No Malaria and AR 16 Available at Games Start !

[thirdkeeper]

Just wanted to summarize my latest restart of the game now that I'm about to complete
the northern map. - I've learned a few things that I'd like to pass on.

I got the inspiration to restart from a comment that Hunter made about rescuing buddies
before you get buddy rescue missions. - A novel idea because those missions can be
done independently of game assignments; Even more independent from the game
outlines because you don't need to have them assigned by a meeting with AI, have to
go to a location to find a note (Predecessor Missions) or radio tower.

They are the only missions that can be done before going to the church, which makes
them completely unique in the game.

While it may be obvious to a few, some may well be asking "So, what's the point?" Well,
this is why I restarted even though at the time I was half way through the southern map:

When you first go and talk to the priest in the church is a pivotal moment in the game.
It triggers all of the game missions (story, buddy and side) to become active, and it
ends your "Training" missions.

Many forget that while in training mode they've had no malaria attacks.
As soon as you talk to the priest the malaria attacks begin, so when you're still in
training mode it's the best time to get as much done in the map as possible - which
turns out to be quite a bit.

Starting out to go on a diamond expedition with just the tools given to you at the start
I picked up the first AR 16 I found on a fallen AI.

Having learned enough with my experiment on surviving on found weapons and as I've
mentioned to Hunter and others - Jams are few, brief, predictable, relatively rare at first
and the weapon is commonly found.

Found weapons are not all in the same degree of decomposition when you pick them up
I'd just picked up a fresh AR when I was set upon by a patrolling mechanical (vehicle
with a mounted gun) - Using my fresh AR I took both driver and gunner out, and when
searching the bodies picked up another that was clearly in much better condition.

The AR 16 is an accurate, deadly scoped long range weapon with little recoil good ammo
capacity and great handling (maneuverability) making it very effective in all situations.
An ideal primary weapon that you can't buy from the shop until after your second mission
in the southern map. Why wait to have that advantage when this very serviceable weapon
is basically littered all over the northern map?

As soon as I had enough diamonds collected I picked up a PKM to use as my backup for
when the AR Jammed in a tight spot.

I also was able to determine that the weapon that you're holding in your hands will degrade
faster than the others that you're carrying, so I employed the AR for the distance shots
primarily and the PKM for the rest of the time.

I did all of the Buddy Rescues first - ala "Chicken" Fights, Fresh Fish Camp, Lumber Yard
and Plane Crash Site, clearing safe houses and collecting diamond cases from all over the
map.

Stealthed in and out of several hot spots for diamonds. The Scrap Yard (easy), Occidental
Growers (medium), The Oil Storage Facility (medium) The Rail Yard and The Cattle Ranch
(both hard), both cases at "Private Property" (the one at the falls is nothing, the one on the
roof of the garage - (very hard) and The Chemical Corporation Rail Yard. (very hard)

Devoting much more to stealth in this run through. Watch and wait really pays off and
it's very rewarding to get in and out without being seen - without firing a single shot.

Speaking of those terms I must mention that I handled nearly all checkpoint conflicts
by parking the vehicle just out of range, going in on foot and using machete. (Normal
Difficulty)

By the time I was done with that and had collected some 90+ diamonds, gotten all of my
buddies in one place (Mikes Bar) ready to give me all of their side missions, I was ready
to take the plunge and go get malaria at the church which also gave me access to the
PKM at the weapons shop by doing all of the weapons shop missions first - the fourth of
which also gave me the GL 94, and set me up to take care of all 8 buddy side-missions
next to get them out of the way because they pay nothing but improve the safe houses.

Then tackled the 'Story' missions for the factions.

Even though I had good access to other weapons I retained the method of using and
replacing the AR 16 for the entirety of the northern map (ALL missions) and had only
one fail. - Now I'm about to do the final (Goka Falls), and I'll continue with the AR well
into the southern map until I can complete my second weapons shop mission there.

Don't be fooled by the idea that you have to use a sniper weapon to get safely into
a place like the Old Fort. Running or driving up the left hand path will safely get
you in good range to imploy the AR to very useful effect against the tower snipers.

Here's the quick lowdown:

Easy to complete the entire northern map with found AR 16 - especially with reliable
backup. Make it last by using it primarily for distant targets.

Save ammo and liven the experience with well timed surprise machete attacks.

Don't waste time and effort on malaria when you can accomplish so much without having
any attacks at all. - Collect all diamonds and buddy rescues first (at least) before you go
to the church!

-> You'll start the story missions well outfitted and have a lot more fun getting there.

Nice to have the ability to play out 16 or more hours (roughly 2/3 to 3/4 of the
northern map) without having a single malaria attack !

Hope this is some help or interest to anyone reading this far..

I'll probably have more - especially on stealth - when I'm well into or done with the
southern map.

Any critical eyes willing to comment - I'm all ears. TIA.


https://steamcommunity.com/groups/FarCry2Crew

[Virago]

Are you saying that you can engage with buddies at Mike's Bar even before the game introduces them to you?

[thirdkeeper]

Once you've rescued them they're available at Mikes but you won't get any assignments
from them until you go to the church. And they have to be done in the same order to get
all 8 missions. mess up the order and one or more will disappear.

[Virago]

Would you care to explain to me what do you mean by "they have to be done in the same order"?

[thirdkeeper]

I rescued Warren Clyde first, (Chicken Fights)

Michelle Dachss second, (Lumber Yard)

Paul Ferenc third (Fresh Fish Camp)

and Quarbani Singh fourth. ( Plane Crash Site)

Do their missions in the same order as you rescued them. One at a time.

Did one mission for Warren Clyde first, then one for Michelle.

Then I accepted a second mission for Michelle before doing one mission for each of them,
and on a whim I returned to Mikes Bar, and Paul Ferenc had disappeared.

He would have been the next in line for his first assignment, but because I had started a
second for Michelle he split the scene.

- So I loaded up an earlier save before I accepted Michelles' mission and played his
assignment next, and Quarbanis' next.

- They were all still hanging out in the bar and I was able to do all their second missions
in the same order.

Eight buddy missions in the north map, at least one I hadn't played before, Was able to ghost in and out of the Police Station Garage to steal some "special" ammo for Quarbani.

[FoxAhead]

I'v heard that it is possible to have 6 buddies in the North. But there is limit of 4 buddies appearing in the Mike's Bar. So you have to juggle with reputation to meet them all and get all their missions. Isn't it 12 in total?

[thirdkeeper]

Originally posted by FoxAhead:

I'v heard that it is possible to have 6 buddies in the North. But there is limit of 4 buddies appearing in the Mike's Bar. So you have to juggle with reputation to meet them all and get all their missions. Isn't it 12 in total?

Oh - A limit at the bar means that one has to leave or die in the field for another to show
up at the bar. SO - if I'd let Warren die in the field - and - let Paul disappear - then they
both would have been replaced making 6 buddies total in this map..

That means I would have had no missions from Paul, but four more from the two
replacements??

This is getting rather messy..

I also met a Flora Guillian in an unguarded safe house, but she's not at Mikes Bar,
so can't do missions for her. There is probably another in the north map that I missed.

Once I go to Goka Falls all remaining buddy missions will end on this map.
I could clear all the safe houses before I go to the Goka Falls Mission.

I haven't been much interested in Buddy missions until now. Even ignored them entirely
for one play through - but doing the extra legwork has me intrigued - So I'll try to figure it
out. I'll check my remaining unvisited safe houses before heading to the falls.

- Thanks for the Query - Wish had the answers..

[Virago]

Originally posted by thirdkeeper:

I haven't been much interested in Buddy missions until now.

I've always done those buddy missions. Not super interesting but i like having objectives from time to time.

[thirdkeeper]

I just went to every safe house on the northern map and had no luck finding another buddy.
Just to be sure I went to the unguarded safe house at the airfield and found something that
I've never seen before:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2084745347

[Virago]

Is there usually a door over there? I can't recall.

[thirdkeeper]

Yes. In the Occidental Growers mission I meet my buddy here with the gas canister from
the Chemical Corporation Rail Yard. Door is always there and closed -like all safe houses.

[Virago]

Maybe some structures change over time? A development oversight? Anyway,, good finding!