I rarely look forward to the death of my virtual self, but this would at least cushion the blow.
This always reminds me of Iain M Banks. My first exposure to his work and the concept was Against a Dark Background which is a little messy but I love.
“Dragon”.
Things were looking better in the global front against Advent. Through resistance contacts, they had been able to sabotage Advent’s progress on the Avatar project.
Captain Lance was promoted to Major and got a new nickname from her troops. She didn’t care for it, but got the joke.
Major “Black Mamba” Lantz was sent out on a covert op to find a way into the Chosen Assassin’s stronghold.
Days passed. The Assassin was very close to launching a direct attack on X-COM. The team waited with quiet determination as the whereabouts of Lanzt were unknown.
Days still later, Lantz and Dan Theman returned from their mission. Lantz, who took an Avent round to the shoulder, received an instant promotion to Colonel.
The team, led by the newly promoted Major McMaster, boarded the Skyranger and flew to the stronghold of their enemy.
You magnificent bastard @Jason_McMaster you pulled my arse out of the fire! If I ever get out of med-bay I owe you a beer or ten!
I gained XP!
Since Lantz was injured, the team needed a replacement Ranger to tear up the aliens with sword action. Jpinard stepped up to the plate.
With RichVR on the long gun, they felt pretty balanced and strong even though Colonel Lantz could not come with them.
The team touched down and made their way through a maze of rooms on the way to the Chosen’s inner sanctum. The enemy put up a hell of a fight, sending troops with flamethrowers, mind control Priests, deadly Spectres, and more at the team.
With about half the team injured, they found themselves in a room with a portal that they assumed led to the Assassin.
After transporting to a new, large room, the team found themselves in battle with a group of Advent. They dispatched them quickly and moved forward. Suddenly the Assassin warped in with a flash of purple energy.
The team concentrated their firepower and took out the Chosen. With this accomplished, they now had to destroy the regenerating chamber that provided the Chosen in with immortality. They managed to crack the alien sarcophogus with repeated plasma fire. The Chosen reappeared behind the squad.
Suddenly two Codexs appeared. With the team fighting on multiple fronts, this was bad news. A Codex ripped open a psionic rift, disabling the squad’s weapons. The Chosen Assassin used this opportunity to put an alien shotgun round through @RichVR, killing him.
His best friend, Benhur, lost it. He flew into a rage and started pummeling the Assassin with fire. With the Chosen distracted, jpinard rushed in and put a round through the huge alien’s brainpan.
It was over. XCom had won!
The team carried the Chosen’s shotgun and alien blade back to HQ as souvenirs. Jpinard and Lantz admired it in the medbay. Things were looking up for XCom, but at a cost of lives.
RIP Major RichVR.
I regret that I didn’t do better. o7
Put me back in, coach.
I’m sure my rookie ass could be of some help now…
I just finished my own easy Xcom2 game and am thinking of going back and replaying Xcom 1… just because?
This is great. Feel free to throw me in if you need some cannon fodder in another game.
Report from Command incoming…
Stand by for casualty list…
It’s been a heck of a fight, ladies and gentlemen. An honor to serve with you all.
Progress report:. We have now killed two of the three Chosen and have one more Shadow Project left before the end game. This progress has not come without a price though. Brhikd our memorial wall. A free unannounced casualties made public here for the first time.
We have some great combat footage of the mission we lost @jpinard on.
Long live X-COM!
Wait! I am still alive? :D
Yes! Lord Kosc is an excellent specialist who has saved many lives.
Unfortunately, we just lost @Fifth_Fret to the Chosen Hunter. Revenge time!
Nooo!
Sign me back up. We can do this.
You had a terrific run as our Reaper. Putting you back in the pool. :)
No time to rest! Actually, plenty of time to rest for the vets.
The resistance has offered us a chance to disrupt an Advent dark event, but they are requesting no one above Sgt. be on the mission.
Therefore, Sgt. @ddtibbs will be taking the following rookies out for their first mission:
Oh man I’m dead dude. Maybe my brother Butch Reinert can pitch in?
Is that new? I don’t remember ever having a mission like that.