Mercs are "M.I.A."

[echoes222]

So I have two mercs marked like this for a long time now. Does this mean that game killed them off without my input?

[Mr_SmiLe]

They are mercs. Someone else hired them for a job and they got killed. It is a random event.

[Lightning]

I thought they would come back eventually but yeah it seems once they go Mia there gone for good it seems.

[echoes222]

considering that there isn't too many mercenaries as compared to, f.e., JA2, it's a bit of a weird decission by devs. Which is a pain,m because I wanted MD, considering he's the best medic in the game, for my secondary team. Lovely. edit: and yeah, I know about Dr Q. And no, I won't hire him. Acunpuncture is not medicine :P

[['w']]

Oh ♥♥♥♥ they can go M.I.A in this one, great any very very sad too.

[suejak]

I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love this mechanic. It makes you adapt to RNG in the best way.

I was worried the devs wouldn't have the cajones to carry this one over to 2023 from JA2. I was relieved when they had mercs offline and cried a single tear of joy when I saw my first randomly dead merc.

[echoes222]

Originally posted by suejak:

I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love this mechanic. It makes you adapt to RNG in the best way.

I was worried the devs wouldn't have the cajones to carry this one over to 2023 from JA2. I was relieved when they had mercs offline and cried a single tear of joy when I saw my first randomly dead merc.

it should be optional. It ruined my plan for additional teams.

[Rampage]

wouldnt be so much of a problem if the merc selection wasnt so limited

[Dre G Writer]

Originally posted by Mr_SmiLe:

They are mercs. Someone else hired them for a job and they got killed. It is a random event.

R.I.P Barry in my game

[rhwilson1953]

Originally posted by echoes222:

Originally posted by suejak:

I ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love this mechanic. It makes you adapt to RNG in the best way.

I was worried the devs wouldn't have the cajones to carry this one over to 2023 from JA2. I was relieved when they had mercs offline and cried a single tear of joy when I saw my first randomly dead merc.

it should be optional. It ruined my plan for additional teams.

Mercs on other assignments, MIA, KIA, or just plain not willing to work for you has always been included in previous JA games, there never was an option to turn them off. If a merc was on assignment and you left them a message they usually contacted you if they survived, AIM would sent you a notice if the merc ended up KIA or MIA.

[Null Winter]

Originally posted by rhwilson1953:

Originally posted by echoes222:

it should be optional. It ruined my plan for additional teams.

Mercs on other assignments, MIA, KIA, or just plain not willing to work for you has always been included in previous JA games, there never was an option to turn them off. If a merc was on assignment and you left them a message they usually contacted you if they survived, AIM would sent you a notice if the merc ended up KIA or MIA.

Other games had a much larger roster, though; in this game, if you lose an explosives expert, then you have lost 25% of your options for that specialization; 1 at each tier. Lost a mechanic to random events beyond your control? 33% of them are now gone, and it's a good chance that it was Vicki, the best one, if you didn't take her early on. It's not as big a deal if you lose a medic, since there are a lot more of them and medical checks can't critically fail to cost you time, loot, and health like explosive and mechanical checks can.

[rhwilson1953]

Originally posted by Null Winter:

Originally posted by rhwilson1953:

Mercs on other assignments, MIA, KIA, or just plain not willing to work for you has always been included in previous JA games, there never was an option to turn them off. If a merc was on assignment and you left them a message they usually contacted you if they survived, AIM would sent you a notice if the merc ended up KIA or MIA.

Other games had a much larger roster, though; in this game, if you lose an explosives expert, then you have lost 25% of your options for that specialization; 1 at each tier. Lost a mechanic to random events beyond your control? 33% of them are now gone, and it's a good chance that it was Vicki, the best one, if you didn't take her early on. It's not as big a deal if you lose a medic, since there are a lot more of them and medical checks can't critically fail to cost you time, loot, and health like explosive and mechanical checks can.

I look at it like AIM has had a couple of bad years where several mercs lost their lives and now needs to rebuild their roster.

[echoes222]

Originally posted by Null Winter:

Originally posted by rhwilson1953:

Mercs on other assignments, MIA, KIA, or just plain not willing to work for you has always been included in previous JA games, there never was an option to turn them off. If a merc was on assignment and you left them a message they usually contacted you if they survived, AIM would sent you a notice if the merc ended up KIA or MIA.

Other games had a much larger roster, though; in this game, if you lose an explosives expert, then you have lost 25% of your options for that specialization; 1 at each tier. Lost a mechanic to random events beyond your control? 33% of them are now gone, and it's a good chance that it was Vicki, the best one, if you didn't take her early on. It's not as big a deal if you lose a medic, since there are a lot more of them and medical checks can't critically fail to cost you time, loot, and health like explosive and mechanical checks can.

that's exactly my point. Roster is now pretty small, so me losing now 3 (!!!) mercs (MD, Mouse and now also Blood) is massive pain in the backside. This seriously should be a toggle option.

[sooshon]

Shadow one of my favorite mercs from JA2 is MIA in my game, quite sad I will have to do a whole new playthrough to use him which might not happen for a while. Also Gus keeps telling me he's retired? Not sure if he changes his mind later. And Reaper refuses to work...some people say he is friends with Shadow and if you get Shadow you can convince Reaper to join you too...but that doesn't help in my case : |

[rhwilson1953]

Originally posted by sooshon:

Shadow one of my favorite mercs from JA2 is MIA in my game, quite sad I will have to do a whole new playthrough to use him which might not happen for a while. Also Gus keeps telling me he's retired? Not sure if he changes his mind later. And Reaper refuses to work...some people say he is friends with Shadow and if you get Shadow you can convince Reaper to join you too...but that doesn't help in my case : |

In previous JA games you had to hire Shadow first then Reaper will join you. When you contact Reaper after using Shadow for a few battles he will say "Shadow speaks highly of you" so he will work for you with stipulations.

[Solaius]

I've heard hiring blood will also work in this game to hire reaper. But I used shadow and that is still a thing in this one. Also to hire gus I think you need Scully and len first