Sheltered: Over the Edge

Part of the Fate of Heroes series - spoilers ahead!

With madness closing in, Big Mike and Skrmischa were saved by William the merchant - who had returned to ask to join the group. The pair were in no position to reject him, so he quickly tasked them on a supply run while he buried the bodies of Dr. Vahlen and Pip top side.

While doing so a trio of girls - Janet, Carol "the original" and Ann come by and ask for asylum from some "bad people". William welcomes them in, and they set about fixing the facilities in dire need of repair. Ann also finally makes a mop and bucket to clean up all the filth scattered within the bunker.

A particularly foul smelling vent revealed the desiccated corpse of Shaliquor, who had been torn apart by a swarm of mutated rats. Upon their return, Big Mike and Skrmischa are surprised to find all the new comers in their base. They brought three of their own - Carol "Red" Rein (another Carol, this one with with red hair), Christine the librarian and Christopher.

Mutated rodents of unusual size!

This Christopher turns out to be the person the trio of girls was running from, and at the first opportune moment - Janet shanks him with a knife. This automatically makes her untrustworthy in the eyes of Big Mike though, and she is expelled to the wastes. Her friends Carol (the original) and Ann, don't stand up for her - opting instead to remain in the relative safety of the shelter.

Sheltered: The Dangers of Generosity

Part of the Fate of Heroes series - spoilers ahead!

The outings were surprisingly fruitful in terms of construction supplies, and with new recruits as Dr. Vahlen's good will invited the wanderers Frances, Paul and the gun-nut Stephen into the Shelter - much to Big Mike's disdain. The food supplies were almost all spent now, but at least the new comers could help expand and furnish the shelter a tiny bit.

Desperate to combat starvation, the expeditions began heading even further - which is when they started running into the local wild life. Dr. Vahlen and Skrmischa barely escaped from a ravenous bear, while Big Mike and Pip managed to slay a wolf for its meat. The boy was so excited by the kill though that he neglected to mention the bleeding bite he suffered during the combat.

Bears don't need gas masks. Clearly.

Back in the shelter, Pip passed away quietly in his sleep. Dr. Vahlen, distraught that she missed such an obvious wound was overcome by the shock suffered a heart attack right then and there - dying right beside Pip while everyone was "giving her space".

Unwilling to endure these bad vibes, Frances left to resume her wanderings. Stephen put his one bullet into his gun and after thrusting it in his mouth - pulled the trigger.

Sheltered: The Fifth Day

Part of the Fate of Heroes series - spoilers ahead!

Skrmischa and Pip watched with great interest as Big Mike and Dr. Vahlen took turns explaining the machinery that powered the lights and filtration system of the shelter, knowing that they would some day need the knowledge themselves. Meanwhile Shaliquor kept to herself, hunting the gigantic rats that had moved into the air vents.

While the shelter was stocked with enough gas to keep the vital systems running, food and water was quickly becoming scarce as the days wore on. Having no facilities also meant the filth of human excrement was beginning to pile up.

It's a poop bunker.

On the fifth day, a buzz at the intercom surprised them all. It was a trader named William, and while the group had nothing to offer him he did suggest they start foraging for themselves since the air was actually breathable topside before looking for other customers.

There was little other option if they didn't want to starve, so Dr. Vahlen handed out the supply of gas masks to everyone as they began to venture out into the wasteland. Shaliquor was happy to remain behind and stand guard.

Sheltered: Zero Hour

Part of the Fate of Heroes series - spoilers ahead!

After leaving the accursed hamlet, Big Mike and Dr. Vahlen found themselves in the odd company of Skrmischa and Shaliquor the magical, talking cat on their quest to find their way home. On the road they encountered a ragged boy named Pip, who had taken to wandering after losing his own home and family to some catastrophe in the past.

Dr. Vahlen took pity on the child and was in the midst of convincing her companions to let him come along when suddenly a brilliant flash of light exploded from the distant mountain range. Both the good doctor and Mike knew immediately what it was. "Get to cover!" barked Big Mike as he rounded up his allies and ushered them away from the blast.

"Down here!" meowed Shaliquoir, scratching at a well obscured metallic vault door in the middle of nowhere. Not wasting anytime, Big Mike wheeled the hatch open and got everyone into the darkness below - sealing it behind them just minutes before the radioactive blast reached passed overhead.

It took a magical cat to find it.

"What is this place?" asked Skrmischa, readying to fight whatever lay in the darkness within. It wasn't the sprawling dungeon she expected though, instead it was just a chamber with a few pieces of dusty furniture and foreign looking contraptions.

"It's a bomb shelter," explained Big Mike as he examined the surroundings with his small lighter. "And for now, it's home."

Darkest Dungeon: Battered and Broken

Reports from Darkest Dungeon - spoilers ahead! You can follow the rest of the story here!

With the manor cleansed all that was left was to break through the army of brigands surrounding the hamlet lured by the promise of easy riches. I knew what they pinned their hopes on that damned 16 pound cannon which claimed the lives of yet more of our number. Blunder Buss, Quark, Zermu Terlu, Techno Viking, Gigal, Yarnheim and that dark elf Valaria, each of them slaughtered by the oncoming foe.

Then the gods heard our cries of help!

Ultimately it was Yuria, her Paleshade, Skrmischa and Dr. Vahlen who managed to reach the dreadful weapon and in a marathon of a fight filled with suppression techniques, destroyed it and all the entire battalion of brigand scum that accompanied it. With the way now clear, most of our number are taking advantage to leave this accursed place. Not I though, I am too old and weary - there is nothing left for me to see. That might sound ironic coming from a blind man, but I think I shall stay on as the new care taker of this place. As they say, to fight the abyss, one must know it.

-Corynx

Darkest Dungeon: We were rewarded with Madness

Reports from Darkest Dungeon - spoilers ahead! You can follow the rest of the story here!

The gods smile upon us. Elizabeth, Alvinia and Shaliquor, Dr. Vahlen and the short in stature Skrmischa somehow found the way through the third floor of the dungeon, which had been twisted into living flesh and tissue. Their foes consisted of mammoth, beholder like cysts and horrific antibodies that could teleport them around the massive map. Despite all being near death, and hopelessly lost they still managed to find victory.

It was then my turn in what turned out to be the final floor where Kokabeel, Rocket Man, Sunbro Forever and I faced... the grounds keeper Penultimo? The mad man was in fact the wizard behind all the creatures here, and his mastery of sorcery was impressive but not unstoppable. It was only when he fused himself with the heart of darkness that his true power was revealed - unmaking Rocket Man and Kokabeel from existence before Sunbro and I finally put an end to his horrible life. It is just as well that we fought him now before the creature got stronger or we would not have had any chance.

As it is, he could already do this...

So this is what victory feels like, yet on the faces of those who descended into the Darkest Dungeon I can tell that their minds will be forever haunted by the experience. I imagine the Joining is the only thing that is keeping me sane right now... which is why I can write this. The nightmares are getting stronger though... if I make it out of this place I think it is time for me to take the long walk... the Calling, before it is too late.

-Agdan, Grey Warden

Darkest Dungeon: The Precipice of Oblivion

Reports from Darkest Dungeon - spoilers ahead! You can follow the rest of the story here!

Field Report A127 - Expeditions into the manor, which locals term "the Darkest Dungeon" continue today. Elizabeth's team, which included Lee, Gwyndolin and my dear friend Dr. Shen did not fare better than Dieannin Avery's. Only the woman escaped. To her credit her mind is in better condition than his when he returned to the hamlet. The way was cleared by team three with Blunder Buss, Big Mike, Lu Lingqi and Catharina though. As I understand it, Blunder Buss played a pivotal role in destroying the shambler that had devoured so many of our number. His earlier fault is widely regarded as redeemed.

Begone, vile fiend!

Party Girl, Gillian, Yuria and the Paleshade entered the second sub basement and discovered even more horrific creatures below - scorpion men? Fortunately they took my advice of taking the relics Big Mike's team discovered with the shambler which protected them from many of their attacks. With the way lit, the path is ready for my squad to enter the third floor. I am afraid, but also excited to see what discoveries I will find down there.

-Dr. Vahlen

Darkest Dungeon: Leave Nothing Unchecked

Reports from Darkest Dungeon - spoilers ahead! You can follow the rest of the story here!

Field Report A85 - Examining the source of reanimation is proving difficult with the equipment available here and the old laboratory is certainly being missed. Resorted to more basic chemistry instead. Accompanied Elizabeth, Gillian and Lee into the ruins earlier where we defeated the Necromancer Lord. Strangely, he like all the other necromancers are also cadavers already, meaning the dead were resurrecting the dead in an endless cycle. His decomposition did not make him immune to the stunning effects of my potions however.

Charming to those she calls.

A beguiling siren at the cove also suffered injuries incompatible with life when Elizabeth, Techno Viking, the "cats" as well as the very creepy Londor Paleshade hunted it down. At the weald, Big Mike led a team comprised of Gwyndolin, Agdan and Catharina to destroy a larger brigand cannon before it could threaten this hamlet. The low morale after the bandit raid has improved greatly after these events. Considering taking up Dr. Shen's offer of trying whatever liquor the local tavern holds to join in the celebration.

Maybe after I finish this autopsy...

-Dr. Vahlen

Final Score

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

And so came to an end the great war, and with it my position as commander due to the politics that followed soon after. Bradford was killed in a fluke base accident after Dr. Vahlen, overjoyed to learn that she herself had the psionic gift, put him inside the containment unit which suddenly activated on its own accord. Big Mike took my position as commander and with Dr. Shen's help began fielding armies of SHIV units across the globe reducing the need of human combatants in the field.

Still, Techno Viking stayed on as a close quarters advisor while Blunder Buss returned to the UK to train more snipers in predicting alien movement. Due to extensive injuries Rocket Man became the first cyborg soldier in the project, often deploying with the SHIV units at crisis zones, this time fighting terrorists, looters and profiteers instead of extra terrestrials. He's now known as Iron Man
.
After discovering her ... relations with pretty much ALL the staff at the XCOM project, Party Girl was given a dishonorable discharge and was headed to Los Angeles to seek employment there. Elvis went with her, retiring from the soldier's life to start up his music career. Alpha also retired. She returned to her home, a little cottage in Germany, where she continues to practice her marksmanship skills. Some say she now hunts werewolves. As for me, well I've got places to go and things to do - and you'll probably read all about it on this blog. ;)

Final Score: 9390 (Classic Mode)
Days: 290
Countries Supporting XCOM: 16
Countries that Left XCOM: 0
Aliens Killed: 451
Soldiers Lost: 39 (1 pilot)

Till the next alien invasion!

Back to how it all Began

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

Alert: Terror attack in Kolkata! With the SHIV still damaged and some other people wounded I sent Alpha, Sledge, Bondi Vet, Techno Viking, Big Mike and Elvis to handle the threat at some public office. Looked like a swarm of chrysallids were in the area - a horror for any other squad but these experienced troops wiped them and their zombie bed buddies out easy. One zombie literally got the drop on Alpha as he fell from the roof and whacked her, but Techno Viking alloyed its face and Bondi Vet fixed her up. This was immediately followed by a sectopod who stood in a bad spot and got triple rocketed to death before it could do anything. The last muton squad was in terror themselves when my team coldly executed them. 9 our of 18 civilians saved, and promotions all around - Sledge has now reached the Colonel rank!

Next up was a mission to disable a bomb at a German train station. Sent Party Girl, Elvis, Alpha, Big Mike, Techno Viking and Bondi Vet to deal with the large thin man unit trying to commit suicide. Again it was so much easier than the first bomb run we had in France. Bondi Vet really proved his usefulness by saving the life of a downed Big Mike and Elvis, and again on the next mission to clear a crashed UFO where Bald Witch and a SHIV replaced the two injured heavies - he resuscitated Party Girl from an early death to elite mutons.

With that came the end of another month, and I got another grade of "A" from the bald man. Also, with all foundry projects complete and an army of SHIVs under construction it was finally time for my "volunteer" Adolf Hitler, equipped in Psi-Armor to enter the Gollop Chamber and establish a link to the alien mother ship... erm... temple ship. Despite all of the psi-testing it seemed I only had two psionics - Hitler and Gravedigger. Dr. Vahlen warned that this would be the final mission (seriously, with a big red lettered warning prompt). It didn't matter - it was time to end this!

Soldiers Lost in the Ninth Month: 2
Campaign Total: 33

Where's the Gallop Chamber?

Out of Options

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

Panicman, Neumann "Alpha", Ragnar, Torres, Murphy and Derka Derka arrived in South Africa to extract one Thomas Hutch from a quiet district that happened to be CRAWLING with Thin Men. Their group sizes and number of groups were unusually high. This made it extremely dangerous and sniper Murphy was the first to find out just how much. After getting caught in a choking cloud of poison, her cover was destroyed and the next rounds of enemy plasma fire completely severed an arm and a leg - her lifeless broken body panicking some of the others. Managed to still sweep the whole area before both Ragnar and Torres also succumbed to the Thin Man poison, vomiting up all of their insides on the street. The rest of the team, plus Hutch and his bodyguards got out ok though.

Cars do not make good cover in this game.

Panicman's work was not over though, as he was sent next to stop abductions on a bridge in Sydney, Australia - bringing Airhead, the Italian, Big Mike, Greene, and McIntyre who bought the farm early when a muton exploded the car she was taking cover behind. The rest of the team were all injured during the encounter against the squads of mutons and thin men with Big Mike taking the worst of it - at least they made it back to the infirmary. This was directly followed by a terror attack in Leeds, UK. With all my other soldiers dead or injured it was up to Ikeda, Gravedigger, Greene, the Italian, Alpha, and Hitler to save civilians on an overpass.

The area was heavy with muton activity, and after wiping out the first squad the team ran into a bad combination of two berserkers and a squad of chrysalids. After using up all the explosives they had both berserkers were still up, leaving Greene and Ikede to lure the brutes away from the others in a desperate attempt to finish them off. It didn't work. The pair jumped upon a woman each and began pounding them with their massive fists behind the cab they took cover behind. As Dr. Vahlen knows, some things just can't survive that amount of fisting. The remaining troops managed to finish off the berserkers afterwards, as well as a few more gun toting mutons, another squad of hungry chrysalids, and a number of zombies that had been impregnated with chrysalid eggs. Out of 18 civilians, they saved 6. Mission complete!

All Your Base!

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

Sent my crack team of Greene, Bald Witch, Mister Mustachio, the Italian, Gravedigger and Big Mike rappeling down into the alien base. Fitting this is the first mission I can send a full squad of SIX in now. The large complex had pretty much every type of scum we encountered thus far plus some robotic drones. Once into the main hall the team expended most of their grenades on an unexpected trio of chrysalid genestealers, then proceeded to the control hub while bypassing another three who didn't seem to take notice of them.

The last room was huge, with a raised platform in the middle. Had half the team take the high ground while the other swept around the flank and we soon discovered the alien boss here was a little sectoid commander (with a lot of health). That's when all hell broke loose as the three chrysalids we bypassed came charging into the rear and abither squad of jetpack boys appeared off on the side. Fortunately most of my heavies still had their rockets which, in combination with accurate (lucky) shooting saw the alien commander being alone again.

Not this time, Cats!

With suppression fire and throwing everything we had left against him, Bald Witch finished him off with an arc thrower - capturing his naked ass. She's actually pretty good at that. All of them made it back alive. Upon their return Bradford organized a victory party and indeed, the rest of the world suddenly became less panicked altogether. Dr. Vahlen was about to celebrate in her own way, readying her gloves and equipment for our new guest.

A Little Bit of Conversation

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

Dr. Vahlen killed the captive during her "interrogation", and now she wants another one, specifically an alien pilot. With a stroke of luck a UFO had landed in Japan so I sent valkyries Ikede and Murphy with Bald Witch and newbies Ragnar the Red (another Viking) and ex-terrorist Derka Derka. Despite encountering heavy resistance from sectoids, floaters and thin men they managed to capture said pilot while only suffering minor injuries (well, in Derka's case severe - but he lived).

While Vahlen and Shen "talked" to the outsider I killed time by sending Mister Mustachio, Panicman, the Italian, Cosmos and Airhead to a trainyard in Brazil where a floater army was abducting commuters. Easily put an end to that safely and quickly through good overwatch fire and by the time they got back the captive was dead and Shen wanted to construct a "key" out of its remains.

Oookay.

With most of Europe on the verge of total panic and the rest of the world not far behind I let them go ahead and do whatever with our remaining funds. It's actually very surprising how often this project that is "protecting the world" is bankrupt. Still, it turned out to be a good call because whatever they did - they managed to locate a large alien base in Asia! Damned sneaky aliens. This time we're going to take the fight to them!

My Churro, Your Taco

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

Soldiers Lost in the Second Month: 2
Campaign Total: 9

After selling a surplus of scopes to Russia to help them with some missile launch, it was time for another council meeting and the end of month two. Thanks to last minute satellite launches everyone was still onboard with the XCOM project giving me a grade of "A" again, but those little panic bars just seem to keep creeping up. A large UFO made an appearance not long after but my little fighter plane had no chance to shoot that one down so I ordered it back while it could still fly. Back in the base I -FINALLY- have my officer training school and can now send FIVE operatives on the field.

Just what I need, because Dr. Vahlen's wailings were getting too annoying and it was time to capture one of the bastards. Next contact was at a gas station in Mexico where floaters and thin men were enjoying burritos I suppose. I sent veterans Panicman, Mister "Nuke" Mustachio, Big Mike, Gravedigger and David "the lucky Jew" because he got to carry the tazer. :P

Taking cover next to cars and pumps at a gas station sounded like a catastrophic plan but it surprisingly worked very well. With suppressing fire from Panicman, accurate sniping from Gravedigger and well placed grenades and rockets from heavies Big Mike and Mustachio the aliens lost their cover pretty quick, followed by their lives. The Lucky Jew even managed to taze one before almost getting killed himself, yet on one HP he killed two more bastards with his pistol and flanked a thin man for a point blank shotgun blast.

Mission complete! Excellent performance all around if I do say so myself, and finally Dr. Vahlen is happy. I saw her singing and skipping past my office door with a large bottle of lube in hand. That poor, poor alien we captured though...

Dr. Dolly Vahlen is ready to begin the "interrogation".

Raiders of the Downed UFOs

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

Finalising a trade to Australia (who wanted to buy alien alloys) the UFO alert went off again, this time in Japan. A bigger ship than last time! Fortunately I had constructed an interceptor there and our ace pilot Vince McCool was visiting the region at the time. Looked like a nasty dogfight but Vince shot down that bastard in the end despite taking a ton of damage himself. Deployed Mister Mustachio and Panicman along with newbies Cosmos and David.

Seemed this ship contained Jetpack boys AND Thin men along with the little dudes. The first group was a non issue, eliminated by overwatch fire mainly while the thin men got to enjoy high explosives of the rocket and grenade variety. It's annoying then that as the team advanced on the ship Cosmos was downed by overwatch fire from the normal little dudes, because he didn't DODGE!

Even the aliens facepalmed.

After teaching those SOBs a lesson my remaining three men busted into that UFO, surrounded the alien pilot and summarily executed him (Dr. Vahlen: WHYYYYYY!?). At least it seems I'm improving with these UFO raids. The following one that landed (not shot down) was tactically cleaned out by David, Big Mike, the Italian and Mustachio with no casualties through liberal use of explosives and lure and kill tactics. As a celebratory gesture I let them explode the ship. (Dr Vahlen: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! MY RESEARCH!)

Missions Complete, and somehow Cosmos actually survived (guess I finished before he bled out)! Despite all these victories though it seems like most of the world is on the verge of panic. Oh well, I'm sure that's not important. Right?

Valkyrie Squad

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

Soldiers Lost in the First Month: 7

After an easy mission in Brisbane where Panicman, Mister Mustachio, the Italian (newbie) and Punk Chick (newbie) literally exploded all opposition it was the end of the first month and the bald man was impressed with my work, giving me a grade of "A". What is this? School? Anyway with the new month also came my new batch of rookies that Bradford kept nagging me to get, what with my casualty rate and all. Another abduction mission in Russia let me test the mettle of half of them I call the Valkyrie squad (all female).

Just like in Charmed! Wait, what? Aren't they witches?

Composed of Murphy, Wood, Greene and Ikede the team deployed at some courtyard with higher elevation to the street. Always a good start. Moved up into cover to discover a new type of alien - JETPACK BOYS. Ok, or floaters. I prefer Jetpack boys. Gunned down one just as a pair of little fellas came up from the road. Too bad for them the jetpack boys decided to flee, leaving the two little fellas at the mercy of a squad of psycho gun toting sheilas.

After painting the place green with their blood the team began leap-frog crossing the nearby footbridge, finding and eliminating the remaining jetpack boys. Once there another two little ones and another squad of floaters showed up to the East. With not much cover on the bridge the team split in two, Murphy and Ikede sprinting forward into cover and Greene and Wood backtracking to a flanking position. The aliens caught wind of this though and despite mostly missing everyone else, Wood was shot dead through the eye (through a car) panicking Greene into a state of uselessness.

Fortunately the other two held it together and marched up out of cover to the enemy flank while lobbing grenades. It was enough to obliterate all the remaining alien scum. Mission complete! Meanwhile back in the base, Dr. Vahlen was frustrated I keep shooting or exploding the aliens that she wants to interrogate. LOL.

Scrambled Eggs... from Space

Part of my XCOM: Defenders of the Earth series!

After being nagged by Bradford to launch another satellite somewhere (I picked Japan) I got to meet the other research staff in the base, Mr. Shen the elderly drug addled head of engineering and Dr. Vahlen who seemed intent about capturing an alien alive so that she could do what they did to her previously. She's a little crazy. Especially given that she's already putting on a plastic/latex glove whose sleeve goes up to her shoulder.

Thankfully a UFO alert ends the awkwardness and I scramble one of our jets (we only have two!) to intercept. Obviously it's piloted by Vince McCool since the little craft has no chance against his superior moves. As soon as it crashes I send a team out to contain the site right away but with Mister Mustachio still injured it is up to Panicman to lead the team, this time composed of the Jew, Bald Witch and Crazy Bastard who gets unceremoniously shot in the head almost immediately after landing.

With a combination of good grenade throws and lots of woody terrain to flank the little bastards they are all made to eat bullets in short order, especially since the engineering team hadn't finished researching the tazer tech to capture one yet (Mr. Shen was too high at the time). The UFO pilot was a little scary being half energy and all, managing to behead the Jew as he emerged from the crashed ship but even he couldn't withstand bullets in the face and a grenade in his ethereal genitals.

Tasty.

Mission complete! I'm getting good at this!