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Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45449] Wed, 30 November 2005 00:48 Go to next message
Misteret is currently offline Misteret

 
Messages:31
Registered:July 2005
Who does everyone use as their lockpick/repairman. Looking over the AIM/Merc Rosters once more it seems no-one is perfect, having taken out Boss Hatchet, my favourite from JA1.
-Magic is just too expensive
-Trevor quickly becomes too expensive
-Static, Nails, and Steroid all have low physical stats
-Gasket is just a terrible merc
-Vicki has no lockpicking trait
-Barry and Reaper really don't have the Mech stats to get themselves up to the level required to get through some of the doors.
-Maddog comes too late in the game, and is hampered by his poor marksmanship stats

Or am i just nitpicking? So i'd like to know who people use as their field lockpick/mechanic, and why.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45450] Wed, 30 November 2005 01:15 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Frank Ballew is currently offline Frank Ballew

 
Messages:23
Registered:September 2003
Location: Mechanicsburg, PA
I always start with Barry. I get a tool box in his hands and get the mechanical skill up as fast as I can. I haven't found a door that I need opened that he both can't open and doesn't have a key. He actually becomes a pretty good merc. I usually use Dynamo with my scrub group and eventually hire Trevor when the money is flowing for my other good squad. Cool

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45451] Wed, 30 November 2005 04:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Khor1255 is currently offline Khor1255

 
Messages:1817
Registered:August 2003
Location: Pleasantville, NJ
Steroid in the beginning (and he remains with the main fire team till the end) then Trevor when I can afford his exhuberant pricetag. This usually happens when I'm working on about my fifth town.

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Sergeant Major
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45452] Wed, 30 November 2005 08:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
sushi is currently offline sushi

 
Messages:8
Registered:November 2005
Location: Poland
Every time I play JA2 i hire Steroid for lockpicking and mechanic things. He's really cheap with high marksmanship. Now, as I'm playing JA2WF I hired Trevor, but as I can see, Steroid's much better.

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Private
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45453] Wed, 30 November 2005 10:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DaveS425 is currently offline DaveS425

 
Messages:67
Registered:January 2002
Location: Bellevue, WA
Wolf works reasonably well, if you keep him supplied with a crowbar and shaped charges.

He's a good shooter, so he clears a sector then cleans it out Smile

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Corporal
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45454] Wed, 30 November 2005 13:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bastage is currently offline Bastage

 
Messages:94
Registered:December 2004
Location: Winnipeg, Canada
I use Gasket as a lockpick/mechanic/pack mule for my IMP. He's a good mechanic that gets most doors open after battle. During battle, shaped charges or TNT if needed. Very Happy

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Corporal 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45455] Wed, 30 November 2005 23:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jogge is currently offline Jogge

 
Messages:29
Registered:October 2003
Location: Sweden
I normally recruit Barry or Steroid in the very beginning of my JA2-campaigns and let them (Barry/Steroid) tag along my main assalt squad until the end of the game.

When I

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45456] Thu, 01 December 2005 10:43 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Claymaker is currently offline Claymaker

 
Messages:6
Registered:November 2005
I usually get maddog right after drassen, on my way to chitzena. Sometimes I find hamous on the road, and then use him as point man, which usually results in him freeing up a spot on my roster and I get to keep the truck! Gasket can become a passable fighter if you give him a good gun, and he is an excellent mechanic and good lockpicker.
Also, in 1.13, you can make locks much more easily shootable (as they should be, we do it all the time in Iraq now). so lockpickers aren't quite as necessary.

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Private
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45457] Tue, 17 January 2006 13:18 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Someone Here is currently offline Someone Here

 
Messages:20
Registered:May 2003
Location: Illinois
I use Barry and Wolf. I just never get around to make Barry the repair man. But he is good with locks.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45458] Fri, 03 March 2006 13:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
North is currently offline North

 
Messages:26
Registered:September 2003
Location: NC
Quote:
Originally posted by DaveSimmons:
Wolf works reasonably well, if you keep him supplied with a crowbar and shaped charges.

He's a good shooter, so he clears a sector then cleans it out Smile
Wolf is definetly my favorite hireable character from AIM.

Hes in every squad I have for the reasons you mentioned and more.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45459] Fri, 03 March 2006 23:13 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Cagemonkey is currently offline Cagemonkey

 
Messages:275
Registered:December 2001
Location: Sweden
I use Wolf, let him work hard and his stats will go up. Later I also hire Trevor for the really tough locks.

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Master Sergeant
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45460] Fri, 26 May 2006 14:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
CCKeane is currently offline CCKeane

 
Messages:98
Registered:September 2004
Location: Hoboken/Long Island
My lockpicking and mechanical merc is...Keane, my IMP merc.

While Mech is probably one of the worse skills to give to the IMP, I have a lot of fun with it, and I'm yet to come across a door I can't open, especially since my Mech is at 95 and my dex is at 92.

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Corporal 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45461] Sat, 27 May 2006 10:40 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jaws is currently offline Jaws

 
Messages:10
Registered:May 2006
Hi All,

While I'm not yet playing at expert level (may be a long time before I'll be able to), in experienced level I'll take Trevor and Len, two of my favorites, at the start and hire for one day at a time until I'm able to secure enough funds to pay them weekly and so on. Eventually I'll be able to afford the two week rate when the money starts rolling in.

I just hate not being able to get doors or chests open and I prefer playing with a limited number of mercs, so Trevor fills many bills -- lockpick, mechanic, explosives and electronics. In a way, he takes the place of two or three mercs that you otherwise would need to hire so his cost is, in fact, proportional.

He's even decent for militia training and gets to be a great marksman in no time. The other thing I take into consideration is his high health and APs. The bloodcats even like him because they'll pass up other mercs in the group to get at him.

Unfortunately, with every level increase his pay jumps big time, so I find myself holding him back somewhat so that he won't level increase too fast. By the time I have Drassen, Chitzena and Cambria mines money isn't a problem.

Regards,

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Private
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45462] Sat, 27 May 2006 20:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Harper is currently offline Harper

 
Messages:149
Registered:June 2003
Location: Germany
Gasket performs pretty good as a door opener. The same counts for Bull with a crowbar. Magic is the best of all, and personally I don't really find him "too expensive".

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Sergeant
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45463] Thu, 01 June 2006 12:25 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mark_kelly_777 is currently offline mark_kelly_777

 
Messages:55
Registered:May 2006
Location: Quebec, Canada
I say "Wolf", he has a good experience to start, is VERY cheap, and is decent at everything and he has a very decent Marksmanship! Can be a back-up medic. I always try to send teams in two's! Myself and another, then another team as "backup", so "wolf" is good since he can medic, open locks, shoot and deal with explosives a little bit, although he should study the domain a little more! AND he is a Night Ops, so perfect for Operations in the dark!

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Corporal
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45464] Thu, 01 June 2006 18:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
plop is currently offline plop

 
Messages:43
Registered:December 2000
Location: Louisiana
Use JAPE to give lockpicking skill to whoever you want, then you can just hire all your favorite guys.

My last game had Fidel as my doctor and Igor as the lockpicker.

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Corporal
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45465] Fri, 02 June 2006 06:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mark_kelly_777 is currently offline mark_kelly_777

 
Messages:55
Registered:May 2006
Location: Quebec, Canada
JAPE?

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Corporal
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45466] Fri, 02 June 2006 06:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
CCKeane is currently offline CCKeane

 
Messages:98
Registered:September 2004
Location: Hoboken/Long Island
Heh, I forgot about using bull with a crowbar. He certainly does get a lot of stuff open...He's my backup lock pick, since I give him a shotgun and a crowbar.

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Corporal 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45467] Fri, 02 June 2006 06:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mark_kelly_777 is currently offline mark_kelly_777

 
Messages:55
Registered:May 2006
Location: Quebec, Canada
Good one!

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Corporal
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45468] Tue, 06 June 2006 14:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
CCKeane is currently offline CCKeane

 
Messages:98
Registered:September 2004
Location: Hoboken/Long Island
Oh, and I believe JAPE is a program you use to edit mercs. I consider it cheating pretty bad though, so I don't use really use it.

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Corporal 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45469] Tue, 06 June 2006 17:06 Go to previous messageGo to next message
mark_kelly_777 is currently offline mark_kelly_777

 
Messages:55
Registered:May 2006
Location: Quebec, Canada
Hum... Yeah, I really am not able to cheat in games! I won;t even take advantage of a bug if it isn't a normal part of play! I liek to do things... the clean way... just like when I get headshots! :rifle:

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Corporal
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45470] Thu, 08 June 2006 07:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Bob_Marley is currently offline Bob_Marley

 
Messages:28
Registered:May 2006
Location: Essex, UK
Barry is my favored choise, especially if i'm playing through for an unfinished business camagain afterwards. He's cheap, versatile, learns quickly and if you give him a bit of training (ie a tool kit and a crate full of "used and refitted items" from bobby ray's) he can find his way through almost any door.

Other than that Trevor is the first choise. The others I really cant be bothered with.

And anyway, we all know that the best way to get entry to a locked building is with a LAW.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45471] Thu, 08 June 2006 09:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Seraph

 
Messages:19
Registered:June 2006
Location: Germany
In V.1.13 Biggins is also a good choice. Use him first as mechanic in your camp and take him in one of your teams when he has mechanics >85. He starts with level seven and is even with a high skill much cheaper than Trevor.

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Private
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45472] Fri, 09 June 2006 13:59 Go to previous messageGo to next message
BurgerKing is currently offline BurgerKing

 
Messages:37
Registered:May 2006
Quote:
Originally posted by Bastage:
I use Gasket as a lockpick/mechanic/pack mule for my IMP. He's a good mechanic that gets most doors open after battle. During battle, shaped charges or TNT if needed. Very Happy
Ditto. But I prefer shooting at the locks to open them. Soldier's rusty Guns have use after all.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45473] Fri, 09 June 2006 18:44 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Harper is currently offline Harper

 
Messages:149
Registered:June 2003
Location: Germany
The problem is that if you can't pick them you can't shoot them open.

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Sergeant
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45474] Sat, 10 June 2006 06:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jack Funk is currently offline Jack Funk

 
Messages:47
Registered:August 2004
Location: New Hampshire, USA
I used to always use Barry. He is a great mechanic/lockpick and by the end of the game he is a great soldier. His personality is weak though. So I switched to Wolf early. I also head to Estoni early (sometimes after Drassen) to get Maddog. Great mechanic, lockpick, personality.

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Corporal
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45475] Sun, 11 June 2006 06:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lucas is currently offline Lucas

 
Messages:311
Registered:June 2006
Location: Londrina, PR, Brazil
For the early game I hire Barry or Grunty, after talking with Father John Walker at Drassen I use Barry/Grunty & Dimitri as mechanics and later on Trevor or Magic for mechs.

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Master Sergeant
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45476] Sat, 17 June 2006 02:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lockie is currently offline lockie

 
Messages:3721
Registered:February 2006
Location: Scotland
gotta agree , maddog is useful , but a pain in :bandit: ( well he has gotta butt)

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Captain

Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45477] Sat, 17 June 2006 07:49 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Marlboro Man

 
Messages:1159
Registered:October 2005
Location: USA
Dynamo is pretty good at jimmying locks if you spend some time getting his dex up. I usually take Nails for early lock picking and bomb disposal. If he is not available at the beginning of the game, Barry is the man. Steroid and Maddog are good too if you can stand there voices.

:luckystrike:

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Sergeant Major

Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #45478] Mon, 19 June 2006 01:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Ash is currently offline Ash

 
Messages:34
Registered:August 2005
Location: the Netherlands
Steroid is usually my beginning merc. Don't use him for anything except jimmying open locks and a meatshield.

He comes with a tool kit, which is rare in the beginning of the game.
After a day he catches the flight back to AIM and Barry comes in.

I suppose Dynamo and Maddog are useful as backup mecs.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #157720] Sun, 16 September 2007 15:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
TZar25 is currently offline TZar25

 
Messages:24
Registered:September 2007
Location: Hungary
In the early game Nails is the best ("Not too many people know this, but I can open just about anything you can lock" - Edgar Smorth; and it's true) For later use he is still good, but if you want, he can be replaced with Magic. He is simply one of the bests

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Private 1st Class
Re: Lockpicking/Mechanic Merc[message #164215] Sat, 10 November 2007 23:56 Go to previous message
JA fan

 
Messages:187
Registered:March 2007
Barry & Steroid,besides being cheap and having Lockpick,have Electronics,that helps for the traps.But I think that electronics without points in explosives doesn't have the ideal effect of detecting a trap often.

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Staff Sergeant
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