Some time later.
Things haven't gone badly, per se. We lost Keza MacDonald in the alien base, but other than that there have been no fatalities since last we spoke. Indeed, our ranks have been bolstered by sniper Sergeant Craig 'Alpha' Pearson, assault Corporal Porp Entine, support Captain Robert 'Pox' Yang and sniper Squaddie Jeremy Laird. But there have been wounds. Many, many wounds. As Muton and Floater Elites entered the fray, and the first terrifying encounters with psychic species presented a whole new thread, most of our once-strong team is laid up in hospital. Even our SHIV tank is damaged. Three other soldiers are out of action because they're being evaluated for psychic aptitude.
And so it is that we meet our darkest hour in what should have been our brightest hour.
]]>Terribly sorry, but this chunk of the diary might be a wee bit boring. Not a lot really happens, you see. That speaks to something that tends to happen in XCOM - the early game (at Classic difficulty and above) is characterised by regular and sudden losses because your squad are weak, scaredy and under-equipped, but if you can keep a core team alive for a little while you get over the hump and able to cope better in the field. (Until the psychic aliens arrive, at least). That's basically where my RPS-themed squad has gotten to now- we're on the (vital and satisfying) busywork, as we prepare to take the fight to enemy somewhat.
Think of this as one of those mid-season episodes in a TV drama where they're just killing time until the big denouements and cliffhangers at the end of the series. Like that rubbish episode of Battlestar Galactica with the black market, or something.
]]>My self-indulgently RPS-themed XCOM Classic/Iron Man campaign diary continues.
Having just lost Tim Stone and Dan Griliopoulos we're feeling a little shakey, but at the same time we've got some veterans on the team now. And laserguns. Can't argue with laserguns. So, are we ready for our first Terror Mission?
Today, two RPS writers die and four more join.
]]>The story of my Classic difficulty, Iron Man mode XCOM campaign so far is here. As a result, we've got a pretty solid team forming now, which means only one thing: let's go get someone killed.
]]>I'm playing an XCOM campaign at Classic difficulty in Iron Man mode, with soldiers named after RPS writers past and present. John Walker and Kieron Gillen are dead - who will be next? We're off to somewhere near home - Liverpool, on an abduction mission. There'd been a choice of rewards, and between the Sergeant promised for this one and the fact that the UK is in a slightly higher state of panic than the others, Scouseland it is.
Rookie Stone is still wounded, as is wet blanket Rossignol. We can now take five soldiers out on missions, so looks like we need two more recruits. Who's up for a visit to the meatgrinder?
]]>You know how I said doing 'Meet The Squad' was probably a futile endeavour? Well, two things happened.
Number one, my PC's secondary hard drive, where the 'My Games' folder is kept, had a wobble, which corrupted my XCOM Iron Man save. Not a huge issue as I was mere moments into the game, but the randomly-generated nature of the soldiers means that John's now a dude and Kieron's now a girl. Perhaps that is as it should be. Other than that, it's the same setup as before.
Number two, half the squad got themselves killed. (Note - 'got themselves.' It definitely wasn't my fault. Nuh-uh.)
]]>Hah, 'meet the team' he says. Most of these guys won't live long enough to realise they're in a team. There is every chance they won't even survive the first mission. Never mind, their sacrifice will not be in vain. It will be stupid, it will be embarrassing and it will be horrible, but it will not be in vain. Fighting for the future of humanity is a brave, terrified group of RPS writers past and present. Who, if any, will survive? I will be playing XCOM: Enemy Unknown on Classic difficulty and in Iron Man mode - so no mistakes can be rectified. Death is forever.
Are you sitting uncomfortably? Then let us begin.
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