Master the art of recruitment in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. Learn how to capture, recruit, and manage allies, understand their unique skills, and optimize your squad for success.
To progress in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, you must recruit allies. Enemies can only be captured if they are knocked out and then brought to your truck or a cardboard box before they recover. Captured soldiers are held in prison on the Squad Management screen, where you can manage their equipment, rename them, or dispose of them. They will eventually join your unit, a process that is accelerated by having a Politician in your squad.
Special conditions for recruitment:
- Rescued soldiers join your unit immediately.
- Unique characters can be recruited, but require specific conditions to be met.
- The following characters join immediately upon capture or rescue: Jonathan, Para-Medic, Python, Raikov, Sigint, Sokolov, Eva, Venus, Teliko, Gene (EU version only), any rescued soldier, any soldier via AP Scan, any soldier via password (GAKO soldier and Zero are recommended if you lack the Digital Graphic Novel), and any soldier who joins via Cyber-Survival.
Soldier Careers:
| Career | Effect | Best Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Athlete | Faster movement speed | Infiltration Unit |
| Quarterback | Longer throwing distance | Infiltration Unit |
| Artist | Magazines have no effect | Online Unit |
| Scout | Faster stalking speed | Infiltration Unit |
| Rescuer | Faster dragging speed | Infiltration Unit |
| Gambler | Increases chance of hitting/getting hit in weak spot | Cyber-Survival |
| Deliveryman | Can send items back to Campbell's truck | Infiltration Unit |
| Bait | Makes strong enemies appear more often | Infiltration Unit |
| Stuntman | Quick recovery from knockouts | Online Unit |
| Surveyor | Increases detail in stage map | Intelligence Unit |
| Spy/Agent | Decreases enemy life by 10% (also affects recruits) | Intelligence Unit |
| Arms Dealer | Increases chance of finding ammunition | Intelligence Unit |
| Arms Specialist | Increases carried ammunition capacity | Technical Unit |
| Elite Engineer | Very high technical development skills | Technical Unit |
| Engineer | High technical development skills | Technical Unit |
| Chemist | Works on medicine development | Medical Unit |
| Doctor | Increases squad life recovery speed | Medical Unit |
| Nutritionist | Increases squad stamina recovery speed | Medical Unit |
| Politician | Prisoners become allies more easily | ANY UNIT |
Cyber-Survival Mode:
Utilize your allies in Cyber-Survival mode via a WLAN point. Assign equipment to your unit and send them online. Check their status after 12 hours. Analyze battle reports to improve your strategy. You may capture enemy soldiers, and some may join voluntarily, even offering gifts. Be cautious, as losing can result in your soldiers being captured.
Effective Recruiting Strategy:
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