simple. You just keep giving him that damn look. There’s a million words you want to shout into his face, and your hand is twitching as you compel yourself to stay calm. So instead, you channel all of that frustration and anger at yourself and at this fuck up at a mission into that… stare. And that's finally hits Bannon like a lightning bolt. After what has seemed like ages, the man is finally listening and not trying to project himself. The look on his face nearly makes all of the shit you’ve experienced now and the rest of it you’ll eventually have to deal with worth it.

Silently, he steps aside, looking away and trembling. Barely containing his own emotions. There’ll be words, definitely, possible even ramifications in a larger scale, but you couldn’t care less.

You walk past him and start getting to work. This can still be salvaged.

File: sleepysectoid.png (19 KB, 602x521)

19 KB PNG

>...And with that, i'm going to call it here for tonight. While you may be in quite the predicament still and luck has not been great, I'm hopeful you guys can still dig yourselves out of this! So until next update...

Thanks for playing!

>>2530938
Thanks for running Pixel, brilliant as always.

>>2529975
Nice to have you here, Merc

>>2530934
Goddamn great update pixel, we'll pull through this mission I fucking know it.

>It wasn't the dice god's fault.
>It's just Bannon's fate to fuck everything up.

>>2531234
I like to think the dice rolling shit was their reaction to Pixel shovin'in Bannon.

>>2531234
Some people just have a aura of bad luck. Which is why we should put some distance between us and Bannon ASAP.

>>2531342
Would 6 feet under be enough?

>>2531532
Toss him out of the Skyranger, if we even let him on.

Should we shoot him before we throw him out?

>>2531532
>>2531586
Murder would get all of XCOM in deep shit with the council. And then we would get to see an angry commander again. Do we want that?

>>2531634
>When pressed the entirety of Strike-1 and all of the soldiers under Bannon's command testified to it being self defense.

>>2531586
No, let him 'fall accidentally' so he could suffer if he doesn't die instantly

>>2531586
Why would you shoot a man before throwing him out of the plane?

>>2531676
Gotta make sure he's actually dead. 'Sides, he's a big guy.

>>2531680
For you

>>2531644
Killing him seems extremely petty especially after we chose to ignore him

>>2531532
Just give him to Col. Sawyer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybuIDqFGap4

>>2531742
I was not serious about that but I day he bloody deserves it for stranding us in literal no man's land just to uphold his power fantasy.

>>2531634
>Do we want that?
Commander's cute when she;s angry. And Bannon deserves to die for getting Sweet shot.

>>2533870
>cute
Remember when that spook was insulting her and XCOM?
None of that was cute.

File: hxGovlc.png (88 KB, 602x1154)

88 KB PNG

>>2533870
The commander is cute when she's handing us cookies and letting us sleep in her bed without murdering us.

Angry commander is like a goddess of victory. Impressive, powerful, desirable. Not cute.

Integrated boombox on Rachel's mech when?

>>2536058
I still want to know why we were in her bed and she not murdering us on the spot for that.

>>2536321
>why we were in her bed and she not murdering us on the spot for that.
Obv she invited you in her room or you wouldnt be here now.

File: 90ddf156bbf752e719081b6e0(...).gif (60 KB, 434x434)

60 KB GIF

>>2536326
No that's not good enough. I must KNOW in canon!

>>2536155
Just be careful, as we all know: A boombox is not a toy.

>>2536155
I'm sure this Marazuki guy we have with us now can get it working. Just need to ask him.

>>2536468
Anon, he's an astronomer.

>>2536474
He's the Vahlen of this observatory. I'm sure he's extremely overqualified for his job.

>>2536346
We had a bad dream and she let us sleep with her so we wouldn't be scared.

>>2536528
Commanders mommy instincts are a wonderfull thing.

We gotta ask her for serious some day though.

>>2537322
She'll make us work for the answer. Remember when it happened she was trolling the everliving fuck out of us by making us go through the squad bay.

Vahlen and Bradford date when?

Sprawled on a table is a blueprint layout of both the observatory you’re in and the complex as a whole. It’s already been written over with a marker, highlighting two specific points of interest. First being the open observatory dome itself and the back of the building. In the back there’s a large amount of windows by the entrance in the ground floor, a serious weakness. It apparently led to a patio break area for the staff. Most of the furniture and items not bolted down had been moved there to barricade the entrance, what could be dragged outdoors was used as well.

Burnout and Peppermint stand beside you alongside two second highest ranked members of the security team, a rifleman, Cardozo, and a designated marksman, Scotney. The pair of soldiers quickly deferring to you and not Bannon after you had seized control of the operation. They keep their personal thoughts on what went down to themselves and you want to keep it that way.

In the other side of the building, both your squad and the security team members work together to continue to suppress and lay down a big fuck you zone of exclusion from the Mutons. The remaining three among them had in great frustration retreated back once they realized there was no easy kills. Interestingly, someone pointed out they had dragged the corpse of their fourth pod member out from the open. It seems they value their dead in some fashion, or maybe they had wanted to loot it’s corpse for supplies. Who knows.

“Most of the fight we were dealing with those flying fucks, but we did catch glimpses of the ‘thin men’ and those green armored aliens across no man’s land.” Cardozo explains to you, the burly spanish man with a bandage wrapped around his head frowning as he gives you a sitrep. “The other aliens stayed back, scared of crossing no man’s land, wanting to use the flyers to weaken or overwhelm us first before charging.”

“Did they try to harass you in other ways?” You ask.

“Oh yes. That cursed sniper.” Scotney frowns, the woman grimacing. You look over to see Peppermint share sympathies with her as she clutches her side. “We couldn’t save everyone at first, and the ones that had attempted to reach us for safety where shot by it. But they didn’t kill them…”

“It tried to used them as bait.” Peppermint scowls.

Scotney slowly nods.

“So the thing’s smarter than average. Crueler too. Fantastic” You sigh. It's likely that that Thin Man Sniper is the biggest threat to everyone’s safety, barring the possibility of another ‘Faceless’ in the building, as the security team had started to 'affectionately' call it. That name is rubbing off on you.

(Part 1 / 2)

File: Things will be alright.png (316 KB, 640x360)

316 KB PNG

Reaching over for another marker you draw a circle in the hole in the wall your team made, emphasizing a third weakness in the complex and mark parking lot on the other side no man’s land where the Skyranger was still parked.

“So, this is what we need to do. Either focus on killing all the remaining aliens, or getting everybody safely to the Skyranger for evac before we all get overwhelmed.”

“Or waiting and surviving the siege for more reinforcements.” Cardozo points out. Peppermint shoots him a glare but her merely shrugs. “I am just saying it is coming, that Captain did not lie about that, however help will arrive two hours from now at the latest. Less if your air force can take out that UFO somewhere in the sky.”

You look over to Dr. Marazuki who is off to the side, waiting patiently. He’s quite eager to leave but he’s also smart enough to not want to rush it.

“What is the ‘game plan’, as you Americans would say?” Peppermint asks you. “What should we focus on?”

>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.
>Getting out. Your forces are not in a position to fight the aliens, escape is the best call.
>Hunkering down. It is too risky going outside with this many people.
>Other.

>>2538166
>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.

>>2538166
>>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.

>>2538166
>>Getting out. Your forces are not in a position to fight the aliens, escape is the best call.
Everyone is injured in some way, the grenades have been used up, and clearing means splitting forces to both defend VIP and attack aliens, further endangering everyone. Thus, the best option currently is to just complete the objective, and get everyone out ASAP by moving together as a group. The mission here isn't to fight, it's to secure the VIP.

>>2538166
>Getting out. Your forces are not in a position to fight the aliens, escape is the best call.
Still we need to find the enemy positions and suppress them during evac so we might need to do some scouting. We also have to deal with the sniper somehow.

>>2538166
>>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.
That damn sniper is too big a risk. Especially if there are mutons around as well. Maybe we can bait it, or at least destroy any sniper nests.

>>2538166
>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.

The real question is how we plan on doing so.

Are we going to pretend to make a break for the EVAC to draw out fire? Make a bunch of decoy VIPs? Drive a truck rigged to blow up? Or maybe lure them into a trap by purposefully blowing up part of our fortifications as a defense in depth?

>>2538166
>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.

>>2538166
>Getting out. Your forces are not in a position to fight the aliens, escape is the best call.

>>2538166
What's the headcount of the security team?

>>2538166
>>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.

>>2538166
>>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.
we still have our motion scanner, battlescanner and medikits, right? If we can find where they are, we can plan an ambush.

>>2538351
11, unfortunately also counting Bannon. There's also 10 civvies which includes Marazuki.

The security team roster has 7 Riflemen, 2 Gunners, 1 marksman, and Bannon.

>>2538525
The security forces also have some kit left over they've managed to save, scavenge, and salvage. which I'll go over what they have in the next update

>>2538157
>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.

>>2538166
>>Getting out. Your forces are not in a position to fight the aliens, escape is the best call.

>>2538166
>>Eliminating the aliens. If the AO is clear everyone can be extracted safely.

If we were to get out, and roll another 1...no. If dr. Murazaki gets sniped we have a problem. And we can;t use BAnnon as bait (or can we ?)

Calling the vote here!

You think the Thinman sniper will fall for the helmet on a stick trick?

>>2539716
Helmet on a stick ? We have Bannon.
But seriously, if we can formulate a plan how to get rid of the Thin Man sniper, that would be nice.

>>2539716
Only if we roll a twenty

>>2539828
We do the proper counter-sniping technique.

ID his location and call in an airstrike.

>>2539828
Maybe if we took one of the more intact corpses and propped it up near a window.?

>>2539716

We might just have to do this oldschool: get our best runner out there to pull off some crazy dashing shit while we get our best shooters on finding that sniper's exact location and hopefully taking them out.

The scanner we have could help find the sniper if we can get an educated guess where it may be near. Probably somewhere high ground if possible.

>>2540088
This plus a gun remotely fired via a length of string. Then have Peppermint shoot that fucker.

>>2540241
>our best shooters
Is a designated marksman a wannabe sniper or just as good ? How accurate is his weapon ?

>>2540349
They generally use DMR's which are mid-long range rifles.
They won't have the same maximum range as a sniper but they won't need it.
Think snap shot rather than squad sight.

>>2540349
Generally speaking a DM is whoever the most accurate person in a squad is. Hand them a modernized battle rifle (M14 EBR), a moderately powerful optic and you got a dude who can make the dude with the AK that's popping shots from 300m out shut up or at least reconsider his life choices.
Meanwhile snipers get a very accurate rifle, a pretty hardcore optic and train a lot more to be accurate (Along with a ton of other more specialised training)

File: 1-Image-1-21.jpg (40 KB, 500x333)

40 KB JPG

“We’re eliminating the aliens.” You say decisively to the group. “Anything else is only going to risk the aliens coming down hard on us. We need strike them first.”

“I have no problem with that.” Cardozo says. “Damn things killed a lot of us.”

“Trust us, we know the feeling.” You nod.

On cue, the twitchy trooper from earlier pokes his head into the break room you've repurposed into a command center. Glancing about nervously.

“The gear’s been all accounted, sir.” He hastily says.

“Great, let's get a count then.” You dismiss the soldier and motion for the others to follow you.

Heading over into the kitchen area, laid out on the counters is the compiled supplies. You look at the items before you with great scrutiny, these will be the tools you'll be using to get out of here alive;

For weapons, Strike-1 has their laser weapons and autocannon (Sweet’s Beam Rifle and Pistol are extra). The security team has seven ballistic assault rifles, two SAWs, a DMR, and sidearms among them. Everyone has a moderate amount of ammunition for everything.

Equipment wise, you have three medikits, a battlescanner, motion tracker, six basic frag grenades (a step down in effectiveness from XCOM explosives), several IFAK medical kits with varying levels of usage, a colored smoke grenade used for marking targets (purple), and finally a bunch of chemlights (mostly green).

Last, but certainly not least, is a piece of kit the security team have clearly been saving for an OH SHIT moment. A single AT-4 disposable rocket launcher. It's no XCOM rocket launcher, but the AT-4 might be a game changer if used at the right moment. If only Naru were here to know when that moment was...

“It will have to do.” You say, appraising the collected kit. “We’re going to have to make this work.”

“We know for a fact there are three mutons in play.” Burnout comments.

“And that sniper...” Peppermint grunts.

“Could be more though. Were still not sure if another Faceless is in the building.” Scotney adds.

“That should be the first priority then before anything else. Are you sure you’ve vetted your team?” You ask the two security members, being careful to not be overtly obvious you and yours have been scrutinizing them.

“Yes, we were all together when the attack started.” Cardozo says. “I am not sure about the civilians.”

“I could verify my people.” Marazuki says stepping forward.

“No way-" You start but the VIP shakes his head.

“I would know if there was an imposter, I assure you. I'd rather not have us all if I could help it.” Marazuki murmurs.

Burnout taps you on the shoulder, and quietly glances over to his Battlescanner on the counter. The piece of equipment was specifically designed to cover as many bases as possible for renaissance, including being able to detect alien bioorganic matter. It would be able to suss out a Faceless among your group, but then that Battlescanner won't be used elsewhere.

>Use the Battlescanner.
>Have Marazuki vet the civs.
>Do it yourself.
>Other.

>>2541495
>Have Marazuki vet the civs.
If his method doesn't convince us we'll use the Battlescanner.

>>2541495
>>Have Marazuki vet the civs.
No using the scanner when there is an alternative. The scanner should be used later in a battle situation when escorting people back, not here when there are other ways to weed any potential aliens out. If the Doc says he can do it, then let him work.

>>2541495
>Have Marasuki vet them from outside convenient squishing range

>>2541495
>>2541495
>Do it yourself.

We saw this in a movie once (John Carpenter's THE THING). All we have to do is get a blood sample and burn it.

>>2541495
>>Do it yourself.
Willingly putting the VIP in a potentially lethal situation sounds like just the thing that turns this mission FUBAR.

>>2541495
>Have Marazuki vet the civs.
We'll probably need that scanner to deal with the thin mint

>>2541495
>>Do it yourself.

>>2541495
>Do it yourself.

>>2541495
>>Do it yourself.

>>2541495
>Have Marazuki vet the civs.

>>2541495
>>Other.
>Do it together with Dr. Marizuki. Keep your >weapon at hand with the exuse that the aliens >could attack any moment. Loan Sweet's >weapons to the security team if it's better >against a Faceless than what they have.

>Go along with Dr. Marazuki, bring a gun and have a few guys ready for action

Calling it here!

>while we were away from the squad, everybody except Burnout and the two security team guys we were with was replaced with a faceless

>>2543314
Or even..
>Dozer is a Faceless in very deep cover.

File: ivebeenwaitingtousethis.jpg (20 KB, 250x285)

20 KB JPG

>>2543326

Also, did peppermint get healed up is is she only at one hp? Not sure how you choose to have the Revive work. If she is only at one hp or so she should get healed up to be safe. I think we only need to save one medkit for stabilize, if any others in our squad are wounded they should get healed as well

>>2543378
She's one opposing roll coin flip from death.

>>2543378
She'll probably live through a grazing shot, but that's about it.

Then we should definits heal her, let we lose her. I think someone else was injured as well

>>2543486
Rachel's MEC suit is getting pretty roughed up but she's still ok
Sweet's down but not dead but he's the only one with the resuscitate skill so it was all we could do to stabilise him

>>2543490
I'm still pissed at how while things weren't going great they were still OK right up until Bannon.

>>2543564
Welcome to Bannon
Let's just hope he doesn't start gunning down the civvies out of fear that they could all be Faceless

>>2543490
I think Zhang is wounded a bit too

>>2543691
Everyone is too an extent.

Then i think we should srsly consider spending two of our medkit

We definitely need to get Peppermint a blood transfusion. If we don’t have bags in the IFAKs, we can have a civvie donate.

>>2544233
Chance that Peppermint will refuse untested blood is..well, you'll see.

Rolled 9, 20 = 29 (2d20)

“Alright doc, I won’t stop you with checking out your team, but we’re going to be ready to pull you out if need be..” You say to Marazuki. “Burnout you’re with me, you got some of the fastest reactions in the group I want you ready. The rest of you are dismissed for now.”

“Very well.” Burnout agrees. The other two security members leave.

“I hope your wits are quick about you, American. Those Faceless were fast.” Peppermint mutters, uneasy about the decision. Burnout offers her a cigarette, she turns it down.

“We’re going to keep an eye out.” You reassure the sniper. “Just focus on resting up as best you can before the shooting starts again.”

Peppermint quietly glowers at that. While she’s still able to walk about and fight Peppermint is starting to steadily wear out. The Revive serum gives it’s recipient a the pick me up that they need, but it doesn’t last forever. While Sweet had also healed her as best as he could with a Medikit to ‘top her off’ you’d rather not risk Peppermint in any future fights, the best place she’d be is here in the Observatory, overwatching from one of the windows.

Decided, you order Rachel to join up with Burnout, Marazuki, and yourself. Better safe than sorry with some of your own squad members on hand. The two gunners part of the other team should be enough to cover for Rachel for the time being. Placing a hand on Marazuki’s shoulder and scatterlaser at the ready the group makes its way to the lobby where the other civilians have been grouped together.

The nine other civilian survivors are taking the situation as well as you’d expect which is not particularly well at all. Several are shaken and nervous, while others are sobbing, another is anxiously pacing around. Sweet’s nearby, resting on one of the couches.

You also eye Bannon who is essentially sulking in a corner, pistol still in hand. He keeps his distance. Good, so long as that ‘Captain’ stays put you’ll leave him be. The other security team members in the room keep an awkward distance from their former superior.

Approaching the survivors with Marazuki and your team, the civs quickly start asking the head scientist questions. Peppermint leans against a wall nearby, observing with a frown.

“Where’s the rest of the help?”

“How long are we staying here?”

“What should we do now?”

“Settle down, everyone. I believe we are in good hands.” Marazuki says holding a hand out to reassure them as best as he can. “I just want to see how you all are doing, the soldiers all have a plan, you see…”

The survivors are still skittish as Marazuki starts speaking to them individually, on the lookout for warning signs while not trying to be overt as possible. However the others seem to know what Marazuki is doing thanks to you, Rachel, and Burnout beside him. The MEC’s imposing form is enough increase unease as the survivors start to become suspicious with each other but none them try anything funny. Yet.

You keep an eye out for anything… alien.

>Roll 1d20+3

Rolled 5 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2545199

Rolled 3 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2545199

Rolled 19 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2545199

File: [HIDDEN MOVEMENT].jpg (36 KB, 800x360)

36 KB JPG

Rolled 14 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>2545216
...

File: Spoiler Image (146 KB, 1500x939)

146 KB JPG

Something is wrong. Several alarm bells start to ring in your head as you snap alert. The Marazuki is in the middle of a sentence as you suddenly pull him back, startling the civilians. Rachel looks to you, raising up her autocannon. The civilians cower as she starts to do so but you stop her. You don’t look at the civilians themselves but instead start to scan around the room. Rachel and Burnout pause and you see Peppermint stop leaning on the wall from the corner of your eye.

[What is it?] Rachel requests.

“I don’t know… but be ready.” You mutter, priming your scatterlaser. Marazuki stays close between Rachel, Burnout, and yourself. He clutches the hard drive close to his chest, wary.

It’s then you realize there’s something else in the room. You raise your weapon, spinning about, trying to find movement or oddities in the room. The alertness is enough to start causing alarm from the civilians.

“There! Contact behind you!” Burnout shouts, dropping to his knee and raising his laser strike rifle towrads Peppermint.

You look over and see Peppermint blinking in surprise as Burnout fires at her. The red laser shoots right past her shoulder and instead of hitting the far wall collides with something shimmering in the air. The damage causing something to seemingly materialize from nothing.

What you see could only be described as some sort of… floating robotic squid. It recoils back, having been poised and ready to strike at Peppermint. It falls out of the air and crashes into the ground, a burning red hole having pierced it right between the thing’s eyes. It’s then you see another shimmer to the side beside the new body of the the robotic squid. You don’t hesitate and blast at the air. Another robotic squid materializes beside it, it flinches in the air, recoiling from the impact as it's damaged. With a gasp, the russian sniper stumbles back having been inches from being caught completely by surprised by the things.

The civilians start screaming at the sudden appearance of more aliens. The new flying alien begin to dash about in the air starting evasive maneuvers, tentacles thrashing around and hissing.

[Enemy in close range. Watch your fire.] Rachel exclaims, raising her autocannon but not firing, not wanting to accidentally hit Peppermint or anybody else in the room.

>Get Marazuki to safety! Get him out of the thing’s line of sight!
>Pull Peppermint away from it! It’s right next to her!
>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!
>Other

>>2545747
>Pull Peppermint away from it! It’s right next to her!

>>2545747
>>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!

>>2545747
>Pull Peppermint away from it! It’s right next to her
>yell for the civilians to clear the area

>>2545747
>>Get Marazuki to safety! Get him out of the thing’s line of sight!
PROTECT THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE!

>>2545747
>>Pull Peppermint away from it! It’s right next to her!

>>2545747
>>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!
Go big or go home.

>>2545747
>>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!

>>2545747
>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!

>>2545747
>Pull Peppermint away from it! It’s right next to her!

>>2545747
>Pull Peppermint away from it! It’s right next to her
Tentacles are HeT!

>>2545747
>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!

>>2545747
>Run in and blast the hentai drone.

>>2545747
>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!
I hope this option doesn't include murdering Peppermint

>>2546300
with our dice rolls this mission, it almost certainly does

>>2545747
>>Get Marazuki to safety! Get him out of the thing’s line of sight!

>>2546300
>Other::Shoot at it before it can do anything. and get im its face. You are the only one it should be focusing on.

>>2545747
>Get Marazuki to safety! Get him out of the thing’s line of sight!
get the civilians to safety and our team to cover and away from the enemy

>>2545747
>Get Marazuki to safety! Get him out of the thing’s line of sight!

>>2545747
>>2546300
Adding to my vote
>have somebody else get Marazuki to safety

>>2545747
>>Get Marazuki to safety! Get him out of the thing’s line of sight!

Our own soldiers take priority over mission target in my opinion, that includes Peppermint.
But a good defense is offense.
>shoot at it.
Get in close first.

>>2545747
>Shoot at it before it can do anything! All it needs is probably one good scatterlaser blast!

Can't we delegate Rachel to body block Marazuki since she can't shoot?

>>2546642
She can shoot, what are you talking about?

>>2546647
He is saying she probably shouldnt, given the close quarters and her weapon

>>2546647
>raising her autocannon but not firing, not wanting to accidentally hit Peppermint or anybody else in the room.

>>2546650
>>2546651
Ah

>>2546654
But yeah friendly fire wasnt my first thoughts either, seeing as it isnt really a thing in the game

>>2546650
Doesnt she have a height advantage so she can shoot over the civs ? Pixel, can you say if she has clear LOS to the alien who is (floating) above ground level ?

>>2545747
>>Pull Peppermint away from it! It’s right next to her!

Calling it here!

File: RGB_xcomEW-seeker.jpg (135 KB, 600x337)

135 KB JPG

Rolled 7 (1d20)

“Stay behind the MEC!” You quickly order Marazuki as you are already moving up to combat the new alien. “Peppermint, get down!”

The sniper’s combat reflexes kick in, snapping her out of her surprise. Your order us enough to make her spring into action as she drops her weapons and dives for the ground. You close in while the civvies stay as far away from the aliens as possible, opting to follow Marazuki and cower behind Rachel. You see Bannon also scramble for cover behind her.

His tune of the MEC has changed rather quickly now that he's using her as a shield.

While uneasy of the big scary woman in a robot suit and the possibility of a Faceless among them, The lead scientist was able to keep the civvies in control enough to prevent a possible chain reaction of panic. You made a good call on that, department.

Pushing the thought aside and focusing on the threat in front of you, it acts. It “swims" across the air, flying low enough to try and spoil your shot and get between friendlies. The air shimmers and becomes murky with a black substance similar to Thin Man acid, making it harder to hit. It hovers close to Peppermint to try and get her in the crossfire.

Hopefully your close range and scatterlaser will nullify its countermeasures.

You aim and fire!

>Roll 1d20+3

Rolled 20 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2548271
Nat 1 baby!

Rolled 14 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2548271
lets fucking GO

>>2548275
Works every time! Now guys please use this crit cause it's kind of important.

Rolled 11 + 3 (1d20 + 3)

>>2548271

Rolled 10 (1d20)

>>2548271

File: images.jpg (14 KB, 259x195)

14 KB JPG

>>2548275

Nice! Do you guys want to save that crit? You guys don't have any saved!

>Y/N

>>2548319
N, use it

>>2548319
>N

Maybe we can salvage something from their corpses?

>>2548319
>N
Let's have a little fun with this one.

>>2548319
N

>>2548319
>N

>>2548319
>Y
We have a 14, thats good enough

>>2548319
>Y

>>2548323
>>2548324
>>2548345
>>2548373
>>2548387
What the hell people?! Does the fact us having NO crit at all saved up to counter nat-1s mean anything?! Did you not see how often we get 1s vs 20s?

>>2548319
>Y

>>2548319
>N

>>2548465
We have two hostile contacts inside a building full of civilians, we could use the crit now to clear them out and make the situation less bad for us.

>>2548469
I trust the benefits of a critical to be far less than avoiding a critical fail, mostly due to how much critical fails can lead to death. Also due to how the results of past 20s seems not all that special, such as the muton interrogation event. They give interesting results, but not as critical as avoiding death.

>>2548319
>Y
14+3 should be fine for this one

>>2548319
>N

>>2548465
Here's the thing. If the difference between a spending a crit or not here is 'Killing it' or 'Killing it harder' then you're right, but it also means this whole system is pointless and we should never spend crits cause the bonus is never worth it over negating a critfail and we'll succeed anyways.

This is the inherit problem with crit banking systems so Pixel is going to need to give an actual bonus beyond killing this thing in some way to make it worthwhile.

If he doesn't then you can tell me you told me so and I'll never vote to not bank a crit again outside of slice of life meme shit.

>>2548319
>N

>>2548319
>N

>>2548319
>N

Can we get that set of Phalanx armor for field testing next mission ? I don't know what they were thinking not putting one suit in the field right away.

>>2548646
If we're desperate, we could try looting the corpses of dead X-rays for scraps of armor.

>>2548319
>>Y

>>2548319
>Y

>>2548323
>>2548324
>>2548345
>>2548373
>>2548387
>>2548468
>>2548531
>>2548559
>>2548596
>>2548632
Not banking the crit it is, calling the vote here!

>>2548547
First if all, his game, his rules, he doesn't need to change anything he doesn't wanna. Second, a crit in combat basically measures how hard we kill stuff, which was important against our very first ayys, and probably will be again, say for example vs a pack of mutons. But this is a SINGLE seeker. A result of 17 should be sufficient.

>>2549073
Not like it matters now but they are right, I can't see a time when "killing things really well" would be more useful than a "get out of squadmate death free card".

>>2549077
Killing things well could prevent injuries at all desu

>>2549078
If 17 wasn't enough to kill a single Seeker without people getting injured then that's some SOM tier bullshit.

>>2549078
>>2549077
If you kill things so well it strikes fear into the hearts of the ayy lmaos then i can see the potential gain of critting a combat roll

>>2549078
And besides, you've seen how fickle the Dice Gods can be.
Imagine how fucked we'd have been if we hadn't built up that pillow for us to fall back on.

>>2549086
There needs to be a good balance between spending critfail destroyers and holding onto them for potentially worse rolls. We won't get anywhere if we spend it on every single 1 we roll, or hoarding them all for what could potentially be in the future even if a triple 1 never comes.

>>2549082
My point exactly, no need to use the 20 now. But there are situations where it could be, for example when that clusterfuck went on outside.

>>2549096
I'm not saying we need to counter every single Nat 1, but having some banked is much better than having none, especially when we're only trading in the 20 for a 17.

>>2549117
Agreed

>>2549117
We absolutely have to counter every single Nat 1. Because a crit success kills just an expendable alien, but a crit fail kills one of the limited number of X-Com troopers.

>>2549153
Not strictly speaking the case.
Unless Pixel has discovered the art of being a bad QM, he isn't about to start punishing us that badly for rolling 1's. Even the unprecedented run of bad luck over the last few days only ended in our medic being knocked out and most of the squad being roughed up, he's always said that he'd allow us to salvage bad rolls with good tactical decisions.
That said, I'm perfectly willing to drop this quest if we start losing main characters to dice rolls, if I wanted to lose troopers to something entirely out of my control then I'd just play X-COM itself rather than taking part in a quest.

>>2549158
Which is also why I think that some of us believe that we just have to be in the thick of everything because of the fact we're the main POV character, and we cannot die, otherwise we'd need to switch to a new POV (though that doesn't mean we cannot be horrifically injured).

>>2549158
We countered every nat 1 over the last few days though. Those were just regular failures.

>>2549162
Except for one.
Yeah you're right, nevermind then.
One Nat 1 nearly ended in a Code Black.

File: fine.jpg (54 KB, 564x562)

54 KB JPG

>moaning about bad RNG
>XCOM quest

That's XCOM baby

>>2549166
Difference there is who actually gives a shit about individual troopers in the game, this is more like the game rolling a dice to see if you lost one of the three department heads between missions without letting you do anything about it.

>>2549158
i'm used to having at least one main character die in the best RPG's I know. (Legend of the Dragoon, Final Fantasy 7, etc) For me it wouldn't be a dealbreaker.

This does not mean I want to override the opinion of other anons, just that this is my perspective.

>>2549160
I swear that by the end of this, everyone in Strike-1 will be a MEC trooper with our current injury rate. if we decide to be the Dozer human shield, he'll be a MEC with only a single eye being the only original part.

>>2549171
Yeah but they die with meaning and emotional weight, not just because you got unlucky.
Losing someone to a nat 1 here would be like if you got a bum deal during a fight the bombing mission and lost Barret or Cloud for the entire game.

File: xcomguitar.jpg (195 KB, 550x600)

195 KB JPG

>>2549169
>Difference there is who actually gives a shit about individual troopers in the game, this is more like the game rolling a dice to see if you lost one of the three department heads between missions without letting you do anything about it.
Aight.

You're waaay too immersed in this for you to be thinking like that. That's not an inherently bad thing, that speaks well of the way Pixel's doing things and it also speaks well of you in a weird kind of way that you've gotten so invested.

At the end of the day, though, as stated, this is an XCOM quest. And people die. Sometimes that comes at the roll of a really shitty set of dice that decides the Floater's going to flip you the bird and oneshot crit your hunkered down sniper in full cover. And sometimes that same set of dice rolls results in your team absolutely plowing the aliens like virgin soil. The team are soldiers. We've grown attached to all or some of them, but they're not immortal and they shouldn't be. Good tactical decisions can mitigate it some, but death or terrible, terrible injury in this quest could come from the dice gods just deciding to have a giggle at your expense.

>>2549180
But if I'm not supposed to get invested in these characters to the point that I don't want them to die then why is Pixel putting in so much effort to get us to like them?
Why bother actually caring about any of the characters at all if we're supposed to treat them as completely expendable?
Why should we actually bother trying to keep these characters alive?

>>2549182
If we decide to go down that train of thought, then the only important character is Dozer because since he's the MC the worst thing that could happen to him is being horribly injured, or getting captured because we don't have any other POV characters to switch to if he dies.

>>2549189
You don't know that.

>>2549182
>But if I'm not supposed to get invested in these characters to the point that I don't want them to die then why is Pixel putting in so much effort to get us to like them?
Woah there, I never said anything like DON'T get invested. People don't get invested, they just stop reading or voting.

We aren't supposed to treat anyone like they're expendable, losing ANY of them would suck, and if one SHOULD be lost, it is SUPPOSED to suck. That's kinda what death is like, and that's also what losing a well-specced out trooper in XCOM or X-COM or any of its offshoots is like. You don't rush off soldiers to their deaths unless you've got a weird view of what fun is like.

What I am arguing (or attempting to) is that the nature of the game this quest is based off means that whether a person lives or dies can occasionally come down to a coin toss, and that despite all your best laid plans there isn't much you can do about it sometimes. Getting upset or angry about it isn't going to change that.

>>2549191
This seems to be where we aren't meshing, if a character (like an actual character, not a spreadsheet with higher numbers than other spreadsheets) can just die for reasons totally beyond anyone's control then why should I care about any of them?
If they can die and be gone forever at the drop of a hat then why should I bother getting to know them?

>>2549191
You're wrong, anon.
"can occasionally come down to a coin toss" is one thing.
"15% probability on every single dice roll" is something completely different.

If we say there's 10 dice rolls per mission, then without crit mitigation we'd lose three people on average every two missions. That's not XCOM level, that's just bullshit.