How to Recruit Every Mercenary in Jagged Alliance 3

Mercs can be expensive, it’s as simple as that. Strategy is always needed throughout Jagged Alliance 3, really from the moment you load into the game. When deciding which Mercs to take with you, how many and what expertise you wish to prioritize over others, it is imperative that you think both about the cost, how they fit into their role and the team and what kind of playstyle you want to use throughout the game. Whilst you can switch out your squad due to the hiring process and contract extension choices, the way you play at the beginning may not be the same for the endgame. This, with the added gameplay of quests and finding Mercs that can join the war party for free makes your decision much harder in deciding who to take with you. For these reasons, this is Vincent’s guide on how to recruit every Mercenary in Jagged Alliance 3.

Mercenary Recruitment Guide – Jagged Alliance 3

There are a total of 5 Mercenaries you can recruit for free in Jagged Alliance 3. Whilst players have an array of Mercs to hire on a contract that can be extended continuously throughout your playthrough, you may find that for budget reasons, playstyle or team compositions that looking further afield from the Merc Tiers gives you more combative promise. Four out of five of the Merc listed below have very specific steps in their recruitment, however they can be picked up at any moment in your Jagged Alliance journey. Keep in mind however that the search for these recruitable Mercenaries are tougher than a lot of the earlier portions of the game, because of this, you will want to be well prepared with fighting.

Related: Best Starters in Jagged Alliance 3.

How to Recruit Larry

Larry is an incredibly strong Explosives expert with a very balanced skill set. Players must hire an Explosives expert throughout the game as they can get multi-kills, deal a ton of damage and save you from wasting countless ammo that is incredibly scarce already. With his high Explosives Stat, you may decide that it is best to have him tag along, rather than any other, more expensive options for hire. But the method to recruiting Larry is all about healing him from his amnesia. For many new players, they will be just as uncertain about Larry’s identity as he is but being a recurring character of the series, Larry is one warrants recruitment for those trying to achieve 100% completion in Jagged Alliance 3.

The search for Larry will take you to Sector F7 but with the steps detailed in this guide, we recommend heading straight to B10, E12 or H9 for the incredible amnesia curing drug – Metaviron. In H9 you will need to buy at least 10 loot boxes via Lalee Leewaylender in the Flea Market with Small Diamonds. One of these will offer Metaviron which you need. If you do not want to use this method, checking the underground sector of B10 or the near the tree of sector E12 (there will be hostile animals here so be careful). When you have Metaviron, head to Camp Savane in F7 where you will need to clear the Camp to speak to Larry.

Upon clearing the Camp in which we recommend using an Explosives expert here such as Barry to help clear the site, you will be able to give Larry the much needed Metaviron which heals him in an instant. By doing so, Larry will become your brand new recruit in which you can actually increase his Agility, Dexterity, Marksmanship and Wisdom (he really needs it) by going to the Sanatorium in H12. Although he loses Health, it is worth the overall boost in Skills if you are looking to incorporate him permanently into your squad.

How to Recruit Pierre

Pierre is a weird one to recruit as many may assume that he is unrecruitable when you meet him. Beginning as a threat, you actually need to defeat him in order to begin the recruitment process. Here you need to show mercy and let him leave so that you can run into him again at a later stage. Titled as a Leader, Pierre has an overall well-balanced set of Skills, similar to an All-Rounder. He may be a controversial pick for most due to his low Agility Skill that can be detrimental in battle but his overall average Stats makes him a versatile pick when training him after you have recruited him. Acting similarly to custom Mercs, you can train Pierre up to increase specific Skills such as Agility or Marksmanship so that he provides a greater benefit in battle than others. He acts as a Merc you can mould to a different Class if you choose him.

If you have not found Pierre, you need to head to Ernie Village to begin the questline with Luc. Pierre will be encountered shortly after in which you need to spare his life. In doing so, Pierre cannot join your squad immediately. Rather, you will need to find Bastien at the Fort in I1 by initiating an attack against the community. Make sure that you spare Bastien this time. Next, find Deedee in I3 who needs to be swayed to leave the Legion. By having a high Explosives Skill, you will be able to easily coerce Deedee to leave without supplies. Now that these steps are completed, return to Fort L’eau Blue on Ernie Island where you will encounter Pierre once more.

The best way to find Pierre is via the back entrance of the Fort, accessible via the minefield. You know when you are in the right place when you have found the ladder which takes you straight to Pierre. You will need to deal enough damage to Pierre to make him surrender in the fight, which will result in you having to spare him for the final time in order to officially hire him as a Merc for your squad.

How to Recruit Smiley

Smiley is a good shout for those looking for an All-Round Soldier to add to their squad. When selecting your preferred squad composition, an All-Rounder could fit right in so long as you have members that provide expertise in Wisdom, Agility, Marksmanship and Explosives.

To begin the recruitment process for Smiley, you need to head to Sector D7. Inside, you will find a Brothel where Maman Liliane gives you a questline to find Smiley as he has run away and taken one of the Brothel’s working girls with him. The process of this questline will lead you to Sector I9 where you will find Smiley at Boss Blaubert’s mansion. When picking the correct dialogue option, you need to side with Smiley here so that he joins you and initiates the fight with Blaubert and his men. The fight will ensue in which you not only need to fight off Blaubert’s men but also protect Smiley from harm.

The task at hand however is far more difficult than other battles. Due to fighting off Blaubert’s men in an incredibly tight situation, we recommend using Mercenaries with high Explosives and Marksman Skills. The surrounding Enforcers are higher levelled than what you would have previously experienced in Sector I9, especially if you are looking to recruit these free Mercs early on in the game. You need to make sure that you have enough heals for both your squad and Smiley as he will likely get downed in the fight. At this point, Smiley will have joined your squad for the battle against Blaubert and upon defeating him, you will be able to add Smiley as a recruit whenever you need him.

How to Recruit Flay

Flay is a good asset when deciding which Marksman to choose for your squad. If you want to save a bit of money, Flay offers a high Marksmanship Skill that guarantees hitting his target every time. But with his bizarre habit of collecting trophies to signify each life he has taken, you may find that other Mercs do not get along with him. Although he requires little money to dish out for hire, you may find that you have to adjust your entire squad in order to fit him in. But if you are struggling to make space for a much needed Marksman and your custom Merc does not fit the mould, Flay is the one for you.

Flay can be found at Sector C4 but your first task in coaxing this Marksman hunter to come out is to speak with Hyena at the poacher camp after defeating the enemies of the Legion in the area. Speaking to Hyena will teach you about Flay who is leaving a trail of poachers behind him through the nearby Sectors. The first is to check C6 where an impaled corpse can be found just east of camp. Next, visit B4 and head northwest to find more corpses. Make sure that you are interacting with the bodies so that the quest can progress. After inspecting the third and final corpse in B4, Flay will arrive. The unfortunate part here is that you need to have a 90 on Wisdom in order to recruit Flay properly. Avoid any discussion on mental health and choose options based on building a relationship with him.

How to Recruit Major Spike Scallion

Major Spike Scallion is the final Merc which you can recruit in Jagged Alliance 3. Keep in mind however that you should only aim to hire him towards the endgame. This is due to both having to survive through and complete a very difficult battle and should be playing the game in the correct order for the narrative which entails that Spike is met towards the end of Jagged Alliance 3. Spike starts at the highest Level for free Mercs at Level 8. His Stats are incredibly high compared to the other recruitable Mercs in the game, making him a great option to add onto your squad towards the endgame.

To find Spike you need to go to A20 but set up 2 squads to flank the Fort on both sides to protect the President. If you miss this step, the President will likely die. If you are thinking about what kind of squad to take in with you, it is best to start with Mercs that have high Agility and Dexterity to take out the Fort soldiers with stealth kills. Be sure to set up squads with Sniper Rifles so that they can provide support as the eastern and western fronts of the Fort. Spike will be lured out where you can defeat the Major and his team. Make sure however that Spike is not killed as you want to talk to him to begin the recruitment process.

Much simpler than the other recruitment process, you simply need to pick – “You were a merc like us” and “What if we hire you?”. That is it. Spike will be the final Merc to join your squad for free, no questions asked. Of course, getting to see this dialogue is much harder than what is written on this guide but if you plan the attack on the Fort and make sure that you are going into this battle well prepared and at the appropriate time in Jagged Alliance 3, you will be able to keep the President alive and recruit Spike in the process.

That was our guide on how to recruit every Mercenary in Jagged Alliance 3. We hope this full guide was helpful for you. For more on the latest video game releases, feel free to see the GJ related guides here. Thank you for reading this guide.