JAGGED ALLIANCE 3 | FIVE ESSENTIAL TIPS BEFORE YOU START (Beginner's Guide)

Jagged Alliance 3 is a turn-based tactics game that pulls no punches - one wrong move during stealthy real-time exploration or in the middle of a turn-based gunfight can cost you an entire campaign. This beginner's guide video should provide you with some tips and tricks to get ahead of Jagged Alliance 3's brutal gameplay, with guides and tips on a variety of topics packed into each category - from the strategic layer to the stealth sections to the gunfights, these tips should give you the upper hand in your campaign.
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00:00 - Intro
00:19 - Picking Mercs - Stats, Perks, Costs & Capabilities
06:01 - The Strategic Map - The Timeline, Operations, and Stashes
09:32 - Positioning for Combat - Dirty Tricks, Advantages & Disadvantages
13:02 - How to Win a Gunfight - Dos and Don'ts of a Shootout
18:13 - The Stealth Advantage - Tactical Espionage Action
21:21 - Outro
#JaggedAlliance3

[@crooster1]

This game looks like a dream game i thought about as a kid in the eighties :D

[@JoeBauers]

Turn-based Contra on steroids

[@Carnefice]

You missed out playing Jagged Alliance 2 as a teenager in the late 90s then 😞

[@crooster1]

@@Carnefice I started gaming on a Commodore 64 ca 1985, sure i played JA2. This looks better

[@Carnefice]

@@crooster1 ah ok it sounded like you were new to the franchise and I was just being funny. Spent many hours playing JA2 v1.13 myself

[@Deviljho5]

😂 same!!!!!

[@kkhalifah1019]

Being a fan of Xcom 2, I immediately jumped on this one. Ammo management is a royal pain in the early stages especially for rifles since you tend to miss a lot, so loot all the guns you can find and always UNLOAD to retrieve the ammo before scrapping the ones you don't need.

[@LukeDavisWarhammer]

Old school JA player here. it's amazing how bad i am and how much i've forgotten. this video is exactly what I need -- thank you!

[@stynkus]

Was on the fence about this game; but both your and Mortismal's impressions of the game made me pick it up. Played it for a couple of hours so far and loving it.

[@rge24491]

Same

[@dennisgordon7767]

ive played the original 3x times if not more. i and most of OGs are always skeptical of the new JA games. After playing this one for a few hours, its pretty good and brings nostalgia back. While the animations of deaths are less gruesome the sheer physics and destruction are awesome.

[@walmartian422]

Dennis the only problem is that they removed the damn online store. I hate relying only on looted ammo I used to have dedicated mules that would carry ammo weapons and gear to and from the helipad.

[@dennisgordon7767]

tons of mods on nexus and steam workshop@@walmartian422

[@michal6064]

I don't think you need to give ammo to the merc backpack, they take it from the shared pool. I haven't checked if that makes AP cost diff though.

[@kellanaldous7092]

You don't have to put ammo in character inventories. They'll automatically draw from squad inventory. Hugely important to know when carry space is at a premium!

[@condorX2]

Didn't know that. Cheers

[@greyman6353]

I cant believe i spent so many hours playing and never realized this!

[@fhytrk_yeidn]

Thanks for the tip!

[@user-ve5ei2xe8h]

Unfortunately. I liked the gear management aspect of JA2.

[@curtmcfaul4992]

So unless I'm missing something here, JA3 appears to be an upgraded JA1 and JA2 which is actually very good news. I've been a fan of this series from the beginning and actually bought JA1 off the shelf at my local computer gaming store (yes, these actually existed) in 1995. I still have the original JA1 and JA2 game boxes. So happy to finally see a respectful follow on to the series! Excellent guide bringing back a ton of memories!

[@shark3D]

as a HUGE fan of JA 1 and 2, this one was a fantastic sequel, I played through once and I'm going to let some mods and patches rull in before I go for another playthrough but I loved it the whole way through

[@anneritchie8264]

I just now found out about this game through this video and freaked out! I played JA1 & JA2 back in the day endlessly. I even bought it on Nintendo at one point (an awful experience). I had no idea that this game was actually in development and now must upgrade a PC to play it. OMG, I'm so excited!

[@hiisigobli4612]

Do it.. i am old schooler and big fan of ja2. Let me say this. Ja3 is epic! And theres workshop mods coming out all the time. Now devs added to hit% mod if someone want to use it. So far feels like a game of the year. This game needs all the publisity and love.

[@Aurilion44]

17:45 Surprisingly, you don't have to do that. Game isn't THAT keen on micromanagement and you can just reload straight up from Squad Supplies. It does save some headaches and tedium

[@RyanJosepher]

I suppose that's very casual, but I like role-playing as a squad leader, and distributing ammo. My logistical vet brain: OCD

[@Marcusianery]

So literally I do not have to carry all that damn ammo on my chars?

[@Aurilion44]

@@Marcusianery Yep. True game changer

[@Marcusianery]

@@Aurilion44 Damn! That will change a lot! Thanks! That explains why I could reload on Fox so easily. I thought it was because my other gewehr user stood beside her so she took their bullets!

[@MarvMarvensen]

Regarding stats: For mercs you plan using long term (especially your custom character) Wisdom is the most important. It determins how fast you learn, and can't be trained. Second is Agility, since it determins the number of APs you have. Marksmanship is obviously great for anyone, but it improves rather fast. Leadership is not too important, since it also improves really fast and simply costs you a bit more time to train militia. Medicine and Tech are not really important except for your team specialist and maybe one backup.

[@wickles4360]

Watched this with my husband. I joked at the start that there's some famous saying about always bring a knife to a gun fight. Thank you for confirming my point. 😂❤

[@PartyElite]

Lmao that's hilarious what are the chances 🤣

[@msturg80]

love the first tip. The MD "I'll work with that guy. but he sucks and you're going to have to pay me more."

[@lfemomo77]

Woot! Thanks for preview. Always enjoy your approach to games & vids.

[@cursedwarden408]

Thanks, I got the game but I had no clue what I was doing for the most part... I'll start a new one with this knowledge since I now understand it better, thank you

[@Ty-bz7zx]

"I'm going to point out some obscure points not explained.." Then you just read out the exact info listed in the tool tips. =)) Fantastic game.

[@drastically143]

Wait what?! A NEW Jagged Alliance game?!

[@puckloki873]

Wait what? You didn't know?

[@drastically143]

@@puckloki873 Absolutely. Im very dissatisfied with modern gaming industry and now i play only DF and paradox games (CKII and CKIII). And currently im also waiting for wh40k:Rouge Trader.

[@Njordin2010]

​@@drastically143this is the way.

[@MisterKUltra111]

@@drastically143 you seem like someone who might enjoy "Songs of Syx" and that's why I'm recommending it to you :)))

[@drastically143]

@@MisterKUltra111 Thanks, i will check it out!

[@BenchongDy]

Just picked up the game and downloading it now. This is just the video I need

[@rcrhinehart66]

Phenomenal game. Thanks for the tips!

[@acpcardoso]

Well done video, thank you

[@Chimpthoughts]

Thank you so much for the help much love

[@Palone5]

welp, you earned my subscription. looking forward to more jagged alliance content

[@ksteenkamp2466]

I am so happy that Jagged Alliance 3 reboots this amazing series that I discovered so many years ago. This is an amazing game if you're into this genre. I just picked it up and it won't let me go :)

[@kylecarey4189]

I played a stupid amount of Deadly Games since it was infinite. Played and beat JABIA which I think has been the best one since JA2. So far JA3 blows that one away!

[@walmartian422]

I loved back in action unlike most fans of the series. I just wish JA3 had an online store solely operating off looted equipment is driving me nuts.

[@raindropsrising7662]

Played the 1st, 2nd Jagged Alliance and after waiting for so long, this game doesn't disappoint. The feelings of excitement and joy are so similar to the original series, it's shockingly amazing. Tactical RPG and diversity of terrains are intuitive to play. Tremendous replay value.

[@pkassies]

Great guide!

[@Trifler500]

I was hoping you would have footage demonstrating a full auto spray that mostly hits your allies when you said it. :)

[@GamerPhilosophy]

WOW Thanks for this tips really nice video , i subscribed keep up good work 💞👌😊👍

[@beepbop6697]

Thanks for these tips! My background is XCOM and it is good to have a nice overview of the features in JA.

[@dennisgordon7767]

Good vid for Newbies. Also dont forget the view layers of the map so u can see roofs and 2nd level etc

[@scoop20906]

Great video

[@degencatgaming9250]

I'm surprised at how much the developers kept systems-wise from JA2. When I saw the grid, I expected it to basically use the XCOM EU 2012 system for combat like a lot of games that it's visually similar to have done, but they actually kept the action points, scaled aiming, and other mechanics from 2, which I'm excited about. Are you thinking of doing a long play of it?

[@rpgptbr]

thanks for the vid

[@MetalGamer666]

Having enemies attack you as soon as you enter a new area is very annoying! It just happened to me at the end of the haunted mansion task. I was forced out of stealth and into a dialogue, followed by a massive ambush. I was low on supplies, and was barely able to heal myself. I spent way too long reloading just to survive that. Other than that, I really like the game.

[@damjanknific1394]

Just little polish and the JA3 will be legendary

[@shamneo23]

PE is always fast with these guides. 👍

[@diredier]

thank you :)

[@Trifler500]

Explosive skill should also affect explosives crafting

[@RaceMaster79]

What to do with all those guns found on missions? Is there any way to sell them or just need to scrap them and free my bags?

[@adrianbotusan6674]

in a good JA tradition, nobody wants to buy your junk so scraping is your choice

[@greyman6353]

There is an indirect way to convert unwanted guns into cash. Turn them to scrap which you can either use as raw material for gun mods or sell the scrap for $500 per 30 scrap in Fleatown marketplavr

[@Greenhead24]

Hey do you remember in JA2 you can zoom out and see the sector from a zoomed out view where you can see all the buildings,do they have that in ja3?

[@AW-ix5qg]

Yes and no. No zoom out, but press o to get that "satelite view". If you have intel on the sector you even get markings like "patrol area" or "hidden cache"

[@EASTSIDEDELI]

did you beat this yet? is there a new game+? Any tips for a solo play?

[@misanthropicattackhelicopt4148]

I think half the problem people are having with this game is the tutorial does not do a good job at telling you what you can do. Just found out you can modify weapons after playing this for over 8 hours.

[@MrDenizelci]

What does the enemy icons tell? Sometimes they are a red skull and sometimes its a skull with a pattern on it.

[@Johannicus]

Its their class; sniper, leader, grenadier etc.

[@Oroberus]

3:59 YES ... this decision alone, that the ai isn't going to do the thinking for you is a great example between an immersive game and a casually streamlined game

[@phobos19855]

Thank you this was a very helpful vid. The game could have been more intuitive in explaining these concepts

[@Voeluspa45]

After I conquered the little island, where to go next? Conquer the mainland from the north or right through the middle? The first thing I want to get is a mine.

[@DrRESHES]

talk to people, do some quests.

[@tash1201]

It has returned, the island of lost mercenaries

[@user-cl1pr3ir2e]

aside from being easily get killed in a firefight, what are the other negative effects of having a merc with a low health?

[@richardkutsera4992]

I am finding it really hard to "take my time" with resting and fixing stuff and all that, because the contracts of the mercs run out fast, and then I need to pay them again, and if I did nothing but spend money meanwhile, I run out of money to pay them.

[@delcien9697]

is there a way to carry a body away that i have taken down ?

[@MidnightHozz]

Does anyone know how to boost individual morale? My IMP mere has -1 and Igor has -2. I tried R&R in the first village, didn't affect it.

[@hakenaton9031]

MD and Kalyna have a perk that does that iirc

[@MidnightHozz]

@@hakenaton9031 Those are team morale perks, at least MD's is. I think Kalyna's is something different. The individual morale buffs and debuffs are tied to in game time and eventually wear off.

[@steve323f]

Hiring MD before steroid doesn't give a hire penalty. But does anyone know of you have to stay on one area to repair or first aid another player, or can you assign them to fix/heal and they do it on the move travelling to different sectors?

[@MarvMarvensen]

Repairing and treating wounds is done stationary.

[@steve323f]

@@MarvMarvensen gotcha, thanks. It makes sense I guess. Right setting off noob island. I suppose mines are my first port of call.

[@stevemerritt2721]

Need Help! I've played all the JA games on higher levels but JA3on forgiving mode(easiest) has proven too difficult for me. Three grenades and three machine gun burst to head at close combat and goon is slightly wounded! on same prison grid had my best two mercs on overwatch, enemy comes into overwatch grid and engages overwatch on my two overwatchers and disables both my mercs

[@delcien9697]

how do u heal in the game battle , not in the sat map ?

[@Chromewolf187]

u get wounds to heal in sat map like the light red bar in ja2

[@dudestep]

Select the bandage action

[@Chrono000616]

How do i know which Merks cant stand each other? Do i have to test this or is there a way to see which i sould not match?

[@Johannicus]

No and yes. When you hire for the first time there is no way of knowing until you want to hire the next merc. But if you play missions some will have positive and negative banter that includes the specific merc. Some peoples bios tell if they like someone else. Mouse banters about how she likes Stella for example. There is also a duo that work together wich you can read in their bio.

[@Chrono000616]

@@Johannicus Thanks for the Info

[@magnusberge]

Would you reccomend making your own merc? they dont have to be payed as of my understanding

[@theraiderra8798]

Really? i need to try that.

[@magnusberge]

@@theraiderra8798 yes, there are 2 tabs, 1 for mercs and 1 for making mercs, it called I.M.P i belive

[@rps215]

You should always do like in JA2. The only downside if you even call a downside is that the IMP merc has no unique trait, though always start with potentially 3 non-unique traits at level 1. However, keep in mind that IMP merc does not require salary/contract which means you get one free guy on the team.

[@BPo75]

The "own merc" is essentially you travelling there to take command personally, so ALWAYS make it. Whatever your preferences otherwise is, make sure to max out Wisdom as that will be the limiting factor in how much and fast you can increase the other stats.

[@KiteSavano]

Does crouch actually limit your movement? I am not sure

[@puenoune9316]

yes

[@Cyricistic]

What is going on with the audio starting around 10 minutes in?

[@krizpgaming837]

JA2 had a car that could be fixed and used for faster and less tiresome (for mercs) travel), JA3 has anything like that?

[@Sismanski]

How to sell loot? My bags are full and all I can do is scrap them? Isn't there a way to sell unwanted loot for some extra cash?

[@ferencmolnar4365]

No, just scrap them for parts

[@Sismanski]

@@ferencmolnar4365 sad. ty

[@CNsongs]

16:34 where are those icons you are talking about?? First time playing this game and I feel like I am lost. This game has no tutorials or anything like that to teach players how the game works, which is insane given the depth of this game. They just expect new players to magically know about all these thing???

[@coldsun1187]

Game crashed on me 4 times in one hour. Reboot machine each time. No idea what's up with it as it seems other folks have it fine. I've played a lot of games lately - nothing like happened to me before.

[@Cenot4ph]

this game is one of the most bugfree experiences ive had in a long time, but yea that doesn't guarantee it for every system

[@coldsun1187]

@@Cenot4ph Yeah I'm sure its something about my system, but like I said, no other games reboot my machine like this. Love the game otherwise, but right now I can't really play it.

[@diegohiroshiysusvideos2909]

I can rotate camera?

[@mnap89]

Can you destory spotlights?>

[@No-Kung-Fu]

Why does PartyElite talk like. That. Constantly pausing in the. Middle of sentences....?

[@mathieulefebvre6387]

ja3 like ja 2 is great complex game that ask you to be clever about it great game

[@metamud8686]

"so on and so forth" .. "so on and so forth" .. "so on and so forth" .. yeah yeah, we get it. So on and so forth.

[@dennisgordon7767]

Ah i see another Ivan enjoyer

[@WitchZer0]

Perk video when?

[@hegyesipeter5457]

wow wow wow I wasn't aware it is a thing. Just tell me about the leveling how much I can cheap out on mercs, train my own guys to be good from the low. I loved rolling with my self made merc, Ira and Dimitri. Boosting up their explosive skills and level them higher up in few ingame days. Throw knifing the crows.

[@salvatorecairospinedo]

how to buy weapons

[@punish01]

pay a visit to villages, look around the market. East of the first mine you will certainly aquire is a village with arms market in the village's center. Second spot i found is a harbor, north of starter island, port is right next to a mine.

[@ietsbram]

Im very like 10000% super sure its "my swedish friend"

[@DiegoEsteban1910]

IMP naming is bugged

[@mr.horseshoe2301]

Primed

[@montanakid]

Hahahaha... ...Is the chick in the thumbnail using smokeless powder, or not?

[@Yoni123]

I hope JA3 will get an arctic climate for a change! Or an alien planet

[@PaulRoneClarke]

So many neg comments on Steam having a go at the game for not being Desparados (How do I stealth kill everything and set traps) and not being Xcom (where is my to hit percentage) It’s neither of these games. It’s not trying to be and it doesn’t want to be. Love both Desparados and Xcom…and Commandos. But this is not much like any of those games. By design.

[@whiskizyo2067]

lol xcom doesn't own the hit % mechanic in these types of games, something it absolutely should have. xcom just one easily demonstratable example. changes the game absolutely 0 but gives you proper information of existing mechanics to work with, which is never a bad thing - unless it's been poorly balanced or another reason to hide it specifically...

[@PaulRoneClarke]

@@whiskizyo2067 Lol. Don't play it then. Lol

[@whiskizyo2067]

@@PaulRoneClarke lol ok then lol, great feedback and discussion about good points made, lol

[@PaulRoneClarke]

@@whiskizyo2067 Lol, why? lol. Do you waste your time playing games you don't like and commenting on them? lol I saw no good points lol. Make some and maybe I'll reply to them lol.

[@vogonjelc]

Wait a second, no meltdown? 😢

[@Johannicus]

When you start the game random mercs are offline. Access to gold is offered later for a sum. If you want a specific merc from the start and they are offline, restart.

[@user-ds7ji1cy4e]

Water

[@drchaos2000]

stealth is one of the things that sounds great on paper... but stealth attack do so little damage even with a 100 str/dex character compared to a gunshot you only going to kill enemies that are so weak that they dotn matter anyway

[@Aurilion44]

Yeah, you gotta pump up those Stealth Kill Chances (Stealthy and Dexterity Perks help out a lot) or bring a decent handgun with suppresor

[@Mor4me]

Thanks, now mor4me

[@janzkranjski]

The ai cheats so mouch the only way to play is with cheese. And there's plenty of it. And lots of bugs.

[@legitplayin6977]

Is this going to be like Company of Heroes 3, just a watered down version of the previous game but with pretty graphics?

[@michalvoh]

Coming from few years of playing 1.13 this is going to be hard for me, but I will still play it, because 1. it seems to be solid game (but not even close to the complexity of 1.13) and 2. it came out with mod support, so theoretically it should be "salvagable" for us hardcore JA veterans.

[@grant9068]

No. It seems good so far. 1.13 is so old and clunky, it can be the best game in the world but its horrible to play.

[@Myrmexx]

its good

[@pakong82]

I hope not cause they got the director ofvthe first and second as an advisor

[@Njordin2010]

Yes it is watered down but only about 10%-20% less complexity instead of the usual 50% dumb people discount. Still a good game. Not as good as current ja2 1.13 stracietella

[@ccompson2]

this game needs to be modded to hell before it's any good unfortunately

[@grnt25]

gun stats are terrible!!!

[@d.j.5950]

can give this game for free if anyone want

[@d.j.5950]

@Mawr-123 ok, 14.61 GB (15,692,668,088 B) its size, can drop in to my google drive if u want

[@stevens9625]

Is there an undo button? Every turn based squad game needs an undo (movement) button in 2023.

[@dantauche7917]

Yeah it's called reload your save

[@kellanaldous7092]

F5 and F9, lol

[@VYM]

My essential tips: - stealth is broken and non-existent because enemies have eyes on their arses so don't waste your time choosing stealthy killer. And yes, there is no tactical pause to start combat and give some orders. FAIL! - marksmanship is pure random because there is no hit chance % indicator. Meanwhile any goon will burst your team prone behind huge rocks from AK from another end of the map without missing.

[@m4rsianer]

i have 20 hours now. long shots from opponents missed 90%. but yes stealth is not worth it. you get some lucky kills without triggering combat. but this is really rare.

[@dennissvitak148]

A crap game. Multi player is broken, and doesn't work, for ANYONE.

[@Carnefice]

Nobody cares about multiplayer

[@Njordin2010]

Yep. Almost nobody

[@Kameleonic]

It just came out. Play SP first, then later after the inevitable patches, go MP.

[@dantauche7917]

Amazing game. Single player is AWESOME. Who cares about multi.

[@Njordin2010]

@@dantauche7917 well its a good game. Not as good as JA2 1.13 but maybe modders will fix that like they have in ja2

[@Claude-Eckel]

0:44 Do not simply make sure to hire a medic or a mechanic (class), but someone with a high medic skill, high mechanic skill, high wisdom etc. pp. Difference! The class names totally do not matter in the slightest. And also keep in mind to hire TWO mercs with above average medic skills, because yer medic skill dude or dudess is healing nobody when she or he needs a healer themselves! Same goes for repairing gear and weapons, if the dude with the mechanic skill is wounded, who repairs the shit? Exactly, either nobody or a substitute merc with a good mechanic skill (doesn't have to be a mechanic symbol in the avatar!), and so on.