THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS INTENDED FOR DISTRIBUTION WITHIN EQUESTRIA AND ITS ALLIES. ANY PUBLIC DISSEMINATION OR DISCUSSION OF ITS CONTENTS WITH UNAUTHORIZED BEINGS WILL BE MET WITH SWIFT ACTION UP TO AND INCLUDING BANISHMENT. THE SAFETY OF EQUESTRIA DEPENDS ON YOUR DISCRETION.
------
“It seems somewhat ironic that Captain Song and Captain Armor brought up discussing potential tactics to employ against a force of human opponents less than a week ago. I know not what prompted the discussion, but it seems prophetic for our worst fears to be realised. Most of the officers that fought on Earth harbored various theories that humanity might not be as unified as we have been led to believe in this conflict. From what we had been told there was the occasional individual that preached cooperation with the alien attackers, but they were by and large ignored on the world stage as quacks and crazy folk.”
“The implications of the organization known as EXALT is as disturbing as it is dangerous. Not only is there a faction of humans that are actively assisting the aliens by targeting XCOM and undermining resistance to the invaders, but by all accounts they are as well funded and backed as our human allies. When we had last heard, all nations still publicly swore loyalty to the cause of defending Earth and Humanity against the invaders, but that can’t be entirely true if EXALT’s capabilities are accurately depicted.”
“The field operatives that EXALT employs will use similar field tactics as XCOM, and we have reports that they have managed to smuggle some of the human airships to provide both transport and close air support. Princess Luna has also shared several reports of devices that are being used to block magic in the towns that they have captured. XCOM also states that their field operatives have been modified to provide enhanced reflexes, speed and strength to rival any Equestrian. They are quick, cunning, ruthless, and possess nearly every strength our human allies have.”
“At the time of this writing, only one confirmed instance of combat has been documented between Equestrian forces and EXALT. During the second battle of Canterlot, four of the most seasoned and well-trained Solar Guard were overcome by an equal number of hostile EXALT operatives without so much as a scratch. Only the intervention by Discord prevented them from succeeding in their mission.”
“I don’t know how well we might fare against this enemy once we are adequately prepared, but there are two things I know for certain: Our allies in XCOM kept this from us, and if they stopped being our allies then this is a preview of what we can expect to face.”
-Cpt T Shield, 11/25/2015 (Date adjusted to meet Earth Standard)
------
[scribbled into the header is the following note]
“The following documents were recovered from EXALT’s base of operations in [REDACTED] after it was retaken by our forces. I thought I had seen every kind of evil that existed, but what I read here chills me to the bone.” -Cpt. Song
Effective immediately, previous operational directives for the excursion forces have been rescinded. New directives are as follows:
Strengthening the insertion point into the theatre of operations at [REDACTED] through elimination and coercion of indigenous government officials.
Secure the [REDACTED], as described by local informants, to provide additional force projection in the field.
Deployment of Equalizer** devices in captured territory to provide tactical advantages and suppress local resistance.
Undermine XCOM in theatre of operations through false flag operations against Equestrian targets.
Use of extreme force is AUTHORIZED to attain any of the previous directives.
We are here to secure the destiny of mankind, and we cannot allow others to subvert our purpose. It has come to my attention that β class operatives have questioned these directives. Any who continue to question them will be returned to Earth, where your implants will be harvested and provided to someone more worthy.
α Vide
[scribbled into the margins]
“**The ‘Equalizer’ devices referenced here are portable structures that are capable of negating magical effects and and severing the connection to the Field for anypony caught nearby. These, along with ‘Jammer’ grenades, were used across several locations and not only prevented magic but sapped the strength of everypony affected.”
------
INDIGENOUS PERSONNEL THREAT ASSESSMENT
This dossier has been prepared through leaked intelligence documents as well as eyewitness accounts from agents in the field for how to best counter the alien species that are currently aiding our enemies. Culturally they may seem harmless to the point of impotence against a threat, but all operatives would do well to remember that they are currently aiding our enemies of their own free will and are extremely dangerous on an individual level. If open conflict is waged against them, all operatives will need to be adequately prepared.
The primary weakness of the alien species that self-identifies as ‘Equestrian’ lies in their social structures and what is believed to be a low-level empathic link to others of their race. It is most likely they were once a herd-based species before attaining sapience, and will often seek the company of familiar beings when faced with the unknown or the frightening. Group-level reactions (or ‘mob’ mentality) are quite common place, and the groups are often directed by strong-willed individuals that can control the group dynamic. These ‘leaders’ are going to be the key to subjugating this species. Intelligence suggests that the removal of these leaders will render the majority of the species fearful and subservient.
It should be noted that the Equestrians who volunteer for occupations that place them in conflicts (Solar/Night/Dusk Guard) appear to be hardened against this effect, and will likely attempt to assume positions of leadership within the civilian population to lead a resistance movement. As such, Equestrians belonging to these organizations are to be considered priority targets.
1.) ‘Earth Ponies’
This race of equines lacks some of the more defined features and abilities of the other two races but are still extremely dangerous. They are extremely gifted in both strength and stamina, and any earth pony that is part of the armed forces will be trained to close and engage in melee combat. Anecdotal evidence provided by [REDACTED] suggests their traditional form of organized combat revolved around infantry formations. More recent encounters seem to indicate that this doctrine has changed drastically due to their exposure to XCOM.
All earth ponies should be engaged at a distance if possible since the lack any natural ability for ranged combat (with a few notable exceptions). Elevated positions, mines, and choke points are also effective when defending held ground. Combat in open terrain is strongly discouraged if outnumbered, as surveillance footage shows this race can quickly surround and overwhelm even mutons with ease if given the chance.
2.) ‘Unicorns’
Arguably the most dangerous in terms of flexibility in the field, unicorns are capable of gifted warfare in surprising ways. Telekinetic attacks, either directly applied to their targets or through a medium such as weapons or mundane objects, are expected from any that are encountered in the field. Others have more specialized forms of attack that is often related to what they refer to as their ‘special talent.’ Nova Beam (Dusk Guard) is capable of projecting extreme heat or cold into a ‘beam’ against specific targets, while Shining Armor (Solar Guard) is capable of creating defensive fields of varying strength.
The greatest weaknesses we can exploit with unicorns is a lack of situational awareness while casting as well as their dependence on their Gift for combat. Unicorns often require line of sight and staying stationary to use their Gift offensively, which will leave them open to snipers and flanking maneuvers. Jammer grenades will also render them combat ineffective. They are less adept at close quarters combat as the earth ponies, but that should be considered a last resort.
3.) ‘Pegasus’
The flying Equestrian race has seen many roles in the armed conflicts we have witnessed. They are extremely adept with hit-and-fade tactics to disrupt ground forces, as well as providing light air support and target spotting. In the alien theater of operations, they are also capable of rapid and extreme weather manipulation. Anecdotal reports indicate a coordinated team of five pegasi can generate and aim a lightning bolt capable of disabling aircraft in less than two seconds.
As a combat-trained pegasus will rarely, if ever, touch the ground, it is recommended that every group of operatives carry at least one laser weapon capable of high rates of fire with medium dispersal at long range. The pegasi are agile fliers but they cannot dodge laser fire easily. The fixed positions we secure will be hardened with anti-air fixed guns with canister and ‘birdshot’ proximity shells to break up any formations that may appear.
4.) ‘Alicorn’
The ruling race of the Equestrians, all alicorns are speculated to have exponentially higher capacities for Gifted combat. To our knowledge, only four currently exist and their dossiers are available elsewhere. It should be noted that leaks within XCOM have confirmed that the two primary alicorns were capable of not only surviving but defeating both the infantry and the ships supporting them almost single-handedly. The newest princess also defeated several hundred of our allies on Earth before she ascended to royalty.
Extreme caution is advised, but if an opportunity presents itself to slay one of these creatures then all efforts should be made. It is currently unknown how physically robust they are and how resistant they are to damage, but intelligence suspects sniper attacks or explosives will be most effective. It is also currently unknown if they have the capacity to overpower the Jammer grenade, so multiple Jammers may be needed to take one down.
Specific mention should also be made of the armed forces organizations that may be encountered in the field.
Solar Guard
The Solar Guard represents the bulk of the Equestrian armed forces and is comprised of an even mix of all three races. Their role makes them equivalent to the American National Guard, with their primary duties being the maintenance of order within the cities and defense against the wild threats in the wilderness. They lack the flexibility of the other service branches, but they make up for this with strong chains of command and loyalty to their cause. They are usually identified with gold-shaded armor with blue brush-head helmets.
Sentinels (Lunar Guard)
The Sentinels, commonly known as the Lunar Guard, are relatively unknown at this time. Publicly they are a guard division under the command of Princess Luna and are primarily comprised of pegasi with unicorn support. Images smuggled out of Canterlot combined with intelligence leaks from XCOM indicate they are extremely well armed and armored, and are trained for ‘black’ operations. There have been no confirmed hard contacts with the Sentinels, but they will likely pursue surgical strikes and sabotage in favor of protracted direct engagements. They primarily wear lighter armor in shades of gray and purple.
A type of Equestrian known as ‘Thestrals’ have also been reported to be exclusively part of this organization, though their exact capabilities and how they differ from pegasi is currently unknown.
Dusk Guard
The Dusk Guard is composed of six individuals that are best compared with special forces such as the GIGN or SAS. They are equipped with cutting edge Equestrian equipment that rivals XCOM ‘Titan’ armor in terms of both utility and effectiveness, as well as armor modules that allow them greater tactical flexibility in the field. They are a close-knit and highly motivated group, and they are only called in to turn the tide of the most dire of situations. Intel expects the Dusk Guard to be the tip of the Equestrian spear if they move against us. If encountered, α operatives are to be notified as their capabilities are not to be underestimated. They are identified by crystalline armor that matches the coat of the wearer.
Rangers
The Rangers are not an officially sanctioned branch of the Equestrian military. They are an informal group of survivalists, retired and ex-soldiers, and various skilled individuals that endeavor to make wild regions like the ‘Badlands’ safe for others. Intelligence expects a large number of Rangers will respond to summons at the capital to serve in the regular army, but it is also predicted that the core of the organization will remain behind in the wilderness. Guerrilla-style warfare is anticipated from these individuals, but resistance isn’t anticipated to be substantial once their rally points are sanitized.
Wonderbolts
An all-pegasus outfit that was known for its discipline and speed of deployment anywhere in Equestria. Intelligence believes this group is now largely defunct because of casualties sustained during the destruction of a major pegasus city. Sources in Canterlot indicate that the survivors are being reorganized to lead civilian weather teams to act as anti-air defense. They are easily identified by their blue and gold light armor.
The Volunteers
The group of Equestrians that did battle on Earth are collectively referred to as the ‘Volunteers.’ These Equestrians were drawn from the very best of all of the previously mentioned branches of service and have significant battle experience to call upon. They are also extremely familiar with human battlefield doctrine after their time serving beside XCOM against our allies. The Volunteers nearly on par with the Dusk Guard in terms of the equipment that they can field, as their armor consists of an extremely heat-resistant undersuit that is supplemented with human-crafted armor plate. A significant portion also retained retrofitted small plasma weapons as well as headgear that is equal to any HUD display we can create. Intel recommends leaving combat with these Equestrians to α operatives, or engaging with superior numbers if none are available. They can be identified by their black armor and the aforementioned headgear.
The other species that make up the motley alliance defending the alien theater need not be mentioned. Those races will be either rendered combat ineffective by our allies, have so little military presence that they don’t matter, or will not actively impede our progress.
Added: [DATE REDACTED]
Use of extreme measures against the ‘leaders’ found in the field has been authorized. We have seen a lot of positive responses in the field when examples are made of authority figures, and it does an excellent job of weeding out the troublemakers while we are prepared to deal with them. The public slaughter of a few does an excellent job of cowing the majority.
α Vide
------
OPERATION UNDERTOW
PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: Insertion of operatives into enemy position to eliminate targets, leaving evidence to implicate XCOM. (see below)
SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: [REDACTED]
Primary Target(s):
Princess Celestia
DESCRIPTION: White Alicorn, prismatic mane, sun flank mark
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S):
Royal Quarters Solar Wing
THREAT: High
NOTES:
Last intelligence report states that she has not regained consciousness and is vulnerable. Her elimination is considered top priority due to the morale damage this will incur against our enemies.
Princess Luna
DESCRIPTION: Midnight Blue Alicorn, starry mane, crescent moon flank mark
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S):
Various, but intelligence suggests that she may not be present in the capital during the attack.
THREAT: High
NOTES:
Direct confrontation is NOT advised. Princess Luna is speculated to have a level of power to rival her sister, and she is more than willing to use that power to destroy her enemies. Recommended neutralization method is a remote Jammer grenade and explosive device to be planted in her quarters after the elimination of Primary Target 1.
Secondary Target(s):
Captain Shining Armor
DESCRIPTION: White unicorn, blue mane, shield flank mark
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S):
Various, most likely location will either be engaging in combat during the operation or projecting a shield from the central spire to defend the city.
THREAT: Medium
NOTES:
Commanding officer of field operations for the Equestrian forces. Intel suggests a strong chain of command is in place in the event of his death, which will negate the long-term impact of his removal. Attempts should be made to do so, as this will negatively impact Secondary Target 2 and Tertiary Target 1 as well as cripple the defense of the city in the short term.
Princess Twilight Sparkle
DESCRIPTION: Lavender alicorn, purple mane, starburst flank mark
LAST KNOWN LOCATIONS(S):
Various, most likely location will be in the civilian sections of the capital. Intelligence predicts a high probability of her attempting to defend Primary Target 1 in the event of conflict.
THREAT: Medium
NOTES:
Recently elevated royalty, personal student of Primary Target 1. Extreme capacity for Gifted warfare but XCOM documents indicate signs of PTSD. Hesitation is likely when faced with an enemy or the death of others nearby.
Major Yumiko Fujikawa
DESCRIPTION: 5’3”, Asian ethnicity, black hair (short), brown eyes.
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S):
Strong likelyhood of being present in the command center of the capital during the operation.
THREAT: Low
NOTES:
XCOM field commander, possesses Gift potential. Aside from mild telekinetic ability, reports suggest she is no more dangerous than any other XCOM operative. Her elimination will disrupt XCOM’s operations and negatively impact Secondary Target 2.
Captain Matthew Harris
UPDATE: All operatives participating in Operation Undertow are to avoid contact with Captain Harris as well as Sergeant Jenkins. I will deal with them at a later date.
α Vide
Tertiary Target(s):
Princess Cadance
DESCRIPTION: Pink alicorn, multi-hue mane, blue heart flank mark
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S):
Most recent intel suggests she has left the capital for a neighboring kingdom. Attempts should be made to neutralize this threat or prevent her return to the capital if at all possible
THREAT: Unknown
NOTES:
Ruler of the Crystal Empire, spouse to Secondary Target 1. Leaked intelligence states having a degree of control over ‘the heart.’ Rumors suggest a capacity to alter the emotions of those around her as well as detect their emotions and intent as well. The true extent of her powers are unknown at this time but for [REDACTED] to succeed, she must be kept from the capital.
Any Element Bearer
DESCRIPTION: The descriptions of any Element Bearer can be reviewed in other documentation
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S):
Castle, civilian and medical wings.
THREAT: Low
NOTES:
Any Element Bearer spotted during the operation is to be considered a target of opportunity as the death of any of them will negatively impact all of them as well as Secondary Target 2. The elimination of any Element Bearer will also prevent the use of the Elements, should they become a factor in the future.
Discord
DESCRIPTION: Serpentine dragon-like body, mismatched horns, wings and limbs
LAST KNOWN LOCATION(S):
Canterlot Royal Quarters
THREAT: Unknown
NOTES:
Recent intelligence indicates the being known as Discord is currently holding position in the royal quarters outside Primary Target 1’s location. Intelligence cannot offer any speculation as to his motives or his allegiance, as he has historically been an enemy of the Equestrian establishment.
It is currently unknown if Discord would attempt to prevent the completion of the primary objectives. Intelligence recommends avoiding him if possible, as his mastery of unconventional Gifted combat is unmatched.
Evening folks! The next chapter will give some resolution to the crazy cliffhanger I left everyone at with the last chapter, but for now I wanted to share a little bit of information about EXALT.
Someone also brought up the point of the piles of Chekov's guns I've been accumulating so far. To those who are concerned about that, rejoice! Its getting to the point where everything is starting to come together. :D
Can't wait for the next chapter! These dossiers are scary, but I'm heartened by their near-total ignorance of Discord's capabilities and Cadance's as well. Hopefully the EXALT Base Assault or equivalent will happen later in the story. I'm getting that β class operatives are the unmodified, conventional-armed operatives from EW, while α classes are likely the genetically enhanced and laser-armed ones who have shown greater loyalty to the EXALT cause and have been rewarded for it. And this 'operation' they keep referring to... Not good. Keep 'em coming!
Vide? Didn’t they kill him in the last story? And EXALT is working with the aliens? Since when? Isn’t EXALT a separate faction altogether, canonically speaking? Were they were subverted or are you deviating from canon and going the route that they were always the Ethereals’ puppets?
Hot damn, if you're gonna fire all those Chekov's guns it's gonna be like an ammunition dump going up in flames.
5607974 it's heavily implied that EXALT was kind of a kind of anarchist group meaning to create a new world order during the alien attack even if it means allying with the aliens. Also, Vide didn't die he escaped during the Xcom Base Defense
5607974
There's actually a TVTropes section that covers why I did what I did. :D
Sure, Let's Go with That: A meta-example, as Arad was always planning to use The Cult of Sirius from XCOM: Apocalypse as a faction of Les Collaborateurs working with the aliens. When Enemy Within for XCOM was announced with EXALT playing a similar role that the CoS once did, it only made the author's job easier.
Hmph. Quite a lot of the intel EXALT has gathered is only explicable within reason by asserting they have complete access to Project STARDUST related files via XCOM infiltration. I am not quite sure how much of information Twilight gave XCOM exactly, but the knowledge of the Elements and prior Equestrian history (albeit only partial; they still seem to be in the dark about Discord's capabilities) exhibited by EXALT gives reason to worry.
Last I checked, I'm pretty sure Princess Cadance wasn't Shining Armor's husband.
Aside from that, great side chapter!
5607997
There is the possibility of an EXALT-like group within Equestria. Not high, but a possibility.
Or perhaps they've been doing what X-COM does to aliens...
HOW THE HELL DID THEY GET ALL THIS!?
I find the use of false flag operations in any situation to be especially offensive.
5608162
I'm afraid everyone was issued a red shirt at the start of this story. That's XCOM, baby! *sobs*
5608185
It is a war crime for a reason. : \
Wow, XCOM needs to purge some of their less-than-loyal members and get some serious security set up. I mean like, Pentagon level security. Maybe more. Every file needs a password, every transmission needs to be triple encrypted, doors need retna, fingerprint, foot and ass cheek scanners. This cannot go on if they wanna stop EXALT
I think you wanted to say "wife"
5608299
Already fixed.
So... when does Vide die? Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.
well now. Issac Asimov level intrigue? i can get behind more of this.
LETS DO THIS.
5608189
I would point out, though, that the ponies technically haven't joined XCOM; they're just working alongside them. Which means those with Plot Armor haven't actually traded it in for a Red Shirt just yet.
Besides, can you imagine the whining that Rarity would subject us all to, with a clashing color combination (ooh, alliteration!) like that?
Very interesting, and yeah, fuck EXALT. If they've truly read what EXALT wrote, then I suggest they're gonna really hurry on getting Cadance to the capital.
5607992
In real life, when I got to the part where it's revealed that EXALT is working with the aliens, I commented, "Crap, they've got the Long War mod installed." (For those that don't get the reference, Long War is a mod that changes a lot about the game, generally making it much harder. One of the effects is that after the EXALT base raid, EXALT starts openly working with the aliens)
5607837
Do you have enough to qualify as Chekov's Armory though?
I have every confidence you will pull it off superbly.
One thing about this supplemental, though: Shouldn't the section on Matt contain the Description/Last-known-location/Threat/Notes that the others do? (Especially as the Update is particularly useless if there's no description/photo for operatives to ID him with.)
The enemy is doomed. There is not one threat assessment under the catagory of RUN LIKE HELL IF ENCOUNTERED. Clearly they don't realize how deep the shit they are standing in is.
They don't even know. They do not even know.
Discord was frightful when he was trying to take over the country.
Now, he's defending those that he at least seems to care about.
You done goofed.
5608185 False flag operations are often used by governments to get public support for their causes. That, or cause chaos in enemy nations. Or both. Depends on situation. Although option two is the case here. With politics, nothing happens by coincidence.
Of course I doubt much will get by Discord.
And now that I am done with a long day at work, time to give my input.
5607965 Of course they don't know all there is to know about Princess Mi Amor Cadenza or Discord, they haven't been able to study them properly and (especially in the case of the latter) will come back to bite them on the butt. Also, make note that very little in their confiscated documents make mention of Thestrals (aka the ponies that took Luna to Ponyville on Nightmare Night), so this shows that, while certainly ambitious and well informed, they are nowhere near omniscient (even with traitors in XCOM's midst feeding them intel). Also, their dismissive attitude towards the other non-pony races is a major blunder on their part. Rule number one about war: never underestimate other forces just because they aren't your primary target. Do so and.... well, I think this moment from an old Looney Tunes WWII cartoon sums it up rather nicely. :D (Note: Watch from where the video starts to 3 seconds later where it stops at timestamp 2:33)
5608230 While XCOM does need to crack down on the turncoats in their ranks, they also need to be able to snatch away the defecting members of EXALT that are becoming disenfranchised by their missions and leadership as well. Between the telling notes from Vide about removing implants from Beta members (who probably have some MINOR G-Mods that are more likely on par with like having one or two mods from the original pool of abilities from the EW as opposed to some of the more intense stuff that Alpha members are more privy to) and the fact that one Beta member let those two fillies live in violation of her orders back in chapter 15 (Confrontation), it looks like XCOM could possibly see a boost in members in the future.
Anywoo, Arad will hopefully have the next chapter ready for us pre-readers (Arzoo, Vandenbz, and myself) sooner than later barring anything happening in his real life, and I swear we will work our best to have it checked out/combed over and cleaned up so we can all see how that cliffhanger goes (as we too wanna know what is happening; I am so excited I could burst!.... or that could just be because of the excess Mountain Dew I am drinking now and will be drinking tomorrow when Evolve comes out for consoles and PC).
Also, don't forget that Arad has something 'special' planned for you faithful readers (hopefully) real soon that we pre-readers have been in on know now for a while. What is it, you ask? What could possibly be so exciting?!!! I will tell ya, it's....
Seriously, did you think I would tell y'all? It's gonna be good, that much is certain. Note: It is NOT a gonna be Robot Chicken George Bush appearing in Mente Materia..... no matter how hilarious that might be. On second thought.... (note to self: make a Robot Chicken George Bush/XCOM/MLP one shot) *quickly hides his notes so NO ONE will steal his idea, cause it is MINE MINE MINE, BWAHAHAHA!*
In my experience playing XCOM: EW, Exalt was never much of a threat. At first they have the technology and abilities to rival your soldiers, and I like how they are able to disrupt your operations, but they never get any tougher. Near the mid to late game, they are still using the same equipment as before (laser weapons) and they always have the same amount of health. I mow them down in the dozens with nary a scratch on my guys.
I also like how Vahlen says that she would "never go to such extremes" when gene-modding XCOM soldiers, but Exalt soldiers only actually have 4 gene-mods, one per class. The opposite is true -- I mean, you give your own guys a second heart and skin that turns invisible! How is that less extreme?
It just seems to me that Exalt was a bit of a missed opportunity. I kind of loathe having to fight them now, even if they're easy XP for my guys, simply because of how easy it is to fight them compared to the aliens. And that final fight is such a joke! Only about a dozen and a half guys you have to fight, and it's over before you know it. I was expecting to have to fight a super-OP Exalt leader with gene mods coming out of the ass. It didn't happen.
5609331
All will become apparent once my plans are revealed. :)
And your story's awesome level just rose a few more notches.
Nothing against the common name, but when I think of "bat ponies" the first thing that comes to mind are pictures like this:
i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab302/Church0/Flutterbat-StellaLuna_zps32f7342d.png
i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab302/Church0/Flutterbat-CreaturesoftheNight_zpsa2ee74a0.png
Congratulations, fan artists; you just combined little ponies, fruit bats and pure saccharin sweetness into one pancreas-destroying package. And yes, I do think bats are undeniably adorable. Don't believe me? Just watch this video and try not to let out an audible "d'awww."
Now, when I hear "thestral" my mental image is pretty different:
i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab302/Church0/Flutterbat-Thehungerconsumesme_zpsd1353aac.png
i874.photobucket.com/albums/ab302/Church0/FeralFlutterbat_zps371e6aa9.jpg
Thestral sounds like something that will corner you in a dark alley and eat your face. A useful, if savage, way of striking the fear of Luna's night into Equestria's enemies.
Other than that, loving these supplemental files. Really shows the amount of time and care you put into crafting this world. Methinks EXALT is massively underestimating Twilight's friends, though. Rarity alone would have entire squads of α operatives reduced to blubbering masses after ridiculing their outdated wardrobes.
5609403 Ah, but the thing with that is why were there so few? I think that was done on the purpose. I think they were tipped off about the incoming assault and left enough so that if they were killed it fools xcom into thinking they're done. Notice that in front of the hologlobe there was a chair befitting some kind of leader...suggesting a lot of guys escaped...
It would also be interesting if during the EXALT base assault XCOM found a bunch of prisoners, like those that dissented but were too dangerous to let go and couldn't quite be killed either.
I'm not sure how I feel about EXALT being openly allied with the aliens. Strikes me wrong, like the way Cerberus was handled in Mass Effect 3.
I mean, they're already shady enough when they were just a cabal of rich dudes taking advantage of the alien invasion. Making them collaborators makes them less interesting as villains, in my opinion.
5607997 You mean like Vide did before the base attack? Remember he had enough access that he wormed his way into reading Bradford's assessment of his gift, while he was writing it.
5608230 logical solution (if at all possible) is Complete Telepathic Scanning off all Xcom personnel by someone with both sufficient power and trustworthiness ( or a refined Version of Vahlen's neural probing interrogation technique.given that we at the least know far more about human neurology then the hostiles, it would be much more likely to be possible to develop a refined version that doesn't kill or cripple the subject.)
, with the incarceration under permanent sedation of anyone who refuses for the duration of the conflict, Combined with a Global Campaign to Publicize EXALT's activities back home with a focus on their love of Mustachio-twirling Villainy and graphic independently verfied images and recordings of them slaughtering children, the elderly and other non-combatants at the behest of their masters,ESPECIALLY given the revelation that at least SOME of their disposable cannon fodder has some Semblance of the humanity they claim to be fighting for that hasn't been mindcontroled out of them/ surgically removed.
i always though insisting on keeping the war with Exalt in Enemy Within covert was a stupid move.( and it could literally have had an Angry God kill some of X-com's most experienced Veterans out of grief-driven rage here) .blow their precious secrecy out of the water and make as hard for the traitors high up to covertly send them ANYTHING. as long as the existence of a paramilitary group indoctrinated by the aliens is NOT known they will have free reign to keep operating in the quiet and recruiting. anyone on the council who insist on maintaining silence on this is probably compromised, or incompitant. the correct treatment for a Epidemic is to minimize the chances of it spreading and try to eliminate its vectors, not to stick your head in the sand.
one of the biggest Curve Balls Bradford Threw the opposition forces was going public and making the fact that we DO have CO-Belligerents, and since the people they report to, if not on-base staff are riddled with defectors, continued secrecy does nothing useful. they've allready been attacked once.
then again, id make a horrible covert agent or politician. Give me a Shotgun, Ghost suit and lightning reflexes any day
>.<
It's interesting to see things from EXALT's perspective. Also interesting that there seems to be some discontent in the rank-and-file.
Is the woman who let the fillies live a discontent or a covert XCOM operative sowing dissent within EXALT's ranks?
It's also surprising how little EXALT seems to think of the other races on Equestria. They're putting a lot of faith into the Etherial's military machine to easily deal with the remnants of the Gryphons, the Minotaurs (who have entrenched positions and a technologically progressive mandate), and the Changelings.
As a semi-covert operation themselves, you'd think they'd be more concerned about Changelings. Especially as they seem to have a limited hive mind; killing one Changeling doesn't mean you will have eliminated the "leader". I could easily see Changelings spinkled in among pony populations ready to fill the role of herd-leader and provide a nucleus for resistence within conquered pony populations. If that leader is killed, no problem. Just have another Changeling step up. Hell, they could even be the same pony and make up a mystique of being some kind of ultra-tricksy leader.
An Unkillable Resistence Leader would be disasterous for the EXALT pacification plan.
Were the [REDACTED] bits in the report redacted by EXALT or by the Equestrian operatives who captured it?
O~h, I notice that not a single one of the specific dossiers lists a 'High' rating; just 'low,' 'medium' and 'unknown.'
Not even for the individuals that have defended against entire strike teams solo.
Pride before fall...
Edit, scratch that. Just noticed I'd glossed over Celestia and Luna.
Oh well, the bit about pride still stands.
And I just finished a Long War campaign, WOOH~!
5609403 It works a bit better with the Long War mod, where EXALT Elites get buttloads of mods/abilities and stat boosts. Hell, they had to nerf the 'uber elites' a bit: in my beta 9 run, there was a Elite Heavy that took 4-5 rounds to kill in their base (as well as the 6-9 other EXALT hiding and overwatching with him in the cubby near their red Hologlobe, so I couldn't go for flanks-- not even my MEC.... how I wish I took the flamethrower then...). Beta 14, it was a LOT more managable, and fewer EXALT overall, though the field missions were getting pretty crowded when I decided to just hit their base. I had to spam the tower hacks just to get some breathing room. It was in that car workshop/tire place map. By the end, I had the whole goddamned garage roof hovering in mid-air from all the walls I took out with explosions!
5609631
Yeah, sounds weird to me as well. I mean, you need two to collaborate: someone willing to betray his own side and an enemy willing to accept his services. From what we've seen, the invaders are not that kind of enemy.
I prefer the idea of EXALT as a third faction that is after its own goals and merely exploiting the situation.
5608538 *steeples fingers together* Exactly as planned.
5609751 I'll be covering with a sniper, in that situation
Good points though, very good points
Well, crap. That IS rather chilling to read. Is it odd that reading this made me want to see a playable EXALT just for the sake of the Oh Crap Moments from seeing a colored-crystal-armored equestrian or an alicorn?
5610039
To have changelings mimic a pony so great and powerful, and with such an immense love of self… This just might work!
My personal fav was Discords, everyone else had plans or ideas for how to potentially deal with their power set.
Discrod was just a blatant: "Do. Not. Fuck. With."
5607837
"Piles of Chekhov's guns" is better than "pulling a Macguffin out of your ass", so I don't see why people might have an issue with that unless you end the story leaving the Armory untapped.
Speaking of Chekhov's guns, EXALT seems to have very little intel on the Lunar Guard, particularly thestrals...
5610723 *nods* i know basically forcing someone to either spend the next several years in an induced coma or be invasively mind-reamed sounds harsh, but in the situation its one of the LEAST horrible options available that has a high order chance of flushing out anyone who's willing traitor or a unwilling Manchurian agent. and i think it might actually fit the ethical pattern Xcom showed in EW. being willing to go further then you'd expect the Good guys of the situation to go, but still having Clearly-defined Boundries.
5610609 who says they are actual Collaborators? i but 20 Credits that everyone above the Basic cannon fodder is Psychically, Surgically and chemically indoctrinated, just like how Cerberus's Husk Troopers were in ME3 (the whole Point being TIM being a callback to a lore article on indoctrination mentioning how the slower the process runs, the longer they take to devolve to mindless shells, and him probably resorting to abducting and surgically altering civilians en-mass when the members of his organisation why had a functioning moral compass began to desert en-mass)
5607837
Will said Chekov's Guns be fired so fast that it looks like an XCOM firing line?
5608230
The problem is in finding out who's actually less-than-loyal. After all, good spies get in places without anyone knowing. The best spies get invited there and handed the information they want.
5610928
...! This is... so brilliant! I'd love to see the Changelings use Trixie as a template for some super-skilled resistance leader.
5607837
That is very good to know. I was starting to get worried already when you were finally going to start putting all the pieces together.
But I must say, you truly have a lot of stamina for this story. So much information and reports.
I'm looking forward to the next chapter. Let's see what your Checkov's Guns can do^^
I have to say this is quite possibly my least favorite chapter out of the whole shebang. Coupled with what I believe to be mishandlings with Pinkie, Discord, and Fortitude Amicitia, it's starting to turn me away.
I'll just stick with this chapter for now. First off, formatting. I'll just go right down the chapter and make it easier. The beginning dialogue from Captain Shield is very confusing, because it's not dialogue at all. It's a written document, so seeing quotation marks is really out of place.
As for the EXALT document itself, I don't know what type of writing standard you are using, but I have never seen one where agent and/or researcher notes added onto confiscated documents. They primarily create a copy and add addendums, or an annotation where further data is provided in a separate document altogether. Captain Song should know this.
Then there's this portion:
I'm not sure what magnification or document you used to prepare this, but the entire bullet list is scrunched together. Something is needed to show that this is what it is, a bullet list. Even something like extra spaces and an ascii character helps clear it up.
See? Much cleaner, and gives it a more authoritative feel.
Then there's the redaction (sometimes called sanitation). I'm going to give you a brief lesson. There are two primary types of redaction. Suppose you receive a document from the NSA concerning troop deployment. The first you would find is this:
This is your typical blackbox redaction that looks like someone took a sharpie and scrawled out all the good bits. It's used for small sections, like names, dates, and locations, that are sensitive and cannot be released to the public, but the data isn't outright destroyed. It's just shielded from the public. This is used when the information surrounding what you are sanitizing doesn't need the same treatment.
There is also another issue concerning the sanitation: it doesn't clash with the surrounding text. You are trying to mimic the feel of a classified document, but you're skimping on what sanitation actually looks like: it's black, solid, draws the eyes, and is ugly. It's a little detail, but given that you are trying to copy the feel of a sensitive document, skipping a relatively minor one feels odd. Make it bold. Let it stand out.
It doesn't hold the eye. Try this:
See the difference? Now...
What you are doing is kind of blackboxing, but mixing it with another type: the full sanitation. Used in the context here, very few of your redactions require this; they need blackboxing instead. Redaction is blocking out entire sections of a document, or entire conversations. It is the same as blackboxing, but covering much more material where the entire section is edited down into that simple word: REDACTED.
There is kind of a third, but it's not wildly used. [DATA EXPUNGED]
This means that not only does the document you receive has been redacted, it's not just you. This means that the missing information has been outright deleted from the file it was retrieved. Again, not used that often, and only in sever, special cases.
Okay, lesson over. But still, there's a bit of a problem. Two, in fact.
As I stated, the redaction doesn't quite fit.
These should both be blackboxed, not redacted, as they're just nouns in this context. Now perhaps this is just a stylistic choice of yours, and if it is nothing more than that, I can let it slide. What concerns me if it is something out of ignorance.
The second concerns who exactly sanitized these documents. I can;t tell because they've passed through not one, but two different channels before we as the reader got a hold of them. I don't know who did what. If EXALT sanitized them, military procedure is to make a note of such sanitizing in order to inform the reader.
Here's where the sanitasion begins to not make sense. Giving that EXALT is a paramilitary and neither military nor political, they have no reason to do so. Take the example above:
Operations where? Secure what? If this was an EXALT operative receiving this, they'd have no idea what to do. You never redact security protocols. On the other hand, some things don't feel like they were redacted by Equestrians either. At least by no means that I can tell.
These sanitation seem completely unnecessary. Granted, perhaps there is still missing information revealed in later chapters, but a bird in the hand and all that. This document was revealed now, not at a later date, so I can only judge it as it is, not what it could be. It feels like the government is deliberately redacting information that would help them capture or prevent EXALT influence. Why would they do that? It completely undermines the necessity of giving the document to the captains. It's signed by not one but two, so this clearly isn't clandestine, otherwise EXALT's influence has been scaled at being far too high to be believable (more on that later).
As in all classified documents, it depends on who is intended to read the fully sanitized copy. Herein lies the biggest problem: it's the readers. Why you may ask? Aren't readers supposed to be the targets? Well, not here. This is a special case. Given that this is supposed to be a classified document, it's meant for someone in universe. We as the readers know what Titan armor is, but by no means should the laymen or even higher security know. The chapter is littered with Chekov's Guns targeted towards readers, but not people or ponies in the actual universe.
This has gone on a little longer than I thought. I'll be back later with the rest of my thoughts.