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#4037227 - 11/17/14 08:35 PM M.E.R.C.S.  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
BeachAV8R Offline
Lifer
BeachAV8R  Offline
Lifer

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
KCLT


Steam Workshop Link: M.E.R.C.S.

M.E.R.C.S. is a story about a private military company based on Stratis. My character, Raif Salih, is a Sudanese refuge fleeing his own worn torn country where he had fought in order to find a better life in Europe. Unfortunately, Raif's escape to Europe has been orchestrated through a human trafficker that has sold Raif to servitude on Stratis, where he is expected to serve his private military "owners" until he has earned his freedom.

Nikos is the blood sucking human trafficker...we arrive on Altis by speedboat, not knowing what awaits us...





They give me the option - join them, or die on the beach. The others Nikos has just brought for their money. They have no military experience, so they are useless to the men on the island. They meet their fate at the end of a .50 caliber machine gun...





The bodies fall all around Nickos..he seems unfazed by it all..



Drazen ushers me to my new home - Camp Maxwell...





He shows me to my freight container that doubles as my quarters. I have a bed to rest in, an inventory box, and a laptop computer that is tied into the company store which allows me to buy and sell items. It also features mission selections from which I can earn money...



Conversations are done with an excellent dialog box that allows for many different questions and directions to take. I learn a little bit about the island and other specifics from speaking with Drazen...



I take a walk around the camp, trying to snoop about. None of the vehicles are drivable, nor are the ammo boxes able to be looted. There are all the areas you'd expect to find at a military camp: planning, medical, armory, shooting range, helipad, motor-pool, etc... I steal a quick look at one of the maps on the table at base ops...







In my room, I find a .45 caliber pistol and a couple medkits in my inventory box..this is all I have to start with..



I browse through the online store. Money will buy all manner of things from clothes, to guns, ammo, binoculars, NVGs, and even partners!



I go to the missions menu and sign up for the only mission available. For this we are required to travel to Altis to confront some pirates about the fate of a girl that went missing. Her wealthy father is contracting us to get the information, and presumably, get her home...



A helo takes us for the insertion...





I can't believe I have to suffer the indignity of fighting in flip-flops and tourist clothing...





As we head for the known location of some pirates, we pass through a military checkpoint that gives us no bother. Interesting to know there is lots of heavy weaponry on Altis...



We approach the hideout on foot...



Drazen does the talking. The pirates are none too happy about our presence. As one lifts their weapon, Drazen gives me the order to shoot...





Drazen prompts me to go into the house and check it for documents related to the missing girl. When I walk in the door, a body is lying dead on the the floor, backpacks are stacked in a corner. I can identify with being kidnapped...



Outside, Drazen encourages me to hustle up my search as he sees visitors coming toward the house. He engages other pirates as I rummage around the room searching for clues..



A phone rings and I track it down to a table. I answer it and select different answers to the interaction with the man on the other end. He briefly thinks I'm one of the pirates and gives me confirmation that they have the girl. Finally, he realizes he is not talking to one of his men and he hangs up. Shortly thereafter, a pickup truck with a couple of fighters shows up. Drazen and I engage the fighters, killing them in a short firefight. From them I'm able to loot some fatigues and a couple light items. I can't carry anything since I don't have a backpack...





Drazen has me call for the extraction now that we know the pirates definitely have the girl...



Back at base, I receive €1000 for the mission, plus I'm able to sell a few of the items I looted. I go to the company store and immediately use that money to pay for a backpack. Since loot = €, I need to be able to carry items...





To be continued....



Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4037309 - 11/17/14 10:45 PM Re: M.E.R.C.S. [Re: BeachAV8R]  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
BeachAV8R Offline
Lifer
BeachAV8R  Offline
Lifer

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
KCLT
Back on the network - I select another mission from the choices. I sort of logically want to carry the kidnapped girl one to its conclusion, so I select that one..



Our mission is to deliver the ransom in exchange for the girl..



We get dropped off at the same soccer field where we were inserted on the last mission. We meet two other members of our private military company who are there to make the exchange. We are directed to provide overwatch...



We setup on the hillside above the stadium. Soon, a car comes up to the stadium and a figure approaches our men to get the money...





It all goes to hell..the man raises his weapon and shoots both of our guys. He runs for his car..we pop up and start shooting at the car, disabling it..



The men hop out of the car and I take a knee and take them down. When we get down to the car, I have Drazen watch down the road while I search the bodies, take what I can, and retrieve the ransom money...



Is Drazen wearing Google Glass???



We call for the extract..



Though we lost the other men (am I already thinking of them as comrades in arms? Or are they my captors?), I was able to loot a few rifles from both our men and the pirates. I make a few thousand € selling their weapons on the market..



I'm able to buy a vest and I also purchase ten extra magazines for my rifle.. I'm starting to look like all the rest of the guys in camp now..



Cont...



#4037376 - 11/18/14 02:04 AM Re: M.E.R.C.S. [Re: BeachAV8R]  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
BeachAV8R Offline
Lifer
BeachAV8R  Offline
Lifer

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
KCLT
PSA - I just discovered the filter setting in-game that was causing that very sepia-ish tone. smile Yay..further AARs will have better images.. smile

BeachAV8R



#4037387 - 11/18/14 02:37 AM Re: M.E.R.C.S. [Re: BeachAV8R]  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
BeachAV8R Offline
Lifer
BeachAV8R  Offline
Lifer

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 24,314
KCLT
Another feature of M.E.R.C.S. is the open side mission - which is that you can venture out on your own in Stratis and engage enemy troops that inhabit the island. Areas marked with red flags are enemy areas, and once you venture out of the boundaries of Camp Maxwell certain features become available such as helo extractions. I was warned by Drazen not to wander much around Stratis without a mine detector (no idea how to use one of those) because of the proliferation of land mines. Curiosity getting the better of me, I defer choosing a new mission and instead take a stroll outside the wire to check out the closet enemy encampment...



I make my way down the dominant ridge to the east knowing that it should give me a pretty good view down on the nearest red flag area...



Taking out my binoculars, I sit and watch and tick off about a half a dozen enemy soldiers walking patrol around the area equipped with various weapons. Unfortunately, I'm not kitted out to take on that many soldiers, so I elect to retreat back to base and put any Rambo visions in the back of my mind for later consideration...





Next I head over to "The Gambler". According to the base guide there is a guy that sets up gambling matches. You can either play blackjack or challenge another contractor to a duel in an allocated area. I put up the €1000 to participate in the duel and get transported to the duel area and the game is on!







I creep from my location on the ridge toward the town. About two minutes after I start moving..bullet plumes start exploding around me. Crap!



I go prone..and survive about another sixty seconds while frantically searching for my attacker across the valley. In the end..he gets a hit on me and wins the match.. There goes €1000!



BeachAV8R



#4037433 - 11/18/14 06:14 AM Re: M.E.R.C.S. [Re: BeachAV8R]  
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 664
near_blind Offline
Member
near_blind  Offline
Member

Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 664
Nice write up!

Also, I don't know if you need it for stylistic purposes, but you can kill the blurring on your RCO scope by turning the depth of field slider to 0 in the AA&PP section of the video settings.


Off to greener pastures
#4037473 - 11/18/14 11:18 AM Re: M.E.R.C.S. [Re: BeachAV8R]  
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,138
RSColonel_131st Offline
Lifer
RSColonel_131st  Offline
Lifer

Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,138
Vienna, 2nd rock left.
Very impressive with what kind of missions people come up in A3.

#4037528 - 11/18/14 02:22 PM Re: M.E.R.C.S. [Re: BeachAV8R]  
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,700
Peally Offline
Hotshot
Peally  Offline
Hotshot

Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 8,700
Wisconsin, USA
Abduction? Pfft. First chance I get, turn around and shoot the driver, take the truck, dump the body, drive off into town and profit.


Scully: Victim died of multiple stab wounds.
Mulder: *throws her a file* Ever heard of the knife alien?

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