Bobby Ray's equivalent is a must I think.

[DougS2K]

So I jumped back into JA2 1.13 recently and it reminded me on just how much I use Bobby Ray's and how vital it was to the game. Buying ammo, LBE, guns, weapon mods, etc. Now I know the Devs said there will be no Bobby Ray's equivalent but I think this is a huge mistake. Buying gear and running it to the front lines was another strategic layer in the overall battle for ground and something done in real life. Sending a strong merc as a mule to run back and forth just added to the depth of the game. I really hope they reconsider this decision and we don't have to rely on using hand me downs we find off enemy soldiers. They could do it in the same way JA2 did it where better weapons are only able to be purchased after certain timeframes for balance reasons.

Also, I know they mentioned about buying weapons from someone on the map so I'm hoping this is the equivalent to Tony which I think is another must. Selling guns and gear was a secondary stream of income but I have yet to hear them actually mention selling stuff to NPC's so I hope that this is an option as well. Tony also provided quicker ammo resupplies due to location but selling gear for money was his main purpose for most I believe. 

[anon474]

I actually think bobby rays is not the strongest game feature, and the reason its not, imo, is because it's something that's availible off the bat, instantly, and you dont need to unlock it (already lost potential for progression here), and you don't really need to find it, and it's also singular, which means, imagine if there were 5 shop keepers, and one was the best, but also the hardest to find. That's great mechanics imo.

[DougS2K]

13 minutes ago, anon474 said:

I actually think bobby rays is not the strongest game feature, and the reason its not, imo, is because it's something that's availible off the bat, instantly, and you dont need to unlock it (already lost potential for progression here), and you don't really need to find it, and it's also singular, which means, imagine if there were 5 shop keepers, and one was the best, but also the hardest to find. That's great mechanics imo.

I think it should be available off the bat or at least early on similar to JA2 and it totally makes sense for it to be accessible in this way when you think about it. I mean, your hiring trained mercenaries to do a job yet you can't provide them "proper" or "good" equipment? Expecting them to use weapons they find off dead enemies doesn't really make sense and having multiple vendors in a poverty stricken country selling top quality gear doesn't make much sense either. The best stuff should have to be shipped in or be extremely rare in the open world. I am however all for having multiple shopkeepers as I believe the more options the better.

Also, there was a sort of progression to Bobby Ray's as you couldn't buy the best weapons right from the get go. They could repeat this process IMO. Quote from https://jaggedalliance.fandom.com/wiki/Bobby_Ray's_Guns_and_Things

Quote

Bobby Ray's selection varies largely with the player's progress in the game. At the start, the selection will be sparse, and will consist mostly of pistols and low-level armor and gear. As the game progresses, the available inventory will expand until every item in the game (with the exception of junk items and luxury items such as LameBoy Displays) can be bought from the website.

 

Edited April 9, 2023 by DougS2K

[anon474]

19 minutes ago, DougS2K said:

I think it should be available off the bat or at least early on similar to JA2 and it totally makes sense for it to be accessible in this way when you think about it. I mean, your hiring trained mercenaries to do a job yet you can't provide them "proper" or "good" equipment? Expecting them to use weapons they find off dead enemies doesn't really make sense and having multiple vendors in a poverty stricken country selling top quality gear doesn't make much sense either. The best stuff should have to be shipped in or be extremely rare in the open world. I am however all for having multiple shopkeepers as I believe the more options the better.

Also, there was a sort of progression to Bobby Ray's as you couldn't buy the best weapons right from the get go. They could repeat this process IMO. Quote from https://jaggedalliance.fandom.com/wiki/Bobby_Ray's_Guns_and_Things

 

I mean maybe they come with good equipment when you hire them, as per usual (I especially liked the JA2 1.13 addition of allowing yourself to buy multiple loadouts for mercs and hiring them sometimes with VERY (or not very but a bit) overpowered weapons.

I'm ok with a halfway measure where bobby ray's exist but its nerfed and there are shotgun specialists on the map, revolver specialists, sniper rifle specialists, and you have to camp them everyday to see which good items they have for sale, etc.

A GOOD IDEA FOR A MECHANIC IMO: what if traders got better gear or allowed you access to full range of gear and best gear but only if you had good relations with them, and having good relations with them wasn't easy, you'd have to bribe them, etc. that can be a great little mechanic that's similar to how repair mechanic is a thing, and it's not obvious that you have to keep items repaired but you do, obviously.

Edited April 9, 2023 by anon474

[Solaris_Wave]

Just so we have some references here, and because I haven't played JA2 in a long time, what are the different ways of getting new equipment in JA2? Aside from the merc's starting equipment and what you collect off the fallen enemies, there were weapon caches (some big and others small), weapon storage sites (like with the Rocket Rifles), the ability to ship weapons in via the airfields once captured and the vendors who lived in-country. How many vendors are there?

What is proposed for JA3 that has actually been confirmed so far?

Also, how about a Lord Of War movie style of character in JA3?

[anon474]

6 minutes ago, Solaris_Wave said:

Just so we have some references here, and because I haven't played JA2 in a long time, what are the different ways of getting new equipment in JA2? Aside from the merc's starting equipment and what you collect off the fallen enemies, there were weapon caches (some big and others small), weapon storage sites (like with the Rocket Rifles), the ability to ship weapons in via the airfields once captured and the vendors who lived in-country. How many vendors are there?

What is proposed for JA3 that has actually been confirmed so far?

Also, how about a Lord Of War movie style of character in JA3?

loot and bobby ray's, that's it. there are some shops in arulco but they suck big time, they're really not good, they sell like revolvers you get at level 1 in wherever you land, meduna was it. bad shops. if shops were better it'd be a better system, but its mostly bobby rays and whatever you can get lucky with taking off enemies in loot.

[Solaris_Wave]

Some of those shops would just be thematic. If the first wave of enemies you see are armed with such weapons, it would make sense that those shops are similarly equipped. Otherwise, those forces would raid the shops and equip themselves with better weapons.

Bobby Ray's I was getting mixed up with Tony's shop. I forgot that Bobby Ray's was the vendor you could ship items into the airfields with. I remembered there was a shop that had much better equipment than the other locals but it was hidden away. That was Tony's.

Edited April 9, 2023 by Solaris_Wave

[votadc]

I liked more traveling merchants like O'Brien....in Deadly Games he sold weapons and you could haggle with him.

[Reloecc]

17 hours ago, anon474 said:

there are some shops in arulco but they suck big time

You know.. story. People living in Arulco are under military pressure, it would make no sense having them BIG guns shop in the middle of cities.

[DougS2K]

19 hours ago, anon474 said:

I mean maybe they come with good equipment when you hire them, as per usual (I especially liked the JA2 1.13 addition of allowing yourself to buy multiple loadouts for mercs and hiring them sometimes with VERY (or not very but a bit) overpowered weapons.

Except that doesn't seem to be the case from what we've seen so far. That is possible though as we haven't seen all the mercs or much of the hiring process. The multiple loadout options would be a nice addition. 

[DougS2K]

19 hours ago, Solaris_Wave said:

Just so we have some references here, and because I haven't played JA2 in a long time, what are the different ways of getting new equipment in JA2? Aside from the merc's starting equipment and what you collect off the fallen enemies, there were weapon caches (some big and others small), weapon storage sites (like with the Rocket Rifles), the ability to ship weapons in via the airfields once captured and the vendors who lived in-country. How many vendors are there?

From what I remember off the top of my head their was Bobby Ray's (Sold everything and by far the best selection), Tony (Arms dealer), Devin (Explosives dealer), Keith (Sold a little bit of everything), and Jake (Sold mainly misc stuff like jars and such). There was also a few shops in Balime I believe that sold the camera and medical supplies I think.

19 hours ago, Solaris_Wave said:

What is proposed for JA3 that has actually been confirmed so far?

They haven't really said much on this. Something about a granny and confirmed no Bobby Ray's equivalent. Maybe we will get more info soon but not sure. 🤷‍♂️

[SWi74]

On 4/9/2023 at 7:30 PM, DougS2K said:

So I jumped back into JA2 1.13 recently and it reminded me on just how much I use Bobby Ray's and how vital it was to the game. Buying ammo, LBE, guns, weapon mods, etc. Now I know the Devs said there will be no Bobby Ray's equivalent but I think this is a huge mistake. Buying gear and running it to the front lines was another strategic layer in the overall battle for ground and something done in real life. Sending a strong merc as a mule to run back and forth just added to the depth of the game. I really hope they reconsider this decision and we don't have to rely on using hand me downs we find off enemy soldiers. They could do it in the same way JA2 did it where better weapons are only able to be purchased after certain timeframes for balance reasons.

Also, I know they mentioned about buying weapons from someone on the map so I'm hoping this is the equivalent to Tony which I think is another must. Selling guns and gear was a secondary stream of income but I have yet to hear them actually mention selling stuff to NPC's so I hope that this is an option as well. Tony also provided quicker ammo resupplies due to location but selling gear for money was his main purpose for most I believe. 

One of the most satisfying aspects of the game is struggling to get better items. I would hate to have a shortcut in weapon progression early on or at affordable prices.

On the other hand I enjoyed the lore and logistical challenge of it - controlling an airport, noticing missing items, handling the problem with bribes/charisma/fists/bullets... dealing with AA site, maybe finding a plane and crazy enough pilot (like with the chopper). A lot can be done with the concept of importing rare/exotic/western gear into a conflict zone.

Apart from the interesting content benefits, I think a shop like that could provide a late-game cash sink. In a lot of game there comes a point when you have lots of money and nothing to spend on. I personally didn't feel like hiring more mercs when I had a bunch of money mid to late game. So there's only buying matching outfits and perfecting set ups... It would be different if I had to arm a couple of hundred militia fighters by plane shipments.

Which touches on another issue. Have you ever wondered at the start of a game, how much money you should save and what to spend on, if you could get/find better stuff outside the shops? Because I haven't worried about "gold" since I first played Diablo 2 with my classmate and we thought we should gather 13,000 for a non-magical pole-arm the merchant had... from 1 and 2 gold drops... Then it turned out gold is useless. Game economy is hard to design.

[Reloecc]

I don't see Bobby Ray's anyhow critical. And I wouldn't use it even if modded later.

What I see as a great system would be:

• enemies drop their equipment (weapons, armor, ammo etc.)
• dropped equipment has corresponding condition (elites drop new-alikes, renegades drop damaged weapons, if I shoot enemy 9 times to armor, it should be heavily damaged)
• stealing equipment from unoncious enemy (in a great condition) or from arms midfight (with a proper skill) is still a thing
• weapon condition wears out very slowly from usage, repairing is fast, but only minimum of lost durability may be gained from infield repairing
• armor condition is damaged from attacks, but only critically bad condition reduce its defensive capability
• critical damage may be fixed on npc or at special crafting station with proper skills
• merging weapons to increase condition is still a thing (to simulate replacing parts)
• alternative: equipment may be dissasembled to parts

This system is much better then ordering exceptional weapon from airdrops to me for reasons:

• stealing weapons encourages stealth and melee skills
• collecting damaged weapons (or their parts) balances around weight capacity
• getting armor damaged is a nice reason to not soak dmg
• replacing equipment temporarily if broken (until npc fix it for you) spices your gameplay

 

[Hendrix]

I do not see a reason why Bobby Ray's or equivalent couldn't exist in JA3. Just like in JA2, make sure that early in the game they have few low level stuff and to a price that is not really worth it. Then in the latter stages in the game it could be the only place to get really good stuff in pristine condition, still overpriced. For example good ammo could be hard to come by and BR's got plenty of it. So unless you buy it there you have to use the low quality surplus stuff the local merchants normally sell or what you manage to loot and scavenge. Or you might find good equipment but it is very worn down and has to be thoroughly repaired befor use.

[Solaris_Wave]

3 hours ago, Hendrix said:

I do not see a reason why Bobby Ray's or equivalent couldn't exist in JA3. Just like in JA2, make sure that early in the game they have few low level stuff and to a price that is not really worth it. Then in the latter stages in the game it could be the only place to get really good stuff in pristine condition, still overpriced. For example good ammo could be hard to come by and BR's got plenty of it. So unless you buy it there you have to use the low quality surplus stuff the local merchants normally sell or what you manage to loot and scavenge. Or you might find good equipment but it is very worn down and has to be thoroughly repaired befor use.

The first airfield you capture was one of my favourite parts of JA2. It was a significant battle and the positive effect it has on your overall campaign is immense. It is basically your lifeline, especially in terms of weapons and supplies. I always enjoyed ordering and getting in a shipment of better items. It makes me wonder what approach will be used in JA3. I assume there will be airfields to capture, so what other method will there be if you can't import new equipment that way? If a Bobby Ray's equivalent doesn't exist, how are better items brought into the country? I can only think that there will be a travelling salesperson or A.I.M. liaison on site for you to order things in, and if not by plane, then by river or road.

Until that possibility is opened up, I think it can be fun to use weapons that aren't high quality. There was an appeal to using older equipment and still being effective with it. It gave a guerrilla warfare aspect to the game, instead of just acting like top-tier special forces with government backing.

There is a good war film called Uncommon Valor (1983), starring Gene Hackman. There is a scene where he is looking to buy weapons from a black marketeer but everything is too expensive, so the marketeer offers surplus WWII equipment for a basic all-in price. The equipment hasn't been looked after and was just left to get dusty so, once bought, everything has to be stripped down and cleaned. For JA3, weapons that you buy from local shops could be poor quality and have to have maintenance carried out on them unless you want them failing on you. Maybe there could be a cap on how well you can maintain older, worn, lower quality guns (e.g. max 75%). Also, regarding ammo, there should be plenty of WWII and Soviet era ammunition that is poor quality. Damage doesn't have to be lower and will just be Full Metal Jacket in terms of damage and penetration. Its main issue though is that while plentiful and cheap, it is corrosive. This means that any guns that fire it will wear down quicker and need sooner maintenance.

[DougS2K]

7 hours ago, SWi74 said:

One of the most satisfying aspects of the game is struggling to get better items. I would hate to have a shortcut in weapon progression early on or at affordable prices.

Well Bobby Ray's didn't have all items available right from the start so you don't have to worry about skipping weapon progression. Better weapons became available over time as you took over places on the map. I quoted above how it works but I'll quote it again.

"Bobby Ray's selection varies largely with the player's progress in the game. At the start, the selection will be sparse, and will consist mostly of pistols and low-level armor and gear. As the game progresses, the available inventory will expand until every item in the game (with the exception of junk items and luxury items such as LameBoy Displays) can be bought from the website."

7 hours ago, SWi74 said:

On the other hand I enjoyed the lore and logistical challenge of it - controlling an airport, noticing missing items, handling the problem with bribes/charisma/fists/bullets... dealing with AA site, maybe finding a plane and crazy enough pilot (like with the chopper). A lot can be done with the concept of importing rare/exotic/western gear into a conflict zone.

I enjoyed the same. It added another layer to the game and then you had to also worry about your gun/ammo runner making it to the front lines to restock your attack.

7 hours ago, SWi74 said:

It would be different if I had to arm a couple of hundred militia fighters by plane shipments.

There was an option in 1.13 to do this. Tried it once but it was tough supplying your own guns for all militia. I was playing on the hardest settings though so I literally had to supply hundreds of militia.

7 hours ago, SWi74 said:

Which touches on another issue. Have you ever wondered at the start of a game, how much money you should save and what to spend on, if you could get/find better stuff outside the shops? Because I haven't worried about "gold" since I first played Diablo 2 with my classmate and we thought we should gather 13,000 for a non-magical pole-arm the merchant had... from 1 and 2 gold drops... Then it turned out gold is useless. Game economy is hard to design.

I never found myself finding better gear, at least gun wise; outside of buying it from Bobby Ray's or Tony. They had the best guns and I only rarely found equivalent guns in the world.  

[DougS2K]

7 hours ago, Reloecc said:

This system is much better then ordering exceptional weapon from airdrops to me for reasons:

• stealing weapons encourages stealth and melee skills
• collecting damaged weapons (or their parts) balances around weight capacity
• getting armor damaged is a nice reason to not soak dmg
• replacing equipment temporarily if broken (until npc fix it for you) spices your gameplay

 

So heres my issue with this. I hate, and I mean HATE, stealth and melee stuff. I find it so boring slowly creeping around and not realistic to a real war/battle, but that's just me.

That aside, I'm ok with being able to acquire stuff from enemies, but I would also like the option to be able to purchase stuff as the game progresses and not rely on chance. I mean, could you imagine in a real war sending troops into a battle and just saying "We ain't sending you nothing else or making anything available so make do with whatever you can find"? haha Not a apples to apples comparison but I think you get he gist. 

I guess we will really need to wait and see if and what venders are available but so far it sounds like our mercs are just going to be picking up hand me downs which I think is just a poor decision.

[DougS2K]

7 hours ago, Hendrix said:

I do not see a reason why Bobby Ray's or equivalent couldn't exist in JA3. Just like in JA2, make sure that early in the game they have few low level stuff and to a price that is not really worth it. Then in the latter stages in the game it could be the only place to get really good stuff in pristine condition, still overpriced. For example good ammo could be hard to come by and BR's got plenty of it. So unless you buy it there you have to use the low quality surplus stuff the local merchants normally sell or what you manage to loot and scavenge. Or you might find good equipment but it is very worn down and has to be thoroughly repaired befor use.

Bingo. This is how it was done is JA2 so it seems bizarre to leave this out. 7.62 x 51mm ammo was hard to come by in JA2 so Bobby Ray's was vital for supplying battles and added another strategy layer in taking over the map. Had to make sure you had enough ammo for the battles and it made sure you had a backup weapon using different caliber ammo that you would actually use just incase you ran out of primary ammo.

[Solaris_Wave]

Stealth always seems to be very 'gamey'. It never really works in a believable way when playing a game. The following situations always seem to be in stealth games:

1) You get the annoying 'game over' just because you are detected. Game reloads or restarts. Why? Can't you fight your way out? More games allow for that continuity now, thankfully. Still, some games persist with this method, leaving a stealth section to be annoying to play.

2) Guards can be stupid. You have killed or knocked out his comrades but he will continue his patrol route in blissful ignorance of the fact that he might be the only remaining guard still standing. He hasn't checked in or called anybody else to see why it has gone quiet. Even the birds have stopped chirping and have buggered off. At no point does he get suspicious that things are too quiet and call for backup.

3) Guards are linked to a hive mind. You try to neutralise one guard but just as you try to shoot them in the head, they start to dance and bob like they are a cross between James Brown, Elvis Presley and the Sugarplum Fairy. They then go into alert mode, which somehow increases their hit points and means that one bullet to the head is no longer enough. They aren't surprised or wondering what sounded like an angry wasp going past their head. They then immediately somehow manage to raise the alarm without pressing any switches, blowing any whistles and sometimes, even without shouting. If they do shout, their voice instantly carries everywhere so every other guard now knows who is shouting, where he is and where you are. Even if they have yet to reach that guard's position, and even if you are now able to silently kill that guard, all other guards now have instant GPS updates on your position.

4) The alarm magically goes off, a firefight ensues and you are forced to kill enemies that have closed in on your position. You relocate and it has been a while since you were spotted. Despite not finding you captured or killed, despite numerous comrades that are lying dead around the base, the alarm is deactivated and the remaining guards go back to their patrol route, perfectly fine that their former mates, Derek, Alan and Bertie are lying on the ground with a harpoon in each eye. The base doesn't stay on alert, reinforcements aren't called in from another base and patrols aren't doubled up on and revised.

 

I know there is only so much you can do in a stealth game and as long as there is no mission failed silliness as soon as the alarm goes off, stealth games can be very enjoyable. However, I always find the best and most believable stealth action is the calm before the storm. Having multiple units quietly approaching a base, setting up position, maybe taking out a guard or two but not leaving it too long before then giving the order to go loud. The enemy soldiers are caught unprepared as they are quickly finished off.

[Reloecc]

13 hours ago, DougS2K said:

could you imagine in a real war sending troops into a battle and just saying "We ain't sending you nothing else or making anything available so make do with whatever you can find"?

This is what you need to expect when invading enemy territory. But I can imagine it's the A.I.M. where you could ask some basic resources, if they have politics for supply delivery. They want their mercs back alive after all.

I see possibility of ordering whatever you need as unbalanced. Depends on game difficulty ofc.

We know only little about the story, but I can imagine there could be some underground activities going with locals that could support you with their stock when trusted enough. They could have plenty of 5.45x39mm, so if you want to shoot, adapt for this munition. Something like that..

[_Skybreaker]

  I for one would be really sad that there was no Bobby Ray's equivalent in JA3. I do agree with some posters that mentioned that it was a little OP in the early game, but I think it could be a whole side quest chain in it's own right. Hear me out:

 

  Having to meet and establish relations with a black market supplier, and then having to decide on a point of entry to assault and take over, with benefits and risks. (Smaller ports and coastal towns are safer because the country has no standing navy to stop your boats, but shipping is slower, with a reduced chance of attack? Versus an airfield that's fast but prone to being attacked because it's obviously where your goods are coming in, plus deliveries are vulnerable to AA fire?)

  Creating a safe network to then ship in high quality arms and armor would be game changing in the mid to late game, but it would also be a fun and unique challenge if it was difficult, with strategic layers to how and where your operation was created and maintained. It could turn coastal towns with otherwise no meta-game strategic value into absolutely critical locations for your offensive ops in the early and mid game, before achieving air supremacy and seizing an airport.

  Even something as simple and small scale as developing a relationship with an NPC shopkeeper and bribing them to smuggle individual guns in their day to day deliveries. (If, say, you could pay extra for a supplier to send a few crates of coffee beans to a local cafe, with some guns stashed in the beans? And if you have bribed local officials, 0% chance for being caught - but if you haven't bribed anyone, or don't know who to bribe, your contraband could be confiscated at the border?)

  One of the things I really enjoyed in JA2 was the tipping point - that moment where it wasn't just a scrappy underdog fight for survival anymore. The moment in the campaign where you aren't scraping by, but have cut out enough territory and resources to be a straight up nightmare for the remainder of the playthrough. Everyone has killer armor. Everyone has killer weapons. Squad synergies are tight and everyone has leveled up, and the endgame is nigh. These moments, when they're earned, feel really good. 

  Obvs the game should remain challenging throughout, but what I mean to convey is that setting up a supply operation within the campaign can really contribute a ton to a player's feeling of progression. And the idea of having options, and having those options matter, is really neat to me. I'd love to see that!

[wInevitable]

On 4/9/2023 at 12:36 PM, anon474 said:

I actually think bobby rays is not the strongest game feature, and the reason its not, imo, is because it's something that's availible off the bat, instantly, and you dont need to unlock it (already lost potential for progression here), and you don't really need to find it, and it's also singular, which means, imagine if there were 5 shop keepers, and one was the best, but also the hardest to find. That's great mechanics imo.

In JA2, you have to unlock Bobby Ray's. You can find the website via the AIM website's links page before landing in Arulco, but even then it is "under construction" until you liberate an airport. Then, as others have mentioned, there is a progression system to their inventory that mirrors your game progression.

Also, even with access to Bobby Ray's, I would still visit Tony and other vendors as often as possible to find different items (specialty weapons, electronics and regen sticks to name a few). Bobby Ray's definitely helps level your equipment up if you have the cash, but it doesn't have endless inventory either.

I remember using it more for ammo (7.62 NATO/WP, 40mm grenades, mortar shells, grenades and the occasional LAW), accessories (NGV, med supplies, tools) and armor (and plates) than for weapons.

 

[wInevitable]

On 4/11/2023 at 11:37 AM, Solaris_Wave said:

The first airfield you capture was one of my favourite parts of JA2. It was a significant battle and the positive effect it has on your overall campaign is immense. It is basically your lifeline, especially in terms of weapons and supplies.

I remember feeling the same though maybe that's an argument that BR was a little overpowered? I always felt an urgency to capture Drassen (airport + mine) and then to continue holding it. Otherwise, you risk running out of supplies, ammunition and money to pay your mercs. For mines and money, you could go in another direction -> San Mona/Kingpin/Tony (as a stand-in for BRs) and then Chitzena/Cambria for a mine. Still, in Drassen you had a mine, the airport and also the quest with Father Walker which lets you unlock Dimitri.

 

I'd love to see some form of Bobby Ray's in the game, but maybe the other sources will be enough to fill the void.

[Solaris_Wave]

I always made the Drassen airport one of my primary targets. Once you have that, you have a foothold. I always saw it as the HQ for my operations because all new mercs, weapons and equipment would come in from there. If it was ever lost, you would have to recapture it as soon as you could.

Thankfully, I never did lose it when playing JA2. The first time I played it though, I had Sci-Fi mode on. I was none the wiser as to what that mode included, so it was a real surprise when the airport got attacked by giant bugs and at night. I had militia already trained and guarding the airport by the time my mercs got back there after the distress call. That was a memorable battle and I enjoyed hearing one of my militia's exclamations of joy after he killed one of the bugs that was at the main entry gate.

[DougS2K]

On 4/20/2023 at 12:56 PM, Solaris_Wave said:

I always made the Drassen airport one of my primary targets. Once you have that, you have a foothold. I always saw it as the HQ for my operations because all new mercs, weapons and equipment would come in from there. If it was ever lost, you would have to recapture it as soon as you could.

Thankfully, I never did lose it when playing JA2. The first time I played it though, I had Sci-Fi mode on. I was none the wiser as to what that mode included, so it was a real surprise when the airport got attacked by giant bugs and at night. I had militia already trained and guarding the airport by the time my mercs got back there after the distress call. That was a memorable battle and I enjoyed hearing one of my militia's exclamations of joy after he killed one of the bugs that was at the main entry gate.

Exactly. Drassen became your "homebase" so to speak. All throughout the game I have Razor running supplies from Drassen via Bobby Ray's to the front lines to keep the battle going. It added another strategic layer to the game for me and many others.