Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

How am I doing?

 Doctadeth wrote:
How am I doing?

You are doing just great Docta Deth - one of the few members of 2nd squad to have not sustained an injury means you've been on more missions than the average second squad member. Either Dead Meat or You may get surpass Mrs. Scruffy as squad leader soon.

OPERATION BROKEN PIPE: Outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. 5 May 2015 (I was a little confused on dates for 2nd Platoon's debut. They went out on 3 May 2015.)

INTERLUDE: Air War In Africa Part 3.
In early May, the aliens stepped up their air war in Egypt. The XCOM air and space wing, now reliably in the hands of the reliable and ever cocky William "Puke" Shaw would rise to the challenge. May would be a trying month for them. The aliens were deploying ever more deadly ships while XCOM R&D had yet to deliver on the promise of laser cannon technology.
Lt. Shaw wants the kill as the small scout comes in hot over the Caspian Sea.


"At this point, I felt we had these Scout types pretty figured out. If you could get a left or right quartering rear shot on them they couldn't really adequately respond. The trick was getting to the spot for the missile shot. This guy put up a fight, but I managed to take him down.

William "Puke" Shaw would score his third kill this day although his interceptor would be out for a week.


It's important to stack kills on your interceptors. They rank up and get more defense and accuracy as they accumulate kills. I'll even go so far as to send in the rookies first on tougher missions to soften up the UFO before I send in my big hitters. If the rookies get kills - Great! If not, the vets won't take too much damage.

William "Puke" Shaw's 1st XCOM Air Wing with his second, Luis "Candyman" De Caxais.


While Puke and his UFO hunters were splashing the scout, an impromptu ceremony was in the works at XCOM HQ. XCOM command had determined - through intense study at the OTS - that on the field leadership was needed. Although most NCOs thought the officers should stay back at HQ while the NCOs got on with the actual work, they were over-ruled by the commander. This strangely not only ended the debate, but also ended any grumbling in the ranks.

Not that 1st squad was grumbling. CPL Silver MK2 had been there at the start and had been one of the most reliable soldiers in XCOM over the last couple of months. She was a natural choice for 1st Platoon Leader. Everyone welcome 2nd Lieutenant Silver MK2.


With her promotion to Lieutenant, Silver Mk2 gains the Stay Frosty and Lead By Example perks. Stay Frosty will reduce fatigue times post mission for any mission she leads (She has to command the mission). Lead By Example lets lower will soldiers use the officer's will as long as she or he is nearby. Both of these will be amazing for a squad who likely will lead the way in training newer soldiers.

There would be time for celebration later, but for now, 2LT Silver Mk2 and her squad would be heading to Egypt. Now that XCOM can bring 7 soliders on a mission each squad portrait was split into two parts.


First Squad's experienced core provides the perfect training platform for new rookies. The things 1st squad lacks (grenade carriers and riflemen) are provided by the rookies. The rookies will benefit from precise sniper support, strong will, and supression, and Elemental and Silver's abilities to quickly neutralize threats the rookies are overwhelmed by.

Looks like the UFO went down behind a convenience store. 1st Squad decides to play this aggressively by landing nearer to the UFO and bypassing the store.


"We were fairly close to the UFO by the time we fast-roped down. Farily open terrain on the approach. It was a good infiltration. I would set up a perch while Silver led the cherries around to the right. She was going to make straight for the UFO, neutralize the crystal entity, then let the rest of the inevitable patrols come to her. That's where I would provide overwatch."
--LCPL Esubius Walrus

Silver, Elemental and the Legion prepare for a frontal assault to collect the meld and secure the craft. Note Esubius Walrus and CthuluSpy in overwatch on the left.[i]


"The walking rhinestone must have sensed our arrival because it started firing out of a window. I didn't need to wait for Silver's say so and opened fire. I hit, but a rock is tough and he would take more... killing, I guess?"
--LCPL Esubius on the durability of Outsiders.



"Silver really took to her role as training officer. Instead of running in a blasting the entity, she took the opportunity to evaluate her new recruits. Our squad light UAV captured a shot of her flashbanging the alien to allow the red-shirts to get in position. The sooner they can do it for themselves, the sooner we can stop babysitting them."
--Esubius Walrus, 5 May 2015


A member of the Legion further wounds the Outsider. With the Outsider weathering all fire so far, our newest Legionaire decides (correctly) to end the standoff with explosives.



As the rookies secured the craft, Elemental collected up the Meld specimen found inside. Legion 15 surprises an unfortunate sectoid patrol as they return to the UFO.


Elemental would take down the remaining sectoid. 3 more Sectoids emerge from the shadows to challenge us on what is now our left flank.

[i] Legion 15, who seems to be an overwatch master takes another kill.


"Suffer not the alien to live..."
--Esubius Walrus "Vulture"


Cthulu Spy flushes out the last remaining sectoid - wounding him in the process.

The ever accomodating Elemental flashbangs the alien so the rookies can earn the kill. Unfortunately, the rookies manage to miss completely and 2LT Silver is forced to take matters into her own hands.


So, another relatively easy mission for 1st squad. Small UFO crashes are the perfect place to train rookies so I'm glad we didn't run into any Mutons or what-not.

1st Squad sends out three rookies into the world to do great things. Additonally, ChtuluSpy and Esubius Walrus are made Corporals. One of the rookies tries to nickname Walrus the "Claymore." He is given 3 days KP and told to speak only when spoken to. Most XCOM agents don't choose their nickname, but Esubius is the exception. He is Vulture.

CthuluSpy becomes even better at using her weapon (taking the Ranger perk here was probably a mistake - but not a major one. I should have taken shredder or HEAT)

Esubius Walrus is becoming insanely accurate - and is increasingly becoming familiar with alien physiology. His shots are hitting them right where they hurt.


The Skyranger was almost engaged on the way home by another UFO! The very next day XCOM's 1st Air Wing leaps into action!


Next time on the Dakka Diaries: The return of 2nd Squad and Chaos0xomega. Will the curse continue?

"War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." - William Tecumseh Sherman
It looks like my old friend the grenade is the most effective means to kill these aliens, you just can't seem to be able to shoot fast enough to get rid of them.
Every low trick in the book will be needed to fend them off, I am getting tired of feeling outnumbered.

"There will one day spring from the brain of science a machine or force so fearful in its potentialities, so absolutely terrifying, that even man, the fighter, who will dare torture and death in order to inflict torture and death, will be appalled, and so abandon war forever." - Thomas A. Edison"
The aliens do not seem to have a limit of what they will do to modify themselves (or is it other races?).
My fear is that our resident mad scientists will look on their work as a template.

If it's natural to kill, how come men have to go into training to learn how?" - Joan Baez
Beginning to see the officers getting sent off for more training, they're certainly doing weird things in the field that work.

"We don't even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward. In times of tragedy, of war, of necessity, people do amazing things. The human capacity for survival and renewal is awesome." - Isabel Allende
Everyone is stepping up and getting better, support staff, pilots, engineering, research and us grunts.
Every mission we prove the aliens can not only be stopped but more importantly, killed.
It makes them not as scary to face when you can see the corpses after a mission and a reassuring multitude of holes in them.

The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving on." - Ulysses S. Grant
If we succeed well enough we will be at the point of finding out where the aliens are coming from, I am not looking forward to THAT mission.

Where I come from, being a hard man is being able to take a good beating and then get back up again and carry on fighting." - Mickey Rourke
For those in medical, see you soon one way or another.

Grrr first squad.....Cabt wait to see what happens to 2nd squad next!

"Look at my shiny uniform!" Silvermk2 on graduating from officer training school



Excellent work Glory Squad. Shame there were not a few more aliens to cut the teeth of the nuggets on and keep the reflexes of the old hands sharp! But a great show none the less; and I was very happy with the cover and spotting provided by "Vulture" - helped keep the team safe and aware of contacts as always!

SilverMK2 wrote:"Look at my shiny uniform!" Silvermk2 on graduating from officer training school



Excellent work Glory Squad. Shame there were not a few more aliens to cut the teeth of the nuggets on and keep the reflexes of the old hands sharp! But a great show none the less; and I was very happy with the cover and spotting provided by "Vulture" - helped keep the team safe and aware of contacts as always!

You'll soon be joined by other Officers. XCOM is moving away from a platoon force structure to a operational detachment force structure - each team led by an officer and each team will have it's own unique area of expertise.

chaos0xomega wrote:Grrr first squad.....Cabt wait to see what happens to 2nd squad next!

Well, most of second squad is going on a mission. Both Scruffys are still in sick bay.

Another fine jobb, glad to see all came back home. That and a great AAR

So, its only like half of second squqd? :( If Deth and Meat are the heart and soul of 2nd squad then the Scruffys are the left and right hands... and me? Im the russian accented foulmouth voice.

chaos0xomega wrote:
So, its only like half of second squqd? :( If Deth and Meat are the heart and soul of 2nd squad then the Scruffys are the left and right hands... and me? Im the russian accented foulmouth voice.

Half of 2nd squad is a lot of better than what we've been averaging. Sgt_Scruffy is the appendix of second squad. Mrs. Scruffy is the balls.

Sgt_Scruffy wrote:

chaos0xomega wrote:
So, its only like half of second squqd? :( If Deth and Meat are the heart and soul of 2nd squad then the Scruffys are the left and right hands... and me? Im the russian accented foulmouth voice.

Half of 2nd squad is a lot of better than what we've been averaging. Sgt_Scruffy is the appendix of second squad. Mrs. Scruffy is the balls.

That's gotta make for some rather weird private moments ;P.

Whatever, as long as I get to be the voice

Nothing worse that being in sick bay when your squad goes out. Good work 2nd platoon.

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Nothing worse that being in sick bay when your squad goes out. Good work 2nd platoon.

As memebers of 2nd squad would say:

Sgt_Scruffy wrote:

 KamikazeCanuck wrote:
Nothing worse that being in sick bay when your squad goes out. Good work 2nd platoon.

As memebers of 2nd squad would say:

Yippe kay yee Alien scum

Good job everybody! We're hanging in just fine. Let's keep at it and send those aliens back where they came from!

OPERATION MORBID HEAT: Binban Qibli, Egypt. 6 May 2015.

"Okay people, I know things are different than they usually are, but don't expect the sky to come crashing down. I've been with you guys every step of the way and I don't intend to change things much. Mrs. Scruffy left me a fine squad and I'm going to see to it that I continue that trend." Dead Meat was being diplomatic. 2nd squad's history was a disaster.

"Can you do a better job of keeping us out of the hospital?" Chaos, as usual, with the mouth. Even the Legion guys were laughing.

"I'll try." Dead Meat still found it hard to joke about Chaos's... disfigurement.



The squad, just before it embarks on the skyranger. A rookie would be brought along for this mission, but only one as it was decided 2nd Squad wasn't quite ready for a multi-rookie training mission. Dakka Dakka 2, XCOM's newest SHIV would also accompany the squad on it's maiden voyage.

XCOM briefs 2nd squad on last minute details. Bradford would pace around operations all night waiting for word.


"I was, how you say, nervous before the mission, da? Being in hospital for a month, it felt strange to wear armor. I only left the hospital early that day so things felt strange. Meat ordered me to look in the big farm, and as I rang I felt everything feeling stiff..."
--Chaos 0xomega on returning to mission status.


With the barn cleared, Dead Meat makes the tactical choice to rush the UFO. Hopefully, he can engage the Outsider before the other pods activate. He's confident he has a sectoid pod to his right, but they seem to be a ways off. Other pods, if there are any, are some ways off.

The unit creeps up on the UFO. Dead Meat secures the loft of the barn which is a perfect spot for his rocket launcher - or so he hopes.


An unlucky activation of the Outsider forces Dead Meat's hand. Unfortunately, he is just a little far for optimum range and the alien craft's bulkheads absorb the majority of the blast.


Legion 16 suppresses the Outsider to give 2nd squad valuable time to maneuver. Tense moments ensue as the outsider returns fire.



"I think that other aliens may be coming, da? So I know we must kill Outsider quickly."
--Chaos 0xomega
The SHIV maneuvers and puts punishing fire on the Outsider.


Chaos tries to take the resilient alien out with a grenade - to no avail.


Finally, Dead Meat orders Legion 20 into the breach to finish the outsider off. Legion 20 finishes off the Outsider with a pistol round to the 'forehead area'

Meanwhile, back at HQ, Bradford had to be talked down from ordering an evac. "They've only faced one alien and already expended half their ordinance. They squad's not going to make it! They aren't going to .... " Dr. Vahlen gave the good officer a sedative. Bradford would spend the next 24 hours on bed rest.

Now that the UFO was secured, Dead Meat ordered his unit back to the barn in preparation for an ambush. He could see sectoids in the distance. They were closing.
2 Sectoids close on XCOM's fortified barn.

Dead Meat shoots the lead sectoid. Unfortunately, he is still in the fight.

With the rest of the squad still closing on the sectoid position, Dead meat utilizes a delaying tactic to keep the aliens pinned.


BOOM! Chaos0xomega earns her fist kill since coming out of sickbay.


The smoke was still clearing from the sectoid ambush when a new pod wandered into view and HOLY HELL WTF IS THAT!?
XCOM encounters a Muton for the first time


The battle will take place in the debris field left by the crashed UFO. Dead Meat's squad is out of position. They will have to brave the fire of 2 floaters and this new, unknown alien if they wish to succeed.


The legion suppresses the new threat. At least we learn that this monster can be suppressed.

Dakka Dakka 2 turns the flank and eliminates a Floater with machine efficiency.

a heavy firefight is developing in the debris field as both sides trade blows.

Finally, 2nd squad arrives in force and the monster is seriously wounded.

In response, the 'Muton,' as 2nd squad christens the beast, roars so loudly and angrily that Legion 20 panics in place - despite having shot him point blank.


Dead Meat had a back-up plan for this. Constant sorrow in 2nd squad has made the new squad leader cautious. He will utilize overwhelming force as his guiding principle. He gives the order
Chaos0xomega, 2nd squad engineer, becomes the first XCOM operative to kill a Muton in close combat.


At that point is a matter of hunting down the last floater. Here Dakka 2 draws it's fire while Docta Deth sets up the kill shot.


Docta Deth surveys her handiwork as the last floater bleeds out.


2nd Squad's run of bad luck is broken -for now. Although Dead Meat and co. got off to a rough start, things went well. 2nd squad always seems to have to work harder for their kills. Their high percentage shots seem to miss more and they seem to get shot more often even when taking the best cover available. Still, they get a much-needed boost in confidence and the XCOM critical care staff get a much needed rest.

Chaos0xomega, as XCOM's newest LCPL engineer, goes to combat demolition school and comes back a better grenade thrower. Although none of Chaos's stats are particularly impressive, she is turning into an all around solid troop.

Dead Meat finally makes Corporal. he becomes particularly adept at quickly preparing, aiming, and shooting his rocket even while on the move.


Interlude: Bitter News for Mrs. Scruffy
"LCPL Mrs. Scruffy, I hope you understand why I had to make this decision. We can't have rank inversion in the squads and Dead Meat has been around longer than almost any one of us."
"I understand" Scruffy wasn't happy, but she was still in traction. There was no way she could go on this mission. She also knew that denying her squad experience at this stage of the war would ultimately doom 2nd squad to irrelevance and ultimately lead to the squad being disbanded and folded in to either the Legion or other squads.

"I, LCPL Mrs. Scruffy, do hereby transfer command of 2nd squad, 1st platoon to CPL Dead Meat - effective immediately. We'll take care of the paperwork later. I.... take care of 'em Corporal. Don't get 'em killed."

"I won't, and as soon as you are back on your feet you'll be back home in 2nd squad, Mrs. Scruffy."

With that, Bradford and Dead Meat left the medical wing and headed for operations.

So, the torch is officially passed. Dead Meat is 2nd squad's new squad leader. It's appropriate really since Dead Meat is the most experienced in the group and has been there since the beginning. I'm so glad 2nd squad made it through unscathed. I would have hated to have lost another soldier on 2nd's return to action. I've... I've developed a bit of soft spot for my special squad *pinches cheeks*

As the first week of May drew to a close, this is what XCOM HQ actually looked like. Another satellite uplink is in the works and the thermo generator is half-way done - almost.


In a last bit of news, the OTS accepts CPL Trondheim's final thesis on the use of light machine guns in extra-terrestrial squad-level combat and he graduates from the OTS. Welcome 2LT Trondheim - officially second in command of 1st Platoon.


Hope you enjoy! Remember, I still need more recruits for the Dakka Corps.

Welcome to the officers mess Trondheim! And congratulations 2nd squad! Are we sure you weren't all horribly killed and replaced by thin men?

 SilverMK2 wrote:
Welcome to the officers mess Trondheim! And congratulations 2nd squad! Are we sure you weren't all horribly killed and replaced by thin men?

I have a grenade with your name on it... Sir.

Chaos0xomega, as XCOM's newest LCPL engineer, goes to combat demolition school and comes back a better grenade thrower. Although none of Chaos's stats are particularly impressive, she is turning into an all around solid troop.

Hey!! Im plenty impressive!

Yeah! engagement of a new alien, and me killing something again....hehe

Oh yeah, forgot to celebrate, WOOO I KILLED A NEW ALIEN!!!

SilverMK2 wrote:Welcome to the officers mess Trondheim! And congratulations 2nd squad! Are we sure you weren't all horribly killed and replaced by thin men?

Considering there's only one man in 2nd squad, I doubt it.

Doctadeth wrote:Yeah! engagement of a new alien, and me killing something again....hehe

For a doctor, you're proving to be one of the more reliable shots in the unit.

chaos0xomega wrote:Oh yeah, forgot to celebrate, WOOO I KILLED A NEW ALIEN!!!

You killed two aliens - yes, one of them was new, but really, isn't every alien we meet a new one? Each alien is a special flower - even BleetBlorf, sectoid private and sanitation specialist on a rusty scout UFO.

I prefer to errr dehumanize my enemies by not acknowledging them as individuals, and yes, two kills is nice, but not enough. I went to murder them by the dozens.

Ugh thanks to you i just got back to the glory and hate of xcom: enemy within. I was playing the campaign on impossible ironman and after many tries got a stable run. Finally i was thrown up against the freaking operation progeny or whatever it was called (psychic girl first mission) and my whole squad got wiped out. Sure it was 5 rookies and one super vet (captain level) but it was month 2 and i was just not in the mood. Gotta love when they throw missions at you when your guys are in med-bay. Not a fun combo let me assure you.

 SilverMK2 wrote:
Welcome to the officers mess Trondheim! And congratulations 2nd squad! Are we sure you weren't all horribly killed and replaced by thin men?

No I suppose you are not sure about that...... Would be a shame if someone "accidentaly" did something to you in the shower SilverMK2 As you know, love hurts

Good work squad, and Chaos, welcome back.

I am heavy weapons lady, and thees is my vepon.

Does Long War have Slingshot and the other expansion missions in it?

 Trondheim wrote:

 SilverMK2 wrote:
Welcome to the officers mess Trondheim! And congratulations 2nd squad! Are we sure you weren't all horribly killed and replaced by thin men?

No I suppose you are not sure about that...... Would be a shame if someone "accidentaly" did something to you in the shower SilverMK2 As you know, love hurts

Hey, leave my shower time out of this

 SilverMK2 wrote:

 Trondheim wrote:

 SilverMK2 wrote:
Welcome to the officers mess Trondheim! And congratulations 2nd squad! Are we sure you weren't all horribly killed and replaced by thin men?

No I suppose you are not sure about that...... Would be a shame if someone "accidentaly" did something to you in the shower SilverMK2 As you know, love hurts

Hey, leave my shower time out of this

Time will tell eh

In other news, I am impressed by the squad. Steallar work once more