Mercenary

> *"*A seasoned close combat troopers who form the vanguard of the Asgard infantry force. Wear heavy armor and are capable of knocking enemy soldiers to the ground with their kinetic shotguns*" -* in-game description
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**Mercenaries** - are Asgard's main infantry units during Entropy events.

## Background

After the end of the Third World War, a large number of military personnel of the main world powers were no longer needed by their masters. The scars of the war ran deep, and many of these veterans found themselves unable to completely reintegrate with civilian society. Many were even actively ostracized by their neighbors and coworkers, for one reason or another, mainly due to massive cultural shifts brought upon by the politics and technology of the new peace. These shell-shocked men and women were shoved aside in spite of the sacrifices they made. The commitment they've displayed for their ideals becoming rendered into a footnote in history as they are left with poorly planned compensation and dead-end jobs in the midst of rising inflation rates.

Many of these individuals turned to mercenary work, selling out their expertise to PMCs and private security firms. The best of them were scouted out for recruitment. Asgard uses the services of such hired guns to comprise the bulk of their military.

The process of turning a former Allied or Imperial soldier into a mercenary of Asgard is covered with a veil of secrecy. Initially, many of these men only took the opportunity to do the job that they know how to do, and receive payment for it - very good payment, which was promised to everyone under the contract. Mission after mission, slowly and surely, these contractors are not only put to the test but also drawn deeper into the plans and goals of their employers.

Once properly introduced into the ranks, these people were subjected to indoctrination. According to the scant few testimonies, they were told about the "death of the system", about the need for change, the need for a "New World Order". Every contractor was promised a desirable place in the new world. Jaded to ideals, but seduced by the promises of a comfortable life and angry at governments that left them to die of hunger, most of these war veterans did not dare to refuse. The fact that only unscrupulous killers were invited to this work, and most of them didn't ask any questions, only helped Asgard in their business. In turn, those who refused the terms never left the Asgardian bases.

Now, Asgard possesses large groups of killers, loyal to their employer, and ready for any dirty work, all over the world. These soldiers, with no hesitation, will use everything that the war has taught them, with cutting-edge equipment only helping them in their work.

These mercenaries, proven to be the best grunts of all the world powers in spite of their relatively small numbers, are a threat that cannot be ignored.

### War crime charges

Asgard's mercenaries have no mercy for their opponents, whom they see as cannon fodder at best - so why would they show mercy towards civilians?

Wherever civilians have a chance to interfere with Asgard's operations, they are to be quickly dealt with. Often this is done by redirecting them with local authorities and various warning labels. Those that are too nosy or aimless for their own good, simply disappear or at the very least have their deaths declared as accidents or even matters of security. At worst, poison, carefully implanted allergens, or even a rigged car can serve to eliminate threats to their secrecy. The application of weaponry only applied when necessary and in situations deemed untraceable, such as a gang war or a robbery.

However, in operations where subtly is of little to no concern, the direct usage of Asgardian mercenaries to swifty deal with the liabilities are applied without hesitation. Sadism and psychopathy is not a desired trait that Asgard espouses for it' forces, but the sheer disregard for the sanctity of life in the pursuit of efficiency is in itself an act of cruelty. If the mercenary does not serve the country of their birth or residence, one can not expect them to comply with Geneva conventions.

The presence of civilians in the vicinity of the enemy's military bases is ignored, all witnesses are eliminated. Asgard does not like to bother with unwanted problems.

## Tactics

Mercenaries are very versatile soldiers when it comes to fighting infantry. The ratio of their stats is higher than that of any other base soldier in the game. Among these stats, the heavy armor stands out, in terms of survival rate comparable to such strong fighters as Tesla Troopers.

However, while it may not seem like this at first, the Mercs are not the most cost-effective grunts in the game and can be outnumbered by weaker troopers such as Conscripts, Imperial Warriors, and Guards. The Mercs are the most effective of all the main infantry in a duel, as their kinetic shotgun can knock almost any soldier in the game to the ground, preventing them from attacking and moving for a short time. This effect is similar to that of Peacekeepers shotgun, but the Mercenary does not need to approach the enemy at close range - this attack acts from afar, albeit at a shorter distance than the main one.

Moreover, this technology was copied from the Sonic cannons of Asgard, which means that Mercenaries are able to knock enemies out of buildings with such attacks. As if that weren't enough, the kinetic shotgun deals damage to buildings, making the Mercenary one of only two basic infantry in the game that can destroy walls.

## Assessment

#### Pros

* the toughest of all the six basic infantry units in the game.
* highest DPS of all the six basic infantry units in the game.
* moves faster than most basic infantry units.
* can knock opponents out from a distance, preventing them from attacking.
* knocks the enemy out of buildings without sacrificing his own life.
* many upgrades can be purchased to increase their efficiency.

#### Cons

* the most expensive of all the six basic infantry units in the game.
* the firing range is equal to that of the rest of the basic infantry units.
* 6 seconds to produce, compared to 5 seconds for most infantry units.
* low attack range in secondary mode.
* vulnerable to anti-infantry vehicles.
* still can be suppressed by the enemy fire.