In Progress Let's play: 10 brave souls vs the Terror From The Deep

[RealDDc]

Spoiler

Update: The fourth month ends

And it goes on in the same old fashion...

"Knock"..."Knock"...

... CappenVarra with a plasma rifle.

And Blagrar serves the grenades.

The tank takes a hit for exactly one point of damage, more illumination is required.

Blagrar is back in action.

The area around the Triton is cleared and well lit, the crew get in sniper position.

The tanks charge forward, Overboard and Azira back em up with flares.

Gotcha!

CappenVarra gets the kill.

The tank takes another one down.

Location of the alien ship revealed, time to storm it and finish the mission.

Azira and GreyViper are assigned to deal with the aliens inside.

GreyViper executes the last remaining alien and thus finish the mission.

Money isn't a big deal anymore, but the Zrbite comes in handy.

Scanners report a battleship I am unable to shoot down and have to let it pass.

As expected they start an attack, will be an Aquatoid terror mission and even worse again unavoidable during
the nighttime.

To make it short, the plenty ship missions this month allow to skip this pretty deadly one, but we'll take a peek
nonetheless that usually also results in less score reduction than it would ignoring it entirely.

One of the tanks gets vision on these...

... Blagrar drops em a grenade, and moves back into the Triton.

The tank without enough TU's remaining to make it back into the ship takes a hit from a Calcinite for more than
half its health.

The grenades explosion only killed the Aquatoid, but they start with the mind tricks already and I want to get out
of here.

That retreat cost us quite some points, but attempting that mission to finish could have come very expensive if not
wiping out the entire team.

Close to the end of the month another small cruiser does get in detection range.

The tracking is lost for the moment, but all ships are send out to recover.

Tinderli reports us a new invention, research on Manta initiated.

Detection of the small cruiser is recovered and the barracudas are on their ways to blast it down.

Succeed with it...

... and the last mission of this month can begin.

CappenVarra takes the first one down.

The gas cannon tank takes some heavy damage.

Blagrar scores a kill with that grenade.

Investigating into the ships wreck the aqua jet tank get also damaged...

... backfires and takes another one out.

Directly between the eyes!

Overboard, GreyViper and the damaged tanks storm in.

After the ship was cleaned, this here was the last location one could hide, Azira throws a blind grenade and ends
the mission.

This loot isn't bad for a shipwreck! And with this last mission the month ends.

Status of the main base at the end of April.

And the outpost, if it remains another 22 days unseen it will be secure.

- 100 Scientists
- 94 Technicians
- 6 Soldiers remain
- Soldiers in magnetic ion gear
- 604 Zrbit in stock
- 2 Tanks


Crews Progress:

And just as expected, after an infiltration Neo-Japan signed a pact with the aliens.

 

[Zeriel]

I never noticed until now how the Council went on a fucking CRAZY eating binge in TFTD compared to UFO Defense. What gives?

 

[Likvidator]

Havent ye yet figured out which dudes are mental weaklings? Why not drop their weapons and wait for them to shit themselves? Wont they be bagagge anyway?

 

[Azira]

MC strength 9? I wont ever hold a weapon again, when up against sectoids.

 

[CappenVarra]

Sir I'm alive, it's still alive, ain't it?

 

[RealDDc]

Alive and in good condition, currently stockpiling the grenades in the headquarters store rooms.

I never noticed until now how the Council went on a fucking CRAZY eating binge in TFTD compared to UFO Defense. What gives?

I did really try to understand this, but I couldn't even find a translation for "eating binge". I don't get that question, maybe I could answer it.

Havent ye yet figured out which dudes are mental weaklings? Why not drop their weapons and wait for them to shit themselves? Wont they be bagagge anyway?

For now I did try to avoid the missions with psionic attacks, but I didn't expect it do be that bad. CappenVarra is pretty much the only one who's inviolable by high level mind controlling attempts, but with a bravery of 20 easily affected by psionic panic attacks. Practically the whole team is deadweight baggage in a psionic warfare.

 

[Zeriel]

Alive and in good condition, currently stockpiling the grenades in the headquarters store rooms.

I never noticed until now how the Council went on a fucking CRAZY eating binge in TFTD compared to UFO Defense. What gives?

I did really try to understand this, but I couldn't even find a translation for "eating binge". I don't get that question, maybe I could answer it.

Havent ye yet figured out which dudes are mental weaklings? Why not drop their weapons and wait for them to shit themselves? Wont they be bagagge anyway?

For now I did try to avoid the missions with psionic attacks, but I didn't expect it do be that bad. CappenVarra is pretty much the only one who's inviolable by high level mind controlling attempts, but with a bravery of 20 easily affected by psionic panic attacks. Practically the whole team is deadweight baggage in a psionic warfare.

I'm saying they got really fat from the time of UFO Defense to TFTD, unless I am remembering the art from UFO Defense horribly wrong.

 

[RealDDc]

Oh, I see.

 

[CappenVarra]

It's impossible to control the mind of a coward, for it is ruled by fear alone? Also, it was a Rambo quote

 

[lightbane]

What about this game implying between UFO and TFTD many nations were eaten/destroyed by others, until only the most powerful remained?

Although the Codex probably considers this a good thing.

 

[RealDDc]

Spoiler

Counterstrike in progress


This month we are attempting to destroy the alien base.

May begins with activity of a small escort ship led by Gillmans...

... promptly downed...

... and the mission can begin.

CappenVarra takes the first kill, his accuracy slowly gets pretty good.

The next kill goes to GreyViper, still the crew member with the best accuracy.

One of the scouts eats some plasmafire for heavy damage.

The hit probabilty of GreyViper...

...but he managed to fail that shot.

GreyViper scores another kill and CappenVarra finished the mission.

The alien ship was a total wreck.

The next day scanners report the detection of a supply ship, the triton didn't arrive the destination in time
and it escapes.

Production on disruptor pulse launchers and torpedos begin for the upcomming base attack.

Another fleet supply cruiser and the same story again, should have transferred the Triton to the outpost.

A tiny survey ship appears in detection range.

After some wild chase it takes a hit and goes down.

Night mission, but shouldn't be a problem at all.

GreyViper terminates the aquatoid.

Some points for the overall score.

Finally the Manta is ready, this also allows us to produce P.W.T. displacer tanks. Thermal shock research
is initiated.

Two of these then a few thermal shock launchers plus some ammo and we are ready to go for the alien
base.

Another small cruiser with Gillmans aboard detected.

The Baracuda takes some minimal damage.

Those Gillmans are hardly a threat anymore.

Routinely CappenVarra begins the introduction.

GreyVipers accuracy has increased above 100%...

... scoring one kill after another.

And so does CappenVarra.

Azira ends the mission.

More Zrbite, can't have enough of that.

Now we have almost everything ready to attack the base

Ammunition for thermal shock is explored and research on the sonic cannon can begin.

A tiny scout spottet and shot down before it can start searching the location of our bases.

CappenVarra killed the lone alien.

40

Scanners detect a very large sub on bast attack mission, roams the area but can't find a target and retreats.

Everything for the base attack is ready and I start the production of a Manta.

Another alien sub on base attack mission is detected, to our luck they just do not have our base locations
revealed yet.

Equipment for the base attack.

Before the Triton arrives at the alien base another small alien sub is detected and shot down shortly after.

More in the next update.

 

[SerratedBiz]

This is some professional performance right here. I probably burn through my first 10 aquanauts by February.

 

[Azira]

Dun dun dunnn. No lobstermen or tasoth either yet.

 

[CappenVarra]

time to do some damage

 

[RealDDc]

Spoiler

Alien base Part 1


Counterstrike in progress, this is our revenge... Oh and we need a lobsterman commander.

Some screen scolling allows me to determine the location of our landing, almost at the bottom right
corner of the area.

The displacer tank moves forward until it spots the first two Tasoths, heavy armed as will be each and
everything in here.

We are at least equally good armed, roughly 30 pulsar nukes should be enough to turn that whole base
into a crumbling pile scrap metal.

And we are going to fire those like mad, not exactly easy to capture the waypoints in screenshots, but I will try my
best to make it visible.

The first Tasoth goes down under the extreme force of the explosion, sometimes they survive a direct hit
but that's rather seldom.

GreyViper fires a nuke from inside the Triton, if it would be CappenVarra he'd probably strike the Tritons consoles.

No doubt.

His target is the wall towards the inner circle of the base...

... we will eventually be able to rush through, and make it to the elevators inside.

With the remaining TU's everyone moves as far as possible towards the gap, Overboard spots a Haluzinoid on a roof.

I am the only one with enough TU's remaining forced to waste a nuke on it.

Pretty much overkill, a pulsar grenade or even regular grenade would be just as good.

The Tasoths and Aquatoids start straight with the psionic attacks and take control over GreyViper.

GreyViper fires a thermal shock bomb on the tank, made sure the absolutely weak minded troopers do not
carry grenades and not much deadly weaponry.

We continue our program and Overboard launches a nuke towards the gap...

... to blast a hole into the absolute inner circle, behind that wall is the exit into the underground tunnels
of the base.

Pathway is open and a couple of aliens also hit the floor struck down by the shockwave of the explosion.

With the displacer I aim for the upper level of the core...

... usually there are plenty of Tasoths and Aquatoids in the corners, as well as a few Tentaculats.

That strikes well, many aliens must've been killed according to the death screams.

I repeat this with the other tank to strike the opposing wall.

Again with great success, soon we are able to storm in I doubt there are many defenders left.

Azira destructs the upper level of a outer sentry with this rocket, terminating two Tasoths and a Tentaculat.

With the remaining TU's the group moves further towards the core and finish turn 2.

GreyViper again ends up under molecular control, but does not have any ammunition left.

Same with Azira, but still has a thermal shock bomb left and fires at Overboard.

(Can someone explain me how they fire weapons without TU's??)

Overboard gets knocked out by the direct hit.

An Aquatoid jumps out of cover and opens fire on the tank, the armor absorbs the damage entirely.

Some Haluzinoid on the advance get struck down, as well as a Tasoth inside the room.

A Tasoth in the upper level of the sentry survived, another nuke eliminates him and destroys the room
entirely.

The tank spots a Tentaculat next to the Aquatoid, launching a rocket directly on the Tentaculat taking
out the both of them.

CappenVarra and Blagrar advance forward to enter the core and finishing the turn.

The psionic attacks stopped for the moment, but his morale completely undercut GreyViper goes
in panic.

Same with Azira, but instead he goes berserk though he does not have any ammunition left to fire
randomly.

Blagrar kills this Aquatoid inside the core and one of the tanks moves further in to eye up the situation.

With the other tank a Tentaculat hidden in a corner is converted to mush and turn 4 is finished.

The mind tricks are resumed, Azira gets under alien control and GreyViper goes berserk.

Both tanks launch nukes on a few remaining Tasoths at the cores upper level... or what's left of it.

Still some remain and we have to retreat for the moment before ending that turn.

GreyViper and Azira remain immobile or randomly roam around in a mix of panic and mind control.

The last two aliens in the cores upper level drop to the floor, was about time, slowly im running out of rockets.

Center area is clear, yet I can not proceed, Overboard still unconscious on the floor close to the
Triton, GreyViper and Azira uncontrollable.

The tank in an advance to the north runs into two Tentaculats, they could bring an unsatisfactory
end to this mission rather quickly.

Me backing the tank up with nuke fire, CappenVarra and Blagrar move south to cover GreyViper,
Azira and Overboard.

The Tentaculats are no more and the tank takes care of a not much less dangerous Haluzinoid.

Azira runs in panic way down to the south into enexplored area and behind a building.

Blagrar zaps down a Tentaculat that would have likely snacked Azira the next turn. Until that point
the mission was going very well but with that panic run Azira risks the whole mission but I can't
afford to leave three people behind either.

CappenVarra gets line of sight over a Haluzinoid, but fails to hit...

The haluzinoid wobbles over the roof...

... then hovers down next to Azira and strikes lethal.

The tank nukes the estimated area of location and kills it.

GreyViper still remains immobile, I don't want this mission to take risks any further and decide
to leave him behind if he doesn't recover. The plan is to rush forward, grab the unconscious
Overboard and then head on to the second level.

Out of nowhere another Haluzinoid appears and takes CappenVarra down.

This tank deals with CappenVarras murderer, the other tank takes down a Tasoth.

So well, let's make the best out of it.

Time to drag the still unconscious Overboard towards the core, wake him up and move on to the second level.

As everyone remaining and mobile makes their way towards the core, the tanks defend
the inner court.

Another Tentaculat appears but it dealt no damage and the tanks took care of it.

Blagrar took some stuff off the floor during the turn I revived Overboard and we are ready
to leave.

GreyViper still remains under molecular control, he just wasn't strong enough. Sorry.

 

[Azira]

3 lost? Owie. Snacked upon by a hallucinoid, that's still my best track record in any of these TFTD LPs.

 

[CappenVarra]

ouchie

 

[Modron]

Now it's starting to resemble TFTD more.

 

[GreyViper]

Haha awesome display of firepower. But oh man all that brezerking.

 

[lightbane]

This is intense. Let's see if you manage to make it or not.

 

[RealDDc]

Spoiler

Alien base Part 2

Three things to accomplish:
- capture of at least one but better two lobsterman commander
- destruction of the control module
- locate and carry home the Zrbite above the control center

And at best return home with the three remaining soldiers and two tanks.

It is too late to return anyways, time to share the scarce equipment among the remaining soldiers

Great start... I am at the top level coupled with the tanks, Overboard and Blagrar are scattered about the
second level.

Blagrar was dropped in close proximity of a Lobsterman... no wait...

... also in immediate vicinity of a Lobsterman and a Tentaculat... hold...

... how'd he get in there in the first place? Anyways if the one to the right doesn't reaction fire, he'll dash
unharmed to the upper level with the transporter pad. A step forward should get him out of line of sight,
Tentaculats don't react and the top left one faces in the wrong direction to notice.

So far so good, now up to the first level and he is save and can block the transport pad. Right?

Now it does get a bit messy.

Oh common!

With his last few TU's he manages to hide inside a small chamber, time to pray.

The tanks scout around the top level...

... and reveal the location of the powerhouse, inside are bulks of Zrbite and a shortcut to the base control
module.

Overboard makes his way to the top level and moves in Blagrars direction to assist him.

And I move towards the powerhouse, this could have been so easy... First turn done.

On their turn they ignored to run after Blagrar, but the one with the thermal shock launcher must have
changed his facing direction and reaction fires as Blagrar attempts to take a step outside the chamber.

The direct hit knocks him out instantly.

I move some steps into Blagrars direction and also get hit by thermal shock bomb reaction fire, but resist
partially.

With only 19 TU's remaining I decide to use the transporter pad to the lower level...

... then move the next turn up on the other pad behind the armed Lobsterman and slice him from behind
with melee.

Overboard further makes his way towards Blagrars location, and the tanks explore the area around the
powerhouse.
Turn two ends.

As I move up to the top floor on the other side, reaction fire is triggered. Didn't see or expect a third one there.

That hit knocks me and the Lobsterman next to me out.

Success of this mission now dangles on a string, only Overboard remains mobile and finally arrives near
Blagrars location.

One of the tanks on the way to assist him, the torpedoes are not really practical against Lobsterman, but
maybe he can seek cover behind it. That tank is out of ammo anyways.

Even with its back turned towards the door, it resists the first hit. Overboard seeks cover behind the door
and finishes the turn.

It hasn't moved a single step, and surprisingly resists another hit in the back.

Finally the tank has arrived to block the door and eat the attacks, incase the Lobsterman decide to turn
around and charge forward.

The third hit finally brings it down, revealing the one that shock frosted Blagrar a bit behind.

Again Overboard takes shots at it, and same as previously this one also does not do anything about it.

Four rounds later and taking one hit after another it still stands static at the same spot. That hit finally kills it.

With the tank at front that area is appraised secure, and Overboard moves forward to wake up Blagrar with
the medkit.

Both of them move forward to my location and Blagrar runs into a Tentaculat and a Lobsterman.

Switching to melee allows him to drill down the Tentaculat with enough TU's remaining to seek cover
behind a wall.

On his turn the Lobsterman wanders a bit about but luckily unable to spot them.

Blagrar swiftly takes him down with the Vibroblade, a single hit in the back was enough to kill it.

Taking two steps forward he runs already into the next, but seeking cover in time allows him to stay save and
we aren't on turn 20 yet.

A few drills and it is no more, then they continue to travel to me.

After reviving me, and sharing out equipment, Overboard inspects the frozen Lobsterman... Only a technician,
we require a commander or a navigator at least.

We head over to the powerhouse and remove the obstacles to obtain the Zrbite under it. There are usually
two lumps and each equals 50 units.

That stuff is quite heavy and we drag it over to the floor patterns that resemble the exit.

Under this obstacle is the other one, good to know just if you didn't know it yet.

The tricky part to shortcut from here to the heart of the alien base, somehow I messed this up a little and the
nuke hit the tank hard damaging it pretty bad.

Fortunately the tank wasn't destroyed because I only have one grenade left that I'll require to destroy the
control module.

With the second nuke I aim for the center of what are supposedly some sort of power generators. This will
eventually open a gap to the lower level, that is going to save us the time to travel around at the lower floors,
and also minimizes the risks of running into Tentaculats.

The rest is pretty easy, from here we can directly travel to the bottom floor as well as the second floor.

Impossible to capture with screenshots but I guess you get the idea. Removing one part of the fence allows to
move directly above the control module protected by 3 unarmed Lobsterman commanders.

From above we can launch thermal shock bombs into the room, and from the other side behind the wall we can
move directly to the lowest floor in front of entrance to the room.

Can drop a primed grenade from here...

... Overboard and Blagrar grab a Lobsterman commander each...

... the control center is no more and we do what it suggests, we grab a few items along the way, fill our pockets
with Zrbite and lift off.

Two soldiers passed to the next world this night.


As for GreyViper it is only to hope that he found new friends in the deepest depths of the ocean.

 

[Azira]

 

[CappenVarra]

 

[lightbane]

You were EXTREMELY lucky. Also, a good tactical commander. Creed approves. Btw, what happens with the loot when you destroy the Command Center and abort? Do you lose it? If that's so, does that mean that the only way to get loot in alien bases is to exterminate every alien? Lastly, do unconscious aliens count as "dead" as a victory condition? I would like to refresh my memory.

 

[RealDDc]

You were EXTREMELY lucky. Also, a good tactical commander. Creed approves.

Hehe. Yeah that spawn point was quite unreal.

Btw, what happens with the loot when you destroy the Command Center and abort? Do you lose it? If that's so, does that mean that the only way to get loot in alien bases is to exterminate every alien? Lastly, do unconscious aliens count as "dead" as a victory condition? I would like to refresh my memory.

If you abort after the destruction of the Command Center or if you abort without destroying it, you only get to keep the items that are on body and backpack, not sure about the items on the ground at the "exit" sometimes they count other times they don't from my experience. Anything from the first part of the mission is lost, even the items inside the Triton. But that is also the case if you finish the second part and kill the last alien, even if you kill every alien on the first part and every alien at the second part, the items left behind on the first part of the mission just do not count. There are mods that could fix this issue I believe.

The unconscious aliens do in fact count as dead, if you carry a stunned alien from the first part of the mission into the next part it is dead. For that reason it is impossible to get a alive Tasoth required for further M.C. research as well as the required Lobsterman commander(s) / navigator required for Leviathan tech and then finally Tleth in a single base run. If all aliens during a mission are either dead or stunned the mission is won.