Nevill
Arcane
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2009
- Messages
- 11,211
So, with 1 vote for 'stand up to the Man', 1 vote for 'fetch!', and one in-between, it falls to me to decide our course of action.
I don't know why there are several spoilers. Forum engine bug? Can't get too many pictures under one?
Edit: nvm, the problem fixed itself.
You tell him, Macmillan!
- Sir, are you getting tired… You should rest for a while…
- (snapping) How am I supposed to rest, Macmillan? The Russians stole the Motherlode, mercenaries are building a Siberite rocket under my nose, and the whole Russian army is heading this way!
- Sir, can I just...
- (shouting) Shut up! Is talking all you want to do, Macmillan!? You’ve got orders, now get on with them before I really get mad!
Alright. Can't say we didn't expect it to happen. Still, if it saps Powell's sanity, it's a good thing to do in my book.
He gives us a few soldiers and sends us on our way.
I am pleasantly surprised to see two of my buddies from the very first mission have made it to the end. They are fairly good in their chosen professions, even though they are still mediocre compared to the better characters out there.
- John Macmillan, at last! General Powell’s having trouble, sir. He’s losing touch with reality.
- Look, I like Powell less than anyone, but the guy’s a soldier to his core and he’s still our commander. And he’s right about this access road. If Russian reinforcements come this way, they’ll destroy us in no time. So let’s cut the crap and get working.
We begin with a depot while Powell's engineers bring along a few crates to get us started.
The moment we hit the last nail, there is an attack on our base. Thankfully, I did not switch my soldiers to engineers yet, or this could have become a tricky situation, seeing how I have no armory yet to change them back.
As it is, though, repelling them is trivial. Remember the horrifying losses inflicted on my computer-controlled vehicles in the last mission? Well, turnabout is fair play, bitches! Not even gatling guns can help them.
The enemy tries to pull tanks back if you damage them enough. I am not sure why, though - they can't repair them, as there is no base and no mechanics in that direction.
I decide to put the armory right on top of the slope leading to my base.
Since the lab would be the place where my men will spend most of their time, I place it back-to-back with the armory so I could switch scientists to soldiers and back at a moment's notice.
Here is Powell's base. It is pretty understaffed, all things considered. A single scientist lazily researches some primitive tech, while a pair of mechanics are working on lackluster tanks (some light gun/double gun ones with a solar engine).
Powell himself is a pretty tough cookie, and has 10/8/10/4 (soldier/engineer/mechanic/scientist) in his skills. Macmillan is a bit weaker with just 10/5/7/7, but that's because I mostly kept him in the labs during early missions. Indeed, he is the most prominent scientist on my team now.
The Russians send some more tanks my way, but anti-infantry weapons don't fare all too well against solid walls of the armory.
I upgrade my lab to specialize in Optics, as I hear crates teleporting all around the map, but don't see where. I want to continue expanding my base.
Sadly, I can't start using the specialized lab until i build some power plants, and they eat at my already thin reserves of crates.
More attackers. Double gun tanks are a bit irritating, as they can hit the lab from outside the range of my armory, necessitating going out in the field to meet them. And then I have to repair everything they've damaged.
One group of gun-only tanks even managed to put my armory in the red, but as guns aren't very effective against infantry, they mostly cost me time. Also, I found out that if you let a few tanks escape, they will come back with the next wave. That's pretty cool.
Meanwhile, I upgrade the lab for the second time, this time to research computers. Yes, computer vehicles aren't great, but some types, like a cargo truck, or a bulldozer, or a builder crane, or even a Siberite missile doomsday device, can really benefit from not requiring a driver to babysit them.
By the way, I forgot to show you the Legion base. The one Powell says is developing the Siberite bomb.
That's a lot of turrets.
The mission is starting to get stale. The incessant attacks aren't that hard to counter, and I am running out of things to do.
I don't have enough crates, but if I venture through the northern base to pick some up...
- Macmillan! You've got your men, keep an eye on them. And don’t hang around the base, defend the access roads!
Yup, General Fun happens. But since we love teasing him anyway...
- Macmillan, I said keep your men in your territory! That’s an order. Understand me? ORDER! It happens again and you’re finished.
And should you piss him one time too many...
- I warned you, Macmillan! Hand in your uniform and get out of here. Do you understand? GET OUT OF THIS BASE!
General Powell dismissed you. You lost!
Did I tell you how much I like this guy?
People start gathering around Powell, and I noticed that they managed to build a few tanks when I wasn't looking. Something is about to go down.
Indeed.
- Get ready, boys. The main target’s are the lab and factory where they’re working on the rocket. If we don’t destroy them we can get a rocket hitting us any time. Fight like hell!
- Yes, sir!
- In ten minutes, this hill is gonna be ours. Forward!
The soldiers go to their tanks. None of them bothers to change into mechanic garb to get a better chance of - if not success, then at least of survival.
The tanks sally forth. Not only their weapons are crap (two light guns, and two double guns), but they are driven by rookies who weren't even assigned the correct profession. This can only end well.
The engagement starts...
...but does not last.
- Retreat!
- Who the hell said retreat! Who?!
- We lost our vehicles, sir!
- You yellow bastard! I said destroy the lab and factory. If you lose your vehicle, you go on foot. Get back there!
How about you lift your fat ass and lead by example, eh? Like, say, major Sikorsky? The dude whom you have gotten killed while trying and failing hard to capture the first Siberite deposit? Ugh.
Fortunately, no one was killed this time, as the soldiers had enough sense in them to recognize the hopeless battle when they see one. What a waste of crates!
Nothing much happens in the next ten minutes or so. People at the northern base are slowly rebuilding their forces. Only one mechanic is working on a vehicle at a time. I figured they didn't want to die, so they took it upon themselves to sabotage the mission as much as possible.
We research things bit by bit, eventually getting to the technology that grants our soldiers invisibility if they stand still.
They can still get discovered if their pursuers bump right into them, but the AI does not do that if you aren't deliberately getting in its way. It is good for hiding snipers near a enemy base only to reveal them when the defenders are out.
I get a few level-ups in my skills, but nothing major.
The way exp system works, you get more experience per action the higher is your level. So Macmillan, a 7th level scientist, gets 7 XP per tick, whice Cyrus only gets 5. So there is still a disparity between the amount of XP they get doing the same job, but the exponential growth of level-up requirements ensures that their level gap stays roughly the same.
A unit who performs an action while being specialized in a 'correct' profession gets double the XP. So a soldier gets twice the XP shooting at someone than a medic does, and an engineer gets twice the XP building a structure than a mechanic who helps him with the task. Scientists are the only exception, AFAIK, as you can't do research or heal people if you aren't a scientist.
Furthermore, some soldiers can have natural talents in certain skills, leading to a much faster progression. It sounds complicated, but it is generally easy to see if a given unit is good at a certain profession or not.
I am starting to get bored, but there is another commotion at Powell's base.
I knew I could always count on our good general for entertainment.
- Prepare for another attack. Third platoon will go with you as infantry support.
- Yes, sir.
- If they destroy your vehicle, you get out and go on. If anyone retreats I'll shoot them myself! Is that understood?!
- Yes, sir!
Um, aren't you the guy who shouted 'Retreat!' the moment things got sour?
- Main targets: lab, factory. Burn them. And if you see the Russian bomb maker, Kozlov, kill that bastard. Forward!
The drivers get to their vehicles. Just like the last time, no one is fit for the job they are trying to do.
The infantry waits for them at a rendezvous point.
They start together, but the tanks are faster than the infantry by a fair margin. That's probably a good thing, as they have a certain durability that men do not.
They take the first hit. Powell is shouting at them on the radio to keep the line.
The infantry catches up shortly after.
For a moment, it looks like they can even accomplish something.
Our first man falls, but so does theirs.
They even manage to blow up one of the cannons, forcing the soldier out. Or an ape, as the case might be. The animal opens fire that is just as devastating. More of our troops fall.
It is the beginning of an end.
But the last driver still drops the ape before going down.
Then... silence.
- They are all dead, sir…
- The useless bastards! How can I win with shit like this. They are lucky to be dead, if they weren’t I’d shoot the useless bastards myself!
Is that what I think it is?
OH SHIT OHSHIT OHSHI~!!!
They stop one, centimeters away from the Factory, but the second one reaches its goal.
BOOM!
This does not look good for us.
- Fight, you useless jerks! Our factory’s gone and theirs isn’t even scratched! Come on, you chicken livered shits! Fight them!
- What do you want, general, you’ve sent almost everyone to their deaths...
- I want soldiers that carry out orders! That fight to win, not survive!
- The Legion has an excellent defensive position...
That comment was the last straw that sends Powell over the line. He snaps.
- You know nothing! The Arabian defence is full of holes! And none of you can see it!
He heads up for the first vehicle he sees and gets inside.
Uh... I don't think you have thought this through, pal.
Nevermind. Do continue.
You have to give credit where credit is due. Powell drives like a boss, zig-zagging between the projectiles that go off all around him.
Driver skill ten, baby.
- [dodges rockets and gunfire] (shouts madly) Where the hell’s the impenetrable defence? Where is it!?
- [gets out of the burning vehicle] (shouts madly) If I lose the vehicle I continue on foot, understood?
- [gets into a self-propelled bomb vehicle] (shouts madly) I'll kill you all, you bastards, I'll kill you all!
The Arabs scatter in a panic. They did not ask for this.
Powell makes a circle around the now suddenly empty base. Then...
- (with unnatural calm) If you really want to get something done... do it yourself! :terrorist:
- Oh, God!
- Whatever people thought of Powell, the guy died a hero.
The joke is so obvious here, I am not even going to say it out loud.
- He died a madman! And I’m glad he did.
- The guy sure liked fireworks.
- Wild man, totally wild.
- Show me another guy that can destroy a factory single-handed.
- The man was total commitment. No wonder we fell short of his expectations.
Are you even serious!?
There is an awkward pause afer everyone finishes their eulogy for the man.
- Major Macmillan, are you ready to accept the high command of American army?
- I’m ready. OK, listen up. We’ve still got a mission here, let’s finish the job ladies and gentlemen.
The King is dead. All hail the King!
So, to sum it up. I have a half-ruined base, no factory, a bunch of no-good rookies that look up to Powell as a shining example of a commanding officer, and the Legion still has most of its defences intact while Kozlov gets closer and closer to the fatal breakthrough.
Just another day in the American military, I suppose. :australia:
Alright. Can't say we didn't expect it to happen. Still, if it saps Powell's sanity, it's a good thing to do in my book.
He gives us a few soldiers and sends us on our way.
I am pleasantly surprised to see two of my buddies from the very first mission have made it to the end. They are fairly good in their chosen professions, even though they are still mediocre compared to the better characters out there.
We begin with a depot while Powell's engineers bring along a few crates to get us started.
The moment we hit the last nail, there is an attack on our base. Thankfully, I did not switch my soldiers to engineers yet, or this could have become a tricky situation, seeing how I have no armory yet to change them back.
As it is, though, repelling them is trivial. Remember the horrifying losses inflicted on my computer-controlled vehicles in the last mission? Well, turnabout is fair play, bitches! Not even gatling guns can help them.
The enemy tries to pull tanks back if you damage them enough. I am not sure why, though - they can't repair them, as there is no base and no mechanics in that direction.
I decide to put the armory right on top of the slope leading to my base.
Since the lab would be the place where my men will spend most of their time, I place it back-to-back with the armory so I could switch scientists to soldiers and back at a moment's notice.
Here is Powell's base. It is pretty understaffed, all things considered. A single scientist lazily researches some primitive tech, while a pair of mechanics are working on lackluster tanks (some light gun/double gun ones with a solar engine).
Powell himself is a pretty tough cookie, and has 10/8/10/4 (soldier/engineer/mechanic/scientist) in his skills. Macmillan is a bit weaker with just 10/5/7/7, but that's because I mostly kept him in the labs during early missions. Indeed, he is the most prominent scientist on my team now.
The Russians send some more tanks my way, but anti-infantry weapons don't fare all too well against solid walls of the armory.
I upgrade my lab to specialize in Optics, as I hear crates teleporting all around the map, but don't see where. I want to continue expanding my base.
Sadly, I can't start using the specialized lab until i build some power plants, and they eat at my already thin reserves of crates.
More attackers. Double gun tanks are a bit irritating, as they can hit the lab from outside the range of my armory, necessitating going out in the field to meet them. And then I have to repair everything they've damaged.
One group of gun-only tanks even managed to put my armory in the red, but as guns aren't very effective against infantry, they mostly cost me time. Also, I found out that if you let a few tanks escape, they will come back with the next wave. That's pretty cool.
Meanwhile, I upgrade the lab for the second time, this time to research computers. Yes, computer vehicles aren't great, but some types, like a cargo truck, or a bulldozer, or a builder crane, or even a Siberite missile doomsday device, can really benefit from not requiring a driver to babysit them.
By the way, I forgot to show you the Legion base. The one Powell says is developing the Siberite bomb.
That's a lot of turrets.
The mission is starting to get stale. The incessant attacks aren't that hard to counter, and I am running out of things to do.
I don't have enough crates, but if I venture through the northern base to pick some up...
Yup, General Fun happens. But since we love teasing him anyway...
And should you piss him one time too many...
General Powell dismissed you. You lost!
Did I tell you how much I like this guy?
Indeed.
The soldiers go to their tanks. None of them bothers to change into mechanic garb to get a better chance of - if not success, then at least of survival.
The tanks sally forth. Not only their weapons are crap (two light guns, and two double guns), but they are driven by rookies who weren't even assigned the correct profession. This can only end well.
The engagement starts...
...but does not last.
How about you lift your fat ass and lead by example, eh? Like, say, major Sikorsky? The dude whom you have gotten killed while trying and failing hard to capture the first Siberite deposit? Ugh.
Fortunately, no one was killed this time, as the soldiers had enough sense in them to recognize the hopeless battle when they see one. What a waste of crates!
Nothing much happens in the next ten minutes or so. People at the northern base are slowly rebuilding their forces. Only one mechanic is working on a vehicle at a time. I figured they didn't want to die, so they took it upon themselves to sabotage the mission as much as possible.
We research things bit by bit, eventually getting to the technology that grants our soldiers invisibility if they stand still.
They can still get discovered if their pursuers bump right into them, but the AI does not do that if you aren't deliberately getting in its way. It is good for hiding snipers near a enemy base only to reveal them when the defenders are out.
I get a few level-ups in my skills, but nothing major.
The way exp system works, you get more experience per action the higher is your level. So Macmillan, a 7th level scientist, gets 7 XP per tick, whice Cyrus only gets 5. So there is still a disparity between the amount of XP they get doing the same job, but the exponential growth of level-up requirements ensures that their level gap stays roughly the same.
A unit who performs an action while being specialized in a 'correct' profession gets double the XP. So a soldier gets twice the XP shooting at someone than a medic does, and an engineer gets twice the XP building a structure than a mechanic who helps him with the task. Scientists are the only exception, AFAIK, as you can't do research or heal people if you aren't a scientist.
Furthermore, some soldiers can have natural talents in certain skills, leading to a much faster progression. It sounds complicated, but it is generally easy to see if a given unit is good at a certain profession or not.
I am starting to get bored, but there is another commotion at Powell's base.
I knew I could always count on our good general for entertainment.
Um, aren't you the guy who shouted 'Retreat!' the moment things got sour?
The drivers get to their vehicles. Just like the last time, no one is fit for the job they are trying to do.
The infantry waits for them at a rendezvous point.
They start together, but the tanks are faster than the infantry by a fair margin. That's probably a good thing, as they have a certain durability that men do not.
They take the first hit. Powell is shouting at them on the radio to keep the line.
The infantry catches up shortly after.
For a moment, it looks like they can even accomplish something.
Our first man falls, but so does theirs.
They even manage to blow up one of the cannons, forcing the soldier out. Or an ape, as the case might be. The animal opens fire that is just as devastating. More of our troops fall.
It is the beginning of an end.
But the last driver still drops the ape before going down.
Then... silence.
Is that what I think it is?
OH SHIT OHSHIT OHSHI~!!!
They stop one, centimeters away from the Factory, but the second one reaches its goal.
BOOM!
This does not look good for us.
That comment was the last straw that sends Powell over the line. He snaps.
He heads up for the first vehicle he sees and gets inside.
Uh... I don't think you have thought this through, pal.
Nevermind. Do continue.
You have to give credit where credit is due. Powell drives like a boss, zig-zagging between the projectiles that go off all around him.
Driver skill ten, baby.
The Arabs scatter in a panic. They did not ask for this.
Powell makes a circle around the now suddenly empty base. Then...
The joke is so obvious here, I am not even going to say it out loud.
Are you even serious!?
There is an awkward pause afer everyone finishes their eulogy for the man.
The King is dead. All hail the King!
So, to sum it up. I have a half-ruined base, no factory, a bunch of no-good rookies that look up to Powell as a shining example of a commanding officer, and the Legion still has most of its defences intact while Kozlov gets closer and closer to the fatal breakthrough.
Just another day in the American military, I suppose. :australia:
Edit: nvm, the problem fixed itself.
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