Bringing Down the House

Bringing Down the House is the first Ace Contract and the third contract for the Allied Nations, taking placing at the end of the first act of Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction.

Overview
The contract involves destroying NK jammers to clear the radar so the Ace of Clubs may be located and verified. A bonus objective of destroying NK forces at the south end of the island allows additional AN forces to be deployed to help the Mercenary.

Objectives
Bonus: Destroy NK forces at south end of the island
 * 1) Destroy the NK jammers
 * 2) Verify the Ace of Clubs

Supplies & Support Given

 * Tank Buster x4 - Free
 * Cluster Bomb x4 - Free
 * Several AN soldiers with carbines and anti-tank launchers - Free (if bonus objective is completed)
 * Allied M1126 APC x1 - Free (if bonus objective is completed)
 * Bunker Buster Bomb x1 - Free (after destroying the jammers)

The Contract
You begin the mission being dumped into a hot LZ, meaning you are being shot at from the moment you hit the ground and should seek cover quickly. In the immediate area will be a small squad of soldiers, equipped with assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs and RPGs. There is also a soldier nearby with an Anti-Air Rocket launcher, so make sure to take him out if you want to call in any supplies or helicopters (you may want to keep the AA missile launcher, as it may come in handy later). Note that there are no civilians, so you are in a 100% free-fire zone. You are free to blast everything in sight, if you want to. If you are in Playground mode, feel free to unleash the Portable Airstrike with impunity.

You can head to the south end of the island to deal with the bonus objective at any point before destroying Song Tower. There will be six NK soldiers which need to be taken out, one of which has an RPG while another is equipped with a sniper rifle. There are also two MD-500 Scouts patrolling the skies as well as an SA-8 Anti-Air at the rear of the camp. Make sure to take these out as they will shoot down the reinforcements. This area is free of radar jamming, so make use of those free airstrikes if you wish. Once these forces are cleared, a UH-60 will drop off six AN soldiers, two of which carry anti-tank and anti-air missile launchers. A free M1126 APC delivery will also become available, which is capable of transporting all but one of the six reinforcements. Be careful where you call the APC in as the delivery helicopter may crash into the nearby raised railway and blow up, costing you.

The first jammer is not too far south from the starting position. Throughout the whole island are a constant stream of various NK vehicles (including BTRs loaded with NK troops), feel free to hijack any should you need one. The first jammer is under the entrance to a large building guarded by many KPA soldiers equipped with assault rifles, machine guns and RPGs. There is also an officer here, but he will not see through your disguise. Despite the generous amount of air support given at the beginning of the contract, they are useless while the jammer is still active. Destroy the jammer using explosives, and mop up any infantry left over.

The next jammer is in the southeast corner of the island. This jammer is protected by many soldiers, some of which have RPGs and sniper rifles, as well as a T-54. Quickly hijack the T-54, then take out the RPG troops on the road. Afterwards simply destroy the jammer and remaining troops with the T-54. Before heading towards the last jammer, head to the east side of Song Tower and you'll see a small, unmarked dirt road leading east towards the water. At the end will be a small base with an MD-500. Destroy (or commandeer) this helicopter and destroy the base. Once Hwangbo appears he will make a dash for this base and try to escape with the helicopter, allowing you to preemptively cut off his escape.

The last jammer is at the north end of the island, at the end of a dirt road on a hill. It is strongly advised to approach this camp with a disguised vehicle as grenade MG has been set up front and can cause some serious damage. Once inside the camp there is only a small amount of soldiers with an officer (who will see through any disguise) and nearby SA-8 AA. Fortunately, there are a few missile stacked up next to the jammer which, when shot enough with small arms fire, will explode and damage the jammer as well as any infantry nearby. Once the last jammer is taken out, you will be given one free Bunker Buster Bomb to destroy Song Tower.

As you approach Song Tower there will be small groups of soldiers around with multiple grenade MG emplacements, as well as an Mi-35 Gunship circling the building. Stay away from the grenade MGs and take out the Mi-35 with an anti-air missile launcher (it will take two hits) and then take out Song Tower with the bunker buster.

As Song Tower crumbles, Hwangbo will run out of the entrance and head towards the small camp to the east. An Mi-2 Light Attack will appear and start circling the area, only to be destroyed seconds later by an AN Air Superiority air strike. Hwangbo will not fight you until he reaches the camp, so subdue him easily beforehand and call in the extraction helicopter away from the main road to avoid NK forces. The value of the contract is worth the Ace card, $150,000 alive or $75,000 dead. Completing this contract will progress the game into its second act, the Diamonds. Completing this contract will make the Bunker Buster Bomb airstrike available for purchase from the Merchant of Menace.

Ace Contract message
Sender: Fiona Taylor

Subject: Dung Hwangbo, the Ace of Clubs

''Good news. The AN is now accepting bids on the contract for Dung Hwangbo. That's based largely on the intelligence you gathered in the field. They've declassified enough of the intel so we can begin the hunt. Hwangbo's little more than a ruthless businessman. He shouldn't be too tough. Not compared to Song.''

''Garrett will be waiting for you outside Allied HQ. Remember, if you accept this mission, the AN considers the contracts on the other Clubs closed. If you want to work on the rest of Hwangbo's lackeys first, you can accept those contracts from Major Howard inside the HQ.''

Introductory email message
Sender: Fiona Taylor

Subject: 'Bringing Down the House'

''The Ace of Clubs is somewhere in the vicinity of Song Tower. He has a transmitter on him. Destroy the NK jammers in the area and I can triangulate him for you.

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Contract Terms & Conditions

1. Destroy NK jammers 2. Verify the Ace of Clubs

Bounty value: $150,000 alive/$75,000 dead

Bonus email message
Sender: Fiona Taylor

Subject: (Bonus) Clear LZ

''The Allies are willing to provide you with men and firepower if you clear an LZ for them. There's a spot they've designated at the south end of the island you'll need to clear. This should be easy, but remember this is just a side job. Our primary concern is the Ace!''

---

Contract Terms & Conditions

BONUS: Destroy NK forces at south end of the island

Bonus value: Extra troops and firepower

Transcript
The player talks to Garrett outside Allied HQ


 * Colonel Garrett: We cleared you for your first Ace contract. Come on in and I'll give you the details.

The mercenary enters the HQ


 * Major Howard: Division 39 was basically a state-sponsored mafia before President Kim found out about it. Hwangbo's probably spent a lot of cash getting ready to defend himself.


 * Colonel Garrett: Yeah, and we're about to spend a lot of cash taking him out. Oh...Hey Merc, glad you could make it! We're ready to clear you for your first Ace contract. Try to keep the casualties down if you can. Thanks to the intel you gathered, we now know where the Ace of Clubs, Dung Hwangbo, head of Division 39, is based somewhere in the vicinity of Song Tower. Hwangbo's using GPS jammers to blind our satellites, this may mean Song's nearby too. If you can destroy the jammers, we'll locate Hwangbo and you can bag him. Maybe get Song too, then we can all go home, huh?

The player remains in the HQ


 * Colonel Garrett: I thought President Kim was a good guy. Why the hell would he let someone like Hwangbo work for him?

The player still remains in the HQ


 * Colonel Garrett: Hwangbo's a very successful businessman, probably wears a suit. I can see why you'd be afraid of him.

The player continues to remain in the HQ


 * Colonel Garrett: You take care of this for me, I can finally throw that GSRN reporter a bone. Get her off my back.

The player accepts the contract

A cutscene of an AN UH-60 Transport dropping off the mercenary while under enemy fire plays


 * Fiona: Your first Ace contract. Let's just make sure it's not your last.


 * Chris: Wow, I can tell you've been working on your pep speeches.
 * Jennifer: You were a motivational speaker before coming to ExOps, weren't you?
 * Mattias: Your confidence is overwhelming me.

If the player clears the landing zone for the Allies


 * Fiona: Excellent. That was a nice easy bonus, wasn't it?

The player destroys a jammer


 * Fiona: One jammer down.

The player destroys a second jammer


 * Fiona: That's two jammers down, looks pretty easy so far.

The player destroys the last jammer


 * Fiona: That's it. You've nailed all the jammers. Good going.


 * Fiona: This is interesting -- Hwangbo's transmitter is coming from inside Song Tower. You'll need to destroy the tower to get to Hwangbo. Allied intel says the tower is a hardened structure. They've authorized the Bunker Buster support option for you.

Song Tower is destroyed


 * Fiona: There it goes. Very good work!

Hwangbo appears from the rubble


 * Fiona: There's Hwangbo!

''Hwangbo is verified and the contract is completed. A cutscene featuring a GSRN report begins playing''

Adriana is standing in front of the destroyed Song Tower while helicopters fly overhead


 * Adriana Livingston: ...and though general Song remains at large, the dramatic capture of Ace of Clubs Dung Hwangbo by A. N. troops must be considered a huge victory for the Allies. In a statement released earlier this evening, the President congratulated the Commando Unit Task Force 724 for the success of their daring raid on Hwangbo's base of operations here at Song Tower.


 * Adriana Livingston: Russian crime syndicates, however, seized the opportunity to fill the black market void left in the wake of the demolition of Hwangbo's Division 39. The presence of these criminal elements in North Korea is destined to grow in the days and weeks to come.


 * Adriana Livingston: Reporting live from the smoldering ruins of the once imposing Song Tower, this is Adriana Livingston for GSRN.

The mercenary returns to the Southern Province


 * Fiona: Now that Division 39's been taken care of, be on the lookout for the Ace of Diamonds; that's general Chang and his men. Chang's responsible for Song's biological and chemical weapons programs.

Trivia

 * There is a bug with the soldiers that need to be cleared out for the secondary objective. If the player is to arrest one instead of kill him, he will despawn but not be counted as dead, making the secondary objective impossible to complete.