JA2 - General Tips from Dr. Kill

The BSE Test

In the BSE Test, the skills and attributes of the AE are determined. Answer the questions truthfully and to the best of your knowledge and conscience, and you'll recognize yourself most in your AE. If a violence-prone curmudgeon with the IQ of moldy cheese comes out, put the game aside for now and go introspect instead. ;-)

If you don't like your personality, you're not a case for the psychiatrist but for the BSE Test Help Page, where you'll learn how the questions need to be answered. Here's a small overview of the talents:

  • Throwing: Affects throwing range with throwing knives and grenades. Especially useful in combination with night operations or stealth. A good knife thrower can clear a sector alone at night without firing a shot.
  • Ambidextrous: Requires fewer APs for dual-wielding (one weapon in each hand). Very useful at the start when fighting with pistols, but worthless at the end unless you prefer silenced SMGs.
  • Knife: Increases damage with combat knife or machete attacks. Only makes sense with stealth, as you need to get very close to the enemy undetected before the melee.
  • Brawling: You can also beat your enemies to death.
  • Martial Arts: The Far Eastern variant of good old boxing. Bruce Lee is alive.
  • Stealth: Reduces the chance of making noise. A must for knife fighters, can also be well combined with night ops or throwing. Night Ops: Allows seeing one tile farther at night. Makes many things easier. Lock-picking: Only needed by compulsive kleptomaniacs.
  • Auto Weapons: Reduces burst penalty (spread of the burst) when firing on full auto. Mandatory for psychos, otherwise not necessarily life-essential.
  • Heavy Weapons: Increases hit chance when firing heavy weapons (LAW, Mortar, Grenade Launcher). Since Grunty and Grizzly are two good and cheap heavy weapons specialists available, I advise against it.
  • Teaching: "Either you get boobs or you become a teacher" used to be mocked. In JA2 too, mercs who haven't learned anything useful become teachers. Speeds up militia training. Teachers are available by the dozen cheaply at A.I.M. and MERC. And Ira does the job for free.
  • Electronics: Tops the list of useless skills. Facilitates detecting and disarming electrical traps and door alarms. An experienced merc can do it anyway. Also needed to assemble the X-ray machine.

In the next part of the BSE Test, you assign points to various skills. A sensible distribution depends on the chosen talents. A lock-picker with two left thumbs or a heavy weapons expert with muscle atrophy brings nothing.

  • Wisdom: The alpha and omega. The higher the wisdom, the faster you learn. Since wisdom can't be increased by "legitimate means" (logically, Zlatko won't become Einstein), don't skimp here and assign 85 points.
  • Health: "He died from complications of a toe gunshot" would be an inglorious epitaph for a tough merc leader. Give a bit here but not too much, as long marches through Arulco's wilderness quickly turn an allergy-plagued asthmatic into a hale nature boy. Around 60 or just under 70 points are sensible.
  • Strength: Someone who buckles at the knees putting on their tin hat belongs on staff. Too bad there isn't one. Since there are no adjutants to carry your gear either, strength rises well while marching. 70 points are a good base.
  • Agility: Higher agility means more APs available. Also reduces noise chance while sneaking. Since agility rises only slowly (as anyone who's done gymnastics knows), give yourself a good 80 points. Dexterity: Primarily needed for crafts (bandaging, repairing, knife throwing, melee, lockpicking). If you want to specialize, invest here; for everyone else, the default 55 points suffice to avoid going down in Arulco history as "bull in a china shop."
  • Leadership: Needed to train militia and for talks with NPCs/RPCs. The average 55 points are sufficient; people usually obey an armed merc. Leadership rises quickly with practice (militia training), so you can even subtract a few points.
  • Marksmanship: It's embarrassing if a merc with a shotgun misses a barn door at 5m. On the other hand, marksmanship rises the fastest of all stats. So 70 points are a good compromise.
  • Explosives: Explosives knowledge isn't just useful on New Year's Eve. Arulco's architecture, especially door placements, needs improvement. Plus, Arulco's parliament forgot to ratify the international anti-personnel mine ban. You don't need master training, but basic knowledge should be there: 50 points. Medical: Helpers with savior complex must be able to perform open-heart surgery on the kitchen table with household tools. For everyone else, it's enough if the band-aid is at least near the wound, which you can manage with 35 points. For heart surgery, we'll hire a nice doctor from A.I.M. Mechanics: Everyone except lock-pickers can see it business-wise: Repairing items isn't our core competency, so we outsource cheaply via e-commerce on the global market, i.e.: 0 points.

The Team

Since you don't want to be lonely in Arulco, take some nice colleagues along. Who you hire depends first on your approach (e.g., if you prefer night fighting, prioritize mercs with night ops experience), second on your own skills (team members must complement each other since almost all skills are needed), and third on your wallet (top mercs have top prices; it's usually cheaper to hire an inexperienced one and train them).

An often neglected factor is the human aspect. Even pros have favorites and enemies. The danger is that morale rarely shows directly. Good team mood means mercs work better, shoot more accurately, and learn faster. Avoid hiring hate-mercs at all costs. At best, one quits; often, one misses at a crucial moment and the op turns fiasco. Sexist/Racist or loves/hates nation has less impact but still, don't put Buzz and Carlos on the same team. Sepp Herberger's "You should have 11 friends" applies not just to soccer players. The mercenaries page helps with selection.

A good starting combo for night ops is e.g., Spider, Raven, Static. All three have night ops; Spider is a good doctor, Static can open all doors and repair gear thanks to high mechanics and dexterity, and Raven shoots well. Spider and Static are good friends, and once gay marriage is legal in Arulco, Raven divorces and marries Spider at Father Walker's altar. The team always has super morale, making them much better than on paper. Complement with Grizzly as the brute (heavy weapons + melee) and Ira as militia trainer and girl-for-all. Just need an AE with night ops and throwing for stealth ops, and you have a budget "dream team." The AE should have above-average explosives knowledge though. The perpetually good mood of Spider, Static, and Raven rubs off on Grizzly, Ira, and the AE too.

The Equipment

Inventory slots and merc carrying capacity are limited (they're combat pigs, not pack mules). Overloading must be avoided; mercs tire faster, lose valuable APs in combat, and arrive after the party's over on marches. So you can't take everything useful; selection is key.

Every merc needs:

  • The weapon: The rifle is the soldier's bride, so be careful choosing. Since polygamy is tiring long-term, no point carrying arsenals around. An assault rifle with good range (FN-FAL, Steyr AUG) is a solid compromise meeting all needs. Add scope, laser sight, barrel extender, and bolt+spring, and no wishes left. Secondary weapon is superfluous as a goiter.
  • Ammo: You can club with the rifle, but right ammo is more efficient. Team-standard caliber means one small slot suffices. It's lying around everywhere anyway. Early on, HS ammo gives nice effects; after the 3rd town, switch to AP rounds unless big game hunting (bloodcat quest) or visiting Queen Mum (SF mode).
  • Med kit: Either trust St. QuickSavius or every merc except the doc carries one. Canteen: Quickly and reliably restores lost energy from hits or tear gas without side effects.
  • Clothing: Exhibitionists get summarily executed in Arulco, so proper outfit: hat, vest, pants. Plenty of laundry spots, so no need for spares.
  • Optics: Nearsightedness is a real issue for mercs. Fielmann sells stylish day goggles cheap. Since only pimps think shades at night are cool, mercs always carry night/UV goggles.
  • Earpiece: All the banging makes you deaf quick. So mercs always have a discreet earpiece mic. They hear more and longer what life has to offer.
  • Gas mask: You never know when cabbage is on the menu again.

The following should be one per team, given to who handles it best:

  • Doctor's bag: When band-aids aren't enough. Tool kit: Contrary to ads, you can't fix everything with superglue.
  • Locksmith Kit: Arulcoans don't hide keys under mats much.
  • Crowbar: Versatile: opens crates/doors, and properly used, strong painkiller. You're no monster; grant enemies painless death too. Explosives + detonator: Subsidized by Arulco construction. Or use LAW. Not subsidized, but can light campfires or cigars too. LAW/Mortar/Grenade Launcher: New Year's comes fast. Quick fix when outnumbered. Grenade launcher has better range/accuracy than Talon.
  • Throwing knives: Sometimes better to be quiet. Combat knife or machete: If mom nags about good role models and "cut a slice like your cousin/neighbor," obey as good son/daughter.
  • Glow sticks: AE said let there be light, and there was. Provides battlefield illum for night ops.
  • Wire cutters: Many annoying fences in Arulco.
  • Metal detector: Only needed without explosives expert (>70) to spot landmines. Experienced mercs/experts find them anyway. Enough to carry in pack; no need to hold.

Hand grenades: Distribute evenly across team.

  • Tear gas: Can leave at home; later enemies all have masks. Mustard gas: Messy; same as tear gas.
  • Smoke grenades: Must-have. Creates cover where none, protects wounded mercs, eases building entry. Can also smoke out enemies in tough spots.
  • Stun grenades: Enemies find breathtaking. Be quick; effect short.
  • Frag/Mini grenades: The show must go on. And it does. Against well-equipped foes, more noise/smoke than damage; need wagon-loads to impress black-shirts beyond visuals. Needs fix in JA3.

Before Combat

Rested mercs fight better. More APs; accuracy suffers when exhausted. Fighting after 10-hour overloaded march is suicide. On foot approach, march to adjacent sector and nap. If hurry, book Skyrider flight or drive; mercs sleep en route. On entry, pick points with best cover.

Movement in enemy sectors

Head down! Marching upright across battlefield survives only heroes in cheap US war flicks. JA2 is far more realistic; leads to eco-friendly early demise from lead poisoning.

Seek cover. Tree stops lots of bullets. Or prone in tall grass. Doesn't stop bullets but harder to spot. Merc standing free at turn end can polish golden cutlery. In deserts/open areas without cover, smoke grenades provide protection.

Split mercs into groups of 2-3 optimal. One advances, others provide fire support. Enemy heavy weapons/grenade use depends heavily on group size.

You have time; Deidranna's troops don't run usually. Think first, shoot later. Enemy surviving round usually no catastrophe.

Decide who shoots whom. Prioritize by threat: elites (training/gear): Ladies in Gray, Black-shirts, Camo, then Red-shirts last. Position matters too. Red-shirt with Type-85 clear LOS deadlier than distant blackshirt with rocket rifle behind trees. Best shot position first (avoids interruptions); if doubt, worse shooter. For standing/kneeling: Head: Hardest hit, max damage; Torso: Easier, less damage (black-shirts often armored; soften up). Legs only if last APs and need to stop advance: Knocks down, burns their APs standing.

Night ops: Watch light sources (lamps, windows, glow sticks); factor into sight/hit calc. Stay in lamp cone, realize not just moths drawn to light but blue beans too.

Generally sneak at night.

Window never good cover even daytime. Many soldiers got Jordan express thru window.

Autopsy after combat. Greed can kill.

On RT switch, reload immediately. Empty mag most embarrassing.

Problem mercs barricaded behind doors? Who says main entrance only. HMX or LAW makes nice side door. Door fans: Smoke grenade in door, then stun in room. Smoke covers, stun flattens for entry time.

In towns, use flat roofs. Stay from edge, prone mercs un hittable: Stand, shoot, prone wins tight spots.

Throwing knife/knife/silenced weapon: Silent elimination often succeeds. 3 ways:

  • Knife: Disadvantage: must close in. If succeed, elegant send-off. Artists' method.
  • Silenced weapons: Advantage: range. Merc must be ambidextrous (all silencer SMGs one-handed). Disadvantage: Often not enough vs black-shirts in one round; ricochets/misses loud.
  • Throwing knives: Less range than SMGs, no close sneak like knives. If spotted, near useless. Unseen throw: "Instant Kill." Miss usually fine; often unnoticed, second chance. Post-throw: Retrieve AIDS slingshot (bloody knife); reusable. (Delights green JA2 players ;-) My preferred. All stealth specs: Carry stones in pocket. Lure (throw short ahead) or distract (throw to look-away spot).

Burst mode: Only short range. Long distance: ammo waste; aimed head-shot same APs better.

After Combat

First reload, bandage, then loot corpses. Quick clean/repair hour post-fight mandatory. Weapons/gear suffer ops. 100% gun no jams; poor condition lowers accuracy. Wounded? Doc to work.

Next depends: town/SAM site conquered or prairie fight.

Open field: Pack, march on.

Towns: Check all cabinets; interesting stuff. Caution: Military sites (Grumm, Alma, N7, SAM sites): Experienced merc only; doors often trapped. Grenade/LAW/explosives not on corpse? Explosives expert pickup; often trap.

Then train militia to 20 blue per sector. No time loss; stay post-conquest anyway. Deidranna counterattacks.

Holding Occupied Areas

Deidranna bad loser. Post-town/SAM site: Beating for poor Elliot, sends troops reconquer. Stay to intercept assaults. Attacks taper after while; move on.

March troops to adjacent field. Closer to town, better loyalty boost. Scout fields/roads around town; spot incoming. Pre-enter likely assault sector, set ambush.

Fenced areas: Wire cutters for gaps. Militia not as trained as troops; vs black-shirts, need numbers advantage. Gaps let faster to hot-spots. Defending with militia: Never in their LOS; friend/foe-blind, target juicy. Flank main assault with mercs.

Miscellaneous

Cambria: Central depot for consumables (ammo, grenades, med kits).

Drop unneeded gear (armor parts, weapons) in militia sectors, spread on ground. Militia takes what fits.

Most items: Buyer exists. Worth only Tony (guns/attachments), Micky (animal parts).

Always give mercs tasks. Nothing special? Train or school (trainer/recruit). That's what you pay for.

Unneeded but keep items: Cabinets/crates. Else they grow legs.

©by Dr. Kill