Let's Play X-Com: Enemy Unknown - VICTORY

[Wraith]

So, I hope everyone realized that the ending choices were a joke. Unlike the writers of a certain other series I referenced, I have artistic integrity and change my endings when they are hated. And now, back to our regularly-scheduled programming:

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Pilot: Central, I am buggin' out. VIP is not aboard. Say again, VIP is not aboard.

Spoiler:

Wraith: What about the rest of the team, Big Sky?

Pilot: Aboard, Central.

Wraith: Have they said why Sierra Six is not-

Comm Officer: Sir, the ship is in motion.

Spoiler:

Bradford: What? What direction?

Comm Officer: ...Up.

Spoiler:

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Spoiler:

Eastwood: Gonna pull a bunch o' bullshit like this after you're dead? What are you aliens, a bunch of toddlers throwing a temper tantrum 'cause you didn't get your way? I don't think so.

Spoiler:

Eastwood: What's the altitude? Broken atmo? Yup. Time to go. Hope we who've died at least get a statue in Washington or something. Our epitaph: "We gave our all because we were so few. We did what we did because it was what we had to do." And that's that.

Spoiler:

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Pilot: Whooaaaa...shit that's a blast!

Spoiler:

Ravel: What the fuck just happened?

Framm: That...that was the Temple Ship...

Morph: That son of a bitch, he did it! Eastwood, you magnificent bastard, I'll write yer book!

Spoiler:

Pilot: We've got incoming! Holy shit that's a lot o' debris!

Spoiler:

Ravel: Please just get us home.

Pilot: Roger that.

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Wraith: Ho-ly shit, people. I think we just won this goddamn war.

Dr. Shen: But...the debris will cause a lot of damage...

Bradford: Doctor...I think that damage will be negligible in comparison to a

black hole devouring the Earth

.

Dr. Shen: *smiles* Ha...I suppose you have a point.

Wraith: *pulls out flask and cigar case* Ladies and gentlemen, I think this calls for a shot o' whiskey in celebration. *gulp*

Dr. Vahlen: Apologies, Commander, but I don't drink.

Bradford: *shrugs* Here goes, sir...*gulp*

Dr. Shen: *gulp*

Wraith: Well, if you need me, I think I'll be down in the barracks. Best pay my dues now before the calls come in. Brad, you keep this shit show under control.

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Wraith: Howdy ladies, gentlemen. I see the glasses are still here, but I guess they aren't necessary. Here's to you all. *gulp* And here's to you, Desperado. *gulp* You did good. *stabs knife and name into wall* Let the pipes play me off...*turns on music player, lights cigar*

THE WALL

Sq. Inspiratieloos: Veteran of the first mission, Support

KIA, Operation Severed Whisper (Sectoids)

Sq. Siveure DtTrikyp: Veteran of the first mission, shot in the ass, Heavy

KIA, Operation Crimson Empire (Thin Men)

Sq. Hugh Mann: Helmet Fetishist, Totally Not An Alien, Assault

KIA, Operation Severed Whisper (Sectoids)

Sq. Cybele: Worst Shot with High Aim, Sniper

KIA, Operation Severed Whisper (Sectoids)

Cpl. Rally Vincent: Not-Old Guy with Psionic Powers Apparently, Support

KIA, Operation Soaring Daze (Thin Men)

Sq. Ani Morph: Holding Onto His Butt, Sniper

KIA, Operation Soaring Daze (Sectoids)

Rk. Cheery Dog: Follows His Nose, Rookie

KIA, Operation Severed Whisper (Sectoids)

Rk. Helga Vogel: Apparently Lucky, Rookie

KIA, Operation Cold Crown (Floaters)

Cpl. Maverick Maestro: Bullet Sponge, Heavy

KIA, Operation Lone Daze (Mutons)

Sq. J. Nimblist: Four-Year Limbo Champion Title Holder, Heavy

KIA, Operation Devil's Apollo (Chryssalids)

Rk. A. Redshirt: Vital Member of Any Away Team, Rookie

KIA, Operation Twisted Crown (Thin Men)

Sq. Gammagooey: The Reluctant Drunkard, Support

KIA, Operation Cold Crown (Floaters)

Rk. JDGA - Doesn't Want to Be Here, Rookie Conscript

KIA, Operation Soaring Daze (Thin Men)

Sq. Lyrebird - Interested Partier, Heavy

KIA, Operation Blind Calm (Thin Men)

Sgt. "Shark" SleepyKrew - Sleeping On the Job, Support Conscript

KIA, Operation Demon Dream (Thin Men)

Sq. Hugh Jazz - Living Laser, Sniper

KIA, Operation Blind Calm (Mutons)

Cpl. Casey Despot - Token Redneck, Support

KIA, Operation Final Throne (Cyberdisc)

Rk. Borkjerfkin - That One Guy, Rookie Conscript

KIA, Operation Dark Skull (Thin Men)

Sq. RedPanda - Sad Panda, Heavy Conscript

KIA, Operation Silent Pipe (Mutons)

Sq. Carmen Sandiego - Gentlelady Thief, Support

KIA, Operation Lone Daze (Mutons)

Rk. Thurhame - Very Confused, Rookie Conscript

KIA, Operation Demon Dream (Thin Men)

Rk. Ivana Tinkle - Promiscuous Punmistress, Rookie

KIA, Operation Lone Daze (Mutons)

Rk. Mehdi - We Hardly Knew Ye, Rookie Conscript

KIA, Operation Demon Dream (Thin Men)

Rk. Empking - Dragged Out Of Bed, Rookie Conscript

KIA, Operation Forgotten Law (Mutons)

Rk. Whispersilk - Got Half A Line, Rookie Conscript

Rk. Nikita Marie - La Femme Fatale, Rookie

KIA, Operation Silent Crone (Thin Men)

COL. WALKER "DESPERADO" EASTWOOD: PSYCHIC QUARTERBACK, ASSAULT

KIA, Operation Avenger (Saving the Earth)

(Unfortunately, stupid me forgot to get a proper screenshot of the in-game Memorial Wall before starting the final mission -_-)

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EPILOGUE

Lt. Feirei:

Not much is known about Lieutenant Feirei's activities after the Alien War. What is known is that she makes an annual pilgrimage to the Memorial in DC, always on the anniversary of the war's end. There she joins several other veterans of the war, not all of them from X-COM.

Lt. Roger Overnout:

Lieutenant Roger Overnout went into radio back home in New Orleans after the war. The most popular bit of his show were radio dramas - both fiction and non-fiction - concerning stories during the Alien War. He showcased not only his own stories, but also those of regular soldiers of national armies, various politicians, and, of course, refugees who suffered from alien attacks.

Lt. Egon Spengler:

Lieutenant Egon Spengler went back into the scientific profession for a good while after the war, becoming a foremost mind on the new developments derived from alien technology both during and after the war. After several years, he retired from academia as a highly-respected scientists, founding his own private business in New York City with some of his veteran friends. That business was known as "X-Busters," a group of "alien catchers" devoted to apprehending or eliminating the various aliens still scattered around Manhattan causing trouble both great and small.

Sq. AGar:

Though he hadn't seen much combat, Squaddie AGar used his expertise while with X-COM to become one of the head developers of the video game

X-Craft

, a real-time strategy game based on the Alien War developed by Snowstorm Interactive. After the game attained great popularity in the Far East, AGar became a prominent player on the competitive scene - no doubt his psionic abilities gave him a secret but unfair edge against his opponents.

Maj. "Shotgun" CHESSKID:

Major CHESSKID went back home to LA after the Alien War and opened his own entertainment business concerning his experiences during the war. The company quickly become outrageously popular, ultimately becoming a new media conglomerate especially concerning music, television, and the internet. Many of the songs and albums released were written or even performed by CHESSKID himself.

Maj. "Dirty Dan" ActionDan:

Major ActionDan was very unsatisfied with the pay earned during his time in X-COM. After the Alien War, he opened a toy company in New York City that released products based on his very accurate, personal experiences during the war. The company quickly became extremely successful, and today is the foremost producer of alien-themed toys and other child-oriented media in the US and Europe.

Col. Gina "Godzilla" Odryfus:

Utilizing the newfound wonders of modern medicine derived from discoveries gained using alien technology, Colonel Odryfus was one of the first wounded veterans to undergo reconstructive-regenerative surgery regarding lost body parts. The surgery was a success, and now GERARD Odryfus settled down in his hometown in the French Riviera and started a family.

Col. Sara "One-Hand" Gaints:

Colonel Sara Gaints joined the US Olympic Shooting Team, participating in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Chicago (relocated out of devastated Rio de Janiero) as the team's star shooter. She won the gold in every single one of her events, becoming a media darling for several years in the USA.

Col. Dan "Prophet" Morph:

Colonel Dan Morph came through on his promise in the Skyranger on Victory Day and became an author writing the biography of Walker "Desperado" Eastwood. The book was a hugely popular international bestseller, and several years later he followed up his success with another book on the inner workings and personalities of the Extraterrestial Combat Unit (at least that which could be declassified). Afterwards, he began writing the hugely popular series

Enemy Unknown

, a historical/science fiction series based on his experiences with the unit.

Col. Inigo "Geronimo" DtTrikyp:

Colonel Inigo DtTrikyp was severely affected by his experiences during the war, as he had been fast friends with Colonel Eastwood and had been particularly devastated by his death. He became addicted to the adrenaline rush of combat and became a soldier of fortune for several years, fighting as a mercenary in the devastated areas of the world (such as South America and Africa) in order to hunt down any remaining hostile alien forces. He was eventually diagnosed with severe PTSD and currently resides in a veteran's santiarium in France, where he has spent the last several years recovering. He is often visited by his comrade Gerard Odryfus.

Col. "Piranha" Vezokpiraka:

Colonel Vezokpiraka dedicated his years after the war to rebuilding the world, joining UN humanitarian organizations and working as a medical aid worker in South America and Africa. He's still there.

Col. "Tungsten" Framm:

Colonel Framm moved to Las Vegas after the war, a city that had been devastated by many small-scale alien attacks. He helped in the rebuilding effort and became a prominent figure on the gambling scene as the joint owner of many newly-built casinos on the new Strip. He started small in gambling rings but is now one of the richest men in the world. He still takes every opportunity to show off his shooting skills and tell his war stories - despite his riches, he still envies Sara Gaints for her Olympic gold.

Col. "Scrapper" Ravel:

Colonel Ravel decided to move away from the frontline of combat after the Alien War. She became the United States's top adviser on the alien threat, contributing greatly to international efforts at mopping up any remaining alien forces. She's now the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff for the US military.

Comm. Wraith:

Not much is known about what Commander Wraith did after the Alien War. What is known is that he retired from the military with great honors shortly after the official end of the war, and seemingly disappeared into non-existence. What's not known is that he retired to a quiet farm in Montana, where he appreciates good whiskey and good cigars, and hosts a poker tournament with the many X-COM veterans that join him there every year. He took the Memorial Wall home from X-COM headquarters - it's in his living room now.

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So that's that for X-COM. Here are our statistics for this campaign.

Spoiler:

I had a lot of fun writing this during these last few months, even if real life did bog it down around winter time and near the end. With work piling up, I'm just glad it's over, and I hope my readers enjoyed it as much as I did. I plan on starting another community Let's Play soon, this time on a much more obscure game. I hope you'll join me for it - I'll need at

least

11 volunteers to get it off the ground. Stay tuned for that in the future if you're interested.

In case you were wondering, yes, I went into this LP with the express intent of making that ending joke in my last update from the start. I hope you appreciated it if you got (yeah I'm a big fat nerd who's still mad about how bad that game was). On the actual ending of the game, it's rather abrupt, I must admit. But it had a helluva lot more closure and satisfaction for me than the ending to a certain other game I referenced. The only thing I can think of that they should have done here is at something more of an epilogue or sequel hook - the dialogue of the Uber Ethereal certainly set up for one.

Anyways, that'll do pigs. Let the credits roll.

[inspiratieloos]

Thanks for writing this Wraith, it was great.

Maj. "Dirty Dan" ActionDan: Major ActionDan was very unsatisfied with the pay earned during his time in X-COM. After the Alien War, he opened a toy company in New York City that released products based on his very accurate, personal experiences during the war. The company quickly became extremely successful, and today is the foremost producer of alien-themed toys and other child-oriented media in the US and Europe.

You do know that the pay in X-COM is

ridiculous

right? An X-COM squaddy earns more than an army general/fleet admiral.... At least in the game that used actual currency.

How do you know that the MIB don't have branches on every continent?

In the videos all members of the council are apparently in the same room iirc.

[Framm 18]

Thanks Wraith, it was a lot of fun to follow.

[Lyrebird]

Thanks Wraith, it was a lot of fun to follow.

[animorpherv1]

TAKE THE MONEY AND MAKE MORE MONEY. Yup, good ending for me :p

[Ravel]

yes, I survived the whole thing!

this was awesome to follow. Thanks a lot Wraith

[ActionDan]

Very good job Wraith.

Is it possible to Nom this for best Mish Mash game?

If so, I would

[Sudo_Nym]

A very nice read, Wraith. Only criticism concerns the distressing lack of pie for Eastwood at the end. Eastwood died for your sins!

[inspiratieloos]

Very good job Wraith.

Is it possible to Nom this for best Mish Mash game?

If so, I would

I don't think this is actually 'game enough' to be the best MishMash game.
Maybe we can nominate him for the best flavour text award, it doesn't explicitly say it has to be a Mafia game.

[T-squiggs]

Thanks Wraith, it was a lot of fun to follow.

[SaintKerrigan]

Good job, Wraith! Thanks for putting in the effort to make this fun for us.

[Rally Vincent]

If they ever return - who ya gonna call? Thanks, Wraith. Also thanks for not killing me a fourth time. :p

[Feirei]

I half want to do this again.