Holy Terra, August 1980. The invasion is very much completely under control. And well, it's been like this ever since the Xenonauts managed to establish two more bases in the second month of the operation.
After that they basically steamrolled to victory, as can be seen by the amount of jewgold I have right now, as well as the funding and maintenance costs.
I could have actually launched the final mission way earlier, even in April, but I did not realise that only Caesans carry battle rifles needed for gauss guns, so that tech came up much much too late.
Judenburg, the place where it all started. Four marauders rule the skies over Europe, Africa and most of the Soviet Union.
Our brave crew!
First is the Turbochomik II hovertank, which had to replace Turbochomik I that exploded itself on last mission. Those fucking tanks can be a fuckton of a liability at times.
And the xenonauts themselves
Colonel
herostratus is the chief luckerfag of this operation, and the only remaining member of the original platoon. But that's p. much only because he was assigned shield duty the entire time, changing to singularity cannon only for the purpose of the last mission. And he really is a luckerfag. He once survived two alien bazooka blasts and took only 15 damage. Also, that hovertank that blew itself up? He was caught in the blast. Took 35 damage. R00fles!
Next up, Commander
desocupado III. His first incarnation lived some 2 or 3 missions, starting with heavy weapons. After that the heavy guns were taken over by Mystary and he switched to rifles, but is back to heavy weapons now because of excellent stats. I have no idea how his second incarnation died, but he almost hit the dirt once when he got shot in the back by a stray shot (saved vs death). He is also now the chief packmule, carrying ammo for Herostratus and Excidium.
Commander
Reject III. Another luckerfag, got hit and died by a stray fusion grenade, but saved vs death. All his incarnations were riflemen, but for the final mission he took up sniping duties. Reject Prime was one of the best dudes of the original platoon, and its first captain. His loss was very uncool. Reject II died in some stupid way, but I don't even remember how.
Lieutenant
Jaedar VII takes the cake for being the platoon's chief punching bag. Counting and remembering all his deaths would be rather futile, but such is the life of an assault dude.
Don't be fooled by Lieutenant
Alex II's low number. Alex Prime was one of the very first casualties of the war, and his geneseed got kicked into the freezer after that. He was only brought back when I was able to field 10 dudes + tank with my valkyrie dropship. His stats are atrocious, which is why he was given shield duty.
Then we have Commander
Excidium II, who is this outfit's 2nd longest-lasting member after Herostratus. He is also p. much one of the MVPs because his skill with the RPG is fucking bitchin', and it meant the difference between life and death in many missions. This is why he retains his weapon of choice for the last mission.
Lieutenant
Cojones IV, the second dude to break the clone number of III. He used to be a good sniper throughout all his incarnations, but got demoted to rifleman now. Cojones Prime was one of the rising stars of the platoon, first to attain major, but he died to a really fucking stupid mistake during an otherwise routine mission. Cojones III has the dubious honour of being the killer of Mystary II, but in turn he later got wasted when Jaedar VI got mind-controlled. Karma is a bitch.
Sergeant
Mystary! III took up heavy weapons after Deso Prime got wasted, and he was doing an excellent job at it for most of his career. Mystary I died p. fast, I think, but Mystary II managed to live long enough to attain the rank of major. And then he got shot in the back by Cojones retarded aiming and died. Mystary III's tour of duty so far has been very short, but he already had many successes. Alas, he had to get demoted to rifleman duties for the last mission because Deso was just a much better candidate for the heavy guns.
Also, the fact he's still a sgt while all the other useless newfags are lt is a sure sign of corruption within the Xenonauts command staff.
Lieutenant
root II is very much the same story as Alex. Root Prime was the first casualty of this war iirc.
Finally, lieutenant Roxorowski III. Roxorowski didn't have an easy career - his first incarnation died on the same mission Cojones Prime did, which was a ridiculous hit to the team's morale because Roxorowski was already a commander by then, and the most long-lasting member along with Herostratus and Cojones. Roxorowski II was actually on a good way to retain his status some time later, but he had an unfortunate affair with a reaper. Roxorowski III is but a shadow of his former glory.
Going in with 4 sub-captain newfags is very likely to end up terribly, but I can't be arsed to wait any longer.
The idea is simple. We have 1 magstorm, 1 singularity cannon, 1 rpg and a hovertank. This is enough ordnance to blow EVERYTHING to hell and back and get out alive.
so it begins.
And it begins p. well.
Herostratus, Mystary and Root proceed to one sideroom to take out a generator, Jaedar, Roxorowski and hovertank go to the other. Meanwhile, we start mercilessly bombarding the centre room chockful of sectoids, and Deso wastes the alien cyberdisk.
Good news is, one generator is out. Bad news is, the other team wasn't that lucky, and the 2nd generator was paid for with the blood of Roxorowski III and the hovertank
Alex II bravely sacrifices himself to throw a fusion grenade at a Caesan elite with his dying breath, his shield having broken down long ago
A blind singularity hit wastes two motherfuckers.
... when suddenly things get real ugly
OK MEN WE HAVE TO DOUBLE TIME THIS SHIT
AND THE THINGS GET EVEN MORE UGLY
Jaedar is mind-controlled and shoots Herostratus to death. We've just lost our most important ace. Fuck.
Also, Root can't run fast enough to escape the reaper.
NEVER TURN YOUR BACK ON THE RIPPAAAAAAAAAAA
The situation quickly spirals completely out of control. Due to a retarded missclick, Reject kills Jaedar. Deso panicks and runs straight into the reapers. Reject tries to move forward to get a better shot on the high praetor but gets sniped by a harridan. Excidium is out of rockets, picks up Deso's fallen heavy MG and shoots blindly, but doesn't kill anything, then gets mind-controlled. Mystary is also lost somewhere in the clusterfuck, I think he got sniped by a harridan when moving forward as well.
IS THIS THE END FOR THE XENONAUTS AND, INDEED, HUMANITY ITSELF?!
The fate of the free world is now on your shoulders, lieutenant Cojones. Don't fuck this up.
A burst with 33% chance to hit does not make for good chances, but it's all we have.
HO LEE FUK
Killing the praetor freed Excidium from mind control. He charges forward and takes cover, escaping the reapers for now.
The escape pods are just past the two harridans. Come on, people, you can make it.
Unfortunately, Cojones is out in the open and left with no TU to gtfo.
The ending to his glorious sacrifice is predictable.
The bad news is, Excidium also gets unnerved and suppressed by one last remaining Caesan officer, which leaves him a sitting duck for one full turn...
TIME FOR A PERFECT HOME RUN!
PAIN IS BUT AN ILLUSION CREATED BY THE MIND
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
HE MADE IT
HOLY SHIT HE MADE IT
Turns out Mystary also managed to play dead and crawl his way out to the escape pods as well when the alien mutha ship was going down. Good job, gentlemen.
A bitter victory to be sure, snatched right from the jaws of defeat itself. But the Xenonauts knew what they were fighting for, and their duty had to be done. For as long as the enemies of mankind still draw breath, there can be no peace
hesus dat was crazy
