"Et in Arcadia Ego. Death is ever near, even in paradise"
This would be an overhaul type of round in the manner of Whiskey Outpost, with new roles, a unique map and modified gameplay mechanics. For this reason alone it'll probably never get made, but I think it's a neat idea and maybe it'll capture the imagination of some talented devs, so I'm posting it anyway.
Premise
Operation Tychon Tackle had not exactly been a bed of roses roses for the Falling Falcons. The fighting had been fierce and their casualties were severe, yet in the end their training and experience allowed them to push the CLF off the planet.
After the battle, the Almayer was drydocked for repairs and refitting under the supervision of its officers and civilian crew. In the meantime the enlisted marines were granted an extended shore leave as a reward for their gallantry in battle. This time they wouldn't be going to some cornpone aggro colony however. No, this time they'd be going to the legendary Arcadia, the only slice of earthly paradise in Tychon's Rift and the most desirable Weyland Yutani resort station in the sector.
Desirable, yes. But not only to the marines. For the agents of the Alien Cult have heard word of the marine's upcoming arrival on the station. With the blessing of the Hive Mother herself, the cult has ordered one of it's chapters, "The Church Of Starry Wisdom", to stow away on a shipping crate bound for Arcadia and infect themselves with facehuggers once the crate is placed in deep storage.
Once the larva hatch and mature, they will burst forth and assail the totally unprepared marines. Thus the sector will be rid of one of the last barriers to the expansion of Xeno Hive Alpha, that is unless the marines can work together with the crew of Arcadia to extirpate this infection before it spreads to the whole sector.
Round Outline
The round starts with all enlisted marines spawning on the Arcadia equipped only with dress uniforms, polished shoes, a private PDA, and absolutely nothing else. The marines are free to explore and experience the pleasures of the station during the early part of the round. They can visit the bar, play poker and blackjack in the casino or spin furiously on the dance floor. This early stage will mostly be a good opportunity to RP, though players who hate RP are free to express their aggression in the station's boxing ring and laser tag arena. Failing that they can go irritate the station's security forces. This stage will end after half an hour or so, whereupon the larva burst in the cargo bay and the xenos begin their assault on the station.
There will be less xenos than in a normal round for the sake of balance. Nonetheless the marines will be totally defenseless against them at the beginning. Their lack of armor will make them speedy however, a useful attribute as they run in terror from the xenos. If they wish to survive then they will have to adapt rapidly and make use of what little resources are available.
Blackjack tables can be broken down and the legs fashioned into crude baseball bats. Molotovs can be crafted in the bar. Engineering can be broken into and looted for materials and supplies. Industrial welders, nail guns, plasma cutters and fire axes can taken and used as weapons. Power Loaders can be used as makeshift war machines, as every single asset will be needed in the desperate battle to come. Medics can steal med belts from the station medbay, strong-arming any doctors who dare try to stop them. The station security forces won't be as easily intimidated, but if they refuse to hand out guns then the marines can form an unga blob and attempt to overrun the armory in a riot, potentially turning the conflict into a multi sided battle as civic order collapses completely.
Once the marines are equipped, the round will start to resemble a normal round, but more focused on melee combat as the marines attempt to swarm the xenos with their superior numbers and beat them into submission with their makeshift weapons. Guns will be vital but limited in quantity and quality. The round ends when one side is defeated, though if marines survive long enough they may get to board an incoming shuttle and escape off the station.
New Factions
Colonial Marshal Bureau: Consists of a Chief Marshal and a handful of his Deputy Marshals. Responsible for policing the station and keeping the rowdy marines in line. They have access to the usual non-lethal MP equipment. They also have a red-alert armory filled with low to mid tier lethal guns, mostly an assortment of pistols and a few shotguns filled with slugs. The Chief Marshal has a lot of flexibility in how he deals with the crisis. For example he can be a pragmatist who bend the rules and hands out guns to the marines for the Greater Good. He can also be an officious, Gorman-esque prick who underestimates the xeno threat and strictly enforces the laws against giving weapons to patrons. They have a sour relationship with the station's freelancer security services, since there is evidence that they are involved in illicit dealings on the station involving drugs and human trafficking.
Freelancer Mercenaries: Hired to protect the station from external threats such as CLF and pirates. Lately their numbers were cut in half after The Company decided that CLF withdrawals in the sector justified a reduction of the security budget. At present there is only a small squad of 3-6 mercenaries on the station, and they are almost certainly no match for the xenos on their own. Between them and the Marshals they should hopefully be able to delay the xenos long enough for marines to collect their slapdash arsenal of broken table legs and oversized novelty dildos. They have a small armory stocked with SMGs, buckshot shotguns, and rifles.
While these weapons are of questionable quality compared to USCM standard issue, they are nonetheless the most powerful weapons on the station, and will be greatly coveted by the helpless marines. (Que ungaball riot). They also have pepper spray and cuffs if they find anyone trespassing in restricted areas, though they cannot process criminals and must pass them on to the Marshal. Since they're evil corporate mercs, they might have some antag objectives, such as killing the Chief Marshal and destroying the evidence he has on him, or taking advantage of the chaos and stealing all the money in the Station Manager's safe.
Station manager: Sort of a mix of the CO and CL. On paper he has authority over all personnel on the station, which aside from the Marshals and Mercs also includes docs, MTs and service staff. In actuality he's mostly a powerless civilian figurehead since he can't Battlefield Execute anyone. All he can really do is threaten to fire people and get the Marshals to reclaim their id, assuming the Marshals aren't fighting for their lives or wiped out entirely. Has access to most CiC type equipment (Overwatch, camera computer, lockdown buttons etc.) He might have a few assistant managers who could act as SOs and help him monitor the station. He also has a synthetic bodyguard/agent who's personally loyal to him alone. There are rumors that the manager hired a black market software engineer to remove the synth's weapon prohibition laws. He also has an announcement system, which he can use to coordinate the humans. Or he can just stew in impotent rage and repeatedly broadcast "DO YOU KNOW WHO THE @&%# I AM?!" to anyone who disobeys his toothless edicts. A good roleplay opportunity.
Why this roundtype would be cool:
-Unique gameplay style for both marines and xenos. Human gameplay would be very a frantic struggle for survival, with more of a focus on melee combat for a change. Xeno can take advantage of the lack of radios and stealthily cap marines early game to extend the green alert phase for as long as possible
-Dynamic faction interactions. None of the human factions are permanent enemies or allies of the others, and their relationships can shift back and forth.
-More meaningful rp interactions. A lot of players have complained about a lack of rp. The early round would allow for lots of it, and player rp decisions could have actual consequences that effect the faction relations and the outcome of the game.
-It would be a total, balls to the wall shit show. A real treat for ghost mains.
Why this roundtype could suck ass:
-Probably lots of reasons. Would need a lot of balance testing.
Conclusion
Anyway, I think it could be fresh, cool new roundtype. Aside from the map it wouldn't really need any assets that aren't already available in game. I look forward to everyone telling me that I'm dead wrong and this idea sucks. If you think the idea has promise then maybe y'all have some feedback on how it could be improved.