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PATUSCO'S
JAGGED ALLIANCE 2
STRATEGY GUIDE

Version 1.1
(12/08/99)

Finished reading the manual twice and still have that creepy feelling that
"The truth is out there"???
Bought the Official Strategy Guide, and it didn't include a zip of you wanted
or needed to discover all the features in this fabolous game? Or simply to finish
it?
Then this Guide is for you!!!

DISCLAIMER

This Guide is some sort of a compilation of the hints that the gamers were
giving at the several JA2 discussion boards, so my thanks go to all who contributed
to this guide, in that way. (Impossible to write all your names at this moment, but
maybe your name is already in my Thank You section. Check it to find out. If not,
well, you know who you are… and after all, this Guide is for you, isn't it???)
So, I have not written all this stuff, but at least a good part of it. I edited &
changed some posts to fit this guide & added some of my own knowledge here &
there to complete them.
Consequently, I can't guarantee that what is written here corresponds to the
actual truth of the game, since I'm either no God, or one of the programmers of
this awesome game. (Congratulations, Sir-Tech, you did it !!!)
I'm willing to continue to update this Guide, so I would like to have feedback
from all of you guys, expressing your opinions, ideas & other hints as well.
For this use the following e-mail, contact me via ICQ, or leave messages in the
Terravirtua / Talonsoft / Tactical Planet boards.

E-mail: helioa@hotmail.com
ICQ: 42954468

If anyone wants to post this Guide in any Website, I just would like the credit
for making it. ( ? Make sure you write my name correctly and with Big Letters! ? )
Enjoy this great game as much as I'm doing right now…
See ya...

Hélio "Patusco" Andrade
__________________________________________________________________________________

INDEX

Changes Made To The Guide Between Versions
Generic Strategy Hints
Other Hints
Sorted Questions

1 – MERCS, NPC'S & ENEMIES
1.1 – Merc Skills
1.2 – Merc Specialties
1.3 – Mercs Incompatibilities & Other Info
1.4 – M.E.R.C.
1.5 – I.M.P. (Custom Mercs)
1.5.1 – Answering The Quiz
1.5.2 – The Choice Of Faces
1.5.3 – The Equipment You Get
1.6 – NPC's
1.7 – Enemy Info

2 – WEAPONS, AMMO & ITEMS
2.1 – Weapons Attachments
2.2 – Weapons Ammunition
2.3 – Talon Grenade Launcher
2.4 – Rocket Rifle
2.5 – Items
2.5.1 – Merging Items & Purposes
2.5.2 – Night Vision Goggles
2.5.3 – RDX
2.6 – Locations Of Shops & Goodies

3 – STRATEGICAL & TACTICAL ISSUES
3.1 – City Conquer Order
3.2 – Militia
3.3 – Opening Doors
3.4 – "Heads Off"
3.5 – Stealing
3.6 - Stealth

4 – VEHICLES
4.1 – The Helicopter
4.2 – The Ice Cream Truck
4.3 – The Hummer
4.4 – Fueling The Vehicles
4.5 - Tanks

5 – CITIES & QUESTS RELATED
5.1 – Omerta
5.1.1 – A Letter For Miguel
5.2 - Drassen
5.2.1 – Doreen – The Child Labor Exploiter
5.2.2– Father Walker
5.2.3 – Skyrider – The Chopper Pilot
5.3 – Alma
5.3.1 – Saving Dynamo
5.4 – Cambria
5.4.1 – The Hicks Family
5.5 – San Mona
5.5.1 – Tony – The Arms Dealer
5.5.2 – Get Maria!!!
5.5.2.1 – Maria & The Shady Lady
5.5.3 – Kingpin
5.5.3.1 – Stealing Kingpin's Money
5.5.3.2 – Kingpin's Fist-Fight Tournament
5.5.3.3 – Killing Kingpin & Co.
5.6 – Chitzena
5.6.1 – Escorting The Tourists
5.6.2 – The Chalice Of Chance
5.7 – Grumm
5.8 – Balime
5.8.1 – The Chalice Of Chance – Part 2
5.9 – Tixa Jail
5.9.1 – Saving Dynamo – Part 2
5.9.2 – An Escort For A Gas Deal
5.10 - Estoni
5.11 – Orta
5.12 – SAM Sites
5.13 - Meduna

6 – OTHER QUESTS
6.1 – Alien Bugs (Sci-Fi Mode)
6.2 – Mickey & The Bloodcats
6.3 – The Bounty Hunter
6.4 – The Missing Scientist & The Robot Merc

7 – MIXED ISSUES
7.1 – Difficulty Levels
7.2 – Game Limits
7.3 – Mines
7.4 – The Flower Service

8 – JA2 LINKS

9 – THANK YOU'S…

____________________________________________________________________________

CHANGES MADE TO THE GUIDE
BETWEEN VERSIONS

Version 1.1 – Releasing Date: 13th August 1999
Well, the changes are huge! It's impossible to read it and don't see it! It
took me lots and lots of my holiday days to get this baby like it is. I am
very happy with the feedback that people sent to me, expressing how they
liked the first Guide. But now let's see what were some of the changes:
? Guide increased with many, many more hints & tips;
? Opened many new chapters and sub-chapters along with a new
organization of all Chapters;
? Processed all the information from the previous Guide and rewrited it all
(info was a liiitle messy and confusing sometimes, wasn't it ?);
? Index now looks a little bit cooler and less confusing;
? Added links for easy navigation, due to the size of the document;
? Opened the Links, Thank You (so many requests!) and this section;
? Added the source of the info, when it came from a very secure source
(Sir-Tech guys, Talonsoft…) so you know that info as to be true; ETC…

Version 1.0 – Releasing Date: 2nd August 1999;

__________________________________________________________________________________________

GENERIC STRATEGY HINTS

First and foremost, your main character only has to be good at killing people and picking
locks. Reduce Explosives and Medical to zero, because you are going to hire in people to do
this for you. (Bear in mind that 0 skills cannot be improved by practing or training, only
through actual use, and having 0 in Explosives means you merc will have possible problems
using grenades…)

Anything above 60 health points initially is wasted points that could be better spent on
Marksmanship and Agility. This is because your are not PLANNING to get shot. You are
going to make better use of cover. Those two stats (Marks/Agil) coupled with an 85
strength and 70-75 in all other stats (except leadership--you may SAFELY drop that to
the minimum 35) will ensure that you are lean and mean enough to do that job.

Aim at setting Marksmanship to 85 and move Mechanical up to 60+. The combined 85's
in Agility and Marksmanship will let you kill and not be killed.

Make the decision from day one that you will NOT get wounded and need the medical
supplies. My game in on the Experienced level. I am presently assaulting Meduna Airport
(already own all other cities on day 65 with almost 100% loyalty). I have been wounded
three times since I started and it was not until today that I allowed my Mercs to suffer
the occasional wound. These latter sectors of Meduna are RIDICULOUSLY difficult.
Remember all those Rocket launchers you could not find? They have been stock piled in
Meduna and you will come under heavy fire when you get there.

COMBAT

Combat is a thinking man's (or woman's) game. Look at the lay of the land and decide--
where is the best place to stage this attack from?
NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER NEVER allow
the computer to Auto Resolve incidents involving your Mercs. You can always do better.
Nighttime (between 0100 and 0400) is the most exceptional time to make your assaults.
The enemy seems more sluggish (hell, wouldn't you be at that time of the morning?).
Remember that line from Lethal Weapon 1, "Noses in the dirst, assholes!"? There is your
greatest safety. Get down on your belly and turn on the stealth mode (Alt-Z) for your
whole crew. Take your time. Hold down the Alt key when moving around a corner. It makes
your Merc more cautions (will cost an extra point or two of movement, but you can toggle
stealth on and off as you need to gain a point to get back behind cover).
When you hear your Merc say he/she heard a noise, let him lay still for a few seconds
to see if the enemy will be stupid enough to walk right into your arms (VERY, VERY
important). Sometimes, you can lure them into a trap--Lay your assault team down in prone
position and in stealth mode. And always behind some form of cover (Cover: something that
the enemy cannot shoot through. Concealment: Something that sort of hides me (grass),
but will not stop bullets). Have one of your Mercs fire a random round out into the sector
to get the attention of nearby enemies. LET THEM COME TO YOU. They come into sight,
make your shot and move to other cover.

If the enemy cannot see you, he cannot shoot you. Ease around a corner, get off a good
clean shot and get back behind cover. Idiots and dead people stay in the open and use
every movement point to fire the weapon dry..

You should only use two Mercs to make your assaults in the first 4-5 cities and then
only increase it to one or two more until you get to Meduna. I only have a crew of 5 making
that assault. Three of those are just for support fire. Two Mercs travel more quietly than
six. Easier to control.

SAVE AFTER EVERY SUCCESSFUL round of combat. If you go through two rounds
without seeing an enemy, you will return to real time movement. ALWAYS SAVE here.

As someone mentioned in one posting, roof tops are EXCELLENT. Peek over the edge,
rack off a round or two and move back out of sight. Lay down on the roof, wait two rounds
to get back to real time movement and then sneak forward again with all available
movement points.

Don't think "how much damage can I take and still survive?" It is entirely possible
to
get through, at the very least, the first 2/3s of the game without taking a single point of
damage. That is not always the case when you have to take on the two tanks with a single
rocket launcher and four hand grenades. Not if you are keeping your sanity.

BASIC RULES OF PLAY

Create the character mentioned above, hire one additional GOOD Merc (like Igor or
someone close in stats), and one average joe. The two of you will go kick butt in the first
city. Make your lead Merc do most of the work so he/she will advance faster. After taking
over a city, hire two cheepo Mercs to come in and train Militia (or Ira, from the rebel
group as she has skill in teaching which is a bonus to training Militia not to mention she is
free). Take over a couple of Mines (about three cities) and then sit back on your laurels
for a few days (2-3). Start training Militia in the city's mine sector. You can have other
Mercs taining on other sectors of the city. This will increase militia faster. Train them all
the way to aqua before going to take over a new sector.

I have 16 Mercs employed and until recently, only had four members on my assault team
(Igor, Spider, Shadow, and my design). I recently added Ivan just because he was in the
Demo. All others are permanently assigned to cities. When not training militia (meaning
that the militia is at full force and strength), my city mercs practice Marksmanship. Once
that reached 85, I picked another random one for each. They do not travel, but they get
paid every week.