HAHAHA! Justice at last! The blight known as Grunder is not long for this world. Our priority should be grabbing as many of their scientists as possible. Remember it was these bitter assholes geniuses who built Hugnin and Munin, some of the deadliest planes ever built. We need those kinds of scientists in order to stand a chance against the invaders. And before Belka grabs them cause of course Belka would do that.
 
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HAHAHA! Justice at last! The blight known as Grunder is not long for this world. Our priority should be grabbing as many of their scientists as possible. Remember it was these bitter assholes geniuses who built Hugin and Munin, some of the deadliest planes ever built. We need those kinds of scientists in order to stand a chance against the invaders. And before Belka grabs them cause of course Belka would do that.
That sounds almost like you're suggesting Belka would do something wrong and unglorious there, friend.
 
Next turn we'll have Bradford hire more staff for Snow, and possibly some other departments.
Huh, that's actually the one section where we didn't delegate them the job of hiring new people, only Science and Engineering.
The first impression Long Caster gets from Pulford is fury.

Pulford is sitting behind his desk. Dark circles under his eyes deepen the black fire burning in his eyes. His entire frame is pulled taut like steel cable, and his hands are folded together so tightly his very bones seem to poke through his skin.
Boss is angry at you. That is not good.
"That, hm." Pulford said, blinking. Leaning forward, he quickly typed and stared at the screen. "Charlie's probably talking about Osea's audit and internal investigations into Grunder Industries, which has arrested what." Pulford sat back in shock, before sitting forward and staring into the middle distance through the video screen.
That was a long time coming.
Is there a possibility to modify the F-14X to use EML, TSL or PLSL?
Charlie Burns: TLS and PLSL are easy. EML, on the other other hand... I was really hoping you weren't going to ask to use the EML. I almost deluded myself into believing that you might not ask for the one weapon that frankly destroys your aircraft nearly every mission.

Charlie sighs.

Maybe. I'd have to see how they did it on the Su-33 or F-18, but if they can do it, I definitely can.
That is good.
World Event: The Lighthouse Shines Once Again

In the waning days of the Lighthouse War, the Lighthouse had its cable integrity transponders destroyed to destroy the Arsenal Bird Justice. With the destruction of the cable integrity transponders, the Lighthouse automatically ceased power transmission across the continent. Since then, it has been a long two months with intermittent electricity all over the Usean continent. Today, due to the heroic efforts of XCOM USEA and the Commonwealth engineers, the Lighthouse is once again transmitting energy all over the Usean continent, returning heat, light, and the fires of industry across the continent.

This includes the Erusean Restorationists and Free Eruseans.
This is really good. Until that last sentence.
And then use it for unlimited planes works.

And maybe snatch some scientists as long as they are not Belkans.
Which sounds awful now that I think about it but uhh
Belkans.
-[X] Steal Recruit as many Grunder scientists as possible
We've already delegated hiring new people for Research and Engineering for Research and Engineering Divisions.

@huhYeahGoodPoint
How much IC would it be to get that equipment Vahlen and Shen need.
 
@huhYeahGoodPoint
How much IC would it be to get that equipment Vahlen and Shen need.
Charlie Burns may have skimmed a little off the top last week to provide most pieces of equipment short of anything that doesn't fit inside of an airplane hangar.

Yes, there are pieces of science and engineering equipment that don't fit inside airplane hangars. Dr. Vahlen and Shen aren't inclined to push their luck too much right now.
 
How much goodwill would we earn by buying our scientists a particle megacollider?

If we've been having outstanding issues with basic equipment, we should probably budget some time to ensuring that we aren't missing anything else important. (logistical/bureaucratic support staff, engineers to help design experiments/experimental rigs, scientific goons to help write papers for that sweet sweet academic documentation, etc.)
 
[] Plan: Rearm and Refuel Episode II: Attack of the IC
-[X] Dr. Shen Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Begin improving our autocannons.
-[X] Daniel Snow Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Get cost estimates on TLS and PLSL weapon systems.
--[X] Order List (39 000 IC)
---[X] 9xF-14Xs for Jaeger, Pixy, Cyclops Squadron, Baker and two other pilots not joining Rigel Squadron (22600 IC)
---[X] 4x EMLs for the Su-33's of Rigel 1, Rigel 2 and the new members of the Rigel Squadron (8000 IC)
---[X] 3x Su-33 for Rigel 2 and the two other pilots joining Rigel squadron (6000 IC)
---[X] Build Industry (Planes) - 2200 IC
-[X] Bradford Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Make sure Research Division gets equipment she needs.
--[X] Have Baker's old Su-37 and Jaeger's old F-15 given to non-Rigel Squad pilots who are not given F-14X
-[X] Commander Pulford Status Report (30 Focus)
-[X] Searching For Waltz One (50 Focus)
-[X] Coordinate Parade (100 Focus)


Getting our EML squadron and having our plane building started, as well as starting a new engineering project.

If we've been having outstanding issues with basic equipment, we should probably budget some time to ensuring that we aren't missing anything else important. (logistical/bureaucratic support staff, engineers to help design experiments/experimental rigs, scientific goons to help write papers for that sweet sweet academic documentation, etc.)
We delegated hiring for their respective divisions for Science and Engineering.
 
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@Zoosmell, @Icipall, what are your thoughts towards devoting some chunk of our windfall IC to taking care of some unfinished Erusean business?

Pros are that this is something we can delegate to Bradford and Princess War Crimes, and we can give some of our aces a bit more combat experience against merely human, experienced opponents; and it removes one more piece that could defect to the ayy.

Cons are that if we don't wrap things up quickly, we guarantee their defection to the ayy.

---

Also, if we can, I think we want to smooth things over between Pulford and Shen ASAP. That's something really only Long Caster can do, and resolving these sorts of personality conflicts is definitely part of our job description.
 
@Zoosmell, @Icipall, what are your thoughts towards devoting some chunk of our windfall IC to taking care of some unfinished Erusean business?

Pros are that this is something we can delegate to Bradford and Princess War Crimes, and we can give some of our aces a bit more combat experience against merely human, experienced opponents; and it removes one more piece that could defect to the ayy.

Cons are that if we don't wrap things up quickly, we guarantee their defection to the ayy.
That's a literal invasion of a sovereign entity. We cannot intervene without approval of our superiors and I doubt Pulford or the heads of the IUN would be happy with us if we decided to have XCOM declare war on Erusean Remnants and open another front while pushing them to accept the alien help.
 
@huhYeahGoodPoint, will Liu 'meta every Ace Combat player ever' Chi Sheng return again in future turns when remote controlled drones or planes gets researched? Because really, it's...

...the idea......

...Gamers, rise up! We live in a society! Help save the world that gave you video games!

[X] Plan SWAT Kats
 
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That's a literal invasion of a sovereign entity. We cannot intervene without approval of our superiors and I doubt Pulford or the heads of the IUN would be happy with us if we decided to have XCOM declare war on Erusean Remnants and open another front while pushing them to accept the alien help.

From the update:

"The likely candidates for something like that happening would be Kaluga and the Free Eruseans," Pulford said. "They're the only other ones mad enough to accept help from a power willing to attack everyone on Earth at once. I mean that in all senses of the word. As XCOM, there's not much we can do about either, but as IUN-PKF, well, I certainly would not mind putting the Free Eruseans out of everyone's misery," he said, voice so perfectly flat it positively oozed venomous anger, face softening in a disturbing amount of approval.

We definitely have the authority to go in, so long as we're wearing our IUN-PKF hats -- we're the peacekeeping force responsible for Erusea, and Pulford is certainly all in on the idea.
 
If we want to deal with the Erusean conservative faction, our best option is to convince Rosa to engage in diplomacy. We get them on our side we have a force ready to fight against the Free Eruseans and our job is that much easier. More importantly we would not have to distract ourselves against the invaders and the Belkans in getting involved in a war in Erusea.
 
If we want to deal with the Erusean conservative faction, our best option is to convince Rosa to engage in diplomacy. We get them on our side we have a force ready to fight against the Free Eruseans and our job is that much easier. More importantly we would not have to distract ourselves against the invaders and the Belkans in getting involved in a war in Erusea.
That is a good idea. We have to do that next turn, our Focus cost is already too high.
 
[X] Plan: One More Thing
-[X] Dr. Shen Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Start work on improving our fighter autocannon.
--[X] Create a small focus group to study the problem of repairing/reactivating the Stonehenge guns. Preferably for more than one shot apiece. We want a rough cost estimate by next week.
-[X] Daniel Snow Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Get cost estimates on TLS and PLSL weapon systems.
--[X] Order List (39 000 IC)
---[X] 9xF-14Xs for Jaeger, Pixy, Baker, Cyclops Squadron, and two other pilots not joining Rigel Squadron (22600 IC)
---[X] 4x EMLs for the Su-33's of Rigel 1, Rigel 2 and the new members of the Rigel Squadron (8000 IC)
---[X] 3x Su-33 for Rigel 2 and the two other pilots joining Rigel Squadron (6000 IC)
---[X] Build Industry (Planes) - 2400 IC
-[X] Bradford Status Report (15 Focus)
--[X] Delegate to Bradford the task of organizing our units without SS-tier or higher pilots (Rigel, Salamander, Cyclops, etc.) into proper 4-man squadrons. Rigel Squadron will fly Su-33s with EMLs; other squadrons are being re-equipped with the F-14X where possible.
--[X] Have Baker's old Su-37 and Jaeger's old F-15 given to non-Rigel Squad pilots who are not given F-14X, if we have any pilots left without a plane.
--[X] Recruit a search and rescue unit so we don't have to personally direct SAR operations for downed pilots next time.
--[X] Hire more HR personnel. We're going to be hiring more people soon, and that work shouldn't all fall on Bradford personally.
-[X] Commander Pulford Status Report (30 Focus)
-[X] Searching For Waltz One (50 Focus)
-[X] Coordinate Parade (100 Focus)

Changes here:
1) Specifically tell Shen to at least try to figure out what it'd take to get Stonehenge working. This will be helpful for providing defense coverage of Usea if we have to go on walkabout again.
2) Minor adjustments to wording of Bradford's "organize the squadrons" task.
3) Explicitly says to recruit an SAR unit so we don't have to burn ??? focus every time a pilot gets shot down in the future. :p

EDIT:

4) Bigger HR department, since I fully intend to poach some of the low-rankers from the collapse of Grunder Industries, and this is preparation for that.
 
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🌐 - 🌐 - 🌐 - 🌐 - 🌐

World Event: Grunder Industries' Faltering Steps

Osea has finally had enough of Grunder Industries' malfeasance. In a stunning blitz of arrests and plea bargains, the Osean Federation has decided to go public with the investigation into Grunder Industries that had begun last year. Grunder Industries' Osean division has had its management gutted, and extradition requests have been filed for Grunder Industries management across the world. The move has sent Grunder Industries' stock into freefall, and the arrest of much of management leaves Grunder without a clear way through. Thrown into this kind of disarray, Grunder Industries and its renowned productivity is unavailable, and may in fact totally collapse.

That being said, this does represent opportunity for XCOM to grab top-tier scientists and engineers from Grunder's shambling wreck...

🌐 - 🌐 - 🌐 - 🌐 - 🌐​
so yeah free intrigue and internal strife for you
 
Hey folks, can we also include "Remote controlled drones or planes?" in things to ask Shen? Not only should it allow injured pilots to still contribute to a battle from say all the way over from their hospital beds, but I have a suspicion that is exactly what the aliens are doing with their aircraft.

If we have experience with remote controlling...maybe we can gain insight into how to disrupt alien remote control techniques. Or maybe even take the first steps on the Path of Psionics.

Edit:

I now can into dice! YES!
kilopi505 threw 1 20-faced dice. Reason: Testing how to roll dice Total: 17
17 17
 
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--[X] Order List (39 000 IC)
---[X] 9xF-14Xs for Jaeger, Pixy, Baker, Cyclops Squadron, and two other pilots not joining Rigel Squadron (22600 IC)
---[X] 4x EMLs for the Su-33's of Rigel 1, Rigel 2 and the new members of the Rigel Squadron (8000 IC)
---[X] 3x Su-33 for Rigel 2 and the two other pilots joining Rigel Squadron (6000 IC)
---[X] Build Industry (Planes) - 2200 IC
We still have 200 IC to use, so we could put that to Build Industry or use that all to get one more F-14X.
 
We still have 200 IC to use, so we could put that to Build Industry or use that all to get one more F-14X.

Isn't the point of Build Industry to, well, build planes anyway? If we pour 2400C into it, shouldn't it just give us 2400C-worth of a plane - as in, exactly F-14X - each turn?
Or how does it work? I gotta admit, I am still not sure what does build industry do.
 
Isn't the point of Build Industry to, well, build planes anyway? If we pour 2400C into it, shouldn't it just give us 2400C-worth of a plane - as in, exactly F-14X - each turn?
Or how does it work? I gotta admit, I am still not sure what does build industry do.
To my understanding it is basically a bank and we can use the IC stored there to get planes without using Focus.

@huhYeahGoodPoint
It letting the other branches of XCOM know about the F-14X and where to order it happening automatically, or do we have to specify doing it?
 
To my understanding it is basically a bank and we can use the IC stored there to get planes without using Focus.

@huhYeahGoodPoint
It letting the other branches of XCOM know about the F-14X and where to order it happening automatically, or do we have to specify doing it?
It's getting added to the catalogue of planes that Macmillan Heavy Industries and Axe and Hammer Industries can build, as well as Macmillan Heavy Industries hyping it up a bit because woo former Macmillan guy making sweet plane!

If you want to advertise the benefits of the F-14X, you're going to have to talk to the other branches of XCOM.

That being said, you should probably do that anyway.

edit: Also, regarding Build Industry (Planes), that's actually an IC revenue generator that can only be used to make planes every turn.
 
Tracers In The Sky II (Semicanon, ?)
The fact that Liu Chi Sheng didn't manage to get allowed to prove his concept to XCOM makes me sad.

So sad I wrote another omake.

======================================================================================================

"Liu Chi Sheng said what?" Welewe Game Studio President, CEO and founder Arnold Rimer asked his customer relations officer Samwise Delacroix.

"Liu Chi Sheng sent word that Tracers in the Sky is no longer as engaging as it was after he had been taken up into the sky for real by...he said he isn't at liberty to discuss who or with what, but he experienced a mock dogfight in the backseat of what he rode. So he has some suggestions to give us."

Rimer blinked and leaned back into his seat, troubled by what was just reported to him.

Liu Chi Sheng, better known online as MiGeek, served as the face of the professional gaming community that arose around Tracers in the Sky ever since one year after the game had been released, doing so by dint of how successful he was.

He was unstoppable, untouchable in the solo dogfight tournaments, winning matches with people who claimed to be real aces online but are unverifiable. And in the team dogfight tournaments, he was always the last member of Team Erusea to be shot down, when it was three on one or two on one.

To have the face of Tracers in the Sky saying he finds the game he plays no longer as engaging is going to make waves in the gaming community, and affect Welewe Game Studio's sales negatively.

"Alright. What is he suggesting?"

"He wants more realism in First Person Mode, by showing onscreen how it looks like when g-force is in play."

At the incredulous stare Rimer gave him, Samwise shrugged.

"I know, I know. He's talking blackouts, tunnel visions and grey outs. When I asked him why the players would be interested in something that interferes with the screen during play, he told me to package it as an expansion. He said to call it G-Force On expansion. Play campaign mode again in the world of Earth, with G-Force in effect, see how you perform when those are in effect. Or on multi-player. He said he would love to play on G-Force On mode during tournaments. And he also said another suggestion but..."

"But?"

"In light of the difficulties with our neighbors, he says its our choice if we go with it or ignore it."

Rimer spent a few seconds staring at Samwise before he shouted Belka in a tone mixed with shock and disbelief.

"Yes. He wants us to do Tracers in the Sky: The Belkan War."

"Oh come on! We invented a whole new planet, a whole different history so we don't get involved in politics! Now he wants us to piss Belka, Osea, Yuktobania and Ustio all at the same time?"

"I did point out to him how Emmerian and Estovakian players are still using Tracers in the Sky to refight the Emmerian-Estovakian War. Also reminded him of 'that match.'"

Rimer shivered as 'that match' got mentioned, when Team Emmeria and Team Estovakia fought in the semi-finals of the 2nd Tracers in the Sky World Tournament. Verusan Federal Police personnel had to escort the two groups to their chairs, and escort them out to prevent anything physical from happening. And the match results, in which the Estovakians won against all odds, sparked what was jokingly named by the rest of the world the "2nd Emmerian-Estovakian War," when the entire Emmerian and Estovakian player base, which had suddenly experienced an unnatural expansion of millions after 'that match,' waged a war of live streamed matches for eight weeks that almost crashed the Anean part of the internet.

The "2nd Emmerian-Estovakian War" ended in what was called either "The Battle of Raining Aircraft" or "The Anean B7R," when 5000 Emmerian players and 5000 Estovakian players fought in just one map, a match that ended inconclusively because the Anean Servers literally burst into flames because of the match up when there were 2004 Emmerians and 2006 Estovakians were left.

"And what did Liu Chi Sheng said to that?" Rimer asked.

"He said that the times have changed. We need to be both controversial and make the game so realistic that XCOM's pilots would be impressed when they play it. Rimer, just in case we do go with Belkan War, can our servers handle another Anean B7R?"

"Yes they can. We're now using Grunder Industries Zoey Supercomputers for our servers. We can now run ten "Battle of Raining Aircraft" at the same time if we have to."

"So...what's your decision Rimer?"

"...Liu Chi Sheng really wants Belkan War and G-Force On?"

"Yes."

"...ok. Let's do Belkan War and G-Force On."

==============================================================================

What do you think @huhYeahGoodPoint? And what about my earlier questions?
 
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