Venezuela



Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a South American country prominately featured in Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. The country comprises a continental mainland and numerous islands located off the Venezuelan coastline in the Caribbean Sea. The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela possesses borders with Guyana to the east, Brazil to the south, and Colombia to the west. Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St. Lucia, Barbados, Curaçao, Bonaire, Aruba, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Leeward Antilles lie just north, off the Venezuelan coast.

Venezuela, formerly a Spanish colony, has been an independent republic since 1821. It is well known for its petroleum deposits, and is a member nation of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, or OPEC.

Mercenaries 2: World in Flames


Venezuela, commonly referred to as VZ, and the VZA (Venezuelan Army), refers to the Venezuelan Army as a faction led by Ramon Solano in Mercenaries 2: World in Flames. It is always diplomatically an enemy with your character and every other faction, excluding the opening mission, where you are rescuing General Carmona. Even then, you are fighting a splinter group of VZ soldiers who opposed the earlier coup attempt against the former government by Carmona before the PMC arrived in the country.

The VZ occupy the majority of Venezuela at the start of the game after The Betrayal, mostly cities such as Guanare and Merida. The Venezuelan Army and government were taken over by Ramon Solano and a general in Solano's employ, Carlos Carmona. The Venezuelan Army is fully equipped with tanks, aircraft and naval forces. They are recognizable by their brown/orange camouflage uniforms and dark brown vehicles. As the game progresses, your character captures and destroys their outposts for rival factions.

While the government of Venezuela is oppressive, many citizens of Venezuela still appear to support Solano over the People's Liberation Army of Venezuela. This can be deduced from their dialogue and often referring to Acosta as being a joke.

Venezuelan Army troop morale appears to be very high. From the dialogue it can be assumed that they strongly support Solano and his goal to make a South American super power. Exceptions apply to HVTs which can sometimes surrender to the player, though most of them at least express strong verbal defiance and support to Solano until the moment they are taken away or killed. It also seems that the soldiers do not get to see their families often.

Vehicles
The VZ are a fully equipped army with vehicles ranging from jeeps, tanks, helicopters, patrol boats and sports cars. The most commonly seen vehicle is the Iguana jeep, which serves as a scout vehicle for the VZ. Their primary tank is the Jaguar, which also comes in a heavy version which is one of the most durable tanks in the game. Their scout tank is the Puma light tank but it goes into disuse as the warzone intensifies. The most used helicopters of the VZ are the Kestrel light helicopters, but most of the heavy fighting is performed by the mighty Anaconda attack copters. On the sea their general use vehicle is the Piranha patrol boat, one of the most balanced patrol boats in the game.

Ground vehicles

 * Iguana
 * Iguana MG
 * Brigante (PS2 only)
 * Capuchin
 * Capuchin AA
 * Capuchin Guntruck
 * Capuchin Tanker (Demo only)
 * Cortez Rocket Artillery (PS2 only)
 * Armadillo
 * Armadillo AA
 * Armadillo Jammer
 * Puma Light Tank
 * Jaguar Tank
 * Jaguar Heavy Tank
 * Calderone II Tank (PS2 only)
 * Mosquito AA
 * Serrano light tank (PS2 only)

Helicopters

 * Anaconda
 * Alanzo (PS2 only)
 * Condor
 * Kestrel series
 * Kestrel
 * Kestrel Attack
 * Kestrel Tank Hunter
 * Toucan Transport

Boats

 * Piranha patrol boat
 * Crocodile Gunboat

Emplaced weapons

 * Scorpion
 * 105mm Artillery
 * Recoiless Rifle
 * .50cal HMG

Soldier classes

 * Regular Troop: The most common, the basic VZ, is a soldier equipped with an AK-47 Assault Rifle and grenades, after The Betrayal they will all immediately switch to the AK-103 and have more health. Some regular troops have berets.


 * Mechanized/Rocket Infantry: Rocket infantry are heavily armed with grenades and RPGs or Anti-Air Missiles, with a Pistol for self-defense. Mechanized Infantry simply have an Automatic Rifle (RPK) and grenades. They wear a type of ballistic riot helmet and carry a heavy backpack, and have noticeably more health than regular troops.


 * Scout Soldiers: Same as regular troops, but are equipped with a Sniper Rifle (SVD variant), typically spawning in guard towers, in the windows of some buildings and on some rooftops.


 * Vehicle Crews: They have the same health as a VZ regular. They are the crews of specific tanks and helicopters and wear the same uniform as all VZ regulars but have a special type of helmet which is supposed to be only for helicopter crews. They are armed with a Pistol.


 * Mendez: These rare troops have a black cape are first seen using Assault Rifles (AKM) and later usually carry Shotguns and sometimes AK-103s. These guys have the "Mendez" skin, Mendez carries an AK-103. It is the earliest enemy unit seen in the game. One HVT (not including Mendez himself) has this skin. They are statistically the same as VZ regulars (except HVTs).


 * Venezuelan Gangsters: In the lower left corner of the map near a PLAV wanted HVT and also the members of Solano's entourage guarding his villa are a group of gangsters wearing white suits and hats. They use Machine Pistols (Uzi variant) and Shotguns.


 * VZ SpecOps: These troops are rarer but are the strongest type of VZ soldiers. They wear black balaclavas and khaki body armor over a black uniform with normal VZ camouflage pants. Other than having about 3 times more health, they are no different than the common VZ troops and use Assault Rifles (AK-103) and grenades. They can be seen protecting Lieutenant Mendez, covering General Carmona's escape after the attack on the villa and some can be seen defending Solano's Bunker immediately after the Battle in Caracas. Some can be seen on Isla de Mano after the contract Get Solano when the map is expanded.


 * VZA Commander: They have the similar uniform to General Carmona which suggests that they are high ranking officers and are armed with AK-103s. One can be seen on the north side of Solano's Villa near a Shotgun during the Mercenary's attack, there are more commanders that are HVTs wanted by the Pirates.


 * Chinese Commander: Only appears once in the game as a PLAV-wanted HVT, located directly south of the Orinoco River Outpost. This soldier has the General Peng skin but is actually a VZA soldier when looked at with the binoculars. He also has the normal VZA dialogue. He is armed with a Pistol. No explanation is offered to why this HVT is a PLA general.


 * AN Officer: Only appears one in the game. According to Fiona, he is a corrupt Allied Nations officer working with the VZA. He is a PLA-wanted HVT, located east of Guanare on one of the heavily guarded hills. He is labelled as a VZA soldier when looked at through the binoculars. He is armed with a Pistol.


 * Vazquez: A PLA-wanted HVT in the strip mine on a peculiarly isolated and elevated chunk of rock. He dresses like a construction worker. According to Fiona, he is Solano's cousin and was put in charge of the Venezuelan mining industry by Solano.

Friendly (glitched or when disguised)

 * "When was the last time you saw your family?"
 * "Did you see the oil company's headquarters? That place should be ours."
 * "Let the Allies invade, China too, we're more than a match for them."
 * "Solano is smart, he has a plan." (something along those lines)

Hostile

 * "Taste the butt of my rifle!"

High value target

 * "Solano will get you, Mercenary!"
 * "Solano will skin you alive!"
 * "I want to see my family again"
 * "I'm not paid enough for this"
 * "Let me go!"
 * '' I want deal "
 * "Assume the escort submission position" (Possible reference to Portal)

Miscellaneous

 * "This tank will make the difference!"
 * "Is that Rodrigo? Is he drunk?"
 * "Is that a grenade? Where is it?"
 * "Grenade!"
 * "Take cover, fire in the hole!"

Diplomacy
Allies: North Korea (presumably, as they purchased a nuclear warhead from them)

Enemies: Universal Petroleum, P.L.A.V., Pirates, Allied Nations, People's Liberation Army

Trivia

 * All of the military vehicles are named after animals and insects found in Venezuela.
 * When speaking to Eva Navarro, she sometimes may say "Solano must have had contacts in the Chinese Army because I've found some of their mobile rocket artillery vehicles on the grounds. If you buy or find any artillery rockets we'll be able to fire them from the PMC." This possibly explains the presence of a Chinese commander as an HVT and VZ guarded Rocket Artillery Strike munitions near the Cabimas Outpost (only available during a certain time frame).
 * During the early stages of the game the Venezuelan Army appears to be a strong military force but if the Mercenary decides to work with all factions and capture their HTV's Venezuela's military would be extremely weakened and would barely spawn outside of Guanare.