10 -- Supplemental Files, Enemy Dossier
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.
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The following document is drawn from the experiences of the Equestrian Volunteers that battled the alien invaders on Earth over the past two months. Reviewing this will give you the ability to identify the aliens we have encountered so far as well as basic strategies on how to deal with them. Perhaps most importantly, this will give you an impression of the true nature of this enemy before you fight them face to face. These things aren't Diamond Dogs who run at the first sign of stiff resistance or Griffons who believe in honorable combat. These things can and will take every opportunity you give them to kill you and the colt beside you simply because you exist. I value redemption and forgiveness as much as the next pony, but these aliens are not somepony you can reason with. They are all monsters and should be treated as such.
--Captain Tower Shield
[Written in pencil just below the forward] Further notes have been added to include the recent events that have transpired on Equestria in addition to the volunteers' experiences on Earth. As the area of operations has now shifted to our home, some of the tactics listed below may no longer be current as everypony has full access to their magic here. Any feedback from the ranks for tactics can be added as further operations against the enemy are completed.
-TS
Threat Assessment: Low (individuals), Medium (packs)
Description: Standing height is slightly taller than the average pony but their hunched posture reduces that somewhat. Their skin is grey, wrinkled and completely hairless. Aside from massive black eyes their faces are devoid of any features like the human’s noses and mouth or our snouts. They are capable of bipedal movement like the humans but when running they resort to using all four limbs.
Armament: Sectoids are armed with plasma pistols much like the ones that our human allies gave to us but are otherwise unarmed or equipped.
Tactics: In groups, the Sectoids pose a threat we cannot avoid or ignore in the battlefield. They will operate in a similar manner to a wolf pack to flank their targets or to provide a distraction for heavier troops. They also take advantage of something the humans have called ‘group think’ which makes the group of Sectoids highly coordinated. Other than the humans' explosive weapons or Unicorn area-effect spells, the best way to counter the group is to kill the leader coordinating the group. Doing so will cause the group to fall apart and the survivors to break cover and retreat or even die on the spot.
Individually, Sectoids are far less dangerous, but they are not to be underestimated. When encountering even a modicum of resistance they will fall back as quickly as possible, but more often than not this retreat is a feint. The moment they are able to they will wait to ambush any pursuers before retreating again. More often than not they’ll attempt to lead their pursuers into ambushes with other aliens. Pursuit on the ground is generally not advised, as Pegasi are able to pursue and dispatch stragglers far more easily as well as escape their potential ambushes.
Sectoid Commander
Threat Assessment: High
Description: Physically similar to the Sectoids. The most noticeable difference is the reddish skin on their heads as well as several bulging veins running along it.
Armament: As with the Sectoids, they are armed with plasma pistols.
Tactics: Not to be confused with the Sectoid ‘pack leaders’, Sectoid Commanders are a significant threat even by themselves. This threat comes from their capacity to attack the minds of anypony they can lay their eyes on. Even the most stalwart pony can be reduced to a screaming panic in a second, and some turn on their allies against their will.
If this does not illustrate the true nature of these enemies, I think very little will. Mental magic is something that is strictly regulated and is something only the Princesses can do without hurting anypony, and only when necessary. The Sectoid Commanders use these powers to attack just as easily as we use our hooves. Such violations cannot be allowed.
Their appearances are rare on the battlefield but they are dangerous enough to warrant caution. Unicorns or the humans from Mente Materia are the best countermeasure when trying to face them head on.
Threat Assessment: Medium
Description: Similar in characteristics to a Human but the proportions are far too tall and emaciated. Their eyes are yellow with vertical pupils and are a dead giveaway of their alien nature, but they often hide this tell behind glasses.
Armament: Light Plasma Rifles are most commonly seen.
Tactics: The Thin Man is a nimble adversary that has a surprising vertical leap that it uses to gain the high ground in nearly every engagement. Their shots are precise and lightning fast with their light plasma rifles but their most feared ability is their poisons. Like some of the larger vipers in the Badlands, they are capable of spitting poison at distant targets, and when they die the poison explodes violently from their bodies.
Earth Ponies and Pegasi are strongly advised to not engage them in melee because of this. Their poison proves fatal to any who inhale it without treatment, and the survivors are weakened for a significant amount of time.
Outsider
Threat Assessment: Medium
Description: The Outsider is a curious enemy in that its passive state appears to be a chunk of crystal the size of an average pony’s foreleg. If no enemies are detected it remains in this state, and it returns to this state after its projected form takes too much damage.
Their projected forms appear when they sense an enemy and need to defend themselves. Their projected form appears similar in built and characteristics to a muscular human, though it isn’t quite solid despite its ability to manipulate the world around it.
Armament: When they project their bodies to defend themselves, they are able to create a light plasma rifle.
Tactics: The Outsider is a tough enemy to fight but their weaknesses are rather easy to exploit. They are fast on their feet and are devastatingly accurate with their weapons. Their bodies have a way of shrugging off physical attacks, which is most likely related to its projected nature.
Their projected bodies are extremely prone to disruption by high energy attacks. The human’s energy weapons as well as unicorn magic are catastrophic to them. They also appear only on the control centers of the alien ships and will not under any circumstance stray from the ship. This leaves them very vulnerable to multiple entry point breaches or even tactical retreats to approach from another angle.
When their body destabilizes, they revert back to their crystal form. It’s worth noting that the unicorn who made a kill against an Outsider reported some strange magical interference from the crystal, but before he could test it the humans took it away.
Threat Assessment: Medium
Description: The Floater appears to be little more than a Muton-proportioned torso with mounted rocket engines to keep it aloft.
Armament: Light Plasma Rifles are wielded by all, and some also wield grenades.
Tactics: The Floaters are horrifying examples of the lengths the aliens are willing to go to prosecute this war. Some have also speculated that this might be a preview of the humans and ourselves should we lose this war. The vast majority of its body and organs have been cut away and replaced with infernal machinery and all that’s left of whatever creature once existed has clearly lost its mind.
Unlike the ground-based infantry that the aliens field, Floaters appear reckless to the point of being suicidal when they spot a target. They will often charge forward in a swarm while firing wildly with their plasma weapons. They appear to care little for target priorities as they will fire on civilians just as often as soldiers when given the opportunity, even if taking the shot at the civilian results in the soldier killing them a moment later. This is both their greatest danger and their weakness. Their tendency to charge can leave forward elements of a squad dangerously exposed as Floaters are often hard to hit in flight. Once they spot a target, however, they develop tunnel vision which makes them extremely vulnerable to a classic Dive Strike from a Pegasus. This only works once as the flock will often scatter the moment it realizes it’s under attack from above.
On a more personal note, I can’t help but wonder if some relic of the creature still exists within those twisted hulks of flesh and metal. On more than one occasion they have been observed attempting to tear the metal implants from their bodies. They don’t shout orders or roar like Mutons. All they do is scream.
Chryssalid:
Threat Assessment: High
Description: Centaur-like with four legs with a torso and two arms, but insect-like in appearance and with an array of glowing lights along its back.
Armament: Claws and fangs.
Tactics: The Chryssalid is one of the most feared enemies that the humans have yet fought, and for good reason. They are lightning fast, are able over or climb most physical obstacles, and are strong enough to tear metal armor asunder. While juvenile Chryssalids will often charge the first human they see, the mature Chryssalids are far more cunning. They will approach a target from rooftops or inside buildings to make up for their lack of ranged attack options.
Pegasi in their light armor are to avoid getting within range of Chryssalids, or even approaching windows where they might be hiding. Ranged attack options are best. Only Earth Ponies with the best armor and Stone Wall combat training should engage in melee combat and only if he or she is certain there are in no danger of getting swarmed. Unicorns should use every trick at their disposal to keep the Chryssalids at bay, and fire attacks if at all possible. Roaring flames are the only thing that has been proven to strike fear into the monsters.
I cannot emphasize enough the dangers of entering close combat with Chryssalids. Not only do they have the capacity to rend a pony limb from limb with their claws, they will violate the corpses to create Zombies as hosts for more Chryssalids.
Threat Assessment: Low (tactically), High (strategically)
Description: The mutilated and violated corpse of any poor soul that a Chryssalid managed to kill and implant.
Armament: None save for physical strength.
Tactics: The Zombie is a freshly killed corpse that a Chryssalid has killed and implanted with an egg. During this grotesque life cycle, the egg takes the body for its own to control even as it consumes it from within. If not dealt with swiftly and thoroughly, a new Chryssalid will emerge from the Zombie to further propagate its species.
Tactically, the Zombie is not much of a threat except in numbers. It moves slowly as the egg cannot control its host well while it is being devoured but it will still react violently to any non-implanted creature nearby. The damage to morale this causes is also high, as even the strongest of ponies hesitates when the seemingly dead begin to rise again, and with the faces of friends.
If there was any doubt as to the nature of our enemy, this should settle those doubts.
Threat Assessment: High
Description: Bipedal, standing taller than an average human and nearly twice as wide at the shoulders. What little skin that isn’t covered by heavy armor is red and irritated. The armor type and colors change depending on the role the Muton fills.
Armarment: Virtually any infantry scale weapon the aliens can field, depending on role.
Tactics: All previous aliens discussed filled more specialized roles as skirmishers, infiltrators or terror weapons. While they are threatening by themselves, no infantry force is complete without a toughened core to act as the backbone of the army. The Gryphons have their Myrmidons, the Minotaurs have the Hoplites, and the humans have their own heavy infantry forces. For the aliens, Mutons fill this role.
Their physical strength should be clearly apparent by anyone who lays eyes upon them, but it is a potentially fatal mistake to assume they are dumb brutes. They have a level of tactical expertise that rivals the humans on the battlefield. Flanking maneuvers, use of cover and suppressing fire, plus specialists that fill specific battlefield roles makes any force of Mutons a dark twin to the humans. Practice sessions with humans to learn their tactics is strongly recommended, as I am not confident the Guard in its present state could fight Mutons without sustaining significant casualties.
As previously mentioned, the Mutons deploy specialists to fill specific roles. These roles determine their individual tactics and the equipment they use. Below is the most current list of specialists encountered as well as keys to identifying them at a glance.
Green armor, no helmet: These Mutons are the most commonly encountered. Plasma rifles and grenades appear to be standard issue, and their armor is thick enough to resist physical and heat damage. Their exposed faces leave them vulnerable to precision shots at range, and while their legs are armored they can still be injured by a swift hoof strike to the kneecap. Any who get close enough to attempt this should be wary, as all Mutons carry a combat knife the size of a short sword and are more than capable of using it.
Red and silver armor with helmet: These Mutons are dubbed ‘Berzerkers’ by the humans, a term which apparently refers to a group of warriors from their past known for their reckless and savage nature. The term is apt, as these Mutons use their physical strength and bladed armor to fight. Despite this shortcoming, Berzerkers are feared among the humans for the terrible damage they can do when come within arm’s reach. They are not above using live captives or corpses as shields while they close the distance, and their armor is heavy enough to absorb significant amounts of damage. They are relentless and have a level of pain tolerance that is shocking. Only the most seasoned Earth Ponies should engage a Berzerker in melee, but even that isn’t recommended. Magic and ranged attacks are far less risky.
Red and gold armor, ornate detailing: Mutons wearing this armor are theorized to be ‘elite’. They show up where the fighting is thickest and field the largest weapons the aliens have. Heavy plasma weapons lay down near continuous streams of plasma fire on targets, while guided explosive projectiles can traverse cover to strike at targets that would normally be safe. Wherever Mutons are encountered, a sharp eye must watch for these elites as they are more than capable of killing several ponies if given the slightest opening.
Black armor, black glass helmet: These Mutons are infiltrators and are not to be taken lightly. Their armor comes with a stealth system that can hide them from sight and they will often stay hidden until they are certain of a kill. More often than not they carry lighter plasma weaponry and they have a particular fondness for their knives. The humans have technology that can be used to detect and ‘tag’ an infiltrator with their visors, but they aren’t foolproof. One of the human magic users is also capable of spotting them. As these two countermeasures aren’t always available, a passing knowledge of detection spells or some equivalent is recommended for unicorns in the field. Captain Shining Armor maintains a series of light shields that alert him to danger, perhaps other specialists might come up with similar alternatives?
White armor and helmet: Information on this type of Muton is only theoretical as it has only been encountered once. It was seen in the company of an Ethereal and was killed during a strafing run by the human airships. It is theorized that it’s some form of field commander or attendant to the Ethereal. The humans have labeled this Muton a high priority capture target for interrogation, and I find myself agreeing. If they are highly placed in the command structure then perhaps they can be convinced to reveal the aliens secrets or motivation.
Cyberdisc:
Threat Assessment: High
Description: In its travel form it appears as a large silver disc. In combat mode it resembles a lionfish in both appearance and movement.
Armament: Twin linked cannons, multiple grenades and a prehensile bladed tail.
Tactics: The Cyberdisc is a difficult foe to counter for our forces; being capable of flight, deadly weapons and an uncanny ability to detect and evade incoming attacks. They are most often spotted near alien ships to intercept incoming enemies or attacks, but they have also been seen supporting ground troops as well.
Earth Ponies are strongly encouraged to seek cover and not expose themselves as Cyberdiscs are too fast to catch near the ground. Pegasi are also encouraged to keep their distance as the Cyberdisc can respond to any target it can see with frightening speed and accuracy. Unicorn magic has proven to be effective but only if it can hit. Instant spells that can immediately target the Cyberdisc such as teleportation or telekinetics cast directly at it can be effective as there is no way for the Disc to anticipate and dodge the attack. Spells that can seek a designated target such as some of Nova Beam’s spells can force the target to break off attacks and evade even if the attack itself does little or no damage. Area effect spells such as fire balls or chain lightening can be effective as well but they run the risk of collateral damage.
Any spellcasting puts the Unicorn at risk though this can be somewhat mitigated by using spells that do not require direct line of sight to cast. No more than one spell should be cast in this manner though, as Cyberdiscs will begin to hurl grenades at any suspected hiding spot that the unicorn may be hiding in. A quick thinking unicorn may be able to return these grenades to their source, but there is risk involved in this as well. As the humans have pointed out, the grenade is used to force a target to expose itself just as much as it is to kill a target.
Drone:
Threat Level: Low
Description: A floating machine the approximate size of an adolescent foal with four small limbs around an energy emitter in its center
Armament: Energy projector weapon similar to Cyberdiscs but with a drastically lower rate of fire.
Tactics: The Drone is a curious break from the previously encountered enemies that the aliens deploy on the battlefield. All other enemies in this dossier are either specifically equipped or bred for combat, or have natural abilities that allow them to survive and fight on the battlefield.
The Drone, however, is designed to support the machines that are deployed against the humans in the field. It is true that they are armed; their attacks are only lethal to an unarmored target. The real danger they present is their ability to repair the mechanical assets the aliens commit to the field. They are most often found in groups of two to five and almost always in the company of a larger force. As more than one unicorn has noted, their tendency to swarm around whatever they are repairing makes them extremely vulnerable to area effect spells. They also lack any armor plate to negate more conventional forms of attack.
It is also worth noting that this is the only support unit we’ve seen deployed to the battlefield. To date the humans have not encountered any form of field medic to tend to the alien wounded, as they are most often left to their own devices in the field.
Threat Level: High
Description: Bipedal golem standing over twice the height of the average pony.
Armament: Two large plasma cannons mounted in the arms and reinforced to act as weapons for close range strikes. A power shield can be deployed as a defensive screen.
Tactics: The Mechtoid bridges the gap between Mutons and Sectopods by offering heavy weapons on an extremely mobile and durable platform. They are most often used as the tip of the spear for ground engagements against veteran human units. Even with all the human technology, they still struggle to bring down Mechtoids before significant injuries are sustained.
The Mechtoids will provide a challenge for us as well. Their cannons are powerful enough to overwhelm all but the most powerful unicorn shields and can simply vaporize a pony on the spot if a shot connects. They are also more than willing to lash out with the weight of the cannons against anypony that gets too close. The shield they can project over themselves completely absorbs any magic directed at it as well as protecting it from conventional attack methods. They are not immune to alternate forms of attack though.
Telekinetics directly applied to the Mechtoid will be absorbed by the shield protecting it but throwing large objects will weaken the shield and stagger it. The ground it stands on is also unprotected by the shield, and if Earth Ponies gain enough magic on Earth to shift the ground, it can topple a Mechtoid quite easily and leave it vulnerable to enemy fire. Close combat should be avoided if possible as their size and mechanical nature makes them far too sturdy to fall to hoof or blade strikes.
Threat Level: High
Description: Most descriptions paint the Sectopod as a massive two-legged metal toad.
Armament: Primary weapon is an energy cannon mounted in the center of its hull that is protected by armor plate when not firing. Secondary weapons include a plasma cannon on a turret mounted on its upper hull and missile launchers along right and left dorsal surface.
Tactics: The Sectopod is the heaviest enemy encountered thus far by human forces and it is a force to be reckoned with. Its armor plate makes it nearly impervious to all but the strongest of their weapons, while its main cannon is capable of leveling any structure that it suspects is hiding humans. The plasma weapon mounted on its top automatically tracks and fires on any target it can see. The dorsal missiles are also routinely fired to strike at distant targets that the Sectopod cannot easily reach.
It takes a skillful and coordinated effort to take down a Sectopod without the aid of the human gunships. By themselves they are surprisingly vulnerable to magic and their relatively slow speed means a light force can keep ahead of it indefinitely. Unfortunately the Sectopod is rarely alone as Mechtoids will try and act as a screen for incoming fire, Floaters or Cyberdisks patrol the skies and Drones will keep it running. Indirect spells or engaging from an angle that cannot be easily detected are the most successful methods developed so far. At least two separate teams are needed to attempt this type of attack as the Sectopod and its allies in the area will respond quickly to any attack.
Threat Level: DO NOT ENGAGE
Description: A thin and emanciated body hidden beneath a set of robes with a metal helmet covering its entire head. It is bipedal like the humans but has four arms.
Armaments: None save magic.
Tactics: To date, the humans have only encountered two [in pencil] three Ethereals on the battlefield. The first resulted in one of the Strike teams being wiped out to a man as well as countless innocent civilians in the area before it retreated to its ship. The second would have had a similar outcome were it not for the heroic efforts of the human airship crews. [pencilled into the margins]The third spearheaded the attack on Canterlot and was defeated by Princess Celestia. It should be noted that this Ethereal managed to subdue Princess Twilight Sparkle and render Princess Celestia bedridden and comatose despite its defeat. Under no circumstances is anypony to engage an Ethereal directly as every attempt at such confrontation has resulted in horrific loss of life and potentially disastrous results for the war effort.
The most insidious and pervasive abilities the Ethereals have has been dubbed ‘Doubt’. Anypony (and any human) within close proximity to the Ethereal, even out of line of sight, begins to hear voices. Most report they are voices of loved ones or friends that had died whispering things to undermine their efforts or label them failures in the most intimate and personal way possible. None have shared the exact nature of what they heard but all stated that it was deeply disturbing. Direct confrontation enhances ‘Doubt’ into ‘Horror’ as anyone within line of sight of the Ethereal is bombarded with images of butchery and murder tailored specifically for them and any affected can do little more than flee in terror or attack anyone near them out of fear.
The Ethereal’s abilities are not limited to such indirect attacks. They possess a mastery of telekinesis and gravity magic that is powerful enough to snare and destroy human airships mid flight. They have been witnessed using portal spells to redirect projectile attacks both mundane and magical back at their sources. It is unknown if they possess any greater abilities than what has already been documented.
The only weakness that has been exploited against the Ethereal with normal forces is indirect fire attacks from outside the range of its ‘Doubt’ ability. Theorists suspect that ‘Doubt’ allows it to detect anypony nearby and anticipate their movements which makes any ground force engagement problematic.
The largest concern from a strategic perspective is that some humans and ponies have voiced the belief that the Ethereal, when encountered, had begun to actively scour their memories for information. If this is proven true then we must develop a countermeasure to secure military intelligence in the field.
[Written in at the end of the document]
Until we can create a method of resisting this type of intrusion, it is strongly recommended that information of strategic value be shared with as few ponies as possible, and those ponies should be kept away from any conflict where the Ethereals may appear. The short list includes the captains of all Guard divisions (including the Dusk Guard) as well as their equivalents in our allies armed forces. The humans have shared some information on a possible countermeasure that works against Sectoid Commanders but is simply overwhelmed by Ethereals. With our assistance we should be able to enhance it. If we can't, then we'll need to think up another alternative, fast.
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Morning folks!
I know what you're thinking, supplemental files, boo, hiss. This chapter is kinda necessary for a couple of reasons. One, those not familiar with XCOM might not know what the heck I'm talking about when I mention Sectoids or Ethereals, and this might prove to be a handy reference for them. Two, as much as folks might lament the lack of story development in this chapter, you have to consider what this chapter is telling you about the enemies the Equestrians faced on Earth... and the ones that are conspicuously absent.
Destiny still has me in a death grip, but I am finding time to work on the next chapter after this! If folks play Destiny on PS4, send me a message!
Not nearly as conspicuous as the careful wording about Thin Men armaments, leaving room for a possible plasma sniper or something...
The idea of those things with a sniper rifle is terrifying.
Infiltrator Mutons. Is that something you made up or is that actually in EW and I haven't encountered them yet? Kudos if made up.
They haven't run into drones, or do they exist in this AU?
5035357
They appeared briefly at the end of Stardust and in Fortitude Amicitia. Just made sense, IMHO.
By 'they' I mean stealth Mutons. : |
do the alien killzor
Where are heavy floaters and seekers, have they not been encountered yet, or is there some other reason for them not being listed...
You know, reading all of this, and the terror of the Ethereals... I kinda want to see Tirek poke his head out and start nomming on alien power. That would certainly make things... interesting.
5035361
Ah, I've slept since then. I can't recall.
5035303 I don't know, you didn't leave much out in terms of enemies. Except for seekers, and the possibility that one of the XCOM soldiers is an EXALT agent.
:^)
I would have classified the Sectopods' threat level as Bucking Tartarus! myself, but that would probably be a little too unprofessional for this sort of report.
Gotta wonder when these guys will show up.
img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131110063444/xcom/images/6/62/XCOM_EW_EXALT_Squadbig.jpg
That could likely make the ponies start questioning the wisdom of dealing with the humans.
I'm afraid I don't have anything constructive to add, here, just that I loved both Stardust and The Dusk Guard: Rise, and that the crossover of the two is making me squeal like an overzealous fangirl and/or a dying rabbit about to be eaten by a bear.
Liked/faved/goats sacrificed in your honor/etc.
Are enemy unknown enemies going to be added in?
Seekers, sectoid mechs ect.
( I ask this due to the fact that there was mention of humans using mechs in an earlier chapter)
5035491
Mechtoids are on the list (last I checked) >_>
5035303
No mention of EXALT, but we knew that already. I look forward to when that, and the humans' other dirty little secrets, come out. (I'm going to guess roughly... one-half to two-thirds of the way through the story, depending on whether the major conflict of the story turns out to be the aliens or human/pony relations.)
5035357 Of course you haven't seen them. They're stealth mutons.
Ah, Supplemental files - personally I always found myself enjoying these chapters. They might not bring anything "technically" new to the picture, but as something of a "technobable" fan I always like a closer look at things, and it brings some direct insight as to how the characters of the setting view all these aliens through their eyes. All in all, I certainly wouldn't mind these types of chapter popping up once in a while.
One thing that caught my eye though:
This isn't technically true, as mental magic has been (amusingly enough) one of Twilight's go-to solutions for any number of issues from the very start of the series. Parasprites attacking Ponyville? Mindrape the lot of them. Fruit bats infesting the orchard? Mindrape them. Fluttershy caught alongside Fruit bats? Un-mindrape her. Friends mindraped by Discord? Un-mindrape them. And then we have the ever infamous Smarty Pants incident
Though granted, Twilight being Twilight, she might not be a good representative of the greater whole. I suppose it's quite possible that as the personal student of the Princess, she has always had access to more advanced or restricted magics than the general public is allowed to access (or is actually one of the few strong enough magically to use them without any ill side effects, aside from mishaps that arise from her simply not thinking it quite thoroughly enough as to what exactly she wants to achieve).
5035506 So it does, must have missed it. Seekers?
5035303 Heh, I noticed some of the stuff in this supplemental chapter is different from what I had sent proofread revisions for (not much, mostl just the notes TS wrote and the absence of one particular enemy). Still, good chapter that doubles as both the Equestrians thoughts on their new enemies and strategies for the canon enemies for the actual game.
Anywho, will keep my peepers peeled for the next emailed chapter to be proofread... Enjoy Destiny!
I was hoping for Muppets. They're evil.
5035644
Seconding the love for the supplemental files.
Actually, if I may wax poetic a touch, I think that you, as an author, are at your very best when you slow down and indulge in this sort of world-building. In fact, most of my criticisms of Stardust or the side stories come from moments where I feel you've sped up and advanced the plot too quickly to reach your 'point,' because when it comes to your work the journey is so much richer and more rewarding than the destination. There are definitely authors on this site that I consider much too verbose, but you aren't one of them. Just my two bits
*lightning
Lightening is the act of illuminating something.
Also, keep 'em coming! Like Skydrake and Eakin, I'm kind of into such things myself as well.
edit: Wow, almost 1300 likes.
They really need to hurry up and make mind shields so Jenkins can shotgun Etherials in the face.
Also, I kinda want to see the magic guys in psi armour (assuming that will be a thing because of the whole incident with elerium, yeah they'll probably argue about that).
I would have given the Sectopod Threat Level: Extreme, but that's me. Whenever one of those show up, you have to throw everything you have at it to make it sure it goes down as fast as possible. And even then it's down to luck that nobody will die.
Thin man units where engineered to look like humans and blend, if used in Equestria would then not be re-engineered to look like ponies?
I'm looking at picking up Destiny for PC when it comes out... hopefully can cross-platform play, especially now that Vault of Glass is available.
That being said, I like these supplementals... they're a nice break.
5035625 Muton Ninjas? *whimpers in the corner*
That bit on floaters made me think of this scene from Robocop 2
This paragraph also spawned 2 trains of thought for me.
1 - I'm now convinced floaters are the most tragic victims of the alien experiments. During the final mission, the Ethereal leader reveals floaters were infused with technology when their bodies hit an evolutionary dead end to make them suitable for using the Gift. Assuming they had some intellectual and emotional capacity, we could be looking at an entire sentient species that's been driven insane through bodily mutilation and imprisoned in cages of cybernetic implants.
Once again, Doctor Shen's remarks on the aliens and mankind's willingness to adapt their technology are raising concerns for the future. Our species has ravaged lands, tortured others in the name of discovery and committed genocide. What kind of future can Earth and Equestria hope for if these abuses of science and power are fall into the wrong hands? And, more importantly, can the current holders of these tools be trusted to act responsibly? XCOM and the Royal Guard may have the best intentions but their leaders may not. I'm still not sure whether I fear The Council or Celestia more,though.
2 - I'm now imagining a scene with Fluttershy and Vahlen in alien containment with a floater.
Floater : (Screaming)
Oh, you poor dear! Let Doctor Fluttershy help. (Starts rubbing aloe vera on what little flesh it has)
Vahlen : Fluttershy, it is my belief that your "Stare" ability may be able to calm this floater enough to interrogate it more effec-
Fluttershy :
Vahlen : GOTT IM HIMMEL! WHAT ARE YOU-
Fluttershy : How could you be so cruel! Couldn't you see how itchy he was?!
Vahlen : ... Itchy? This is a violent creature consumed by anger!
Fluttershy : Well, of course he was angry. You'd be too if those mean old aliens forced you to wear uncomfortable armor and implants all day. He just needs some tender loving care. Don't you, cutie!
Floater :
I love supplemental files, they offer both base information for those not familiar with one of the settings, and for those with that information, it allows us to see how governments/groups/out-of-focus individuals take in the data and how they react to it.
In other words, I like the supplemental files because they make me feel like a civilian finding one of these pamphlets in my mail slot rather than listening to a veteran tell me another one of his fascinating tales. It's a nice change of pace.
It doesn't seem right that Chryssalids, Mutons, Cyberdiscs, Mechtoids, and Sectopods all get the same threat level.
I'd say, considering the abilities they carry. On top of that, that Rift ability they use is fast enough to catch lasers.
Of course, they're easier to kill in-game, but this isn't the game is it?
I wonder what they'll think about the Uber Ethereal...
"All they do is scream."
images.wikia.com/tardis/images/9/92/DalekEye.jpg
5035303 personally speaking, I love the Supplemental Files.
Is it gest me or are the combat abilities of the Ethereals strikingly similar to what Matt was doing when he went crazy.
5035303 Booo, Hiss, FIREFALL FTW!!!
I like the supplemental files because they show us how the things we already know are perceived by the characters. I was kinda surprised they rate the Outsiders as low threat
5036135 This was my thought too. I'd love to see them creepily fail to blend in as ponies/griffons/etc.
Hmm. I don't know if you want to do this but here is an interesting idea. The aliens are all gengineered and there are ones like the thin man that look like they have been specifically engineered to pass as humans at a glance. One good way to throw the Equestrian defense for a loop it to introduce aliens that are tailored to fight the ponies or pass as them.
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Tirek VS Etheral. This needs to happen. So bad.
5037107 or just enslave changelings.
5035303
More like "supplemental files, Hell Yeah!"
I enjoy the supplemental file chapters, especially this one. I enjoy the in-depth analysis of the various alien species. I like how you've been working in magic, in place of the Psychic abilities too Arad in the previous story and the supporting material. I want to see how you expand on the Ethereals, Mutons, other aliens. Definitely looking forward to seeing more of the stealth specialist Mutons and maybe Slender Ponies(Equestrian Thin Men). Maybe even an Equestrian Golem/MEC. Also can't wait for the next chapter, especially after how the previous one ended
Another idea I had, that you might want to use here or in a possible third story: A resistance movement within the alien ranks. Like some Sectoids or Mutons breaking free of the Ethereals, maybe using Equestrians to speak for them as they kinda lack mouths ^^;. Like the Skitters and Jaffa in Falling Skies and Stargate. Possibly due to a major victory on the Equestrian/Human front.
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Hmmm. Just about everything seems to be there... wait a minute. Seekers are missing. I've figured out the aliens' plan! They're sending all of their seekers to Equestria, and when they have enough, they'll all decloak and strangle everypony simultaneously, wiping out the pony threat in one fell swoop!
i like taking a break from the action and reading a supplimentary file! i like reading about things i already know about- from someone else's view. never stop being awesome.
What they need is a mind shield, that or augment everyone with neural dampers.
5034475 MECs that have been shown so far are THE SAME THING as what Equestrains call Golems. Thus what I mean by saying 'MEC Troopers have not been shown' is that the supposed man/woman inside the Golem has never been shown. We have seen the 'MEC', but no 'Troppers' have shown up.
As for Lana's arm, both RD and AJ seemed shocked by it, but there was no moral outrage from either of them. More or less it was 'How the fuck?/What the hell happened?'. Neither of them know what exactly her arm runs on, and as neither are history buffs/unicorns they might not even know what Arcanite is. But the idea that MECs would upset Equestrians if they knew the truth remains. So it points to the MEC process being much more than simply chopping off some limbs...
I wont even touch the 'Do souls even exist in the Stardust Verse?' statement with a standard 10' pole. It's a loaded debate and unless Arad specifically says something on it I refuse to comment.
As for 'nothing proves me wrong', you're right, nothing does. There are circumstantial things that say I might be right. There are circumstantial things that say I might be wrong. But until something major stands against my theories, either from commentary by Arad or in the story itself, I will believe I am right. Because there appears to be more evidence that says I am than there is saying otherwise. This DOES NOT mean I refuse to acknowledge the possibility of being wrong or even that other theories are more sound than mine. If you check this 5010423 I even admitted that someone else pointed out an equally valid theory which clearly contradicts my own.
As someone who never played XCOM, this is a great chapter
I don't even need to alt tab to a different window to google Sectoid, etc
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I'm pretty sure that Twilight destroyed at least three Seekers in Stardast during
so why are they not mentioned here hmmm.... 
the base defense
5038332
The hay with that, this fic (or rather, its predecessor) is what prompted me to finally go out and buy X-COM in the first place!
Sounds about right. Looking forward to more.
Keep up the good work. Deus tecum.