Buddy locations

[Art Blade]

Just want to add that in the end I got all 40 missions (36/40 then shot my rescue, got 2 new missions, found the last buddy, got his 2 missions)

[JRD]

I'm with spaceboy... I'm on my 2nd run and its taking much longer than the 1st one. I did all missions then but never got all diamonds, which I'm after this time. I'm also searching all buddies and sometimes just fooling around, enjoying the view. Must be at some 60% with about 50 hrs of gameplay
Next time will be on infamous, and maybe using a few ignore player cheats just to see how mercs behave...  ;D

[Art Blade]

I think you're right it makes 20 because there are 11 buddies to find but your very first buddy (rescue-buddy) and doesn't give you missions I think.

Usually he wouldn't. But you can make him (I'll explain after the quotes)

If spaceboy is correct and your very first best buddy

I noticed that spaceboy didn't refer to "best" but "rescue" buddy. Your best buddy does give you missions. But I assume JRD meant "rescue" buddy too, though. Well, if spaceboy is correct and your rescue buddy doesn't give you any mission, "then we have (20 + 22 - 2) = 40 missions, " as JRD mentioned.

I'm on my third through now, and started with Paul as best buddy, Warren as rescue buddy, and Michele, at Mike's.

I did 2 "Paul-missions" and 2 "Michele-missions". Warren as rescue buddy didn't offer any (he wasn't around at Mike's). I then went looking for a fourth buddy and found Flora, who also gave me 2 missions. Then I went looking for the fifth buddy, Quarbani, who gave me another 2 missions.
Since the rescue buddy doesn't show at Mike's (max 4 buddies there), there was room for the rest. So far, 8 buddy side missions, all buddies alive. I got rescued once by Warren and met him at a safehouse, so he again was rescue ready.

My next step was accepting a main mission (after which I wanted to kill my best buddy). Funny thing though, exactly after accepting that mission, I now had Flora as rescue(-ready!) buddy...

That set my ex-rescue buddy Warren "free," so he took Flora's place at Mike's. That meant 2 more missions from Warren =10.

I shot Paul, Flora remained rescue buddy. On finishing Warren's 2nd (10th) mission, I shot her too. Now Quarbani was promoted to rescue buddy (yet to be "readied"). After debriefing Warren, he (Warren) got promoted to best buddy LOL

Now there's enough room for buddy #6 ;D

So far, there is a chance that every buddy can give you a mission.

Now, what about 42/40? Strange... any thoughts?

edit: Warren is my new best buddy, Quarbani now rescue buddy.

[spaceboy]

Man, and I thought you were through with investigations.  That makes sense, we knew about the promotions and the 6th buddy, but now it makes sense why someone here (sorry I forgot who) mentioned the 41/40 missions.  Thanks for the breakdown, Art!  More ways to get more missions and fun out of the game.

[Art Blade]

what you remember is that I was through testing weapons degradation, not in general :) I like analytics  ;D

[spaceboy]

FYI, I split the thread (thanks for the idea PZ) into 2 add'l topics "GTA IV" in Off topic, and "end game thoughts" in Questions.  That way this can go on for Buddy Locations.

[Dweller_Benthos]

On my next play through (yet to start it) I plan on having no buddies left alive when the time comes to defend Mike's. At least I'm going to try my hardest. I plan on getting the main buddy, do his/her missions, kill them, then get another buddy in their place, going up the line until no one is left. It should just be a matter of timing and killing them at the right part of the game.

Then, do the same in the south, killing the main buddy after I've done their side missions, to let the next one get promoted. And so on, until none of them are left alive. If I can do that (has anyone tried?) there should be no one alive to attack me at the landing zone at the end right? There must be some safeguard in the game to allow at least one buddy to be there, or it resurrects one of the dead ones or something.

[spaceboy]

D_B, in my current playthrough I left the North buddyless, but I've only really started Act II.  I have the same goal as you.  Actually I didn't originally have the idea, I just didn't reload after losing buddies etc.  I was left with Josip and Michele at Mike's and I just decided to go buddyless so I smoked 'em from inside Mike's at the last fight.  As soon as I could draw my gun I just wasted them while they were shooting out the windows.  I think it'll be tough to get rid of them all in the South, but maybe if you don't rescue your prison buddy that'll help - but they'll probably show up at the landing.

[Dweller_Benthos]

You'd think there would have to be at least two buddies at the landing zone, since they talk to each other about whether or not to kill you.

[DKM2]

I've been thinking that too. Just unlock the buddies you need and leave the others until
you finish your current buddies missions.
I find it's a little easier to control who gets promoted, and it's a pain to get a buddy
promoted to rescue that you haven't done missions for yet.
Don't know if you could kill them all though...

[Art Blade]

D_B, I am very much doing the same... I started with killing my best buddy first, then the rescue buddy... I'm somewhat early on my 3rd through. ;D

[PZ]

**Spoiler**

I've killed enough of my buddies to have only one standing at the Landing Zone.  I also recall another play where I killed 5 out of the 6 buddies in the north and only the remaining one was left to try to gun me down after I picked up the diamond case at the LZ.

[Dweller_Benthos]

But I guess there's no way to have them all dead so there's no one at the landing zone and you just walk in a take the diamonds?

[PZ]

Not sure, because I started the end sequence of the first act before I had a chance to Kill my last buddy.  My intent from the start of that game was to see what happened at the LZ - stupidity caused to leave one buddy standing.

[retiredgord]

I am wondering if a "missing" buddy is the one(s) that show up at the LZ?  I had 4 or 5 after me but thought because I watched a couple of them "die" with the syrettes there'd be fewer. Andre definitely was supposed to be in the bone orchard and..my girl  :'( :'( Nasreen, let me down so I let her die.  I thought so anyway.
(to the tune of One Horse Open Sleigh)   Oh what fun it is to watch your buddies die today.   lol

[Art Blade]

hahah! I did the opposite during my last (2nd) through - I made sure I found every buddy and hoped for a big showdown at the LZ. I forgot to count (stupid) but I had like 7 or 8 there... I remember: Michele, Flora, Quarbani, Frank, Warren, Paul, Josip... I think that's what I got. Of course we had some fun together :)

[PZ]

I don't know, but I specifically personally killed 5 of the buddies with my own bloody hands, leaving only Josip left.  Interestingly, Josip was the only buddy that tried to kill me at the LZ.  The next time I'm going to make sure I do away with all 6 before I go south,

[Dweller_Benthos]

First time, I had all the buddies from the north at the LZ, so that would be six, right? I'm really going to try for none this time, scorched earth and all.....

[JRD]

I'm trying the same, but only had 3 out of 6 buddies dead in the north... will see it in the LZ (if I make there anyway..... still haven't re-installed it since the last bug   :'( )

[Art Blade]

I've done something with an unexpected result... I'm left without "active" buddies in Lebowa. I only got Michele getting drunk at Mike's, that's it.

I killed all my rescue and best buddies, only Michele won't apply for a job. Now I've completed the Oasis mission on my own.

[DKM2]

I killed all my rescue and best buddies, only Michele won't apply for a job.

So, the AI is better than we thought.

[Art Blade]

she' just a chick chickening out  ;D

[Art Blade]

Just to report back, I think I know why I was left with one Buddy (Michele) and why she didn't become either best or rescue buddy - you need a living buddy to push that fridge around to block the door of Mike's. Of course I shot her right there and then  ;D Now I'm off to Bowa... no "old" buddies to worry about  :-*

[JRD]

you need a living buddy to push that fridge around to block the door of Mike's.

You can push that furniture thing at the church by yourself though  :-\

[Dweller_Benthos]

yeah, you push the fridge in Mike's by yourself, too, but do you need a buddy to tell you to do it? Or does the buddy help? I forget.