OOC X-COM Think Tank (part 4)

BMPixy

Well-Known Member
One part of my mind is chanting SABOTAGE! SABOTAGE! SABOTAGE! at that revelation, another is chanting FALSE-FLAG OP! FALSE-FLAG OP! FALSE FLAG OP!, whilst a third is marveling at the wonders that project likely did for the post-war economy. Like if it weren't for the 'kidnapping people and shoving them in slime bath tanks' things, I'd for one would welcome our new four armed overlords, and would gladly offer assistance in undermining any local resistances through my position of power as a blogger.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
One part of my mind is chanting SABOTAGE! SABOTAGE! SABOTAGE! at that revelation, another is chanting FALSE-FLAG OP! FALSE-FLAG OP! FALSE FLAG OP!, whilst a third is marveling at the wonders that project likely did for the post-war economy. Like if it weren't for the 'kidnapping people and shoving them in slime bath tanks' things, I'd for one would welcome our new four armed overlords, and would gladly offer assistance in undermining any local resistances through my position of power as a blogger.
Well, to be fair, they either force dissidents to do it (uncommon considering I think a lot of this would have taken place earlier on, not closer to the present), or robots, so you could bring up that "the robots are stealing our jobs" video again. :p
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
But yes, Sabotage was the first thing that came to mind. I can already see which major railroads to cut...
ADVENT Continental Empire (Railroads).png
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Since I found out Sharpshooters have revolvers and other such wonderful things, I modified the class loadouts a bit.


Normal classes have 2 choices for a primary weapon and 2 choices for a secondary weapon. All classes can wield an Assault Rifle as a primary weapon, and a regular Pistol or Single-Shot Grenade Launcher (SS-GL) as a sidearm.

Trooper
Primary - Carbine, Battle Rifle, Shotgun, LMG
Secondary – (another primary weapon or sidearm)
Sidearm - Machine Pistol, SMG, Truncated Shotgun

Sharpshooter
Primary – Marksman Rifle, Sniper Rifle
Secondary - Anti-materiel Rifle
Sidearm – Revolver, Machine Pistol

Ranger
Primary – Shotgun, PDW
Secondary – ECCW (A Sword)
Sidearm – Truncated Shotgun, Machine Pistol

Specialist
Primary – |Specialty Weapons|
Secondary – Gremlin Disruptor Cannon
Sidearm – |Specialty Weapons|

Grenadier
Primary – MP Minigun, Anti-Tank Rifle
Secondary – Grenade Launcher
Sidearm – SMG, Truncated Shotgun


And here are some abilities I've collected on them. Not all of this is accurate or in the right spot, this is just what I've found out over the course of the marketing campaign.


Sharpshooter- Just like it sounds, our sharpshooters engage enemy targets with pinpoint accuracy from extreme range. They're also trained in pistol marksmanship for the occasional close encounter.


Squadsight – You can target enemies within squadmate’s sight, provided there is a line of sight to the target.

Long Watch – Allows Overwatch to trigger with Squadsight.


Return Fire – When targeted by enemy fire, automatically fire back with your pistol once per turn.

Deadeye – Take a shot with a small aim penalty for a significant damage boost.


Lightning Hands – Fire your pistol at a target. This attack does not cost an action.

Death From Above – Grants an extra action when an enemy at a lower elevation is killed.


Fan Fire – Fire your pistol three times at a single target.











Ranger- The Ranger serves as our primary reconnaissance unit, capable of moving independently in concealment while engaging enemies at close range using extensive training in swordsmanship.


Slash – Attack any enemy within movement range with your sword.

Phantom – When the squad is revealed, this soldier remains concealed.


Blademaster – Deal extra damage on all sword attacks.

Shadowstrike – 25 bonus aim and 25 bonus crit when attacking enemies that can’t see you.


Shadowstep – A Ranger with Shadowstep will not trigger Overwatch shots or Suppression fire, but they will be unable to draw overwatch fire away from their teammates.

??? – The Ranger may move again after a kill.


Reaper – Scoring a melee kill allows the Ranger to combo another attack which can chain as long as they can keep scoring kills.











Charge – You may activate your standard melee attack for free after dashing this turn.

Specialist- Operating some of our most advanced equipment, Specialists deploy robotic drones on the battlefield that can be outfitted for combat or field medic duty.


Aid Protocol – Command your Gremlin to move to a friendly target. It grants that target a bonus to Defense until the start of the next player turn.

Medical Protocol – The GREMLIN can perform healing actions remotely: Gremlin Heal and Gremlin Stabilize. The GREMLIN has a single charge. If a medkit is equipped, the GREMLIN will gain an additional charge.


Combat Protocol – Send the GREMLIN to an enemy to jolt them, dealing guaranteed damage, which is increased against robotic enemies [that aren’t electrostatic shielded].

Revival Protocol – Send the GREMLIN to an ally to remove any negative mental status effects: Disoriented, Stunned, Panicked, or Unconscious.


Haywire Protocol – You may target robotic enemies with your GREMLIN, attempting to hack them and seize control.

Field Medic – Equipped medkits have 2 extra charges.


Scanning Protocol – The GREMLIN can trigger an instant scan of the area, increasing the Specialist’s sight radius substantially for one turn, and revealing any enemies in the area.











Gremlin: Intrusion Protocol (Allows the Specialist to hack robotic enemies and disable or take over them.)

Hacker – Attempt to breach security on a network access point with your Gremlin.

Grenadier – Serving as our demolitions experts, the Grenadiers provide heavy ordinance delivery whenever and wherever we need it.


Launch Grenade – Fire a grenade into a target area to deal area of effect damage. (Targets further away from the center of the explosion take less damage.)

Blast Padding –


Shredder – Removes a point of enemy armor [-1 Damage Reduction].

Demolition – Fire at your target’s cover, significantly damaging or destroying it. Deals no damage to your target.


Minigun Suppression – Fire a barrage that pins down a target, granting reaction fire against it if it moves, and imposing a -50 penalty to the target’s aim.



Rupture – A critical damage attack that ensures the affected unit takes increased damage from all future attacks.










Salvo – Allows the Grenadier to use a grenade or heavy weapon without ending their turn.

Trooper - Troopers act as our baseline soldier, making up the backbone of XCOM's forces. While they lack specialization in unique weaponry or equipment, they are proficient in what they have, being able to bring two primary weapons at once.


Light ‘Em Up – The Trooper can twice for the cost of only one action point. This enables them to dish out a doubled rate of fire, and they only need to hit once to do the doubled damage.



















Rifle Suppression – Fire a barrage that pins down a target, granting reaction fire against it if it moves, and imposing a -30 penalty to the target’s aim.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Here's a taste of what the Q&A that I'll be attaching to the X2 lore thread will be like.


Gemini General Questions

What is XCOM's screening process like?

Now, not to be judgemental (that's the Commander's job) but XCOM is looking for people that legitimately want to fight back against ADVENT. People that don't believe their lies. If it's crucial to your character that they be unsure of who to believe or if they're willing to use violent means against the occupiers (if they're a soldier) then you do not have to eliminate that, but go in with the understanding that they'll be observed with more scrutiny than the average for recruits, and you need a belivable reason why they'd still join. And, of course, as the rules state we don't do this through blackmail, so no one joining XCOM will be an alien sympathizer,

What enemies will my character have knowledge about?

Whether you're from a Megacity, the Outskirts, a Shanty, or the Wilderness, there are a few types everyone would know of. For ADVENT that is: Troopers, Gunners, Shock Lancers, MEC Troopers, Hovertroopers, and Officers. The four specialized ADVENT classes - that is the Rocketeer, Scorcher, Assassin, and Saboteur - either operate from the shadows or only on terror strikes on the Shanties.

Common-knowledge aliens include the Sectoids and Elders (though these two are rarely seen), as well as Vipers, Chargers, Clerics, Moguls, Retainers, Masquers, and Archons. Shanties would know of Chryssalids, Sappers, and Floaters. Only the resistances would have direct come into contact with Sectoids and Mimics.

Is my character allowed to have killed aliens in the past?

ADVENT Troopers with their magnetic weapons would be a dangerous foe. Though, if one had to make an escape or was fighting in a resistance they could have. Just don't go overboard and say, for example, that your character was pulling a Sweeney Todd on ADVENT for years, making them into meat pies. They'd be found out and executed or worse. No lone agent could stand up to an actual alien period. They're all too strong to be beaten without special equipment or powers.

Can my character have psionic powers or supernatural abilities from the start?

Yes, although they could not have been from a Megacity and couldn't have lived in the Outskirts for long. The aliens cull people like that into their ranks. Again, don't go overboard. Your powers will need to be approved by the GMs, including me.

What would my recruit know about XCOM?

Our agents would tell your character (if they aren't part of a resistance) that we are a resistance, and would be carrying around parts of aliens like Viper fangs and such (think Alien Trophies from Long War) to prove that we aren't ADVENT agents trying to weed out opposition. If they agree to join us, they'd be briefed on what XCOM is capable of when they get to the Avenger. If they were already part of a verifiably trustworthy resistance they'd be briefed before joining.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
So you know how the strategy layer has a 3x4 building area? I'm bumping that up to 4x4 for the RP, primarily because I kind of need some extra structures that can't fit anywhere else.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Alright, people. All eight posts that the XCOM2 Information thread is capable of having at the moment is ready and available. (The only thing really missing is XCOM Soldier Class Skillsets and maybe something else, but that's out of the question until the game comes out.) In my signature and on the first post of the thread are some google docs. My signature has the two docs for extra info you can visit bolded.

You're free to start creating your XCOM2 characters! Once you've finished your first draft you can submit to me, though I may not be able to approve and edit them until I get back on the 28th of December. (I won't be gone until the 19th, but I may not be available due to midterms.) If I'm unable to respond, you can submit it to MarineAvenger, and he'll at least tell you what you might need to change/what I might not be okay with, and what seems good. But final approval needs to come from me.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
On a scale from Completely Unsurprised to Mildly Surprised, what is your reaction to the Commander's identity as outlined on the Info Thread? (Really, was there any other option? :p)
 

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DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Jesus chirst, Jake. [Referring to the sniper in the stream] "There's also the Face-Off abilitiy that allows her, if she's high enough rank to have it, to shoot enemy enemy she can see with her pistol."

Welcome to In the Zone on steroids, people.
 

MarineAvenger

Operator 21O
Staff member
Remember everyone that Gem wanted you to work on X2 bios. You can submit them to me for screening and proof reading but just remember my say is not the final verdict, that is for when Gem gets back.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
A little more trivia for you from my FAQ.

7. Why can’t the Resistance just steal and use ADVENT Magnetic Weapons?

Just like the alien weapons, gauss weapons self-destruct if their user dies. Granted, there are still weapon stockpiles that don’t have this barrier, but two factors prevent longterm hijacking. The first is simply that without proper knowledge of how to maintain the weapons, they’d be limited-use. The second is that all ADVENT soldiers have just a little bit of alien DNA injected in them, and their weapon triggers have a small bloodtester that detects this. Unless that alien DNA is detected, the weapon mechanisms won’t activate, rendering the ADVENT gauss guns useless to non-ADVENT.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
At long last I have prepared the starting six classes for you! In light of the fifth class ingame being a psi operative, something that anyone can be in our stories, I had to think long and hard about the fifth class here. But now here it is, the glorious Ambusher. Thanks to Marine for generating a good half or more of the ideas for such.
Trooper

Primary - Carbine, Battle Rifle, Shotgun, LMG
Secondary – (another primary weapon or sidearm)
Sidearm - Machine Pistol, SMG, Truncated Shotgun

Sharpshooter

Primary – Marksman Rifle, Sniper Rifle
Secondary - Anti-materiel Rifle
Sidearm – Revolver, Machine Pistol

Ranger

Primary – Shotgun, PDW
Secondary – ECCW (A Sword)
Sidearm – Truncated Shotgun, Machine Pistol

Specialist

Primary – |Specialty Weapons|
Secondary – Gremlin Disruptor Cannon
Sidearm – |Specialty Weapons|

Grenadier

Primary – MP Minigun, Anti-Tank Rifle
Secondary – Grenade Launcher
Sidearm – SMG, Truncated Shotgun

Ambusher

Primary – Arc Rifle, Anti-Tank Rifle
Secondary – Cable Slinger
Sidearm – SMG, Revolver
What you need to know about the Ambusher is that their unique weapon is the Arc Rifle, which is an electrical weapon that doesn't do a lot of damage but disables weaponry. They're a hunter, a saboteur, a combat engineer. They have some unique items to start that will be expanded as time goes on. To begin with they have electrified barbed wire that can be deployed by little RC drones, and their secondary weapon is essentially a ropedart launcher to trip up enemies. It can be upgraded to be electrified or such later on, and they'll get awesome stuff like proximity mines as well. Think of them as a ghetto infiltrator class drawing some elements of stealth from Rangers, a bit of long range shooting from Sharpshooters (the weapon of the Grenadier is taken though), and bit of drone action from the Specialists.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
An important note about classes as well: as soon as we have Plated Armor researched, we'll get access to a "Juggernaut" class that specializes in sidearms (having all 6 available) and has an alloy shield for defense. They're mobile, but they can tank a hit or two. So if you're planning on introducing a soldier character AFTER the start of the story, keep in mind the Juggernaut is a possibility. There's an eight class called the Harrier as well, but they might come in a few months into the war - they're a secondary weapon specialist that wears the Combat Exosuit. (Juggernauts might get a defensive exosuit, and later... they get something better.)
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Additionally, note that the weapon names may not all line up with their counterparts ingame. For instance, the Sharpshooter pistol for Magnetic weapons is called a "Mag Pistol", but for us that's just a regular pistol. The upgraded magnetic revolver is a Rail Revolver.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
An update: Progress on the Prequel is going well, we're probably around a quarter or more done. I'll start posting it closer to the start of the next story, which is in about two months I suspect. I am working on those megabios I showed you all the template for so I can properly set up my four characters - all of them are part of XCOM before its resurgence so half of my backstories will be summarized directly from the prequel.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
By the way, if you're having trouble writing your biography for whatever reason don't be afraid to ask me for help. Or if you're having issues with time let me know. You don't want to let time get away from you and end up having to write your bio and "Week -1" (intro post) at the last minute.
 

DarkGemini24601

Well-Known Member
Wahaha, I finally decided how some of the secondary weapons work. The anti-materiel rifle will bypass DR entirely and do flat damage, the Sword will do comparibly high flat damage but will be penalized double the value of enemy DR not bypassed by tech buffs and Blademaster. Gremlin has the Stun Lancer shock effects but no damage until Combat Protocol.
 
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