JAGGED ALLIANCE 2 GUIDE by Andy "ND" Chorosinski ndchoros@yahoo.com ABOUT THIS GUIDE The guide has its origins in my earlier project called "Jagged Alliance 2 NPCs FAQ", which after some revisions was incorporated here as SECTION 6. My original FAQ was based on Brian C. Robinson's "collective" JA2 FAQ - generally a compilation of postings from the comp.sys.ibm.pc.games.strategic newsgroup. In my FAQ I largely expanded and modified info found in Brian's, keeping some quotes here and there. Some time afterwards I wrote sections devoted to the remaining game topics. By putting it all together I gave this guide its present shape. There is no version history, as I didn't keep track of the changes and saved over the same file. Effectively the whole guide was rewritten about a dozen times ;) This guide is based on the experienced difficulty level, realistic style, normal guns option, version 1.03 US. It has a lot of practical info for all kinds of players, also veterans. I strove to be objective in most respects, but many of the solutions given here are just one of the possible ways. As each player develops his/her (?) own strategy and tactics, some other choices may work for him/her better. And although this guide is rather comprehensive, it naturally does not fully exhaust the topic. Refer to the LINKS section for more information on JA2. Practically all info in this guide comes from my own playing experience and own copious analyses of particular strategic/tactical issues. A few hints were suggested by various people on JA2 forums. From some other sources I took game stats. See CREDITS for contributions. Oh, all the trademarks are copyright of their rightful owners :) CREDITS Following is the list of sites and people that contributed to this guide: Sir-Tech Canada www.sir-tech.com The makers of this excellent game and the whole JA series (great job, guys!) Brian C. Robinson bcr19374@pegasus.cc.ucf.edu Usenet postings arranged by him provided the basis for the NPCs section Mad Sci mad_sci@usa.net I used his tables with stats of hirable personalities Official JA2 Website www.jaggedalliance2.com From here I got info on chances to hit Cat's JA2 Weapon Library tdoq2hq.virtualave.net/guns I used this homepage for weapon stats and the people whose names I didn't take down (sorry folks!), who provided hints at the JA2 forums: Terravirtua JA2 Discussion Board www.terravirtua.com TacticalPlanet JA2 Discussion Board forums.tacticalplanet.com Bear's Pit Jagged Alliance Forum www.ja-galaxy-forum.com ABOUT THE AUTHOR Well, I'm a student of English Language Studies at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. My major is translation. I'm also an avid fan of the JA series and other turn-based tactical/RPG games, like the Fallout series (love it!) or Incubation. 'nuff said. Enjoy the guide! :) CONTENTS & page Section 1: MERCS 4 HIRING 4 INSURANCE BROKERS 5 IMP 5 MERC 5 STATS, SKILLS & TRAITS 5 ASSEMBLING A PRO TEAM 6 MECHANICS 6 NEGOTIATORS / TRAINERS 8 EXPLOSIVES SPECIALISTS 10 HEAVY WEAPONS SPECIALISTS 11 DOCTORS 12 JACKS OF ALL TRADES 13 TOP SPECIALISTS 14 Section 2: RAISING STATS 15 METHODS OF RAISING STATS 15 HOW TO INCREASE SPECIFIC STATS 16 Section 3: ARMAMENT & COMBAT EQUIPMENT 17 BATTLEDRESS 17 CHANCES TO HIT 17 RECOMMENDED GUNS 19 GUN ATTACHMENTS 20 AMMUNITION 21 HEAVY WEAPONS 22 GRENADES 22 EXPLOSIVES 23 BLADED AND BLUNT WEAPONS 25 Section 4: WAYS TO GET EQUIPMENT & FUNDS 25 HOW TO GET EQUIPMENT 25 HOW TO GET FUNDS 27 WEIRD ITEMS 28 Section 5: MILITIA 29 LOYALTY 29 TRAINING 30 AUTORESOLVE VS. REGULAR BATTLES 30 Section 6: NPCs FAQ 31 OMERTA 31 DRASSEN 32 SAN MONA 35 CHITZENA 37 CAMBRIA 38 GRUMM 40 ESTONI 41 TIXA 42 ALMA 43 BALIME 44 ORTA 46 MEDUNA 47 RANDOM LOCATION NPCs 48 HIRABLE NPCs 51 Section 7: VEHICLES 53 Section 8: MISCELLANEOUS TACTICAL TIPS 54 Section 9: PROGRAM BUGS (ver. 1.03 US) 55 Section 10: LINKS 56 Section 1: MERCS You start your mission by hiring some mercs from AIM. This earliest choice is perhaps most important in the whole game, as these soldiers will be your vanguard in Arulco. Your initial team will make a reconnaissance of the area, get in touch with the rebel resistance (your allies) and earn their confidence and cooperation. This team will also engage first enemies, the soldiers of Arulcan army. Choosing the right guys (and gals :) for this job is essential. Employing the appropriate people will greatly facilitate the accomplishment of your assignment. Thus you'll finish the game faster and with less pain. Literally ;) HIRING The amount of initial funds depends on the difficulty level. In any case you should be able to start by hiring at least 3 decent, if not good, mercs for a week. 3 is the minimum number, but don't overdo it. It is more sensible to hire few skilled mercs than a horde of total rookies. A week's deal is good for practical reasons. You won't do much in just a day and the mercs will not want to prolong their contracts then. Although in the beginning you cannot afford a competent team for a longer time, you should select 2 weeks' contracts as soon as you gather some funds (see: SECTION 4 - HOW TO GET FUNDS) This is the most economical choice - in this way you pay the least for a day of merc's service. Moreover, if anyone on your team gains in experience level (which means their wages increase), they will not demand a raise until their contract expires. Therefore they will work for you longer at a lower cost. Most AIM mercs apart from their regular wages require a medical deposit. This money is to cover treatment of a merc who gets dismissed while in need of medical attention. If this happens, any remaining amount will be subsequently returned to you. If the merc is sent away in full health, you will be refunded the whole sum. This deposit is mostly determined by the merc's experience level: the more experienced s/he is, the greater sum is required. By extending mercs' contracts you can avoid paying an increasing deposit; then you do it only at first hire. Whether the mercs will or will not be inclined to extend their contracts is based mostly on how they perceive your effectiveness. Among the negative factors affecting your performance are merc fatalities and injuries, high turnover rate (how frequently you hire/fire personnel), lost/deserted battles and any locations reclaimed by Deidranna. Mercs' morale is raised by winning battles, liberating towns and completing quests (see: SECTION 6) Mercs' disposition (friendly, aggressive, etc.) and personal likes/dislikes will also affect their judgment. Sometimes you will be able to keep a quitting merc by offering them higher wages. In such case a 50% increase should do, which is roughly what they demand after gaining another experience level. Some mercs may leave without giving you the chance to extend their contract. This will happen if you are doing badly or if you hire somebody they don't like. Sometimes you might be able to rehire such mercs later. At times you may be unable to hire certain AIM mercs. They can refuse because your leadership skills are questionable, because there is somebody they do not like on your team or because they are busy on another assignment. In the last case you can leave a message and they will contact you each time they return. But occasionally you may get a notification of such merc's death while on duty. These accidents are random. If this merc was the one you intended to hire, reload a previous game and hope that now another (or no one) will die ;) As far as I know 3 mercs are killed in this way. INSURANCE BROKERS Optionally you can insure your hired mercs (AIM only) at Malleus, Incus & Stapes Insurance Brokers. The insurance works like this: if a member of your team gets killed before their contract expires, you will get back your money for the remaining period. The premium and the possible refund depend on several factors, read it all on their homepage. If you are a cautious player (and you certainly don't want your mercs to die) you won't ever need insurance. IMO it is only a waste of cash. INSTITUTE OF MERCENARY PROFILING (IMP) Try not to spend whole funds on AIM. The IMP site which lets you create a custom merc is definitely worth checking out. I think this is one of the best features of the game. Not only is it a highly entertaining process, but it also gives the play a personal touch. The custom merc's stats can be fully adjusted to meet your needs, but this always means a trade-off. You can't simply create a superhero ;) Skills, traits and personality of the created merc, as well as his/her equipment, will depend on the decisions made throughout the questionnaire. Apart from the IMP charge, your custom merc will work for free! You can only create one merc at IMP, but it's still well worth the price. Different answers and stats generate different mercs. Save before you enter IMP and experiment. MORE ECONOMIC RECRUITING CENTER (MERC) On the second day you will receive e-mail from Speck, a cowardly merc from previous JA games (though hopeless in the field, he made a cheap, skillful home mechanic) On AIM homepage you will find that Speck has quit this organization to establish a rival enterprise - MERC. Personnel offered by Speck is mostly very cheap, but rather useless. Still, you may find some of them helpful (see: chapters on specialists) These characters can be only hired on a daily basis, but you don't have to pay up front. Speck will remind you of your debit after some time. At the beginning your choice is just 6 "mercs" from the total of 10. To be able to hire the rest you have to employ some of the initial ones and keep paying for their services. Without this Speck will complain about funds insufficient to recruit new personnel. STATS, SKILLS & TRAITS All mercs' stats and skills are explained by in-game help ("H" in laptop) Generally, the higher the stat is, the more effective the merc will be in exercising this particular ability. But mercs have both strengths and weaknesses. Some of them are better at certain jobs, other sport great vitality or posses a special aptitude (see below) Use this knowledge to your profit. While there are few top-notch soldiers who surpass other mercs in various fields (see: JACKS OF ALL TRADES), they are usually extremely expensive. You won't be able to afford their services for long or early on. A low physical stat (<70) indicates the merc's deficiency in that province, which will become a difficulty during the assignment. A low skill rating (<35) means that the merc will be unable to perform in that field adequately. There are a number of aspects that need to be considered when hiring personnel. The merc's marksmanship (MRK) is probably the most significant of them - this will be their main advantage when dealing with enemies. Agility (AGI) is next in importance, as it greatly affects field performance. Next come these skills: mechanical (MEC), leadership (LDR) and explosives (EXP), each complemented by wisdom (WIS) which facilitates also learning (see: SECTION 2) Finally - these special abilities (traits): lockpicking, teaching and heavy weapons (HW) The above qualities are most substantial; other attributes can be considered of lesser weight. Dexterity (DEX) is important in many actions, but it can be quite quickly raised. The experience level (LVL) appears most vital (experienced mercs will obviously fare better), but it chiefly determines the merc's wages. Thus the most experienced mercs are also the most expensive ones. The price is naturally the key factor limiting your hiring capability, especially until you secure a stable income (see: SECTION 4 - HOW TO GET FUNDS) Traits enhance the merc's chance to succeed in specific activities. Expert level trait (E) provides twice the bonus. A description of the traits can be found at the Official JA2 Website; those relevant to specific activities will be indicated below. Most traits are implicitly stated in the merc's resume - you can check them after hiring your team ("Personnel" in laptop) Save before you hire to avoid surprises. Still, mercs' personal quirks and likes/dislikes will become apparent only during the assignment... ASSEMBLING A PRO TEAM The main task of your team is to efficiently "deal" with the enemy. You will be mostly using firearms for this purpose, so make sure to hire several marksmen (MRK>80 at least) Choose agile mercs (AGI>75), among other assets they will be able to do more things in turn-based combat (especially fire more shots) These soldiers will constitute the core of your squad. At the beginning 3 snipers should be enough to take over a hostile sector, but later you will need at least twice as much firepower. You also have to employ specialists in diverse fields with high: MEC (plus lockpicking), LDR (plus teaching), EXP and possibly with HW. They will be needed at some point in your mission; having no merc skilled in these fields will usually mean your team's failure. The most efficient procedure to set up a proficient and versatile team is to hire agile marksmen with skill(s) in one or more fields (see suggestions in chapters on specialists) You can neglect MRK if the merc is a top specialist in his field and you want to use them only in this province. Or to have an errand boy/girl or a mule when s/he comes really cheap (or free) Note that due to their low MRK they will be practically useless in combat. In any case, you will need at least 4 specialists: a proficient mechanic, a skilled negotiator / trainer, an explosives pro and a medic (*not* a doctor) An HW specialist will also be a valuable addition. While putting together the perfect team you may witness some disagreement among your mercs. This animosity (and also fondness) originates in the fact that nearly all characters have preferences concerning their teammates. Mercs may refuse to join when there is somebody on your team that they do not like. Conversely, when you hire a merc hated by somebody already on your roster, the hater's morale will constantly drop, resulting in poorer field performance. Such person will also not want to extend his/her contract - unless you hire somebody they like. Some preferences can be inferred from mercs' bios. For more info on this subject check one of the recommended sites, see: SECTION 10. MECHANICS The mechanic is the most important specialist. Contracting a skilled one at the very beginning is crucial to the well-being of your mission. Mech's tasks are manifold. The main duty of this person will be to repair (FIX) equipment which deteriorates with use (especially guns) You will also find or buy various items worth fixing. An efficient repairperson must have MEC>50 and high DEX. When hiring, DEX may be neglected for reasons already mentioned. Mech will PICK locks on doors and lockers/chests with goodies. S/he will also disarm non-explosive traps and merge items. Apart from high MEC and DEX, lockpicking (and sometimes electronics) gives your mech a greater chance to succeed in these activities. WIS may be another factor (has anyone found the equation to tell the likelihood of picking a lock?) The mech's overall proficiency increases with LVL. Any task involving explosives is better handled by an explosives specialist (see appropriate chapter) Later on you should hire another good mech, as you are likely to operate several independent squads. Mechs should always carry 100% tool and locksmith kits. In some towns you can also find NPCs who will repair your equipment for a price (see: SECTION 6) Top-10 mechs (descending by overall mechanical expertise): Since there is no value for PICK, I took account of all contributing factors to establish a general rating. FIX/PICK gains indicated in brackets are achieved by training DEX. Higher values and better ratings mean greater proficiency. M - MERC N - hirable NPC (see: SECTION 6) otherwise - AIM Trevor pros: FIX 17, best PICK cons: expensive extra: MRK 81, best explosives Magic pros: FIX 18, top PICK cons: most expensive extra: MRK 94, best vitality (physical), LVL 5 Static pros: FIX 18, good PICK cons: expensive, AGI 66 extra: MRK 86 Gus pros: FIX 15, good PICK cons: most expensive, AGI 65 extra: MRK 97, top explosives-trainer-doc, HW(E), LVL 8 Vicki pros: FIX 13(+1), good PICK cons: expensive extra: MRK 84 Scully pros: FIX 12, good PICK cons: most expensive extra: MRK 92, top explosives, good trainer,(average doc), best vitality, LVL 5 Gasket (M) pros: FIX 12, good PICK cons: MRK 44, AGI 61 extra: very cheap Nails pros: FIX 11, good PICK cons: AGI 60 extra: MRK 84, top explosives Maddog (N) pros: FIX 10, good PICK cons: MRK 66 extra: free, top vitality Len pros: FIX 10, good PICK cons: expensive extra: MRK 83, top trainer, (average explosives-doc), LVL 7 Wolf pros: FIX 10, good PICK cons: MRK 79 extra: (average trainer-doc), top vitality Cougar (M) pros: FIX 9(+1), average (good) PICK cons: expensive extra: MRK 93, (average explosives), top vitality, LVL 5 * * * Steroid pros: FIX 6(+3), average (good) PICK cons: AGI 56 extra: MRK 89, cheap Dimitri (N) pros: FIX 6(+3), mediocre (average) PICK cons: MRK 77 extra: free Strongly recommended (in possible order of hiring): Steroid (good when DEX raised, cheap - slow) Dimitri (good when DEX raised, free) Gasket (very cheap - can't shoot) Nails (good mech, top explosives - slow) Trevor (best mech-explosives - expensive) NOTES: In any squad there should be at least 1 good mech. For other possible choices see: JACKS OF ALL TRADES and TOP SPECIALISTS. Check also recommendations in other fields. NEGOTIATORS / TRAINERS This specialist is perhaps even more important than the mech. In like manner, hiring a pro before you start your assignment is imperative. Such merc will be chiefly responsible for interaction with NPCs (see: SECTION 6) For this purpose high charisma (LDR>50) is obligatory. Another task of pros in this field will be to TRAIN militia in newly annexed towns (see: SECTION 5), which ability is additionally influenced by WIS. LVL affects this province as well. Mercs with the teaching trait get a bonus to their training competence (see also: SECTION 2) Specialists with high TRAIN score will create town defense faster. Top-10 negotiators / trainers (descending by TRAIN value): Raider pros: TRAIN 130, LDR 87 cons: none extra: MRK 88 Len pros: TRAIN 111, LDR 61 cons: expensive extra: MRK 83, good mech, (average explosives-doc), LVL 7 Stephen pros: TRAIN 106, LDR 59 cons: none extra: MRK 82, top explosives, LVL 5 Conrad (N) pros: TRAIN 106, LDR 51 cons: most expensive extra: MRK 95, top explosives, (average doc), LVL 5 Miguel (N) pros: TRAIN 105, LDR 98 cons: none extra: MRK 85, LVL 6, free Gus pros: TRAIN 103, LDR 83 cons: most expensive, AGI 65 extra: MRK 97, top explosives-mech-doc, HW(E), LVL 8 Buns pros: TRAIN 88 cons: none extra: MRK 86, (average doc), cheap Scope pros: TRAIN 88 cons: expensive extra: MRK 99, LVL 5 Hitman pros: TRAIN 86, LDR 52 cons: none extra: MRK 88 Scully pros: TRAIN 85, LDR 70 cons: most expensive extra: MRK 92, top mech-explosives, (average doc), best vitality, LVL 5 Vince (N) pros: TRAIN 82 cons: MRK 35, AGI 49 extra: best doc, cheap Ira (N) pros: TRAIN 80 cons: MRK 55 extra: (average doc), free Strongly recommended (in suggested order of hiring): Raider (best) Ira (free, medic - can't shoot) Buns (cheap, medic) Stephen (top trainer-explosives) Miguel (best, free) NOTE: Hire a top negotiator (to deal with NPCs) and then successively other trainers. 4 trainers will train militia fast. EXPLOSIVES SPECIALISTS Impenetrable door is blocking your way? You stumbled upon a booby trap? Call on the explosives man. This guy may seem not as important as other specialists, but on many occasions his presence will be indispensable. Apart from creating and planting explosives, he will detect and disarm traps (always save before attempting this!) and land mines. The key qualification is EXP>50, other relevant stats are high WIS and DEX. The ability to detect traps increases with LVL. This specialist should carry live (armed) explosives, small door charges and the metal detector. Top-10 explosives specialists (descending by overall explosives expertise, excluding easily trained DEX): Trevor pros: EXP 88, WIS 97 cons: expensive extra: MRK 81, best mech Barry pros: EXP 92, WIS 91 cons: MRK 70 extra: cheap, (average mech) Red pros: EXP 99, WIS 79 cons: AGI 66, MRK 78 extra: good trainer, cheap Gus pros: EXP 76, WIS 94 cons: most expensive, AGI 65 extra: MRK 97, top mech-trainer-doc, HW(E), LVL 8 Fidel pros: EXP 97, WIS 71 cons: ;) extra: MRK 85 Devin (N) pros: EXP 96, WIS 72 cons: AGI 61, MRK 67 extra: cheap; see also: SECTION 4 - HOW TO GET EQUIPMENT; SECTION 6 Stephen pros: EXP 66, WIS 94 cons: none extra: MRK 82, top trainer, LVL 5 Larry (M) pros: EXP 92, WIS 70 cons: MRK 70, drunk extra: good doc, cheap Scully pros: EXP 66, WIS 93 cons: most expensive extra: MRK 92, top mech, good trainer, (average doc), best vitality, LVL 5 Nails pros: EXP 78, WIS 79 cons: AGI 60 extra: MRK 84, good mech Conrad (N) pros: EXP 68, WIS 88 cons: most expensive extra: MRK 95, top trainer, (average doc), LVL 5 Gumpy (M) pros: EXP 57, WIS 94 cons: MRK 44, AGI 45 extra: very cheap Ivan pros: EXP 55, WIS 83 cons: expensive extra: MRK 92, best vitality, HW Len pros: EXP 47, WIS 83 cons: expensive extra: MRK 83, top trainer, good mech, (average doc), LVL 7 Reaper pros: EXP 47, WIS 81 cons: most expensive extra: MRK 97, good trainer, (average mech), ON-ROOF bonus to hit, LVL 6 Strongly recommended: Fidel (top explosives - if you can handle his temper ;) Stephen (top explosives-trainer) Red (cheap, good trainer - a bit slow) Nails (top explosives, good mech - slow) Trevor (best explosives-mech - expensive) NOTE: To deal with explosives you generally need just 1 bomb dude. HEAVY WEAPONS SPECIALISTS This professional is skilled in big guns - grenade launchers, LAWs and mortars (see: SECTION 3 - HEAVY WEAPONS) While every merc can use these weapons, HW specialists have a better chance of an accurate shot - in their hands these babies become even more efficient (read "deadly" ;) Apart from the trait itself, high MRK is important. Only few mercs boast HW proficiency (descending by combined expertise in different fields): Gus pros: MRK 97, HW(E) cons: most expensive, AGI 65 extra: top explosives-mech-trainer-doc, LVL 8 Iggy (N) pros: MRK 87, HW(E) cons: expensive extra: (average mech), top vitality, LVL 5 Ivan pros: MRK 92, HW cons: expensive extra: (average explosives), best vitality Meltdown pros: MRK 83, HW cons: none extra: cheap Grunty pros: HW cons: MRK 78 extra: (average mech), cheap Grizzly pros: HW cons: AGI 69, MRK 79 extra: cheap Buzz pros: MRK 96, HW cons: none extra: none Strongly recommended (in suggested order of hiring): Meltdown Grunty Iggy NOTE: Although all mercs can use heavy weapons (and it's even possible, though hard, to complete the assignment without them), you will soon appreciate having 1 or 2 HW specialists on your team. DOCTORS Doc's task is to bandage mercs injured during combat and to treat those severely wounded afterwards - if they live that long ;) However, a cautious player who keeps his mercs from receiving serious injuries will not need a doctor. Most docs are hopeless when it comes to fighting, anyway. Thus one *medic* per combat squad, with average doctoring skill (influenced by MED, DEX, WIS and LVL) will suffice to patch up cuts and bruises. S/he will only use a little more medical supplies. It is best to combine medical with another skill. See: TOP SPECIALISTS for possible picks. Doctoring points in this table reflect the merc's ability to heal injured teammates. This determines how fast the merc will restore health of his patients when assigned as "doctor" (in strategic view) JACKS OF ALL TRADES Some guys are just more gifted (or trained) than others. Their drawback, however, is that they tend to be extremely costly. Mercs listed here possess expertise in multiple fields. Each of them deserves recommendation, but watch the price: it may be too steep for contract extension. Remember also that mercs who gain LVL demand higher wages! Who to employ depends to a large extent on your individual strategy and on the kind of competence you require. Descending by combined expertise in all fields: Gus pros: top explosives-mech-trainer-doc, HW(E) cons: most expensive, AGI 65 extra: MRK 97, LVL 8 Scully pros: top mech-explosives, good trainer, average doc cons: most expensive extra: MRK 92, best vitality, LVL 5 Len pros: top trainer, good mech, average explosives-doc cons: expensive extra: MRK 83, LVL 7 Conrad (N) pros: top trainer-explosives, average doc cons: most expensive extra: MRK 95, LVL 5 Reaper pros: good trainer, average explosives-mech cons: most expensive extra: MRK 97, ON-ROOF bonus, LVL 6 Wolf pros: good mech, average trainer-doc, mediocre explosives cons: MRK 79 extra: top vitality Cougar (M) pros: good mech, average explosives, mediocre doc cons: expensive extra: MRK 93, top vitality, LVL 5 Cliff pros: good (top) doc, average trainer, mediocre explosives cons: AGI 60 extra: MRK 84 Iggy (N) pros: average mech, HW(E), mediocre doc cons: expensive extra: MRK 87, top vitality, LVL 5 NOTE: Compare TOP SPECIALISTS below. TOP SPECIALISTS These tables contain highest-ranking specialists in 4 crucial areas. Overall rating in the field, based on all above-mentioned relevant factors, is given for a quick reference. TOP 10 MECHS Trevor, Magic best Static top Gus top Vicki top Scully top Gasket top Nails good Maddog good Len, Wolf good Cougar good RUNNERS-UP Dynamo average Barry average Reaper average Ice average Steroid average (good) Iggy, Grunty average Dimitri mediocre (good) TOP 10 TRAINERS Raider best Len top Conrad, Stephen top Miguel top Gus top Buns, Scope good Hitman good Scully good Vince good Ira good RUNNERS-UP Thor good Red good Reaper good Ice average Wolf average Carlos average Shadow average Cliff average TOP 10 EXPLOSIVES Trevor, Barry, Red best Gus top Fidel, Devin top Stephen, Larry top Scully top Nails, Conrad top Gumpy good Ivan average Len average Reaper average RUNNERS-UP Cougar average Lynx average TOP 10 DOCTORS Vince best (40) Dr Q, Danny top (36) Gus top (35) Spider top (34) Thor, MD good (30) Cliff good (29) (top - 32) Fox good (28) Larry good (25) Conrad average (22) Buns, Blood average (20) RUNNERS-UP Wolf, Sidney average (19) Scully average (18) Len average (17) Ira average (16) Section 2: RAISING STATS You've gathered your team. Deidranna, we're coming for you! Omerta is plain sailing, unless you hired complete rookies (but you didn't, right?) On the way to Drassen you meet first enemy patrol and... what the hell? Your mercs can't shoot a barn while "ghost" attackers stuff them full of lead. When your squad is half-dead (or half your squad is dead) you furiously hit "ALT+L"... Damn! At the beginning combat might seem very difficult. Your squad will be outgunned and outnumbered. And, as the mission progresses, things will only get worse. How can your team rival the Arulcan army? Sensible battlefield tactics are your great advantage. But there are more of them. You can increase your mercs' abilities by training. This is especially important at the outset, when you can't hire many skilled mercs and they lack good weapons. It also lets you save cash on those really expensive types. Instead of paying thru the nose for their services you'll be wiser to employ cheap but promising mercs and to develop their potential by training. METHODS OF RAISING STATS Stats can be increased in a number of ways, some of which verge on cheating. In order to get the most from the increase, it is advised to train the whole squad early on. Now listen to words of wisdom. This stat has greatest impact on the rate of improvement (which stat? wisdom! it's a pun ;) Mercs with high WIS learn faster, which means they will improve their abilities more rapidly. Training thru experience This is the ordinary way. During the mission stats go up when you make a frequent use of them. E.g. MRK increases by firing a lot, especially with successful aimed head or out-of-range shots; EXP rises when you mess around with explosives (and don't get yourself blown up ;), etc. With much action daily gains of even 3-4 points in some stats are possible. Individual practice Done by assigning a merc to "practice" a specific ability (strategic view) Quite effective with low stats, which can be thus raised to mid-level. However, gains are slow (we're talking about days here) and training higher stats takes forever. Coaching As the name implies, this method requires participation of 2 mercs. Assign the merc whom you want to exercise as "student" and a skilled merc as "trainer" (strategic view) The point is to have a merc with a high stat train his/her teammate's low stat in the same field. Coaching is faster than individual practice, especially when training higher stats. Mercs with the teaching trait get a bonus when instructing his/her companions. With coaching and practice stats can be raised to a maximum level of 85. "Active" training Considered cheating by die-hard players, this is the fastest way to raise stats (in terms of game time) Remarkable gains can be achieved within (game) hours. This is in fact accelerated training thru experience. "Active" training takes place in real-time and requires you to put the merc thru his paces to exercise the particular stat. I found that the best time for such workout is when other mercs train militia (see: SECTION 5) and you have nothing else to do. With this kind of training you can quite easily raise stats to about 90. Training over this level requires much patience, but is still a lot faster than any other technique. Many of the ways given below are in fact "active" training. HOW TO INCREASE SPECIFIC STATS Health To exercise HEA, travel (on foot) carrying heavy equipment (weight over 100%) This can be also done in real-time: put a great load on your merc and have him/her run around. When s/he falls, wait until his/her energy ("breath") regenerates and... move it soldier! Agility AGI is raised by getting interrupts, crawling with stealth on during combat and dodging bloodcats' blows. Dexterity To raise DEX really quick, find some throwing knives and crows (after some time they appear on rotting bodies) This shouldn't be a problem in towns ;) Use crows as targets. Blades are not consumed and new hungry birds always appear, so pick the knives up and repeat until satisfied with the result. If you throw a knife at a crow which is taking off, you lose the blade (wow, it's spinning!) DEX goes up also by punching enemies, animals or vehicles and repairing stuff. Strength STR can be raised by punching, opening crates and carrying heavy stuff (same way as HEA) Leadership Training militia increases this stat notably, especially when you put a skilled trainer with a less experienced one in the same sector (see: SECTION 5) Wisdom This stat is the one most difficult to raise. During normal gameplay it hardly ever changes. Still, wisdom can be trained by attaching a detonator to explosives, setting it and then disarming. Of course, there is a great chance you will detonate yourself in the process. Therefore this task should not be attempted by mercs with low EXP, and even with high EXP it's best to save frequently. Fortunately, EXP can be easily increased. Marksmanship The fastest way to raise this crucial stat is to throw knives at crows, gradually increasing the distance. I strongly suggest this for all marksmen. You also gain DEX in this way. Mechanical MEC is increased, as could be expected, by repairing stuff, picking locks, and merging items. Explosives To raise explosives like fire lay and disarm a mine over and over again. If the merc's EXP is too low to disarm it, use your explosives specialist and continue as before. And did I mention "save"? Medical Quite plainly, medical skill is raised by performing first aid and by doctoring injured mercs. Experience level This collective stat goes up as the merc develops his/her abilities. The number of kills, as well as completed quests (see: SECTION 6) influence the experience level. LVL rises also when the merc gains in his stats! :) Section 3: ARMAMENT & COMBAT EQUIPMENT To take over Arulco, besides specialists (see: appropriate chapters in SECTION 1) you need a crackerjack fire squad - adept snipers with high MRK, AGI and LVL. Appropriate personnel is, however, just one part of the job. To come into their own they need proper equipment. You really don't wanna fight Deidranna's army bare-fisted (and bare-assed ;) BATTLEDRESS The importance of body protection needs not be explained. Outfit your team (particularly snipers, who will see most combat) in the best you can get. Spectra armor treated with compound-18 offers superior protection against enemy bullets and to a certain degree grenades. Don't use c-18 on anything other than spectra, it's too rare to be wasted. Apply it first to vests, then to pants and finally to helmets - in this way you will gain most extra shielding. Ceramic tiles (sometimes found in farmhouses) when put into the vest provide even more protection. With all these improvements your armor can even exceed 100%! (possibly a bug?) All your snipers must wear sun goggles which raise their sight range during the day (see: CHANCES TO HIT), and the extended ear to hear the approaching enemies. They also need to carry gas masks against chemical attacks. Put these on when necessary. And although it's better not to engage the enemy after dusk, some sharpshooters may be additionally equipped with night vision goggles which improve sight range in the dark - just in case. All marksmen (and particularly those with lower AGI) should carry at least one canteen, an indispensable fast energy refreshment. Camouflage helps in the open, especially when crawling in stealth mode (the stealthy trait gives another bonus, see: SECTION 8) CHANCES TO HIT (adapted in part from the Official JA2 Website) A sniper's outfit would not be complete without a firearm. Give your hitmen some iron and now they are ready to take on the Arulcan army. Shooting unfriendlies seems basic - how much does it take to fire a gun? Yet, in (game) reality this action is complex. Your chances to actually hit the enemy with a firearm are conditioned by multiple factors. The first one is the distance between you and your target. Obviously, the lesser this length is, the greater the chance of a successful shot. This factor, also referred to as the sight range, is additionally modified by the time of the day. By night and underground your sight range is significantly decreased in comparison with daytime. Mercs with the night-ops trait have the edge in such circumstances and night vision goggles help, too. Another determinant is the enemy's posture. You are most likely to hit him when he is standing. You are less likely to do so when he is crouched, and even less when he is prone. Your chance depends also on which part of the body you are pointing your gun at - torso (good), legs (lesser), or head (least) Besides, the more APs are spent on aiming, the higher the chance of getting a hit (this action produces much better results with the sniper scope; see: GUN ATTACHMENTS) Shooting at the same enemy multiple times uses less APs with each shot and also gives a bonus to hit. But being shot (even without health loss) decreases accuracy, and wounds received (whether untreated or bandaged) give a penalty, too. Whether you fire a single shot or a burst also makes a difference: autofire is penalized and moreover each round in a burst has an increasingly lesser chance to hit the target. These penalties are reduced by the auto weapons trait. Following aspects, the merc's MRK and LVL, have already been dealt with (higher stats mean better accuracy) I believe that the merc's posture while taking a shot further affects their chances to hit, which should be greatest when shooting prone, then crouching, and then standing. Finally we come to the firearms proper. Here 3 factors come into play: the gun's range, condition and attachments. A long-range firearm enables sniping at the enemy. Besides, long range increases the likelihood of hitting him, with a bonus also at short distances. But if the gun is out of range, this chance is halved. As the weapon's condition drops, it becomes less accurate, and more prone to jamming. Just what you need in the heat of the battle... not! A jammed gun can become operational after repeated attempts to fire it (if you get lucky) or after repairing it. Gun attachments (see appropriate chapter) add to shooting precision. One last thing - firing a single or two guns (in both hands) at once. Unless the merc has the ambidextrous trait, using 2 pistols or SMGs (only they can be fired together) reduces his accuracy considerably. With all factors taken into account, the accuracy (chance to hit) of any shot can never be greater than 99% Much like in real life. This means you *might* miss the enemy standing right next to you! ;) Of course, a merc who cannot see the enemy won't be able to hit him, except by a blind chance ;) A small red number in the merc's portrait represents the amount of enemy soldiers within his/her sight range. When you're not sure, check their positions by clicking on this number (or press "E") several times. This will cycle thru enemies visible to that merc. But beware: the fact that you can't see an enemy does not mean that *he* cannot see you. An enemy soldier may spot your merc before s/he (the merc) realizes it. In such case the enemy will open fire and you can only take cover and/or retreat. To learn how to avoid being spotted, see: SECTION 8. Keep in mind that mercs will initially refuse to take a shot if they don't have a clear line of sight. Moreover, sometimes the enemy could have such a good cover that it will be only possible to target his head. In some circumstances this cover can deflect or even block your bullets. In such case you will not get a hit regardless of other factors. Many of the above considerations are in effect also when you become a target. E.g.: you are most difficult to get hit by the enemy when you're lying prone. The actual damage inflicted on the enemy (or you) is likewise modified by a number of factors. Among them are the armor type, weapon type and damage, ammo caliber and type (see: AMMUNITION), distance, APs spent on aiming (max aiming resulting in "critical hits" usually does greatest damage), which body part was shot, whether the hit was direct or ricochetted and so on. Check out also the Official JA2 Website for more detailed info and sample calculations of to-hit chances. NOTE: There is a user-made JA2 utility which calculates the chance to hit of every shot (see: SECTION 10) RECOMMENDED GUNS NOTE: This chapter deals only with the weapons available via the "Normal guns" setting. The choice of a weapon depends largely on the tactics you employ. Some players prefer sneaking with close-range fights; others go in with their guns on full auto. I personally favor long-range precision shooting. This enables me to take out the enemies from a significant distance before they approach my squad. At the same time the foes themselves are too far to take accurate shots - if they ever get a chance to shoot ;) The gun I need must meet three conditions, in order of importance: long range, fast operation and high damage. On these grounds I rule out shotguns (short range, slow) and sniper rifles (excellent range and damage, but awfully slow) But few other guns fulfil the above criteria and are thus worth serious attention (ascending by overall value): Glock 17 Your initial weapon. It's the best pistol: quite fast with 15-round magazine and easy to repair. On the downside, its short range and low damage make it effective only at close quarters. But what else can you expect from a pistol? MP5K This SMG has a longer range. Fast operation and big magazine make shooting easier. And you can burst at short distances. The MP5K is a very common gun. Several can be already found around Drassen. Mini-14 Once you use it, you will see the difference. This single-shot rifle can be fitted with a scope plus sight (see: GUN ATTACHMENTS), making it first sniper's weapon. It uses the popular 5.56mm round to deliver high damage. It's also quite fast and has a better range. G41 This should become your standard weapon. A good all around gun. Comparable to the Mini-14, with even longer range and auto capability. M14 One of the guns to use until the end of the assignment. With 7.62mm caliber it dishes out the greatest damage of all rifles. Quite fast firing with range slightly longer than the G41. Ammo is scarce, though. C-7 Many people regard it as No.1 gun. No doubt it makes the best use of the 5.56mm round. And it's Canadian ;) Superior range and fast operation make this versatile assault rifle the preferred weapon. FN-FAL There is no better firearm. The FN-FAL offers the finest in long-range precision shooting, along with very fast operation. You will only get a couple of these and 7.62mm clips are hard to come by. Some people believe that the rocket rifle beats all other weapons. In my opinion its slow operation and small magazine downplay the exceptional range and damage. Worst of all, it doesn't accept any attachments (see appropriate chapter) This excludes accuracy at long ranges and the built-in laser doesn't help much. The RR is also extremely hard to repair and the mini-rockets are in short supply. If you decide to give it a try, keep in mind that the RR can be used exclusively by its owner, i.e. the first merc to use it. Some RRs may have an ID lock on them, which can be broken only by the fix-it man in Grumm (see: SECTION 6 - Fredo) In addition to regular guns you may come across some unique weapons. They can be sometimes found in random locations (e.g. P90, CAWS) or taken from certain enemies (G11, auto rocket rifle) - see: SECTION 4. You can also obtain some by completing quests (Automag); see: SECTION 6 - John and Mary. Of these weapons I find the G11 useful: it becomes a gun of choice after modifications (see: GUN ATTACHMENTS) To my knowledge only one such rifle can be recovered (see: SECTION 6 - Mike) The G11 uses very rare ammo that pierces armor with ease (see: AMMUNITION) It is also very hard to repair. GUN ATTACHMENTS These accessories can be fitted to guns to increase their firing capabilities. A firearm will accept up to 4 different attachments. Some of them can only be used with specific gun types (listed in brackets) and some cannot be used in conjunction. Make sure to keep the attachments in a top condition, otherwise they will make the weapon less accurate! Sniper scope (some SMGs, shotguns, all rifles, LMGs) A must for any gun. Equip your snipers with these ASAP. The scope decreases penalty due to distance with every extra AP spent on aiming, thus allowing accurate shots. A hell of a difference especially at long ranges, the sniper scope makes penetration of the enemy's skull a "remote" possibility ;) Laser sight (all guns) Second most wanted supplement. Gives a flat bonus to hit for any/every shot taken. Nicely enhances the sniper scope. Rocket rifles have a built-in laser targeting system. Bipod (all rifles, LMGs, CAWS) Slightly increases the chance to hit when shooting prone. Since all shots ought to be taken while prostrate, the bipod makes a valuable implement. Silencer (pistols, some SMGs) Muffles the gun it is attached to. This allows taking out the enemies one by one without attracting unwanted attention. Possibly reduces the bullet's power (?) Duckbill (shotguns) Changes the pattern of buckshot fire from the regular circle to a horizontal spread, thus providing wider coverage. Not much difference at a close range. Barrel extender (all guns) This non-removable attachment should be installed by a skilled mech only after repairing it. The extender increases the gun's range by 10 when in perfect condition. Created by combining a steel pipe with quick glue and duct tape. Rod & spring AKA spring-bolt replacement (all guns) Second permanent supplement, reduces the AP cost of single and burst shots by 1/6 (the difference is rounded down) Best results achieved with slow guns. Created by joining an aluminium rod with a spring. Talon (standard and assault rifles, LMGs) Underslung grenade launcher. Requires 2 slots, as one slot must remain empty to load a 40mm grenade. Operates very much like the M79 launcher (below), except that it must be attached to a firearm. Apart from this fact, the Talon works like a heavy weapon and as such it retains all their characteristics (not sure about the bonus for HW, though) Unfortunately, this weapon is very inaccurate, possibly due to a bug. A word about weapon modification. Save the permanent attachments for best guns, the ones you intend to keep till the grand finale. Don't trouble with other weapons, unless you are really pressed for money. Budget solutions are the Commando with an extender (comparable to the G41) and the Mini-14 or the G41 with an extender plus bolt (comparable to the C-7). The M14 with an extender and bolt is a killer, on a par with the FN-FAL. The extender attached to the C-7 or the FN-FAL gives them an incredibly long range, and the bolt makes them *lightning* fast. A modified FN-FAL sometimes needs just 1AP/shot (unaimed)! Also the G11 with an extender and bolt is a premium weapon. Remember, however, that adding permanent supplements practically excludes the use of the Talon which occupies 2 slots. In long-range shooting you definitely need these slots for the scope and the sight. One way around is to use the M79 or hand grenades (see: HEAVY WEAPONS; GRENADES) Another is to carry the Talon and to attach it only when necessary ;) Still, because of its large inaccuracy the Talon seems unusable. As stated earlier, the choice of armament is determined by tactics. The one that works for me involves daytime attacks. My fire squad is 5 to 7 snipers with MRK trained to 100 (see: SECTION 2) I equip them with the best guns available (from the selection above) and later modified. All guns have the scope, the sight and sometimes the bipod attached. In combat I almost always go for long-range head shots with extra aiming. They inflict greatest damage, but occasionally a torso shot does more harm. I use only the AP ammo (see: AMMUNITION) and always fire prone from behind a cover to avoid being shot. Fast guns allow my mercs to shoot at least 3 times per turn, with aiming. In many cases the enemy dies already from the second bullet :) AMMUNITION Since ammo goes pretty fast, you should heap a nice stock of it. Each of your snipers should carry at least one spare clip. Nothing is more infuriating than running out of bullets in the middle of the fight. Remember to reload your guns whenever the game enters real-time, especially during a battle. This saves APs which you will need in turn-based mode. When picking up items collect ammo for your guns first. Merge half-empty clips to save space. The damage inflicted by ammo depends on its caliber and type. Guns recommended above use 4 calibers and 3 types of ammunition. The 9mm pistol round (Glock 17) is the weakest one. The 9mm SMG round (MP5K) is a bit better. These two are compatible, i.e. pistol ammo can be used in SMGs and vice versa. The 5.56mm round (Mini-14, G41, C-7) does average damage and the 7.62mm NATO round (M14, FN-FAL) is the most powerful of all. The 4.7mm is a unique G11 round with power comparable to the 5.56mm. Besides the caliber, ammo comes in 3 types: AP (armor piercing, red), HP (hollow-point, blue) and standard. AP ammo can penetrate armor, but it delivers less damage. HP ammo inflicts great damage on unarmored targets, but can be stopped by basic body protection. Regular ammo is a trade-
off between the two, and the 4.7mm round is AP *par excellence* Since you can't 
tell which enemies wear armor, it is best to always use the AP ammo.

You will only need the 9mm ammo in the beginning and there is enough of it 
around. Better guns use the 5.56mm ammo which is also common - you will quickly 
gather a load of it. However, 7.62mm clips are hard to get and even more are the 
special 4.7mm magazines. The only advice is to buy them whenever they become 
available. I have also noticed that enemy soldiers tend to drop ammo of the same 
caliber as used by your squad. See also: SECTION 4.


HEAVY WEAPONS
These big guns cover wide area in a single discharge. They do not accept any 
attachments. Because of the explosion they create and due to their limited 
accuracy, they work best against clusters of enemies. Heavy weapons are slow to 
operate, allowing only 1 shot per turn. They should be handled by HW specialists 
(see: appropriate chapter in SECTION 1) who take more accurate shots with any 
weapon of this type. 

Talon
See: GUN ATTACHMENTS. For effects of damage refer to GRENADES.

M79
This 40mm grenade launcher is fired from the shoulder and has a longer range. As 
with the Talon, the effects of damage depend on the type of grenade used (see: 
GRENADES) Since the M79 has no problems with accuracy, the bug makes the Talon 
rather useless.

LAW
Designed to destroy tanks, this anti-armor weapon is just as lethal against 
infantry platoons. You don't wanna be standing at *either* end of it ;) Comes 
loaded with one missile, after discharging becomes scrap. The LAW operates much 
like a firearm, which means that the missile must hit something to explode. Keep 
some of these babies for your final assault on Meduna (did someone say "tanks"?)

Mortar
Bow to the M224, Master of Destruction. This powerful weapon can easily smoke 
multiple enemies in a single discharge, regardless of aiming. Like the LAW, it 
provides broadest spread. It is excellent against both personnel and tanks. Use 
the mortar wisely, shells are sparse. Bring it to Meduna to im-press the Queen's 
Elite Guard ;)


GRENADES
Like the heavy weapons, grenades are most effective against groups of enemies. 
Some grenades serve special purposes. They come in 2 sorts: hand grenades and 
40mm shells. Hand grenades are intended to be thrown (what else did you think? :) 
This makes your merc vulnerable to enemy attacks, since in order to throw a 
grenade s/he has to stand up. Throwing range depends on the merc's strength (STR) 
and throwing accuracy on their MRK and LVL. The throwing trait increases both. 
Already described grenade launchers (M79/Talon) use the 40mm type and can be 
fired when the merc is crouched or prone. Grenades seem to do more damage to 
standing targets. Their varieties are as follows:

Mini (only hand)
Throwing range of this baby grenade is longer, but it lacks spread and damage. 
It can be used to weaken low-rank soldiers and to finish off groups of severely 
wounded enemies.

Regular (hand & 40mm)
Standard fragmentation grenade. Good spread and damage. Tough enemies often ask 
for another. Ah well, some folks just can't get enough ;) Can be also used 
against tanks.

Stun (hand & 40mm)
It doesn't do damage. But it takes the enemy's breath away - literally ;) The 
stun grenade saps the energy (blue bar) of the victim, bringing their APs down 
to zero. Nearby targets are also affected, though to a lesser degree. 2 or 3 
stuns are usually enough to exclude an enemy (or you) from the ongoing skirmish. 
The stunned person becomes a sitting duck: he can't move or shoot for few turns. 
Wearing a gas mask does not help.

Smoke (hand & 40mm)
This grenade creates an expanding cloud of harmless smoke. The fumes drastically 
restrict visibility, making it hard for the enemy to spot you. Useful in stealth 
maneuvers. It also offers a good way to mount the attack by firing 1 or 2 
smokers into a batch of foes. Nothing feels like shooting the blind pups as they 
emerge from the haze ;) Alternatively, you could draw enemies towards your 
position, drop a smoker right beside your tightly-formed squad and shrouded in 
fumes wait for an interrupt when a groping enemy pops right in front of your 
mercs!

Tear gas (hand & 40mm)
The tear gas grenade will have the enemy on the run. It works much like a stun: 
a growing cloud of irritant drains the energy, causing the subject to pass out. 
Useful for flushing out those annoying well-covered snipers or for clearing out 
rooms. A gas mask prevents energy loss.

Mustard gas (only hand :(
Extremely harmful. Releases a dispersing toxic cloud that kills anyone engulfed 
in it in a couple of turns. Gas masks offer protection for just a short time and 
only when in perfect shape. If your merc finds himself in the fumes without it, 
get him out in the same turn and rush a medic to save his life - and your money. 
These type of grenade is very effective in enclosed areas, provided you are not 
the one inside. Deidranna's elite soldiers are keen as mustard to taste some ;)


EXPLOSIVES
Not only grenades and heavy weapons make a blast. Explosives are capable of 
causing even more damage. They are primarily used to blow up solid structures 
(like walls/doors) and other objects restricting access to enclosed areas. They 
can be also planted as booby traps intended for enemy units. Explosives are 
particularly effective against tanks. Every now and then you will also discover 
a locker/door trapped with explosives or with some other booby trap. If you 
manage to disarm it, you will usually get your hands on some goodies. But keep 
in mind that dealing with explosives is touch-and-go. Not everything may go as 
planned. Generally all the job should be done by the explosives specialist (see: 
appropriate chapter in SECTION 1) Even he can sometime meet a serious challenge. 
Therefore it is strongly advised to save before any "explosive" encounter.

TNT
Good ol' trinitrotoluene. Average power and dispersion; best used straight. 

C1
Powerful composite that generates a blast bigger than TNT. Better still as an 
ingredient of C4.

RDX
These strange crystals will not go boom on their own; they need to be detonated 
with grenades or combined with other explosives. RDX mixed with TNT or C1 yields 
their stronger counterparts. Still, the process of blending the components can 
prove a formidable task even for top explosives specialists. 

HMX
This is what you get from joining TNT and RDX. Blasting power comparable to C1. 
Not much use, since RDX produces better results with C1.

C4
The ultimate in explosives, obtained by blending C1 with RDX. C4 has greatest 
blast radius and inflicts tremendous damage. Unfortunately, it is hard to create.

Detonator
No explosive material will go off unless you attach a detonator to it. The 
ignition can be set for a period of 1 to 4 turns. Once you plant the bomb, allow 
some time and APs for evacuation, unless you wanna kiss your bomb dude goodbye.

Remote detonator
Works like the regular one, but it allows precisely timed explosions. Requires a 
remote trigger to operate. Great for ambushes. The remote detonator can work in 
one of 4 different frequencies, but several explosions can be set on the same 
frequency. This type of detonator is difficult to install; in addition to 
proficiency in explosives, the electronics trait may be necessary.

Remote trigger
Once you've installed the remote detonator and planted the explosive, use this 
radio transmitter to blow the device up. The trap(s) can be set off at any time 
by choosing an appropriate frequency. One remote trigger suffices per squad and 
should be carried by the explosives specialist.

Shaped charge
Every now and then a secured door will prohibit your entry. There are many ways 
to deal with this obstacle, and some have been already mentioned (all methods 
are listed in SECTION 9) Placing a shaped charge on the door is one possible 
solution. A small explosion will destroy the lock, but not the door. It may be 
necessary to force the door open afterwards.

Land mine
This booby trap is supposed to snuff a wandering enemy. But it turns out pretty 
useless in combat. Chances of laying a mine near an enemy without being noticed 
are minimal. Even when you succeed the soldiers will rarely fall into it, unless 
you plant a lot of mines in close proximity (which requires carrying the whole 
bundle) And still it will explode only when the enemy steps *precisely* on it. 
Land mines can be used to create nice chain explosions, but on the whole usage 
seems justified only in narrow passages, like doorways.


BLADED AND BLUNT WEAPONS
These weapons can be put to use when fighting at close quarters. In some 
circumstances they may prove more effective than firearms. Blunt weapons will 
quickly knock enemies out, which allows stealing their weapons (see: SECTION  4 
- HOW TO GET EQUIPMENT) Blades penetrate any armor, causing great harm. 
Different skills come into play when working with bladed/blunt weapons. Mercs 
with the knifing trait are more likely to stab their victims with a combat knife 
or a machete and are also better at parrying knife blows. Throwing knives ask 
for the same abilities as hand grenades (see appropriate chapter) The damage 
inflicted by knuckles and crowbar is proportional to merc's strength and is 
additionally increased by the hand-to-hand trait (H2H, see: SECTION 6 - Darren) 
However, using bladed/blunt weapons has its drawbacks. To employ them, you have 
to get very near to the target, unnoticed. Unless you slay your victim promptly, 
you risk serious injuries in his counter-attack. Since enemies usually appear in 
groups, you could also be spotted by other soldiers and get under heavy fire. 
Therefore bladed weapons are best suited to eliminate stray enemies, 
particularly when backed up by sneaking (see: SECTION 8)

Combat knife
There's quite nothing like sinking a steel blade between the enemy's own 
shoulder-blades. Three stabs will eliminate even the roughest and toughest of 
them.

Machete
Slower than a combat knife, but deadlier. Sometimes just one swing will make 
your opponent think of a better life. As with the combat knife, go for the neck 
to inflict most severe injuries.

Throwing knife
In favorable conditions a single throwing knife can score an instant kill 
(critical hit) Doubles as a toothpick ;) They are also invaluable aids in 
raising some stats (see: SECTION 2)

Knuckles
Make your blows a little stronger. Two punches should put the foe "at ease"

Crowbar
Who said a crowbar is merely for opening stuck covers? (see: SECTION 8) If 
knuckles seem not enough, take this bar to crack some ribs.



Section 4:	WAYS TO GET EQUIPMENT & FUNDS

You know the deal. No weapons, no progress. No progress, no dough. No dough, no 
weapons. And so on. Apart from Deidranna, equipment and money are the two things 
you will be looking for in Arulco. And you will need both in large quantities. 
Finding them fast gives your team a much better chance to survive in this harsh 
country.


HOW TO GET EQUIPMENT
Once you know what to choose from, it would be nice to lay your hands on some 
good arms (pun intended ;) Without them even the best mercs will be nothing but 
cannon-fodder. Proper weapons and equipment are the key to victory. You can get 
these items from various sources.

Hired personnel
When hiring AIM mercs, you have the option to buy their equipment. This purchase 
is obviously necessary when you assemble your first team. With later hires you 
will already have a stock of items to deal out. Other recruitable characters 
(MERC, NPCs) also have some belongings, which become yours as soon as you hire 
them. Generally, more expensive personalities posses better inventories, 
although cheap ones can have something valuable on them, too.
You can make an easy start in Arulco in the following manner: hire a merc with a 
good weapon for a day and when his/her contract is over, give the equipment to 
someone else. This will give you the edge in initial battles.

Killed enemies
Deidranna's men will constitute your primary source of new stuff. Her soldiers 
carry diverse combat equipment - why not "free" them from this burden? Some 
enemies will leave their things when killed, but not all of them are that "kind". 
So, how to get "more bucks for your bang"? There is yet another way to get the 
enemy's gun. Just *steal* it from him *before* you waste the bastard! This is 
hard, but worth the effort. You will need a stealthy agile merc. Sneak upon the 
enemy and knock him out (H2H & martial arts welcome; see also: SECTION 8 for 
tips on stealth) Two - three hits and the sap lies flat. Now use the "hand" 
cursor (the "CTRL" key) on him to take his gun! This may not always work. In any 
case finish him promptly or prepare for a nasty stab (ugh!)
Sometimes also militiamen drop items. This could happen if they die while 
defending their sector (see also: SECTION 5 for tips on militia battles)
In like manner killed bounties will leave good guns and other equipment (see: 
SECTION 6 - Bounties)

NPCs' dwellings
Equipment can be found in areas inhabited by Arulcans. This means not only towns, 
but any sectors with buildings or other structures. Whenever you enter/take such 
a sector remember to check every chest, locker, drawer, workbench and so on. In 
some cases explosives or mechanical skill may be necessary to open them (see: 
chapters on specialists in SECTION 1; SECTION 8) Items may be also found in the 
mines (underground)
You may discover a couple of well-defended sites out of town. These are the army 
stations. Such sectors will contain a lot of equipment. Their location is random, 
but you will find at least two, one being not far from Meduna (N7)
Items found in some sectors reappear (may be a bug, see: SECTION 9)

Weapon dealers
In certain places you can buy equipment - but don't expect credit ;) One way to 
do it is to place an order at the Web-based Bobby Ray's Gun Store. You need to 
pay cash up front and ordering has some drawbacks. You have to wait for the 
delivery and the cargo can be sent only to Drassen. From there you have to pick 
it up yourself (see: SECTION 6 - Pablo) The cost of freight is high, especially 
if you want it fast. Fortunately, in Arulco you will find some stores. Apart 
from money, their owners may be interested in some of your items. You can trade 
in, barter or sell them the things that you don't need. To let the merchants 
refresh their cash and goods' supplies you have to leave their sector for a day. 
Tony in San Mona, Keith in Cambria, Jake in Estoni and Franz in Balime will sell 
and buy items. Sam and Howard in Balime and Devin (random) only sell things. 
See also: SECTION 6 for info on specific traders.

Quests
Once in a while you may get some items from NPCs that are in need. If you do 
them a favor, they will usually give you something in return for your trouble. 
Be friendly and talk to all NPCs you encounter. See: SECTION 6 for details.


HOW TO GET FUNDS
As in real life - money is everything ;) Without it you can't hire personnel, 
buy equipment or train militia. In brief, you can't go on with the assignment. 
The funds received at the beginning will run out very quickly. Finding new 
sources is imperative. How successful you are at it will determine further 
development of your mission. Securing a stable income early on will put you 
closer to victory. Here are the ways to make money in Arulco:

Mining
This is the primary source of dough - the most efficient and the most reliable 
one. Mining provides steady positive cash flow which will constitute the greater 
part of your income. That's why gaining control of the mines pronto is crucial. 
Their location can be checked on the strategic map. To make them generate profit, 
persuade the head miners to work for you. Remember to station a full garrison of 
regular militia there (see: SECTION 5) Sometimes a mine may run out of ore. 
Unluckily, there is no way to prevent it or to replenish its deposits :(
See also: SECTION 6 - Head miners.

Mines
Note that this is different from the *process* of mining. Mines themselves 
present an additional source of capital. In their underground chambers you will 
find silver and golden nuggets which serve exactly the same purpose as cash. 
They can be deposited into your account by mercs who carry them. Collected 
nuggets will reappear (not sure if this is a bug; see: SECTION 9)

Trading
You can sell some of your items to certain NPCs. Among them are the storeowners: 
Tony in San Mona, Keith in Cambria, Jake in Estoni, Franz in Balime and Micky. 
Some traders will pay more for specific items. Tony offers highest prices for 
weapons, ammo and attachments, Keith pays more for any other equipment and Jake 
gives best bargains on junk. All merchants have a limited amount of cash, which 
is renewed on the next day.
See also: SECTION 6 for info on specific merchants.

Quests
Money can be also earned by taking part in some quests. Most profitable are 
bounty hunting (see: SECTION 6 - Carmen & Bounties) and the Extreme Fighting 
Competition (EFC) in San Mona (ibid. Darren) To get rewards for killing the 
felons you must find Carmen and accept his offer, then deliver their heads to 
him. Each noggin is worth $10K. With 6 terrorists this means $60K, but you could 
get more money due to a bug (see: SECTION 9) Another way is to win the EFC. 
Fighting takes place on alternate days. With $5K (max bet) placed on each fight 
and a skilled merc you should be winning $15K every other night! A grand idea to 
make big bucks this way is to hire a cheap merc skilled in H2H or martial arts, 
airdrop him in San Mona (see: SECTION 6 - Skyrider & SECTION 7) and keep him 
just for the fights. This merc must be able to get into the club. If he cannot 
persuade Spike to let him in, use another merc with higher LDR. Remember to 
leave the sector for 2 days after the fight, otherwise you won't be able to 
compete again. However, there is a nasty bug that can screw this bonanza; see: 
SECTION 9.

WEIRD ITEMS
Every once in a while you will stumble upon an object with no apparent purpose. 
Seeing no use for it you leave it behind. But some of these items are quite 
useful. Here's what you can do with them (info in some places incomplete, ideas 
anyone?):

Silver/gold nuggets
See: Mines above

Marbles
Throw them on the ground and whoever steps on them will fall down. Very handy in 
the Extreme Fighting Competition in San Mona ;) (see: Quests & SECTION 6 - 
Darren)

Walkman, portable TV
Distract the merc who uses them. S/he can't hear approaching enemies (why the 
hell would you wanna use it?)

Platinum watch
Sell it for some cash (?)

Deidranna/Arulco T-shirt
Put these on and enter an enemy-occupied sector. After some combat you should be 
given a chance to surrender. When you agree you will be taken to prison in N7 
and interrogated by Deidranna and her aides. If you survive you can escape from 
the cell (" Elliot, you IDIOT!" ;) Find your stuff nearby, or at least some 
weapon. With a bit of luck it is even possible to kill Deidranna here, in which 
case the game will end. It seems that the interrogation takes place only if Tixa 
and Alma were taken before. Save and check this out (then load and complete the 
assignment properly!)

Rock
Position your mercs outside and throw a rock against closed doors or through a 
window. Enemies soon come out and you should get an interrupt (other use?)

Steel pipe + quick glue + duct tape
Aluminium rod + spring
All of them used to make gun attachments, see appropriate chapter in SECTION 3.

Soda + string
Combine them to make a door alarm. Never tried it (?)

X-ray tube + fumble pack + chewing gum
Use a highly skilled mech with electronics to merge them into an X-ray unit.

Lameboy + copper wire
Do likewise to create an LCD display.

X-ray unit + LCD display
Join them to make an X-ray detector. This device works like a radar, when used 
it displays positions of enemies not seen by your squad. It has a limited range 
and requires batteries.

Batteries
Power the X-ray detector. Yes, they do run out and yes, they are non-
rechargeable ;)

Gas can
Fuel for the ice-cream truck and the Hummer (see: SECTION 7)

Video camera
Necessary for Madlab's robot to work. Give it to Madlab, who will install it and 
offer you the robot afterwards (see: SECTION 6 - Madlab & Robot)

Glass jar
These are useful only in the SF mode (not covered by this guide)

Cigars, golf clubs, silver platter, rubber band, porno mag, 2nd porno tape
They seem to serve no purpose in the game. Jake buys and sells them as junk. May 
be just artwork (?)



Section 5:	MILITIA

So, you've liberated Drassen? Good work, Commander. Now other towns are waiting 
for your intervention. People throughout the country still suffer under 
Deidranna's regime. And your mission is to end her reign of terror. Your team 
has to move on. However, it would be stupid to lose this bridgehead. You have 
just secured a strategic location of Arulco (the airport and the mine) and the 
Queen is not the kind of person to take such losses lightly - you sure can tell 
that by her speeches ;) In fact Deidranna will soon try to recover Drassen. But 
don't expect civilians to fight back on their own - they are merely intimidated 
citizens. Stationing your mercs to guard towns makes sense, but you must get on 
with the assignment. So other means of defense have to be found. What you need 
is to convince the locals to join your cause. You need militia.

Militia will defend their town whenever it is attacked by Deidranna's army.  She 
will send her grunts to reclaim almost every lost location, so it is crucial to 
keep garrisons in all areas under your control. Militia can be recruited in 
towns and at SAM sites, but still in some places it is not possible (and don't 
ask me why) The golden rule is to have defenders in *each* secured location. 
This will save you much unwanted trouble, including the dread necessity of re-
taking the same town.


LOYALTY
The factor that makes militia training possible is the town's loyalty; with SAMs 
it is irrelevant. If the loyalty is quite high (indicated by a green number on 
the strategic map) the inhabitants in that town will cooperate, but if it falls 
below 20% (not sure, the number turns red) they will refuse to be trained. But 
even if this happens, any militia that you already have there will still follow 
their orders. Loyalty is conditioned by a number of factors. The first one is 
the number of controlled sectors of the town: if you secure the whole place, its 
loyalty will rise. Conversely, when you lose control of town sectors, the 
loyalty will drop. Training militia in towns also improves their loyalty, as do 
completed quests assigned by their residents (see: SECTION 6) Won battles help 
increase loyalty, while lost and abandoned battles work the opposite way. Beware 
of killing innocent citizens, especially those mistaken for the bounties(see: 
SECTION 6 - Eldin & Bounties) Doing so will drastically lower the town's loyalty. 
It will also go down when there is no offensive action on your part for more 
than a week; then you will get a message from Enrico urging you to move on. Note 
that also the output of the associated mine is highly dependent on the level of 
loyalty in its town. In simple words, higher loyalty equals higher income! (see 
also: SECTION 4; SECTION 6 - Head miners)


TRAINING
Basically all mercs can teach militia, but why leave the job to rookies when it 
can be handled by professionals? Skilled trainers (see appropriate chapter in 
SECTION 1) will create the garrison much faster. Other mercs may not be able to 
train enough militiamen before the army strikes back. This means you will have 
to defend the town with one of your own squads - provided that it happens to be 
there at the moment of the attack, which is very unlikely with SAM sites. In 
other case the attacked location can fall to Deidranna again. That's not 
precisely what you wanna see... To prevent such situation never leave the place 
until you've trained the maximum amount of militia (that's when the message "You 
can't train more militia in..." appears) Up to 20 militiamen can be stationed in 
one sector. Always put at least 2 mercs in the same sector to train them. To 
create the garrison fast, place other trainers in the adjacent sectors and have 
them all train militia simultaneously. 4 skilled trainers should soon get the 
job done. Remember to rest them fully before they start and put them to sleep 
after they've trained a new group of militia - leave them on "train militia" and 
after some rest they will resume automatically. In this way they will finish 
their job in a shorter time.

The militiamen come in 3 ranks: novice (green in strategic view), regular (blue) 
and veteran (dark blue) The greenhorns appear first. Further training turns them 
into regular units. Veterans cannot be trained - militia attain this rank only 
thru battle experience. Hence before you proceed to another site there should be 
20 regular militia in each sector of the captured location. The enemy will 
mostly go for strategic areas, like the mines and SAMs. Place your first militia 
there: they can be moved within town borders using "view militia" and 
right/left-clicking a sector on the strategic map. The garrison will stand their 
ground when attacked, but sometimes even 20 regulars can lose a battle. On the 
experienced level I've seen assaults of 20+ enemies, including a dozen elites - 
especially on those critical sectors. Oddly enough, veteran militiamen usually 
die first. I guess the enemies simply go for best guards :( This also has to do 
with the militia's crap AI. When you do take part in a fight involving militia, 
you will see how ridiculously they die.


AUTORESOLVE VS. REGULAR BATTLES
So, is it better to join your militia in combat or rather to resolve their 
fights automatically? In battles consisting of militiamen only the latter way 
causes fewer casualties on their part, especially with the "instant resolve" 
(skip forward) button. However, the same is not true of your mercs. You should 
*never* autoresolve battles in which they participate, as this often gets them 
killed. Don't rely on that stupid CPU when you can do better. Remember, tactics 
is your advantage! Another thing is that in battles resolved automatically both 
enemies and militia tend to drop only few items and of little value. Battles 
fought the regular way will usually provide much better spoils. See also: 
SECTION 4.



Section 6:	NPCs FAQ

Interaction with non-player characters (NPCs) constitutes a crucial part of your 
mission. You will mostly meet them in the towns you conquer, but sometimes also 
in other sectors. In the latter case you will be notified of their presence when 
entering such location ("Squad x has noticed someone in Sector x") You have a 
greater chance to find most NPCs by day, as many locales close for the night. 
Contacts with NPCs generally call for a skilled negotiator (see appropriate 
chapter in SECTION 1) Most Arulcans when talked to will utter only a brief 
comment, sometimes disclosing important clues. The ones listed below are vital 
to your goal. It may be even impossible to accomplish the assignment without 
their help (see also: SECTION 4)

Whenever you encounter an NPC, let your negotiations expert step in. Be 
"friendly" until they have nothing more to say. This conversation may have 
various outcomes. Many NPCs will ask for your help (quests) and several may 
agree to join your team (see: HIRABLE NPCs) NPCs will not talk until you 
liberate their sector or the neighborhood. Approach them again when you've 
gained control of the whole town (see also: SECTION 5 for info on loyalty)

Not all NPCs will be kind towards you. Sometimes it may be better to be "direct" 
instead of "friendly" But be careful using "threaten", or better don't do it. 
Many NPCs will ignore your threats, others will warn you to stop (or not) If you 
don't, they will attack and their buddies will join in. Such encounter may put 
your team six feet under before you get a chance to retaliate. Always remember 
to save before talking to an NPC - in case you screw something up. And don't 
kill innocent NPCs! (see: SECTION 5 - LOYALTY)

NOTE: 	Though this section covers all but few of the NPCs appearing in the 
game, it does 			not describe *every single* one you may (or may 
not) encounter on your way. Some 			insignificant NPCs have been 
left out because they have no bearing on the play, or 			because 
they are discussed together with other NPCs.


OMERTA

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Fatima

HIRABLE NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Ira, Dimitri, Carlos, Miguel

Fatima (and Pacos)
Q:	Who is she?
A:	One of the rebels. Either she or her son will be the first NPC encountered 
by your team in 	Arulco.

Q:	Where do I find her?
A:	In the sector where you start your mission (A9) Talk to Pacos and follow 
him into the 	demolished house.

Q:	How do I deal with her?
A:	Fatima will acquaint you with the rebels, but she needs a proof of your 
meeting with 	Enrico (your employer) Give her the letter and accompany 
Fatima to the adjacent sector. 	Inside the rebel hideout she will introduce 
you to their leader Miguel. You will be able 	to recruit Ira then. This is the 
only way to gain cooperation of the rebels. 
	See also: Father


DRASSEN

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Pablo, Doreen, Father, Fred (head miner)

HIRABLE NPCs
Skyrider

RANDOM NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Carmen, Devin, Micky

Pablo (and Sal)
Q:	Who is he?
A:	Pablo keeps watch over the shipments you receive from Bobby Ray's.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In the airport (D11)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Talk to Pablo and he will (unwillingly) agree to supervise your cargo. 
When the shipment 	arrives (notification via e-mail) talk to Pablo again 
and take the ordered stuff from the 	crate.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on Bobby Ray's.

Q:	How come the equipment I ordered is missing?
A:	Does Pablo look honest? He may sometimes steal from your shipments. When 
this happens, 	bribe him ($10 will do) or use "threaten" Or just test your 
hook on him ;) He should then 	return your stuff along with some other 
items (.38s, tool kits) If you already have some 	militia at the airport and 
give Pablo cash, he should never steal in the future.

Q:	When I attack Pablo, he just shouts "What is wrong with you!" Then he runs 
off and gets 	killed by militia.
A:	Unless one of your mercs says that something is missing while taking the 
items from the 	crate, Pablo has not stolen anything (yet) In such case when 
you attack him, the militia 	will most likely take him for an enemy and shoot 
him down.

Q:	Thieves must be eliminated. But can I still receive shipments when Pablo 
is dead?
A:	Is this the way to treat a trusty worker? Yeah, right ;) But fortunately a 
new guy will 	arrive soon.

Q:	So, who is this new cargo supervisor? Is he any different from Pablo?
A:	His name is Sal. He will make you long for Pablo. Really. Sal is such a 
nice boy; he won't 	steal from your cargo. Instead, he will lose *whole* 
shipments. Say goodbye to those 	mortar shells or the FN-FAL, because they're 
gone for good. Bribe him, threaten him, beat 	him or whatever, but this won't 
change a thing.

Q:	That does it! I killed the moron. Will there be another replacement?
A:	Nope. Forget Bobby Ray's. Understand? F-o-r-g-e-t! Loyalty in Drassen will 
also go down 	drastically. Moral: don't kill civilians (see also: SECTION 5 
- LOYALTY)


Doreen
Q:	Who is she?
A:	She's the sweatshop manager exploiting child labor. Everyone in Drassen 
hates her.

Q:	Where do I find her?
A:	In the small textile factory (C13)

Q:	How do I deal with her?
A:	Persuade her to leave ("friendly" or "threaten") or simply kill her for a 
loyalty boost in 	Drassen. She may drop a key to the adjacent small room, where 
you can find an MP5K 	(random)


Father
Q:	Who is he?
A:	A drunk priest. He will help you gain confidence of the rebels.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	Before noon he is usually in the bar in C13, after noon in the church (D13)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	The rebels in Omerta need supplies and Father can arrange them. Talk to 
him and he will 	attend to the problem. Then go back to Omerta and see Miguel 
again. The loyalty in Omerta 	and Drassen will go up and you will be able to 
recruit Dimitri.
	See also: Miguel

 
Head miners 
Q:	Who are they?
A:	They are the supervisors of Arulco mines.

Q:	Where do I find them?
A:	The first you will meet is Fred in Drassen (D13) Others are Calvin in 
Chitzena (B2), Carl 	in Cambria (H8), Oswald in Grumm (H3) and Matt in Alma 
(I14)

Q:	How do I deal with them?
A:	The head miners control the extraction of Arulco's natural resources. 
However, the mines 	will remain idle unless you gain cooperation of their 
supervisors. First you need to 	liberate the bordering town and then talk to 
the miner. Afterwards the mine becomes 	operational and the ore is 
automatically converted into money on your account. The output 	of the mine 
depends on its base income (modified by the difficulty level), town control  	(# 
of sectors annexed) and the loyalty. The mines will be prime targets of 
Deidranna's 	attacks, so don't leave them without proper guard (see: 
SECTION 5)
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on mining.

Q:	One of my mines is running out of ore! What can I do?
A:	This may occur about two weeks after the start. A miner will pop up and 
tell you about it. 	The income of such mine will be increased significantly 
and then drop to zero during the 	next couple of days. I think only one mine 
(if any) will be affected. This situation is 	random and may not even take 
place, but once it happens nothing can be done.

Q:	That miner in Alma says something about his missing brother. What's the 
story?
A:	Matt will tell you the location of Deidranna's hidden penal compound in 
Tixa. He will also 	ask you to liberate his brother held prisoner there. 
Freeing Dynamo will raise Alma's 	loyalty. You don't actually need to bring 
him there, but you can keep Dynamo on your team.
	See also: Dynamo

Q:	One of my mines has been overrun by aliens!
A:	You must be playing the SF version, which is not covered by this guide. 
Refer to the LINKS 	section or check some other guide on the subject :)


Skyrider
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He's a helicopter pilot that will help you out.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	His location is random, but he is never far from Drassen. The NPCs here 
will give you a 	clue (Skyrider is hiding in a house in the nearby swamps)

Q:	That guy says I killed the pilot! What can I do now?
A:	You killed the pilot that worked for Deidranna, not Skyrider. He is fine.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Once you've found Skyrider, he will ask you for an escort to Drassen. Take 
him to the 	airport and there he will offer you his services.

Q:	So, how can he help me?
A:	With his helicopter Skyrider can deliver your mercs just about anywhere. 
But air transport 	is not for free. Skyrider charges $100 for each safe 
sector en route and $1K per unsafe 	one. A safe sector is one outside SAM's 
targeting range (shown as green on the air map); 	an unsafe one lies within 
the SAM's range (red) The chopper will take damage when entering 	such sector; 
it can only endure 2 attacks per flight. Be careful - or you will lose the 
	aircraft, not to mention its pilot. The game will also crash due to a bug 
(see: SECTION 9) 	This loss can put you at a disadvantage especially later in 
the game. 
	After delivering your squad to its destination Skyrider has to fly back to 
the airport to 	refuel. He doesn't charge for the return. Later on it will be 
also possible to refuel 	the chopper in Estoni (see: Jake & Shank) But 
remember: if you fly over an unsafe sector 	and take damage, the helicopter 
will very likely get hit again on its way back.
	Some time into the game Skyrider will mention on the air map the 
coordinates of all SAM 	sites. Additionally, whenever Skyrider detects enemy 
movement while flying over a sector, 	he should tell you so. Strangely 
enough, he will refuse to land in such a location, while 	airdrops in "red" 
sectors are not a problem.
	See also: SECTION 7 for more info on vehicles.


SAN MONA

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Angel and Maria, Tony, Kingpin, Darren, Joey (see: Cambria)

HIRABLE NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Iggy

RANDOM NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Carmen, Devin, Micky, Bounties

Angel and Maria (with Madame, Billy and Kyle)
Q:	Who are they?
A:	Angel is the leather shop owner and brother of Maria. His sister was 
captured by Kingpin 	to work in his, ehm, house ;)

Q:	Where do I find them?
A:	Meet Angel first and he will tell you where to look for Maria. He is in 
his leather shop 	(C6)

Q:	How do I deal with Angel?
A:	He will try to palm off a jacket on you. Refuse his offer but continue the 
conversation 	and he will ask you to rescue his sister. Liberate Maria and 
bring her back to Angel. To 	express his gratitude he will give you the jacket 
for free and also the deed to his shop. 	Take the deed and go to the Tattoo 
Saloon (C5) Talk to the pansy there (Kyle) and give him 	the deed for $10K.

Q:	A damsel in distress! Where is poor Maria?
A:	In the Shady Lady brothel (C5) She is in the room at the end of the hall.

Q:	How can I rescue her?
A:	Still wondering why this dumb guard blocks the entrance? Ah yes - you need 
to pay. Cash 	only, no credit ;) Talk to Madam and pay for the "service"; 
it's possible for $100. Billy 	will then step aside. You might also try the 
back door but the alarm on it is extremely 	hard to disarm. Inside, in 
watchman's room on the left (the one with the open door) there 	is a key and a 
switch. Sneak into the room unnoticed, take the key and push the switch to 
	disable the alarm. Go into the room where Maria is, talk to her and offer 
an escort. Then 	using the key get out thru the double back door. If you didn't 
get the key, open the door 	from the outside with your mech. Watch out not to 
set off the alarm or you will have the 	whole town on your back. You cannot be 
seen slipping in or out of the watchman's room or 	together with Maria. Even 
if you escape the guard or kill him right after he spots you, 	other grunts 
will attack you. Leave the brothel unnoticed and go to Angel. Listen to 
	Maria's speech to learn whether you were successful in eluding her 
"protectors"


Tony (with Hans and Brenda)
Q:	Who is he?
A:	An arms dealer. He offers prime wares, at least most of the time.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In the back room of the porn shop (C5)

Q:	But I can't get there!  How can I get the storekeeper to let me in?
A:	You need to get rid of the pesky customer for him. Look around the sector 
for an X-rated 	videotape (2 can be found) and give it to Brenda, the dyke in 
the shop. When she's left 	talk to the storekeeper again and he will 
introduce you to Tony. Then whenever you want 	something from Tony just be 
"friendly" to Hans and he will let you in.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Tony sells weapons, their attachments and ammo and also buys them at the 
highest price. 	Sometimes he has rare armament that cannot be gotten elsewhere. 
Every few days he may 	leave for new merchandise.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders.


Kingpin
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He's the infamous "mayor" of San Mona.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In his mansion in the lower part of D5, but you cannot just walk in. To 
meet him you must 	either win 3 consecutive fights in the Extreme Fighting 
Competition (EFC) at the club 	(see: Darren) or somehow open the back door 
to his mansion.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	When you are introduced to Kingpin, he will offer you $20K for bringing an 
ancient 	artifact called the Chalice of Chance. But you definitely should 
return it to the people 	of Chitzena. Still, it is possible to complete 
*both* quests. First take the Chalice from 	Balime and send a fully armed 
squad to San Mona with it. Give the artifact to Kingpin, 	take the money, then 
assume positions and... let's rock! Kill Kingpin and clear the whole 	town of 
his goons. You will end up with lots of stuff. Pick up the Chalice from 
Kingpin's 	cadaver and head for Chitzena to return it where it belongs. Of 
course, now you won't be 	able to make money on the EFC (see: SECTION 4), so 
think it all over before the attack.
	See also: Yanni & Eldin.
	You can also steal Kingpin's funds stashed in the abandoned mine ($30K) 
The cash is buried 	underground in D5 (enter and exit via D4). However, in 
such case he will send his thugs 	after you. They will pursue you throughout 
Arulco and will get tougher with time. While 	this seems a good way to get 
extra equipment, you won't be able to enter San Mona (and 	Tony's store) 
without starting a fight. But there' s no problem in taking Kingpin's money 
	after killing him ;)

Q:	Do I really have to fight the whole town to recover the Chalice?
A:	There is another way, which seems to be a bug. Get into Kingpin's mansion 
without starting 	a combat. Then drop a mustard gas grenade *next to* him, but 
not right on him.  Nobody 	should attack you and the gas will eventually kill 
him off. Now you can take all his stuff 	without ever angering anyone. You can 
also go into the mine and get his buried money.  	Remember to exit by the 
mine entrance and not by the trapped ladder ;)


Darren 
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is Kingpin's honcho running the club in San Mona. He organizes the 
Extreme Fighting 	Competition (EFC)

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In Kingpin's club (D5) after 8 PM.
	
Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	To enter the club you must get past that blockhead Spike. Any merc with 
some LDR should be 	enough for this. Inside always save before talking to 
Darren. He will challenge you to 	enter the Extreme Fighting Competition. If 
you accept, you can place a bet of $1K-5K on 	each of your fights. In the case 
you win, you take double the amount. If you lose... oh 	well. You can 
withdraw after any fight. Remember that you cannot use any weapon in the 
	ring (with the lucky exception of knuckles :) or you will lose your bet. 
Even worse, the 	spectators can turn on you and this almost spells death. Win 3 
fights in a row and Kingpin 	will ask you for a favor (see: Kingpin) You can 
participate in the Extreme Fighting 	Competition every second night.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info

Q:	How do I win the Extreme Fighting Competition? My merc always gets beat up!
A:	You will need a H2H or martial arts (MA) specialist here. These skills 
give your merc a 	bonus to hit and dodge plus a damage bonus in bare-handed 
combat (double bonuses for 	experts) Fidel, Grizzly, Thor, Malice, Bull 
(expert!) and Bubba (MERC) are skilled in H2H; 	Blood, Dr Q and Numb (MERC) are 
skilled in MA. Dusters - the only weapon "allowed" in the 	ring - provide 
additional damage, but only to H2H specialists. However, mercs good at MA 
	can deliver a special windmill kick, which inflicts double damage on a 
weakened enemy. 	Before you agree to fight, sleep your merc so that his energy 
is at its peak. An agile and 	dexterous merc will be able to deliver more blows 
during his turn. The key to win the 	fight is to strike first - try 
entering the ring in different places.
	You can also use an energy booster to increase your APs for a couple of 
turns. The drug 	will then wear off and the merc's APs will fall below their 
normal level, but the 	injection can help you win. Or simply use the marbles ;) 
(see: SECTION 4 - WEIRD ITEMS)
	To win you only need to knock the other contestant out and for good. Don't 
kill them - 	this will only screw other fights, possibly due to a bug (see: 
SECTION 9)


CHITZENA

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Yanni, John and Mary, Calvin (head miner)

RANDOM NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Bounties

Yanni
Q:	Who is he?
A:	A Chitzena elder who acts as a tour guide.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In the sacred ruins (A2), by the entrance.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He will tell you the story of the Chalice of Chance, which was stolen from 
the ruins by 	Deidranna. Yanni will ask you to return it to the people of 
Chitzena. The Chalice is on 	exposition at the museum in Balime. Bring the 
sacred artifact back to its rightful owners 	and see a major loyalty boost 
throughout Arulco. In this way you will also be able to 	recruit militia in 
Balime, otherwise the loyalty is too low for training (see: 	SECTION 5)
	See also: Kingpin & Eldin


John and Mary
Q:	Who are they?
A:	Tourists lost in Arulco.

Q:	Where do I find them?
A:	Somewhere among the ruins (A2), generally before noon.

Q:	How do I deal with them?
A:	All they want is to leave Arulco - small wonder why ;) Escort them to the 
airport in 	Drassen for $2K in cash. Air transport (see: Skyrider & SECTION 7) 
is the fastest (though 	quite expensive) solution here, with at least 1 merc as 
an escort. Some time later John 	will also send you 2 powerful pistols and 
some ammo for them.


CAMBRIA

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Martha and Joey, Keith, Perko, Steve, Carl (head miner), Daryl

HIRABLE NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Vince

RANDOM NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Carmen, Devin, Micky, Bounties

Martha and Joey
Q:	Who is she?
A:	Mother of Joey, an impudent teen. 

Q:	Where do I find her?
A:	In her house in the western section of G8.

Q:	How do I deal with her?
A:	She will ask you to find her runaway son. Bring Joey back and the town's 
loyalty should 	reach 100%. Now you can get free medical treatment in the 
hospital and recruit one of the 	doctors there (see: Steve and Vince)

Q:	The kid sure needs his ass flogged. Where do I find Joey?
A:	In San Mona. Hans or the barkeep will tell you where. Joey is either 
looking in the front 	window of the brothel or nosing around the abandoned 
mine. Threaten him to come with you 	and escort to his mother promptly.


Keith 
Q:	Who is he?
A:	A merchant dealing in various goods.


Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In his general store (G9)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He sells chiefly secondhand equipment. His goods are cheap, though not 
much useful. Keith 	will buy most items at best prices (except for weapons, 
see: Tony, and junk, see: Jake) He 	will also ask for your help with the Hicks 
(see: Daryl) When you're done with them, talk 	to Keith again. He will now 
offer a better selection and Cambria's loyalty will rise.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders.


Perko
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is a handyman.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In his workshop (G9)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Perko can repair your damaged equipment for a price. However, he is quite 
sloppy (can't 	you tell?) and may not fix your stuff on time. He won't take 
electronics (for these see: 	Fredo) Perko does his job faster if you give him 
the items shortly after midnight and 	also when you collect them one at a 
time. Keep in mind that with beat-up equipment the 	cost of repair is usually 
higher than their sell price. So pay only for fixing the items 	that you 
really need and intend to keep. Sell all other things. Leave any minor/periodic 
	repairs (like guns) to your mech(s)
	See also: Arnie


Steve and Vince
Q:	Who are they?
A:	Doctors at the only hospital in Arulco.

Q:	Where are they?
A:	Where else but in the hospital? (F8)

Q:	How do I deal with them?
A:	They can heal your wounded mercs for a fee. If you gain more loyalty in 
Cambria, they will 	lower their price or even treat you for free. Vince can 
be also recruited (see: HIRABLE 	NPCs)

Q:	How can I get them to heal me? All they do is say the hospital is out of 
supplies!
A:	The doctors will help you only if you didn't open any crates with medical 
equipment in the 	hospital storehouse. If you did, forget the treatment. They 
won't do shit for you. 


Daryl and the Hicks
Q:	Who is he?
A:	The leader (and father!) of a hick gang harassing Cambria.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	East of Cambria, inside the farmhouse (F10) Do not confuse him with his 
son Darrel 	(standing by the door)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	First talk to the storeowner in Cambria, who will ask for your help (see: 
Keith) It is 	impossible to resolve things with the Hicks in a peaceful 
manner. The only way to settle 	the issue is to kill all of them (must be 
the redneck temper ;) When a woman merc talks to 	Daryl, he proposes to her. 
If you agree, you can take Hicks' weapons without bloodshed, 	using the key 
in the hovel by the house. But in such case you will lose the gal! She will 
	leave the team to join other "girls" in the barn... I don't know whether 
it is possible to 	rehire her after exterminating the Hicks.

Q:	How do I execute the damned rednecks? There's too many of them!
A:	This will be a tough battle - the Hicks have shotguns and Mini-14s. One 
shot from a short 	distance can seriously injure your merc even if s/he is 
wearing top armor. But 3 mercs 	with a good interrupt (high LVL) can do the 
job. To avoid getting shot and under 	crossfire, put them in the small room 
with no window, crouching and facing the door. Make 	a Hick enter this room or 
have him stand in the doorway by exchanging places and attack 	the boor. All 
your mercs must be inside. You can also shoot one of the Hicks and rush back 
	into the room, closing the door after you. Either way the Hicks will start 
pouring into 	the room and you should be getting interrupts all of the time. 
Fire with no extra aiming 	to conserve APs. With good fast guns you should be 
able to kill any Hick with 2 (or even 	1!) shots in the head. 
	You can hide in the weapon shed instead, having killed the guard there. Or 
you can climb 	onto the roof and snipe 'em down. In any case - save!


GRUMM

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Arnie, Fredo, Oswald (head miner)

RANDOM NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Carmen, Devin, Micky, Bounties

Arnie
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is a skilled handyman.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In his workshop (H1)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He can repair your broken equipment for a price, except for electronics 
(see: Fredo). And 	he does it really fast.

Q:	How come he doesn't want to take my equipment?
A:	Sticky fingers, huh? If you take any item from Arnie's workshop, including 
the ones in the 	crates, he will refuse to repair anything. See: SECTION 8 
about "owned" items.

Q:	I could really use these mortar shells... Any way to get at them?
A:	There is a way. Leave a merc in the workshop for the night and when 
Arnie's not there...


Fredo
Q:	Who is he?
A:	This transvestite is the only handyman dealing with electronics.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In his workshop opposite Arnie's (H1)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He will repair damaged electronics (night vision goggles, laser scopes, 
etc.) Fredo is 	also the single man in Arulco capable of breaking the ID lock 
on rocket rifles (see: 	SECTION 3 - RECOMMENDED GUNS)

Q:	But he doesn't want to take my equipment!
A:	See: Arnie.


ESTONI

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Jake, Skipper

HIRABLE NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Maddog

Jake
Q:	Who is he?
A:	A junk dealer. He will also arrange gas supply with Shank.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In front of or inside his house at the junk depot.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He sells beat-up, but sometimes useful stuff, like the compound 18 and 
ceramic plates. He 	pays best money for junk (discarded LAWs and other 
useless items) Jake will tell you about 	the Tixa prison and ask you to find 
his friend (see: Shank). Rescue Shank, bring him to 	Estoni and talk to Jake. 
Now he will also have some gas cans in his stock and it will be 	possible to 
refuel the chopper in Estoni (see: Skyrider & SECTION 7). Jake's son Maddog 
	can be recruited.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders.


Skipper
Q:	Who is he?
A:	An old derelict who lives by collecting trash.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	Wandering around the junk pile.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Unbelievable as it seems, this bum can actually help your team. Offer him 
any junk item 	and in return he will give you a keycard to Deidranna's secret 
research facility in Orta 	(see: General & Walter). How he came by the card 
is simply beyond me ;)


TIXA (J9)
not shown on the map until you talk to Jake in Estoni or Matt in Alma

NON-HIRABLE NPCs
Warden, Brewster

HIRABLE NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Dynamo, Shank

Warden
Q:	Who is she?
A:	She is in charge of the prison here.

Q:	Where do I find her?
A:	In her office at the end of the right wing of the main building.

Q:	How do I deal with her?
A:	I don't think it is possible to talk to her, she attacks when she sees 
your team. So just 	kill the bitch. When you clear the sector (including the 
basement) you may find your 	captured mercs here. But of course no one on your 
team was taken prisoner :) There are 	also 2 jailed NPCs here that can be 
hired.


Brewster
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is the unfortunate Warden's hubby. A good reason to feel like this, 
don't 'cha think?

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In the small house in the lower right corner of the compound.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Sneak past the guards into his house (use stealth and/or wire cutters) 
Brewster will tell 	you how to surprise the Warden off duty and will also 
give you the key to her office. 	There you will find 2 red buttons. The one 
on the left sets off the alarm and the one on 	the right releases tear gas 
inside the building. Put the gas masks on before pushing it 	and then 
eliminate the dazed guards ;)


ALMA

NON-RECRUITABLE NPCs
General, Sergeant, Auntie, Matt (head miner)

RECRUITABLE NPCs (see appropriate chapter)
Conrad

General
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is one of Deidranna's generals, and one totally devoted to his employer.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In the training facility, AKA the Military Academy (H13)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	If you talk to him long enough, he will disclose the location of 
Deidranna's secret 	research facility in Orta. Visit this place with a 
strong squad for lots of quality 	equipment.
	See also: Walter & Ernest.


Sergeant
Q:	Who is he?
A:	Another fine representative of Arulco's armed forces.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	Also in the Academy (H13)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Unlike the General, this soldier can actually think. In fact, the Sarge 
wants to desert 	the army. He will even offer you his rocket rifle as a token 
of good will. You must find 	the Sergeant really quick (possibly using stealth) 
and speak to him before anyone pushes 	the red button nearby. You can also 
position one of your mercs right before the button so 	that no one can 
touch it. The enemies will run about - you know what to do. If any soldier 
	hits the red button, Sergeant's RR will explode and the blast will wound 
him. Bandage him 	if this happens (but of course it won't) Talking to the 
Sergeant will also increase 	loyalty in Alma.


Auntie
Q:	Who is she?
A:	A dweller concerned about her town's safety.

Q:	Where do I find her?
A:	In her house in I14.

Q:	How do I deal with her?
A:	She will ask you to kill the bloodcats, which have long plagued the town. 
In order to 	fulfil her request you will need to wipe out the bloodcat den 
in I16. Send a well-armed 	squad there and when done talk to Auntie again. 
Alma's loyalty will go up. Remember to 	pick up the animal parts and sell them 
to the appropriate trader (see: Micky)
	See also: SECTION 8 for hunting tips


BALIME

NON-RECRUITABLE NPCs
Eldin, Franz, Sam, Howard, Armand and Laura, Dave

RANDOM NPCs
Bounties (see appropriate chapter)

Eldin
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is the museum janitor (and security guard)

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	Hmm... (L12)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Chat with him for a while to find out when he goes off duty. Don't go into 
the museum at 	night or Eldin will take you for a thief and attack you. Then 
everything is lost. The 	thing is, you cannot kill him no matter what. If 
you do, the town's loyalty will drop to 	zero and you will not be able to have 
militia there (see also: SECTION 5) But you need the 	Chalice of Chance. In 
order to steal it bring a full squad of mercs to the museum by day. 	When 
Eldin leaves the display room block his passage so that he cannot enter the main 
	lobby or return to the exposition. Go into his office and switch off the 
alarm, then take 	the Chalice. Make sure Eldin doesn't see you walking out with 
the artifact. Another way is 	to sneak into the museum at night, disable the 
alarm and decamp with the Chalice, avoiding 	Eldin. Make sure to bring the 
Chalice to Estoni afterwards, possibly stopping in San Mona 	on the way ;)
	See also: Yanni & Kingpin


Franz
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He runs the electronics store.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	Behind his counter (L12)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He sells electronics and buys some items. Among his selection noteworthy 
are the video 	camera, needed for Madlab's robot (see: Madlab & Robot) and 
the components used to make 	the X-ray detector (see: SECTION 4 - WEIRD ITEMS)
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders.


Sam
Q:	Who is he?
A:	The owner of the hardware store.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	It's your guess (L12)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He sells various items but does not buy anything. Sam also has the video 
camera.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders.


Howard
Q:	Who is he?
A:	Yet another Alma merchant.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In his drugstore, of course (L12)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	You can get medical equipment here but Howard will not take any of your 
items.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders.


Armand and Laura
Q:	Who are they?
A:	A rich spoilt couple, friends of Deidranna.

Q:	Where do I find them?
A:	In their mansion in L11.

Q:	How do I deal with them?
A:	Armand is a man both affluent and influential. Take advantage of his first 
quality by 	threatening him and be sure to mention his wife ;) He will give you 
$10K to leave her 	alone.


Dave
Q:	Who is he?
A:	The service station manager.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	He is just east of Balime (L10)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Dave has a Hummer to sell. Give him the money he wants and you can take 
the car next 	morning. He will also refuel her for free, if he has gas.
	See also: SECTION 4 for info on vehicles


ORTA (K4)
not shown on the map until you talk to General in Alma

NON-RECRUITABLE NPCs
Walter, Ernest

Walter
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is the head scientist of the secret research facility here.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	Inside the compound.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	There is more to this building than just the ground floor. The hitch is 
how to get inside. 	You can bribe Walter with around $20K and he will open 
the basement door. You can kill him 	afterwards to get your money back. If 
you have the keycard from Estoni (see: Skipper), you 	can use it on the door 
instead. You may also use explosives to blow a hole. The basement 	is where 
the fun begins. Make sure to bring gas masks, unless you like mustard ;)


Ernest
Q:	Who is he?
A:	Another scientist putting Deidranna's twisted plans into life.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In the left part of the vault, in one of the small rooms behind a locked 
door.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Once you've eliminated the security, talk to Ernest. He will open the door 
to the armory 	if you give him about $20K. Gee, they all must have been 
underpaid ;) As with Walter, you 	can reclaim your cash by putting him to a 
long-deserved sleep. Ernest will also open the 	door if you keep threatening him.


MEDUNA

NON-RECRUITABLE NPCs
Elliot :), Joe, Deidranna (duh!)

Elliot
Q:	Who is he?
A:	Deidranna's thoughtless personal assistant. Unless you skipped the cut-
scenes (and missed 	a great deal of fun) you should be pretty familiar with 
him by now ;)

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	He should be in the Palace (P3) or rarely in the underground shelter there.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	About the only thing you can do is to put an end to his miserable life. 
Kinda felt sorry 	for him... I guess I liked poor Elliot after all ;)


Joe
Q:	Who is he?
A:	Queen's Chief Security Officer (or something)

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	If you decide to take the Palace (P3), you will encounter him in the SW 
corner with the 	Queen herself. You have to find them fast, otherwise Joe will 
retreat with Deidranna into 	the bunker.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Joe is very tough, but you need to waste him. Or you can pay him off and 
thank for his 	sudden change of heart.


Deidranna (at last!)
Q:	Who is she?
A:	Please tell me you're joking ;)

Q:	Where do I find her?
A:	If you are quick in assaulting her residence, you can catch her in the SW 
corner of the 	Palace (P3) with Joe. No, it's not what you think... ;) If you 
don't get there fast 	enough, they will descend into the bunker underground 
and you will have to hunt her down 	there. Of course she won't be alone (now 
can't you really think of anything else?) The 	secret entrance to the bunker is 
the fireplace in the room with the piano.
	There is also an easier way to find Deidranna, which obviates the need to 
storm the 	Palace. Go into the maze (gardens) in O3 and find a remote there. 
Obviously, it must have 	been lost by Elliot ;) Once you have the device, 
use it on one of the 4 statues nearby. 	Enter the vault and proceed N. You 
should surprise the Queen in the Throne Room.
	Either way you choose, you will need a good explosives specialist with a 
metal detector.
	
Q:	How do I deal with her?
A:	Oh well... If you don't know how to deal with Deidranna, then how did you 
get this far???


RANDOM LOCATION NPCs
These NPCs are randomly placed across various sectors of Arulco. Their location 
is different each time you start the game. However, there are some clues for 
finding them.

Madlab, Mike, Micky, Devin, Carmen, Bounties

Madlab
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is a scientist who had worked for Deidranna, but escaped after finding 
out her cause.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	He can be found in a non-town sector after Deidranna finds out about his 
leave. He is 	usually somewhere in the upper half of the map. Madlab is 
hiding in a secret partition of 	a barn. To access it you must activate a 
switch hidden in a cabinet in the adjacent 	farmhouse.

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Madlab is working on a robot. He is willing to give you the droid, but it 
needs a rifle 	and a video camera. The camera can be bought in Balime at the 
electronic or tool store 	(see: Franz) or even taken from the museum there. 
The choice of weapon for the robot 	depends on how you are planning to use it. I 
recommend only top guns (e.g. the C-7), since 	a poor rifle will limit the 
droid's capabilities. The rocket rifle is also a good choice, 	but it cannot 
have an ID lock on it (see: SECTION 3 - RECOMMENDED GUNS) The weapon will be 
	installed permanently, so choose wisely. Before giving the gun and the 
camera to the 	scientist make sure they are in perfect shape. Madlab will 
also give you the headset 	required to control the droid. If the robot gets 
destroyed, Madlab will build another one 	(not sure as I did not verify it)
	See also: Robot


Mike
Q:	Who is he?
A:	Mike was the top mercenary in the previous two Jagged Alliance games. 
Apparently, he was 	hired by Deidranna this time.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	He always guards a crucial sector (e.g. a SAM site or a mine) as 
reinforcement of 	Deidranna's elites.

Q:	How do I know if Mike is around?
A:	After you seize 2 cities (Omerta and San Mona don't count) the Queen will 
have her little 	speech where she says something like "I'll give them a 
surprise they will not soon 	forget" You will then encounter Mike in one of 
your battles. Mike is a very tough 	opponent, but with proper tactics killing 
him should not be a big problem. He has a unique 	powerful rifle - 	kill 
prior to taking ;) (see: SECTION 3 - RECOMMENDED GUNS)


Micky 
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He was the cheesy arms dealer in JA: Deadly Games. Now he's changed to 
animals. What a 	relief! ;)

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In one of the bars in Arulco (Drassen, San Mona, Cambria or Grumm)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	He buys only bloodcat parts. Pick them up and sell if you manage to kill 
those beasts. 	See: SECTION 8 for hunting tips.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders.


Devin
Q:	Who is he?
A:	An explosives dealer.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In one of the bars in Arulco (Drassen, San Mona, Cambria or Grumm)

Q: 	How do I deal with him?
A:	He sells all things that go "boom" (and their accessories), but doesn't 
take anything. 	Devin can be later recruited (see: HIRABLE NPCs). However, in 
such a case he will give up 	his trade. So it is better to use him as an 
explosives retailer instead.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders


Carmen
Q:	Who is he?
A:	He is an international bounty hunter pursuing his prey in Arulco.

Q:	Where do I find him?
A:	In one of the bars in Arulco (Drassen, San Mona, Cambria or Grumm)

Q:	How do I deal with him?
A:	Carmen will ask for your help in finding some criminals at large (see: 
Bounties) He will 	give you a diskette with info on the suspects. If you 
meet any of them, kill them and cut 	their heads off, then bring them as 
proof to Carmen. He will split the reward in half 	($10K per each head 
delivered) However, he does not pay immediately. Give the head to 	Carmen 
and meet him in the bar in Drassen after one day. There you will get your share.
	See also: SECTION 4 for more info on traders

Q:	How can I cut off the criminals' heads?
A:	Use either a machete or a combat knife.  Put it in your main hand and 
right click to bring 	up the knife cursor.  Click on the dead body of the 
bounty. You may have to try a few 	times because only one of the squares will 
let you cut off the heads in some 	circumstances.

Q:	I cut the bastard's head off, but now I can't find Carmen anywhere!
A:	He is always in one of the bars. It he is not in the bar you enter, talk 
to some NPCs and 	they should tell you of his whereabouts.

Q:	I forgot to meet Carmen in Drassen! Is my reward lost?
A:	No :) Other NPCs will tell you where Carmen is. Better yet, he may pay you 
more than once 	for the same head because of a bug (see: SECTION 9)


Bounties
Q:	How do I spot a bounty?
A:	The bounties are always disguised. Their names and looks are altered. But 
an observant 	Commander like yourself should notice that in some cases the 
faces of certain NPCs and the 	bounties' mug shots on Carmen's diskette are 
quite similar. Another clue is that the 	bounties are not chatty and cannot be 
hired. If you are still unsure, attack the suspected 	person and see if his/her 
name changes to anything else (save your game first!) If it 	does, this is 
one of the bounties you are looking for. After killing the criminal cut 
	his/her head off (it may take several tries) and bring it to Carmen. The 
bounty's head 	will be described with his/her alias. But beware of killing 
innocent NPCs! (see: SECTION 5 	- LOYALTY)

Q:	How to take out the damned criminals? They kill my mercs!
A:	You have to be extremely careful in approaching the bounties. All of them 
are well armed 	and dressed in best armor. Always "ALT+S" before trying to 
kill one. This will save you 	much stress and often the lives of your mercs. 
Sometimes a shot in the head from point-	blank range (using a good gun) or a 
burst will give you the edge - provided that the 	bounty will be injured 
seriously enough not to fire back.
	Another good idea is to shoot the bounties while they are inside buildings. 
Wait for the 	suspect to get into a house or make him do so by exchanging 
places. Have your mercs lie 	outside under the windows and facing the bounty 
(he will not see them), then move one 	merc as far from the house as possible, 
but so s/he can see the bounty inside. Have this 	merc lie prone and/or take 
cover if possible, but s/he still has to see the suspect. Now 	shoot at the 
suspect with one of your mercs. It can even be a merc who doesn't see him, 
	although s/he will obviously miss. The suspect will attack back, hopefully 
spending his 	whole turn to fire at the far-away merc - the only one he can 
see. The bounty will most 	possibly miss all of his shots. Then it's your 
turn. Crouch the mercs waiting outside the 	house - at least one of them 
should be able to see the bounty now. Shoot the bastard 	inside dead, he 
won't interrupt. With a good gun one merc can kill the bounty by putting 2 	or 
3 bullets in his head. This technique requires some practice, but works every 
time. 	Remember to cut the bounty's head off and bring it to Carmen for 
your reward. As a bonus 	you get to keep the criminal's all personal 
belongings (good guns!)
	Alternatively, you may try some explosive weapons against the terrorists. 
However, in this 	case their equipment will be much damaged.

Q:	Who are the bounties and where can I find them?
A:	Except for the Druggist their locations are random. However, they are 
always found in the 	following towns: San Mona, Chitzena, Cambria, Grumm and 
Balime (never heard anybody find 	them in other locations) Keep this in mind 
when visiting the above places. Whenever you 	stumble upon a suspicious 
character there, chances are s/he is a bounty. Use the tips 	above to 
reveal their true ID. You may not be able to find all the terrorists, though:

	Impostor:	Chris, impersonates a Canadian (ha-ha, Sir-Tech)
    	Druggist:	Charlie, bartender in Grumm (H2)
    	Tiffany:	Joe, impersonates a tourist
    	MOM:		Annie, impersonates a student
    	Slay:		Terry, impersonates a wheelchair case
	T-Rex:	Jasmin, impersonates a moron ;)(or does he really?)


HIRABLE NPCs
These characters are different from other NPC in that they can join your team. 
Just like normal NPCs, they are found mostly in towns. Many of them are free or 
very cheap, although some are quite expensive. Recruiting is simple: be 
"friendly" until they have nothing more to say. Some NPCs will offer you their 
services on their own, with some you will have to use "recruit" when they've 
finished. As with ordinary NPCs, use your best negotiator; otherwise they may 
refuse to join you. With certain NPCs additional conditions must be met (e.g. 
completing a quest) After the recruitment they can be given orders just like 
regular mercs. And just like AIM/MERC personnel they have stats, skills, traits 
and preferences. Here is a list of all hirable NPCs found in Arulco with their 
locations, prices and usefulness:

Ira, Dimitri, Carlos, Miguel, Skyrider, Hamous, Devin, Vince, Iggy, Maddog, 
Dynamo, Shank, Conrad, Robot

See also: SECTION 1 for info on specialists

Ira
Underground rebel base in Omerta (A10); free
She can be recruited right after Fatima introduced you to Miguel. Ira will be 
your guide in Arulco, providing interesting info on the country along the way. 
She is a good trainer and an average medic, but useless in combat (very low MRK) 
I also use her as a spotter and a mule ;)

Dimitri
Underground rebel base in Omerta (A10); free
He joins after Father from Drassen arranged food for Omerta. Dimitri sometimes 
forgets his orders. He will make a good mech and can even be a sniper after 
training DEX with MRK (see: SECTION 2) He is also an excellent thrower.
    		
Carlos
Underground rebel base in Omerta (A10); free
He will join after you take 5 cities (Drassen, Chitzena, Cambria, Grumm and Alma) 
Average trainer and a strong thrower, but poor aim. 	

Miguel
Underground rebel base in Omerta (A10); free
He will ask you to find Father in Drassen, who can provide food for the rebels. 
Afterwards you can recruit Dimitri. Like Carlos, Miguel will join after you take 
5 cities (Drassen, Chitzena, Cambria, Grumm and Alma) The rebel leader is a top 
militia trainer and a good marksman with LVL6.

Skyrider
See: OMERTA & SECTION 7; free apart from the flight charge

Hamous
Random road sector between Drassen, Cambria and San Mona; $250/day
He has the ice-cream truck. If you want to use it, you have to hire him. But 
once the truck is yours, its previous owner can be dismissed. He only shows up 
once, so don't waste this chance to get the vehicle. Hamous himself is rather 
useless.
See also: SECTION 7 for info on vehicles

Devin
One of the bars in Arulco (Drassen, San Mona, Cambria or Grumm); $800/day
He sells explosives and cannot be recruited immediately (business affairs?) It 
is better not to hire him and have a steady source of grenades and other stuff 
instead. Besides, though Devin is a top explosives specialist (what did you 
expect?), he is slow and has a low MRK.
See also: SECTION 4 & 6

Vince
Cambria Hospital (F8); $500/day 
In order to recruit him you cannot open any crates in the hospital storehouse. 
You also must bring Joey home (Cambria's loyalty must be around 100%) Vince is 
the best doctor and a good trainer, but his abysmal MRK and AGI exclude him from 
any combat.
See also: Steve

Iggy
Usually in San Mona, the bar above the Shady Lady (C5); $1,95K/day
He appears after your encounter with Mike. Apart from the rocket rifle he also 
has multiple abilities. Iggy is a HW expert, an average mech and a mediocre 
medic. His other assets are high MRK, LVL5 and top vitality.

Maddog
Wandering around broken fuel pumps in Estoni (I6); free
He has a CAWS shotgun. Maddog is a good mech with top vitality, but his poor aim 
makes him hopeless in battle.

Dynamo
Tixa prison dungeon (J9); asks for $50/day, but if refused joins for free
His brother Matt in Alma will ask you to rescue him (see: DRASSEN - Head miners) 
You may need to try a few times until he agrees to join. Dynamo is an average 
mech, but slow and a poor shot. If you decide to keep him, you'd better do 
something about his health.

Shank
Tixa prison dungeon (J9); $20/day
Bring him to Estoni and talk to Jake. Now you will be able to buy gas and refuel 
the chopper here. Shank himself is absolutely worthless.
See also: Jake, Skyrider  & SECTION 7

Conrad
Alma training building (H13); asks for $5,5K/day, but if refused drops his price 
to $3,3K
Hiring him is tricky; he may even get mad and attack you. A multitude of talents: 
top training and explosives, excellent MRK, average medic and LVL5 to boot. Only 
his price...

Robot
Random sector generally in the upper half of the map; free
In order to get the robot you must find the missing scientist and bring him a 
rifle and a video camera. The robot can move and shoot like a human merc (it 
cannot reload) but it is slow and its stats are poor. However, it has a decent 
MRK (80) and high HEA. It also takes much less damage than your mercs when shot. 
A battered robot can be repaired by a mech. When employed properly, the droid 
can make a valuable addition to your team. The robot is only active when a merc 
uses its remote control, which excludes using any other headgear.
See also: Madlab



Section 7:	VEHICLES

Using vehicles will notably shorten the time of movement from one location to 
another. Not only will you get there faster, but also your team will be less 
tired after the journey. This aspect is very important in combat, as the mercs' 
condition is reflected in their APs. However, not all vehicles come free and 
some cannot be used to reach certain areas. Up to 6 mercs (a full squad) can be 
accommodated in any vehicle. This is done by assigning them to a specific means 
of transport in the strategic view. After reaching your destination assign the 
mercs to a squad again. Three vehicles can be found around Arulco:

Helicopter
To use the chopper you have to find its pilot (see: SECTION 6 - Skyrider) and 
clear the airspace by capturing (or destroying) the SAM sites. Once you achieve 
this, you can dispatch your team just about anywhere by air. It takes only 10 
minutes per sector to travel. For his service Skyrider charges a fee which 
depends on the distance. Also, the helicopter needs to refuel after each journey, 
either in Drassen or later in Estoni (see: SECTION 6 - Jake & Shank) This 
operation is performed automatically. While airborne avoid travelling thru 
unsafe sectors. The helicopter will get hit and eventually shot down by SAM 
missiles, which additionally induces a bug (see: SECTION 9) Flying the chopper 
is definitely the fastest way to move a squad over long distances, though not 
precisely the cheapest one.

Ice-cream truck 
The truck can be found in a random road sector between Drassen, Cambria and San 
Mona. To get hold of it you need to hire its driver (see: SECTION 6 - Hamous) 
Driving is restricted to roads, but it takes just half an hour per sector. This 
vehicle only shows up once, so don't waste the opportunity to acquire it.

Hummer
This civilian version of the famed military Hummvee is every man's dream :). And 
it is waiting for you east of Balime, in L10. All you have to do is pay $10K to 
the guy there and pick up your car on the next day (see: SECTION 6 - Dave) 
Unlike the real Hummer, this one can travel only along roads. And I certainly 
*don't* like this! Driving takes half an hour per sector.

The truck and the Hummer need gas, which is scarce in Arulco. Several cans can 
be found in non-town sectors and more can be bought from Jake after rescuing 
Shank (see: SECTION 6 - Jake & Shank) To refuel the car put a can into the 
merc's hand, then right-click and left-click on the vehicle. You can check how 
much gas there is in the tank by moving the cursor over the two bars in the 
vehicle's picture. One of the bars represents the car's condition (can be 
repaired by assigning a mech), the other shows the amount of gas left. When you 
run out of juice while traveling, you will have to abandon the vehicle (you can 
still pick it up later) To avoid such surprises always fill 'er up before the 
journey and have a spare can on hand.

Enemy encounters while in a vehicle will proceed in the normal manner. But if 
you withdraw your team from the battle, the car will be left in that sector.

Ground vehicles can be also boarded in tactical by "CTRL"+ left-clicking on them.



Section 8:	MISCELLANEOUS TACTICAL TIPS

1. 	Unless you have a specialized well-equipped night-ops squad, avoid 
attacking by night at 	all costs. These encounters are very hard, especially in 
the beginning of the game.

2. 	Always shoot prone taking a good cover, thus minimizing the enemy's chance 
to hit you.

3. 	Always finish off those "critical" enemies. While they don't seem 
dangerous, they can 	still make a very lucky shot or even surprise you with a 
LAW!

4. 	If after movement you don't have enough APs to shoot, don't forget that 
you can always run 	in combat. Running uses less APs (and more energy) than 
walking, which can give you the 	chance to make that crucial shot.

5. 	Always remember to quick-save and to reload your guns whenever the game 
enters real-time 	during a battle. This can save your ass on many occasions.

6. 	In an enemy sector move on stealth mode to avoid being spotted (especially 
in real-time) 	Crawling, camouflage, high LVL and the stealthy trait add to 
your sneaking skill. Make a 	good use of smoke grenades. When you discover the 
enemy's position, most of the time you 	will also gain AGI.

7. 	Keep everything in perfect shape. Use only top condition guns, attachments, 
equipment, 	etc. This does not apply to explosives and grenades (they can also 
be repaired!), although 	beat-up items may not go off at all.

8. 	HP ammo works wonders against bloodcats. Don't bother with other types of 
ammo, unless 	it's a burst at a very close range. Use fast guns and don't 
waste APs on aiming. Someone 	suggested tear gas as a defense barrier while 
fighting the cats, with the masks on. It 	seems that the beasts attack only 
squads traveling on foot (not in a vehicle) Large groups 	of mercs should not 
have much trouble in exterminating the bloodcats, though it might as 	well 
turn into their carnage. Small teams stand no chance unless equipped with fast 
HP 	loaded weapons. Bloodcat parts can be sold to Micky (see: SECTION 6 - 
Micky)

9. 	Some items in the sector inventory may be grayed-out in the strategic view. 
This is either 	because your mercs can't pick them up (e.g. they were left in 
the store that closed for 	the night) or because they are owned by somebody 
else. If you try to take such things (in 	tactical) while the owner is near, 
expect trouble (yes, they will attack you) The trick is 	to pick them up 
while their holder is away and can't see you stealing his property. You 
	can block his way with other mercs or move him out by exchanging places. 
However, this is 	not always possible.

10. 	Whenever you stumble upon a locked door, crate or locker, first check if 
it is not 	trapped. The merc may not discover the trap on his/her first attempt. 
Have your mech or 	explosives guy remove any traps before proceeding. Then 
see if you already don't have a 	key for it. If not, have a merc with high 
STR force it open or use a crowbar on it. 	Alternatively, a mech with a 
high PICK rating can pick the lock. Also the bomb dude can 	destroy the lock 
(but not open the thing) with a shaped charge. All these actions are 
	performed by choosing a proper icon from the "open" menu. The merc 
attempting them must 	have the suitable items in his/her inventory. When you 
are still not successful, you can 	shoot at the thing until the lock gives way. 
However, this doesn't seem to work on all 	doors/crates/lockers. As a last 
resort you might try explosives, the LAW or the mortar - 	with extra care not 
to hurt anyone near (unless they are enemies) This only works with 	doors... 
you guess why ;)
	See also: chapters on specialists in SECTION 1.

11. 	Some advice on destroying the tanks. The LAW seems the natural choice, but 
also the mortar 	works well against armor. The drawback of this method is that 
the enemy will know the 	position of your squd the moment you fire. Another 
very effective technique is to plant a 	strong explosive right by the tank 
(the C4 is preferred here) This method requires 	superior sneaking skills 
and/or luck. Move under the cover of smoke, stay prone and crawl 	next to the 
tank. You may be attacked by its machine gun, so make sure to wear top armor. 
	Leave enough APs to place the bomb and to get the hell out of there. It is 
best to use 	remote detonators; sometimes 2 explosives may be necessary. If 
you have nothing else on 	hand, you might also try regular grenades. They 
are far less effective, but will 	eventually do the job. And remember to save! 

12. 	If any of your mercs are captured by the enemy, there are three locations 
where they can 	be taken. Until you conquer Alma, they are held in the 
Military Prison there (I13) 	Afterwards the POWs can be found either in the 
Tixa jail (J9) or the army station in N7, 	known as the "LAW cache" (you 
will know why once you get there :) This is also where they 	may be 
interrogated by the Queen herself (see: SECTION 4 - WEIRD ITEMS). But of course 
you 	will never surrender or abandon the battle, Commander!



Section 9:	PROGRAM BUGS

NOTE: These bugs appear in version 1.03 US. I hope the patch will have most of 
these fixed. 	Well, maybe not all of them... ;)

1. 	In the Extreme Fighting Competition in San Mona, while in the ring, your 
opponent will 	sometimes start shooting at you in the middle of the fight. I 
believe this was not 	intentional, but there is not much to be done about it. 
You can either knock the boxer out 	the normal way (taking some serious damage) 
or reload a game and try your luck again. If 	you use any weapon, you will 
lose the bet and everybody will turn on you.
	There is also another bug. Incredibly, it' even worse than the previous 
one! It can happen 	that after giving your bet to Darren the fight will not 
start at all. If you leave the 	ring, your cash is lost. When you talk to 
Darren he acts as nothing had happened. Losing 	$5K this way is extremely 
annoying :( I suspect it has to do with killing the opponents in 	an earlier 
fight, instead of just knocking them out. This happened to me, and boy, was I 
	pissed off not seeing these 15 grand every second night!

2. 	In few non-town sectors items will reappear once more some time after 
taking them. The 	respawning stuff seems to be random. This also happens in the 
mines: after collecting the 	nuggets new ones will appear in few days, but only 
once :( I don't know if this was meant 	to be.

3. 	After taking the items from a mine the town's loyalty goes down by 1% This 
is not so 	relevant, but I see no reason why it should happen.

4. 	When you don't meet Carmen on the next day in Drassen after delivering a 
bounty's head to 	him, he will pay you for this same head multiple times - 
whenever you find him. Nice 	compensation for the screwed EFC ;)

5. 	If the chopper gets hit for the third time, the game will crash and kick 
you out to 	Windoze(tm) It seems that there is a voice file missing. In order 
not to encounter this 	bug, don't fly over unfriendly sectors, and if you 
really have to, make sure there is only 	one en route (Skyrider will usually 
take the same way back home!)

6. 	Sometimes the mercs will move in a funny way, sideways and backwards, as 
with the "ALT" 	pressed. To remedy the problem, depress this key and quickly 
double-click around them. 	After some attempts they will walk normally.

7. 	On some occasions you may end up with duplicated items while picking up 
stuff from the 	ground. This happens when the merc's backpack is full and one 
hand slot remains empty, 	while trying to pick up more than one item. I'm 
not trying to suggest anything here, 	but... (wink-wink :))



Section 10:	LINKS

If this guide did not answer your JA2 problems, I strongly recommend visiting 
the following sites:

Jagged Alliance Galaxy www.tacticalplanet.com/ja-galaxy
Probably the best and most comprehensive JA site on the net, part of the 
Tactical Planet network.

CW: Postcards from Arulco www.redrival.com/rakki/ja2 
Excellent JA2 site with many funny accents throughout.

FREELANCER: Your tactical source www.freelancer.ag.ru
Very detailed stats of JA2 equipment and characters. Also lots of stuff on other 
tactical/RPG games (Fallout, X-COM, etc.)

Magnum's JA2 Equipment Field Manual redrival.com/magnum
Another very good source of item info.

Official JA2 Website www.jaggedalliance2.com
Many JA2 links and game info straight from the programmers (check out the 
secrets section)

and of course:
Sir-Tech Canada www.sir-tech.com
Homepage of the creators of JA!