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BURN NOTICE: A JAGGED ALLIANCE
"My name is Michael Westen. I used to be a spy until--..."
"We got a burn notice on you. You're blacklisted."
"When you're burned, you've got nothing. No cash, no credit, no job history. You're stuck in whatever city they decide to dump you in."
"Where am I?"
"Miami."
You do whatever work comes your way. You rely on anyone who's still talking to you. A trigger-happy ex-girlfriend--..."
"Should we shoot them?"
"An old friend who used to inform on you to the FBI--..."
"You know spies. Buncha bitchy little girls."
"Family, too--..."
"Hey, is that your mom again?"
"...if you're desperate."
"Someone needs your help, Michael."
"Bottom line? As long as you're burned, you're not going anywhere."
What is Burn Notice?:
Burn Notice is a TV series on the USA Network created by Matt Nix centering on Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan), a former spy who is burned for reasons unknown. Stuck in Miami, Michael begins putting his myriad talents to work helping desperate people out of desperate situations. Assisting him are his former IRA operative arms-dealing demolitions-expert girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), his amiable gold-digging ex-Navy SEAL buddy Sam (Bruce Campbell), and, from Season 4 onwards, burned CIA counterintelligence expert Jesse (Coby Bell). The series has just completed its fifth season, with the sixth scheduled to air this summer.
What is Jagged Alliance 2?:
Jagged Alliance 2 is a turn-based tactical RPG created by Sir-Tech Canada and originally released in 1999. The game places the player in the role of a mercenary hired by the exiled President of the tiny island nation of Arulco and charged with the task of killing the despotic Queen Deidranna and restoring liberty and prosperity to Arulco's people. The game was very well regarded when it was released for its mix of tactical and strategic gameplay, RPG elements, characterization of the various mercenaries you can hire, and replay value, but its longevity was assured in 2004 when the source code was released under license. In the last eight years, the mod community has created (and continues to improve upon) Jagged Alliance 1.13, a mod that adds a huge number of improvements to the original game, and externalizes most of the settings to enable tweaking of nearly every part of the game. For those who are interested in learning more, please see the Jagged Alliance 2 thread, which is full of useful information and links (including details on where to buy the game).
What is Burn Notice: A Jagged Alliance?:
Burn Notice: A Jagged Alliance is a Let's Play featuring Burn Notice's Michael, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse becoming entangled in Arulco's resistance against evil Queen Deidranna. It won't quite be the typical JA2 experience; with four very good, very free, and very plot-armored soldiers in the Burn Notice characters, the game will lose a good chunk of the challenge. However, I'm hoping that the straight-up fun of Mike and crew running around Arulco shooting shit up will keep this LP modestly interesting (naturally, here and there I will be taking some liberties with the original JA2 story to better fit the characters). In terms of the Burn Notice timeline, this episode would seem to fit best somewhere around the first episode of Season Five.
Although I will be playing through the tactical battles myself and posting the results, I plan on soliciting input from the thread on strategic moves (which city to attack next, which mercs to hire, etc.). Preference will be given to advice that can be justified as being generally 'in-character' for Mike, Fi, Sam, and Jesse, and requests that are blatantly out-of-character will be shunned (i.e., no massacring of the Hicks just for their gear).
The Mod:
JA2 v1.13 AIMNAS Wildfire (available here. I'm using this mod instead of the more recent 1.13 build because I really dig the Wildfire maps, I really like Smeagol's Item Mod, and I'm indifferent to NCTH (though NCTH is selectable in the options for this mod, I've heard it has some trouble with Wildfire). Please note that if you want to use this mod and you want to adjust the .INI, make sure you select the Data-AIMJA2_Options.INI file, as it defaults to Data-1.13JA2_Options.INI when you open the XML editor.
Basic Game Settings:
Additional Settings / Rules:
INI settings:
* Start with $3,000 Cash (IMP fees set to $0 for this playthrough)
* IMP Points raised from 500 to 750 (Mike, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse are longtime professionals, and are very, very good at what they do)
* First Arrival Delay set to 7200 (so the characters arrive in Omerta at 3:00am)
* Explosives damage increased to 200%, Gun damage set to 150%
* Drassen counterattack turned OFF (it can be interesting, but it's also a tremendous slog that requires some gamey behavior to beat, and it doesn't really suit the pace of an LP)
* 0% chance of Bobby Ray's shipments being lost ('cause that's just bullshit)
* Facility event rarity set to 2500 (extremely rare)
Self-Imposed Limitations:
* Plot armor for Michael, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse, but other mercs are fair game.
* No cash from mines until the harbor in Chitzena is opened
* Enemies Drop All is on, but selling gear is not permitted. Anything that the characters don't use (or set aside as spare/backup equipment) goes to the militia (i.e. gets deleted)
Astute readers will note that the in-game portraits for Michael, Fiona, Sam, and Jesse look very different from the other mercenaries and NPCs that the team will meet. This is because I am a terrible artist who does not understand computer graphics. However, I choose to justify it because Mike, Fi, Sam, and Jesse are the stars, and the lighting, makeup, costuming, and cinematography are all specifically focused on making the heroes stand out from the crowd. 
Dramatis Person?
Michael Westen
Bio: A former Green Beret, Michael Westen was recruited as a covert CIA asset and spent 15 years as an operative throughout Europe and the OPEC nations. While on a mission in Nigeria, Michael was abruptly cut loose by his handler, who reported receiving a 'burn notice' blacklisting him from any future intelligence contact and freezing all of his assets. Michael is an expert with a huge variety of weapons (though he typically favors pistols) and displays a knack for acting and manipulation. He is also very adept at constructing and repairing electronic and mechanical devices such as radios, bugs, trackers, and his father's old '73 Charger.
Character Trait: Assertive (bonuses to communication and training militia, but gains no morale for other mercs' actions)
Disability: None
Skills:
* Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs)
* Gunslinger (bonuses to use pistols)
* Technician (bonuses to repair, lockpicking, combining items)
* Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly)
* Athletics (faster movement)
Abilities:
* Health: 75
* Dexterity: 75
* Agility: 85
* Strength: 80
* Wisdom: 85
* Leadership: 50
* Marksmanship: 85
* Explosive: 50
* Medical: 50
* Mechanical: 70
* Starting Level: 5
Fiona Glenanne
Bio: Fiona Glenanne first became associated with Michael Westen when she was working with the IRA and he was undercover in Dublin. Now based in Miami, Fiona is an independent agent closely associated with Westen. She is well-versed in demolitions and weapons use, and is a skilled sniper. She is known for her volatile temper and her tendency to favor frontal, guns-blazing style assaults. She is believed to maintain close associations with the arms-dealing community.
Character Trait: Aggressive (bonuses to hit with auto weapons, but penalties for tasks requiring patience, such as lockpicking, training militia, doctoring, etc.)
Disability: None
Skills:
* Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs)
* Sniper (major bonuses to use rifles and sniper rifles)
* Athletics (faster movement)
* Demolitions (bonuses to use grenades and placed explosives)
Abilities:
* Health: 70
* Dexterity: 80
* Agility: 85
* Strength: 70
* Wisdom: 80
* Leadership: 40
* Marksmanship: 90
* Explosive: 85
* Medical: 50
* Mechanical: 45
* Starting Level: 4
Sam Axe
Bio: After a career with the Navy SEALs, where he achieved the rank of Commander, Sam Axe was discharged in 2005 and retired to Miami. Known to be a close friend and associate of Michael Westen, Sam is described as having a particularly affable personality. Apart from the weapons and tactical training expected of a former SEAL, Sam has a wide net of contacts throughout the law enforcement, military, and intelligence communities.
Character Trait: Sociable (bonuses when other mercs are nearby, but no bonuses when no other mercs are nearby)
Disability: None
Skills:
* Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs)
* Hunter (bonuses to use rifles and shotguns, and faster travel between sectors)
* Deputy (bonuses to morale and suppression for nearby mercs)
* Teaching (bonuses to train militia, teach skills to other mercs, and practice)
* Scouting (bonuses to use binoculars and scopes, reveals number of enemies in neighboring sectors, cannot be ambushed)
Abilities:
* Health: 90
* Dexterity: 70
* Agility: 75
* Strength: 90
* Wisdom: 80
* Leadership: 85
* Marksmanship: 85
* Explosive: 40
* Medical: 35
* Mechanical: 55
* Starting Level: 4
Jesse Porter
Bio: A former Counterintelligence Field Activity operative, Jesse Porter was inadvertently burned by Michael Westen during the latter's efforts to investigate his own blacklisting. Jesse is a trained field operative, but is known to be impulsive and to favor risky tactics.
Character Trait: Dauntless (bonuses to resist suppression / fear, but slightly easier to hit)
Disability: None
Skills:
* Auto Weapons (bonuses to use assault rifles, LMGs, SMGs)
* Marksman (bonuses to use rifles and sniper rifles)
* Gunslinger (bonuses to use pistols)
* Stealthy (bonuses to move quietly)
* Athletics (faster movement)
Abilities:
* Health: 80
* Dexterity: 80
* Agility: 85
* Strength: 85
* Wisdom: 80
* Leadership: 70
* Marksmanship: 80
* Explosive: 40
* Medical: 40
* Mechanical: 45
* Starting Level: 4
Michael opens the door and steps inside in his loft, only to stop short as he sees Fiona by his bed, tossing clothes into a duffel bag.
"Fi...?"
"You never take me anywhere, Michael. So I'm taking the initiative. We're taking a vacation."
She casts around searching for something, exasperated.
"Don't you have swimming trunks?"
"Fi, where are you taking me?"
"Somewhere sunny, and warm, and pleasant, where we can lay out in the sun and have a drink and--..."
"We can do that in Miami."
She glares at him.
"We're going to a lovely little island in the Carribbean, Michael, with sandy beaches and lovely people... and just a tiny, tiny bit of civil war."
"Arulco? You booked us a vacation to Arulco?"
"Well, it's not *all* bad. I've heard Chitzena is wonderful this time of year. We can see the ruins and--..."
"Fi, Arulco is a war zone. So why do I have the suspicion that there's something you're not telling me?"
"I'm offended, Michael! Here I am, trying to pick up your slack and find something nice for us to do together, and all you can think is that I have some ulterior motive? Where's the trust, Michael?"
Michael stares at her. After a long moment, Fiona relents with a pout.
"Oh, alright... I brokered a deal to fly some food and supplies to the rebels, and now I just need to chaperone the delivery."
"Food and supplies?"
"Yes, okay, and a few weapons. But it's for a good cause!"
"And so now you wanna drag me into this?"
"Oh, come on. It's perfectly safe, Michael. Drassen is in rebel hands. We drop off the supplies, skip over to Chitzena for some R&R, and we'll be back in Miami by Thursday."
"Fi, I don't think this is a good idea..."
"Fine then. You stay here, and I'll go deliver food and medicine to starving orphans in a war zone all by myself."
"...and guns."
She rolls her eyes.
"And guns, yes. Well, not to the orphans... but Michael, you should hear Enrico talk about his people. They're suffering, and they need help, and we can give it to them!"
"Enrico?"
"Chivaldori. The exiled President of Arulco. He's the client."
"Isn't he supposed to be dead?"
"Lots of people are supposed to be dead, Michael. These days, its far more surprising when someone doesn't turn up alive somewhere."
Fiona zips up the bag as though zipping up the conversation.
"The plane is at the airport now. Decision time, Michael. Are you going to make me sun myself on the beach alone?"
"I never really had any choice, did I?"
Fiona just smiles and tosses him his bag.
-----------------------------------------------
Somewhere over the Caribbean...
Fiona dozes in the small cabin while, beside her, Michael studies a laptop display. Behind them is a cargo area
with stacks of large wooden crates.
The most vital weapon in a spy's arsenal is not his pistol or his knife. It's his information. With the right data, a good spy can gain a complete understanding of his environment. And when he understands the environment, he controls it.
On the laptop screen is an intelligence report on Arulco.
But with bad data, the environment controls him. He may as well be walking in blind, deaf, and dumb.
"We're beginning our approach to Drassen. Should be on the ground in ten."
Fiona stirs, gives a catlike stretch, and glances over to Michael.
"What are you reading?"
"Intel reports. Fi, you said Drassen is under rebel control, right? You're sure?"
"Enrico assured me it was. Why?"
"It's a confused mess down there. Not much in the way of reliable reporting is getting out, but it sounds like the Queen has been pushing hard. If she's taken the airport, Fi..."
Fiona opens her mouth to respond, but the words are cut off sharply as the plane suddenly banks hard to the left.
"SAM! Incoming SAM!"
Within an instant, Michael has unbuckled his seatbelt and he is lunging for the emergency parachute. But just as his fingers brush against the straps, he is thrown back into his seat as plane banks sharply back to the right.
Outside the plane's windows, a white streak flashes harmlessly past.
"We got another one! No, two!"
Michael lunges forward again and manages to grab the parachute from its locker. He hangs on as the small plane frantically jukes once again.
"BRACE! OH, SHI--"
An explosion bucks the aircraft, and alarms sound as it begins to tumble through the sky. Behind Michael and Fiona, the entire tail of the plane has been blown off, and much of the cargo with it. Michael drags himself out of his seat as the plane goes into freefall.
"Fi! Hold on to me!"
Reaching down, Fiona snatches a backpack from under her seat and throws her arms around Michael. Together, the two of them struggle over the remaining boxes of cargo and hurl themselves out into the night sky.
Next Episode: Welcome to Arulco!