Jagged Alliance 3 – How to Be Most Powerful Team

Learn effective strategies for progressing through the game, capturing key locations, and optimizing resource management in this Jagged Alliance 3’s guide (Most Powerful Team). Discover weapon and ammo recommendations, tips for training your team, and how to deal with enemy outposts. Whether you’re looking to maximize income or increase the game’s difficulty, this guide has you covered. Challenge yourself with different playstyles and overcome any obstacles in your path to victory.

How to Be Most Powerful Team (Step by Step)

Clearing the Starting Island (H3)

First, Clear the Starting Island. It serves as a tutorial island where you can explore all sectors and complete side quests. You can accomplish this with 4 or 5 units. The cost of mercenary recruitment is cheap, so hire them only during the 14-day period to avail discounts.

Weapon and Ammo Selection (H3)

Revolver: Not recommended. Save its ammo for Winchester later.
Winchester: Use 9mm pistol ammo and 7.62 WP ammo, as they are plentiful from enemy loot.
Assault Rifle: Save NATO ammo, especially until you acquire the modded 4-bullet burst fire assault rifle.
Sniper Rifle: Use NATO ammo on sniper rifles. Wait until you obtain the modded 4-bullet burst fire assault rifle before using NATO ammo.

Resource Management and Combat (H3)

Use explosives and shotgun shells as needed on the first island. The need for explosives decreases once you have plenty of good sniper rifles.
Avoid training at this point. Focus on clearing the first island quickly.
After completing the first island, head to the northmost port near a diamond mine for good income. The north route provides access to many excellent sniper rifles.
Capture the north port first, then the mine. This battle will be the toughest so far, so utilize all available resources.
If capturing the mine proves challenging, hire an additional merc to form a full party at the port. Train marksmanship while waiting for the new merc to arrive.
Once you have captured the mine, your income will turn positive. Hire the sixth mercenary of your choice.
Consider replacing Livewire (or any mechanic you hired) with Vicki, a better mechanic with powerful combat talents.
Camp at the mine and train leadership with your custom merc as the teacher until at least one other person can no longer be trained. Build an elite team.

Dealing with Enemy Outposts and Progression (H3)

Enemy outposts may launch strike teams to Ernie Island. Use save scumming to redirect the strike team to the north mine or recruit Kalyna and train militias to defend Ernie Island.
Progress by going to Pentagruel, maximizing the relationship, and completing Chimurenga/Maquis quests to ally with them.
Complete Refugee camp quests to obtain a diamond mine that generates 10,000 income plus 1,500 from exploring the mine and discovering new silver sources.
Pentagruel is a strategic chokepoint. Utilize a cheap mercenary to train militias and defend the area.
Proceed south to capture the outpost to prevent the spawn of raid parties. Capture the other mine in the south and clear the area systematically.
Adjust chokepoints as needed. Consider hiring additional cheap mercenaries with decent shooting stats to defend chokepoints, equipped with sniper rifles and pistols/melee weapons.

Increasing Difficulty (H3)

If the game feels too easy, consider restarting without hiring a custom mercenary and avoid recruiting Fox, Barry, Mouse. Also, refrain from using the “hidden/stealth” command.
Avoid using the train merc command and consider banning the use of sniper rifles.
Challenge yourself with a machine gun-only run, where attacks are limited to machine guns and melee weapons. This strategy consumes significant amounts of ammo, making it more challenging.