April 24th, unlike the several days preceding it, was in fact a momentous day in XCOM's desperate journey. At 1328, the doors of the Officer Training School were opened. Located on Sublevel 3, just past the thermal generator, it is a place where the best of XCOM's soldiers are to be admitted for the purpose of studying squad command, leadership, and advanced tactical & logistical concepts.
Surrounded by banners symbolizing in the agency, it is this traditionally-designed lecture/debate hall where the first officers corps to represent all of humanity will be formed.
The completion of the structure was only the beginning. Two different paths of techniques were made available. The first was logistical in nature, involving expanding the number of soldiers that can effectively be included in each squad. The second was the officer commissioning itself. The equipment and training materials involved in both require a significant financial investment, and a threshold test has been established as well for ensuring that XCOM's soldiers have enough critical mass of experience to be prepared to use these advances properly. That experience is specified by the number of ranks required(specialist = 1 rank, lance corporal = 2 ranks, etc.). XCOM's soldiers presently possess a total of 42 ranks, enough to allow for the first stage of each path to be achieved immediately. The financial consideration though, was another matter.
Increasing squad size from the current six to a seventh soldier for most missions requires 12 million, while the treasury presently has just 8.5 million available. Tactical officers training, allowing the commissioning of lieutenants, requires another 6 million. This put the Commander in the position of making an important decision. The only way to bring in the additional 9.5 million immediately would be authorizing emergency sales from the reserves of alien artifacts on the gray market. XCOM has not yet taken this step, preferring a long-term approach to any financial needs and the preservation of limited resources, though bylaws do still allow for trades, a few of which have already been done and announced, and sales of up to 30% of all total artifacts with the rest reserved for internal use.
After consulting with Bradford, Shen, Vahlen, and others of note, the Commander decided that this was a necessary if unprecedented step. The importance in both the short and long-term of the OTS investment cannot be overstated. Increasing squad size improves not only mission viability and survivability, but also in the longer term will accelerate development of more soldiers. It is hard to quantify the significance of this. Officer development was also a priority. Plans are in place, when we have sufficiently experienced officers, for investing in several higher levels of command beyond the tactical/lieutenant level. These plans cannot even be considered without having officers with experience in the field at the lower level.
After a careful inventory was taken place, it was discovered that over 27 million could be generated from the sale of eligible artifacts, nearly three times the required amount. Although this is a notable reduction in inventory, it certainly would not cripple the agency. A proportional sale across all categories resulted in 9.4m being raised from the following:
2 Thin Man Corpses
6 kg Elerium
6 kg Alien Alloys
4 oz. MOG
1 Seeker Wreck
The general fund is now deep in the hole and will nothing available other than the case of the most dire emergencies for some time. Nobody has come up with a compelling argument that it was not necessary, however. These contingencies exist for a reason.
Further increasing squad size to a maximum of eight will require 115 ranks, nearly three times the current number. Obviously that will not happen for a long time. The next level of officer training, the Company-level officer or Captain, will require 45 which XCOM has nearly reached. The limiting factor here will be in training up lieutenants to reach that level. The cost for both is 12m each.
Officers Briefing
A few notes, highly classified naturally, may be useful at this point detailing the role of officers. Those selected must meet the following criteria:
** Veterans of five operations. An additional five must be completed as the commander for a squad in order to merit the next level of officer training.
** Corporal rank is required to become a lieutenant, the next level up for Captain, and so on.
** Officers continue to receive the same enlisted training as anyone else when they are promoted, but they receive officer training as well.
** Should other specialized types of training become available as XCOM's capabilities grow, being an officer may preclude a soldier from pursuing those opportunities(I can't be more specific without being spoilerish
)
At the present time, XCOM has only one soldier of corporal rank, though there are three open lieutenant billets. Lieutenant training involves two additional abilities. The first is common to all. Newly commissioned officers are taught to
Lead By Example. As a result, they are able to substituted their will for the will of any soldier near them on the battlefield. An important implication of this is that strong-willed soldiers and those whose responsibilities tend to put them near the center of the squad make the best officer candidates. Conversely, the mentally weak or classes such as snipers or scouts who tend to stray from the pack are less useful. The second training is elective, as are all that follow with future promotions. A lieutenant may choose
Legio Patra Nostra, granting a +1 will bonus to every soldier in the squad for each unique nationality represented, or
Stay Frosty, which will reduce recovery time by 24 hours after their missions. Like enlisted training, these are permanent once selected.
A historic moment. Cpl. Lily 'Axle' Brodie, the only available candidate but a fine one nonetheless, is the first commissioned officer in XCOM. She is no longer Cpl Axle, but now Lt. Axle!
In unrelated news, 'Blinker' Kamala's fighter returned to active duty later in the day, giving us three total.