UPDATE 7 - Lobster Slaughter
When we last left off, the team was torn by the decision that needed to be made. RK47 bravely stepped forward and began marching towards the mine.
RK47 steps on the mine, and nothing happens. I completely forgot mines are disarmed when reloading saves on the battlescape. RK47 will live to see another day!
Grenades are thrown to clear the little alcoves where the last alien is. It dies and ends the mission.
A flawless mission, although it feels a bit like cheating. I resist the urge to fire RK47, he'll have another occasion to sacrifice himself, I'm sure.
Pacific-1 upgrades from sonar station to interceptor base. A Barracuda is purchased.
And facilities are built to support a small garrison and a backup science team.
A new soldier arrives. He seems somehow familiar.
Breakthrough in the power tool department! We can now use and manufacture Vibro Blades.
Work is started on an even more powerful melee equipment.
We only have two Vibro Blades in stock, so technicians are ordered to build a few more.
It's soon finished, and the toy manufacture resumes.
Aliens are very active in the Indian Ocean, but none of my patrols spot any sub.
The secret of the Thermic Lance is revealed. It's complete overkill for most enemies, but still has its uses.
The final upgrade is now being researched. A drill even stronger than before.
The month is very quiet, not much alien activity and even less contacts. Finally, we find one.
The Triton's new loadout, with a couple Vibro Blades and Thermic Lances for easier sub breaches.
Two barracudas are sent in pursuit and shoot the alien sub down near Jamaica.
And the Triton is there soon after.
Lobstermen... It's unfortunate to see them so early. We have no ranged weapons to deal with them yet, except our couple pulsers. Drills are an option when there's cover to approach, but the terrain is wide open. Still, codexers are not afraid of death, so I don't abort the mission.
Two pulsers are thrown at the beast's feet. Does it die ? Nope.
Black II spots a lobsterman to the west. Two more pulsers are thrown on its feet. Hopefully it's the same one as before.
Hoverdog, eklektyk and Oscar shoot rockets at it to weaken it. The monster doesn't even flinch.
The first pulser explodes. A mighty death rattle is heard! The second one blows up. Any trace of a corpse is gone.
dextermorgan sees a lobsterman far to the northwest. Pulsers are thrown.
And they explode, but don't bring the crustacean down.
The lobster shoots, but misses. It's wounded, time to close in for the kill!
It shoots again, and misses again.
Storyfag opens the sub door and spots a nasty surprise.
Time to demonstrate the drills' power. Look at that speed, Storyfag could attack ten times with it.
But one hit is enough, the lobsterman is down.
Storyfag keeps going, and spots another lobster.
He kills it, and spots yet another one.
A horribly messy attack later, all is quiet.
More pulsers are thrown to deal with the northern lobsterman. It's probably the last.
The monster didn't die, and shoots RK47 down when he tries to go for the kill.
RIP RK47
, your respite was short after all.
Edward R Murrow II has enough TU to move in for the kill. The lobster doesn't see eye to eye to this and shoots him down before he took a single step.
RIP Edward R Murrow II
, you didn't have much time to shine.
Storyfag throws another pulser at the beast. It doesn't die. And shoots down Slaughter who was getting closer to melee range.
RIP Slaughter
, a good grenadier you could have become.
It also shoots Bee, halfway across the map. And throws a grenade that kills Black II who was with Storyfag in the sub. This isn't looking good.
RIP Bee
, one of the most accurate rookie I've ever seen.
RIP Black II
your experience with melee weapons didn't save you in the end.
All hell breaks lose among the aquanauts, and they begin panicking, and worse, shooting their guns!
Oscar shoots a rocket right in Hoverdog's face. He's stunned and wounded by the blast. Hoverdog doesn't survive. Darthowicz is hurt too but still standing. eklektyk shoots a rocket towards Ashery, continuing in his tradition of friendly fire.
RIP Hoverdog
, our best sniper. Your name will live on in legends.
RIP Ashery
,a little more training and you would have been one of the best.
The lobster starts tracking our panicked soldiers. Its first target is ironyuri.
RIP ironyuri
, you were so close to getting promoted.
Then Storyfag and dextermorgan are hunted down by the relentless monster.
RIP Storyfag
, your throwing skills will be sorely missed.
RIP dextermorgan
, you managed to hold your own despite horrible stats.
Rabidredneck spots the lobsterman near the sub.
Survivors calm a little and regroup. Darthowicz falls unconscious from his wounds.
eklektyk arms and throws pulsers looted from his comrade's corpses. Does it kill ?
Nope.
Another pulser later, the lobster is finally dead. But the mission isn't over. I miscalculated. There's another lobster somewhere. And we have two soldiers. We already lost so much, we won't give up now! This is foolish, but I'm rather frustrated about the turn of events and don't think straight.
Sub doors are heard opening in the distance. eklektyk and Rabidredeck move cautiously towards it. The lobsterman spots the lieutenant and shoots him down. All hopes now rest on eklektyk.
RIP Rabidredneck
. A fine captain you would have been.
And he finds the lobsterman mourning over its lost crew. He slaughters the beast, and the mission is over.
Well, I think the rating speaks for itself. We lost many good soldiers, our highest ranked officers, but we prevailed. It could have been much, much worse. We could have lost the Triton to my stupid last stand. For future reference, lobstermen with sonic pistols are far, far more dangerous than with sonic cannons.