XCOM Enemy Unknown: Playthrough Part 1

I've owned it for a while and beaten it before, but was itching to relive it!

Two Possibilites Exist:

Either we are alone in the Universe

or we are not.

Both are equally terrifying.

Arthur C. Clarke

XCOM: Enemy Unknown - Replay!

I am playing on the PS3 original version of the game (I also have the Enemy Within expansion which I plan to play and log in the furture).

Goals:

Beat Game starting from a different continent (working towards the trophy for doing all 5)
Gain Additional Trophies (I already have 36/56 but I can hopefully get a few more):
Silver:
Shooting Stars - Shoot down 40 UFOs
Ain't No Cavalry Comin' - Have a soldier survive every mission in a full game
Bronze:
Bada Boom - Kill 50 aliens with explosive weapons
Edison - In a single game, complete every Research Project
Hunter/Killer - In a single game, shoot down one of each alien craft

And so it begins with unidentified objects crashing into a city,

several people try to find out what they are 

only to be engulfed and brutally eviscerated

by a cloud of acrid green smoke.

We're not sure what these things are,

or where they came from,

but you are in charge of defending us against them.

Good Luck Commander

I chose my Base of Operations to be South America (first playthrough was in Europe)

Original Squad:

Alex Meeks (named after a good friend of mine who also loves this game)
Elizabeth Heitbrink (named after another friend of mine)
Brad Davis (named after a friend of mine at work)
Cory Hardman (named after another work buddy)

I named my soldiers after people in my life to make it more real for me and give me a reason to not want to loose them! Also I think it's fun to see them advance and kick-ass, then I can tell my friends stuff like 'I named a character after you in XCOM and they got 5 kills in one mission! Yeah blew three aliens up with one grenade!' stuff like that :)

Mission #1: Operation Blinding Druid

Alien Abductions
Brasilia, Brazil

Aliens Killed: 4
Soldiers Lost: 0 (No Injuries)

This mission actually went quite smoothly, we advanced slowly and took out both sets of Sectoids without taking any damage. All but one of the guys got a kill (with Brad getting 2).

Promotions!
Alex -> Heavy Squadie
Elizabeth -> Support Squadie
Brad -> Sniper Squadie
Cory didn't get a promotion.

March 1st 2015 - 1st Save
Started Xeno Biology Research
Started Top Level Excavation

March 6th 2015 - Abductions in Progress
US (Money), Japan (Scientists), France (Engineers)

Mission #2 Operation Hot Tears

Alien Abductions
Paris France

Aliens Killed: 4
Soldiers Lost: 0 (No Injuries)

Another sweet victory, smooth as butter. I know its good to get these under our belts as it will get much worse from here.

Promotions!
Cory -> Assault Squadie

March 7th 2015 - 2nd Save
Continue Top Level Excavation
Launched Satallite in US
Transfer 1 Interceptor to North America

March 9th 2015
Xeno Biology Completes
New Objective - Capture a Live Alien
Sectoid Autopsy Complete
Beginning Weapon Fragments Research
Beginning Construction of Workshop

March 15th 2015
UFO Interception
Shot Down UFO (Light Damage to Interceptor)

Mission #3 Operation Devil's Moon

UFO Crash Site
Brazil

Aliens Killed: 5
Soldiers Lost: 0

We shot down our first UFO, took out the 4 sectoids and our first Outsider, but also got our first injury.

Injuries
Alex -> 2 Points (6 Days)

Promotions!
Alex -> Corporal
Elizabeth -> Corporal
Brad -> Corporal
Corey -> Corporal

March 17th - 3rd Save
Weapons Fragments Research completes
Beginning Arc Thrower research

March 18th

Mission #4 Operation Bleeding Knife

Council Mission (Save Alien Survivor)
Acapulco, Mexico

Aliens Killed: 6
Soldiers Lost: 0

Alex was forced to miss a mission (so he won't be eligible for the 'Ain't no cavalry coming' Trophy) but Mike did well in his place (although he almost died). Our first encounter with Thin Men went fairly smoothly if Mike would have stopped panicking, we got the survivor out in one piece though.

Injuries
Mike -> 6 Points  (7 Days)

Promotions!
Elizabeth -> Sergeant
Brad -> Sergeant
Corey -> Sergeant
Mike -> Heavy Squadie

Bonus Added: 208m/Panic Reduction/5Scientists

March 23rd - 4th Save
Workshop Complete
Begin Construction on Satalitte Uplink
Top Level Excavation Complete

Alien Abductions in Progress!
UK (Money)/Nigeria (Engineers)/Australia (Scientists)
Australia is the only one with any Panic

Four Missions is about all I can do for now, we're off to a decent start. Looks like we'll be off to Australia first thing the next time I can play. I have to say this game is a blast to play, it's got a nice feel to it (little spooky but I feel in control), a decent story, but most of all the gameplay is just fun and that's something I always support.