Rockstar Games' GTA: Vice City Wiki
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GANG / LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY

MILITARY
Fort baxter army
Appearances: Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories
Location: Fort Baxter Air Base, Vice City
Leader: unknown
Enemies: Patrol Invest Group

all gangs in Vice City

Tommy Vercetti (occasionally)

Main affiliation: Vice City Police Department
Vice Squad
SWAT
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
Colors: Camouflage
Vehicles: Rhino, Barracks OL, Patriot, Hunter
Weapons: Pistol
M16
MP5
Ruger (mission only)
Fronts: Fort Baxter Air Base
Members: Jerry Martinez (formerly/deceased)

Victor Vance (expelled)

Sergeant Peppah
Private Parts

The military are members of the armed forces of the United States. In both Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, they are soldiers that can be found at Fort Baxter Air Base, a military installation located in the city. The military play many roles in missions throughout the Grand Theft Auto series, such as Sir, Yes Sir!, Black Project, Green Goo, Up, Up and Away!, Vertical Bird, and Over the Top.

Background Information

In the Grand Theft Auto series, when the player receives a six star wanted level, the military will join the pursuing police chase. Starting from Grand Theft Auto IV and onwards, the military has been removed from the games to make the games more realistic as in reality, military personal would never be sent to kill civilians, and also in relation with the Posse Comitatus Act which prohibits the use of military personal to engage in civilian law enforcement activity. Instead, the military's law enforcement role has since been replaced by N.O.O.S.E.. The military makes a return in Grand Theft Auto V but can only be found at Fort Zancudo, and they will only engage the player if they should trespass on the base.

In the Grand Theft Auto III series, they can be found driving Rhinos and Barracks OLs when the player reaches a six-star wanted level. Here, they attempt to make the chase more difficult for the player to continue due to their large vehicles. These chases are also the most dangerous as in most cases, the player will instantly be killed if the player collides with a Rhino. In most Grand Theft Auto games, soldiers will be armed with their standard service rifles, the M4; in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, soldiers will be armed with the MP5 sub-machine gun.

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, the soldiers spawn inside and around the army base when they aren't chasing the player, usually seen hanging around in groups or attacking the Patrol Invest Group. At the base, all soldiers that spawn are armed with M4s. They are known to have a shoot-on-sight policy at the base and will attack Tommy Vercetti if he enters, walks or simply drives by the base, unless he's wearing the cop outfit. They also behave as a hostile gang, so attacking one soldier will cause all the soldiers in same vicinity to attack the player. Because of this, extreme caution should be used around the area.

Strangely, soldiers at the base never participate in law enforcement activity. If the player enters the army base with a wanted star or more, only the police officers outside the base will enter and attempt to arrest or kill the player.

Behavior

Soldiers are never seen patrolling the army base separately, but congregate and move in groups. Soldiers will attack the player if seen inside or around the army base, unless the player is wearing the cop outfit. Otherwise, the soldiers will remain neutral whenever the player is in the area. Soldiers will also attack and kill any gangs that are seen in the area.

Like other classified gangs throughout the city, cops will pursue soldiers if they encounter them. Strangely enough, the soldiers will not attack the cops back unless the cops use deadly force against them, such attacking them with their guns. The player can earn a "Good Citizen Bonus" by helping the officer beat down the fleeing soldier, although the player must be careful as the fleeing soldier, or other soldiers around the area will attack the player if seen, regardless if the player is wearing the cop outfit. Also, the player must be careful as the player will earn a wanted level of one star if the player attacks or kills the cop.

In Vice City Stories, the soldiers behavior remains the same as the predecessor. However, they will only attack Victor Vance if he should trespass within the walls of Fort Baxter, unless he is wearing the Army Fatigues. Soldiers are never seen spawning outside the base.

Appearance

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, all soldiers use the same pedestrian model and are seen wearing camouflaged hats, coats, pants, and black boots. They also can be seen wearing other features, such as a green belt with a brown pistol holster with a pistol handle sticking out. They also have no dialogue that can be heard. They hold their rifles down by their sides like most pedestrians in the games.

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, soldiers are still distinguishable from other pedestrians. The soldiers have two different skin colors but still maintain the same appearance. They wear camouflaged uniforms but with their shirt sleeves rolled up, black boots, and a black barrette. Unlike Vice City, they only patrol the area inside of the army base with their M16 rifles and are never seen patrolling outside the walls. They also hold their rifles with two hands rather than down by their sides like the aforementioned game.

Mission Appearances

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

The soldiers only appear during the mission Sir, Yes Sir!. During this time, the soldiers are seen transporting a tank through Vice City which Tommy manages to steal from them under the orders of Juan Cortez. They are instead armed with Ruger assault rifles rather than their standard M16 rifles, probably to make the mission much easier.

The soldiers can also appear as the chosen gang that the player may need need to waste members of during Rampages. This only happens when the gang is chosen as the Streetwannabes and the player is located in the northern portion of the Escobar International Airport district around Fort Baxter, which is where the soldiers normally spawn outside of missions. The player should also note that the soldiers that spawn during rampages are no different than those that spawn normally.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories

Other than briefly seen during Conduct Unbecoming, the only major mission that involves the soldiers is during the mission Over the Top. During the mission, they attempt to stop Victor Vance from stealing a Hunter that he plans to use as a final assault to dismantle the Mendez Brothers' empire. They are armed with their M16 rifles during this mission.

Trivia

  • In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, if the player wastes more soldiers than any other gang, they will appear listed under the "Least favorite gang" section as the Streetwannabes.
  • At the base, even though they are not participating in police activity, the player will instantly gain a wanted level if the player fires or uses a weapon around them (exception is the flamethrower).
  • Regardless if the player is wearing the Cop Outfit or Army Fatigues, the soldiers will still attack the player if the player attacks the soldiers.
  • In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, after the mission Keep Your Friends Close... is completed, soldiers won't attack members of Tommy's gang if spotted around the army base. However, they will become hostile if members of Tommy's gang attack the soldiers.
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