Home » SIRTECH CLASSICS » Jagged Alliance 2 » Jagged Alliance 2 General » Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.
Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221102] Sun, 14 June 2009 13:21 Go to next message
louist is currently offline louist

 
Messages:9
Registered:June 2009
Location: Canada

Before I begin, just let me say that I am not entirely hopeless. Turn based strategies, in particular squad based strategies, are the games I spend most of my gaming time on. From X-com to Silent Storm, Ogre Tactics to FF Tactics...

That said, since I purchased JA2:UB (my first attempt at a JA game) on Steam recently, I have been constantly frustrated. I seem completely hopeless when it comes to combat. So terribly hopeless, in fact, that I cannot even take out the very first group of enemies I encounter. Whether I try to sneak up on one and get a round of shots off before his reinforcements can arrive, engage them at night time (as suggested by the Hitman guide), or try to sneak past them all together (I've been able to get 3 sectors from the crash site this way, but never more.)

Throughout these attempts I've learned a number of things, such as turning off sneak mode in combat, use rocks for cover (trees don't seem to offer any/as much,) and how to check weapon range/cover. However, I seem to still be completely outnumbered, out-gunned, out-ranged, and out damaged. My pistols and sub-machine guns, even when within range, are wildly inaccurate and weak. My shotguns are more powerfull, but are so light on range that my mercs get chewed up just trying to get in range. The only weapon I've been having any luck with so far are Fox's automags. If only I had more!

So, can anyone offer me any advice? What am I doing wrong?? Is there a mod I should be using?

Also, when spending APs to aim, what does the yellow circle around the crosshairs indicate?

Oh, and finaly, the steam version of UB is, I believe 1.02, whereas I see a lot of talk on the forums of a version 1.13. Are many of my problems caused by an archaic build?

Thank you in advance. The fact that there is such a large and active community dedicated to JA2 tells me that the game has something fantastic to offer, if only I could wrap my head around it.

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Private
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221104] Sun, 14 June 2009 13:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
usrbid is currently offline usrbid

 
Messages:1506
Registered:December 2008
Hi Louist, check out the Gameplay section on my Wiki in my signature, there are a bunch of tips for you. When you get to the Wiki, you can find it in the sidebar to the right in the middle, you may need to scroll down a little.

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Sergeant Major

Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221105] Sun, 14 June 2009 13:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shanga is currently offline Shanga

 
Messages:3482
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia
I think you should take a better look at the mercs you recruit. Your team might be the kind that cannot hit a barn on the broad side. Check their starting gear also, might help to have a longer range rifle with you. The 9mm is a very weak gun, look for something with a harder punch if money allows.

Your objective should be to get in range, not sneak to 1m near the enemy. And you can also play defensive, aka finding good cover then luring the enemy to you. A couple of shots usually attracts them to your position.

And always check your AP. It's worth even reserving some. Protect your sniper (aka the one with the longest range rifle) by carefully spending just enough AP as to have enough to put him back into cover. Crouch position behind a rock or a window usually means your head is exposed so you might need to hit the deck more often.

The most common tactic I use is to split the team into tanks (read: expendable mercs or mules) armed with short range guns and sniper team. Tanks draw enemies close and risk their life by spotting the enemy to prevent interrupts, snipers put them down. When a tank gets badly injured, i pull him/her to safety to prevent death. But they usually work in pairs, so the other can bandage the badly wounded.

Hope it helps.

[Updated on: Sun, 14 June 2009 13:54] by Moderator

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Captain
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221106] Sun, 14 June 2009 13:56 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shanga is currently offline Shanga

 
Messages:3482
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia
Oh and if you find out that your shots dont do much body damage to a close enemy it might be worth popping a few on his legs. Those are usually less protected (unless he's wearing full spectra) and you can "faint" him enough to consume his APs or make him an easy knife target.

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Captain
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221107] Sun, 14 June 2009 14:03 Go to previous messageGo to next message
louist is currently offline louist

 
Messages:9
Registered:June 2009
Location: Canada

Thanks for the tips so far! I hadn't though to target legs. I assumed that the torso would be easiest to hit, so I stuck to that. I'll also check up on the Wiki.

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Private
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221116] Sun, 14 June 2009 14:46 Go to previous messageGo to next message
coffeecommander

 
Messages:86
Registered:June 2009
Location: Europe, and pitying you.

What, once I found out, helped me a lot when I was still all new to JA2, was to always make sure I was in no area for which I was insufficiently equipped, i.e. not running around in the open with nothing but a machine pistol at broad daylight.
And also, always retaining enough AP after moving from cover to cover to fire some shots at anyone who might bump into me.

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Corporal 1st Class
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221120] Sun, 14 June 2009 15:28 Go to previous messageGo to next message
louist is currently offline louist

 
Messages:9
Registered:June 2009
Location: Canada

Ok, a quick update! After taking a closer look at mercs, and spending a bit more on them, I was able to grab Raven with a rifle. And it helped. A lot. I had no real problem in the first encounter, snuck around the guard post at night, taking out the few enemies that spotted me, and almost made it through the woods to the east when I lost Red and Fox to a couple sudden SAW blasts. I noticed two things at this point:

a) I hadn't saved at any point, and
b) its now 5 am. I may be enjoying this a little too much.

Thanks.

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Private
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221123] Sun, 14 June 2009 16:22 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shanga is currently offline Shanga

 
Messages:3482
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia
Raven, Lynx, Scope, there are quite a few bad boys/girls on your side that can help. SMGs are nice backup weapon or excelent CQB full auto room redecorator, but on open field, the rifle is your best friend.

As for the other questions...

Using right-click when you aim you "invest" points into aiming and your target cursor gets smaller and smaller until it's maxed. The yellow circle will turn red at that point, i think.

JA2:UB is just a small sequel to JA2. A quick campaign plus the map editor as bonus. Too quick if you ask me. The thing you should be looking for is vanilla JA2. Thats the real deal. But it seems like you're hooked anyway, so i guess won't be long before you take over Arulco.

v1.13 is a massive overhaul of the vanilla JA2 made by fans. Sort of a "a dream JA2". It's not a mod, it's more of an upgrade. But it's not for JA2:UB. For UB you can find some mods and fresh campaigns, but nothing compared to what's on offer for the "mother game".

Finish UB, get a taste, then go buy JA2. When you're tired of the original game, there's a plethora of excelent mods. Diedranna Lives, Urban Chaos are those who made history and are a must, but after the source code was released many great mods were launched. The best are those based on v1.13 platform, of course. Even the "vanilla" v1.13, with the old plot in, is helluva lot more fun playing.

[Updated on: Sun, 14 June 2009 16:31] by Moderator

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Captain
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221309] Tue, 16 June 2009 02:00 Go to previous messageGo to next message
louist is currently offline louist

 
Messages:9
Registered:June 2009
Location: Canada

A quick update:

Starting out with a rifle or two has made a lot of difference, allowing me to get past those first key encounters.

I've also started playing JA2 with 1.13. The changes (especially the hit indicator) are fantastic. All in all, I'm finding it much easier than UB. Thank you again!

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Private
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221320] Tue, 16 June 2009 03:32 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shanga is currently offline Shanga

 
Messages:3482
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia
Hehe.. make sure you bring a friend when you take Drassen. And don't sleep under the moon. Very Happy

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Captain
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221324] Tue, 16 June 2009 04:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
louist is currently offline louist

 
Messages:9
Registered:June 2009
Location: Canada

Yes, I'm on my second try at holding it against the counter attack... Was quite a surprise. Also, what's with Nails demanding to waer his leather jacket all the time? He's asking for a stray shot to take hime out!

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Private
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221325] Tue, 16 June 2009 04:30 Go to previous messageGo to next message
coffeecommander

 
Messages:86
Registered:June 2009
Location: Europe, and pitying you.

Bah. Just have him stay behind proper cover...my mercs never wear anything heavier than jackets are all well and alive.
Though I do spend a lot of cash on med kits, I'll admit.

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Corporal 1st Class
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221365] Tue, 16 June 2009 13:53 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Off_Topic is currently offline Off_Topic

 
Messages:999
Registered:January 2009
Louist
Also, what's with Nails demanding to wear his leather jacket all the time?


Just part of his personality, if you really want him to wear armour, just hire him without equipment, he'll put on a Kevlar/Spectra vest and treat it like he does his leather jacket.

It takes away from the character a bit though.

********Spoiler***********









After a while you can get an Armoured Leather Jacket.












***********Spoiler***********

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First Sergeant

Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221375] Tue, 16 June 2009 15:21 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Will Gates is currently offline Will Gates

 
Messages:1012
Registered:September 2006
Location: Far far away.
"Don't mess with the vest scooter..."

I wonder how hard it would be to add other quirks like Buns refusing to ditch her shades (in fact doesn't Raven already have that trait in UB?) or Ivan refusing to use anything other than a Soviet made weapon.

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Sergeant Major
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221376] Tue, 16 June 2009 15:24 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shanga is currently offline Shanga

 
Messages:3482
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia
Hehe, that would make a nice twist indeed.

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Captain
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221377] Tue, 16 June 2009 15:47 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Starwalker is currently offline Starwalker

 
Messages:759
Registered:October 2005
Location: Hannover, Germany
Will Gates
"Don't mess with the vest scooter..."

I wonder how hard it would be to add other quirks like Buns refusing to ditch her shades (in fact doesn't Raven already have that trait in UB?) or Ivan refusing to use anything other than a Soviet made weapon.

That would be nice, but we do not have nationality-tags on the guns or other items...

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First Sergeant

Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221382] Tue, 16 June 2009 16:36 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Will Gates is currently offline Will Gates

 
Messages:1012
Registered:September 2006
Location: Far far away.
Yes but I'm sure Ivan already finds their "coolness" naturally higher whilst John Kulba would find their "coolness" far lower than one would expect. The "hated nationally" in prof.dat must imho be used as a factor in determining individual reactions to objects as well as people. Or if not then maybe it should.

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Sergeant Major
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221387] Tue, 16 June 2009 17:16 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Starwalker is currently offline Starwalker

 
Messages:759
Registered:October 2005
Location: Hannover, Germany
Will Gates
Yes but I'm sure Ivan already finds their "coolness" naturally higher whilst John Kulba would find their "coolness" far lower than one would expect. The "hated nationally" in prof.dat must imho be used as a factor in determining individual reactions to objects as well as people. Or if not then maybe it should.

I repeat: The guns do /not/ have any nationality associated with them, so Ivan does /not/ 'know' whether a gun was Soviet made or not. Thus he cannot find their coolness higher or lower, because there's nothing to base it on.

At the moment, nationality is only associated with people.

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First Sergeant

Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221388] Tue, 16 June 2009 17:19 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Shanga is currently offline Shanga

 
Messages:3482
Registered:January 2000
Location: Danubia

So how is Nails reaction to his leather vest coded in? It's pretty obvious it's not the coolness factor, he's just attached to whatever is equipped in chest slot, but how is it coded?

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Captain
Re: Oh my. Oh, oh my. I need a LOT of help.[message #221393] Tue, 16 June 2009 17:32 Go to previous message
Logisteric

 
Messages:3199
Registered:December 2008
Location: B
should be something in his 34.npc-file - the corresponding sound is 034_061. ##_061 is not used by anyone else - there even is no other ##_031 sound. i guess it was suppossed as 'personal'-sound but not implemented with other guys, 'cause they had to alter every ##.npc for that. without altering they could use just a few different ones for aim (won't reenlist, won't reenlist in the sam sector and such). just my 2 (maccie-)cents.

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Captain
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