Returning from Allahu Akbar, another UFO shows up. Choice&Consequence are both scrambled to intercept, but fail to catch up with the UFO.
however, as luck would have it, the UFO shows up again shortly after the interceptors return and lands somewhere in the ass end of nowhere. It is supremely stupid to send a transport out to a landed vessel that has no interceptor coverage If the ufo takes off when we get close, it'll blast the chopper out of the sky and kill a bunch of poeple. so that's what we do!
The landing site is polar. Polar/snowy maps tend to feature lots of open terrain. This paticular one has a small research station.
Profreshinal makes first contact. The snowmobile is supremely annoying because it grants 100% cover. And we'll need to move out in the open to get around it.
To prevent reaction fire, Roxor deploys tactical Kurwa. Even though his HMG has 0% hance of hitting, the bullets spraying around the lizard is enough to keep its head down.
Scrooge and Zdzisiu both realize there's little work for them in the open go to chill inside the research station.
Attempts to remove the snowmobile with C4 charges fail. It is mad eof indestructible Sovietanium. fortunately, the lizard shows no interest in moving closer, so Luzur is able to take it down with her sniper rifle. At this range, the lizards have severe trouble hitting you with return fire.
As the shieldmaidens move up, another lizard is spotted. Roxor deploys the Tactical Kurwa.
With great success!
During the aliens turn, a lizard is spotted wandering the frozen wastes, no doubt wishing it was warmblooded. A full auto burst later, Brotherfrank puts it out of its misery.
In the meantime, Scrooge and Zdzisiu have grown bored and moved down towards the newly explored ufo. Shieldmaidens are on their way too, but they move a lot slower than our shotgun murdersquad.
Impatience nearly proves disastrous! The aliens open the UFO hatch and spray automatic fire at them both! Scrooge is suppressed, while Zdzisiu takes plasma to the face and gets severely burned!
Another lizard is found hiding in a corner. As long as it's standing up there, we can't rush everyone to the UFO to assist! Luzur tries to take it out, but her rifle simply doesn't pack a big enough punch to handle the lizard. Brotherfrank manages a hail mary 15% chance to hit shot and finished it off, leaving 4249 free to run down and shield Scrooge.
Her assistance is none too soon. On their turn, the Aliens repeat their trick of opening the door, firing a bunch of shots and closing the door again. 4249's shield absorbs the incoming fire.
Unfortunately, the suppression means 4249 does not have enough TUs to throw a flashbang after opening the door. Scrooge tries a point blank execution shot...
But the Lizards remain standing and shoot back with reaction fire!
Scrooge is burning and bleeding from being showered in hot sticky plasma!
Zdzisiu tries to provide covering fire, but only manages to suppress his allies!
Things go from bad to worse! Scrooge only has a few turns left before she bleeds out. But with the aliens playing peekaboo, it's too risky to move anyone up to heal her. And she's too busy screaming "Mein Leben!" and "Weißwurst!" to use her own medikit!
It's all up to Zdzisius and Darth Roxor to save our damsel in distress. Zdzisiu spent the last few turns panicking after being shot, but his morale is finally back up. For glory, he charges the UFO.
Great success! not only does his burst take out the reptilian noncombatant. the gory display is enough to suppress its comrade, saving Zdzisiu from terminal reaction fire.
Roxor sprays the last alien with righteous fury for a second kill and well-earned promotion!
Alas,
4249. The best ones always die young...
If I hadn't been so impatient and split people up too soon, you might've lived.
Back on the Geoscape, our geeks finally convince the russians to lend us superior Soviet technology. The MiG-32 will be our main interceptor for a while. Its main weakness is the lack of a cannon. If its missiles miss, it has nothing left to attack with. Many of our upgrades also tick in. In light of the tragic Xenonaut losses, the next research topic is alien alloys, which will go towards developing better armor for our troops.
Hoooooo boy. Lots of UFO activity just outside radar and interception range. This is not going to look good on the end of month report.
The first MiGs are bult by our communist comrades though. Avellone and Sawyer stand ready to fight the alien menace and balance the odds in our favour!