Mega-Primus

A Tourist's Guide To Megaprimus

Our Greetings to you, Visitor:

The City which you are about to enter, Mega Primus, is the primary Bastion of Mankind after emerging victorious from three seemingly hopeless wars against a despicable race of gene-manipulating, sinister Alien Empire. Yet hope survives, and mercy flourishes in its wake as well. We have extended our mercy and friendship to those who chose to side with us, and as you see, you will encounter these integrated citizens resembling Sectoids of the First Alien War.

The city features the finest technology and comfort throughout the Sol System, salvaged from the ancient Alien Empire who also seems to have begotten Our species, and the treacherous alien pirates who misused and looted their ruins to wage war on Us. The result is that We are finally sitting on the zenith of our history, seeing the entire contents of Our mysterious past in the blink of an eye. We travel around floating on the efficient and safe People Tubes. With the courtesy of the Transtellar corporation, who profit profoundly from the bountiful trading routes of our home, we revel in our Nanotechnological luxuries and Sensovision, students let school information flow into their minds freely and without effort, all adapted from the psychic coding and nanotech-construction technology of our enemies, we can even fly on hover vehicles we could not have dreamt of 40 years before! Obviously, Earth-born technology was insufficent to apply mass-hover project, so We justly claimed it from the filth who dared touch our blood and earth. And Our thanks go to the glorious soldiers of X-Com, men and women of legends unmatched even in Our dank and filthy Middle Ages. Men and Women who rose amongst the pile of skulls of the dead, Men and Women who carried the Illuminating light of Freedom, Justice and Equality to the masses, Enlightening Us through war, deceit, and heroism.

We do not wish to bore you with Our glorious history, as the Space Liner approaches the Space Port, and a massive Jungle of grass, glass and gleaming metal with its limitless bounties, pleasures and power awaits you.

Once again, Welcome!

        The Thirteen Most Enlightened Senators of Mega-Primus of Novus Ordo Seclorum

Trade

Various Corporations have their industries in monopoly, and thus make humongous profits surpassing the power of the Government. Mega-Primus industry produces extremely high-quality products and exports them in high prices, whereas cheaply buying elerium from mining colonies of Mars, the Asteroid Belt and even the far-away Frontier, and exploiting them doubly by selling expensive materials, an Imperialist's finest dream-city.

Firms, Companies, Collectives

Mega-Primus, formerly known as Toronto, is a completely self-sustaining, locked entity, and probably the only completely safe place on Earth in the wake of the destruction of T'leth. Nothing is wasted here. Every piece of scrap, every waste product is recycled and put back to good use. Of course, there is a trade with colonies on Mars and beyond, where Mega-Primus sells high quality goods in exchange for raw materials and Elerium.

Most of the city is maintained by various corporations and organizations. A good X-COM commander should familiarize himself with these entities, as they, unlike the general populace, are well aware of X-COM's presence in the city, and aren't held back by laws or moral obligations. It is possible to have both friends and foes among denizens of the city - but it is impossible to keep up good relations with everyone. However, all of them must be watched for signs of alien infiltration - and some are more susceptible to it than others.

Below is a list of these corporations, along with short descriptions and suggestions.

• Aliens

Not an organization per se, the new Alien threat to the city is vastly different from what we have faced before. They are once again technologically superior to us. They've been proven aggressive when their infiltration attempts were discovered, and as such X-COM is allowed to and is obligated to eliminate this new threat by any means neccessary.

• Cult of Sirius

A cult of Alien-worshipping freaks, these zealots have built up a surprisingly strong presence in the city. While the size and power of the Cult has apparently diminished since 2040s, they are still hostile to X-COM, and have reportedly amassed a small army, as well as a stockpile of top-notch weaponry in the city to assist their Alien "friends" in their nefarious deeds. Raiding their temples can both cripple their influence and provide X-COM with nice equipment.

• Cyberweb
• Diablo

A fanatical and violent gang with a base of operations in the slums outside the city limits. They've pioneered the use of crude yet efficient incendiary grenades, and are feuding with Psyke. Their trust is however easy to earn by attacking Psyke.

• Energen
• Evonet
• Extropians
• General Metro

General Metro is the manufacturer of the engines for city's road vehicles, as well as Fusion PowerFuel. Obviously, it's a good idea to have them as friends, else your mighty fleets will turn into scrap metal.

• Government

While it may seem somewhat odd and shadowy to us, the Government is still the highest authority in the city. Protecting it from Alien inflitration and attacks is a top priority for us. The Government maintains hope that X-COM will be able to deal with the alien threat quietly and before the next election, and as such given it powers comparable to that of Megapol. However, abusing those powers is highly unrecommended, as Government will also be X-COM's primary sponsor - and any questionable actions will reduce the size of that paycheck at the end of the week.

• Grav Ball League
• Lifetree
• Marsec

A megacorporation that stretches from Earth to the Frontier, MARs SECurity is a powerful manufacturer of the best of today's military equipment. Although they have some competition in the inferior-but-cheaper Megapol products, Marsec still outweighs its competitor by holding virtual monopoly on powerful combat vehicles, plasma, psionic and heavy weaponry, as well as Elerium-powered flying armor. It is a very bad idea to mess with Marsec.

• Megapol

MEGA-Primus POLice is more than just a security force. It is also a goverment-sponsored arms manufacturer. Megapol makes its own equipment and vehicles, and sustains itself by exporting some of it. Megapol has its hands full with the rampant crime syndicates in the city, and as such is able to provide only token support to X-COM, however Megapol patrol vehicles won't hesitate to assist X-COM in dealing with the alien ships. Megapol's market presence includes laser weaponry, heavy body armor, grenades and small arms. Megapol stations are extremely well-defended and the police troops are well-trained and heavily armed, so getting into their bad books will probably be mean the end of X-COM.

• Mutant Alliance

A semi-legal political entity that is fighting against the prejudice against the human/sectoid hybrids, relics from the First Alien War. Supporting the Mutant Alliance can bring X-COM psionically gifted recruits.

• Nanotech
• Nutrivend
• Osiron

The wealthiest crime syndicate in the city, Osiron is something in between a gang and a legitimate corporation. Osiron is significantly better equipped and organized that other criminal organizations, and can be a formidable opponent.

• Psyke

A declining criminal gang, Psyke is still a major thorn in Government's side due to their development of illegal, addictive and highly dangerous Psiclone implant. They are at constant war with Diablo, and attacking one will win you friendship of another. And you didn't see it here, but psiclones are worth quite a lot on the black market...

• S.E.L.F.

The Sentient Engine Liberation Front is a political entity, much alike to the Mutant Alliance, which fights for the rights of the outlawed androids. Androids can be highly efficient shock troops, so good relations with S.E.L.F. are a huge bonus.

• Sanctuary Clinic
• Sensovision
• Solmine
• Superdynamics

Superdynamics is an engine manufacturer, specializing in engines for flyers. Since flyers get to see most of the action, it would be wise to outfit them with the best stuff there is - a reason enough to try to keep Superdynamics friendly.

• Synthemesh
• Technocrats
• Transtellar

An interstellar shipping corporation. Don't let their space liners fool you - they also have the monopoly on all transport inside the city. Transtellar is very susceptible to Alien infiltration (according to Megapol), and is very nervous about any military activity in its borders. It will probably be the hardest corporation to keep happy, but not doing so can cripple X-COM's market activity - and that equals bankruptcy.

• X-Com

That's us. A shadowy paramilitary organization that in the breaks between taking over the city should also try to chase off the aliens.

Base Locations

The Government offers X-Com discreet locations such as abandoned warehouses and slums, and provided the base is in latter location, it is unlikely that the base is going to be attacked by Alien forces easily (Although the structural integrity of these badly undermaintained structures is very questionable).

The bases have preset corridors, and facilities can be constructed into these empty spaces, and it is forbidden to fund additional excavations.

When needed, the Government can be contacted to give an additional base, provided the funds are at your disposal.

The newest development in base facilities are base defenses: Security Stations, riddled with plasma turrets. A few of those at important chokepoints will be enough to cripple any assault on your base, Alien or human alike.