Guido

Stats-wise, PKs lower a character's perceptive skills and dramatically lower speed while improving some physical values such as VPs and strength (or strength-related abilities). Plus of course there's that whole walking armoured pillbox thing. :wink:

Oh, but you should, it's the same random encounter. IIRC, it's even on the same place on the map, but don't quote me on that; same region at any rate.

I have noticed that too, but I don't know whether it's intentional. As for the difficulty level, both campaigns should reach about the same level soon enough. In a way, the harder enemies at the beginning of the Axis game are made up somewhat by better equipment. As for plot richness, there isn't that much on either side, admittedly. The odd line of dialogue the Allies may get here and there doesn't cut it; and there are missions where it's the other way round. There is, for example, one possible campaign start (they're semi-random afaik) for Axis where a nice 'prequel' story is developed -- (really minor spoiler) ... .. . 1. protect General Bauer's office, 2. act as his bodyguards, 3. defend what you discovered. ... One reason why I do think that the Allies campaign is suggested to be the beginner campaign (not in terms of difficulty) is that most early Allies missions have a lot of Allies troops helping you out a bit.

Yeah, but what is Bond without his Walther PPK which unfortunately isn't in the game? :wink:

Took long enough, but I guess beggars can't be choosers

AFAIK, you lose it all and in any case, which is of course not totally realistic and at times quite annoying if you have to match the right weapon with the right guy even though the all look the same and aren't marked in any way.

A German paratrooper squad might be interesting. They were considered elite troops, so you're in accordance with the game in that regard. At the start of WWII Fallschirmjägers (paratroopers) were armed with standard issue small arms, Luger P.08 and Walther P.38 pistols, Kar.98k bolt-action rifles, MP-38 and MP-40 submachine guns and MG.34 general-purpose machine guns. Later they had the FG42 made for them, which is far better in the game than it was in reality. Arming them with close combat weapons is also an option.

I'm afraid I can't remember whether there is a way to open the barred gate again, although I'm pretty sure there is. However, you don't really need that anyway -- grab Berger and hit leave if possible (which it should be).

Nope, once you leave it's inaccessible. Try to overcome ammo and item shortage with random encounters or 'native' ammo if possible.

The way I understand it is that once you see Compton in the hands of the Renegades, the mission objective becomes to take him and get him out of there. If you clear the area of enemies first, you're actually doing one better than that and fulfil the same mission objective, but under a different name. Failing to pick up his body during combat is of no negative consequence as far as I can see. You get the clues just the same way as well.

Familiarity can make a huge difference. I found that high fam. can as much as double your hit percentage for certain shots, effectively, as Bigles noted, doubling your damage as well. You'd need to upgrade to one heck of a new weapon if you wanted to double your damage through a weapon's stat. I have also never experienced fam. loss from dropping a weapon or putting it away. A character can become unconscious, and he he'll still have the same fam. if you keep the weapon and give him the correct one again. However, I'm still unsure how exactly fam. is gained. It seems to increase for each use of the 'fire' command rather than for the time spend firing the weapon. Rifles used with snap shots seem to become familiar very quick, while rifles used with snipe mode or careful shots are slower. MG's aren't the fastest either I think if you use them in long bursts. And of course remember that many characters have stuff like Increased Familiarity, Force of Habit and Faster Familiarization as early perks. That way, a sniper for example can have a fam. 4 rifle and actually experience a familiarity bonus of 8. I once got it as high as 14, times two