The logo of the AMC Squad.
The backbone of the Allied Military Complex, the AMC Squad is the special operations force who undertake missions considered too risky by the Earth Defense Force and its sister organization, the Earth Attack Force. Founded and led by the EDF's best agent, James Stanfield, the AMC Squad initially had 8 members to round out the ranks, but over time, as the threats they've faced turned out to be far greater than they've expected, they have expanded their ranks with each episode. The AMC Squad is the primary playable faction in this game, with a host of secondary playable characters appearing in different missions to fulfill support roles for the main characters.
In General
- Author Avatar: A majority of the characters here, with the exception of Kagura, are based on the real-life mappers and modders who make up Alejandro's Mapping Center (the real-life modding community that AMC Squad takes its name from).
- Bond One-Liner: Each agent has their own set of one-liners to use after defeating enemies. What's interesting about this is that the one-liners change depending on the weapon used or the enemy killed.
- Elite Army: The best that the Complex has to offer to the world.
- Good Is Not Soft: They may be the protectors of Earth, the galaxy, and all of humankind, but they're not above killing people if it means neutralizing the threats they pose. And that's not getting into Mikko's mindset...
- One-Man Army: Each agent is more than capable of holding their own in the battlefield, often going up against hordes of enemies and managing to come out on top. Zaxtor's even known as the "One Man Army," which says a lot about his and his squadmates' capabilities.
Founding Members
James Stanfield
James Stanfield
- Voiced by: James "Jblade35" Stanfield
The founder and leader of the AMC Squad, James Stanfield gained international recognition for singlehandedly toppling a corrupt world government from controlling Earth and preventing a global apocalypse at the hands of a covert paramilitary organization.
- An Arm and a Leg: James loses his arm after fighting PATCOS on the space station orbiting Mars near the end of Episode 2. Despite this setback and the resulting blood loss from hobbling out of the station, James survives and gets a cybernetic arm replacement upon returning to base, courtesy of Micky.
- Artificial Limbs: His blue cybernetic arm, courtesy of PATCOS nearing the end of Episode 2. His epithet in Episode 3 onward changes to reflect this, from "de facto AMC leader" to "Bionic AMC Leader".
- Cool Shades: Never seen without a spiffy pair of dark sunglasses, even when sleeping.
- Deadpan Snarker: James is always snarking at something, whether it's his squadmates bickering with each other during mission briefings or meeting sketchy people during missions. This dry wit even carries to his one-liners.
- Determinator: James does not let up, even in the face of Death itself and in situations where they appear to be impossible. Case in point, his actions on the unregistered space station outside Mars in Episode 2 resulted in him losing an arm and being Left for Dead on the then-falling station. James' response upon waking up is to haul his bleeding body to the station's control room, enable the thrusters and prevent a massive Colony Drop from happening, and jump out of the shaft at the bottom, where he would later parachute down to the Arsia Mons colony below.
- Experienced Protagonist: He's the protagonist of his own story prior to the formation of the AMC Squad, in the mod Imagination World, where he fought against a rogue world government and defeated their key members. This plotline would later be revisited in the Episode 3 mission "Xuglop Assault," where he would take out the remaining members of this World Government in an outpost on Xuglop, assisted by his old friend Highwire.
- Jack of All Stats: He doesn't really stand out that much, compared to the rest of his squad. He's got a wide selection of weapons available, but none of them are as flashy as his compatriots' arsenals (aside from maybe Highwire's arsenal), and his gameplay is slightly slower in pace and more tactical compared to the other characters' more movement-based playstyles. The only thing unique to him is his special ability, which allows him to see time portals and interact with them to find various secrets.
- Jerk with a Heart of Gold: He can be rather aloof and never stops snarking at anyone or anything that he would come across, but he answered his superior's call to form an elite squad of agents in order to combat otherworldly threats, and he's the first to help out whenever someone is in a dangerous predicament.
- Killed Off for Real: At the end of Episode 4, following Naaldir's defeat, James is thoroughly vaporized by Axon as a "reward" for his team's victory against the necromancer and his figuring out the Mandala's possible location. When the rest of the team return to Earth, the memorial located on the top floor of the base now has James' portrait on there, and Highwire has to solemnly deliver the news of his death to Jane.
- Sunglasses at Night: Never takes off his Cool Shades during night operations. Hell, he even wears them when he's asleep!
- The Leader: He founded the AMC Squad, so of course he fills this role. It's even his epithet.
- Too Desperate to Be Picky: Averted in the missions set in Asia, if the player plays them as him. No matter what the situation may be and what the stakes are, James will outright refuse to eat sushi for health regen.
Zaxtor Znort
Zaxtor Znort
- Voiced by: Cedric Lutes
The hero of the Oblivion Wars and the first agent to be recruited by James for the Squad, Zaxtor Znort is a fossaman hailing from the country of Madagascar. He possesses a large frame, a fiery attitude, and a chip on his shoulder after the Cycloids ravaged his homeland in a bid for conquest. With nothing else to lose, Zaxtor joins the Squad and serves as the group's frontliner.
- Absurdly Sharp Claws: His claws not only served as his Emergency Weapon back in the Oblivion Wars, here he can also use them to climb walls.
- Achilles' Heel: He's Weak to Fire, and thus takes more damage if he is lit aflame. His report suggests that the oils in his fur contribute to his increased flammability, and thus he must take care when facing off against fire hazards or enemy combatants making use of flame weapons.
- Arch-Enemy: Cycloids, the aliens who destroyed his home country of Madagascar during the Oblivion Wars and tried to exterminate his fellow fossas. For this reason, he has developed an unwavering hatred for the alien empire, and spares no quarter when fighting against them.
- Berserk Button: If his own missions are of any indication, he hates seeing his homeland defiled by alien presences. He gets deployed to a forest in Madagascar and discovers a base built there, presumably by the Cycloids and assisted by the local cult there, and his reaction is to angrily proclaim that he will kill every last alien in there and blow up the base.
- BFG: His arsenal is decked out with these. It's telling that his least heavy weapon, his auto rifle, is a medium-weight weapon, meaning he can still lose stamina easily if he is not careful.
- The Big Guy: He's large and exceptionally well-built, which is reflected in his staggeringly high base HP count of 255 and his arsenal of big guns.
- Blood Knight: Really enjoys killing enemies, especially if they're Cycloids.
- Chivalrous Pervert: "Ye Ah Ba By, Sh Ak E tHoSe Nip Pl Es Of Yo Ursss!"
- Expy: Of Duke Nukem, down to the outfit and his attitude. Even in the art overhaul the 3.5 patch has brought, Zaxtor still wears Duke's outfit on missions. Might also be a case of Expy Coexistence, since the game features a statue of the Duke out in front of the EDF's headquarters.
- No-Sell: Psychic attacks have no lasting effect on him. He even lets out an audacious laugh when blasted by a Lost's attack.Zaxtor: "Hahahaha! I'm not afraid of anything!"
- One-Man Army: His epithet is this, and he backs this up by possessing the highest HP count and a vast amount of big guns.
- Psychic Block Defense: He's resistant to psychic attacks, and can even shrug off a Lost's attack without Spirit Armor.
- Vocal Dissonance: His voice is high-pitched and scratchy, which contrasts with his muscled "'80s Action Hero" appearance and attitude. Likely intended to be the case with fossapeople.
Merlijn van Oostrum
Merlijn van Oostrum
- Voiced by: Merlijn van Oostrum
A knight in service to the Netherlands and the second agent to be recruited by James, Merlijn van Oostrum is a hardened warrior who has maintained the peace, along with his brother Maarten. Merlijn specializes in close-quarters combat, eschewing modern weaponry for the good old-fashioned long sword, though this hasn't stopped him from using firearms when the situation calls for it. He also possesses the second-highest HP count and strength, at 200 HP and capable of wielding the heaviest blades with ease.
- Archaic Weapon for an Advanced Age: Merlijn uses daggers, swords, bows, and even blunderbusses & cannons in a world that uses firearms and Energy Weapons. Despite this, Merlijn is still capable of kicking ass and taking names.
- BFS: His Dragonslayer, which is, of course, a Shout-Out to Berserk. It's so heavy that it costs him stamina to swing, but in return, it makes short work of big foes such as Battlelords and Bruisers.
- The Big Guy: Second to Zaxtor in that department, but he's still a strong dude who can go toe-to-toe with various foes and still come out on top. He may be weaker than the fossa, but he makes up for it with a lot more finesse.
- Bow and Sword in Accord: He can use bows alongside his swords, in case he needs to pick off distant enemies and doesn't have access to any other ranged weapons.
- Genre Refugee: Merlijn wouldn't be out of place in a medieval fantasy FPS or RPG, what with his suit of plate armor and arsenal of medieval European weaponry such as daggers, long swords, bows, and even a blunderbuss. He still fits in the Science Fantasy setting of AMC Squad, however.
- Knight in Shining Armor: His aesthetic. He deliberately fashioned himself after the knights of yore and works to protect the people of Earth from evil. He even uses a bit of the old language, as well, often responding to his squadmates with "aye" and reminiscing about older times compared to the modern world.
- Luckily, My Shield Will Protect Me: He carries a shield with him when he has equipped a one-handed weapon, such as his long sword, a dagger, or a Riot Gun. This shield is put away when he equips a weapon that requires both of his hands, such as a greataxe or his Dragonslayer.
- Mid-Season Upgrade: Midway through Episode 4, he finds a suit of red and black armor in a temple in a snowy lookout. This armor, the Berserker Suit, is much sturdier and enhances his strength, demonstrated when he steps out of the temple and fights a trio of Cyberdemons and a group of Archers by himself. This armor would later be his default look upon finishing Episode 4.
- Multi Shot: His Scatter Bow shoots multiple arrows in a shotgun-like fashion. While this weapon isn't as accurate as his default bow, it makes up for it in raw power and increased range.
- Only Sane Man: In contrast to his quirkier teammates (with the exception of James), Merlijn is a bit more serious and is often the one who tries to keep the squad together during hairy situations.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Normally, he's a very uptight & stoic man who is capable of braving all sorts of dangers he and his squad go through. So his reaction upon seeing the Necromancer - his old nemesis who was responsible for the damage done to his homeland - alive in the Forgotten Tomb, with a map of the galaxy in front of him, is one of pure shock and disbelief at this development.
- This would happen again in Episode 4 after Axon kills James for unknown reasons after defeating the Necromancer. Only this time, he experiences grief and anger upon seeing their supposed ally kill his superior.
- The Straight and Arrow Path: He uses bows in a sci-fi setting, although considering that he can use them well enough to pick off distant enemies and penetrate armored enemies, it's justified.
- Vocal Dissonance: His voice is somewhat high-pitched and nasally in contrast to his knightly appearance, although it's not as off-putting compared to Zaxtor's voice. And then there's one line in particular where he changes to a lower-pitched, gravelly register.Merlijn: "Run to the hills, 'cause I'm ready to kill!"
Highwire
Highwire
- Voiced by: Steb McDreb
A Russian military officer and the third to be recruited into the AMC Squad, Highwire (real name unknown) is a former EDF agent who has helped James out in the past, and later led a revolution against a fascist political movement in his home country. He eschews modern tech for good old Soviet-era equipment, and is capable of leading his comrades to victory during missions. In essence, Highwire is the modern definition of an Officer and a Gentleman, regarded by many as an excellent leader, tactician, and friend.
- Achilles' Heel: He lacks any sort of anti-supernatural capability and his mobility is poor. In the case of the former, this necessitates bringing in a temporary weapon that can hurt supernatural enemies (e.g. a GDF plasma gun or a Tommy Gun loaded with silver rounds), or alternatively, unlocking and equipping a Gold weapon before setting off on a mission (which costs an arm and a leg). In the case of the latter, many of his weapons are heavy, and his stamina regen is slow, forcing Highwire to step back and fight off enemies from a distance rather than head on.
- A Father to His Men: Highwire looks after his fellow soldiers and ensures that many of them survive whatever threats that have come his way.
- Arch-Enemy: Prokhor Vilmos, the leader of the Imperial Union, during his rebellion days. Vilmos is a cruel tyrant who forcibly took over Russia and left its citizens to rot, and executed anyone he felt was weak or trying to fight back, all while sitting back in his palace barking orders at his forces to sniff out any resistance among the citizenry. It is because of him and his movement that Highwire left the Earth Defense Force to lead the revolt against Vilmos, out of duty to protect his homeland and his fellow countrymen.
- Berserk Button: It's not explicitly shown, but Highwire has one in the form of political inaction, especially during crises and other events that require direct action. It's why he left the EDF during the setup to "The Revolution" - he grew disgusted at his superiors for looking away from the chaos and suffering Russia was going through, and decided to take matters into his own hands.
- Boring, but Practical: Compared to his fellow squadmates, Highwire doesn't have a lot of flashy stuff. His arsenal consists of a mix of Soviet-era weaponry and NATO weaponry (heck, his strongest weapon happens to be an RPK), and his special ability lets him command one extra trooper for backup. These qualities make him one of the most formidable agents, however, if lacking in flair.
- Frontline General: He takes up this position as an AMC agent, preferring to lead his forces on foot, and his special ability lets him command one extra soldier with him. He even has the look down, combo cap and all.
- Glass Cannon: He isn't as strong as his fellow agents - in fact, he can go down rather easily on Normal difficulty without armor - but he makes up for it by dishing out a lot of pain very quickly. Analysis of his character stats reveals that he only has 100 HP, but has Strong armor rating, which means that without any armor to protect him, Highwire cannot last more than a few shots from enemy forces.
- Old Soldier: His age isn't specified, but judging by his ranking and facial features, he's been in the military for a long time.
- Rebel Leader: Served as this in his rebellion against the Imperial Union, which is documented in the Episode 1 mission "The Revolution."
- You Are in Command Now: After the fight against Naaldir and his forces in Episode 4 resulted in James' death, Highwire takes position as AMC Squad leader. This is reflected in his new appearance, where he dons a specialized suit of Power Armor that lets him dual-wield machine guns.
Sang
Sangluss (AKA "Sang")
- Voiced by: Cedric "Sangman" Haegeman
The fourth agent to be recruited into the AMC Squad, Sangluss (or "Sang," for short) is a warlock hailing from Belgium who is struggling to reform himself from his evil ways. He is skilled in the dark arts, capable of casting destructive spells, but suffers from a partial loss of strength as a result of a ritual to split himself from his dark side. Despite this setback, Sang continues to soldier on and fight the good fight, and hopes that one day, he'll be able to find and defeat his evil twin that spawned from the ritual.
- Being Evil Sucks: Held this mindset for a long time prior to his recruitment. He initially enjoyed the perks that came from practicing Black Magic, but over time, he grew to resent the practice, and struggled to find someone who could temper his dark side and relieve himself of the beast within. He eventually found someone in Mentor Caer Dore, but still had trouble maintaining himself while under the influence. Eventually, he performed a ritual to cast out the evil side in him, which resulted in the creation of Le Sang and the bat that flies around his head, the latter of which served as a reminder of his evil days.
- Black Mage: He specializes in offensive spells and many of his weapons are magic items used for attacking enemies.
- Black Magic: His practice, which he initially enjoyed using before he realized how dangerous this type of magic can be.
- Dark Is Not Evil: He may be a warlock who wears a black robe and uses dark magic to fight, but he is considered one of the more noble characters in the whole game. Hell, the reason he joined the AMC Squad is to track down and defeat his Evil Twin! This changes in the middle of Episode 3, when he defeats Le Sang and absorbs his power, in which he changes to a red-hooded cleric outfit, which reflects his final changes into a force for good.
- Gangsta Style: This is how Sang holds his Uzi. Funnily enough, he doesn't do this when wielding two Uzis at once, nor when he equips his other Slot 4 weapons.
- Heel–Face Turn: He's changed from an evil warlock to a sort-of good warlock, in that while he continues to use dark magic, he's a noble figure and prefers not to hurt innocents any further. Solidified in Episode 3's "Gaza Pyramids" mission, in which he defeats his Evil Twin Le Sang and absorbs his power, complete with a costume change to reflect this.
- Significant Wardrobe Shift: He changes from his black robe to a red hood and chainmail after he and his friends defeat Le Sang and he absorbs his power. This sticks from that time onward, and even jokes about it in his conversation with Oveus in Episode 4.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Sang does this to James in "For Providence," in which he calls him out for thinking about killing Lilith after he mercilessly slaughtered all the cultists guarding the mines and the tomb, then argues that despite their fanatical mindsets and behavior, they're still people who joined the cults out of desperation. James fires back by asking him if one cultist's life is worth saving despite mowing down dozens of other cultists beforehand, to which Sang retorts that it's their mission to neutralize threats and that Lilith can turn the other cheek. James ultimately relents and promises him that he'll find a way to save her if he can.
Rusty Nails
Rusty Nails
- Voiced by: MajorTom2417
The fifth agent to be recruited into the AMC Squad, Rusty Nails is a gunslinger hailing from Parts Unknown who has a score to settle with someone. Skilled with a revolver and quick on the draw, Rusty has prowled both the Earth and Mars, doling out his brand of justice to criminals and cultists who were unfortunate enough to cross him. In addition, he has a very special talent that helps him gain information on his targets in the ability to see and communicate with the dead. Rusty's background is scant, with little details as to where he came from or how he managed to hone his skills; regardless, he's a formidable gunfighter, able to shoot down any combatant before they can draw their weapons.
- Arch-Enemy: Dr. Jekyll, a man who Rusty has had a scrap with in the past. Rusty is determined to defeat him no matter what, much to Jekyll's amusement.
- Badass Longcoat: Wears a black leather longcoat, as part of his "occult gunslinger" getup.
- Dark Is Not Evil: He appears with a mysterious aura about himself, dressed in dark clothes, has glowing Prophet Eyes in a menacing glare, and is generally standoffish. Despite this, he's firmly on the side of good.
- Expy: Of Caleb; to note, he's a snarky gunfighter from the Wild West who uses an eclectic mix of weaponry, his main enemies are cultists and demons, and he wears a similar outfit as Caleb. The major difference between him and Rusty is that Rusty has a moral compass, and refrains from killing civilians.
- The Gunslinger: Fits this mold alright, specifically of the Trick Shot type as he's capable of picking off targets from far away with his revolvers.
- Honor Before Reason: An alleged drawback of sorts, but several bits of the game's lore indicates that he's willing to throw down in a duel against his opponent even when the odds are stacked against him. Rusty himself exploits this during his fight against Jekyll, by tricking him into a gunslinger duel during the first phase of the fight.
- I See Dead People: And talk to them, too, as a means of gathering information.
- Nail 'Em: His Slot 0 weapon is a nailgun. Interestingly enough, it resembles a Crye Associates MR-C, a rifle that never went beyond the drawing board in Real Life.
- Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Or rather, Occult Gunfighter Spirit Medium.
- Out of Focus: Suffers from this in Episode 2, as a result of the Real Life mapper portraying him leaving the project after Episode 1's completion. Later updates attempted to rectify this status by giving him more lines, including an extension to the "boat ride" cutscene in Island Facility where he chats with Geoffrey, but he would later return to the foreground in Episode 4.
- Really 700 Years Old: He's confirmed to be around 200 years old when speaking to Alea, the hunter elf in her shack in Easthaven.
- Revolvers Are Just Better: His weapons of choice are revolvers, and he's so good with them that he can simply reload them by flicking them open and then flicking them shut in a second.
- The Stoic: He doesn't emote much beyond a simple dry wit.
Geoffrey
Geoffrey
- Voiced by: Eddie Teach
The sixth agent to be recruited by the AMC Squad, Geoffrey is a former graphics designer from Holland who, during his previous life, received a commission from a mysterious client to design a logo for them. Said client turns out to be a fascist state, and Geoffrey's name was found in documents pertaining to the organization; thus, the young artist was forced to go on the run and leave his home behind. Afterward, he smuggled himself on a ship headed to Mars' Aelita colony, where he laid low, donned a new uniform and mask, and forged himself a new identity as a gunman for hire. When he met James in a seedy bar in Aelita, Geoffrey initially rejected his offer to join the AMC Squad; however, when the British commando offered to clear his name in exchange for his services, Geoffrey reluctantly accepted.
- Agent Scully: Despite the many supernatural threats the team had encountered by Episode 2, Geoffrey still laughs off Rusty's stating the rumour that the Paradigm Eschaton cultists are vampires.
- Beware the Silly Ones: He may be a wisecracking dork who never stops making jokes at his friends' (and sometimes, his enemies) expense, but make no mistake; underneath his joking exterior is a cybernetically-enhanced hacker and formidable combatant who can (and will) put a bullet in between someone's eyes if they're unfortunate enough to get in his way.
- Chivalrous Pervert: Geoffrey's living space is full of pornography and when assuming control of him he is seen quickly putting away a porn mag he was reading.
- Clear My Name: His goal in life is to clear himself of the association with the fascist organization that he inadvertently got involved in.
- Cyborg: His background states that the harsh Martian atmosphere and rough life on the Aelita colony forced him to visit illicit augmentation clinics; this is reflected in his slightly-higher-than-average HP count and damage resistance.
- The Faceless: Never seen without his mask, likely out of a desire to cover his identity while on the run.
- Men Can't Keep House: Unlike every single other playable character with a home address, Geoffrey lives in a non-hyperbolic pig sty. Hidden in an air vent, his filthy living space is festooned with pornography, free roaming farm animals and bananas. Its implied this may be due to him wanting to keep a low profile while on base as he is a wanted fugitive, but he doesn't indicate he dislikes living this way either.
- Nominal Hero: He's only in the AMC Squad to get his name cleared of his association with the fascist regime, and some of his dialogue indicates that he doesn't have a lot of faith in the Complex's goals.
- Out of Focus: He never really gets a lot of screentime post-Episode 1, not even having new dialogue for Episode 2 until the 10th Anniversary update changed that, and even then, it's only in the boat ride to the Island Facility, where he banters with Rusty over life on Mars. His presence is slightly increased in Episode 3, where he's assigned a mission in Africa to investigate suspicious activity, but he would fade to the background again in Episode 4 (though this is likely because of the more fantastic nature of episode).
- Playful Hacker: He specializes in hacking into virtual reality terminals, and he displays a carefree and sometimes childish attitude when out on the field. Nevertheless, his skills in breaking into neural networks is rather impressive, only rivaled by his fellow squadmate Mikko Sandt.
- Plucky Comic Relief: His role in the team dynamic is this, often cracking jokes about his objectives (and sometimes, at other people's expense) and is the last one to understand the gravity of his situation. That said, his enemies tend to make the fatal mistake of underestimating him whenever he shows up.
- Sad Clown: While Geoffrey is usually affable, some of his reactions to gameplay events imply a level of melancholy. While other characters complain about rainfall, he states that he never got rain on Mars in a wistful way. When he drinks enough to get tipsy, his inebriated chuckling sounds very much like sobbing.
- That Man Is Dead: Implied, as far as he's concerned; the young Dutch graphic artist that he used to be is no more, and he has become someone else entirely. It's even reflected in his bio, in that he sees Mars as his birthplace, not Holland.
Mikko Sandt
Mikko Sandt
- Voiced by: Mikko Sandt
The seventh agent to be recruited into the AMC Squad, Mikko Sandt is the ruthless CEO of his own corporation, MSCorp Industries. Hailing from Finland, Mikko was, at one point, confronted by and eventually killed by the EDF's then-top agent, Duke Nukem, for his constant exploitation of resources and subsequent damaging of Earth's environment. However, thanks to the efforts of his loyal followers, Mikko is now resurrected and enhanced with top-of-the-line cybernetic augmentations, and continues to hunt down his enemies if it means expanding his corporate empire and developing new technologies.
- A Lighter Shade of Black: He's a ruthless combatant and rules his company with an iron fist, and is only interested in profit, and he may or may not be the first to sell out the Squad and the Complex if it means making more bank, but Mikko is only on the side of good because his enemies are far worse than him.
- Arch-Enemy: Gregory Costanza, the CEO of Vandelay Industries. According to Mikko, Costanza was a former business partner of his, but at some point he backstabbed him and sent him to his death by hiring a group of environmentalists to send Duke Nukem to take him out. Then, during Mikko's resurrection, Costanza attempted a hostile takeover of his company and its subsidiaries and drain Mikko of his funds, and when that didn't work, hired mercenaries to destroy his research facilities and kill his followers. This rivalry drives Mikko to engage in Corporate Warfare against him and Vandelay Industries, and forms the backdrop of Mikko's early missions.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: He's bankrolling much of the AMC's operational costs, but expects a cut of the profits from discovering and researching new technologies. He's also intolerant of any competition, and goes as far as to destroy any rival companies who try to bust into the markets he's involved in.
- The Cracker: He shares Geoffrey's hacking ability, but unlike Geoffrey, he's much more composed and serious.
- Cyborg: He's been outfitted with a lot of cybernetics since his resurrection. This explains his high damage resistance and HP count, as well as his ability to hack into VR terminals.
- Establishing Character Moment: The intro cutscene for the Episode 1 mission "Snow Base" serves as this for Mikko. His briefing for his squadmates Zaxtor and Highwire shows a lack of tolerance for "treehuggers," reveals that he was murdered by Duke Nukem in the past only to be revived by his followers, states that he's going to kill anyone who has ransacked the research facility they're heading to, and, when Zaxtor tells him "good luck!", coldly rebukes him by saying "only the weak believe in luck." Ruthless, lacking empathy for his fellow man, and above all, is a believer in strength prevailing above all.
- Even Evil Has Standards: He may be greedy and ruthless, but he values loyalty from his followers and is against planetary destruction. When he learns from a scientist on Energeia that the people still loyal to Vandelay have rigged a massive weapon to destroy Earth via shooting a massive beam through an Einstein-Rosen bridge, Mikko rushes to the location of this weapon and attempts to shut it down; when he finds out that the only way is to reroute power to fire the weapon inward, he reluctantly accepts this and reverses the power flow of the weapon. He even looks back at Energeia's destruction rather solemnly and states that "this is going to cost [him]."
- Greed: His main purpose in life is to make as much money as possible, whether it's by buying up his competition or destroying them and taking their efforts with him, as demonstrated in his war against his rival, Vandelay Industries.
- Jerkass: He's arrogant and rude to everyone he meets, treats everyone he sees as below him like they're his own servants, and isn't above brainwashing his employees into blindly following him. That said, he has his limits when it comes to certain things.
- His actions on the EDF Panama during Episode 4 show that he is unwilling to rescue EDF personnel unless they pledge to serve him for the rest of their lives, and even then he expresses disdain for the soldiers who survived the crash, if his conversation with Bombshell is of any indication.
- Narcissist: He's even formed a Cult of Personality with his own employees, and even has statues of himself on every property he owns.
- Nominal Hero: He's only in the AMC Squad to further his own interests, and has no compassion for his fellow man, except for his followers, and even then, it's more to boost his ego than any sort of appreciation for them.
- Only in It for the Money: Mikko doesn't hold any faith in the AMC Squad's mission; he's just in it because the operations make him more profit.
- Soft-Spoken Sadist: Doesn't really emote beyond a soft vocal register even as he's slaughtering hostile forces left and right, and has some of the more disturbing lines in the whole game.Mikko: "There's only one way for you: extinction."
- The Social Darwinist: He believes that the weak deserve to be exterminated, and is willing to demonstrate this in his own operations.
- Token Evil Teammate: The only agent on the AMC Squad who doesn't have any good motives, instead focusing on making as much money as possible.
Later Members
Micky C
Michael "Micky" Crisp
- Voiced by: Micky C
The first agent to join the AMC Squad after its initial formation, Dr. Michael "Micky C" Crisp is an engineer specializing in experimental technology and its application on the field. Grown dissatisfied with his lot in life and wanting to seek some action, Micky has contacted James to meet him in his hidden research laboratory in Australia, then asked him for a position in the AMC Squad; in exchange, Micky will provide him with whatever resources he has, including his research and experimental tech. Micky may not possess military training or experience, but his quick thinking, intelligence, and his special S.M.A.R.T. Suit more than makes up for these deficiencies.
- Arch-Enemy: Jacques Dumas, his rival in the University of Adelaide who later teamed up with the Cycloids. Interestingly enough, Micky never fights him personally, and instead fights his powersuit in the university's library.
- Awesome Aussie: He's Australian, and while he may not be a heavily-muscled hulk of a man, he's still capable of kicking ass with a mix of high-tech weaponry and his smarts.
- Badass Bookworm: He's got a Ph.D and a lot of engineering experience, and is capable of taking on hordes of enemies by himself.
- Energy Absorption: His Laser Absorber item, which allows him to absorb enemy laser attacks and convert them to armor points for his S.M.A.R.T. suit. Helps when fighting against Cycloids and, to a lesser extent, footsoldiers.
- The Engineer: Even labeled as such in the character select screen, and his specialty allows him to reuse toolboxes indefinitely. He can even channel The Engineer himself by deploying a Sentry Gun wherever he likes!
- Powered Armor: His S.M.A.R.T. Suit, which stands for "Self-Manipulating Armor-Reinforced Tactical Suit." Micky acquires it in the mission "Micky Begins," when the Cycloids sack the University of Adelaide and break into the underground labs.
- The Smart Guy: His role in the Squad, whenever he's not being sent out on missions. He even stays behind in the AMC Base's laboratory when he is not selected, and works with the science team on research projects and experiments.
- The Turret Master: He can equip a Mini-Turret in his inventory and deploy it to lock down chokepoints. However, while it has a lot of ammo in its reserve, Micky must take care not to let it run empty, get damaged, or lose it during missions.
Snowfall
Snowfall
- Voiced by: Snowfall
A mysterious feline spacefarer who meets up with James and Micky at the beginning of Episode 3, Quest for the Golden Sang. Despite a lack of information on who he is and what he works for, Snowfall cordially asks James for a position in the AMC Squad in exchange for his spacefaring experience and resources, including his personal space vessel, the ''Snowflake''. James reluctantly accepts him into the Squad after seeing him fight against the Cycloids on one of their satellite planets, and remains a valuable asset to the team.
- Artificial Human: Or rather, Artificial Feline. The mission "Triton Facility" reveals that he was incubated in a pod, possibly by the researchers stationed in the facility, and kept in cryostasis for a very long time. By the time he wakes up, he's surrounded by dozens of other similar pods, many of which are open and malfunctioning, and the facility itself is abandoned.
- Artificial Limbs: Concept art for Snowfall reveals that he has a leg prosthetic, though how he ended up with one is unknown for the time being.
- A Taste of Power: Players who pick Snowfall for the first time get to experience this, as he comes equipped with his own Personal Energy Shield long before such equipment can be found and researched.
- Badass Adorable: He's rather cute and endearing, and is more than capable of fighting aliens and other enemies.
- Badass Bookworm: He's an astronaut who fights as many enemies as he does researching about the final frontier.
- Cat Folk: He's an anthropomorphic cat in a spacesuit.
- Cool Starship: His spacefaring vessel, the Snowflake. The final mission of Episode 3, "Triton Facility", reveals that he obtained it after defeating the Majestic 12 version of James and possesses Time Travel technology, which allowed Snowfall to travel back 300 years before the Beyonders appeared in the Sol system.
- Deflector Shields: He comes with his own Personal Energy Shield, which can be upgraded later on to double the amount of shield points and recharge while moving. Players who pick him for the mission "Assault on X64-2" can get an early preview of the PES before the opportunity to research it is available.
- Mysterious Stranger: He appears on a spaceship from nowhere, his background is unclear, and no-one on the AMC Squad knows who he is or what his motives are, yet he wants to work with the Squad. Despite his unclear motives and origins, James hesitantly accepts. This changes later in Episode 3, when he decides to speak to James and Micky about his origins.
- Shock and Awe: Uses lightning guns in his arsenal, from a Lightning Gun-styled Sniper Rifle, to automatic rifles that shoot balls of electricity, to grenades that stun enemies with fields of electricity.
Kagura Takahashi
Kagura Takahashi
- Voiced by: AliCatGamer
A cybernetically enhanced kunoichi and demon hunter from the Akai Kiba clan, Kagura Takahashi is introduced in Episode 4, Law of the Knights, as the AMC Squad's latest recruit, courtesy of her uncle Rusty Nails. She carries with her a cursed katana called "Yo," with whom she's formed an unusual bond, and possesses a great deal of knowledge on the Shadow Realm and its inhabitants. Ever the curious sort, Kagura travels with the AMC Squad to Elysion on their mission to find the Mandala and learn what new things she can find on the ring world.
- Action Duo: Kagura is the ideal of a demure, respectful and plucky young japanese woman. Yo is a disgusting belligerent spirit that constantly hungers for grusome combat.
- Cool Sword: Yo is a mystic katana that contains the ravenous spirit of a depraved yokai that speaks only to her. While its handling characteristics are mostly similar to a normal katana, it is the only weapon the AMC Squad has that can utterly destroy the souls of evil creatures, making it vital during Ep 4's climax.
- Cyber Ninja: She's got cybernetic arms that she uses to climb up walls and manage recoil on large-caliber guns.
- Demon Slaying: Her trade before she joined the AMC Squad; specifically, she hunts demons from the Shadow Realm before they cause more damage to Earth.
- Dual Wielding: One of her special weapons is a pair of daggers called the "Dragon Blades." She can either swing them one by one or swing them downward simultaneously, and, if she has Orange Mana, can send out a Ring of Fire to ward off groups of enemies. Great for taking down supernatural foes.
- Food Chain of Evil: Yo apparently craves the souls and suffering of "evil" creatures.
- Gratuitous Japanese
- Kindhearted Cat Lover: She owns a cat, who is named "Miki-chan," and is one of the nobler characters in the Squad. Background info states that her cat originally belonged to her mother.
- Limit Break: In a sense, her sword Yo can send out a powerful Sword Beam that slices through enemies, even the toughest of foes such as Cyberdemons and Trolls, but he needs souls to power up the attack. Slicing enemies with the weapon charges Yo up for this attack, and once he's powered up (indicated by Kagura's HUD flashing purple), she can then send out the Sword Beam to rend apart enemies. This is a requirement for defeating Naaldir's Soul once he and Kagura face off against each other in the Ethereal Realm.
- One-Track-Minded Hunger: Yo is totally fixated on eating the souls of his enemies, and he constantly goads Kagura to use him above other weapons at all times so he can get his next fix. His main battle cries when drawn for combat are "Itadakimasu!" and "Gochisousama Deshita!" when killing an enemy, meaning "To humbly receive!" and "Thank You for the Wonderful Meal!" respectively. These are phrases considered key to good meal ettiquette in Japan, stated at the beginning and ending of meals.
- Talking Sword
Supporting Characters
Jane Ashford
Jane Ashford
- Voiced by: AliCatGamer
The Earth Defense Force's number one agent as of the AMC Squad's foundation, Jane Ashford is James' close friend and partner during his EDF days. While she continues to serve the EDF, Jane has begun to work with the AMC Squad in their more recent operations, and has served as backup in a few missions.
- The Ace: She's considered the EDF's best agent after Duke Nukem is presumed dead and James left to form the AMC Squad. Her background states that she rose through the EDF's ranks at a surprisingly fast rate, surpassing even James. Becomes a Broken Ace by the end of Episode 4, when she finds out from Highwire that James has been killed in action while on Elysion.
- Arm Cannon: Her first weapon is the Handlaser, a palm-mounted laser gun that can be charged up to pierce enemy armor. She can also obtain an arm-mounted freeze beam cannon later on in missions.
- Blue Is Heroic: She wears a suit of blue Powered Armor and is one of the good guys.
- A Day in the Limelight: She gets her own mission, "Caligula Station," in Episode 3 once the player completes "Chaosphere." Finishing this mission unlocks her as a playable secondary character.
- Heartbroken Badass: In Episode 4's ending, upon finding out from Highwire that James has been killed while on Elysion.
- Implied Love Interest: She speaks of James rather fondly, and some photos in his office imply that they're an item.
- Kill It with Ice: Her Slot 0 weapon is an arm-mounted freeze beam. It works similarly to her Handlaser weapon rather than Duke's freezethrower, and it makes short work of unarmored, lightly-armored, and supernatural enemies; however, heavily-armored enemies are protected from the beam.
- Magnetic Weapons: She uses a plasma-powered railgun as her Slot 7 weapon, and it can make short work of extremely durable enemies such as Battlelords and Cyberdemons.
- Powered Armor: She wears a suit of powered battle armor that resembles the Knight Sabers' powered combat suits, complete with a palm-mounted laser gun.
- Secret Character: She can be unlocked as a secondary playable character after the player beats "Chaosphere" and then finishes "Caligula Station."
Bombshell
Michelle "Bombshell" Bomkowski
- Voiced by: Batsuey
An EDF officer and Duke Nukem's sidekick, originally from the sister mod Duke Nukem: Alien Armageddon, Michelle "Bombshell" Bomkowski was thrown back into the fray after her vacation in Nevada was interrupted by Cycloids and her favorite bar gets trashed.
- Ambiguously Lesbian: She's introduced looking at strippers in a bar in Nevada, and bemoans that Mikko Sandt saves her from the EDF Panama's crash site instead of Jane Ashford.
- Complaining About Rescues They Don't Like: She gets rescued from the EDF Panama by Mikko Sandt, much to her chagrin as she wished for "that hot British chick" to come to her aid, instead.
- A Day in the Limelight: She stars in her own mission in Episode 3, which is called "Shellshocked." Here, her vacation in the Nevada desert gets interrupted by Cycloids, and she has to fight her way to the EDF's headquarters to figure out what's happening. Completing the mission unlocks her as a playable secondary character.
- Distaff Counterpart: Of the Duke himself. She has the foul mouth, the flippant attitude, and the wide selection of big guns. The only difference from Duke Nukem is that she's still alive.
- Hand Cannon: Her starting weapon is a Desert Eagle, in a reference to
older builds of Duke Nukem Forever where Duke's pistol used to be a Desert Eagle. - The Lad-ette: She's first found in a bar in the Nevada desert, watching the women dance on stage, and her response to the Cycloids dropping in is to grab her Desert Eagle and start blasting.
- Mythology Gag: Much of Bombshell's arsenal are references to Duke Nukem Forever's beta builds; in particular, the Desert Eagle being the starter weapon, the M4A1 has an American flag wrapped on the carry handle in reference to the Assault Rifle from the 2001 trailer, and her Slot 7 weapon is the Shrinker/Expander from Duke Nukem 3D.
- Secret Character: She can be unlocked as a playable secondary character after the player beats "Chaosphere" and then finishes the mission "Shellshocked".
- Transplant: From the Game Mod Duke Nukem: Alien Armageddon, where she served as Duke's sidekick.
The Cultist
The Cultist
- Voiced by: Leo Sierras
A random homeless cultist living in the back alleys of Winnipeg who gets swept up in a situation involving Cycloids in the sewers. How he managed to sneak into the AMC Squad's headquarters is a mystery to anyone who discovers him.
- Archaic Weapon for an Advanced Age: He lives in a world where space travel is prevalent and laser guns and plasma rifles exist, yet his arsenal consists of early-to-mid 20th-century firearms, with the exception of his Tesla gun, which appears to be a haphazard contraption.
- Blatant Lies: He claims to be a lawyer when speaking to a prisoner in the Arsia Mons colony, though anyone who would look at him would think otherwise.
- Celebrity Resemblance: He looks a bit like Michael Jackson in his character select portrait.
- Crazy Homeless People: He's a few screws short of a toolbox, and his name and outfit suggest that he was part of a Cult, but he's of little status and he lives in a homeless camp in Winnipeg. His behavior when fighting Cycloids indicates that he was a bit crazy when he joined the cult, however.
- A Day in the Limelight: He stars in his own mission, "Pipedream," in Episode 3 after the player has completed "Chaosphere." The mission shows him waking up in a homeless camp in an alley after he hears something rumbling underground, then goes into the sewers to investigate, then gets swept up in a battle against a bunch of Cycloid stragglers in the sewers, a sewage treatment plant, and an abandoned subway, culminating in a fight against the head honcho of the Cycloids, a Swinelord.
- Lethal Joke Character: This guy just exists, and he has no relevance to the plot outside of his mission, yet he packs some lethal weaponry and manages to go toe-to-toe with the Cycloid stragglers in the Winnipeg sewers. Hell, he even manages to kill a Swinelord, the leader of the Cycloids residing in the sewers!
- Loser Protagonist: He's the star of "Pipedream," where he's found residing under a tarp in a back alley, and only gets involved in the story after he hears something rumbling underneath the ground. This leads him to fight a bunch of Cycloids left behind in the sewers and abandoned subways before squaring off with a Swinelord.
SPOILER CHARACTER
Maarten van Oostrum
- Voiced by: Maarten van Oostrum
Merlijn's missing brother, who fought alongside him prior to his recruitment into the AMC Squad. He's found to be alive on Elysion, but is acting strangely and tries to kill Merlijn when the two brothers meet outside the Palace of Rowgar.
For more information about Maarten, visit the Elysion page.
