Right. I'm on my second play through and playing recon for the first time. Tough going especially at the beginning with the under powered load out. I have to relate 2 things:
1 - Chimeras - I witnessed two glorious events in Zaton.
a - Chimeras spawn to the left of the merc base in 2.2 (as you face it). 3 of them spawned when I went farming, but they were roaming in that wooded section minding their own business. A cunning plan then formed in my mind...what if piss them off and get them to chase me into the merc base? Well let's just say the bandits (full spawn of 11) got chewed to bits whilst I sat back from a distance observing with my binoculars. Swept up the last wounded chimera and looted unimpeded.
b - 6 chimeras spawned near the sawmill and proceeded to wipe out everything in that part of the map. I was in the village on top of the hill perched on the top of the structure with the sloping roof observing with my trusty binoculars. They then made a beeline for me when I took potshots at them. Luckily a stalker and duty squad happened to be passing through and served as cannon fodder for the chimeras. Chimeras went down with 7 of the 8 NPCs claimed by the zone. I stayed on the roof.
2 - Jupiter plant - I decided to deploy this new tactic which I've dubbed "stoke the hornets nest".
a - Take out zombies that spawn initially.
b - Mine the hell out of the corner and corridor near the admin building.
c - Stoke the hornets nest - Bulldog the hell out of the section where all the muties spawn. 3 pseudogiants and a controller decide they don't like me.
d - Run into the administrative building and quickly pick up the documents.
e - Blacks squad spawns.
f - A complete cluster f**k ensues. I almost feel sorry for the mercs.
g - I chill on the top floor and basically listen to what is happening because there's no way i'm going down there.
h - Mercs on the top floor descend to help their buddies (aka suicide). I mine both ends of the corridor. Wait a little longer. Take out the muties that decide to venture upstairs.
f - Descend to to the lower flowers and realise that it was the right choice to be a coward and stay upstairs. Pseudogiant, controller, burer, snork, zombie and bloodsucker bodies everywhere including the mercs.
i - Sweep up the remaining muties...a controller, zombies and poltergeist.
J - Didn't save once which is a minor miracle given my last play through with sniper.
High risk, high reward and totally out your control!
After all these years playing this series and there are still surprises.
My hats of to the the Misery team and all modders. You are gods amongst men!
