(funny) Tactics and Tips

[PZ]

Geat post mandru - and as Art said, don't worry too much about where to post observations - much more important to get them online rather than worrying about posting etiquette.  Also as mentioned, FC2 is a wealth of new experiences, even for veteran players, so the party is still alive and well  :-X

[Art Blade]

PZ just started the 6th page for me ;)

Yeah, if someone posts something interesting as well as off topic, we can still split it off and create a new topic. So, keep it coming  :)

[RedRaven]

when doing the Arms dealer mission in the North map, East sector if you look through a sniper scope or the monocular you can see the convoy drop onto the road.
also have you guys noticed when you kill a merc in water his body never floats to the surface?

[PZ]

Indeed - they sink ever so peacefully beneath the waves - reminds me of a time when I was in a contest with a couple of swamp boat mercs - one of them stood up, moved to the edge of the boat and calmly stepped into the water.  Descended to his death without so much as a wave of the arms.

[RedRaven]

seen that, its probably a good job they are all a bit dumb and not anywhere near as smart as us or we would never make it out of Pala alive :)

[Art Blade]

They do float - but after a couple of seconds they sink like a rock  ;D

[PZ]

Every time I think of my favorite lines...

• Hey, you hear about Ned? ... shot himself in the foot... [chuckle] that f'in guy...
  
• Who?  Where who is?
• Well, look what we got!

....I have a good laugh, and when I return from being away from FC2 for a while, I'm always anticipating their antics.  You can always count on them behaving the same way each time you play with them!

[Art Blade]

hehe PZ  :)

here, I shot this merc off a boat and he floated. I tried to get there in time, but he just started sinking the moment I took this pic.

[smg id=1458 align=center width=400]

[PZ]

Yeah, I noticed that they don't stay on top very long - you only get to enjoy their predicament for a short time before they depart.  They do seem to be a bit like cats - they don't go into the water much - voluntarily anyway  ;D

[Art Blade]

If they are a bit like cats, I'm just so glad I don't have to smell their fishy breath  ;D

[mandru]

RedRaven's recent post where he said "when doing the Arms dealer mission in the North map, East sector if you look through a sniper scope or the monocular you can see the convoy drop onto the road." directly relates to my first tip about using the game A.I. to your advantage.

There are things the game doesn't want you to see. Any time you hear the spawn of a new land based patrol vehicle there will be an engine rev followed by a chunk as it drops onto the road. If the spawn takes place over a bridge sometimes the edge detection glitches and the vehicle falls through the bridge onto the shore underneath or is trapped with in the bridge deck as I have seen in screen caps elsewhere here in OWG.

**Possible Spoiler** You've been warned.

The Barge Escort mission can be murderous but the A.I.'s priorities can be used to advantage.

How I approach this quick version.

I am basically a pure snipe though I enjoy rushing in and fighting with the Dragonuv's or AS50's single shot single kill capability at close quarters. For the barge I equip Dart and Dragonuv with the grenade launcher in the secondary.

Equip needed ammo right now. You'll soon be too busy. Talk to the pilot then scurry to the front center grenade launcher and clear the rocks on either side of mercs as the barge exits the channel.

Waste no time and switch to a snipe rifle(Dragonuv's multi shot clip is best for this mission) and target the Carl G wielder directly ahead and slightly up the cliff a bit before he can get a shot off.

The second he goes down a ways to the left and just above water level on a rock shelf is a mortar man setting up. I don't know why (other than for toughness) this guy is always a black character in dark clothing against the dark rocks and even though I know where he is from many plays through I have trouble spotting him before he starts his bombardment. Snipe him as quickly as possible. Just once I'd like to see this guy sporting one of those spiffy little red berets.  ::)

From where you are if there are any swamp boats visible in front or even with the barge snipe the gunners and pilots as quickly as you can then run up to the deck behind the barge's pilots cabin. Not blowing up the swamp boats gives you a little extra time to make this w@&k as it delays the respawn cycle.

Keep your eyes directly to the rear of the barge's course into Port as much as possible. All respawns will occur in that direction and if you can get all three attack boats out of commission at once and intently watch their respawn zone the A.I. follows its "things that should be hidden from view" priority.

If one does manage to elude your initial sweep or respawn if you become distracted, snipe them at long range and continue to keep watch until the barge docks and you get the mission update notice and tone.

I usually make the last half of the trip over with almost zero fuss.

Good luck - mandru

[fragger]

Excellent tips, mandru! :-X :-X
That barge mission is usually a toughie.

[DKM2]

I dread that mission, sounds like you have it nailed.

[Art Blade]

haha, you tricked that mission  :-X Nice one, mandru :) At first I didn't quite catch what you meant with taking advantage of the game's quirks, but now it's obvious. It is amazing how simple it seems, to just watch a zone so the AI doesn't spawn there.

I found out that in Pala and Port Selao there are a couple of spawn locations where you can actually watch mercs spawn. The trick is to be on higher grounds, and indeed to watch the far sides from your location. In Pala are a couple of roofs you can easily access, and down on the streets in the shacks to the side of your location you can sometimes aim straight with your sniper rifle at those spots, killing them off in a steady flow. You see them drop dead but standing - the replacement will be there before the dead merc hits the ground, in exactly the same spot :)

[mandru]

Thanks guys, now if I could find as easy of a way to get back out of Port Selao afterwards.

Art that rooftop respawn spot sounds like something I need when I'm trying to get my shot accuracy up.

- mandru

[PZ]

One thing you could try for fun is to grab a grenade launching AT (assault truck) before you do the mission.  Instead of heading straight down to the starting point:

• Take the bus to the northeast bus stop, then steal the GL AT from the mercs that patrol that area
• Drive the GL AT to Mosate Selao and park it in a choice spot for easy access
• Swim to the barge and complete the mission
• Go see the Doc and be sure your GL AT is in an easy access spot then initiate the fight sequence.  Use the AT to blow up the place.

I've never tried this approach with the GL AT (I usually park a Unimog at the port), and I wonder of the same spawning will ensue.

[Art Blade]

I never dared to start a town war right after the barge mission, apart from my last try which was cruel. To me :)

I briefly wrote about it in that Art-icle :)

[PZ]

That's a good one - icles by Art

[Art Blade]

Let's hope we'll never have anyone using "Test" as a forum nickname.

[PZ]

hahaha  :-X :-X

[mandru]

Here's another AI observation that can be turned to the player's advantage.

One of the biggest FC2 complaints in game that I've encountered on other boards is the respawn rates. My opinion from the start has been respawns are what the are, live with it or die by it. Your choice.

But Patrol respawns...

For example, in the first half of the game, South Central grid, where you turn up the rail spur towards Claes Chemical and then there at the rail shack get back on the road headed East for the Cell Tower just beyond the Y in the road that leads up to the CP before the Chem Plant you hit a AT Patrol route.

For me this is the easiest Cell Tower to get to, I use it almost exclusively and I can't tell you how many times I've been pounced by that patrol as soon as I'm in their territory.

When encountered they cripple my AT usually before I can clear them, fix my ride and proceed to the tower.  Then when I'm parked and ready to head up to get my assignment they come flying in again with mounted gun blazing.

My early efforts to w@&k around this menace was to try to arrive first, dismount  jump up and squat on the turret and with the secondary grenade launcher give them flying lessons but invariably there at the parking zone for the tower they'd be back!

Finally one time to save the few seconds repairing my AT, I took their AT and drove to the tower. I waited for their typical reappearance before walking up for my mission. And I waited. And I waited.

After quite a while they didn't show up! Getting my mission it turned out to be the Official's convoy that circles the Southern Airport. A quick and easy one and traveling out past where I'd stolen the patrol's AT there were no bodies and my original AT was gone.

Getting to my objective I cut right before the rail shack skirted the South running ledge at the base of that ridge on the right and crossed the gully at an obtuse angle to avoid getting hung up. Cutting East I got to the bottle neck the convoy has to squeeze through as they are coming North well ahead of them Grenade launcher ready. Outcome predictable.

Only what happened next wasn't.

With minimal ammo used, I was up for another Cell Tower mission and retraced my path back to pick up another. I hit the dreaded "This is where the patrol usually hits me" zone and Nothing! I drove on to the tower without interference, got a mission in Pala, then waited a fair bit and the patrol never showed.

I had their ride and had not gone far enough outside of their route for the AI to respawn them another!

Through experimentation I've found that this works for every type of patrol vehicle even boats.

I'll apologize to you guys right now who take pride in nursing a favored set of wheels through long ownership but if you're tired of a recently dispatched annoyance coming back and joggling your elbow while your trying to pull off a bit of w@&k, stealth or otherwise, this may be a solution for you.

In summation: Grabbing a Patrol's ride limits their respawn within reason.

Good Luck - mandru

[PZ]

Excellent description mandru,

I've noticed similar with the GL AT near the northeast armory in Bowa.  If I need to do anything at Dogon or east of that area in the northern regions, I'll steal that AT.  I've managed to stray quite far without having the patrol re-spawn (have not experimentally determined how far is beyond reasonable though).

On the topic of cell towers, my favorite in Bowa is the one east of Mosate Selao - past the Polytechnic.  I always have fun with the mercs at the post with the water tower, and love to try sniping techniques on the RPG merc on the east side of the river.  Add the bonus of an ATP to play with near the cell tower and I have loads of fun just getting to the cell tower.

[Art Blade]

cool. I think the respawn quirks of ATPs and in general motorised patrols is something worth playing around with a little more ;)

Maybe something for you guys to check, I have not yet been able to approve this: Apparently mercs that got off their ride don't take it back if you used it. I think if you repaired it for them does the same trick. I can tell because I wanted them to follow me, repaired their AT or Datsun or Jeep, and they bloody wouldn't get back in  ;D Same if I played around with them, running around in circles, quickly snatching their ride and get off of it again, they kept walking rather than using their old vehicle. Both cases, I got in my own ride and drove away, leaving angry pedestrians behind  ;D

What lets me hesitate, however, is they sometimes grabbed my ride instead. I think they do use "public" cars (stationary cars without owners) if available, ie some GPs that supply more than one car. And I think sometimes they did reuse their old car despite of the games I played with them.

could add some fun to that cell tower, playing "whose car is this" with those mercs :)

[PZ]

... I wanted them to follow me, repaired their AT or Datsun or Jeep, and they bloody wouldn't get back in  ...

hahaha, that's just like a merc (and my wife's poodle) they never do what you want them to.

[mandru]

It could be reasoned that the game developers to increase consistency in the game coded it so that when a player got out of a vehicle and stayed within a certain range, that vehicle should still be there, in case they were expecting to return to it.

A vehicle that a player has interacted with appears to becomes tagged as such (possibly more than 1 at a time) and probably has limited interaction possibilities from that point on for the mercs unless the players actions change that priority.

For player standing on the roof of a car they have just exited, if shooting at mercs, it could be reasonable that the mercs may toss a grenade under it to get to the player. The damage to the vehicle is incidental and brought about by the players choices and the games AI responding to those choices. If the player was standing somewhere else the car would most likely be left alone on the off chance that the player my be planning on returning to it.

I'll have to remember all of that to check in game, if it ever comes up.  :P

- mandru