SQUARE

Learn how to recruit allies in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops. This guide covers capturing soldiers, special conditions for unique characters, and the benefits of different soldier careers.

To progress in Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops, you'll need to recruit allies. Every mission features enemy soldiers, and you can't capture them if they're dead. The process involves knocking out enemies, dragging them to your truck (or a cardboard box later on) before they regain consciousness, and then waiting for them to join your unit in the Squad Management screen after the mission concludes or is aborted. Having a soldier with the Politician career in your squad can speed up this recruitment process.

Special conditions apply for recruiting certain Unique Characters, and rescued soldiers will join immediately. Some characters, like Jonathan, Para-Medic, Python, Raikov, Sigint, Sokolov, Eva, Venus, Teliko, and Gene (in the EU version), join instantly after capture or rescue. Soldiers can also join through AP Scan, passwords (though only recommended for the GAKO soldier and Zero if you lack the Digital Graphic Novel), or voluntarily during Cyber-Survival mode.

Each soldier has a specific career that provides unique benefits:

• Athlete, Scout, Rescuer, Deliveryman, Bait: Enhance infiltration capabilities.
• Quarterback: Improves throwing distance.
• Artist: Negates the effect of magazines.
• Gambler: Affects critical hit chances.
• Stuntman: Speeds up recovery from knockouts.
• Surveyor, Spy/Agent, Arms Dealer: Aid in intelligence gathering and resource management.
• Arms Specialist, Elite Engineer, Engineer: Boost technical development and ammunition capacity.
• Chemist, Doctor, Nutritionist: Focus on medical and stamina recovery.
• Politician: Facilitates easier recruitment of prisoners and can be placed in any unit.

Cyber-Survival mode, accessible via WLAN points, offers different rules and the chance to capture enemy soldiers or have them join voluntarily, sometimes with gifts like the Stealth Camouflage. However, be cautious, as losing in Cyber-Survival can result in your soldiers being captured.