Difference between revisions of "Background"

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==Manual Notes==
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#REDIRECT [[X-COM Timeline]]
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It is 1999 and Unidentified Flying Objects ([[UFOs]]) have started appearing with disturbing
 
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regularity in the night skies. Reports of violent human [[Alien Abduction|abductions]] and horrific
 
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experimentation struck terror into the hearts of millions. The mass public hysteria has only
 
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served to expose Earth's impotence against a vastly superior technology.
 
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Many countries initially attempted to deal independently with the aliens. In August 1998, Japan
 
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established an anti-alien combat force; the ''Kiryu-Kai''. Equipped with Japanese-made fighter
 
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aircraft, the ''Kiryu-Kai'' certainly looked like a powerful force. However, after 5 months of
 
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expensive operations they had yet to intercept their first UFO. The lesson was clear: this was a
 
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worldwide problem which could not be dealt with by individual countries.
 
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On December 11, 1998, representatives from the worlds most economically powerful countries
 
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gathered secretly in Geneva. After much debate, the decision was made to establish a covert
 
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independent body to combat, investigate and defeat the alien threat. This organization would be
 
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equipped with the world's finest pilots, soldiers, scientists and engineers, working together as
 
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one multi-national force. This organization was named the E'''x'''traterrestrial '''Com'''bat Unit."
 
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==UFO: Defense Timeline (from [[Interceptor]])==
 
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Prelude
 
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1947
 
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Army Air Corps personnel from the 509th Bomb Group report the crash of a "flying disk" in the
 
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desert near Roswell, New Mexico. Some reports claim that there were two objects, and that one
 
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actually housed three alien beings: two dead and one alive. Before the end of the day, Army Air
 
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Corps officials retract the story, claiming that the object that crashed was actually a weather
 
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balloon. The existence of alien beings is categorically denied.
 
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All of the "weather balloon" debris and other physical evidence of the "Roswell Incident" are
 
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quickly whisked away to Wright Airfield in Ohio.
 
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1997
 
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Reports of the UFO activity increase thoughout the world. At first, the sighting are relatively
 
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rare, and serious scientists write off the reports as hype surrounding the 50th anniversary of
 
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the Roswell incident.
 
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However, as reports continue to increase, the legitimate press joins the tabloids in plashing
 
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"We Are Not Alone" headlines across the front page of major metropolitan newspapers all over the
 
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world.
 
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1998
 
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Documented cases of human abductions by UFOs become commonplace in areas of sparse population in
 
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countries throughout the world. World governments step up their military readiness, and there is
 
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a general news blackout in most of the affected countries. Scientists try to make contact with
 
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the aliens, but there is no substantial response.
 
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Many countries begin to contemplate a direct military strike against the aliens. Japan, taking
 
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the lead with it's stereotypical blind bravery and courage, forms the 'Kiryu-Kai' , an anti-alien
 
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combat force. After five months of operation, using the best equipment available, the group is
 
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unable to intercept even a single UFO. Due to lack of funding, Japan is forced to disband the
 
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Kiryu-Kai in November of 1998.
 
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On December 11, 1998, the United Nations Security Council holds a clandestine summit in Geneva,
 
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Switzerland. After much debate, it is unanimously decided that a covert, multinational force
 
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should be formed to investigate, combat, and (hopefully) defeat the aliens. Assembling the best
 
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pilots, soldiers, engineers, and scientists from all the funding nations, the Geneva council
 
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establishes X-COM - the Extraterrestrial Combat Unit.
 
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The First Alien War (AW-I)
 
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1999 January 1st: The First Alien War Begins
 
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X-COM's first secret base is established. Equipped with two state-of-the-art [[Interceptor]]
 
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fighter craft and a [[Skyranger]] troop carrier, the base begins scanning local airspace for UFO
 
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activity. The base's scanning equipment proves to be extremely effective at detecting alien craft,
 
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and the Interceptors, though out-classed by larger UFOs, produce immediate results-downing dozens
 
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of aliens ships in the first few months.
 
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As X-COM soldiers explore crashed alien craft and collect examples of alien technology, the labs
 
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and workshops, staffed with the world's top labs and workshops, study the alien artefacts and
 
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develop methods to effectively re-create alien weapons and equipment.
 
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UFO activity continues to increase worldwide. X-COM funding to fluctuate; the organization is
 
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funded voluntarily by the establishing countries of the world, but a loophole in the X-COM
 
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charter allows contributing nations to raise or lower their funding based on their perception of
 
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X-COM's success. Countries out of the original base's scanning range quickly become dissatisfied
 
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with X-COM's performance. Fearing the loss of funding, X-COM scrambles to increase the detection
 
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range of its original base, and start searching the world for other possible base sites.
 
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The aliens become increasingly bold. They begin landing in large metropolitan areas and
 
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terrorizing the population. The number of abductions decreases as the aliens turn to wholesale
 
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slaughter of Earth's population.
 
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As more alien incidents take place, it quickly becomes clear that the invasion force consists of
 
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not one, but numerous alien species.
 
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2000
 
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X-COM expands, with more bases placed strategically around the globe. This pacifies most of the
 
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contributing nations, and the organization's funding stabilizes. Even so, X-COM base commanders
 
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come up with alternative funding scenarios in case the situation worsens in the future. Tentative
 
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deals are made to sell X-COM and alien equipment and weapons to certain underground organizations
 
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for a significant profit.
 
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As captured alien equipment is researching, it is logged into an on-line data bank dubbed
 
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the "UFOpedia" by X-COM scientists and operatives. This knowledge is quickly put to practical
 
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use, as X-COM agents are equipped with more powerful weapons and devices bases on alien
 
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technology.
 
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2001
 
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Starting early in the year, X-COM patrols begin to discover alien bases in hidden locations
 
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throughout the world. X-COM base commanders agree that the best defence is a strong offence.
 
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Every time a new aliens stronghold is discovered, a strike force is sent to clear and destroy
 
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the base. Despite numerous victories, new alien bases continue to appear.
 
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X-COM research into the alien culture and technology proceeds as worldwide UFO and alien
 
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terrorist activity continue to increase.
 
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2002
 
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X-COM commanders begin to realize that they are fighting a losing battle. While Earth is the
 
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nexus of alien activity, the aliens' infrastructure and leader ship is obviously not based here.
 
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It becomes clear that the key to defeating the aliens is discovering the base from which they are
 
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coordinating their invasion.
 
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Despite continued success in some geographical areas, X-COM funding is severely reduced as
 
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beleaguered nations ratify pacts with the alien forces. Base commanders make the unpopular but
 
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financially sound decision to concentrate their interception and ground-attack efforts in only
 
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the richest, most powerful nations of the world. This strategy, coupled with increased sales of
 
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X-COM and alien technology to "unknown buyers", provides X-COM with enough money to continue for
 
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some time. It is recognized, however, that a final solution to the alien problem must be found
 
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soon.
 
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After a spate of successfully interceptions and alien base invasions, X-COM personnel get the
 
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break they are waiting for. Interrogation of captured alien leaders shows that the alien's home
 
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base is on Mars, in a area known as [[Cydonia]]. Using all the captured technology available,
 
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X-COM engineers construct the [[Avenger]] - an interplanetary spacecraft capable of transporting
 
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troops and heavy equipment to the aliens' Mars base. Manufacturing efforts increase dramatically,
 
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as weapons and equipment are produced for use in final strike against the Martian base.
 
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X-COM soldiers invade the alien base at Cydonia. After a fierce battle, the alien "Brain"
 
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creature that had apparently been guiding the entire invasion is located and killed. UFO activity
 
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declines to zero, and the remaining pockets of alien resistance prove to be disorganized and easy
 
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to defeat without the leadership of the " Brain". The war is over.
 
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As the last of the aliens at Cydonia base are being hunted down by the X-COM strike team, an
 
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automated distress beacon is activated.
 
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A transmission of unknown content is broadcast to Earth.
 
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The strike team manages to shut down the beacon within a matter of seconds. After extensive
 
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study, scientists conclude that the message was a call for reinforcements from the aliens bases
 
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on Earth. Since these bases have already been neutralized, the alien message is dismissed and
 
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quickly forgotten.
 
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After a period of six months, information about the X-COM operation is released to the general
 
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public, the news comes a no suprise to most of the world, since the presence of X-COM craft and
 
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personnel in the world's major metropolitan areas had become commonplace over the previous year
 
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and a half.
 
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END FILE
 
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And the timeline continues through the events leading to [[Background (TFTD)|Terror From The Deep]].
 
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==Back to==
 
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[[X-COM|Enemy Unknown]]
 

Latest revision as of 21:41, 5 November 2009

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