Mercenary kills challenge

[soliderace]

One of the Co op challenges in this game is to get "mercenary kills", of which I have 8. I have Googled like crazy and still can't find out what a mercenary in this game is, or how over managed to kill 8, the only thing I can come up with is that a merc must show up somewhere in the expert levels. Does anyone here know just what in the hell a mercenary is in this game? And what level they appear in so that myself and many others can obtain the achievement? Thanks in advance hopefully.

[Auburok]

They are weird looking troops that drop in. In the Western Europe level they drop just before getting to the court yard if you have four players. I think they are a 4 player expert mode specific challenge. I don't recall seeing them elsewhere, but they may be sort of random.

[shoe478]

Do you mean the last area or the 2nd area? It makes sense that they are on that level because it says Code Name: Mercenary or something on the loading screen.

[Auburok]

Before you open the first door. There's an area where they drop to the left of the door.

[Gackt]

Ive only ever seen them on 4 player expert co op. I tried 2 and 3 player expert co op but the ship that drops them before the first door in Western Europe wont seemingly show up without 4 players.

[N 8R4ND0N]

Ok so now I know for a fact you do not need 4 people. I was playing solo on western Europe on expert. And it came. Just make sure you don't breach the big gate. Was easy enough. Just a guy with a mini gun and about 8 mercs came out

It's just harder to finish the last two parts solo on expert lol. Get at least one teammate!

Oh and also what I did. If the mercs didnt come I quit and made a new game

[N 8R4ND0N]

Lol for some reason they only come when I'm taking my sweet time getting to them...

[69bigplayer69]

can we all be an bit more clear lol, u guys all over the place,

[IDiivil]

Scandinavia for sure spawned them for us.

[Gackt]

Originally Posted by IDiivil

Scandinavia for sure spawned them for us.

Just adding for others that it appears to be completely random. First time we did this map tonight they spawned 5 mercs at the drop ship. Next 2 times through the level spawned none...lol

Originally Posted by 69bigplayer69

can we all be an bit more clear lol, u guys all over the place,

So are the mercs! They only show up when they apparently feel like it...lol.

Confirmed spots though to make it easier...

Western Europe, before the first door has a chance for them to show up.
Scandinavia, after the big door in the warehouse opens...there is a chance for them to show up.

[N 8R4ND0N]

Ok. So I've been trying a few things just to test a way to see if they came. I tried doing timed runs to see if they spawn. Made no difference. I keep doing solo in a public match. I guess no one wants to join lol. But anyways, just curious about it. The two times I went for a lot of headshot. Mercenaries dropped in. I'm still playing on expert, but I wanna test it out some more. And as I was writing this I froze lol. But I'll restart and try just with mostly head shots on Europe again.

[N 8R4ND0N]

Getting annoyed now. First time, they spawned and I froze so I had to restart. Second time they spawned and I was being an idiot and died ( lost progress again). Third time, they spawned again. But some random douche joins and decides to pickup the minigun from the boss that dropped with the mercenaries and kill me then leave( just used reboot a minute before).

Still not exactly sure what makes them spawn but I keep leaving when they don't spawn. Makes it much easier. Challenge completed!

[IDiivil]

Colorado, Western Europe, and Scandinavia so far all seem promising for merc spawns... seem to be randomized, though, and we've been doing it as a 4-man on expert - if that helps.

[Mr Stoat]

Originally Posted by Auburok

Before you open the first door. There's an area where they drop to the left of the door.

Can I ask for just a few more details? When you say this do you mean the empty area behind the apc? And does the dropship spawn as soon as you go around the first corner from your start point or when you actually get close to the first gate.

Edit: Sratch all that lol. Figures soon as I post it pops the next run I do.

For the record it pops right behind the apc and popped when I reached the gate controls. It was on a private expert match.

[Auburok]

Originally Posted by Mr Stoat

Can I ask for just a few more details? When you say this do you mean the empty area behind the apc? And does the dropship spawn as soon as you go around the first corner from your start point or when you actually get close to the first gate.

It drops next to the first gate, in the empty area just next to it. If you get to the first gate and the ship doesn't swoop in, it's not going to come.

[Mr Stoat]

Originally Posted by Auburok

It drops next to the first gate, in the empty area just next to it. If you get to the first gate and the ship doesn't swoop in, it's not going to come.

Thanks for the quick reply! I know my team had seen the merc dropship once at the warehouse in scandinavia, but we had never seen it on western europe so was beginning to doubt it existed until I just saw it with my own eyes.

Its probably the worst of the challenges just from terms of the mercenaries randomness. But I guess all it really needs is some dedication and time until you get that challenge completed.

[Direkin]

I had the Mercs spawn on Colorado on Normal (playing Normal to help a friend level up a bit). Seems if you take your sweet time they'll come.

[Mr Stoat]

Originally Posted by Direkin

I had the Mercs spawn on Colorado on Normal (playing Normal to help a friend level up a bit). Seems if you take your sweet time they'll come.

From my experience it may be true. I just had them spawn 3 games in a row on western europe when I took my time.

[wrog]

Thanks for the tips, challenge completed. I was playing Western Europe, solo, private game, Expert. Remember you don't have to finish the mission, you can quit after you reach second doors. You can also ignore reactive armor mini-boss and leave him in the first area.

[Auburok]

Originally Posted by Mr Stoat

Thanks for the quick reply! I know my team had seen the merc dropship once at the warehouse in scandinavia, but we had never seen it on western europe so was beginning to doubt it existed until I just saw it with my own eyes.

Its probably the worst of the challenges just from terms of the mercenaries randomness. But I guess all it really needs is some dedication and time until you get that challenge completed.

It's not too bad. Just 20 mercs is level 5, and they usually drop a bunch down at once.

[True_Darkness]

When people say take your time an they'll so up how quickly must i move though the mission.

EX. Western Europe how long should I take before reaching the first doors.

[Gackt]

Originally Posted by True_Darkness

When people say take your time an they'll so up how quickly must i move though the mission.

EX. Western Europe how long should I take before reaching the first doors.

Most of the time when they show up for me, its when I get to the first building with the switch that lets you raise the cover areas. I just spend 2 or 3 minutes back there killing everyone who shows up then move up disable the turret, wait for the chick to say to breach the door and thats about the time the ship shows up.

On Colorado, I usually bring back all the cases to the ship minus the last one. Once you bring that one out...it will spawn a drop ship that has a chance to drop mercs on the 2nd highest helipad.

Scandinavia has an area where they have a chance to spawn but that one appears to be random, nothing to do with time taken to get there it would seem.

[B A R 4 D]

I'm doing Western Europe solo expert and they seem to show up once every 5 attempts for me, They show up almost every time if you're doing Colorado expert 4 player and I haven't even tried Scandinavia yet. 7 kills this challenge is a pain.

[Market]

I have it on authority from one of the developers that Mercs are not random... there is a set trigger for them to spawn...

unfortunately, getting him to spill his guts on the specifics has been like pulling teeth... lol

there's a running conversation on the community forum about Mercs if anyone would like to put in their information...

http://syndicateforum.com/showthread.php?t=89

[J4m M4ster J]

For confirmation of the mercenaries, they definitely appear on Western Europe on Expert Level. You can either do this solo (not recommended) or up to 4 players. It's best to do the below as this worked for me quite a few times.

The best way to get these guys to appear is right at the start of the level. Firstly, Don't breach the last door at all until your mercs appear (The First main breach, The Turret gun and the fence down the side alley on the left hand side are ok to breach). Secondly, SLOWLY kill every enemy that appears before you. (Basically. when enemies appear, stop and kill them on the spot, move side to side for better cover or move backwards. Don't move forward until no more enemies appear, then slowly move forward again).

Eventually after much killing, headshots and rampaging, a drop ship will appear at the end of the road which'll drop one of those mini-gun totting reactor armour fellows and up to 8 mercs (numbers varie from 4-8).

If they don't appear here, don't worry, move further onto the level until you're at the 3rd stage of the level (where you have to drop through a warehouse window where you a greeted by a turret gun that you have to breach).

Follow the same process as before, (don't breach the turret until all enemies are dead, kill all enemies when they appear, don't move forward too fast) and eventually (and I mean eventually...) they will appear with another reactor/liquid geezer up to 6 I think (there maybe more but 6 is the most I've experienced). I don't know about any of the other levels that are mentioned (Colorodo and Scandinavia) but all I can advise is just take your time within each section of a level, hold back on breaching or obtaining objectives until there are literally no more enemies and then press on forward.

I believe the developers were working on the co-op missions to be a lot harder than what they actually were, so that game players worked as a team slowly through the levels and experience harder enemies. But as you will know as I do, as soon as all your perks, stats and levelling up is complete, just grabbing a mini-gun and ripping everyone up just takes the expert level back down to normal.

Anyway, Happy Hunting!

[J4m M4ster J]

For confirmation of the mercenaries, they definitely appear on Western Europe on Expert Level. You can either do this solo (not recommended) or up to 4 players. It's best to do the below as this worked for me quite a few times.

The best way to get these guys to appear is right at the start of the level. Firstly, Don't breach the last door at all until your mercs appear (The First main breach, The Turret gun and the fence down the side alley on the left hand side are ok to breach). Secondly, SLOWLY kill every enemy that appears before you. (Basically. when enemies appear, stop and kill them on the spot, move side to side for better cover or move backwards. Don't move forward until no more enemies appear, then slowly move forward again).

Eventually after much killing, headshots and rampaging, a drop ship will appear at the end of the road which'll drop one of those mini-gun totting reactor armour fellows and up to 8 mercs (numbers varie from 4-8).

If they don't appear here, don't worry, move further onto the level until you're at the 3rd stage of the level (where you have to drop through a warehouse window where you a greeted by a turret gun that you have to breach).

Follow the same process as before, (kill enemies when they appear, don't move forward to fast) and eventually (and I mean eventually...) they will appear with another reactor/liquid geezer up to 6 I think (there maybe more but 6 is the most I've experienced). I don't know about any of the other levels that are mentioned (Colorodo and Scandinavia) but all I can advise is just take your time within each section of a level, hold back on breaching or obtaining objectives until there are literally no more enemies and then press on forward.

Happy Hunting!