Buddies

Buddies are one of the core gameplay elements of Far Cry 2, and are one of the primary vehicles for much of the narrative and character developments in the game, but also provide much of the humour and intrigue in the game. Much like all of the faction lieutenants, and the player himself, they are all foreigners who have come to the UAC in search of profit.
Buddies, from a thematic perspective, serve to reinforce the role of the player in the game, being on the same "level" as they are: they are neither faction leaders nor members (who both want to kill you and use you outright), and they are not innocent bystanders or Underground agents, who are simply trying to escape the country.
Besides this, Buddies fulfill important mechanisms in the flow of gameplay, which is governed by "History", a value that changes depending on certain actions taken by the player towards Buddies. Buddies are separated into two distinct roles in gameplay; the Best Buddy and Second-Best Buddy. Regardless of your level of History together, Buddies will continue to fulfill their roles. Even if the player does not complete a single Buddy mission, this does not change the way the game behaves.
Buddies can be killed in battle, via a mercy-kill from the player when wounded, by friendly fire, or by enemy fire. They can be downed a total of three times before resuscitation becomes impossible, and the only choice is to mercy-kill them (a choice made with an overdose on morphine, or a bullet to the head) or abandon them. Abandoned Buddies will be listed as "missing" rather than "killed" on their status screen. When downed, a Buddy will drop a blue-smoke grenade to be more visible to the player on the battlefield.
Buddies can be found in various states of distress in hidden locations on the map, and rescuing them will add them to your pool of Buddies at the expat bars in the towns. If a Buddy dies for good, one of these spare mercenaries with fill their boots.
==History==
Much like "Reputation" and "Sickness", History is a generalized sense of the progress that you have made with a particular Buddy, and the benefits that you glean from your relationship. However, unlike the other two values, the player has somewhat more direct control over the outcomes of their relationships with Buddies. Namely, that History can be "cultivated" by the player to increase gains.
Since History is only wiped by death or by certain game events (see below), when a Best Buddy dies, the Second-Best Buddy is "promoted" to Best Buddy. A smart player can "chain" Buddies in a "dead man's boots" play and manipulate them in order to maximise the benefits gained.
==First Best Buddy Gameplay==
You will meet your Best Buddy when you rescue them as part of the tutorial mission, and they will introduce themselves at Mike's Bar. Their primary role in the game will be to offer the player alternative means to completing main faction missions, and as an added bonus, will reveal backstory and intrigue about the assigned mission, as well as tactical opportunities.
Outside of faction interests, Best Buddies will also ask for favors from the player in the form of missions conducted for their benefit, often revealing more about themselves and their time in-country.
*The main boon to cultivating your History with your Best Buddy is that they will upgrade your unlocked Safehouses with useful gear and items that can make the game a lot easier and more pleasant.
*The game will not progress without a Best Buddy. The door guard at the faction HQ's will say something to the effect that the leaders of that faction are busy at the moment, but there are some rumors going about that another mercenary like yourself is being held by the enemy faction. You are then required to go rescue them.
*The only way to increase your History with these Buddies is main story missions and personal favors.
*The only time that a Best Buddy is vulnerable is when they are in the field as part of a mission.
==Second Best Buddy Gameplay==
Your Second-Best Buddy will introduce themselves as part of the tutorial at Mike's Bar. The role of this Buddy is to be your backup in combat; should you run out of health in the field, they will come and rescue you and help you defend yourself from enemies.
*When your Buddy comes to rescue you, the sidearm they hand you to defend yourself is in pristine condition and has full ammo, regardless of the type and status of the sidarm you had before you were downed. This can either be advantageous or not, as the weapon they give you automatically replaces whatever you had in your sidearm slot. They will give you either a Makarov, a Star .45, or a Desert Eagle. These are chosen at random.
*Your Buddy will stay in the area where you were downed and engage enemies until you leave and travel a certain distance away from the crisis point. This can also be advantageous or not, depending on the frequency of enemy visitation and the type of enemy you are facing. Buddies are singularly vulnerable to snipers and heavy gunners; the Buddy AI is often unwilling to seek cover from long-range fire, and will have their health sapped severely by both. Either curtail these threats swiftly, or make your escape to force your Buddy to disappear, too.
*Once you have made your escape or completed your mission, you will need to re-set your Second-Best Buddy back to the "rescue-ready" state. This is simple: Just go to any unlocked safe house and sleep for a period of time. When you wake up, your Buddy will be in the Safehouse, wanting to talk to you. Simply prompt them through a short conversation until they give assent, and your Buddy will now be primed to rescue you if need be.
*Check your fields of fire constantly when a Buddy is in combat with you, and if in doubt, do not shoot. In the chaos of battle, especially at night or in built-up areas, it can be very difficult to discern your Buddies from your enemies. It is very important to remember that your Buddy can be downed by friendly fire.
*Unlike your Best Buddy, there is no direct benefit to increasing your History with your Second-Best Buddy. However, since History is Buddy-centric, once your Second-Best Buddy is "promoted" to Best Buddy, this History will translate into more and better upgrades for your Safehouses.
*Your History is increased with this Buddy every time you are downed in combat, therefore it would ironically behoove players to take a fall more than once to build up time with a particular Buddy.
*Second-Best Buddies are vulnerable every time you are downed in combat, because they must also enter the fray that put you in danger.This is especially important to note for those times when you face enemies with Carl G Rocket Launcher, Type 63 Mortars, and Assault Trucks equipped with an M2 Machine Gun or Mk 19.
==Events of Far Cry 2==
At the end of Act I, the player can choose to save his Buddies or Father Maliya from the militia. If the player decides to assist his allies in Mike's bar, they will attempt to hold them off in the building, in which the player will be gunned down, regardless of how bravely he fights, and his friends' statuses are then listed as "missing".
After the player is informed by his new Best Buddy in Act II regarding the alliance of the factions, the other Buddies in the Marina Bar will not be seen again. It is then assumed that they were taken and ultimately killed in the end, despite their statuses being "alive".
At the Landing Zone, when the player tries to retrieve the diamond case, he will see his Act II Best Buddy informing him that "everything is under control". However, your old Act I buddy will then come out of his/her hiding place and tell your other friend to hurry it up and kill the player, as originally agreed to an earlier alliance. Soon, your other buddies from Act I will also approach you, ready to kill you. It is at this point that they all betray you, and the player is forced to either kill them, or take the case and run (which is almost impossible, unless you are fast and smart).
All of your Buddies are tough, and are very aggressive, determined to get out of the country alive. Alas, the player cannot fail his mission and let them win. Therefore, in the end, he kills/evades them all and proceeds further.
==List of Buddies==
*28-year-old Marty Alencar
*33-year-old Warren Clyde
*34-year-old Paul Ferenc
*45-year-old Quarbani Singh
*48-year-old Josip Idromeno
*38-year-old Hakim Echebbi
*36-year-old Frank Bilders
*40-year-old Andre Hyppolite
*24-year-old Xianyong Bai
*39-year-old Flora Guillen
*35-year-old Michele Dachss
*29-year-old Nasreen Davar
==Trivia==
* There is a glitch in which you can do missions for your Second-Best Buddy.
*It is unknown how the wounded Buddy survived the crash of the plane and was left there. It is likely that the UFLL or APR shot it down using anti-aircraft weaponry. Also, it is unclear on why the buddy was flying over a war-torn African country with a weapon. It is likely that the buddy went to the UAC after the player to probably to kill The Jackal or to seek work.
==Gallery==
buddyloc.jpg|Location of wounded buddy.
==See also==
*Guns for Hire - Far Cry 5 companions.
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