MERCENARY 3: THE SOLUTION
HINTS AND SOLUTIONS FOR MERCENARY III - The Dion Crisis.
By Simon Guyart (for E-mail, see at the end of this file).
August 4th, 1996
Many thanks to Adrian Hurt for his (huge!) help.
Mercenary 3, By Paul Woakes, (c)1991 Novagen (Even if it doesn't exist anymore!).
One of the greatest games for Atari ST and Amiga: Mercenary was the very first doom-like game.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
I - OUTLINE BRIEFING AND SOLUTION BRIEFING
1 - Get elected
2 - Bankrupt Bil
3 - Lock him up
4 - Blow it up
5 - Shoot-em-up
6 - ???
II - WHAT I HAVE FOUND - UNTIL NOW
1- WHERE ARE THE DOOR KEYS ?
2- THE A-TO-Z COMPUTER AND OTHER USEFUL EQUIPMENT
3- I HATE THE BUS AND I CAN'T STAND TAXI DRIVERS !
4- YEP ! A BUG IN THE GAME !
5 - THE NOVAGEN SAFE HINTS
6 - THE TRANSPORTERS
7 - THE 5 OTHER SOLUTIONS
8 - WELL OK HERE IS THE 6TH SOLUTION
INTRODUCTION
The story in 30 seconds :
" With the threat of Damocles averted (in Mercenary II), the peoples of the Gamma solar system have resumed a peaceful existence; free to continue their life of commerce, politics and the pursuit of pleasure.
The President Margaret has conclued her term of office. There's to be an election. You've had some time away from it all, but on your return, you find that all is not well. A sinister character has risen to prominence - the enigmatic PC Bil. You see beneath his guise of benevolence a boundless ambition that needs to be checked..."
First of all, let me remind you of the "outline briefing" that was in the pack with the game.
It gave many hints about the different ways to complete the game, with less and less detail for every method.
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I - OUTLINE BRIEFING AND SOLUTION BRIEFING
1 - Get elected
There's to be an election! PC Bil is standing unopposed for the Presidency. So, why not stand as the Candidate against him. Get elected and the freedom of Vesta Parliament is yours. Well within your powers to veto his application for planning permission to mine on Dion.
Bert, the taxi driver on Metis will vote for you, and with your vote, that's two! And the Election Registar's Office on Vesta is very happy to have you logged on as a candidate to make it a real contest. Now you have to set about getting the message across through the media - "Vote For Me!". Once they know you're a candidate, people will.
So get around those Ad Agencies, the TV Company and the Publishers - but be prudent with your promotional spend. They'll all take your money, but some are more effective than others.
The Trade Commission are keenly interested in the result, so take advantage of their Opinion Pole to keep posted on your progress. And the Daily Comet gives the stories behind the news. But remember, in the glare of publicity surrounding your candidacy, you should lead an exemplary life - and Bil could play dirty!
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2 - Bankrupt Bil
Pick up the Post-It note at your meeting to learn that Bil's a little strapped for liquid cash right now. Too much won at his Bacchus Casinos will bring down his debt-laden empire. But it's unlikely you'll be lucky enough to win that much without some way to narrow the odds.
After meeting that larger than life character, PC Bil, you do go on to sample the gambling at Uncles Casino and Bosher's Bar. Fair fun, but with the odds loaded against you. Just a couple of big wins will more than embarrass Bil. So you give some though to bending the odds in you favour. Somethig of a search, but - how to charm the Wheel of Fortune into paying you a fortune? Or perhaps that magnetic Fruit Machine can be manipulated!
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3 - Lock him up
Take him out of the game. Like Al Capone, he needs locking up. But not without just cause. A private detective, J. Arthur Hoover has the low down. Present it to the proper authorities and you're deputised.
A high security prison needs to be purposed-build. Not too easy, with beaurocratic building rules and regulations. C Rooke will sell you the deeds to that prime building site on Logos and Instant Architects have a design for a model prison. Builders are Riss-Key and there's Plannig Permission and the like to contend with. Get the components in the right order and you have him. That's if you can capture him!
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4 - Blow it up
On a tour round Chaldea, with those cahotic robot taxi drivers, you learn at the Bank that Bil's lines of credit are closed, and at the Insurers that his mining equipment isn't covered. So destroy what he has to put an end to his plans. An explosive solution. Six pieces required, plus a detonator. Pyrotech Supplies is the place to start to locate some explosives manufactured by Hantzen Industries.
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5 - Shoot-em-up
Shoot your way to victory! Bil's power base is supported by his fleet of battle craft. He'll run scared if they are all shot up.
With an eye to a bargain, you've bought your spacecraft from Stellar Factors on Ur. Now into battle. But, unless you're extremely good, not before you've borrowed the playtesters 'Shield' device.
Now to coax out Bil's full fleet of Battle Craft. Pop off a few Observers to excite the fist wave and an incursion into Bil territory on the more remote moons that he owns will yield up more forces from his military base on Thalia. But then, think what would really annoy him to bring out his last line of defence.
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6 - ???
This is the one to reap the maximum rewards. The one for the really exeprienced player. So we're not going to give you any clues at all. Good luck.
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II - WHAT I HAVE FOUND - UNTIL NOW
1- WHERE ARE THE DOOR KEYS ?
A: Dion, Birmingham Island, Companies House, 03-00, 4th floor.
B: Clotho, Bil Industries, 01-00, ground floor.
C: Dion East, Bil's Mother, 04-04.
D, G, F, I: Gaea, Ur City, Queue Locksmiths, 01-03, ground and 1st floor.
E: Eris Capital, Margaret's Retreat, 06-03.
H: Eris Capital, Instant Architects, 14-11, 8th floor.
J: Dion, Birmingham Island, Author's House, 14-13.
In Damocles, dropping an explosive (power 3), just next to the door unlocked it. Never tried it in Mercenary 3, but...
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2- THE A-TO-Z COMPUTER AND OTHER USEFUL EQUIPMENT
The a-to-z computer is a useful item that describes many buildings and special places.
What about Eris Capital City, ETA House, 08-03, 9th floor?
- Antigrav (allows you to pick up heavy items) : 02-03,Theon. (red beacon to locate the base)
- Authors Computer (If you destroy it... You destroy the Gamma System!) : around 517-136, Midas (It's the same puzzle to find it as it was in Damocles to find the Magic Crystal). There is a red beacon to locate it, so get the red beacon locator! Sadly, it seems there is no Authors Chair in Mercenary III... So what's the use of this Computer?
- Detonator (to use the explosives) : 14-05 Eris Capital City (Eris Power Gen)
- Red Beacon Locator : 09-02 Eris Capital City (Playtesters Stores)
- Blue Beacon Locator : 01-00, Clotho (Bil Industries, 4th floor)
- Black Beacon Locator : Black Beacons are always active. You don't need any locator.
- Briefcase : where damn is that #@*$! briefcase?! You can carry 20 items if you get it! "The briefcase is on the 8th floor of the Dion Verdant Party HQ, which is at 03:14, Birmingham
Island, Dion." This was Adrian Hurt answering to me - Thanks, Adrian !
- Superson Suit : 09-00 Birmingham Island, Dion (Bil's Drapery). It's nothing but a spaceship that you can carry with you, without key.
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3- I HATE THE BUS AND I CAN'T STAND TAXI DRIVERS !
(Where to find a free ship quickly)
Even if the taxi drivers can give you some information, it costs a lot, and you're not free to go anywhere. There is a good joke in this game : the ship you had in Damocles (Mercenary II) is parked... Just BEHIND THE JAIL at the beginig of the game ! Argh !
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4- YEP ! A BUG IN THE GAME !
Try to enter inside the 08-04 building in Eris Capital City... Pretty strange if you go up.
Oh, and do never use the KAOS Robot Taxi Service on Gaea Chaldea City, it's totally bugged - but this time it's a "normal" bug...
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5 - THE NOVAGEN SAFE HINTS
If you open the Novagen Safe (with an explosive set to 0), you will find the following hints; each one being for the different ways to finish the game described above (Outline briefing):
1 : The people at Galaxy Spaceport should be seen
2 : Check the equipment at Amplin Electronics
3 : Cut out all the red tapes
4 : It can help if you go incognito on this route
5 : Use the play-testers equipment
And still no hints for the 6th solution (Don't worry, I think I've found it).
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6 - THE TRANSPORTERS
They teleport you to from one transporter to another. Their location:
0: PC Bil HQ Building, 02-01, Enterprise Base, Tolosa, basement.
1: East Strip Spaceport, 01-08, Bacchus Waystation, Bacchus, outside.
2: ETA House, 08-03, Capital City, Eris, 1st floor.
3: Dooberrys Solicitors, 00-06, Metis Moonbase, Metis, 9th floor.
4: Vesta Parilament, 04-06, Politburo City, Vesta, basement.
5: DHSS House, 04-02, Logos City, Logos, 4th floor.
6: Trade Commission, 08-08, Chaldea Metropolis, Gaea, 1st floor
7: Bil Industries, 01-00, Clotho New Town, Clotho, 1st floor
8: Verdant Party HQ, 03-14, Birmingham Island, Dion, 2nd floor.
9: Writers Guild, 03-02, Velos City, Eris, outside.
If you got the Antigrav, you can pick up a transporter with you: really useful. Don't forget to pick up your ship before the telepotation.
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7 - THE 5 OTHER SOLUTIONS
Ok, the "official" help wasn't helpful enough ? Let me tell you more about them.
1 - The election
Not really much more to say... If you got the Public Transport Schedule supplied with the game.
Go to the Election Registar (Vesta 05-04) and use the computer to be canditate. Read the papers on the wall and do respect the law... Once you are candidate, you must avoid to shoot Bil's ships, it would not make the people vote for you. As well, avoid the Casinos and Bars.
Now, you must start your campaign! Most of the Ad Agencies and Publishers (if not all of them) are on Eris, as well as the TV company. Visit them and choose the right ones to help you. To check if they're efficient, get the Opinion Pole (08-08 Gaea Chaldea Metropolis, Trade Commission), and use it after every new ad campaign. (Note that sometimes, the Kaos Fly messages are replaced with "vote for (and your name)"). Thanks to Adrian, here is a list of the media companies, what they charge and what they do your ratings:
Wilmot Ad Agency : 09-14 Capital City : MCr6 for 6%
Eris TV : 04-01 Bare Island : MCr18 for 8%
EKMPV Ad Agency : 04-05 Bare Island : MCr5 for 7%
Future Publishing : 02-07 Key West : MCr3 for 4%
News Intergalactic : 04-08 Key West : MCr4 for 3%
Europress : 05-05 Key West : MCr3 for 3%
The main thing to note is don't do business with Eris TV! Just after your registration, go to the Galaxy Spaceport (00-04 Vesta Politburo City) and once the woman spoke to you, pick up the little girl and put her down, you'll earn some free votes by going out and meeting the people.
Stop everything as soon as you are around 54%, that's enough.
In fact, if you don't stop, you *lose* popularity as the people get sick
of your name. You can vote at the Land Registery (15-14, Birmingham Island, Dion, 1st floor) but be careful: don't vote for the wrong candidate, and vote only once! (the right choice is the 2nd. Avoid the first one!)
Note that going to Exchequer Dist.A (01-01 Eris Capital) to pay taxes will cost you 6 millions but make you more poular. (I don't know if it's considered as money spent for the campaign)
Once you're president, go to the Vesta Parliament, and bring the Bil's Bill that you'll find at the basement to the 2nd floor. Bil's plans are ruined, game over!
Note that there are two rooms to which you can bring the Bill. They aren't
labelled. Pick the wrong one and you actually *pass* Bil's Bill! The good one is on the left.
If Bil wins the election, he will take all your money after a while, so watch out! Gaea Banks will help you in such a case.
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2 - Bankrupt Bil
Bil's Casinos are on Bacchus (Bosher's Bar, 00-03, and Uncles Casino, 01-03), but you need first the equipment to never loose. For the Wheel of Fortune, get the Lucky Charm at Old Joan's Cottage, Dion North, 05-01. Back on Bacchus, you will win at every attempt... But you'd better play to the Fruit Machine, it will be more efficient. You'll need here the Electromagnet, at 06-05 Amplin Electonics on Clotho (1st floor). Back to the Fruit Machine, activate the electromagnet (with the "+" key) to stop each figure while they're moving. It's not very easy, but after a few tries, you'll get the biggest prize. Once you've won around 150 or 200 millions, Bil will have serious problems... A message will inform you when Bil is ruined.
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3 - Lock him up
This is the hardest solution. First, buy the Land Deed at C Rooke Estates (08-03, Logos City on... Logos!), you are then the owner of the Building Site (02-03, Logos City). Go to the Land Registery (15-14, Birmingham Island, Dion, 9th floor). Forget Riss-Key Builders, they won't help you. Now, visit Instant Architects (14-11, Capital City, Eris, 9th floor) and accept the deal. Pick up the Instant Prison, and the door key H (8th floor). Back to Logos, drop the Instant Prison just on the cross of the Building Site, here's Bil's new house!!! I don't know what the Red Tape is for, but according to all the hints in the game, it seems important, so I give you its location: 06-06, Gum Store Drapery, Bare Island, Eris.
Now you got to catch Bil. From here, be careful: Bil's fleet might attack you, especially if you go to Bil's Mothers... Well, good idea, here we go! (04-04, Dion East, Dion). Get the key C, then head to Arthur's Cottage (05-01, Dion East) and get the Report. Bring it to the Exchequer District A (01-01, Capital City, Eris), you'll be deputised. (and you'll have to pay your taxes...). Pick up the door key B (01-00, Bil Industries, Clotho; what about using the transporters?), and visit PC Bil again (PC Bil HQ, 02-01, Tolosa), except this time you'll pick him up! Then just drop him in the prison. He deserved it!
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4 - Blow it up
Pick up all the explosives, then go to Dion North. There are some explosives at:
Gaea Chaldea City, Pyrotech Supplies 1 and 2 (03-11 and 11-03)
Clotho, PCB Powergen (01-01)
Dion North, Company Store (05-02)
Dion Birmingham Island, Bil's Farm Machnry (09-14)
Eris Capital City, Mineral Trading (15-15)
The Timed Detonator is at 14-05 Eris Capital City (Eris Power Gen)
You got to destroy the equipment, so use your explosives on the 6 mining sites: 04-03, 03-05, 02-06, 05-04, 06-04, 06-02. Watch out, after 2 explosions, you'll be attacked by Bil. So avoid to take a ship, simply use the bus... Bil's fleet only shoot at you when you're in your ship. (that's why "it can help if you go incognito on this route", I guess).
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5 - Shoot them up
You don't need any special ship for this mission. To help you, go to the Playtesters Stores (Eris Capital City, 09-02; be careful, there is another Playtesters Stores that is empty at 01-14) and take the Shield : Bil's fleet will have to shoot at you 5 times to kill you, instead of only 1 shot. You can take the sights, but I don't find them really helpful. Anyway,the enemy ships always attack you in the same way : they come straight ahead (always from the same direction), go down, climb up and shoot at you, then go down again, etc.
It's rather easy to destroy them with a little practice. Keep on moving; you can fly at medium speed and go up and down (no need to move left or right; it's easier to aim), that is enough to avoid the shots.
I don't know what would really annoy Bil to bring out his last line of defence. I thought that destroying his statue on Solon would drive him mad, but nothing happened. You can try to go to Bil's Mothers (Dion East, 04-04). I once managed to destroy all his fleet, by shooting his ships "non-stop", and fliying towards the point where they all came from. Maybe a little bug...It was above Ur City, on Gaea, after I bought the ship at Stellar Factors, 09-03.
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8 - WELL OK HERE IS THE 6TH SOLUTION
First, go to the Playtesters Store at 09-02 Eris Capital City, and get the Red Beacon Locator. Now, go to Damocles, and land near the read beacon (the flasing light when you're flying above Damocles). Simply get the Pulvin Ore... And it's over! If you want the big reward, go trade the Pulvin Ore at 15-15 Eris Capital City (Mineral Trading), and accept the offer.
I found this solution because I was curious to see what Lloyds Group had done on Damocles (they thought it would be a good site for tourism in Mercenary II). A great part of luck, too, having the Red Beacon Locator with me. Maybe the Pulvin Detector (04-01 basement on Pan) would have been helpful too, but the Beacon is really the best way to find the Pulvin Ore.
For the fun, you can try a 7th "solution": destroy the Authors Computer (with an explosive)...
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THE END
If you want to send me an e-mail, go ahead. Here is my address : symoonmyself@hotmail.com (French and English spoken) Any Mercenary and Damocles fan is welcome, as well as any info about Paul Woakes or his Novagen team.
Adrian Hurt helped a lot: adrian@cee.hw.ac.uk (English spoken)
My English is far from being perfect, so if there are too many spelling mistakes, just let me know.