Home » SIRTECH CLASSICS » Jagged Alliance 2 » Favourite Mercs & NPCs » Getting the most out of the locals?
Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131767] Tue, 06 March 2007 00:26 Go to next message
foij is currently offline foij

 
Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...
In my most recent game of 1.13, I decided to include more locals in my team, other than the usual 'good' ones, like Miguel, Conrad, (wish I could hire Slay full time), etc... and the ones I usually use like Maddog, Ira, Dimitri...

I tried out guys like Vince, Carlos, Hamous, Shank, and Dynamo. Vince and Hamous were ok to work with, but I found myself quickly out of patience with Shank, Dynamo, and Carlos. Does anyone have any tips for getting more out of these characters? Also, is Iggy worth it?

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Sergeant 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131769] Tue, 06 March 2007 00:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
Dynamo is great. What problems do you have with him if you are ok with MadDog? He is virtually the same except his aim is better and he requires less sleep!

Miguel and Carlos hates Iggy so you can't have them in the same group. This pretty much means no Iggy for you if you like to take Miguel on your main team.

Carlos is ok if you get his marksmanship up, but at the point of the game where you get him there is really no point to raise his marksmanship as you'll already have a crack team of super mercs.

I find conrad great to have around although I don't really need him on the team and he is quite expensive. I somehow like his arrogant personality. Dr vince's stats didn't impress me and neither did his pay.

There was one game where Maddog, Ira, and Dynamo were my best mercs at level 9 each. Shank was also up there at level 8 but due to poor health stats (hlt, str, dex, agi) he was on my second team. But for this to work I had to attack tixa right at the start of the game (before drassen or any other city conquest). Pretty much just took my IMP and a bunch of the best AIMs I can afford and headed for tixa right away.

I then went after the hummer. Getting the hummer out of balime and into san mona was a real pain in the butt, but once I did it, I could refuel at estoni and used the sell to locals and tony money to pay for gas and shank/dynamo/hamous. Once my AIM contracts expired I let them go home.

I then parked these guys and started to have them practice skills. I had to fire hamous cause he just wouldn't learn (lowest wisdom in the game) and at $250 a day he was getting too expensive to keep around cause I had no cities.

I attacked patrols for money and equipment and I didn't really have a good team for attacking until it was about 120 days or so. By then i was fully decked with twaron armor and had m24s and svds as well as some sa80s and mini-14s. All the patrols I attacked meant I had a huge cache of weapons and ammo in san mona, and I was financially secure the rest of the game as I started liberating cities.

I had also explored all the map sectors except the meduna and defences so I knew where all the troops are and can see all their movement. This gave me great intel as to which city was going to be attacked next

Enrico was pretty pissed off though lol. however, this is probably what would be done in reality. sneak into a country to do intel and get some local support. hide in the wilderness and train the rebels in warfare and then take the fight to the enemy.

In retrospect, I probably should have liberated drassen long enough to get food to omerta so I can get dimitri as well, but i'm not sure I want to spend another game attacking patrols and training for 120 days. If anyone wants to try it you would have one kick ass and cheap ass team of mercs

[Updated on: Tue, 06 March 2007 00:58] by Moderator

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131772] Tue, 06 March 2007 01:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
foij is currently offline foij

 
Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...
I keep Maddog and Conrad for their personalities as well. I didn't like Dynamo's personality as much, which is probably why I don't use him as much.

With your extended training of Shank, did his physical stats improve that much? His strength severely limits me because I can barely equip him with good armor and weapons.

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Sergeant 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131783] Tue, 06 March 2007 05:17 Go to previous messageGo to next message
yufiee is currently offline yufiee

 
Messages:13
Registered:August 2004
Location: Jakarta, Indonesia

Quote:
I had also explored all the map sectors except the meduna and defences so I knew where all the troops are and can see all their movement. This gave me great intel as to which city was going to be attacked next


did you play with v1.13 DudeWheresMyTank ? cause i'm sure in 1.13 whenever i explored all the map the patrol seems don't show up anymore (with note i already taken drassen)

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Private
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131785] Tue, 06 March 2007 07:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
shank's physical stats were a huge limitation. however, by end game his marksmanship was in the high 80s and he was useful to man a weapon. His hth, str, dex and agi all increased 20-30 points through practicing, combat and travelling, so he was a pretty good merc for 20 bucks a day. He never was on my "A" team though, always on the "B"

Yes i played in 1.13 and i didn't explore all the sectors. i didn't go into the ones too close to meduna where there were tanks. I think if you go too close to meduna such that you get the cutscene (where elliot says you were spotted on the outskirts) then the AI changes to a highly defensive posture. maybe this is why you didn't see any patrols

It was exhausting work (literally) to scout those sectors because the patrols would chase you and you couldn't rest. it was quite hairy at times with my mercs nearing zero stamina. Don't bring maddog or shank on your scouting party because they need tons of sleep.

My scouting party was my IMP, Ira, and dynamo. It seems need for sleep decreases as mercs level. i noticed at end game maddog and shank's energy levels didn't fall nearly as far behind everyone elses as in the beginning, but it could probably be because I was travelling mostly by vehicles all the time then.

[Updated on: Tue, 06 March 2007 07:10] by Moderator

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131795] Tue, 06 March 2007 10:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Placenik is currently offline Placenik

 
Messages:26
Registered:August 2006
Location: Serbia
I posted this before, on other subject. My current and favourite team- IMP, Ira, Maddog, Dynamo, Shank, Dimitri, all by order of recruiting (you need leadership 40 for Dynamo). Cost 20 $.
Little runing in real-time will fix their health/strength and add 1-3 levels, and some mines and TNTs wisdom (after they reach Lvl 4-6, depending on current wisdom and explosives- don't be blown up).
Let Shank train agility when training militia, and of course let him clear Drassen (best equipment you have+ some guards to keep him alive). He 'll have enough APs for one M24 headshot per turn.
Currently they are all LVL 8-9, MRK 90+, I'll keep them until end.
Be prepered to pay lot for heli and gas.

Something about my game setting- I play rebelion game- with volonteers only (no Conrad, Iggy etc), tweaked expirienced (300% garnizones, unlimited queens pool, patrols grace period one day, 75% elites, min group 12, reinforcements off Sad,drop-all), no mine income, no bounty payments, no bying stuff.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131836] Tue, 06 March 2007 17:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lucas is currently offline Lucas

 
Messages:311
Registered:June 2006
Location: Londrina, PR, Brazil
There's also another NPC to hire: Madlab's Robot.

To get the robot you must find Madlab, and once you find him use a high leadership merc to talk with him and he'll tell you about the robot and he's willing to give it to you, but first you'll have to bring a good condition rifle (I suggest giving the best rifle you get since the robot will use the weapon you give to Madlab... Forever...) and a video camera (Balime, at the museum or the eletronics shop)

Give these two items to Madlab and he'll give the robot to you, and the remote control for the robot, which needs to be placed on a mercs head, preventing this guy or gal from using any headgear (helmets, goggles...).

The robot stats are not impressive, but it have great Health and a decent Marksmanship. Also it takes a lot less of damage than your mercs, making him a somewhat good "meat shield". If the robot get battered, simply use your mechanic to fix it!

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Master Sergeant
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131870] Tue, 06 March 2007 23:08 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
i never liked the robot. it's slow, and it doesn't take a lot of damage even though it can take more than a merc. in 1.13 it's worse as enemies that go full auto on it with an assault rifle can kill it in 1 round. it has few aps so it never has enough aps to get to cover when you spot an enemy with it. it's even worse vs tanks as a tank round can kill it in 1 hit and it just can't get away fast enough

it was marginally good as a scout in vanilla as the slow firing rocket rifles don't dent it very much. but vs full auto rifles the robot sucks ass

[Updated on: Tue, 06 March 2007 23:09] by Moderator

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131894] Wed, 07 March 2007 03:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lucas is currently offline Lucas

 
Messages:311
Registered:June 2006
Location: Londrina, PR, Brazil
But it's usefull for fighting Bloodcats, since they can take more blows than a merc and Crepitus Bugs too, since the Bugs doesn't recognize the robot as enemy, they simply surround it, making these annoying creatures an easy target for mustard gas, heh Wink

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Master Sergeant
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131898] Wed, 07 March 2007 04:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
you can almost never get the robot before bugs start appearing. you need to 1) scout the map for madlab's hideout and 2) take balime so you can get a camera. I almost never meet these conditions unless i've spent 100 days scouting the country before drassen.

and you don't need the robot to take bloodcats. they are cake

[Updated on: Wed, 07 March 2007 04:43] by Moderator

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131909] Wed, 07 March 2007 10:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Will Gates is currently offline Will Gates

 
Messages:1012
Registered:September 2006
Location: Far far away.
To get best out of locals.

For shank go itno prof.dat and up it from 35!!! to 53 or similar, must have been a typo in the original.

For vince do the same with his mkshp.

Add the early rebels patch and the sure fire recruit slay patch.

You could also add two new rpc's in the empty slots but this is harder than it sounds.

:evilkitty:

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Sergeant Major
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #131965] Wed, 07 March 2007 18:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
foij is currently offline foij

 
Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...
i actually got vince's mk up to 73 with a scoped garand.

i'm not going to bother editing shank...i doubt i will use him again in the future, even if he is dirt cheap. i will have to rethink my opinion on dynamo though.

i don't like using the robot much, i agree that its ap's are pretty low, and the gun you put into it loses all its attachments. i'd rather hire madlab, if that were possible!

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Sergeant 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132049] Thu, 08 March 2007 21:29 Go to previous messageGo to next message
the scorpion

 
Messages:1834
Registered:September 2004
Location: CH
i tend to play almost exclusivly with locals. But in vanilla ja2, some of them were really not much use

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Sergeant Major
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132050] Thu, 08 March 2007 22:01 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
Someone should mod it so that you can recruit the Sergeant in Alma if you save him from the rocket rifle explosion. In 1.13 the rocket rifle isn't much of a reward considering all the trouble you have to go through to get it. I'd also like to be able recruit that butch girl Brenda if you get her some porn

[Updated on: Thu, 08 March 2007 22:01] by Moderator

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132051] Thu, 08 March 2007 22:31 Go to previous messageGo to next message
the scorpion

 
Messages:1834
Registered:September 2004
Location: CH
that's currently not doable. Only a limited number of character slots can be used as recruitables.

i think it would need code changes

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Sergeant Major
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132089] Fri, 09 March 2007 14:55 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Will Gates is currently offline Will Gates

 
Messages:1012
Registered:September 2006
Location: Far far away.
Well you've suggested two characters for the two empty slots 65 & 71 if I remember right. You'd have to renumber them, all their speeches etc. You'd need to make the smaller sized faces for them as npc's don't have them. You'd need to record some more responses or their dialogue would be limited etc. You'd also need two new npc to replace their old slots.

Replace the robot with Elhi from UC say. Get Madlab the camera (guess why he wants it) and she'll become available. Or use the T1000 from DL instead of the little tracked robot?

Just some dumb ideas... all of which are not quick or even easy to implement; sorry.

:evilkitty:

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Sergeant Major
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132126] Sat, 10 March 2007 00:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
foij is currently offline foij

 
Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...
Forgot to mention that a tried out Devin for the first time as well. He was handy because at the time I picked him up (taking Cambria), I did not have any mercs with a high explosive skill (i didn't get Red or Barry, and i don't do the arm/disarm bomb/mine trick). What do you guys think about him?

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Sergeant 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132129] Sat, 10 March 2007 00:07 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lucas is currently offline Lucas

 
Messages:311
Registered:June 2006
Location: Londrina, PR, Brazil
Devin is a top explosive expert, but his poor Marksmanship makes him quite useless on combat, also if you hire him you'll be unable to buy more explosive stuff from him, so I suggest to buy all or at least the most of his explosive stuff before hire him. :bomb:

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Master Sergeant
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132872] Fri, 16 March 2007 01:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Gunsgg is currently offline Gunsgg

 
Messages:57
Registered:September 2004
I used my Imp, Ira, Dimitri, Maddog, Vince, Iggy, Dynamo, Shank, Miguel and Carlos along with Hamous and Conrad. Just make sure you don't camp Iggy with Miguel and Carlos.

Shank is great for running the Robot, and can carry marginal armor and a light rifle. Later, deck the rifle out and his poor marksmanship will not be noticed(except in daylight, and why are you fighting in the daylight?)

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #132888] Fri, 16 March 2007 09:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Spinx is currently offline Spinx

 
Messages:34
Registered:February 2007
Location: Washington state
My personal fav merc in the game is Hamous. I give him a silenced pistol and a sniper rifle and all I ever hear is Goodbye naughty man!

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Private 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #142016] Thu, 31 May 2007 17:14 Go to previous messageGo to next message
foij is currently offline foij

 
Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...
Update: I used Dynamo, and I must admit I still prefer Maddog. Maddog's physical stats are superior, especially his Agi and Dex. Dynamo couldn't throw a 'nade worth a damn. Also, Dynamo is a pessimist, retreat from one battle, and watch his morale plummet.

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Sergeant 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #142018] Thu, 31 May 2007 17:34 Go to previous messageGo to next message
tbird94lx is currently offline tbird94lx

 
Messages:682
Registered:April 2002
Location: ohhhhhh canada
Will Gates
Well you've suggested two characters for the two empty slots 65 & 71 if I remember right. You'd have to renumber them, all their speeches etc. You'd need to make the smaller sized faces for them as npc's don't have them. You'd need to record some more responses or their dialogue would be limited etc. You'd also need two new npc to replace their old slots.

Replace the robot with Elhi from UC say. Get Madlab the camera (guess why he wants it) and she'll become available. Or use the T1000 from DL instead of the little tracked robot?

Just some dumb ideas... all of which are not quick or even easy to implement; sorry.

:evilkitty:


while i think the robot is a totally useless peice of crap..its an original ..plus..its handy to send it in as a spotter when ya get to the tank zones Very Happy if ya got a mortar guy in squad..using the robot to sniff out the tanks as a spotter makes for better mortar drops Very Happy otherwise its slow useless and the sound makes my ears hurt Razz

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First Sergeant

Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #142628] Sun, 03 June 2007 13:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lockie is currently offline lockie

 
Messages:3721
Registered:February 2006
Location: Scotland
dump the freakin robot , its so crappy and lame !

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Captain

Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #142732] Sun, 03 June 2007 23:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Lucas is currently offline Lucas

 
Messages:311
Registered:June 2006
Location: Londrina, PR, Brazil
Say that to LegacyOfApathy...

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Master Sergeant
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #142902] Mon, 04 June 2007 19:42 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lockie is currently offline lockie

 
Messages:3721
Registered:February 2006
Location: Scotland
ok, legacy your freakin robot is dumped ....... what now? Smile

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Captain

Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #142998] Tue, 05 June 2007 04:50 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Marlboro Man

 
Messages:1159
Registered:October 2005
Location: USA
Now why on earth would you want to dump the robot? I actually like the robot and use it every chance I get. Plus it's part of JA2. That would be like dumping Hamous or something. It is too bad you can modify him a little better yet though. Even though he comes loaded down with spectra armor, he needs that good EOD armor or something better. But at the moment you can't change that in prof.dat yet, that I am aware of anyway.

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Sergeant Major

Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143051] Tue, 05 June 2007 14:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Will Gates is currently offline Will Gates

 
Messages:1012
Registered:September 2006
Location: Far far away.
max the little metal guy out in prof.dat; give him green coated spectra all round and watch him go.

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Sergeant Major
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143086] Tue, 05 June 2007 19:12 Go to previous messageGo to next message
lockie is currently offline lockie

 
Messages:3721
Registered:February 2006
Location: Scotland
even hamous' patter (me no know) is better than that robots rubbishy shootong and scouting skills . better with lost in space robot . WARNING will robinson dr smith is stalking you WARNING ! :naughty:

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Captain

Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143372] Thu, 07 June 2007 07:41 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
I always fire hamous right away and steal his truck since he's so stupid he can't even learn leadership. I do feel bad about it and give him a wad of cash first. Too bad he drops all his inventory when he leaves!

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143441] Thu, 07 June 2007 15:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Will Gates is currently offline Will Gates

 
Messages:1012
Registered:September 2006
Location: Far far away.
Replace rubbish robot as you call it with the anims from UC-Sci-Fi pack for walking behmoth or turn him into T-2000 from DL but as RPC; nice clash with Steroid ha ha.

You fire Hamous? I changed prof.dat so nobody has a zero skill in anything. All former zeros are now ones. Gets them off the ground. But seriously you gotta have Hamous especially on the Sci-fi quest... "mmm...that a big bug. we don't have them on Metavira" and other classics!

:blackcat:

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Sergeant Major
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143489] Thu, 07 June 2007 20:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
foij is currently offline foij

 
Messages:227
Registered:February 2007
Location: in a van, down by the riv...
Hamous is funny (DOG!), but his wisdom IS pathetically low...I believe that Bubba is lower than him, and that's not saying much. I'd keep Tex over him any day of the week, and Tex's quotes are just as funny.

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Sergeant 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143497] Thu, 07 June 2007 21:23 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
Hamous has what? 36 wisdom? He's a hopeless case as far as I'm concerned. The only use I could possibly have for him is as a mule, and I train my mules in leadership so they can also train militia. With only an 18 merc limit I just don't have room for Hamous. He's also quite pricey at $250 a day compared to the M.E.R.C. guys. He's never in my employ longer than few weeks, and usually it's less than a day.

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143535] Fri, 08 June 2007 01:05 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Misteret is currently offline Misteret

 
Messages:31
Registered:July 2005
what, are you guys kidding? Hamous is legendary.

Go- Maddog (Lock/Mec)
Hamous (Explosives Expert)
Ira (Medic)
Razor (Team Leader)

Its all you need. 75% locally sourced. 50% free. Almost neglible daily outgoings. A contender for one of the most character-amusing games ever.

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Private 1st Class
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143536] Fri, 08 June 2007 01:09 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Headrock

 
Messages:1760
Registered:March 2006
Location: Jerusalem
Bah, the locals are useless when compared to the wrath of Ivan!

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Sergeant Major

Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143632] Fri, 08 June 2007 14:26 Go to previous messageGo to next message
the scorpion

 
Messages:1834
Registered:September 2004
Location: CH
why would the two exclude each other?

give Iggy the chance to catch up with his idol. Wink

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Sergeant Major
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143712] Fri, 08 June 2007 22:35 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Jack Funk is currently offline Jack Funk

 
Messages:47
Registered:August 2004
Location: New Hampshire, USA
Hamous rocks! I give him a big sniper rifle. During down time, have someone like Hitman train him in marksmanship and you're on your way.

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143714] Fri, 08 June 2007 23:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Headrock

 
Messages:1760
Registered:March 2006
Location: Jerusalem
Iggy's a great addition, if you're playing with more than one merc that is Wink

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Sergeant Major

Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143729] Fri, 08 June 2007 23:54 Go to previous messageGo to next message
DudeWheresMyTank is currently offline DudeWheresMyTank

 
Messages:51
Registered:August 2006
Location: Canada
I never take iggy because he pisses off miguel. I like my miggy better than iggy

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Corporal
Re: Getting the most out of the locals?[message #143766] Sat, 09 June 2007 03:24 Go to previous message
CCKeane is currently offline CCKeane

 
Messages:98
Registered:September 2004
Location: Hoboken/Long Island
Iggy pisses off Miguel, but I think the effect is negated significantly if you keep Miguel and the rebels together, I've heard complaining from Miguel and Carlos, but no morale drop.

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Corporal 1st Class
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