GODSPEED

After recently adding an MG to one of my squads... humm.... they don't feel like MG's but like laser guns. The more I'm getting into the high-end weaponry (HK 21, FN Minimi) the more I feel the game is broken and was tweaked only for the early part. Setting up an MG and watching all the constant "laser" fire coming out of it and pretty much decimating 5-6 enemies in one single enemy turn.... sorry, it's too much. Now, I don't really feel like using them, because the AI is downright almost JA2 level stupid. They just pile up with no regard for the zone of fire that is set up. At this point, MG's don't miss a single bullet, neither from myself, nor from the enemy. I'm playing a map where I had to place my mercs right next to where enemies enter the map (I don't get why I can't place my mercs ANYWHERE on maps I currently "own"). I MANAGE to pop off an RPG and decimate half the group, but they simply set up two mg's covering my entire team. This is my secondary squad, if ANYONE moves, they get Minimi'd twice in a row and die. My second squad doesn't have a merc with the shot that removes "overwatch" and ignores it either. I get it, bipods help accuracy. They should NOT eliminate recoil completely. Especially not at the amount of bullets MG's fire. I get it from small arms fire; Famas, AK, G36... sure, low recoil weapons, you get 3 bullets hit you. Ok. But an HK 21, Minimi, MG42 should have some spread, even if it's minor, regardless how many upgrades. Each bullet just impacts the exact same spot! Oh, and a sidenote, RPG-7's. Why the hell are they being used in an Anti-Personel manner? These things are made to defeat armored vehicle & tanks. That thing would split you open and just keep going, no? I got a bunch or RPG's and rockets before ever getting 40mm grenades. Are there tanks or heavy vehicles in the game? (unless you count the ones used for cover that explode within a second of each other).

You might want to put on some helmet instead, or even better, a gas mask.

Yep... the "problem" with manned MG's is that if you happen to get one and enemies are nearby... it seems to have unlimited interrupts. I find it too bad they haven't made better use of them when you are assaulting outposts. Every MG should be manned and placed in a way to make combat a nightmare for YOUR team. .50's from Heavy MG's will render cover useless. Too many "easy" entry points into outposts that feels designed to make it "easier" for you. Range should be extended, and only smoke, land cover (heavy large rocks) should provide proper cover. I want outposts to feel like a real feat to capture! So far, they don't feel all that different from normal battles. I like the idea of having outposts removing fog of war around them.. although I've yet to notice if it really matters. I would have preferred seeing assault squads coming from cities/camps that the enemy owns.

Guess it depends on the player right. Personally, I wouldn't find JA really fun without the early part where you are outgunned, outmanned, outmunitioned (lol)... the "survival" aspect of JA2 has always been among my favs. Finding that Ruger Mini-14 in San Mona, or an HK G3 from a terrorist early on... but having to carefully use it and keep it for specific situations calling for that power, is part of the game that I love most. This design choice, making you THINK before you shoot is something I clearly think is a staple of early game Jagged Alliance. Do I want the entire game like that? Not really.. but I'm only about 30-36 hours in, and I haven't crafted any ammo yet, and while some guns are not stocked with enough ammo for multiple large encounters, learning when I should use what gun for what battle is part of the game that has really given me that much more appreciation for it (I will give credit where credit is due). Do I think one of the large cities should have a market like you see Somalians go buy some G3's and AK's in Black Hawk Down? Hell yeah!! Make that a little later. Not early game. Just like when you first walk into Tony's shop. Very limited. Often maybe you might pick up a cheap SMG or Pistol.. but you can't kit and gear up a squad either. Early JA2, even ordering from Bobby is too expensive. Unless you like to sit your squad for days in Airport just to wait for the cheap shipping... just not part of my strategy. I prefer the "living off the land" gameplay. I'm not swimming in ammunition, but I'm not finding the game so punishing that I can't enter battles and feel deadlocked.

MG NEST I remember my first MG nest encounter on the starting island. Was really excited!! Thought it was going to be a real strategy nightmare... hum.. then I realized it was empty. 😕 I'm not certain if this is the case with MOST of the MG nests, but each mg next I come across is not manned (maybe just my luck?). Just sits in an ideal and pretty easy spot to get to. Feels a little too cheesy and easy to get to. SPOTLIGHTS When I first noticed the spotlights, I also thought this was going to add considerable challenge. Thinking, maybe your first stealth kill would be to take out that spotlight. No interaction possible. And kind of wished they would be manned for them to actually function at "rotating", or else they would only be stuck in one direction. SKY FLARES Those things aside, something I would like to see the enemy and the team be able to use are those flares that are launched up high to illuminate (poorly) a large area. Assaulting outposts should be an absolute challenge. Seeing them launch that type of flare high up over a large area would make it feel pretty intense. Doesn't have to be dramatic like making it daylight.. but just something to make you think twice about your position, as you mercs wouldn't be in "darkness" anymore. Maybe kind of a "half-darkness" buff/debuff. TECHNICALS The game already has some pretty incredible looking vehicles. Would def like to see some emplacements with manned MG mounted on technicals. Something to provide very limited placement possibility; so an enemy mounted on a technical, can either shoot or move just a little bit (turn and face another direction).

The sneaking and stealth system is already very easy/forgiving. You need to make GOOD use of it if you want to not become cattle manure after taking a stealth kill. A stealth kill, if you are detected, is the same thing as if you would have paused and started turn-base combat and taken a full turn (nearly). I think this is a conscious decision to make sure that stealth isn't overly OP (although it still feels a little OP). When you want to make stealth kills, then you must play the game like if you were playing Commandos (you remember those "old" games?). Make sure that the enemy is VERY secluded. If he is even 5-6 squares away, another enemy might HEAR the stealth kill (he would "hear" the guy falling down, gun falling on the ground, a yell, etc..). So, go around the map, scout it and the enemies, and if you don't see any real options to create multiple stealth kills, then you will simply batte like normal. At that point, you should try to position your merc for the stealth kill towards an enemy you really want out of the battle, or at least somewhere he won't be swarmed within the first turn.

High five guys. You crafted a beautiful game alright! I'm looking forward to seeing what you have in store for the future of the franchise.

Guys... common! We clearly don't all agree on the same things, but can we stop the "bickering" arguments? Argue about the game! Not who played what where when how. Nobody gives a 💩 if you're 99.9 years old or you've just come out from your three fathers wombs. The topic is about the game being GOOD BUT NOT GREAT.. While I am enjoying the game, and while I will get some backlash for saying this, while part of the game is (in my opinion) a great Jagged Alliance game, some parts of that kind of fail. Artistically, I don't see how it could be better. HG have really F'n nailed it in the art department (minus the ui.. needs a little bit of love). This will actually make it harder to go back to JA2 as I will, regardless how good this game is or isn't. Map design, while I could wish for larger maps on the whole, I feel are very nciely hand crafted. For someone with a eye for detail and subtlety, I love the attention they've brought to areas, setting a tone and feel for the situation Grand Chien is facing. I find they did what I like that Bethesda do.. added small pieces of "story" in ares, jsut to make your imagination go: "Oh man! wonder what happened here!?". Love that!! My negatives are down to mechanics. I don't care what anyone says, JA2 wasn't perfect, no one can say it was. Was the interrupt system perfect? Nope! But it offered more challenge than the overwatch here. Overwatch in this game is clearly OP. Not only that, but the fact that in JA2, you could never be guaranteed you would even get an Interrupt, means that it promoted the idea to not sit back (even though the AI was lame and that's what we ended up doing). Here, Spending equal amount of points to firing a shot, you can Overwatch and get 3 shots from it (in many cases). And to be honest, the AI in this game is no more evolved over the one from JA2. Camping and sitting as you have enemies walk into "guaranteed" cones of fire has brought the game down a serious notch in the joy I get from tactical combat. You can't even set the firemode. At least if overwatch used the same firemode as you last used to fire the weapon, would at least make more sense. I don't find the tactical side of the game to be an upgrade of JA2, if anything, maybe even a slight downgrade. I AM NOT COMPARING WITH 1.13.. I AM MAKING NO REFERENCE TO 1.13! I think JA3 feels like an upgrade for JA1 with features and ideas kind of taken from JA2, but with the tactical freedom scraped for a more streamlined modern audience. (I'm saying this from my point of view, just like MY "era" is different from the one that was before me.)

Well, unfortunately, I have to disagree with you here. 🍻 But let me explain WHERE I'm coming from first.. JA2 After I don't know how many games I've played of JA2 (with 1.13), I've switched from playing with "Drop All" from yes to NO. Why? Drop All, although feeling more "realistic", breaks the game and some tactics and "classes" as well. Seriously, you get so many guns, ammo and gear, that even after tweaking the selling % of the sector inventory to 2%, you end up with too much money and too much time wasted in "logistical simulator life" than actually just kitting out your mercs and battles. What do I mean about "breaking classes"? Well, one of my fav characters, especially in the first third of my campaign, is Blood (and by extension, Dr. Q). They excel at martial arts and getting close to the enemies. Something I LOVE doing in JA2 1.13 is coming across a battle with some enemies with better gear than mine. THAT alone creates a whole new set of objectives for myself; how do I get that gear, if Drop All is not enabled? By STEALING it from enemy hands! It can be risky business to get a merc up close to a soldier. But, with baiting, knocking out (martial arts or stun/gas grenade and gas mask) and stealing from his body (before he dies) you can actually get the things you want! Just THAT part of the gameplay, to myself, is worth turning Drop All OFF. It gives that extra layer of strategy I take into account, and means that mercs like Malice & Blood are effective at something more. If drop all is ON, then what is the drive to actually steal from enemy hands and go through all that trouble of risking mercs when you just gotta shoot the soldier, and he'll drop everythign anyways. JA3 Now, for JA3... this is where, I guess people will get pissed at me, because I'm going to mention that I want things from JA2 in JA3. I find they missed a nice opportunity for that added tactical choice. In JA2, a quick and agile merc like Dr. Q is not only useful as a combat medic or person to play "fisty cuffs" with in a gunfight.. but to actually steal from enemies as well. Is it necessary? Is the game so hard to I would HAVE to resort to that tactic? A resounding NO! But, this is supposed to be an RPG. Those are some of the liberties and choices I want to make. ...and wish they had been incorporated.

I ran out of ammo for my early AK-47... because every shot I took was a burst. I learned my lesson; handed pistols to everyone and instilled proper trigger finger techniques to my squad. 😁 I'm happy we can't "buy" ammunition. It is among the things I actually do enjoy; worrying about being careful with ammo use. Feels "realistic" as well. Also haven't even crafted any ammo yet.

Huh? I don't understand your post... sorry! 🧐

😮 Goddamn spoiler!!!! 😅

Fixed!

Well, here it is..

H.P. Lovecraft is writer of 'horror' short stories, dating back to early 1900's. His horror is completely different to 'horror' in general... it isn't about vampires, ghosts, zombies, monsters, gore...etc.. He wrote Stories such as "The Call of Cthulhu", where the person in the story slowly becomes mad or "crazy" because of what he is learning. In his stories, it happens quite often that the character walks upon some tribal-style sacrifice or frenzy where they are "praying" for the "elder one" to arrive. Not gods, or devils/demons... but cosmic entities that span time and space and aren't like things we can "fight"... thus, the reason that the person(s) in the story slowly are driven to madness. It's "horror" in a different way. Ever hear games being "Lovecraftian" ? The "Amnesia" horror games have a slight Lovecraftian vibe to them.. but very game-y. There is a game called Call of Cthulhu that is a little bit like the Pen & Paper Roleplaying game called "Call of Cthulhu". Anyways.. very often in Lovecratian lore, or his actual stories, "The Old Ones" refer to some eldritch being, usually one that has a cult on eart that is trying to invoke it.

Same! Ira. Over any other RPC! If you think of her role in the story and setting, it works so well! A humanitarian, there to help the suffering ones. Even though I've heard her commentary countless times (when entering locations), I always take her along. It's that extra layer of immersion and what helps make every location feel grounded instead of simply another map to play checkers on. Damn JA2 was/is a special game! How many games have this sort of attention to detail? where a 'recruitable' will comment on locations... Shit, it's crazy to think how much layers of details they came up with when they made this game. Truly a work of passion to the core.

JA3 IS NOT part of my discussion topic, please see my op if in doubt. I'm asking purely from a curiosity from a JA2 vs 1.13 standpoint. I don't care whether JA3 has 1.13 features in this question. I'm not an elitist. But I ask a simple question and I see flames and talking about JA3 when I'm NOT comparing. Not in many years. I don't like forums and this is the first one I join in a while (previous JA game). I sometimes scroll through Steam, but rarely there too. It's a horrible place 85% of the time. Either you try and have a discussion/friendly argument and are met with those who can't converse or just go on the insult. I avoid that. I talk to you the way I'd talk to anyone, with respect and dignity, regardless your opinions. I'd expect other human beings to be the same.... 🤣

One of the problems I find with JA3 is that difficulty is.... "artificially" introduced/forced through mechanics that come from a boardgame. Battles are too small for the power of the sniper rifles. They have barely any more AP requirement to an assault rifle, yet, EASY heads rolling, minimum 1 per /turn per sniper. I almost DON'T want to "scout" locations so that the scout towers maps are full big battles instead. Because it's just feeling a little too simple to be honest. The things I find they tried to force to get a harder game is by having some skills and "perks" that just punish you without any logic. The saying goes: "Don't bring a knife to a gunfight".. so why are morons with knives charging at me when I've got an HK 21, Dragunov, M1014, etc... ? Easy kills so the "AI" can position it's other units?? As an example are the enemies with knives that have a zone of "overwatch"... Wtf man!! Ok, I would get it if they reacted to melee or trying to move out. But they actually get a turn BEFORE you shoot them!? Or like the perks that make the enemy shoot you before you shoot them. It isn't "hard", it's just forced xcom-ish tactics in a game that doesn't deserve that treatment. Then some people tell me that JA2's Interrupt system wasn't perfect.... 🤣 I beg to differ. Compared to this, it was perfect.

Yes, in the mid-late releases of 1.13, sniper rifles we're tweaked... but not debuffed! Balanced them out way better. So it had to do with the scopes more than the gun as well.. as very high magnification scopes take much longer to acquire precise aim than something like an Eotech. So, aiming took way more AP, meaning if you we're going to take a headshot, you better as heck trust your merc to actually hit, or else it was wasting a turn for aiming and a turn for shooting. Actually made sniper rifles feel like they really should instead of glorified assault rifles. Also, extreme distant shots required a spotter with binoculars to spot for you past you view distance.

I'm not making any reference to JA3 though, which is why I hid this in the "Off Topic" section of the forum. I'm asking a question out of curiosity, that is all... I feel like asking that question is setting some people angry. ? For me, I simply remember trying JA2 a few times and just wanting to play with higher resolution and found that mod like 15 or so years ago... I've always knew it added some features to the game, but never felt like it changed what Jagged Alliance was. So for me 1.13 was perfect because of the added difficulty options and resolution while keeping the game intact. I would understand when some say that a mod changes a game if you were to play something like Urban Chaos or Deidranna Lives! (before 1.13 ever existed) as those really changed the setting and story, added new mechanics in the game, like a subway station traveling, weapons that were eastern block, etc.. Only since joining this forum I've found lots of negative comments towards 1.13, so for me, that part is really new. Just wondering if some of the newer updates have screwed things up, or what the heck infuriates people so badly about 1.13.. that was pretty much it. Which is why I said "not looking for a fight" 'cause it's purely curiosity here. Never saw that amount of negative comments towards 1.13 elsewhere (very rarely anyways).

Are you familiar with H.P. Lovecraft?

In JA2, Militia will pick up guns you leave on the ground, only if some ammo is loaded into it and it is better than the one they have (coolness factor). If the gun is empty, it won't be picked up. Equipment left on the ground in JA2 never disappears. This was a way to actually control the guns Militia could have, leave some decent loaded guns near a place you think militia will walk by in the case they must defend an area.. and they will replace their cheaper gun with a better one. If you simply wanted to store guns in an area, simply unload them.

Huh... What? So you're saying that JA1 and JA2, with all their lines and speech, got it wrong? Wow!

@Tzg@D13@MateKiddleton What part of 1.13 that is forced on you turns the game into a milsim?