Setting up an X-Com 2 caimpaign

[Opellulo]

The accessibility modifier is exactly what i was looking for: simple and effective. All this attention to antagonists is because, as I said in the original post I've become fascinated by the human and ethical challenges of the resistance more than the tactical ones. So I want to give my players various choices and approaches to each scenario, it's not only a tactical puzzle box, but also a personality test. I don't know if i will succeed in this (if the campaign will be played at all) or if the players will simply rely on anti matter rifles and explosives.

X-Com 2 is IMHO a perfect fit for this experiment because the setting has a general desperation on both sides: yes half of the Earth has been devastated by biological attacks and is now plagued by zombies. Yes now the remaining humans are clinging in high tech surveillance cities while the wasteland are no-man zones (a staple of Cyberpunk) but also the alien side has took its toll: all the enemies have been modified with fresh human DNA because they are degrading fast and this pushed aliens to extreme almost nonsensical tactics, like giving its forces elerium-free plasma rifles that are so unstable that can explode any moment or field weird last moment adaptation like the Andromadon. The Ancient Ethereals bodies are now dead and they survive only as "force ghosts" gambling their survival on the project Avatar. I mean they use human style propaganda because apparently they don't have the resources to complete a whole planet wide conquest.

Put in this mix a couple of sympathetic Skirmishers trying to organize their society outside combat, a cynical Reaper that survive by the day and maybe a whole bunch of fanatical Templars way into the "next step of human evolution" and i think you have a complex enough scenario where even the simple act of neutralizing a sentry with an headshot is something to ponder upon.

Or at least I hope so.

Anyway, I wanted to use this approach also on the equipment: alien technology is advanced but still cheaply and hastily mass produced, it could be a lot better than this but they simply don't have the time and resources and don't care. So welcome subotpimal TL10 Advent Gauss weaponry:
Magnetic Rifle: dmg 6d(2) pi acc 5 range 1000/4000 wt 7 RoF 10 shots 50 ST 9 bulk -4 Rcl 2 Malf crit
Officer Pistol: dmg 3d(2) pi acc 2 range 400/2000 wt 2 RoF 3 shots 27 ST 8 bulk -2 Rcl 2 Malf crit
Stun Baton (shortsword): sw cr (linked HT-5 stun) reach 1

All ADVENT weapons are fitted with DNA safe mechanism and will explode if handled by anyone other than the owner causing 1d explosive damage (and I want my players to discover this the hard way :P). The shards left are still useful because they contain alien alloys and circuitry that can be used to re-forge useful stuff. The enemy defenses follow the same pattern:
ADVENT Tactical suit: DR 20 torso 10 limbs, includes HUD and little else (I mean in the game you can flashbang those guys)

Even with this inefficient equipment ADVENT is still a formidable force for a ragtag band of resistance fighters so the PC can exploit a couple tricks: first they will have access the whole array of TL9 weaponry and gadget and second, once they start to have some "loot" they can use alien alloys to reinforce armors and this will not only increase DR but also grant hardened, so to buy off the gauss rifle armor divisor (and it will also have the patched look of the Predator armor from the games ;).

I think this is a decently balanced start then things will change and evolve according to what happens in play. What do you think?

[FrackingBiscuit]

I agree with your insight on the setting. As a game about killing aliens, XC2 isn't really able to explicitly expand on all of these ideas, though they're always tantalizingly visible in the background. It's also a good way to explore the moral questions of occupations in general. A volunteer Peacekeeper force like we discussed earlier raises all sorts of questions about what could motivate a person to support an oppressive regime, and Skirmishers can emphasize the point that the hybrids are essentially a slave species. The histories of the various aliens hinted at in Enemy Unknown suggest that at least some races, like the Sectoids, were also enslaved.

You might have them stumble upon dissidents beyond just the Skirmishers; catching glimpses of various Advent aliens fighting in the streets of human cities could be a way to make the players stop and ask questions. Even stumbling upon a dead Sectoid or Viper apparently killed by plasma weapons could be a good hook. What do they do when they realize those conquerors are hiding themselves behind an army of enslaved people who were conquered just like them?

In terms of equipment, it looks like what I had imagined. 6d (2) pi- is the same as a 7mmCL assault carbine with APHC ammo. That's an average of 42 damage, so 7 damage (3 for small piercing) straight through the best TL8 tactical vest.

I would imagine players wont have access to AP ammo themselves at the start? Otherwise their own 7mm carbines will punch right through DR20. 10mm storm carbines will average 6-7 damage (enough for a major wound) with ball ammo, and a storm rifle will do 16-18 (enough to start making HT checks to stay conscious). If they can access AP ammo, a DR 50/30 combat hardsuit wouldn't be out of line for Advent.

[Opellulo]

I haven't played it but that sounds like the direction they went with Chimera Squad: after the Ancients defeat there are still millions of humans, aliens and hybrids on Earth that have to find a way to coexist after two genocidal wars. X-Com is rebuilt as basically a SWAT team but there are still factions clinging on the old order and new threats with their own agenda. I admit it's a hell of a setting even if it requires too much preparation to be tackled properly.

Anyway my idea is that players are meant to do typical Resistance work: gathering and passing information, smuggling people and material, reconnaissance and strategical destruction, not full out commando war. Their weapons of choice needs to be concealable and easy to discard if controls are incoming. The engagement are meant to be as a last resort so they are close, gritty and gory. For this stile of play even a simple DR 20 become a nasty obstacle to overcome.

The best TL9 Hand Cannon is 4d(2) pi+ with AP rounds so it could comfortably inflict major wounds with each shot... But we are still talking about a ST12 monstrosity used only by specialists. A more mundane option would be more in line with 3D(2) pi with the same AP rounds so here the chance that the bullet simply bounce off is pretty high. The same calibers can be used with a PDW but here you are betting on quantity over quality. This unless you use advanced ultra tech option like fancy armor piercing or weird warheads, which me and my players are not totally familiar with.

Explosives also are not meant to be used in grenade form (8d ex could, between, damage, knockback and fire, put out of combat the target but not much else) but more in IED form since a simple cooking pot (3kg ≈ 6+ pounds) of TL9 explosive is 6dx10 ex. This sounds to me like a more a viable option.

One last thing to consider would be melee weapons: i expect my players to have superfine or monowire knifes (and I can count on someone that would go for something heavier like a proper blade) here the (10) armor divisor is a godsend, especially because, for setting reasons, an ADVENT trooper would use the stun baton against unarmed civilians.

So yeah, for those reason I think the current set-up could be balanced and fun, offering players a cool toolbox of tricks. Putting up an opposition with DR 50/30 sounds a bit too much (to me this is more fitting for Muton soldiers) but we'll see...

...if this campaign will ever start :D

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by Opellulo

(SNIP)

So yeah, for those reason I think the current set-up could be balanced and fun, offering players a cool toolbox of tricks. Putting up an opposition with DR 50/30 sounds a bit too much (to me this is more fitting for Muton soldiers) but we'll see...

...if this campaign will ever start :D

Just as an FYI, if starting characters were 125 points, I'd play in this campaign. 😀

[FrackingBiscuit]

If players are more likely to use pistols/SMGs the armor makes more sense. In your previous post you had said they'd have access to the full range of TL9 weapons, so I'd assumed at least one or two players would carry a rifle or carbine.

That said, I think you might be underestimating TL9 firearms:

• The 15mmCLP magnum is only ST11 rather than ST12, and will blow bloody chunks out of DR20 with APHEX rounds. There's really nothing about it that restricts it to specialists.
• The 18.5mmPC shotgun pistol is only ST10, and an AP slug will do 4d (2) pi+.
• The 5.7mmCL PDW with APHC ammo is 4d(2) pi-, averaging 2 points of injury through DR 20. Considering it's an automatic weapon with Acc 4 and a 100 rounds magazine and it's a real threat, and it has lower ST and the same Bulk compared to the 15mmCLP magnum.
• A 10mmCL storm carbine with a folding stock can be reduced to Bulk -3, and basic ball ammo will put major wounds through DR20. Even if the stock isn't modified, it's still only Bulk -4. If it's the biggest gun the group carries, it's still enough to knock out any Advent trooper, and do it on the cheap.
• TL9 Gyrocs offer four weapons (three pistols and a carbine) with Bulk -3 or less that do 6d pi++ without special ammo. With AP or APHEX, they'll blow DR20 apart.

None of these weapons are bigger than Bulk -4 (most are Bulk -3 or less), and achieve this damage with just armor-piercing or even basic ball ammo. Compare that to basic TL9 body armor:

• The most basic concealable reflex body armor gives DR 12 versus piercing damage. It's flexible DR, so it's more vulnerable to melee weapons.
• A reflex tactical vest offers DR 18 versus piercing damage (again flexible), upgraded to DR 52 with trauma plates.
• A light infantry helmet gives the head DR 18.
• Light clamshell armor gives DR 30, while a heavy clamshell gives DR 45, both of which can be easily layered over the above-mentioned DR 12 reflex body armor, giving a total DR 42 for light and DR 57 for heavy.

I would imagine even a basic peacekeeper has a reflex tactical vest for DR 18 over their torso, or a reflex body suit for DR 12 over almost their entire body. SWAT teams or elite units would increase this to DR 52 over the torso with trauma plates or DR 42 with clamshells, with at least a DR 18 helmet.

This is probably what it would take keep players from getting into fights easily. A DR 18 vest can be reliably penetrated by any gun doing 3d (2) damage - players can bring it down, but with pistols and SMGs it's going to require repeated hits. This means a long gunfight that the players are going to want to avoid. They might have better luck shooting at unprotected arms and legs to try and disable a target long enough to escape. A marksman might target the skull/face for the best chance at a kill, but this requires time and positioning, and is best done from concealment, meaning it's not always an option. At this level of protection, they can win fights if they're committed enough, but it's not always the smartest option.

With trauma plates, even a 10mmCL storm carbine with AP ammo isn't going to reliably penetrate. A DR 18 helmet means hits to the head from most weapons wont be enough to kill, though they can still incapacitate. If players absolutely have to kill the target, their best bet is going for the face, which is harder to target than the head in general. A heavy clamshell + reflex bodysuit combo can offer similar head and torso protection, while also making it harder to damage the limbs. Killing a target like this might not even be possible for them, especially if there's more than one target. They are going to want to avoid these fights altogether, and if forced their best bet is slowing the enemy down long enough to escape. Killing enemies this heavily armored is a challenge.

Compared to that, what a DR 50/30 hardsuit offers is increased limb protection - torso protection is actually a few points lower compared to vest+plates or heavy clamshell+bodysuit. What this really represents is making the enemy more difficult to disable, and therefore more likely to chase the players down and force them into a battle of attrition that they're unlikely to win.

I can see threats being divided into four broad categories, based on what armor they wear and what weapons the players might have. Assuming explosives are in the form of IEDs, access to at least APHC ammo, most guns are 10mmCLP pistols/SMGs or 5.7mmCL PDWs, and that the largest gun players might have is a 10mmCL storm carbine:

• Advent Peacekeepers - a DR 18 tactical vest protecting the torso/groin, with no limb or head protection. They can be killed with 10mmCLP pistols/SMGs or the 5.7mm PDW, but players will have to commit to a potentially drawn out fight. If players can plan an ambush or bring a 10mmCL storm carbine, they can reliably kill with time and positioning. Otherwise, Peacekeepers are more easy to suppress or disable with any available gun. IEDs are deadly, as most of the body has zero protection against fragmentation. Fighting them is possible, but usually ends with the players escaping rather than killing.
• Advent Enforcers - A DR 12 bodysuit protecting everything but the head, a light clamshell for an extra DR 30 (total 42) over the torso, and a DR 18 helmet protecting the skull. Extremities are protected against fragmentation, but can be targeted by 10mmCLP or 5.7mm weapons with AP ammo. A storm carbine to the skull will reliably kill but requires setup, otherwise they can survive multiple hits to the torso. Explosives can still knock them down or kill them with a direct hit. Players should want to avoid fighting them, and if forced to are going to need to do some work to get out of it.
• Advent Hybrids - a DR 50/30 combat hardsuit and DR 18/12 combat infantry helmet. Extremities protected against 10mmCLP or 5.7mm weapons. Torso protected against 10mm storm carbines. The only exposed body part is the face - even the eyes have DR 12. Getting a clean shot for an assassination, even from total concealment, is extremely unlikely. IEDs can knock them down, but are unlikely to kill. Unless ambushing a lone target, engagements should be avoided at all costs. If the players have to fight a hybrid, you can assume whatever mission they've attempted has failed, and their new objective is survival.
• Mutons - The end is upon you. Die well.

[Opellulo]

I really like your Breakdown, in my case there is only a little problem, my players are GURPS novices (with them I only played a Witcher inspired campaign where DR3 and 2d+2 dmg where seen as amazing :D) so even if they have options they are not going to exploit them fully; i want to keep a "safety margin" just in case.

Also i think I'm going to use the Enforcer profile for generic Troopers and the hybrid profile for Elite ones like Officers, Shieldbearers and Purifiers. For those enemies I also think of adding in their profile a cheap light exoskeleton (something in the +8 Lifting ST and +4 Striking ST range)... To improve their threat and to justify how they have decent mobility while carrying around bulky portable shield generators and huge flamethrowers.

I don't want to push their profile further because i want to express the fact that they are expendables, little more than replaceable tools for the alien overlords.

Originally Posted by tshiggins

Just as an FYI, if starting characters were 125 points, I'd play in this campaign. ��

PC points are not yet fixed, as I said earlier I'm used to play low fantasy and contemporary adventures so I'm not that fond of high points PC (also because i think that on high power levels, GURPS became a meta-game of justifying the most destruction with the minimal point cost) but yeah 100 point are a little scarce... Even if I was thinking of gifting a little points offering the players to choose between two "origins" for their characters:
- Known Resistance Fighter living in the wasteland: Enemy: ADVENT (formidable, 6-) -20, Undocumented (includes second class citizen and a lot of other problems as discussed in this thread) -10
- Undiscovered Resistance Fighter living in the City: Secret (possible Death) -30

Both supplemented by the "Resistance Fighter" package that includes: Patron "The Resistance" (powerful organization, provides equipment, 9-) +23 points and obviously Duty (extremely hazardous, 9-) -10

(should probably tune the activation rolls since this is the campaign focus, but enemies don't balances well with patron point wise so I will probably propose a general "mandatory campaign origin package" for a net -20 disadvantage and call it a day)

For setting and playability purposes I think the campaign could depict the situation just after the "Operation Gatecrash" (so when the X-COM is reorganizing and ADVENT is still more like a riot police momentary in shock) in this way wastelands are still more or less Advent Free since they run there only sparse operations (Black Sites, Research Centers, Purifications... All well beyond the scope of this game). It create a good tension between city missions and wasteland time off providing a decent array of possible backgrounds, character types and adventure. I think that pushing the Surveillance higher, while realistic can create too much stress and forced, unfunny situations.

I think this thing is starting to take shape, i will probably follow up with a google doc or something to avoid losing all the work so far an to offer a ready resource for anybody interested. :D

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by FrackingBiscuit

Advent Peacekeepers - a DR 18 tactical vest protecting the torso/groin, with no limb or head protection. They can be killed with 10mmCLP pistols/SMGs or the 5.7mm PDW, but players will have to commit to a potentially drawn out fight. If players can plan an ambush or bring a 10mmCL storm carbine, they can reliably kill with time and positioning. Otherwise, Peacekeepers are more easy to suppress or disable with any available gun. IEDs are deadly, as most of the body has zero protection against fragmentation. Fighting them is possible, but usually ends with the players escaping rather than killing.

With the lack of helmet, I assume these are basically law enforcement? In that case, they're likely armed with a pistol (probably the 10mmCLP, although you might have some stronger ones opting for the 15mmCLP instead) and a stun baton (taking the place of the TASER - it's shorter range, but doesn't require a lengthy reload between uses). They likely have access to longarms - probably storm carbines - that are kept in their patrol cars. If given a chance to mobilize, they'll probably grab a helmet (probably the basic infantry helmet, stored in their trunk perhaps) as well as said longarm. I'd expect HP rounds for their sidearms, but either FMJ or APHC for their longarms (as they'd likely be pulling those out to deal with armored foes). They may have access to respirators and tear gas grenades - maybe even knockout gas, if available.

Originally Posted by FrackingBiscuit

Advent Enforcers - A DR 12 bodysuit protecting everything but the head, a light clamshell for an extra DR 30 (total 42) over the torso, and a DR 18 helmet protecting the skull. Extremities are protected against fragmentation, but can be targeted by 10mmCLP or 5.7mm weapons with AP ammo. A storm carbine to the skull will reliably kill but requires setup, otherwise they can survive multiple hits to the torso. Explosives can still knock them down or kill them with a direct hit. Players should want to avoid fighting them, and if forced to are going to need to do some work to get out of it.

These sound more like SWAT. SMG's/PDW's are likely armaments, alongside storm carbines. They'd use the same sidearms as the peacekeepers, above, but probably be more likely to opt for 15mmCLP. Stun batons are possible, if they're expected to bring in targets alive for interrogation. They're more likely to use APHC, and may even use such for their sidearms - and APHEX may not be out of the question for their longarms. In addition to the tear/knockout gas grenades from above, expect flashbangs.

Originally Posted by FrackingBiscuit

Advent Hybrids - a DR 50/30 combat hardsuit and DR 18/12 combat infantry helmet. Extremities protected against 10mmCLP or 5.7mm weapons. Torso protected against 10mm storm carbines. The only exposed body part is the face - even the eyes have DR 12. Getting a clean shot for an assassination, even from total concealment, is extremely unlikely. IEDs can knock them down, but are unlikely to kill. Unless ambushing a lone target, engagements should be avoided at all costs. If the players have to fight a hybrid, you can assume whatever mission they've attempted has failed, and their new objective is survival.

These I'd expect to use ADVENT gauss rifles (and possibly gauss pistols as sidearms). APHC is probably standard for ADVENT gauss rifles, so stick with that - although APHEX may be an option as well. As with the above, stun batons for when they need to bring in targets alive for interrogation. Lethal grenades are likely, mostly HE but more exotic options may be in play.

Originally Posted by FrackingBiscuit

Mutons - The end is upon you. Die well.

For armor, probably heavy clamshell scaled to SM+1 (so roughly DR 65) - a similarly-scaled combat hardsuit is also an option (DR 70/50), but ISTR mutons don't have limb armor. Plasma weaponry for their armaments. They also carry a blade IIRC, so some sort of superfine vibroblade - and enough skill with it anyone foolish enough to try to get into melee with them is unlikely to connect. Plasma grenades are likely.

[FrackingBiscuit]

Opellulo: Noted on the novice players. I had a feeling they'd be at least somewhat new, so focused my discussion on common guns and ammo types. APHC is likely to be a no-brainer upgrade and wont break the bank. I think the setting you describe is a good one, and gives a good distinction between "friendly" (relatively speaking) and enemy territory.

As for the Duty activation role, you can look at it like this: the payers and their Resistance cell are usually operating under their own discretion in their area of operations, while the leaders of the Resistance sometimes contact them about special assignments or targets of opportunity. Rather than being taken out of action or having to put all their plans on hold when the Duty activates, you can think of it as the Resistance adding adding a complication to whatever the players are planning. No plan survives first contact with the enemy and all that - use their Duty more for narrative tension than anything else.

For instance,they might be given a dangerous assignment in a city that conflicts with their own op, forcing them to choose one over the other. Do they go after a personal objective and risk angering their Patron, or do they sacrifice their own goals for the greater good? On the other hand, the Resistance might tell them about an Advent convoy passing through the wilderness while the team is on the move - it doesn't stop them from doing what they want, and even offers some valuable rewards, but it's another fight they weren't expecting.

Regarding the exoskeletons, the added Striking ST will make melee combat more difficult (or at least make troopers look more imposing), so I might just stick with a lower body exoskeleton that gives them a free 70lbs of carry weight. For reference, a combat hardsuit is 30lbs, so they can probably carry their armor and combat load without encumbrance and still have room for big items like increased armor or flamethrowers.

Varyon: Yes, I'd thought of Peacekeepers as law enforcement with a bare minimum of protection and Enforcers as SWAT or paramilitaries. I also imagine Peacekeepers being conscripted or coerced and therefore lacking morale and skill, while Enforcers would be true believers in the Advent regime. Both also have room to upgrade, with Peacekeepers adding helmets/trauma plates and Enforcers upgrading to heavy clamshells.

As for Mutons, I would imagine the SM+1 combat hardsuit is the way to go. Their limbs aren't totally unprotected, but the armor seems to be form-fitting/integrated into their body to some degree. The insides of their arms especially seem to have exposed skin, but I can still imagine some combination of natural and subdermal armor giving good protection. Overall I'd say a DR 70/50 hardsuit, and emphasize that the insides of the arms can be targeted as armor chinks.

[LoneWolf23k]

Originally Posted by RyanW

If you prefer magic to ultra tech, I once had the idea to run an X-Com 2 inspired game with the alien overlords replaced with fae overlords benevolent advisors. It would play much the same, except you would be trying to capture and duplicate magic rather than technology.

That is a great concept to pair with GURPS Technomancer and I am Yoinking it!

[Opellulo]

Originally Posted by FrackingBiscuit

Varyon: Yes, I'd thought of Peacekeepers as law enforcement with a bare minimum of protection and Enforcers as SWAT or paramilitaries. I also imagine Peacekeepers being conscripted or coerced and therefore lacking morale and skill, while Enforcers would be true believers in the Advent regime. Both also have room to upgrade, with Peacekeepers adding helmets/trauma plates and Enforcers upgrading to heavy clamshells.

Peacekeepers are not strictly "canon" but there are couple of lines in the wiki that are quite evocative: "Propaganda states that all ADVENT forces are volunteers but nobody knows anybody that actually enlisted". So it makes sense that Peacekeeper were like a initial stop-gap solution that is now phased out since aliens built enough cloning facilities to assure a constant stream of hybrids. I like how it opens the possibility for former Peacekeeper PCs and creates a lot of investigative story hooks.

Also about the limbless armor: that's visual flare not literal "chest only" protection. I mean: you can customize your soldiers with tank tops but their stats remains the same, it's a game and you wants things to look cool and recognizable even if this means having exposed skin on troops that are meant to wear heavy powered exoskeletons (like E.X.O. and W.A.R. suits). Same for the fact that almost nobody wears an helmet: yes some enemies are literally naked: Sectoids probably count on decent DX and psionic shields (and they also lost the SM-1 from XCOM to XCOM2), Faceless have Injury Tolerance (Homogeneous), Chryssalids have hard scales and enhanced move, Berserkers are probably in the ST 50/HP 100/DR 30 zone but it makes no sense that a Muton Shock Trooper doesn't wear an helmet and rely its life on a flimsy tough skin and 20ish ST.

Those enemies are not meant to be the focus of my game but a bit of perspective could be useful to better game stats those exotic things. The Ultra Tech of the Game is not the "GURPS Ultra Tech" so adaptation is required but it could be difficult to find that sweet spot between realism, canon and fun.