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 BURN NOTICE: A JAGGED ALLIANCE  My name is Michael Westen. I used to be a spy until--... "We got a burn notice on you. You're blacklisted." When you're burned, you've got nothing. No cash, no credit, no job history. You're stuck in whatever city they decide to dump you in. "Where am I?" "Miami." You do whatever work comes your way. You rely on anyone who's still talking to you. A trigger-happy girlfriend--... "Should we shoot them?" An old friend who used to inform on you to the FBI--... "You know spies. Buncha bitchy little girls." Family, too--... "Hey, is that your mom again?" ...if you're desperate--... "Someone needs your help, Michael." And a down-and-out spy you met along the way. "That's how we do it, people!" Bottom line? As long as you're burned, you're not going anywhere.What is Burn Notice?: Burn Notice is a TV series on the USA Network created by Matt Nix and centering on Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan), a CIA operative who is suddenly blacklisted ("burned") for reasons unknown. Stuck in Miami, Michael begins putting his myriad talents to work helping desperate people out of desperate situations. Assisting him are his former IRA operative demolitions-expert girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), his amiable gold-digging ex-Navy SEAL buddy Sam (Bruce Campbell), and, from Season 4 onwards, burned CIA counterintelligence agent Jesse (Coby Bell). The series has just completed its fifth season, with the sixth scheduled to air this summer. What is Jagged Alliance 2?: Jagged Alliance 2 is a turn-based tactical RPG created by Sir-Tech Canada and originally released in 1999. The game places the player in the role of a mercenary hired by the exiled President of the tiny island nation of Arulco and charged with the task of killing the despotic Queen Deidranna and restoring liberty and prosperity to Arulco's people. The game was very well regarded when it was released for its mix of tactical and strategic gameplay, RPG elements, characterization of the various mercenaries you can hire, and replay value, but its longevity was assured in 2004 when the source code was released under license. In the last eight years, the thriving mod community has created (and continues to improve upon) Jagged Alliance 1.13, a mod that adds a huge number of improvements to the original game and externalizes most of the settings to enable players to tweak the game experience to exactly what they want. For those who are interested in learning more, please see the Jagged Alliance 2 thread, which is full of useful information and links (including details on where to buy the game). What is Burn Notice: A Jagged Alliance?: Burn Notice: A Jagged Alliance is a Let's Play featuring Burn Notice's Michael, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse becoming entangled in Arulco's resistance against evil Queen Deidranna. It won't quite be the typical JA2 experience; with four very good, very free, and very plot-armored soldiers in the Burn Notice characters, the game will lose a good chunk of the challenge. However, I'm hoping that the straight-up fun of Mike and crew running around Arulco shooting poo poo up will keep this LP modestly interesting (naturally, here and there I will be taking some liberties with the original JA2 story to better fit the characters). In terms of the Burn Notice timeline, this episode would seem to fit best somewhere around the first episode of Season Five. Although I will be playing through the tactical battles myself and posting the results, I plan on soliciting input from the thread on strategic moves (which city to attack next, which mercs to hire, how to equip the characters, etc.). Preference will be given to advice that can be justified as being generally 'in-character' for Mike, Fi, Sam, and Jesse, and requests that are blatantly out-of-character will be shunned (i.e., no massacring of the Hicks just for their gear). The Mod: JA2 v1.13 AIMNAS Wildfire v4561 (available here -- thanks to Tin Tim for tracking down the file!). I'm using this mod instead of the more recent 1.13 build because I really dig the Wildfire maps, I really like Smeagol's Item Mod, and I'm indifferent to NCTH (though NCTH is selectable in the options for this mod, I've heard it has some trouble with Wildfire). Please note that if you want to use this mod and you want to adjust the .INI, make sure you select the Data-AIMJA2_Options.INI file, as it defaults to Data-1.13JA2_Options.INI when you open the XML editor. Basic Game Settings:  Additional Settings / Rules: INI settings: * Start with $3,000 Cash (IMP fees set to $0 for this playthrough) * IMP Points raised from 500 to 750 (Mike, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse are longtime professionals, and are very, very good at what they do) * First Arrival Delay set to 7200 (so the characters arrive in Omerta at 3:00am) * Explosives damage increased to 200%, Gun damage set to 150% * Drassen counterattack turned OFF (it can be interesting, but it's also a tremendous slog that requires some gamey behavior to beat, and it doesn't really suit the pace of an LP) * 0% chance of Bobby Ray's shipments being lost ('cause that's just bullshit) * Facility event rarity set to 2500 (extremely rare) Self-Imposed Limitations: * Plot armor for Michael, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse, but other mercs are fair game. * No cash from mines until the harbor in Chitzena is opened * Enemies Drop All is on, but selling gear is not permitted. Anything that the characters don't use (or set aside as spare/backup equipment) goes to the militia (i.e. gets deleted) Astute readers will note that the in-game portraits for Michael, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse look very different from the other mercenaries and NPCs that the team will meet. This is because I am a terrible artist who does not understand computer graphics. However, I choose to justify it because Mike, Fi, Sam, and Jesse are the stars, and the lighting, makeup, costuming, and cinematography are all specifically focused on making the heroes stand out from the crowd.  The Heroes  Michael Westen Bio: A former Green Beret, Michael Westen was recruited as a covert CIA asset and spent 15 years as an operative throughout Europe and the OPEC nations. While on a mission in Nigeria, Michael was abruptly cut loose by his handler, who reported receiving a 'burn notice' blacklisting him from any future intelligence contact and freezing all of his assets. Michael is an expert with a huge variety of weapons (though he typically favors pistols) and displays a knack for acting and manipulation. He is also very adept at constructing and repairing electronic and mechanical devices such as radios, bugs, trackers, and his father's old '73 Charger. Character Trait: Assertive (bonuses to communication and training militia, but gains no morale for other mercs' actions) Disability: None Skills: * Marksman (bonuses to use rifles and sniper rifles) * Gunslinger (bonuses to use pistols) * Technician (bonuses to repair, lockpicking, combining items) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Athletics (faster movement) Abilities: * Health: 75 * Dexterity: 75 * Agility: 85 * Strength: 80 * Wisdom: 85 * Leadership: 50 * Marksmanship: 85 * Explosive: 50 * Medical: 50 * Mechanical: 70 * Starting Level: 5  Fiona Glenanne Bio: Fiona Glenanne first became associated with Michael Westen when she was working with the IRA and he was on a deep-cover mission in Dublin. Now based in Miami, Fiona is an independent agent closely associated with Westen. She is well-versed in demolitions and weapons use, and is a skilled markswoman. She is known for her volatile temper and her tendency to favor frontal, guns-blazing style assaults. She is believed to maintain close associations with the arms-dealing community. Character Trait: Aggressive (bonuses to hit with auto weapons, but penalties for tasks requiring patience, such as lockpicking, training militia, doctoring, etc.) Disability: None Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Sniper (significant bonuses to use rifles and sniper rifles) * Athletics (faster movement) * Demolitions (bonuses to use grenades and placed explosives) Abilities: * Health: 70 * Dexterity: 80 * Agility: 85 * Strength: 70 * Wisdom: 80 * Leadership: 40 * Marksmanship: 90 * Explosive: 85 * Medical: 50 * Mechanical: 45 * Starting Level: 4  Sam Axe Bio: After a career with the Navy SEALs, where he achieved the rank of Commander, Sam Axe was discharged in 2005 and retired to Miami. Known to be a close friend and associate of Michael Westen, Sam is described as having a particularly affable personality. Apart from the weapons and tactical training expected of a former SEAL, Sam has a wide net of contacts throughout the law enforcement, military, and intelligence communities. Character Trait: Sociable (bonuses when other mercs are nearby, but no bonuses when no other mercs are nearby) Disability: None Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Hunter (bonuses to use rifles and shotguns, and faster travel between sectors) * Deputy (bonuses to morale and suppression for nearby mercs) * Teaching (bonuses to train militia, teach skills to other mercs, and practice) * Scouting (bonuses to use binoculars and scopes, reveals number of enemies in neighboring sectors, cannot be ambushed) Abilities: * Health: 90 * Dexterity: 70 * Agility: 75 * Strength: 90 * Wisdom: 80 * Leadership: 85 * Marksmanship: 85 * Explosive: 40 * Medical: 35 * Mechanical: 55 * Starting Level: 4  Jesse Porter Bio: A former Counterintelligence Field Activity operative, Jesse Porter was inadvertently burned by Michael Westen during the latter's efforts to investigate his own blacklisting. Jesse is a trained field agent, but is known to be impulsive and favors risky tactics. Character Trait: Dauntless (bonuses to resist suppression / fear, but slightly easier to hit) Disability: None Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Marksman (bonuses to use rifles and sniper rifles) * Gunslinger (bonuses to use pistols) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Athletics (faster movement) Abilities: * Health: 80 * Dexterity: 80 * Agility: 85 * Strength: 85 * Wisdom: 80 * Leadership: 70 * Marksmanship: 80 * Explosive: 40 * Medical: 40 * Mechanical: 45 * Starting Level: 4 DRAMATIS PERSONĆ (linked for spoilers) -------------------------------------------- Miami, Florida June 23, 2011 -- 1949 EST  Michael opens the door and steps inside in his loft, only to stop short as he sees Fiona by his bed, tossing clothes into a duffel bag. "Fi...?" "You never take me anywhere, Michael. So I'm taking the initiative. We're taking a vacation."She casts around searching for something, exasperated. "Don't you have swimming trunks?" "Fi, where are you taking me?" "Somewhere sunny, and warm, and pleasant, where we can lay out in the sun and have a drink and--..." "We can do that in Miami." "But we don't, Michael. That's the point. We're getting out of this city, and we're going to a lovely little island in the Caribbean, with sandy beaches and friendly people... and just a tiny, tiny bit of civil war." "Arulco? You booked us a vacation to Arulco?" "Well, it's not all bad. I've heard Chitzena is wonderful this time of year. We can see the ruins and--..." "Fi, Arulco is a war zone. If you wanted a vacation, you would have booked us to Bermuda or Cabo or Jamaica. So why do I have the suspicion that there's something you're not telling me?" "I'm offended, Michael! Here I am, trying to pick up your slack and find something nice for us to do together, and all you can think is that I have some ulterior motive? Where's the trust?" "..." "Oh, alright... So I brokered a deal to fly some food and supplies to the rebels, and now I just need to chaperone the delivery." "Food and supplies?" "Yes, okay, and a few weapons. But it's for a good cause!" "And now you want to drag me into this." "Oh, come on. It's perfectly safe, Michael. Drassen is in rebel hands. We drop off the supplies, skip over to Chitzena for some R&R, and we'll be back in Miami by Thursday." "Fi, I really don't think this is a good idea..." "Fine then. You stay here, and I'll go deliver food and medicine to starving orphans in a war zone all by myself." "...and guns."She rolls her eyes. "And guns, yes. Well, not to the orphans... but Michael, you should hear Enrico talk about his people. They're suffering, and they need help, and we can give it to them!" "Enrico?" "Chivaldori. Exiled President of Arulco. He's the client." "Isn't he supposed to be dead?" "Lots of people are supposed to be dead, Michael. These days, its far more surprising when someone doesn't turn up alive somewhere."She zips up the bag as though zipping up the conversation. "The plane is at the airport now. Decision time, Michael. Are you going to make me sun myself on the beach alone?" "I never really had any choice, did I?"Fiona just smiles and tosses him his bag. ----------------------------------------------- Somewhere over the Carribbean June 24, 2011 -- 0248 EST  Fiona dozes in the small cabin while, beside her, Michael studies a laptop display. Behind them is a cargo area with stacks of large wooden crates. The most vital weapon in a spy's arsenal is not his pistol or his knife. It's his information. With the right data, a good spy can gain a complete understanding of his environment. And when he understands the environment, he controls it.        But with bad data, the environment controls him. He may as well be walking in blind, deaf, and dumb. "We're beginning our approach to Drassen. Should be on the ground in ten."Fiona stirs, gives a catlike stretch, and glances over to Michael. "What are you reading?" "Intel reports. Fi, you said Drassen is under rebel control, right? You're sure?" "Enrico assured me it was. Why?" "It's a confused mess down there. Not much reliable reporting is getting out, but it sounds like the Queen has been pushing hard in the north, and the rebels have been falling back. If she's taken the airport, Fi..."Fiona opens her mouth to respond, but the words are cut off sharply as the plane suddenly banks hard to the left. "SAM! Incoming SAM!"Without an instant's hesitation, Michael unbuckles his seatbelt and lunges for the emergency parachute. But just as his fingers brush against the straps, he is thrown back into his seat as plane banks sharply back to the right. Outside the plane's windows, a white streak flashes harmlessly past. "We got another one! No, two!"Michael lunges again and manages to snatch the parachute from its locker. He hangs on as the small plane frantically jukes once again. "BRACE! OH, SHI--"An explosion bucks the aircraft, and alarms sound as it begins to tumble through the sky. Behind Michael and Fiona, the entire tail of the plane has been blown off, and much of the cargo with it. Michael drags himself out of his seat as the plane goes into freefall. "Fi! Hold on to me!"Reaching down, Fiona snatches a backpack from under her seat and throws her arms around Michael. Together, the two of them struggle over the remaining boxes of cargo and hurl themselves out into the night sky. -------------------------------------------- Omerta, Arulco June 24, 2011 -- 0300 EST  Fiona crouches in the dark as Michael finishes concealing the parachute in the tall grass. She pulls a tactical vest and a pistol from her pack, and screws a silencer onto the barrel. "They had to have seen our 'chute. We need to move before a search team gets here." "We should make contact with the rebels and get underground. Let's take cover in that house and see what we can see." Fiona covers the outside of the house with her pistol as Mike sneaks inside. From one of the windows, he can see Paco, a young Arulcan boy, creeping through the yard towards them.  Michael emerges and approaches the youth. Paco, startled, turns and gestures frantically for Michael to stay down. He points up to a nearby roof; silhouetted against the night sky is a man with a submachine gun. Michael motions for Fiona to cover him from the corner of the house. He dashes silently across the yard towards the gas station.  But just as Michael is about to pull himself up onto the roof, another enemy soldier appears from around the pillar!  Unarmed, Michael does the only thing he can. Charging forward, he disarms the soldier and shoots him once in the chest with his own PM Makarov pistol.  As the soldier stumbles away in shock, Fiona rushes up to cover Michael. Just in time, too, as another soldier appears out of the darkness, and they hear the sound of yet more boots in the street merely yards away.  With the soldier on the roof alerted by the gunshot, Fiona clambers up and shoots him in the head before he can rake them with his weapon.  As his body tumbles off the roof, she dashes forward and picks up his Type 85 -- a cheap, Chinese-made submachine gun.  Fiona levels her SMG and squeezes off a burst, which riddles the soldier with bullets and leaves him dead.  At nearly the same time, Michael catches sight of another soldier, this one armed with a shotgun, trying to outflank him.  He squeezes off two rounds, dropping the target.  As Fiona spots an enemy approaching from the east, Michael is caught with a near-empty magazine by a charging soldier. He fires and hits, but does not drop the target.  With little other choice, he races forward and delivers a lethal strike to the wounded enemy's throat. He picks up a fallen shotgun, rearming himself.  From the roof, Fiona fires a well-aimed burst at an approaching foe.  The fallen soldier's squadmate, either out of stupidity or fanatical devotion to his Queen, follows him right into the line of fire...  And meets the same fate.  Meanwhile, Michael does not even have time to get back into cover before another soldier runs up from the west and ducks behind a pillar for cover.  Rolling around the pillar, Michael delivers a burst of buckshot to the soldier's chest...  Then quickly wheels to unload a second blast at another enemy racing up from the southwest.  With the last of the search team dead, quiet falls across western Omerta, broken by the sound of Fiona's boots hitting the dirt as she jumps down from the roof. "Fi! You alright?" "I'm alright. You?" "Fine, considering..."Fiona fixes him with a death glare. All of her typical playfulness is gone. "Don't even think about it, Michael. Not one word."Michael is silent for a moment. He surveys the bodies arrayed around them, and picks up a carbine from one of the fallen. "We need to get moving." Early-game loot is unsurprisingly unimpressive. Michael holsters the PM Makarov, slings the M870 shotgun, and picks up an M-1 Carbine. It's fairly short-range, but accurate, and until we get scopes range isn't much of an advantage. Mike also grabs a second pistol -- an M1911.  Fiona too holsters the pistol, slings the Type 85, and picks up a Remington SPS, a rifle with good accuracy, damage, and range, but a slow ROF. Still, with her Sniper trait, it will be a reasonably effective weapon for her at this stage in the game. I also equip both Mike and Fi with helmets and camoflage uniforms from the dead soldiers. It'll give them a little protection in combat, and the camo will make them a little harder to see as well. Both also pocket Light Knives. EPISODE 02: Finding Miguel EPISODE 03: Trouble on the Road EPISODE 04: Decisions in Drassen EPISODE 05: Where Do We Go Now? EPISODE 06: Splitting Up EPISODE 07: Father Walker EPISODE 08: Chitzena, Jewel of the Caribbean EPISODE 09: Chitzena Harbor -- Lifeline of a Nation EPISODE 10: Resort Town EPISODE 11: My First Militia EPISODE 12: Counterattacks Continue EPISODE 13: Fresh Meat EPISODE 14: Defend the Harbor! EPISODE 15: The Storming of Drassen, Part I EPISODE 16: The Storming of Drassen, Part II (Part I) EPISODE 17: The Storming of Drassen, Part II (Part II) EPISODE 18: Housekeeping I EPISODE 19: Chitzena Under Siege EPISODE 20: Prodding Drassen EPISODE 21: The Next Steps EPISODE 22: Double the SAM, Double the Fun EPISODE 23: Housekeeping II EPISODE 24: Playing Defense EPISODE 25: Massacre at the Bridge EPISODE 26: Fresh Talent EPISODE 27: The Depot Raid EPISODE 28: The Omerta Hop EPISODE 29: The Vegas of the Caribbean EPISODE 30: They Really Want That SAM Back EPISODE 31: The Battle of Grumm, Part I EPISODE 32: The Battle of Grumm, Part II EPISODE 33: The Battle of Grumm, Part III EPISODE 34: Beer, MMA, and Prostitutes EPISODE 35: Face to Face With Kingpin EPISODE 36: The Devin Show EPISODE 37: Fall of a Crime Lord EPISODE 38: Housekeeping III EPISODE 39: Completing the I-Team EPISODE 40: Depot Raid II: The Depotening EPISODE 41: Mad Labs and Mad Dogs EPISODE 42: Cambria U EPISODE 43: Cambria Too EPISODE 44: Нет Буденновске EPISODE 45: Blackshirts vs. the Eagle Fearball EPISODE 46: The Best Offense is a Good Defense EPISODE 47: Gumpy vs. the Hicks EPISODE 48: The Orta Wildlife Research Center EPISODE 49: In the House of Dr. Poppins EPISODE 50: Prison Break, Part I EPISODE 51: Prison Break, Part II EPISODE 52: Resting, Recovering, and Rearming FiddlersThree fucked around with this message at 02:16 on Apr 7, 2013 |
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DRAMATIS PERSONĆ SPOILER WARNINGThis list is intended to be a quick reference of all the mercenaries and NPCs encountered by the characters as the game progresses. If you are reading through this LP from the start, I would recommend skipping this section and only returning if you need to identify a character. Also note that the stats for the mercenaries are the characters' starting values. ------------------------- Mercenaries (Link to AIM and MERC rosters)  Igor DolvichBio: Following in his uncle’s footsteps won’t be easy for Igor. His uncle, Ivan Dolvich, is legendary. Though Igor may be new to A.I.M., he is by no means new to armed conflict. He perfected his stealth abilities while seeing intensive action in Chechnya. And did we mention that Ivan Dolvich is his uncle? A bloodline simply impossible to ignore. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Night Ops (bonuses to see, hear, and get interrupts at night) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) Abilities: * Health: 92 * Dexterity: 78 * Agility: 89 * Strength: 82 * Wisdom: 83 * Leadership: 34 * Marksmanship: 83 * Explosives: 26 * Medical: 17 * Mechanical: 27 * Starting Level: 3  Helmut “Grunty” GruntherBio: Helmut has moved through the ranks of this organization quicker than any other mercenary and is now firmly established as a seasoned professional. Grunty’s attitude and approach continues to be exemplary, making him one of our most popular mercenaries. Character Trait: Optimist (morale fades more slowly and rises more quickly; lower chance of detecting mines and traps) Disability: None Skills: * Heavy Weapons (bonuses with mortars, grenade launchers, RPGs, LAWs) * Deputy (bonuses to morale and suppression for nearby mercs) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) Abilities: * Health: 82 * Dexterity: 76 * Agility: 79 * Strength: 71 * Wisdom: 72 * Leadership: 21 * Marksmanship: 78 * Explosives: 28 * Medical: 16 * Mechanical: 42 * Starting Level: 3 Tim “Gumpy” Hillman  Bio: Tim is a brilliant explosives expert who catches on quickly. When it comes to explosives, though, there really isn’t much room for error. Tim Hillman would probably still be enrolled in Harvard, doing graduate research in electro-magnetic fields, if it wasn’t for a couple bouts of severe depression… possibly due to his constant exposure to EMF.Character Trait: Phlegmatic (bonuses to jobs that require patience like training, repairing, and lockpicking; slightly less chance of getting interrupts) Disability: Heat-intolerant (penalties in tropical and desert zones) Skills: Technician (bonuses to repair, lockpicking, combining items) Abilities: * Health: 67 * Dexterity: 67 * Agility: 45 * Strength: 68 * Wisdom: 94 * Leadership: 11 * Marksmanship: 42 * Explosives: 46 * Medical: 11 * Mechanical: 43 * Starting Level: 1  Dr. Q. HuaongBio: Dr. Huaong draws his medical knowledge from the many branches of ancient healing and modern medicine. His marksmanship may be a little poor, but Dr. Q has expertise in so many other disciplines -- night operations, guerrilla warfare tactics, and martial arts -- that he more than makes up for any weakness. Dr. Q's salary is currently under review. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Martial Arts (significant bonuses in unarmed hand-to-hand combat) * Paramedic (bonuses to the Medical skill, can heal stat damage) * Night Ops (bonuses to see, hear, and get interrupts at night) Abilities: * Health: 88 * Dexterity: 81 * Agility: 92 * Strength: 78 * Wisdom: 92 * Leadership: 26 * Marksmanship: 76 * Explosives: 21 * Medical: 64 * Mechanical: 24 * Starting Level: 3  Keith "Blood" HansonBio: Whether it's jungle warfare or close-quartered combat, Blood Hanson is your man for the assignment. Trained in the martial arts, his ability to fling a combat knife into an enemy's neck is a sight to behold: it seems to come out of nowhere, sails an impossibly long distance, then slices through its target with unerring accuracy. Keith Hanson is a former member of the ANC. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Martial Arts (significant bonuses in unarmed hand-to-hand combat) * Throwing (bonuses to use throwing knives) Abilities: * Health: 84 * Dexterity: 82 * Agility: 92 * Strength: 82 * Wisdom: 75 * Leadership: 6 * Marksmanship: 78 * Explosives: 32 * Medical: 11 * Mechanical: 18 * Starting Level: 3  Fidel DahanBio: Due to numerous employer complaints concerning his refusal to follow orders, Fidel "Leave me alone, I'm busy!" Dahan was recently suspended for a thirty-day period. Promising a much better attitude, he was returned to active duty due to his proficiency with firearms, his fists, and, last but not least, explosives. Character Trait: Aggressive (greater-than-normal morale increases and more difficult to affect with suppressive fire; severe morale penalty when retreating from a battle) Disability: Nervous (can suffer panic attacks if alone) Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Melee (bonuses in armed hand-to-hand combat) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Demolitions (bonuses to use grenades and placed explosives) Abilities: * Health: 88 * Dexterity: 82 * Agility: 86 * Strength: 83 * Wisdom: 78 * Leadership: 13 * Marksmanship: 87 * Explosives: 97 * Medical: 18 * Mechanical: 39 * Starting Level: 4  Ice WilliamsBio: The Iceman is back. After a short yet disastrous stint with one of our competitors -- and we use that term loosely -- Ice gained insight and wisdom on the merits of dealing with a professional organization. Williams owes a debt of gratitude to his best friend Magic for getting him reinstated. Ice's patience and friendly demeanor make him an ideal instructor. His choice of weapons is an automatic. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Machinegunner (significant bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Teaching (bonuses to train militia, teach skills to other mercs, and practice) Abilities: * Health: 90 * Dexterity: 87 * Agility: 78 * Strength: 84 * Wisdom: 78 * Leadership: 64 * Marksmanship: 86 * Explosives: 29 * Medical: 23 * Mechanical: 28 * Starting Level: 4  Thor KaufmanBio: This vegetarian New Age healer has an amazing grasp of medicine for a man who's never seen the inside of a university med school. He also has a decent grasp of killing quickly and quietly. Born on the outskirts of Berlin, he now calls California home where he lives in the mountains with his newborn son and ex-wife, Cassandra. Character Trait: Pacifist (morale bonus on non-combat assignments, but gains no morale for killing) Disability: None Skills: * Hand to Hand (bonuses in unarmed hand-to-hand combat) * Paramedic (bonuses to the Medical skill, can heal stat damage) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Scouting (bonuses to use binoculars and scopes, reveals number of enemies in neighboring sectors, cannot be ambushed) Abilities: * Health: 96 * Dexterity: 84 * Agility: 83 * Strength: 89 * Wisdom: 97 * Leadership: 50 * Marksmanship: 75 * Explosives: 15 * Medical: 61 * Mechanical: 24 * Starting Level: 3  HamousBio: Hamous had his first taste of combat in Metavira, and on a glowing recommendation from a major client, Jack Richards, he was granted an internship with AIM, which recently expired. Regrettably, poor Hamous never did manage to save up the money for that mini-van that he desperately wanted, so he did the next-best thing and stole one just outside Paris. Actually, it was an ice-cream truck, and he was last seen heading towards Istanbul in it. Character Trait: Primitive (energy levels decrease more slowly, but mental stats improve more slowly) Disability: None Skills: * Melee (bonuses in armed hand-to-hand combat) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Scouting (bonuses to use binoculars and scopes, reveals number of enemies in neighboring sectors, cannot be ambushed) Abilities: * Health: 96 * Dexterity: 84 * Agility: 83 * Strength: 89 * Wisdom: 97 * Leadership: 50 * Marksmanship: 75 * Explosives: 15 * Medical: 61 * Mechanical: 24 * Starting Level: 3  Devin ConnellBio: An Irish explosives dealer and former member of the IRA, Devin is driven by profit over ideology, and has come to Arulco to take advantage of the ready market for things that go boom. Character Trait: Loner (gains greater morale for own actions, but does not gain morale from the actions of others) Disability: None Skills: * Technician (bonuses to repair, lockpicking, combining items) * Melee (bonuses in armed hand-to-hand combat) * Demolitions (bonuses to use grenades and placed explosives) Abilities: * Health: 73 * Dexterity: 88 * Agility: 61 * Strength: 71 * Wisdom: 72 * Leadership: 11 * Marksmanship: 67 * Explosives: 96 * Medical: 2 * Mechanical: 34 * Starting Level: 3  Steve “Grizzly” BornellBio: A bear of a man, Grizzly Bornell carries the big guns of battle with authority. Even though heavy weapons are his specialty, he is just as lethal empty-handed. He's a soldier's soldier -- all guts and no need for glory. Not surprisingly, his combat exploits are almost always the talk of the plane ride home. Character Trait: Dauntless (increased resistance to suppression and fear and less morale loss from injury and companion death, but can be hit more easily) Disability: None Skills: * Heavy Weapons (bonuses with mortars, grenade launchers, RPGs, LAWs) * Hand-to-Hand (bonuses in unarmed hand-to-hand combat) * Bodybuilding (increased carrying capacity, increased damage resistance) Abilities: * Health: 94 * Dexterity: 62 * Agility: 69 * Strength: 95 * Wisdom: 72 * Leadership: 19 * Marksmanship: 79 * Explosives: 41 * Medical: 14 * Mechanical: 26 * Starting Level: 3  Norma “Meltdown” JessopBio: Don't mess with Meltdown. She may be smiling in her file photo, but that smile is deceptive. This mercenary is legendary; an enemy once died at her feet from fear before Meltdown had even raised her weapon. As for her taste in weapons -- the bigger, the better. In fact, Meltdown has a tendency for overkill in virtually every aspect of her life. Jessop is remarkably ambidextrous; she can easily fire two weapons simultaneously. Character Trait: Malicious (has a greater chance of -- and gains a morale bonus from -- inflicting wounds that cause stat loss, but has penalties for communicating with people, and loses morale more quickly when not fighting) Disability: None Skills: * Heavy Weapons (bonuses with mortars, grenade launchers, RPGs, LAWs) * Gunslinger (bonuses to pistols and machine pistols) * Ambidextrous (no penalty for using weapons in both hands) Abilities: * Health: 78 * Dexterity: 84 * Agility: 74 * Strength: 76 * Wisdom: 82 * Leadership: 24 * Marksmanship: 83 * Explosives: 40 * Medical: 12 * Mechanical: 15 * Starting Level: 3  Ivan DolvichBio: Ivan, a former decorated Red Army Major, joined A.I.M. over three years ago. Despite serious difficulties communicating in English, he took the mercenary world by storm, breaking all kill-rate records and tallying up the kind of stats that perhaps only he himself is capable of breaking. Ivan himself says it best: "Gun, all gun, like finger on hand." In order to improve his relationship with commanders, Ivan has enrolled in an "English as a second language" course. Character Trait: Dauntless (increased resistance to suppression and fear and less morale loss from injury and companion death, but can be hit more easily) Disability: None Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Heavy Weapons (bonuses with mortars, grenade launchers, RPGs, LAWs) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Athletics (faster movement) Abilities: * Health: 92 * Dexterity: 90 * Agility: 88 * Strength: 83 * Wisdom: 79 * Leadership: 35 * Marksmanship: 92 * Explosives: 55 * Medical: 15 * Mechanical: 23 * Starting Level: 4  Cynthia “Fox” GuzzmanBio: Initially trained as an emergency room nurse, Fox Guzzman was recently featured in "Babes and Bullets", a prestigious monthly mercenary magazine. Her article on instructing medical personnel in the proper control of battlefield hemorrhaging was almost as highly praised as her centerfold layout. Rumor has it that Fox is equally skilled with both hands. Guzzman has recently spent a lot of time on the firing range and it has paid off handsomely. Character Trait: Show-off (performs better around mercs of the opposite gender, but slows morale growth of nearby mercs of the same gender) Disability: Fear of insects (reduced performance in tropical sectors) Skills: * Gunslinger (bonuses to pistols and machine pistols) * Ambidextrous (no penalty for using weapons in both hands) * Paramedic (bonuses to the Medical skill, can heal stat damage) Abilities: * Health: 77 * Dexterity: 100 * Agility: 85 * Strength: 55 * Wisdom: 76 * Leadership: 22 * Marksmanship: 69 * Explosives: 10 * Medical: 71 * Mechanical: 9 * Starting Level: 2  Frank "Hitman" HennessyBio: The Hitman's easy-going and personable disposition has made him one of the more popular and respected mercenaries in the organization. Unfortunately, Frank hasn't been taking care of himself lately and his health and skills have dropped off slightly. Despite repeated attempts, Hennessy has been unable to overcome his weight problem. Hitman has been talking about throwing in the towel and becoming a combat instructor. Character Trait: Sociable (bonuses when other mercs are nearby, but no bonuses when no other mercs are nearby) Disability: Nonswimmer (much more likely to drown when swimming) Skills: * Marksman (bonuses to use rifles and sniper rifles) * Deputy (bonuses to morale and suppression for nearby mercs) * Teaching (bonuses to train militia, teach skills to other mercs, and practice) Abilities: * Health: 75 * Dexterity: 74 * Agility: 78 * Strength: 69 * Wisdom: 78 * Leadership: 52 * Marksmanship: 82 * Explosives: 22 * Medical: 23 * Mechanical: 24 * Starting Level: 3  Sheila "Scope" SterlingBio: First off, a correction is in order: Sterling's previous bio mistakenly stated that she was a member of the British Special Forces when, in fact, no such service exists. She served with the British Special Air Service (SAS). A.I.M. regrets the error and any inconvenience it may have caused. Trained in urban warfare, Scope is an expert markswoman and is well-versed in night operations. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Sniper (significant bonuses to use rifles and sniper rifles) * Night Ops (bonuses to see, hear, and get interrupts at night) Abilities: * Health: 80 * Dexterity: 76 * Agility: 80 * Strength: 65 * Wisdom: 81 * Leadership: 37 * Marksmanship: 91 * Explosives: 24 * Medical: 22 * Mechanical: 10 * Starting Level: 4  Robert James "Scully" SullivanBio: The amiable Scully Sullivan is a long-time A.I.M. member. He's one of our most distinguished mercenaries and perhaps the most respected among his peers. Sullivan currently leads A.I.M. with the highest number of combat engagements in almost as many different countries. Need someone to snap the last breath from an undesirable? Sullivan's your man. Scully is well-known for his skills with a bladed weapon. Character Trait: Optimist (morale fades more slowly and rises more quickly; lower chance of detecting mines and traps) Disability: None Skills: * Machinegunner (significant bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Deputy (bonuses to morale and suppression for nearby mercs) * Melee (bonuses in armed hand-to-hand combat) * Athletics (faster movement) Abilities: * Health: 90 * Dexterity: 96 * Agility: 90 * Strength: 85 * Wisdom: 93 * Leadership: 70 * Marksmanship: 92 * Explosives: 66 * Medical: 17 * Mechanical: 64 * Starting Level: 5  Gus TarballsBio: After rather heated negotiations, A.I.M. is pleased to announce that the legendary DFK annihilator, Gus Tarballs, is now a member of our ranks. Gus' induction was delayed slightly when his mobile home slipped from its support blocks while he was in the process of cleaning the septic hosing. Fortunately, his crushed right leg has healed rather nicely. Our medical staff has recently cleared heavy weapons specialist Tarballs for full active duty. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Heavy Weapons (bonuses with mortars, grenade launchers, RPGs, LAWs) * Squadleader (significant bonuses to level, morale, and suppression for nearby mercs) * Melee (bonuses in armed hand-to-hand combat) Abilities: * Health: 75 * Dexterity: 84 * Agility: 65 * Strength: 82 * Wisdom: 94 * Leadership: 83 * Marksmanship: 97 * Explosives: 76 * Medical: 48 * Mechanical: 80 * Starting Level: 8  Kirk "Static" StevensonBio: The years may go by, but Static barely seems to age. His lifestyle and laid-back nature allow Kirk to operate best under the cover of darkness. He has served his commanders well with his mechanical abilities and knowledge of electronics. And don't be deceived by his hippie looks; peace and love are the furthest things from his mind. Like his good friend Spider, Static can't stand the sight of insects. Character Trait: Phlegmatic (bonuses to jobs that require patience like training, repairing, and lockpicking; slightly less chance of getting interrupts) Disability: Fear of Insects (reduced performance in tropical sectors) Skills: * Engineer (significant bonuses to repair, lockpicking, combining items, and robot maintenance) * Night Ops (bonuses to see, hear, and get interrupts at night) Abilities: * Health: 79 * Dexterity: 95 * Agility: 66 * Strength: 59 * Wisdom: 60 * Leadership: 16 * Marksmanship: 86 * Explosives: 35 * Medical: 15 * Mechanical: 99 * Starting Level: 4  Earl "Magic" WalkerBio: Magic's calm, cool, and collected demeanor sets the tone for battle. In peak physical condition, he displays mouse-like movement and catlike agility. Magic can ferret out danger with astonishing acumen. And with his lethal marksmanship, he quickly and efficiently puts an end to any threat. He's nicknamed Magic due to the way doors seem to magically open in front of him. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Technician (bonuses to repair, lockpicking, combining items) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Athletics (faster movement) * Bodybuilding (increased carrying capacity, increased damage resistance) Abilities: * Health: 95 * Dexterity: 98 * Agility: 99 * Strength: 92 * Wisdom: 80 * Leadership: 39 * Marksmanship: 94 * Explosives: 50 * Medical: 10 * Mechanical: 79 * Starting Level: 5  Biff ApscottBio: We can't even begin to list the number of battles Biff Apscott has witnessed. His experience, dedication, and willingness to part with his retirement fund have made this agency what it is today. In a private moment between warriors, Col. Leon Roachburn once said Biff is "a fearless leader of men. A man without equal." Biff is in charge of recruitment and personnel training for M.E.R.C. and is a silent partner in the business. Character Trait: Pacifist (morale bonus on non-combat assignments, but gains no morale for killing) Disability: Nervous (can suffer panic attacks if alone) Skills: * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Teaching (bonuses to train militia, teach skills to other mercs, and practice) Abilities: * Health: 78 * Dexterity: 76 * Agility: 78 * Strength: 51 * Wisdom: 58 * Leadership: 13 * Marksmanship: 57 * Explosives: 4 * Medical: 4 * Mechanical: 0 * Starting Level: 2  Florence GabrielBio: The daughter of vineyard workers, Florence Gabriel spent most of her childhood in Cognac, France before moving to Pittsburgh. After settling in the U.S., she took a job as the bookkeeper for a major gun dealer where she acquired extensive knowledge on the value of firearms. Slightly hesitant, but bright, Flo is simply priced too low to pass up. Florence volunteers with illiterate adults during her spare time. Character Trait: Pacifist (morale bonus on non-combat assignments, but gains no morale for killing) Disability: Nervous (can suffer panic attacks if alone) Skills: * Teaching (bonuses to train militia, teach skills to other mercs, and practice) Abilities: * Health: 58 * Dexterity: 74 * Agility: 52 * Strength: 45 * Wisdom: 82 * Leadership: 2 * Marksmanship: 39 * Explosives: 2 * Medical: 13 * Mechanical: 7 * Starting Level: 1 ------------------------- Rebels and Sympathizers  Ira SmytheBio: Daughter of a wealthy New York family, Ira traveled to Arulco as part of Habitat for Humanity before Queen Deidranna seized power. When the fighting began in earnest and the organization withdrew from the country, Ira stayed behind and was caught up in the fighting. Although not a soldier, Ira quickly learned how to defend herself on the war-torn island. Character Trait: Assertive (bonuses to communication and training militia, but gains no morale for other mercs' actions) Disability: Nonswimmer (much more likely to drown when swimming) Skills: * Paramedic (bonuses to the Medical skill, can heal stat damage) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) * Teaching (bonuses to train militia, teach skills to other mercs, and practice) Abilities: * Health: 78 * Dexterity: 91 * Agility: 78 * Strength: 65 * Wisdom: 83 * Leadership: 14 * Marksmanship: 67 * Explosive: 2 * Medical: 38 * Mechanical: 8 * Starting Level: 2  Dimitri GuzzoBio: A young Russian exchange student who was studying at the University of Cambria when Queen Deidranna seized power, Dimitri Guzzo was part of the earliest protests against her rulership. When fighting broke out, he joined Miguel and the rebels and never looked back. Having spent years fighting for Arulco, he now considers it much more his home than Russia ever was. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: Forgetful (occasionally forgets non-combat orders) Skills: * Melee (bonuses in armed hand-to-hand combat) * Throwing (bonuses to use throwing knives) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) Abilities: * Health: 79 * Dexterity: 60 * Agility: 81 * Strength: 78 * Wisdom: 67 * Leadership: 21 * Marksmanship: 78 * Explosive: 12 * Medical: 3 * Mechanical: 64 * Starting Level: 2  Miguel CordonaBio: Descendent of the Cordona family, one of the only two Arulcan families (along with the Chivaldoris) considered worthy of the Kingship, Miguel Cordona is the leader of the rebels in Arulco. It was he who faked the death of Enrico Chivaldori and helped him escape the Queen’s ‘justice’ despite the rivalry between their families. Miguel was badly wounded in the fighting for Drassen during Queen’s most recent push against the rebels, and has been recuperating in his hidden Omerta bunker with the last of the rebels. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Deputy (bonuses to morale and suppression for nearby mercs) * Melee (bonuses in armed hand-to-hand combat) * Night Ops (bonuses to see, hear, and get interrupts at night) Abilities: * Health: 88 * Dexterity: 76 * Agility: 73 * Strength: 83 * Wisdom: 80 * Leadership: 98 * Marksmanship: 85 * Explosive: 31 * Medical: 11 * Mechanical: 22 * Starting Level: 6  Carlos Dasouza Bio: Miguel Cordona’s right-hand man, Carlos is embittered by the fighting and the rebels’ defeats, and is suspicious of outsiders. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: None Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Throwing (bonuses to use throwing knives) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) Abilities: * Health: 82 * Dexterity: 72 * Agility: 92 * Strength: 72 * Wisdom: 78 * Leadership: 38 * Marksmanship: 78 * Explosive: 20 * Medical: 9 * Mechanical: 26 * Starting Level: 4  Kevin "Maddog" Cameron Bio: The son of Jake Cameron, "Maddog" grew up in his father's junkyard, where he honed his technical abilities by collecting and repairing various pieces of equipment for later sale. Although he's not a soldier, Maddog is in good physical shape, knows how to shoot, and harbors a burning hatred for the Queen — all traits that the rebel forces value. Character Trait: Primitive (energy levels decrease more slowly, but mental stats improve more slowly) Disability: Psychotic Skills: * Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs) * Throwing (bonuses to use throwing knives) * Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly) Abilities: * Health: 91 * Dexterity: 92 * Agility: 91 * Strength: 78 * Wisdom: 56 * Leadership: 8 * Marksmanship: 66 * Explosive: 18 * Medical: 7 * Mechanical: 68 * Starting Level: 1  Greg "Dynamo" Duncan Bio: Greg Duncan was an engineer working under his brother Matt in the Alma mines until the miners began chafing under the heavy production demands Queen Deidranna was placing upon them. The Army quickly quashed all talk of a strike by making an example out of Greg. After killing his wife and young daughter right in front of him, they threw him into the prison in Tixa where he would have plenty of time to ruminate on his hatred for the Queen's regime. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: Psychotic Skills: * Engineer (significant bonuses to repair, lockpicking, combining items, and robot maintenance) Abilities: * Health: 76 * Dexterity: 67 * Agility: 57 * Strength: 55 * Wisdom: 78 * Leadership: 8 * Marksmanship: 68 * Explosive: 9 * Medical: 8 * Mechanical: 67 * Starting Level: 1  Breeham "Shank" Druz Bio: Though Breeham Druz grew up the privileged son of wealthy parents in the seaside community of Balime, he was always a bit of a round peg being jammed into a square hole. He was always far more at home in Estoni, where he would sell to Jake Cameron the casually discarded appliances he collected from Balime's curbsides. That all came to an end, however, when his parents turned him in to the Army for marijuana possession, and Druz found himself a prisoner in the desert cells of Tixa. Character Trait: Neutral (no particular advantages or disadvantages) Disability: Nonswimmer (much more likely to drown when swimming) Skills: * Throwing (bonuses to use throwing knives) Abilities: * Health: 73 * Dexterity: 43 * Agility: 36 * Strength: 31 * Wisdom: 80 * Leadership: 7 * Marksmanship: 45 * Explosive: 9 * Medical: 17 * Mechanical: 11 * Starting Level: 1  James “Skyrider” Bullock Bio: James Bullock is a helicopter pilot and former owner/operator of Skyrider Sightseeing, Inc., which offered helicopter tours of Arulco during the country’s better days. Although his helicopter was pressed into service by the Arulcan Army, ‘Skyrider’ himself vanished into the swamps around Drassen to avoid the same fate.  Militiaman Bio: The vast majority of Arulcans despise the Queen, but are too fearful to stand up to her control of the Army. Some of the bravest of them, however, have taken up arms against her and joined the rebels, and are doing their part to defend the cities that have been liberated by the mercenaries.  Father John Walker Bio: A Catholic priest who runs the church in Drassen, Father Walker has been a long, secret supporter of Miguel Cordona’s rebellion, funneling food and supplies to his base in Omerta. The stresses of doing so, however, have resulted in Father Walker turning more and more to alcohol rather than faith for respite.  Yanni Nomigotta Bio: Yanni Nomigotta is the monk who watches over the ruins of Chitzena Temple, and was the guardian of the Chalice of Chance until it was taken by the Army to Balime on the Queen’s orders.  Fred Morris Bio: Foreman of the Chitzena mine, Fred was hired by the Chivaldori administration when Arulco’s massive silver deposits were discovered. He is very protective of his miners, and is disgusted with how they have been treated by the Queen.  Calvin BarkmoreBio: Foreman of the Drassen mine. Calvin is an unscrupulous conniver hired by Deidranna's administration. He has outfitted the mine with stolen technology, making it very productive.  Oswald JohnstonBio: Foreman of the Grumm mine. Oswald is gritty and tough, a good match for the blue-collar industrial city of Grumm. Though he generally supports the rebels, Grumm's proximity to Meduna makes him leery about supporting them outright.  Carl TercelBio: Foreman of the Cambria mine. A fairly new addition to the mining staff, Carl was was a former professor of geology at Cambria University. When the mine's previous foreman was killed in the heavy fighting that took place in the city, Carl was the only even remotely qualified replacement.  Herve De SantosBio: One of the famous De Santos identical quintuplet bartenders in Arulco. Herve operates the family's Drassen bar. Alberto De SantosBio: One of the famous De Santos identical quintuplet bartenders in Arulco. Alberto operates the family's San Mona bar.  Fatima Bio: Fatima is one of the few people still living in Omerta, stubbornly remaining in her home despite the devastation. She actively supports the rebels however she is able, which is often by providing intelligence on the number and disposition of the troops hunting through Omerta for Miguel and his band. Fatima was married, but her husband was a rebel who was killed defending Drassen.  Angel DaSilva Bio: A Meduna native, Angel came to San Mona to search for his missing sister. Angel operates the leather goods shop on the east side of the city.  Maria DaSilvaBio: Maria came to San Mona following rumors of high-wage jobs for young women, only to find a wretched life of forced prostitution at the hands of Kingpin and Madame Layla.  Eduardo MenciaBio: A successful farmer with a wide spread of land outside of Cambria, Eduardo has spent years covertly supporting the rebels. He is cautious and intelligent, which has enabled him to survive for so long virtually under the Queen's nose.  Dr. Nathanial "Madlab" KairnsBio: Professor Emeritus of Aerospace Engineering, University of Limerick, Dr. Kairns was until recently the head of Queen Deidranna's mysterious MRWS research initiative. Having managed to escape the secret research facility where he was being held, Dr. Kairns has taken refuge with Eduardo Mencia, where he has begun work on a project of his own.  Jake CameronBio: Owner/operator of the Estoni junkyard, Jake Cameron is a well-known fixture in the small town between Cambria and Meduna. He ostensibly makes his living repairing and selling the junk that Skipper collects for him in his yard, but those in certain circles also know him as the only local source for certain types of smuggled contraband, such as fuel. He and his family -- along with much of Cambria and Estoni -- have a long-standing feud with the Hick family.  SkipperBio: The elderly man known only as Skipper is one of the forgotten elderly displaced by the war. A former resident of Cambria, Skipper was left homeless and broken after the Army burned down his house -- with his family still inside. With nothing to live for, Skipper took to scavenging in Jake's junkyard, and gradually a partnership developed between the two old men in which Skipper hunts through the scrap for salvageable items and sells them to Jake in exchange for food, shelter, and a little pocket cash.  Nurse Jenny WaldenBio: One of the few qualified nurses remaining at the badly understaffed hospital in Cambria, Jenny Walden acts as the head of both patient care and general administration. She is an old friend of Ira's, having previously been the rebel soldier's coordinator and medical mentor when Ira was volunteering at the hospital.  Dr. Steve WillisBio: One of the two qualified medical doctors still working at the hospital, Dr. Willis is primarily a heart surgeon, but the circumstances of the war have left him dealing with a much broader array of injuries and conditions. Having witnessed firsthand the brutal effects of the Queen's regime, Dr. Willis is sympathetic to the rebel cause.  Dr. Vincent BeaumontBio: Despite the fact that he is an excellent trauma surgeon who has saved countless lives at the Cambria hospital, Dr. Vincent Beaumont is left unfulfilled by his work. He despises Deidranna's regime, and would like nothing more than to join the fight against her in a more active way.  Keith HempBio: Keith Hemp is the owner and operator of a pawnshop / secondhand goods store in southern Cambria. He does a brisk business; with Arulco's economy in such dire straits, there is a booming market for cheap used goods. Like most people in and around Cambria, Keith harbors significant ill-will towards the Hick family.  Brewster WoltzBio: The reluctant husband of Christine Woltz, the feared Warden of Tixa Prison, Brewster found himself forced at gunpoint into wedlock after answering a job placement ad. He despises his wife and would be more than eager to offer help to anyone coming to Tixa on a mission to end her reign of terror. ------------------------- Enemies  Queen Deidranna Bio: The brutal dictator of Arulco, Deidranna Reitman was selected to be the bride of the country’s former King, Enrico Chivaldori, just before he was to inherit the throne from his father. Less than a year after Enrico assumed power, his father was found murdered, with evidence pointing to Enrico. When Enrico was supposedly killed in a firebombing by ‘rebels’, Deidranna seized power and clamped down with an iron fist. In the last nine years, the people of Arulco have suffered greatly, and the rebellion that sprang up to depose her has been nearly destroyed.  Elliot Bio: Queen Deidranna’s simpering, sycophantic chief of staff, Elliot’s primary role these days seems to be delivering of bad news.  Doreen HarrowsBio: Manager of a Drassen sweatshop using child labor to produce clothing for a celebrity-endorsed fashion line.  "Dead" Larry SizemoreBio: An old friend of Michael's from his early days as a spy in Eastern Europe, Larry Sizemore faked his death, cut ties with his government, and went into business for himself as a contract killer. Resurfacing years later, Larry tried to recruit Michael as a partner, only to be rebuffed.  Peter "Kingpin" KlausBio: Although little is known of his origins, Peter Klaus first surfaced in San Mona nearly twenty years ago, when he opened a bar in what was then a small mining town. After receiving a special dispensation from Enrico Chivaldori, Klaus -- then still a respectable businessman with visions of building the "Vegas of the Caribbean" -- opened Arulco's first casino in San Mona. Through a series of favors for just the right people, Kingpin was able to keep San Mona largely untouched by the chaos surrounding Deidranna's coup, and he took advantage of the relative lawlessness in the north of Arulco to branch out into prostitution, drug production, and other illicit endeavors. To protect against interference from the Queen, Kingpin secured backing from the Norte del Valle cartel. With the Queen busy stamping out Miguel Cordona's rebellion, she and Kingpin have maintained an uneasy peace, occasionally cooperative, occasionally contentious.  Damon WarrickBio: Kingpin's personal bodyguard, Damon controls access to Kingpin's large, fortified house in southern San Mona.  Darren van HaussenBio: Darren manages San Mona's bar/boxing club and is part of Kingpin's inner circle.  SpikeBio: Bouncer of the San Mona boxing club.  Madame LaylaBio: Ruthless and efficient, Madame Layla is the manager of the Shady Lady brothel in San Mona. She does her best to create a warm and welcoming environment for her clients, but is not above deceiving and outright enslaving young women to work for her.  Hans VanderkiltBio: Hans is the owner and operator of San Mona's premier adult entertainment retail establishment. Though the war has made it difficult for him to stock the best selection of toys, costumes, and videos, Hans has made ends meet by partnering with San Mona's resident arms dealer, Tony.  TonyBio: The man known only as "Tony" is bespectacled arms dealer on Kingpin's payroll. He has been known to occasionally deal directly with both the Arulcan Army and the rebels, as well as independents who happen to find themselves in San Mona with cash to burn and guns to buy.  FrankBio: A bartender working in San Mona, Frank's loyalty is held by the Kingpin.  Kingpin's ThugsBio: Kingpin's "army" is comprised both of soldiers sent by the Norte del Valle cartel to safeguard his drug operations as well as local Arulcans tired of being ground underfoot by the Queen.   Daryl & Darrel HickBio: The Hick farm on the outskirts of Cambria is one of the few enterprises in Arulco still chugging along at full steam. This is largely due to the exclusive contracts that the patriarch, Daryl, has been able to secure to supply beef and other foodstuffs to the Army. Protected by the regime, the Hicks have been able to terrorize the people of Cambria with impunity, raiding the shops and homes and taking whatever they liked -- a practice which has created a deeply-rooted resentment for the family throughout central Arulco.  Walter BazzonBio: Walter Bazzon is the head of the "Orta Wildlife Research Center" -- the bloodcat facility providing cover for the Queen's underground advanced weapons projects compound. He is a callous man with little regard for the animals in his care, and a greater sense of self-preservation than loyalty.  Ernest PoppinsBio: A mercenary scientist who has sold his services to Queen Deidranna, Dr. Poppins is the man responsible for weaponizing Dr. Kairns' mini-rocket hurricane dispersal system into the deadly Rocket Rifles. He cares little for the moral implications of his work, focusing almost entirely on the advancement of science for his own financial gain.  Christine "The Warden" WoltzBio: The cruel mistress of the hellish desert prison of Tixa, Christine Woltz is a figure who ranks just below Deidranna herself among the most feared people in Arulco. She is also obsessed with being a mother, and has a history of forcibly 'adopting' children from families in Cambria and throwing the parents into her prison if they object. ------------------------- Other:  Barry Bukowski Bio: A Miami-based freelance accountant and money launderer with whom Michael and Fiona have had a variety of dealings.  Seymour MitchellBio: An eccentric Miami arms dealer who has done business with Michael and Fiona in the past. He has become personally invested in Michael and Fiona's personal lives.  Mickey O'BrienBio: A former gunrunner who now deals in rare animal trophies, Mickey is in Arulco to stock up on the pelts and teeth of the famed Bloodcat, a dangerous predator found only in Arulco.   John & Mary Kulba Bio: A mild-mannered couple whose intended holiday in Aruba went awry when their travel agent booked their flight to Arulco by mistake, resulting in them getting stranded in the city of Chitzena. Pilot Bio: The unfortunate pilot engaged by Fiona to fly weapons, equipment, food, and medical supplies to the rebels in Arulco. FiddlersThree fucked around with this message at 22:31 on Apr 6, 2013 |
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Feb 15, 2012 06:18
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Well, that was a lot more action-packed than I ever expected an SSLP of an isometric RPG to be. I haven't seen a whole lot of Burn Notice but it certainly feels like it could be an episode. Did you come up with the idea when you were making the LP, or were you thinking about it when you were just playing the game for fun?
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Feb 15, 2012 06:59
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The style of this LP is kinda reminding me of Pander's Rebellion LP. That is not a bad thing. I shall be reading this closely
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Feb 15, 2012 07:14
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I recently marathoned Burn Notice and so far I'm thoroughly impressed with how similar to any given episode this LP is. Awesome work!
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Feb 15, 2012 12:07
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I was intrigued by this in the Sandcastle. Then I saw you pull the 'steal-gun-shoot-former-owner' trick. It fits perfectly both ingame and with the story you're building.  Looking forward to further Michael-West-isms.
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Feb 15, 2012 12:14
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I love Burn Notice, I love Jagged Alliance 2 and I love this.
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Feb 15, 2012 14:06
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Lumberjack Bonanza posted:Well, that was a lot more action-packed than I ever expected an SSLP of an isometric RPG to be. I haven't seen a whole lot of Burn Notice but it certainly feels like it could be an episode. Cheers! I'm just hoping I can maintain the feel over a full game, especially once the ranks start swelling with hired mercs.  Lumberjack Bonanza posted:Did you come up with the idea when you were making the LP, or were you thinking about it when you were just playing the game for fun? While playing the game. The core idea of the game kind of fits the type of work that I could see the Burn Notice team doing, so awhile back I just decided to do a run with the characters as my IMPs for fun. Then I starting batting around the idea of doing it as an LP, then it was weeks of trying to figure out how to mod in the portraits because I'm not a modder by any stretch of the word. bunnyofdoom posted:The style of this LP is kinda reminding me of Pander's Rebellion LP. That is not a bad thing. I shall be reading this closely Never read this -- I'll have to dig in! I loved Rebellion back in the day. Thanks for all the comments! Updates will largely be limited to weekends, but I may occasionally sneak a few in during the week.
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Feb 15, 2012 14:29
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This is looking good so far, the only thing I would say is to maybe make the dialogue portraits a little bit bigger (maybe closer to the size of the portraits in-game). Otherwise I'll probably check this out and constantly hear in my head 'When you're a spy...' cause that dead pan actor would keep saying it everytime he had to do something.
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Feb 15, 2012 15:12
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Never did play JA2 (it's in my backlog, I'll get to it...someday) but I do love me some Burn Notice. I'll keep my eye on this LP.
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Feb 15, 2012 16:46
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I love JA2, but Wildfire kicked my rear end the one time I decided to try it. I'm looking forward to seeing how one beats it.
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Feb 15, 2012 17:57
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pun pundit posted:I love JA2, but Wildfire kicked my rear end the one time I decided to try it. I'm looking forward to seeing how one beats it. To clarify, this isn't the straight Wildfire mod (which I have never actually played). It's basically just 1.13 with the maps replaced by their Wildfire counterparts. The rest of the mod is basically just new mercs, new items, new merges, and some other fun.
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Feb 15, 2012 18:16
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Thanks for the link in the JA2 thread. I was just wondering how someone would go about making an LP of the game and then this comes along. Looks like you've got a pretty interesting narrative going so I'll be following this!
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Feb 15, 2012 22:42
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This is slightly off-topic, but how exactly do the Wildfire maps differ from the normal 1.13 maps? On the subject of the LP itself, looking good. I have literally never seen a single episode of Burn Notice in my life, but I dig JA2, so I'll be following this one pretty closely.
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Feb 15, 2012 22:46
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I love JA2 and quite liked the few episodes of Burn Notice I caught on TV. The combination a really neat idea and I'll definitely keep up with this.
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Feb 15, 2012 23:30
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Mister Bates posted:This is slightly off-topic, but how exactly do the Wildfire maps differ from the normal 1.13 maps? The change is most noticeable in the urban areas. Higher building density is the biggest change, but what sold me the most on the maps when I first started using them was that locations actually look like what they're supposed to be. Drassen airport isn't just, like, a hanger/repair shed, tiny shipping/receiving office, two barracks, and guardhouse. It looks like an actual small airport, with gate/seating, offices, ticket desk, baggage handling, etc. The mines, too, look like operating mines chock full of heavy equipment and processed rock, and with locked sheds of explosives, lockers for the miners, etc. God, I love the Wildfire maps.
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Feb 16, 2012 00:22
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The pitch for this sounded a bit niche but I kept reading because JA2, and I'm quite glad I did. Can't wait to see how you work other mercs into the mix.
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Feb 16, 2012 00:22
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So if I've started a JA2+1.13 game thanks to the JA2 thread, can I update to Wildfire graphics/maps? (and still play JA2 as its meant to be, if thats a valid question)
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Feb 16, 2012 00:53
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The background story to Arulco is somewhat unbelievable, but aside from that this really does feel like a Burn Notice episode, down to Michael's narration. Definitely looking forward to this LP.
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Feb 16, 2012 04:00
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It's feeling pretty burn notice-y even if they have already gun downed more dudes in Omerta than they have in five seasons of Burn Notice. I would recommend getting Sam down there as fast as possible because Sam is hte best character, and that you should keep the plot characters split up as often as possible to lower the chances of plot armor being problematic. Other than that it looks like we'll have a fun LP ahead of us, can't wait.
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Feb 16, 2012 04:24
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This looks fantastic! I've subscribed and I'm eager for more. I've never seen Burn Notice or played Wildfire, but JA2 1.13 is one of my favourite games of all time. How does Wildfire differ from vanilla 1.13, and how do you get Wildfire installed?
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Feb 16, 2012 04:40
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SpookyLizard posted:It's feeling pretty burn notice-y even if they have already gun downed more dudes in Omerta than they have in five seasons of Burn Notice. I would recommend getting Sam down there as fast as possible because Sam is hte best character, and that you should keep the plot characters split up as often as possible to lower the chances of plot armor being problematic. Other than that it looks like we'll have a fun LP ahead of us, can't wait. The pilot had Michael beat down then execute 2 guys in short order. Plus, he's a Ranger in hostile terrain with a trigger-happy ex-girlfriend who just pilfered a ChiCom Papasha. There will be blood.
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Feb 16, 2012 04:40
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I have never seen this show and am completely unfamiliar with it, but I'm going to say that I definitely agree that Sam is the best character and you should get him down there as soon as possible. Why? Because he's played by Bruce Campbell, and Bruce Campbell is automatically the best character in anything, including shows he's not actually in.
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Feb 16, 2012 05:07
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dud root posted:So if I've started a JA2+1.13 game thanks to the JA2 thread, can I update to Wildfire graphics/maps? (and still play JA2 as its meant to be, if thats a valid question) This is an excellent question, and one that I don't know the answer to. Awhile back, I think I remember someone in the JA2 thread posting a way to mod in the Wildfire maps to 1.13 without using the Tais AIMNAS/Wildfire installer linked in the OP... You might try posting there for more (and better) help than I can give. And never fear. Sam and Jesse will be coming down sooner rather than later.
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Feb 16, 2012 05:36
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FiddlersThree posted:
Do you have a plan for how to represent Sam's requirement of a constant supply of mojitos?
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Feb 16, 2012 05:45
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Paingod556 posted:The pilot had Michael beat down then execute 2 guys in short order. Plus, he's a Ranger in hostile terrain with a trigger-happy ex-girlfriend who just pilfered a ChiCom Papasha. And then Michael didn't shoot anyone till the third season. I mean they've shot maybe a dozen people in the course of the show. They certainly do set any number of bad dudes up to get murdered by other bad dudes (but they're bad dudes so they've got it coming). I've got nothing against all the copious violence that will accompany any Jagged Alliance play through, I was just sayin'.
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Feb 16, 2012 05:51
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Ceebees posted:Do you have a plan for how to represent Sam's requirement of a constant supply of mojitos? One of the regular game mercs spawns booze in his inventory so with some modding this function could be duplicated...
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Feb 16, 2012 05:54
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SpookyLizard posted:And then Michael didn't shoot anyone till the third season. I mean they've shot maybe a dozen people in the course of the show. They certainly do set any number of bad dudes up to get murdered by other bad dudes (but they're bad dudes so they've got it coming). I did actually think about this. Then I was like, what the hell -- they mowed down a bunch of Russians in the Charisma-Carpenter-bikini episode, so why not a legion of Arulcan royalist peasant-oppressors? EDIT: ^^^ as for the mojitos? Wine, beer, and generic 'alcohol' are in the game. Sam will just be tight with the De Santos brothers. FiddlersThree fucked around with this message at 05:56 on Feb 16, 2012 |
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Feb 16, 2012 05:54
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FiddlersThree posted:EDIT: ^^^ as for the mojitos? Wine, beer, and generic 'alcohol' are in the game. Sam will just be tight with the De Santos brothers. And I just realised that Sam might connect with Manny as well, after what happened with... the slow kid. Sugars brother, the one in the flower shop, whatever his name was I think Michael avoids the killing because he's burned and in the US, where things could be tricky. In a third-world nation with a minor 'opposition movement' problem, on the other hand...
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Feb 16, 2012 06:07
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FiddlersThree posted:This is an excellent question, and one that I don't know the answer to. Awhile back, I think I remember someone in the JA2 thread posting a way to mod in the Wildfire maps to 1.13 without using the Tais AIMNAS/Wildfire installer linked in the OP... You might try posting there for more (and better) help than I can give. I found a wonderful way to do it a while ago that's a hybrid of that method: Instead of using the AIMNAS files, use the original Wildfire ones here. The rest was posted by Cream-of-Plenty: quote:I installed 1.13, then I downloaded Tais' AIMNAS / WF SCI for the latest version of 1.13 and opened it up. I went into the SCI's Data-AIM folder and grabbed the following files: maps, NPCData, radarmaps, and tilesets. Drop those into the 1.13 folder of your installed game but don't let it overwrite these four files: smguns.sti, smp1items.sti, smp2items.sti and smp3items.sti. Then, go into Data-AIM / BinaryData folder and grab the JA2set.dat file. Drop it into the binary data folder in your JA 1.13 folder. Using the Wildfire version I linked above instead of the AIMNAS/WF installer, you can follow these exact same steps (you don't have to work about the .sti files though since those are specific to AIMNAS). This will give you fully functional WF maps without having to install AIMNAS. Cream of Plenty's method on its own works as well, but it leaves the maps littered with junk "Item not found" items because they're referencing equipment added by AIMNAS. My method doesn't have these since the maps are based on the original JA2 content only. I really like the Wildfire maps. They're a lot more detailed than the original maps and they throw a bunch of surprises at you to keep you on your toes even if you're a vet (for example, you'll be encountering tanks a LOT sooner).
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Feb 16, 2012 09:31
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This is actually pretty neat, and so far pretty well fits the flavor and pacing of Burn Notice. Well done, can't wait to see more.
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Feb 16, 2012 13:52
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FiddlersThree posted:I did actually think about this. Then I was like, what the hell -- they mowed down a bunch of Russians in the Charisma-Carpenter-bikini episode, so why not a legion of Arulcan royalist peasant-oppressors? I think he'll just have to settle for regularly complaining about a lack of 'em. That or you could mod 'em in via the XML's, but I'm only familiar with loving around vanilla 1.13 dunno about the other stuff. Besides the obvious issues with the police and stuff, I'm fairly certain Michael mostly doesn't kill people because he's the Good Guy and you can't have your Good Guy regularly wasting five or six baddies an episode and still be all nice and heroic, even if all the dudes he wastes are Bad Dudes. That and Michael is always supposed to be about superior tactics and thinking, thus resulting in him shooting as few guns as possible unless it's supposed to be a distraction or something. That said, while its pretty much impossible to not kill legions of dudes in this game, I'd suggest trying to use tactics to your advantage as often as possible. I dunno if Wildfire hosed with how destructible buildings were, but breach-and-clearing is probably going to become a must. Fiona'll love that poo poo.
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Feb 16, 2012 17:37
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The Cheshire Cat posted:I really like the Wildfire maps. They're a lot more detailed than the original maps and they throw a bunch of surprises at you to keep you on your toes even if you're a vet (for example, you'll be encountering tanks a LOT sooner). I'm currently running through the game using AIMNAS v25 (which expands the maps to be even bigger, and uses the latest HAM alpha) and I'm running into tanks even earlier than in regular AIMNAS. Seriously, there's one in the Drassen SAM site, meaning you have to buy some LAWs or RPGs since you won't find any lying around that early in the game.
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Feb 16, 2012 17:42
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Lynx posted:I'm currently running through the game using AIMNAS v25 (which expands the maps to be even bigger, and uses the latest HAM alpha) and I'm running into tanks even earlier than in regular AIMNAS. Seriously, there's one in the Drassen SAM site, meaning you have to buy some LAWs or RPGs since you won't find any lying around that early in the game. If you're really sneaky/lucky, you could also whip up some Molotov cocktails and toss them haphazardly at the tank's engine compartment, they can kill tanks occasionally.
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Feb 16, 2012 19:51
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Lynx posted:I'm currently running through the game using AIMNAS v25 (which expands the maps to be even bigger, and uses the latest HAM alpha) and I'm running into tanks even earlier than in regular AIMNAS. Seriously, there's one in the Drassen SAM site, meaning you have to buy some LAWs or RPGs since you won't find any lying around that early in the game.  I love blowing up tanks, but, man... in Drassen? I love me some Molotov cocktails, too (and we will be seeing them in action before too long), but they kind of piss me off because the flame tiles that they create don't appear to count as a light source. Oh, well. Can't go wrong just using them as poor man's grenades.
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Feb 16, 2012 20:06
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In I think... Cambria? There's a container with a coupla LAWS in it. If you ever watch a speedrun of JA2, they tend to get used a lot, so maybe check around? I dunno if they'll still be there with Wildfire and whatever.
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Feb 16, 2012 21:40
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SpookyLizard posted:In I think... Cambria? There's a container with a coupla LAWS in it. If you ever watch a speedrun of JA2, they tend to get used a lot, so maybe check around? I dunno if they'll still be there with Wildfire and whatever. I don't know if it's there in Wildfire but there are a bunch of RPGs and LAWs available a lot earlier than usual on the maps. One thing they did with Wildfire is put "something" on nearly every map. Whether that something is a weapon cache, useful items like Compound-18, or something else, there's generally always a good reason to take a look around.
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Feb 16, 2012 22:04
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This is seriously brilliant. I love the narration (especially because when you do the Michael voiceover, I can almost hear it) and love Burn Notice, so this should be fun to watch. Also I suck at JA, so this will let me see the game more than just the first few levels.
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Feb 16, 2012 22:14
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New game post incoming, but be warned -- it's a shitload of exposition, but it's exposition that I need to get out of the way for story purposes. If you're looking for game action and game action only, feel free to skip this one. The actiony posts will be kicking off this weekend. EDIT: \/\/\/\/ I'm thinking I'm going to have to go with Niggurath's suggestion of bigger portraits for the dialogue. While Mike and Fi seem to be recognizable enough, I'm afraid the JA2 characters are starting to blend together when we get a bunch of them talking together. Thoughts? Can you all tell them apart at that size? FiddlersThree fucked around with this message at 06:53 on Feb 17, 2012 |
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Feb 17, 2012 06:44
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| # ? Apr 19, 2024 12:20 |
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BURN NOTICE: A JAGGED ALLIANCE Omerta, Arulco June 24, 2011 -- 0352 EST “This town is a bombed-out husk, Fi. If Omerta is supposed to be the rebel stronghold, I don’t have much hope that there’s much of a rebellion left.” “What about that kid? It seemed like he was trying to reach us before the soldiers. Maybe he knows where the rebels are hiding out?” “He took off running when the bullets started flying.” “Smart kid.” “Wait -- I think that’s him right there…”  “I saw you fighting de soldiers. You are very good fighting! Soldiers come, I think I too slow. I think you dead soon. But you fight dem all!” “You were coming to find us?” “Yes -- I come find you, take you to my mother.” “What’s your name?” “I am Pacos. Come! My mother is in the house. She will help you!” “Pacos! I heard so much gunfire -- are you safe?” “Yes, mother! These fighters -- they kill whole patrol! Eight soldiers!”The boy's mother embraces him warmly, then shoos him off to his room. She turns back to Fiona and Michael, her face hard and determined. “Please excuse Pacos. He is very excitable. My name is Fatima. You two… you were on the plane that was shot down?” “Yes. We were flying in supplies.” “Supplies? From who? The Red Cross does not fly into Drassen. Especially not at three o’clock in the morning.” “We aren’t Red Cross. The supplies we were carrying were from Enrico Chivaldori.”Fatima’s eyes narrow suspiciously. “Enrico Chivaldori is dead.” “Well, he seemed very alive when I met him last week in Miami. A touch of the sniffles, maybe, but--… Oh, he did give me this to show to a... Miguel Cordona?”She roots around in her pack for a moment, withdraws a letter, and passes it to Fatima. The Arulcan woman takes the letter gingerly and scans it, keeping her expression carefully neutral. A few moments later, she folds it up and places it in a fold of her apron. “You will follow me. Keep your weapons down, and your hands out. No sudden movements, or you will die.” Fatima leads them through the shattered, nearly deserted town. The ruins still smolder. The attack that destroyed Omerta seems to have happened within the last few days.  As they approach a small house with boarded-up windows, a agitated-looking figure melts out of the shadows, pistol waving at the small group. “Who are they, and why have you brought them here? Have you lost your mind, woman? You bring death to all of us!” “Whoa, easy there. Let’s just calm down for a moment." “Silence!” “They have been sent by Enrico Chivaldori to help us, Dimitri. They must speak with Miguel. I would never bring them here without proof of this.” “In respect of your husband, I take your word. We will go down. But if you make mistake, Fatima, you will die with them.”Fatima nods somberly as Dimitri steps aside and waves her, Michael, and Fiona through the doorway and into a dark house strewn with debris. As Dimitri covers them all with his pistol, Fatima pulls back a decrepit rug to reveal a trapdoor, which she pulls open to reveal a stairway down…  “Do not move, and no one will die!” “Fatima say they are here to help us. She say she have proof, Carlos.” “Who are you?” “I’m Fiona, and this is Michael. I was engaged by Enrico Chivaldori to deliver a shipment of food, medical supplies, and weapons to Drassen. We were on our final approach when our plane exploded.” “Enrico? Chivaldori? Impossible. I do not believe it.” “Carlos, they carried a letter signed by Enrico himself and containing details of the night we helped him flee Arulco. Details only he would know.” “This is most suspicious. I question his reasons.” “I do not.” From the rear of the bunker, a figure limps his way towards them, his abdomen heavily bandaged and crusted with dried blood. “Let me see this letter.”Fatima hands over the letter to Miguel. He reads for a few moments, then motions for Carlos and the other rebels to lower their weapons. “It often seems that the world has forgotten about Arulco. It is good to see that is not totally true.” “Enrico certainly hasn’t. He said it took him months to scrape together the resources to send those supplies.” “And it took you only one day to lose them.” “That is enough, Carlos! The timing is unfortunate. A few days earlier, and we would have been able to meet you on the airstrip. Instead, we can only wait to die.” “What do you mean?” “The rebels…” Miguel smiles ruefully and gestures around the bunker. “This is all that is left of us. Omerta was devastated in the Queen’s attack. Nearly all my men are dead. We have no weapons, no food… The only question is if we will starve before the Queen’s soldiers find us and execute us.” “So… your war is over?” “The people of Arulco still support us, but they are beaten. The Queen’s soldiers are everywhere, and they crush any sign of disobedience.” Miguel shakes his head. “I am sorry that you have come to Arulco to find only this. Worse, I do not know how you might leave; the Queen has frozen all air traffic except for Meduna. If you go there, you will be arrested and questioned, and likely imprisoned.” “What about Drassen? How heavily fortified is the airport?” “There is only a small garrison at the airport. Perhaps 15 or 20 men? But even if you can find plane, what then? There is SAM site nearby. You will just explode again, a second time.” “Do you have any connection outside Arulco? A phone hardline, or a satellite phone?” “I am afraid not. One of the first things the Queen did was cut off our communications. I believe Ira had a computer with satellite internet, but it stopped working months ago. Ira?”Behind Miguel’s shoulder, a young woman stands and approaches. “I don’t know hardware, but I think she’s jamming the signal somehow. It was working fine one day, and then, suddenly, it wasn’t.” “Would you mind if I take a look at it? If I can get a signal, I think there’s a very good chance that I could get all of you out of here?” “Why?” “So you can survive!” “No… my place is here with my people. I will not leave Arulco.” “You can’t help your people if you’re dead, Miguel.” “At this point, I don’t believe my people can be helped. Not while… not while other nations do nothing.”A long silence descends. At last Ira steps forward. “Follow me. I’ll show you the laptop.”----------------------------------------------- Omerta, Arulco -- Rebel Bunker June 24, 2011 -- 0522 EST  Michael leans over a table, working on Ira’s laptop. Jamming a signal, whether it be radio, television, or satellite, is just a matter of broadcasting a more powerful signal on the same frequency. If you want to break through, you just need to make your signal stronger than whatever is doing the jamming. But when all you’ve got to work with is a laptop and a half-dry car battery, you don’t stand a chance.Fiona pads up behind him. “How does it look, Michael?” “We need to get to the airport, Fi. If I can patch into the antennae there, I should be able to reach Sam and get us out of here.” “So that’s it? We’re just going to leave?” “Is there any other choice? This isn’t our war, Fi. It isn’t even a war.” “No, Michael, it isn’t. It’s starving, wounded men and women sitting around, waiting to be executed.” “And what? You want to stay, then? Take on the Queen’s entire army by ourselves?” “We have to do something. We can’t just abandon these people.” “I offered get them out of here. They refused. What else can we do?” “All they need is a little hope, Michael. You heard Miguel -- the people hate the Queen! All we have to do is help them remember how to fight! Hit some high-value targets. Give the army a bloody nose. Let the Arulcans take it from there.” “After we get a message to Sam, we’ll come back and try and convince them again. But Fi… We can’t make this our fight.” “Speak for yourself.”Fiona wheels angrily and stalks off. “We’re leaving in a couple hours!”----------------------------------------------- Omerta, Arulco -- Rebel Bunker June 24, 2011 -- 0710 EST  Michael and Miguel talk quietly near the bunker entrance. “Ira knows Arulco well. She is no soldier, but she can guide you to the airport. She is also a good medic in emergencies.” “Thank you, Miguel. We appreciate the help. You ready, Fi?” “Let’s go.” A fake smile is plastered on her face. “Ira?” “Ready!” "Good luck. I hope you are able to escape."A pained look crosses Fiona's face.  Michael, Fiona, and their guide Ira climb the stairs to the house above and emerge blinking into the bright Arulcan morning only to find Dimitri there waiting for them. “Dimitri? What are you doing up here? You’re off-duty today.” “You are go to airport, yes? I come with you. I think you need another gun, maybe.” “Did you clear this with Miguel?” “We can come and go as we please. Everyone just stay in bunker because there is no place else to go. But I do not want to die like rat in hole. If Dimitri Guzzo dies, it will be in fighting. I come to airport with you, and kill the soldiers!”Michael looks at Fiona and shrugs. She glares back, then flashes a warm smile at Dimitri. “Welcome aboard, Dimitri.” Dimitri is a little dumb, but not too bad of a soldier for a guy you get for free. He’s quite good at throwing knives (instant kills if you can catch the enemy unawares) and is strong in melee. He’s a decent mechanic, too, so if he survives he’ll be doing a lot of work keeping weapons in good condition. For now, Mike passes him the extra shotgun he was lugging around rather than limiting him to the Barracuda.  Ira is pretty weak for a starting soldier, but she’s a good backup medic and a good teacher (invaluable for training militia). She also has high wisdom, which means she learns quickly. Fi isn’t going to give up her Type 85, so for now Ira is stick with her Beretta. Next Episode: Trouble on the Road FiddlersThree fucked around with this message at 16:11 on Feb 18, 2012 |
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Feb 17, 2012 06:51
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