Anyone else having problems finding the pilot?

[BadgerW4]

From what I remember from the first few times I played JA2, either before OR after talking to Waldo, the pilot is located in one of the squares within 2 squares of Drassen. Well, I've started 3 separate times, and in EACH game, I've searched and been unable to find him.

Additionally, what was frequently called "The family from Deliverance" (the one where you either marry the daughter and spend all eternity there, or you basically gun down the family--the latter being the more fun option, obviously. Uusally in that battle, you end up with a pair of wirecutters. Now, that's another first. In EVERY game I've EVER played of JA2 BEFORE this version, I ended up with Wirecutters by the time I had to take B13 of Drassen. For some reason, much like the pilot, he's just, well, NOT THERE! I'm BAFFLED. What's going on? Does anyone know?

[Incunabulum]

Check the wiki. He's located in 3-4 places around Drassen, some of them more than 2 squares away.

[BadgerW4]

Really? Huh... been playing the game literally since JA1 and had no idea about that. Thanks. I HOPE you're right.

[Ishbane]

http://freelancer.ag.ru/ja2/map/EMAP/_gen.htm

[Doug]

He's generally East or Southeast of Drassen somewhere in the swamps, iirc. Doesn't someone in town give you a hint? (I haven't played a new game in a while).

The 'Deliverance' family, the guy who runs the garage in the SE square of the central town (idr the town name atm) sends you there. Not sure what happens if you go there before talking to him.

[BadgerW4]

yep... found Skyrider in the last game I started, but in the first game, the one where I was frustrated, I asked and asked the people at C13 until one of them said NE which was, IIRC, B15. Well, I went to B15, but there was no swamp hut, no nothing there. I also found the "Deliverance family" in the 2nd game, so all is right with the world again, although I experienced yet another new thing... despite not having lost a battle, or even being shot, Igor turned me down when I went to re-up him. I DO want to say thank you to everyone that helped out, especially in finding Skyrider. I think we ALL now how important he is in the game. Thanks all.

[Doug]

Originally posted by oh58_d:

I experienced yet another new thing... despite not having lost a battle, or even being shot, Igor turned me down when I went to re-up him. I DO want to say thank you to everyone that helped out, especially in finding Skyrider. I think we ALL now how important he is in the game. Thanks all.

Various mercs have differing relationships with one another. Some like each other and some detest each other. If you have a pair of the latter in your squad, one or the other will eventually leave. Usually their dialogs should give you a clue from time to time if they're unhappy with their squadmates.

[BadgerW4]

No, that wasn't it. Igor came out and said I "had to tell him further ahead of time" as he had under 3 days left, and I wanted to wait until I had the money to pay for 2 weeks of him before extending. Because I let him go Red, he left. I had so few mercs anyway, but it WAS a reasonably standard start for me, with Thor, Blood, Spider, and Igor, and I'd never have anyone leave before. It's not that big a deal.. It IS a big deal I still can't find wirecutters though. I'm stalled in the game until I can find some.

[Incunabulum]

Some of them want a more reliable employer and some of them will actively search out alternate contracts if you let them get to close to their current contract's expiration date. They may obligate themselves to another employer before you get around to offering to renew - each merc has his own agenda and won't sit around waiting for you indefinitely.

[BadgerW4]

Right, obviously, or so I thought. I was trying a new strategy in ny current game and it sorta backfired (not really though... Igor will become available again at some point--but at the moment I think he's an ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ who brought very little to the group of Thor, Ice, Blood, Spider and the PC. If he comes available again, fine. If not, well, after using (read: wasting) a mini-grenade to open a hole in a fence in order to finish taking over Alma, All four of the above +Dmitiri and Ira do the heavy lifting. I got Gasket from... ugh... don't even remember their name... MERCs was it? The cheapo place? Also picked up their demo guy, And another guy who is apparently linked to him, as well as the only guy with a wisdom in the 90s. I'd never used them before, but am finding Gasket to be a bargain as a repairman. Razor and Haywire together are hilarious, Gumpy gives me another "Ira" type--one that I can use to teach militia for next to nothing (like, what? $1,050 a week? And hey, as long as you don't send these guys home, at least FWIU, I won't have to pay for them (can that be true?). It's also nice to have a few mules to run goods up and down, eventually over to Belime. I don't know how it's going to work out, but other than my Standard of Thor, Blood, Spider (and Ice, as a replacement for Igor) along with the PC who also has night ops/Stealth, I do my absolute best to stick to night combat only. That gives Dmitir's throwing much more useful... Awww, heck, you could discuss new approaches to this game until the cows come home which is why we're still playing it now, despite it coming out? What? A decade agio? longer? I'm STILL pissed I can't find wirecutters ANYWHERE!