X-Com: Enemy Unknown

[Old Man Sweeny]

Enemy Unknown

(A quick rehash of a similar AFMBE conversion)

Early in the 21st Century, Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs) have started appearing with disturbing regularity in the night skies. Gruesome Reports of violent human abductions and horrific experimentation has struck terror into

the hearts of millions. Mass public hysteria has only served to expose Earth's impotence against a vastly superior technology. Mankind has finally found the answer to the question of “are we alone in the universe….” And it’s a terrifying answer. All attempts to make peaceful contact are met with overpowering destructive force. The enemy is ruthless, efficient and pursues a mysterious goal that mankind no longer figures in.

Many countries have attempted to deal independently with the aliens. The first to try was Japan, establishing an anti-alien combat force, Codenamed the “Kiryu-Kai”. Equipped with Japanese made fighter aircraft, this new body certainly looked like a powerful force, however after 5 months of expensive operations they had yet to intercept their first UFO. Amid much ridicule, this first attempt was mothballed. An undeniable lesson was made brutally clear: this was a worldwide problem, one which could not be dealt with by individual countries.

On a date unknown, representatives from the world's most economically powerful countries gathered secretly in Geneva. After much debate, the decision was made to establish a covert, independent body to combat, investigate and defeat the alien threat. This organisation would be equipped with the world's finest pilots, soldiers, scientists and engineers, working together as one multi-national force. This new body would be planet earths first and last line of defence in the dark days that loomed ahead.

This organisation was named the Extraterrestrial Combat unit.

Soon, it would be known as X-COM.

X-COM Organisation, Structure and Facilities

XCOM’s mission statement is rather simple: investigate UFO activity, defend against alien incursion, and use all and any means necessary to acquire alien technology to level the playing field.

XCOM is organised somewhat similar to the United Nations, except that each standard calendar month they must go before the Council of Funding Nations, and account for their expenditure versus the amount of headway made against the alien threat. Heading these up are the Secretary General of XCOM and its Military Commander. Herein lies XCOMS weakness, as no matter how well funded any one body is, it simply cannot maintain activity over an entire planet. As a result, XCOM funding can change dramatically over the course of months. Striving to reach an acceptable level of compromise, XCOM is most active in countries that contribute to its budgets, mostly being North America and Europe.

On an operational level, XCOM is spread across the world in different bases, which again dependent on funding can be cutting edge or simply automated radar facilities. An average base comprises of research, engineering and military staff. The exact ratio of personnel varies greatly as certain bases lean more toward either being purely scientific or manufacturing centres.

XCOM Weapons and Equipment

The first few engagements with the enemy confirmed what XCOM fears most: we are fighting against an enemy that is technologically superior to us in every way. Although conventional earth weaponry is in some cases effective against lone aliens and small craft, the underlying feeling is that the enemy has vast resources of destructive power at its command which it is holding back. Strategists indicate that planet earth is being “sized up” in relation to its ability to fight back. And fear that once this grace period is over……mankind will be erased from the universe.

Spurred on by this, the state of weapons technology has advanced a decade almost over night. High calibre weapons and body armour . Remote controlled Armour. Research indicates that man-portable laser weapons will soon enter service. New fighter aircraft, the most advanced in history are in the skies ready to join the battle with the enemy.

Although significant, our weapons are a stop gap at best. Our only real hope is to seize alien technology: reverse engineer it, adapt it, then use it to strike down the invaders. To this end, scientists theorise that the alien war machine is powered by a source of unbelievable energy. Gaining this source or at least understanding it is high on the priority list.

New Aircraft:

X-Com D-3 Interceptor

A crash design program incorporating the best characteristics of the F-14, Mig-29 and the Eurofighter the Interceptor uses a dual pulse detonation engine and is EMP shielded. The crafts advanced electronics suite and fearsome air to air weapons make it, as one scientist said “The best planet earth has to offer ” This package comes with a hefty price tag, only the largest bases can afford to have Interceptors in service.

Weight: 30,000 lbs

Ht: 16.2 ft

Width: 42 ft

Length 56 ft

Speed: Mach 2 capable

Range: 850 miles approx

Armament: The weapons loadout is purely air to air. The design cannot take bombs of any pay load.

20mm Autocannon: Nose mounted

Four wing mounted Next Gen Hellfire Missles

(Note: These will require stating!)

X-Com D-4 Skyranger Troop Transporter

Following on from the outdated Harrier program, the Skyranger is the synthesis of ramjet, heat ablative hull and vectored thrust technologies. The drawback is it has no offensive capacity to speak, tests are in progress to design a combination of interceptor and transporter, many scientists reckon that this may be beyond the limits of earth technology .It can carry 12 fully armed combat troops, with equipment or can be changed to cargo transport in hours thanks to a modular bay design.

Weight: 35,000 lbs

Ht: 20 ft

Width: 45 ft

Length 65 ft

Speed: 450/200

Range: 700 miles approx

New and Old Weapons

The majority of X-Com combat troops in the field are armed with the most advanced projectile weapons on earth. Feel free to modify existing damage values on firearms tables.

New Professions:

X-Com Pilot (Use the Pilot Profession template, swap any two skills for combat related skills)

The cream of the worlds air forces can now be found flying x-com craft. These aces aren’t as cocky and headstrong as the average pilot, flying the most advanced aircraft in the world against a more advanced enemy puts things in perspective. Like their counterparts in the normal air forces all are in excellent shape and are focused, competitive individuals- highly tuned like the birds they fly.

X-Com Combat Trooper () (Use the solider Template)

Special Forces the world over have been called in for Hazardous Duty.This is perhaps the most stressful duty in X-com. After a handful of missions, most operatives are candidates for PTSD. Their job is simple: engage the enemy. They are found raiding downed UFOs and leading counter assaults against Alien Terror attacks. Each trooper has a speciality in the unit and is fitted with a shoulder mounted cam-unit so every second of combat is instantly relayed back to HQ.

For those of you interested in a full X-Com campaign, heres the offical timeline of the series.

1947

Army Air Corps personnel from the 509th Bomb Group report the crash of a "flying disk" in the desert near Roswell, New Mexico. Some reports claim that there were two objects and that one actualy housed three alien beings, two dead and one alive. Before the end of the day, Army Air Corps officials retract the story, claiming that the object that crashed was actually a weather balloon. The existence of alien beings is categorically denied.

All of the "weather balloon" debris and other physicaL evidence of the 'Roswell Incident' are quickly whisked away to Wright Airfield in Ohio.

1997

Reports of UFO activity increase throughout the world. At first, the sightings are relatively rare. And serious scientists write off the reports as hype surrounding the 50th anniversary of the Roswell incident. However, as reports continue to increase, the Legitimate press joins the tabloids in splashing "We Are Not Alone" headlines across the front page of major metropolitan newspapers all over the world.

1998

Documented cases of human abductions by UFOs become commonplace in areas of sparse population in countries throughout the world. World governments step up their military readiness, and there is a general news blackout in most of the affected countries. Scientists try to make contact with the aliens, but there is no substantial response

Many countries begin to contemplate a direct military strike against the aliens. In July, 1998, Japan establishes the Kiryu-Kai, an anti-alien combat force. After five months of operation, using the best equipment available, the group is unable to intercept even a single UFO. Due to lack of funding, Japan is forced to disband the Kiryu-Kai in November of 1998.

On December 11, 1998, the United Nations Security Council holds a clandestine summit in Geneva, Switzerland. After much debate, it is unanimously decided that a covert, multinational military-force should be formed to investigate, combat, and (hopefully) defeat the aliens. Assembling the best pilots, soldiers, engineers, and scientists from all the funding nations, the Geneva council establishes X-COM-the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit.

The First Alien War (AW-1)

1999 January 1st: The First Alien War Begins

X-COM's first secret base is established. Equipped with two state-of-the-art interceptor fighter craft and a Skyranger troop carrier, the base begins scanning local airspace for UFO activity. The base's scanning equipment proves to be extremely effective at detecting alien craft, and the interceptors, though outclassed by larger UFOs, produce immediate results-downing dozens of alien ships in the first few months.

As X-COM soldiers explore crashed alien craft and collect examples of alien technology, the labs and workshops staffed with the world's top scientists and engineers, study the alien artifacts and develop methods to effectively re-create alien weapons and equipment.

UFO activity continues to increase worldwide. X-COM Funding begins to fluctuate; the organization is funded voluntarily by the establishing countries of the world, but a loophole in the X-COM charter allows contributing nations to raise or lower their funding based on their perception of X-COM's success. Countries out of the original base's scanning range quickly become dissatisfied with X-COM's performance. Fearing the loss of funding, X-COM scrambles to increase the detection range of its original base and starts searching the world for other possible base sites.

The aliens become increasing bold. They begin landing in large metropolitan areas and terrorizing the population. The number of abductions decreases as the aliens turn to wholesale slaughter of Earth's population.

As more alien incidents take place, it quickly becomes clear that the invasion force consists of not one, but numerous alien species.

2000

X-COM expands with more bases placed strategically around the globe. This pacifies most of the contributing nations, and the organization's funding stabilizes. Even so, X-COM base commanders come up with alternative funding scenarios in case the situation worsens in the future. Tentative deals are made to sell X-COM and alien equipment and weapons to certain underground organizations for a significant profit.

As captured alien equipment is researched, it is logged into an online data bank dubbed the "UFOpedia" by X-COM scientists and operatives. This knowledge is quickly put to practical use, as X-COM agents are equipped with more powerful weapons and devices based on alien technology.

2001

Starting early in the year, X-COM patrols begin to discover alien bases in hidden locations throughout the world. X-COM base commanders agree that the best defense is a strong offense. Every time a new alien stronghold is discovered, a strike force is sent to clear and destroy the base. Despite numerous victories, new alien bases continue to appear.

X-COM research into the alien culture and technology proceeds as worldwide UFO and alien terrorist activities continue to increase.

2002

X-COM commanders begin to realize that they are fighting a losing battle. While Earth is the nexus of alien activity, the aliens' infrastructure and leadership are obviously not based here. It becomes clear that the key to defeating the aliens is discovering the base from which they are coordinating their invasion.

Despite continued success in some geographical areas, X-COM funding is severely reduced as beleaguered nations ratify pacts with the alien forces. Base commanders make the unpopular but financially sound decision to concentrate their interception and ground-attack efforts in only the richest, most powerful nations of the world. This strategy, coupled with increased sales of X-COM and alien technology to "unknown buyers," provides X-COM with enough money to continue for some time. It is recognized, however, that a final solution to the alien problem must be found soon.

After a spate of successful interceptions and alien base invasions, X-COM personnel get the break they are waiting for. Interrogation of captured alien leaders shows that the aliens' home base is on Mars, in an area known as Cydonia. Using all the captured technology available, X-COM engineers construct the Avenger-an interplanetary spacecraft capable of transporting troops and heavy equipment to the aliens' Mars base. Manufacturing efforts increase dramatically, as weapons and equipment are produced for use in a final strike against the Martian base.

X-COM soldiers invade the alien base at Cydonia. After a fierce battle, the alien "Brain" creature that had apparently been guiding the entire invasion is located and killed. UFO activity declines to zero, and the remaining pockets of alien resistance prove to be disorganized and easy to defeat without the leadership of the "Brain." The war is over.

As the last of the aliens at the Cydonia base are being hunted down by the X-COM strike team, an automated distress beacon is activated.

A transmission of unknown content is broadcast to Earth. The strike team manages to shut down the beacon within a matter of seconds. After extensive study, scientists conclude that the message was a call for reinforcements from the alien bases on Earth. Since these bases have already been neutralized, the alien message is dismissed and quickly forgotten.

Within a period of six months, information about the X-COM operation is released to the general public. Of course, the news comes as no surprise to most of the world, since the presence of X-COM craft and personnel in the world's major metropolitan areas had become commonplace over the previous year and a half.

Interlude

2002

After the war, X-COM establishes aquatic bases. These are used as salvage areas for undersea salvage missions to find UFOs downed in the war. The primary goal of the search teams is to locate and obtain as much Elerlum-ll5 as possible. This mineral, the source of power for all alien weapons, ships, and so on, is extremelly rare and is not indigenous to Earth. Over the course of the last several years, X-COM and other scientific and military groups have come to depend heavily on Elerium for new human technology. Unable to replicate the mineral, everyone involved is forced to rely on the rapidly dwindling supplies left over from the war.

The governments of the world agree that the remaining Elerium supply should be used for the development of interstellar space travel. It is reasoned that if we could make travel to other planets practical, we might find an unlimited supply of the precious material.

2005

The search for Elerium continues with little success. All of the UFOs that crashed on land have long since been plundered. Explorations of underwater alien wrecks have revealed an alarming property of Elerium-115: it becomes inert with prolonged exposure to sea water. Because there are still countless underwater UFO crash sites left to be explored, the search for viable caches of Elerium continues unabated, but without much hope O{ success.

The world's governments become focused on the steady increase in petty violence, overpopulation, and worldwide pollution. These day-to-day problems overshadow thoughts of another alien invasion and X-COM funding is drastically cut. Most of the bases are decommissioned. X-COM soldiers are pensioned off, and scientists return to civilian duty.

As Elerium supplies continue to dwindle, all world governments restrict the mineral to military use. Terrorist groups who had managed to stash away some Eterium for their own nefarious purposes realize that they can profit greatly by selling their private supplies back to the government for a high price. The governments of the world eagerly participate in these deals with no questions asked.

2009

A manned mission to Mars is Launched. An X-COM team composed of both scientists and soldiers sweeps the area around the Cydonia base out to a distance of one hundred kilometers in every direction. Afterwards, the Avenger transport craft orbits the planet for on additional 14 hours, running a series of surface scans. Finding no further evidence of alien Life, the Avenger returns to Earth.

The world governments tighten the Elerium ban, reserving all remaining Elerium supplies for weapons use only. The last of the X-COM Avenger spacecraft is donated to the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC where it replaces Lindbergh's "Spirit of '76" in one of the main display halls of the Air and Space museum.

2010

Earth's supply of Elerium is exhausted. With no viable power source, all research into interstellar travel is abandoned. Instead, all space flight research is focused on developing interplanetary travel within our own solar system in hopes of developing the ability to build off-world colonies to ease the overpopulation of Earth.

Meanwhile, several groups of scientists around the world independetly begin work on developing a synthetic substitute for Elerium-115.

Even the most optimistic members of the scientific community hold little hope for the project, since funding is nearly nonexistent.

2012

There has been no UFO or alien activity now for nearly nine years. With the world's financial crisis becoming critical, the X-COM organization is officially disbanded. Although it is not dismantled, the X-COM War Room, a sophisticated monitoring centre at the Pentagon used for coordinating worldwide X-COM operations during the war, is placed on automatic. The monitors are now scheduled to be checked only once a week, and even this low-priority task is frequently ignored.

F. Denman Williams, wealthy software tycoon and entrepreneur, fearing that the alien crisis is not over, purchases one of X-COM's underwater bases, Ocean Base 1, and retains its military and scientific staff. This base, operating under the corporate name of S.OR.E.S.O. [the Sub-Oceanic Reconnaissance and Extraterrestrial Salvage Operation] continues to catalogue underwater UFO crash sites and search for Elerium deposits among the wrecks.

2013-2038

The world's financial woes continue, as global unemployment rises to an all time high. Deforestation and uncontrolled urban growth continue to destroy the environment at an unprecedented rate. Most cities ban the use of private vehicles entirely in an attempt to improve air quality.

Starting in 2015, there is a worldwide political upheaval. The poorer nations of the world become unable to support themselves and their governments fall. In response, powerful nations begin to annex their foundering neighbours, forming huge political conglomerates. For the most, these acquisitions are seen as positive and proceed peacefully. The one dramatic exception to the merging of political powers is the People's Republic of Alaska, which is formed when Alaska secedes from the United States in 2026. By 2027, there are only 16 distinct world governments.

The deteriorating conditions on Earth and the governments' apparent inability to turn conditions around revives a sense of spirituality all over the world. In 2027, a radical new religion known as the Cult of Sirius arises. The Cultists believe that humanity might well have destroyed any hope of salvation by repelling the alien occupation during the First Alien War. The Cult launches numerous deep-space probes in the early '30s, each of which carries a message begging their "alien saviors" to return to Earth and use their advanced technology to turn the human race from its path of self-destruction.

Shortly after the inception of the Cult of Sirius, a counter-religion is also born. Known as The Inquisitors, this brutal organization opposes all things connected with the aliens. Their members dedicate their lives to seeking out and destroying al alien-based technology and anyone with a connection to the aliens. Because of their diametric opposition to the Cult of Sirius, skirmishes between the two religious organizations are inevitable. The infighting between the groups escalates into an all-out religious war in 2036, which results in the collapse of The Inquisitors. The Cult of Sirius continues preaching their pro-alien rhetoric but becomes much less openly aggressive.

2039

Shipping and civilian travel organizations all over the world become concerned, as surface vessels and aircraft begin to disappear with alarming frequency on the world's oceans. Scientists explain the disappearances as natural-magnetic anomalies, freak storms, and the like. Reports of strange submersible vehicles spotted at the sites of some of the disappearances are dismissed by the government, but not by the general public. Responding to tabloid accounts of a possible new alien invasion, there is a public outcry for the governments of the world to reactivate X-COM as a precautionary measure. Amid promises that "the matter will be taken under advisement," government officials proceed to ignore the public's demands. Activity at S.O.R.E.S.O. Ocean Base 1 is stepped up to an all-time high. Although their main mission is still the exploration of underwater UFO crash sites, occasional missions are launched to investigate new ship and aircraft disappearances. Investigations of nearly two dozen disappearance sites show no signs of alien activity, though the submersibles available to the S.O.R.E.S.O. team generally take several hours to arrive at the site of a distress call.

While investigating UFO Crash Site 137, near the wreck of the Titanic in the north Atlantic, the S.O.R.ES.O. submarine Khimtar implodes and sinks under mysterious circumstances. Two months pass before the Khimtar's distress call to the Pentagon's X-COM War Room is discovered-a message ending in the prophetic words "I think they're back."

2040

In a deal with British Hydospace and Sub-Am Corporation, S.O.R.E.S.O. acquires the contract to test the new Barracuda and Triton submersible craft. After an initial high failure rate, the bugs are ironed out, and S.O.R.E.S.O. leases several of the craft. Spurred by growing public concern and the destruction of the Khimter, the governments of the world covertly begin recruiting military personnel for assignment as aquanauts. Citing a little known reserve activation clause, the government takes control of S.O.R.E.S.O. and officially activates Ocean Base 1 as X-COM's new base of operations.

Within days of X-COM's reactivation, Ocean Base 1 receives on urgent distress signal from the British passenger liner Hyperion. A Barracuda sub is sent to investigate. On arriving at the site, Jake Burton, the Barracuda pilot, finds only a broken wreck. Within seconds after Burton exits his craft to investigate the wreck, X-COM abruptly loses contact with him. Later investigation of the scene by a second team shows signs that the Hyperion was sunk by some sort of unknown weapon. No sign of Burton or his craft are ever found.

The Second Alien War (AW-II)

2041 January 1st: The Second Alien War begins

Sightings of alien submersible vehicles increase dramatically as the aliens become more bold. Once again, one of the main goals of the alien forces is to terrorize the population of major metropolitan areas. This time around, the aliens stick to regions near the world's oceans. Although some species, the Aquatoids in particular, are obviouslly related to the last wave of aliens who attacked the planet, many of these creatures are different than anything previouslly encountered.

Although interception of the smaller alien subs is a relatively easy matter thanks to the Barracuda intercept sub, early X-COM tactical missions meet with less than successful results. Most of the weapons used in the First Alien War are useless without a supply of Elerium-115 to power them, and weapons based on Earth technology, such as the Laser rifle, prove to have no effect against the new aliens or cannot be adapted for underwater use. Aquanauts are forced to rely on primitive spear and harpoon guns, torpedo launchers, and a small array of explosive devices, until they are able to research the technology used by the new wave of alien invaders.

2042-2045

The Second Alien War ramps up to a fever pitch. More alien species are catalogued. One species in particular, a clawed group of creatures that quickly become known as "Lobster Men," cause aquanauts a great deal of difficulty. Their tough skin is virtually impervious to conventional methods of attack.

One of the earliest alien technologies discovered is Zrbite, a mineral analogous to Elerium-115 and used to power most of the aliens' equipment and weapons. Zrbite is found to be extremely unstable, but its use is deemed a necessary risk; it is the only viable power source for replicated alien technology.

The influx of equipment and aliens, dead and otherwise, recovered from the battlefield leads to great advances in weapons technology. Primary among these are the ability to replicate sonic weapons and the development of Vibro Blades-rotating titanium blade weapons that prove quite effective against the deadly Lobster Men. Along with weapons technology, x-cam scientists discover new methods of constructing personal armor, which provides aquanauts with the protection they need in extended battles.

2046

After just over five years of constant fighting, X-COM scientists discover the locoation of the aliens' hidden base: T'leth, a huge alien colony ship that lies at the bottom of the Sigsbee Deep in the Gulf of Mexico.

Travelling aboard a new Leviathan submarine, the only armed submersible craft capable of withstanding the pressure at these great depths, a squad of aquanauts descends upon the alien stronghold. After a fierce battle, the aquanauts locate the reanimation chamber of the alien controlling force: a huge, tentacled being known only as the "Alien Horror." Luckily, the X-COM force arrives before the reanimation process is complete. In destroying the power nodes of the lead alien's cryogenic coffin, tge aquanauts set off a chain reaction that destroys the alien colony ship just as it is rising above the surface of the water. All the aquanauts aboard are killed, but in dying they ensure the safety of the people of Earth. After the destruction of T'leth, the remaining aliens prove no problem to eradicate.

The Second Alien War is officially declared over on January 19, 2046.

Recovery

2046

It isn't long before scientists discover that the Second Alien War will have far-reaching and possibly cataclysmic effects on the Earth. As was true after the First Alien War, many of the world's towns and cities have been reduced to ruins.

This time, however, it's much worse. In addition to the war damage, the atmosphere of Earth has been poisoned by the release of huge amounts of toxic gases and particles from the explosion of T'leth. Hundreds of thousands of people in the areas immediately surrounding the Gulf of Mexico die within hours of the explosion, and millions worldwide suffer from toxic side effects ranging from minor to severe. All populated areas on the Gulf Coast ore evacuated for o period of six months while cleanup commences.

In addition to the toxic side effects, the particle cloud from the T'leth explosion increases the effects of globol warming, adversely affectinq agriculture in many parts of the world. When coupled with the worldwide overpopulation problem that has been steadily worsening since the mid-20th century, the loss of keg agricultural regions such os the grain-producing farms of the Americon Midwest adds widespread starvation to the already multitudinous problems of the world.

The hopes that Zrbite might revive the deep space program which was abandoned in 2010 are dashed when scientists discover that all the Zrbite supplies of the world have become inert. It is theorized that the aliens' moleculor control network was the key to releasing the power of the mineral. When the destruction of T'leth caused the moleculor control network to fail, all the Zrbite was rendered useless. X-COM continues to step up its own technological research, exploring all remaining areas of alien technology. After initial success, the scope of the operations is diminished as many X-COM scientists leave the organization for the higher salaries offered by private corporations, X-COM funding is reduced as the Earth's governments focus their attention on terrestrial concerns.

[Jason D]

Awesome, simply awesome!

I can't wait to see the stats for aliens and equipment.

[sladethesniper]

Old Man Sweeny, thank you for more stuff for my campaign :happy:

Very nice, and will work easily along with Delta Green...

Thank you,

-STS

[Old Man Sweeny]

Thanks both o you fine gents! Will take a bit to get it BRP roadworthy but will do.

I was rereading the underwater combat rules in the BRP, and i gotta say...nasty. God help the aquanoughts who gotta face the foul alien menaces with penalties and spear guns.....

[Jason D]

I actually ran an X-Com adventure back in the day, though I used a different system (the one from Hidden Invasion).

It was quite a lot of fun... the players had no character sheets to start with.

I began with an intro that described them all as veterans fully-kitted out with retroengineered alien/human tech gear, a few had psychic powers and were barely human by that point, etc. They were on their way to the assault on Cydonia.

I hit them with a line saying "It's hard to imagine, as the space transport hits the alien atmosphere, that less than 19 months ago you were all just normal humans responding to your first landing" and then handed out intro-level soldier character sheets.

We did the whole adventure with an intro landing, combat, hunt-and-seek, and then when it was over, I handed out the upgraded sheets and we played the end encounter with the alien hive queen.

It was a blast.

[Kloster]

Waouh!!!!

I've been since long a fan of the UFO game, but your text is simply brilliant.

I love it. Reading your post makes me wanting to reinstall it (once I will have finished my current run of Fallout 2).

Runequestement votre,

Kloster

Edited November 1, 2008 by Kloster
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