Mercenaries Spotlight: Factions

Mercenaries is the upcoming near-future action game from Pandemic Studios that casts you as the ultimate soldier-for-hire doing battle on the war-torn fields of North Korea. The game will have a somewhat open-ended feel, as you'll be able to accept new missions from the highest bidder and carry out the dirty business of the world's power elite in exchange for cold, hard cash. Bigger and more destructive firepower is only a phone call away once you're out in the field and you've got enough money.

In light of Mercenaries' impending release, we'll be taking a look at the various factions that will be fighting it out across North Korea's future landscape. Look for new details over the coming weeks on the people, the weapons, and the vehicles that you'll fight with--or against--in our Mercenaries Faction Spotlight.

For more information on Mercenaries, check out our previous coverage of the game.

Entry 1: The Russian Mafia
Entry 2: The Chinese
Entry 3: The South Koreans
Entry 4: The Allied Nations

The Russian Mafia

The infamous Russian Mafia extends its influence all over Europe and Asia, seeking to exploit all war-torn areas for profit. North Korea is no exception. Thanks to the absence of any legitimate government, the Russian Mob was able to move in and set up a base of operations mere days after the Allied invasion. Based in a very profitable nightclub in Pyongyang, the Russians quickly established a formidable military presence, providing weapons and vehicles to all sides in the conflict, as well as taking over much of the vices and corruption in the area.

Led by Sergei Voronov, the Russian Mob does not want peace in the area. Peace is bad for business. Instead, they hope the current situation continues for as long as possible. Chaos is very profitable.

Sergei Voronoff is the local Mafia boss, a young opportunist who manipulated his way into his position--and who appears, to some, to be in over his head. He's more interested in the perks of the job than the goals of the Russian crime organization. His trusted right-hand man is Josef Yurinov, an ex-KGB hard-liner who's as experienced as he is lethal. It is for precisely this reason the Russian Mob secretly sent Josef to keep an eye on Sergei. Though Sergei does not know it, Josef has been given explicit instructions: "If Sergei misbehaves...remove him." Sergei thinks he is far from Moscow's prying eyes. But it's only a matter of time before he makes one too many mistakes.

The Weapons

No organization of jackbooted thugs is complete without a massive arsenal of heavy weaponry, and the Russian Mafia certainly doesn't disappoint in this area. Take a look at the hardware these characters will use to enforce their own brand of order.

Assault rifle (Used by the Russian Mafia along with North Korea, China)
Countless versions of the 7.62mm assault rifle have been produced worldwide.

* Good stopping power
* Moderate accuracy
* Very loud

Grenade (Used by all factions)
Standard-issue US fragmentation grenade.

* Throws deadly fragments over a wide area
* Limited effectiveness against armored vehicles

Light machine gun (Used by Russian Mafia along with North Korea, China)
Belt-fed 7.62mm machine gun designed for squad-level fire support.

* Large capacity drum magazine
* Good stopping power

RPG (Used by Russian Mafia along with North Korea, China)
Multipurpose antipersonnel and light antitank rocket launcher.

* Warhead can penetrate light armor
* Large explosive effect
* Reduced effectiveness against modern armor

Read on to see more of the tools the Russians will be using to ply their trade in Mercenaries.

Shotgun (Used by Russian Mafia only)
Close-quarters combat weapon.

* Fires a spread of buckshot
* Limited effectiveness at range
* Limited ammunition capacity

SMG (Used by Russian Mafia along with North Korea, China; usually carried by officers)
5.8mm submachine gun for close combat.

* Very high rate of fire
* Reduced accuracy at range
* Increased magazine capacity

Sniper rifle (Used by elite forces from all factions)
Standard 7.62mm sniper rifle used by Soviet-bloc forces.

* Telescopic scope
* Good stopping power
* Semiautomatic

Antiair missile (Used by all factions)
Portable surface-to-air missile launch system.

* Locks onto and tracks air targets
* Not effective against armored vehicles

The Vehicles

The Russians obviously won't be doing all of their fighting on foot. Below, check out some of the heavy transportation and weaponry that the Mob will use to conduct their dirty work.

Stay tuned for a look at the other factions that will populate Mercenaries' battlegrounds in the coming weeks.

The Chinese

With a fleet of state-of-the-art tanks, control of an airfield, and a massive army, the Chinese can be a powerful ally or a deadly foe. This faction is perfect for the mercenary who doesn't believe in subtlety--if you want to rain down explosives, crush your enemies beneath your treads, and laugh at infantry as they run in fear from your might, you and the Chinese will become fast friends.

The Weapons

The Chinese in Mercenaries will have access to an arsenal that is every bit as varied as that employed by their Russian Mafia counterparts, and, thanks to the global nature of modern weapon distribution, they'll often find themselves engaged in combat with enemies carrying identical hardware. Check out some of the toys that your enemies will be playing with if you manage to get on the wrong side of China in the game.

D-20 152mm Howitzer
A 152mm cannon, used for devastating artillery barrages that can be called down at your command.

* Very large gun, equating to 6-inch caliber, that is heavy for a simple towed carriage.
* Restricted mobility is compensated for somewhat by its range of 17,230 meters.

AK-47 Assault Rifle
Countless versions of the 7.62mm assault rifle have been produced worldwide.

* Excellent stopping power.
* Moderate accuracy.
* Very loud.

Grenade
Standard-issue fragmentation grenade.

* Throws deadly fragments over wide area.
* Portable and plentiful.
* Limited effectiveness against armored vehicles.

Light Machine Gun
Belt-fed 7.62mm machine gun designed for squad-level fire support.

* Large-capacity drum magazine.
* Good stopping power.

RPG
Multipurpose antipersonnel and light antitank rocket launcher.

* Warhead can penetrate light armor.
* Large explosive effect.
* Reduced effectiveness against modern armor.

SMG
5.8mm submachine gun for close combat.

* Very high rate of fire.
* Reduced accuracy at range.
* Increased magazine capacity.

Antiair missile
Portable surface-to-air missile-launch system.

* Locks on to and tracks air targets.
* Not effective against armored vehicles.

Chinese Supply Crate
* Available through local distributors.
* Contains one 7.62 Type 56 rifle, one Type 69 RPG launcher, ammo, and medical supplies.

The Vehicles

Each of the three factions in Mercenaries will have access to a different range of combat vehicles. Check out the shots below to find out what China has parked in its garage.

Stay tuned for a look at the last of the game's three factions, South Korea, in the not-too-distant future.

The South Koreans

ExOps has set up relations with the South Korean military through Special Agent Mitchell Buford, an American intelligence agent who has been operating in the Korean peninsula for over a decade. His connections with both the South Korean Special Forces and the CIA should prove to be a valuable combination.

Strengths
* Access to the best infantry weapons and supplies.
* Precision air strikes allow you to avoid "collateral damage" penalties when operating in a civilian area.
* Fast vehicles with powerful, modern weaponry.

Weaknesses
* Do not have any tank-class vehicles.
* Expensive air support.

Infantry Weapons

Air Support Weapons

Gunship Support: Directs a heavily armed aircraft to bombard the designated target with a barrage of cannon fire. The gunship will remain in the area until it runs out of ammo, and it can be directed against multiple targets.

Stealth Fighter Attack: Laser-guided smart bomb attack designed to destroy the target without damaging nearby assets.

Stealth Bomber Attack: Calls down a wide-area bomb attack capable of destroying armored vehicles and buildings.

Cruise Missile Strike: Sub-launched cruise missile is capable of penetrating hardened bunkers and detonating deep underground for maximum structural damage.

Signature Vehicles

South Korean players:
* Are finesse players--they use precision attacks to take out exactly what the contract requires.
* Use speed and stealth to accomplish their goals before the enemy can react.
* Want the best weapons that money can buy.

The Allied Nations

Faction Contact

Colonel Samuel Garrett is leading the forward Allied assault in North Korea. He has a distinguished career, but our inside sources indicate that he has grown frustrated with modern "media" warfare. Although the Allies do not officially condone mercenary companies, Colonel Garrett does have some latitude to hire "private contractors" for specialized work that he cannot afford to commit regular troops to.

Strengths
* Modern armored vehicles are far superior to anything in the North Korean arsenal.
* Hold air superiority over the area, allowing them to deliver very powerful air support.
* Troops have the latest military equipment, including body armor.

Weaknesses
* Allies' positions are frequently under watch by the press, making it essential to avoid collateral damage. * Air support and supplies are typically only available when operating on "official" Allied contracts.

Infantry Weapons

Carbine - Fast firing rate and very accurate, but limited stopping power.

Antitank rocket - Self-guided rocket is effective against most armored targets and buildings.

Antiair rocket - Heat-seeking missile is extremely effective against helicopters.

Frag grenades - Explosive grenade scatters lethal shrapnel over a wide area.

Stun grenades - Flashbang grenades temporarily stun targets caught within the explosion, allowing them to be captured alive for a larger payout. Also useful for operations in a civilian area.

Air Support

Air superiority - An Allied fighter will fly over the target area and attack any enemy copters in the region with air-to-air missiles.

Cluster bomb - Large bomb that splits apart in midair, scattering bomblets over a wide area that detonate on impact. Very effective against infantry and light vehicles.

Bunker buster - Very powerful 2000-pound bomb designed to penetrate fortified structures before detonating. Very effective against the North Korean network of tunnels and underground facilities.

Carpet bomb - Orders an Allied bomber to saturate the area with 12 tons of explosives. Should not be used in a civilian area!

Signature Vehicles

M1025 Scout - Lightly armored recon vehicle with gunner-operated .50 caliber machine gun.

UH-60 Transport - Workhorse of the Allied forces. Used for transportation of supplies and troops all over North Korea. Door-mounted miniguns provide fire support, but it is vulnerable to antiair weaponry.

M3 APC - Heavily armored frontline APC with 25mm autocannon. More than a match for the older North Korean vehicles, and capable of withstanding significant punishment.

YAH-56 Gunship - Incredibly powerful helicopter gunship. Armed with rapid-fire 30mm cannon, antiair and antitank missiles, and dumb-fire rockets.

M1 Tank - The most powerful main battle tank in the world. Depleted uranium armor is capable of withstanding nearly any attack, and its main cannon fires supersonic sabot rounds that are able to punch through heavily armored targets.

Allied players:
* Like high-tech solutions to their problems.
* Believe in generating good PR for ExOps.
* Must be willing to minimize civilian casualties.