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Potential Storyline Mod - Coldest War


thothkins

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The Coldest War

"Today, America would be outraged if U.N. troops entered Los Angeles to restore order. Tomorrow they will be grateful! This is especially true if they were told that there were an outside threat from beyond, whether real or promulgated, that threatened our very existence. It is then that all peoples of the world will plead to deliver them from this evil. The one thing every man fears is the unknown. When presented with this scenario, individual rights will be willingly relinquished for the guarantee of their well-being granted to them by the World Government."

- Dr. Henry Kissinger,US Secretary of State 1973-1977

Founded by both world superpowers in the face of a possible invasion, the organisation has had to fight tooth and claw to retain it’s existence, appropriating funds from either side where and when it could.

As the Superpowers glacially looked to expand their spheres of influence to counter each other, only the organisation remained aware of a potentially greater threat.

When this threat arrived in October 1979, it was clear how far the organisation had moved beyond geopolitics.

“A clandestine organisation known only as the ‘Xenonauts’ establishes communication with the major world powers and claims responsibility,” for the only known successful interception of an alien craft over the Baltic Sea. The Xenonauts demand “both funding and authority to operate within their territory and airspace in exchange for protection.“

In fighting the invasion, the goal of the Xenonauts organisation will indirectly result in each nation reassessing their relationships with the rest of the world. Earth’s best defence is a united one. It is the goal of Xenonauts to channel as much collective development and unity from its funding nations as possible. To that end results from some of the Xenonaut research can be distributed throughout the funding nations.

While this may sound utopian, bear in mind that the Xenonauts are essentially extorting capital from their funding nations in return for protection and the hope that their advanced technology will secure a victory. Also note that throughout, Xenonauts do not openly share their key research findings with the rest of the world.

“The deal was simple – a monthly funding grant and authority to operate in a nation’s airspace and territory, in exchange for protection against extraterrestrial activity. Reluctantly, all the major powers agreed.”

Why?

The ideas below were some of the very first thoughts I had when putting together the Geopolitical mod thread. That shows the reluctance the funding nations have in greater detail. The short set of ideas below would ideally be part of the same setup, but are separated here as they can stand alone. They follow a similar path that the Alien Origins/The Martian Solution/Cydonia or Bust research topics of the original did. This is intentional so as not to detract or delay the main mission too much.

The back story, as provided, shows the Xenonauts as an organisation on the brink of extinction, a situation now facing the rest of the world. It also shows that they have goals and demands that coerce the funding nations into agreement.

They are not quite the clean cut outfit that their X-Com predecessors were. The ideas below take the Xenonauts in a direction that is a little darker than simply saving the Earth from an alien threat. Particularly when there are other enemies closer to home.

Shadow Kingdom

Research Required - Iceland Incident; Alien Invasion; Third tier weaponry

Game Trigger - Save scientist mission objective at a particular ticker point.

Unlocks Research - The Third Path

Unlocks Bonus/Penalty – Reduced staff costs

Summary – While liberating a research lab from the aliens, a supposedly missing prominent scientist is rescued. In debriefing, he reveals that, although his research is compartmentalised, that he must be a tiny part of a larger recruitment programme. A programme so aggressive, that the scientist was believed to have died so that he could vanish into the project.

Further research has revealed the mysterious disappearances of individuals form a variety of scientific fields. The deaths of prominent figures in Physics, chemistry and astronomy are now put in doubt.

This programme has been going on since the late 1950s. Insiders refer to the programme as the Brian Drain, but it is designated Project Aquarius. The scientist’s own work has reached a conclusion. It is unknown if this applies to the rest of the programme. The location of any related work or of funding sources is also unknown.

Notes: The third tier research topic could be replaced with something else. Ideally, it should be a technological topic as this fits into the rest of these additions. It should also be something far enough into the game to be advanced technology, but not so advanced as to get in the way of the final mission topics.

The game triggers are provided as additions/ alternatives to the required research topics.

The reduced staff cost bonus reflects that whatever was going on, it’s now coming to an end. This will free up researchers elsewhere to join the Xenonauts.

Ties with existing Xenonauts story: Echoes the steps a clandestine organisation may have taken in the cold war to capture the only people it believed capable of advancing it’s own agenda.

Mod Requirements: Edit Research topics, Add research Topics, Add mission objectives, Research Lab indoor mission (optional, but is one of the stretch goals); recruitment cost alteration

The Third Path

Research Required - Shadow Kingdom, Last third tier topic

Game Trigger –Aliens launch a base attack on a base not used by Xenonauts at a particular ticker point/ or a simpler pop up screen stating that local agents uncover a base, but it isn’t an alien one. Much like in X-Com/ Alien Base mission, but they’ve used a previously extant Xenonaut-like Base.

Unlocks Research - New World Order

Unlocks Bonus/Penalty – Free Base/ Reduced Construction Costs

Summary – While the Xenonauts are setting up new bases around the world to combat the alien invasion, another party is making use of the bases set up in the 1960s following the Iceland Incident. While many of the facilities look to have been deserted for decades, there is clear evidence of recent and intensive use in key areas, such as laboratories and workshops.

Whoever vacated the base in a hurry left few clues for the retrieval team. However, in the dust covered, deserted command centre Project Aquarius briefing documents are found, supporting the ‘missing’ scientist’s claims.

The documents outline high level meetings between the Soviet Union and the United States military in December 1958. In these meetings, available findings from the Iceland Incident were shared. Analysis of potential further threats was made and ideas on how to combat such an enemy were suggested. These ideas became three distinct solutions. The solutions were known as Project Majority, an inside joke on the lack of consensus achieved to select one of them over the others.

The documents suggest that parallel programmes, entitled The Three Paths (and the Three Bears informally), were put in place. Disturbingly, the Xenonauts look to be connected to one of these alternatives.

Path 1: Project Aleph – The manipulation of population sizes, in order to force a cohesive, militaristic humanity prepared for the alien attack. Such extreme population control measures could only be put into effect by creating a number of disasters. Biochemical research was proposed for this purpose as was artificial escalation of the Cold War. A further option was to use this research to deny the planet to enemy forces should the situation become hopeless. This ruthless, cold option was considered one where worst case scenarios would prevail.

Path 2: Project Anteus - Aquarius would ensure the construction of numerous underground shelters. Ostensibly these would be built to survive a nuclear war. In truth, they were to be build to survive an alien invasion. The bases would house a military command structure and a breeding population of civilians.

Path 3: Project Aquarius – An expansionist approach that suggested that mankind’s best hope was through it’s own rapid advancement. By expanding knowledge in electronics, propulsion, astronomy and physics mankind could reach beyond the Earth. Increasing detection capabilities was considered an immediate goal of this project. Projected suggestions looked to move mankind to a more even footing with any invading force. These suggestions advocated that mankind should set up a base on Mars, titled Wells Station, using the Moon as a staging post.

Veterans of Operation Verne provided support for an Aquarius programme that looked to advance the military readiness of a unified military force. They outlined a number of necessary projects. There are clear parallels between the Project Aquarius proposals and the structure of the Xenonauts. These projects would become the operational structure of Xenonauts in years to come.

Aquarius – Umbrella project cataloguing all available intelligence from the Iceland incident

Garnet - Coordination of all information relating to the aliens.

Sign – Intelligence gathering to determine further aliens presences. Sign alerts the organisation following the WOW signal.

Blue Book – The public face of Project Sign, actively investigating the public UFO sightings.

Snowbird –Create disinformation to cover test flights & gauge intelligence.

Redlight – to pilot reverse engineered UFO

Pluto – Evaluating all alien technology with a view to enhancing human space capabilities/ biological intelligence.

Excalibur – develop a weapons system capable of combating an alien craft.

Gabriel - The use of pulsed sound weaponry against alien craft.

Sigma – Establish communications with the aliens. No communications were received throughout the Iceland Incident.

Plato – A project looking to create diplomatic links with an alien species.

Blue Fly/ Blue Team – Reaction, retrieval and recovery operation briefed and trained on Iceland Incident. Xenonaut soldiers are trained by retired Blue Fly operatives. With no alien incursions following 1958, Blue Team eventually became part of Project Sign.

Delta – The security arm of Blue Team and Pounce.

Luna – Relates to construction and maintenance of secret underground bases.

Pounce – the subsequent retrieval of crashed UFO materiel following Blue Team missions.

Notes: Again, the research topic used as a requirement can be replaced. The changes to bases as a reward reflects the Xenonauts uncovering the series of hidden bases placed around the world by their organisation in it’s prime.

It is suggested that the Xenonauts research topics be designated project titles as above to further tie them in with the Project Majority briefing documents.

Ties with existing Xenonauts story: The back story reveals that the initially, well funded Xenonauts had a number of hidden bases that then fell into disrepair. This topic returns to that. It also suggests some tactical options available to countries facing a threat of unknown, but superior technology.

Mod Requirements: Possibly a scripted map – combining alien and Xenonaut base (optional)

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New World Order

Research Required - The Third Path/ The research topic equivalent to Cydonia or bust.

Game Trigger – potentially a late ticker point/ following the end of the main storyline – see notes below.

Unlocks Research – Liberation Mission Option

Unlocks Bonus/Penalty - None

Summary

While the alien invasion still poses a huge risk to the survival of mankind, the Xenonauts are almost in a position to strike back. Since it became clear that global annihilation may be averted, the funding nations have already begun to look at the world without an alien presence.

Of course, each sees a world where their ideologies are dominant. A world where they can harness alien technology to the detriment of their enemies.

It is now clear that Project Majority is not going to allow itself to be marginalised. This happened once before, when the research surrounding the Iceland Incident was exhausted.

Humanity has now touched alien civilisations. National boundaries are rendered obsolete in the face of greater dangers to come.

The current invasion has forced Project Majority to revise its original plans. It now seeks to control all access to alien sites & technology, essentially determining the expansion of mankind.

Investigations into the Brain Drain and the three paths of Project Majority have shown that resources have shown that the Xenonauts have been used to provide the materials necessary for other accelerated programmes. Black Budgets that Project Majority ahs long had access to have also been plundered. Strangely, increased activity began in 1977, before the Alien Invasion arrived. As the Xenonauts became more successful, so the plans of Project Aquarius became more ambitious and the more resources were siphoned to their work.

Having completed their programmes, they have focused all remaining resources in one of the secret bases set up in the 1960s, at the height of the organisation’s funding. Research into the secret facilities set up at the peak of the organisation’s funding in the 1960s has uncovered the energy signatures of a still very operational base. It would appear that they have focused all of their completed research in this base.

Communication intercepts reveal the following plans concerning the future of Aquarius and the rest of Project Majority:-

- Continue to provide only derivative technology to the funding nations, keeps own advances well ahead.

- Use advanced intercept craft and detection capability to secure military and other global assets.

- Use Avenger class trans-orbital craft to secure the Earth’s orbit to prevent any other nation attempting to access alien civilisations.

- Promote those with similar goals of a single global government into positions of power within the funding nations.

You have a choice as Xenonauts commander. Do you allow the nations of the Earth to determine their own future or do you support the establishment of a new world order that sweeps away the concepts of the cold war?

Notes: As an alternative, this topic could occur following the end of the main final mission. The beleaguered Xenonauts return to find a world already falling back into chaos and their own organisation trying to maintain global order, but not necessarily in a selfless way. I may prefer this as to lose a number of troops on this one and then have to tackle the final mission may be too much.

Much like the travel to Cydonia option box in the original, this one also has a choice. Either you can attack the main Aquarius base or you can choose to continue your role as part of Aquarius, helping them establish a new structure of world government.

Ties with existing Xenonauts story: Continues the use of the original Xenonaut bases. Continues the rather confrontational Xenonaut demands form the background information.

Mod Requirements – mission option button,

Liberation

Research Required - New World Order

Game Trigger – Launch Liberation Mission

Unlocks Research – Sub plot Victory screen

Unlocks Bonus/Penalty – Weapon upgrade

Summary – A base attack mission and the final mission in this storyline. Your Xenonauts must attack a base much like an expanded version of their own. The base is staffed by elite NRO Delta troops, armed with the latest in Xenotech, siphoned from your own research and development.

This finally answers the question of where some of the Xenonaut cast offs end up. Either enemy troops have to be annihilated or the command centre held for five turns.

A victory is a pyrrhic one. Without the single unifying power of the New World Order, the superpowers will look to use the recent advances selfishly. They will spend as much energy fostering distrust and seeking advantages as they will exploring new horizons.

More research is uncovered in this base:-

In August 1977 SETI received the WOW signal. Recovered documents suggest that this signal was responded to by Project Majority.

A variety of technologies useful to humanity following the alien defeat.

Notes: The enemy images used here, would be the ones for Xenonaut troops. The mission could be a two part one. Firstly, there would be a military base mission with the goal of reaching the underground access point. The second part would be the recreation of a Xenonaut base.

Mod Requirements – Scripted Base attack using Xenonaut base as template and Xenonuats as enemy soldiers, weapon upgrade unless this is the last mission, possible retrieval of NRO Delta equipment.

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Sources

It’s pretty much impossible to separate the concepts behind Xenonauts from UFOlogy. Practically everything in game on which Xenonauts is based has a source in UFOlogy.

In keeping with the Cold War setting, and trying not to cover the same ground as the previous games, the additions above were culled from some different mainstays of the UFOlogy field.

Alternative 3 related to a joint Soviet/US plan to combat catastrophic climate change proposed in 1957. The first alternative proposed the drastic reduction of the word’s population (a mere 2.88 million). The second alternative was the creation of a network of underground bases in which some of humanity would survive. The third was to escape the planet, by setting up a base on Mars linked to Earth through a staging post on the Moon.

The three alternatives were the creation of Anglian TV who wanted to broadcast the programme on April 1st 1977, but were delayed until June. Needless to say, it caused a lot of queries and alarm.

All good hoaxes are underpinned with some truths. There are technically Brain Drains. These are mainly due to economic and social shifts across the world. Additionally, there are aggressive recruiting techniques and industrial/educational links that will result in key people moving between countries.

Many secret underground facilities were created during the cold war mainly to survive nuclear war rather than climate change. Said secret bases are a mainstay in X-Com.

There were suspicions regarding the military applications of satellites and Alternative 3 wasn’t too far before the Strategic Defence Initiative.

The dates of a joint US/Soviet agreement of this nature so close to the Iceland Incident prompted this. The screening date of the programme being close to the Alien Invasion also helped.

Project Aquarius was contained in the teletype message in 1980 that first introduced us to Majestic 12, on which X-Com was largely based. Further details of the organisation would be revealed over the next five years, with many of the projects as listed above. As you can see, there are many matches to the way X-Com and the Xenonauts operate from interceptions and research to retrievals.

Project Aquarius was disinformation campaign created by AFOSI and disseminated to a number of UFO researchers.

The WOW signal was received by SETI in 1977. It was a 72 second signal from Sagittarius that has never been repeated. Sceptics argue that the signal may have been military in origin.

The New World Order links Aquarius with a widely held view of a single, frequently totalitarian world power. These ideas are frequently inked to Illuminati and other discredited sources. Links to Xenonauts come with the shape of the world after it’s liberation and also that in the late 1970s some writers began linking the New World Order with reptilian invaders.

The Shadow Kingdom is from the Robert E Howard story involving shape shifting serpent people. It also links in nicely to Alien Infiltration, Men in Black and X-Com’s Serpent Men.

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If Chris gets his way and inserts a "small talk" button into the research and workshop screens as well, I would consider adding to those research topics through the small talk function. It's one thing to research those political subjects, it's another to talk to someone about it.

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yeah, that a good spot on the small talk. Thanks for that. The text above is mainly just to get a feel for it. In practice, I'd shorten it down to build in some tension to it.

small talk editing is another one for the mod requirements list.

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