There’s always that one mercenary who makes you question every decision. In Jagged Alliance 3, at least in my case, that’s Smiley.
He’s not extremely easy to get, so if you’re on the fence about putting in the effort, or you want to make sure you don’t miss out (or mess up!), you’re in the right place.
I have the full guide on recruiting Smiley in JA3, including everything you need to know before, during, and after you recruit him. This full guide goes far beyond the basics, so read it as you won’t need to read any other article on the matter when you’re done.
Also, if you’re looking to recruit the strongest mercenaries overall, check out our tier list of the best mercs in JA3.
First Things First: Should You Even Try to Recruit Him?
Recruiting Smiley is a commitment. Not only does his quest take effort, but it also locks you into certain story paths with consequences in the game itself.
Sure, if you’re one of the completionists out there, or if you simply want to get every free merc in the game, you should definitely go for him. But is he worth it?
Truth be told, probably not for most players. There are cases where he can shine, but he is not one of the top mercs in the game. I’ll explain everything below so you can decide if he’s worth your time, but until then…
How to Recruit Smiley in Jagged Alliance 3
Smiley is one of the three free mercs that you can recruit in Jagged Alliance 3 alongside Flay and Larry.
Getting him on your squad is more involved than you’d expect, with several places where you can go off track. Here is everything you need to do:
1. Travel to Pantagruel Slums – Talk to Maman there and ask about Mollie’s kidnapping. This triggers the start of the multi-step questline.
2. Investigate the mentioned locations – Specifically, the bathhouse, the upper floor of the brothel, and the roof. If you miss one, the quest won’t advance.
IMPORTANT: Do not speak to the priest in Fleatown La Bou yet (the quest will tell you to do so, but you should avoid it for now). If you jump the gun here, you risk missing the opportunity to get Smiley altogether.
3. Complete Boss Blaubert’s questline and save Luigi from the Good Place. This is a story-heavy segment. Make sure Luigi survives, or you might lock yourself out of the Smiley quest.
4. Return to Blaubert’s mansion – there, you must take Blaubert’s side against Luigi. This is also where you can get the best melee weapon in JA3.
5. Go to Fleatown La Bou and speak with the Priest – say that you know where he is hiding Smiley.
Kill the enemies that appear and pass a high Leadership check to save the priest from Smiley. If you fail, the quest can end here. Make sure that you have a high Leadership skill – above 60 is recommended, around 80 is ideal.
6. Final battle at Blaubert’s Mansion – Travel to Blaubert’s mansion to find Smiley and prepare for one of the toughest battles of the game. Your main goal: keep Smiley alive until the battle ends. If you do, he will join your team.
To make the battle at Blaubert’s mansion easier, I highly recommend bringing a few extra mercs to help you out. Also, prioritize killing enemies next to Smiley to ensure he stays alive.
Oh, one more thing: Save right before entering the mansion. You’ll be glad you did.
If that’s all that matters to you (although I recommend reading the full article below), you can check out how to recruit other important mercs in the game by clicking the links below:
Smiley’s Stats & Unique Abilities
While Smiley is the best of the three mercs you can get in JA3, he has extremely low dexterity, which makes him weak both in melee, and ranged combat situations. Here are his stats:
| Stat | Smiley | Average Hired Merc |
|---|---|---|
| Marksmanship | 89 | 80–85 |
| Strength | 85 | 75–80 |
| Dexterity | 39 | 60–75 |
| Leadership | 52 | 60+ |
| Wisdom | 68 | 65–70 |
Note: Stat values are based on early-game recruitment and can vary slightly based on game version or progression.
Additionally, his unique ability causes him to become tired, exhausted, or unconscious, based on how many times it’s used before resting. While this can be beneficial in some situations, it’s risky.
Despite these, there are some situations when recruiting Smiley makes sense:
Budget Challenge Runs: If you want to complete the game using only free mercenaries, Smiley is your top pick among the free trio.
High-Difficulty Runs: For players who love a challenge or want to squeeze every drop from the game, recruiting Smiley just for the bragging rights is a badge of honor.
Story Completionists: If you want to see every quest, every dialogue option, and every possible squad combo, he’s a must-have.
Is he fun to have in the squad? That depends. He does come with some unique lines, and if you’re the kind of player who enjoys roleplaying the underdog squad, he fits right in.
Wrapping up
Recruiting Smiley in Jagged Alliance 3 is a quest in patience and attention to detail. If you’re up for the challenge or want to complete every quest, go for it. Otherwise, you’re not missing out on a powerhouse squad member.
What do you think about Smiley? If you decided to use him, what’s your go-to squad? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.
He has a Master’s Degree in Philosophy, which allows him to always come up with a fresh approach to solving in-game puzzles and challenges, but also to create content that’s to the point, clean and easy to follow.
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