Spec ops the line

No description.

1. #1Setting

   Keys: cause, context, Setting

   Six months prior, the worst series of dust storms in recorded history began across Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Dubai's politicians and wealthy elite downplayed the situation before evacuating in secret, leaving countless Emiratis behind. Colonel John Konrad, the decorated but PTSD-troubled commander of “The Damned” 33rd Battalion, United States Army, was returning home with his unit from Afghanistan when the storms struck. Konrad volunteered the 33rd Battalion to help the relief efforts, then deserted with the entire unit when ordered to abandon the city and its refugees by the United States government. As the storms intensified, a massive storm wall engulfed Dubai for miles, disrupting any satellite surveillance and communication, air travel, and all but the strongest radio broadcasts. The 33rd declared martial law and struggled to maintain order amid 80 mph winds, riots, and dwindling resources. The last communication out of Dubai stated that the 33rd was attempting to lead a caravan of more than a thousand civilians out of the city. The caravan never arrived, and soon afterwards the UAE declared Dubai a no man's land. All travel to the city was barred, the 33rd was publicly disavowed for treason, and no further news left the city.

   Two weeks before, a mysterious looped radio signal penetrated the wall. Its message was brief: “This is Colonel John Konrad, United States Army. The attempted evacuation of Dubai ended in complete failure. Death toll: too many.” The United States military decides to covertly send in a three-man Delta Force team to carry out reconnaissance. The team, consisting of Delta operators Captain Walker, Lieutenant Adams, and Sergeant Lugo, is told to confirm the status of Konrad and any survivors, then radio for extraction.

2. #2Story

   Keys: goal, Story, mission

   Walker, Adams, and Lugo traverse the storm wall through to the outskirts of a mostly buried Dubai on foot. They later come into contact with a group of armed survivors, referred to as Insurgents. The Insurgents have apparently renewed conflict with what remains of "The Damned" 33rd and have captured a squad of 33rd soldiers and taken them to a former hotel called "The Nest." Throughout the rest of their journey, the team hears broadcasts on a homemade speaker by the Radioman, a former journalist turned DJ who was once embedded with the 33rd in Afghanistan and now speaks on their behalf.

   As the journey progresses, the team finds evidence of what had happened in Dubai over the preceding months. From what they can tell, an unstable Konrad and the 33rd Battalion returned to Dubai as an occupying force after his evacuation failed, apparently to rule over the remaining survivors. Soon, increasingly harsh atrocities against civilians were committed to intimidate the population. Elements of the 33rd staged a coup d’etat against Konrad in protest, forming the Exiles. The CIA has been organizing the insurgents to attack both Konrad’s loyalist 33rd and the Exiles as a distraction while Grey Fox tried to eliminate the evidence of Konrad's actions within the city. Barbaric acts of immolation, torture, and execution by death squads are common on all sides throughout the city. Although there is now clear evidence against Konrad's virtue, Colonel Konrad once saved Captain Walker's life in Kabul during the war. This makes Walker biased in favor of Konrad.

   The team comes across the Nest’s refugees being rounded up by a platoon of loyalist 33rd. They attempt to intervene peacefully, but the soldiers mistake them for CIA operatives and begin a firefight. The 33rd takes heavy casualties and retreats with a number of civilian prisoners. Disturbed at their killing of fellow Americans, Lugo and Adams repeatedly urge Walker to leave Dubai and contact command. Walker insists on investigating further in hopes of evacuating survivors and finding Konrad.

   The team learns that another CIA agent, Thomas Daniels, has been captured by the 33rd. His interrogation is broadcast by the Radioman, which allows Lugo to trace the signal, prompting Delta to head towards the site as well. There, they find the mutilated and long-dead body of Daniels; the broadcast was a trap set by the Radioman for another CIA agent, Rick Gould. Leading a band of insurgents, Gould helps Delta escape from the ambush but is later captured by the 33rd, and his men are killed. Walker chose to save Gould over a couple of civilians. In the end Gould is killed, but an operations plan found on his body directs Delta to the Gate, a 33rd base.

   Assuming that Gould intended to take the Gate from the 33rd, Walker and his men arrive at the Gate to press the attack, only to find a full company of 33rd soldiers guarding the entrance. An abandoned 33rd mortar loaded with white phosphorus is found nearby. Lugo objects to using the mortar, as the team has seen its grisly effects on the 33rd’s previous victims, but Adams and Walker overrule Lugo and fire the mortar. The phosphorus strike completely obliterates the company.

   As Delta walks through the aftermath, a mortally injured soldier that the team finds within the blast zone questions the slaughter, stating the 33rd only wanted to help. To the team’s horror, they find that the 33rd had taken the civilians from the Nest to the Gate only for their own safety in the coming battles. 47 charred corpses, many of them women and children, are found in a fenced-off section of the entrance. Lugo realizes that Gould never intended to take the Gate, but only wanted to free the civilians. Walker shows no outward remorse, putting the blame entirely on the 33rd, and pushes the others on despite their obvious anger and trauma.

   Shortly after, Delta finds Konrad's executed command team. Walker uses a small radio they find inside the Gate to communicate with whom he believes to be Konrad himself. Throughout the story, Konrad questions the morality of Walker's actions as tensions rise between the team, making Walker adjust his belief that Konrad is innocent. Soon, Walker comes across two men tied to a bridge, with snipers positioned on all sides. Konrad tells Walker the two are an Emirati survivor and a 33rd soldier, who both committed serious crimes: the survivor stole water, which was a capital offense, and the soldier arrested him, killing the survivor's family in the process. Konrad then orders Walker to pick one to execute. Walker can shoot either at a criminal or Konrad’s snipers above. Regardless of Walker's decision, Lugo and Adams question Walker’s mental condition as he urges them towards Konrad's most likely vantage point, the Dubai Seaside Tower (a fictional tower that is the tallest building in the city in this story universe).

   Along the way, Delta finds Agent Riggs leading a raid on the Dubai Underwater Aquatic Coliseum, the city's last main water supply. Riggs tells Delta that insurgent control of the water will cripple the 33rd's operations in Dubai and bring peace, but only if they aid him. When the water trucks the group seized fail to break free of the 33rd's defenses, Riggs intentionally crashes them. After recovering, Walker hears a broadcast from the Radioman declaring that Dubai is now under martial law. He then comes across a mortally wounded Riggs, who explains that he wanted to destroy the water supply no matter the cost by manipulating the Insurgents. Knowledge of what the 33rd did in Dubai would cause the whole region to declare war on the United States in retaliation, a war that America would lose. Riggs admits that he wanted to cause the remaining population to die of dehydration to ensure the 33rd's atrocities would never be known. Walker chose to let Riggs be burned alive.

   After reuniting with Adams and Lugo, with Dubai's population facing extinction within days, Delta heads to the Trans-Emirates Building to silence the Radioman and warn the city. As the journey progresses, all three men gradually become edgier and more violent. Walker begins suffering from vivid hallucinations as they fight to the top of the building. Delta finds the Radioman, who is calm and surrenders peacefully. Lugo and the Radioman set up the signal for Walker before Lugo executes the Radioman. Adams is furious at Lugo for being so brash, while Lugo feels that the Radioman was keeping the 33rd on their trail the whole time and would not let them leave alive.

   As the 33rd converge on the building, Walker informs the city of Delta's planned evacuation effort. Adam commandeers a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter for Delta, and Walker destroys the radio tower as they flee the scene, leading to the helicopter sequence from which Walker seems to remember some like it was a flashback. After the aforementioned crash, Konrad appears to a disoriented Walker, chastising him about his failures and weakness. Awakening from the illusion, Walker is contacted by Adams, who informs him that Lugo is out of contact.

   Walker and Adams regroup at the crash site and contact Lugo, who has no weapon and has a broken arm after the crash. Walker and Adams fight their way through enemy lines in hopes of reaching Lugo before the 33rd can. Despite their efforts, Walker and Adams are too late to stop Lugo from being lynched by a mob of citizens, angered at the Americans' destruction of the water supply. When attempts to resuscitate Lugo fail, Adams requests permission to open fire on the crowd. The player can choose to either scare away the crowd or kill them in retribution.

   Afterwards, Walker and Adams make their way to the Dubai Seaside Tower to confront Konrad. Walker's hallucinations are nearly constant at this point, and Adams completely blames Walker for Lugo's death but goes along with his reasoning that Konrad also deserves to die. The two are soon surrounded by the last remnants of Konrad's men. Walker, who surrenders to get access inside the tower, is pushed to safety by Adams, who fights to the death against the 33rd. Weary, grieving, and on the brink of death, Walker stumbles to the entrance of the tower. Upon entering, Walker is saluted by the remnants of the 33rd, who surrender to him.

   Walker demands to know where Konrad is and is directed to Konrad's penthouse. Walker arrives at the penthouse of the tower without incident and confronts Konrad. Konrad appears to be the paranoid, charismatic force behind the atrocities that Walker was hoping for, until Walker finds his decaying corpse on the penthouse deck. Walker learns that Konrad committed suicide an unknown amount of time after his failed evacuation attempt, and the Colonel that Walker has been in contact with during the game is actually a traumatic hallucination that none of his team witnessed, existing only within his subconsciousness.

   This mental projection of Konrad appears to Walker, explaining that Walker knew he had the chance of stopping but pushed ahead out of a desire to be something that he isn't: a hero. To maintain his 'sanity' after the white phosphorus strike and rationalize the actions he (and the player) carried out, Walker distorted many subsequent events of the game to make Konrad look responsible. Had Delta immediately left Dubai at the beginning of the game, each subsequent event may have turned out for the better. With his fantasy coming to an end now that the truth is directly in front of him, 'Konrad' forces Walker, at gunpoint, to decide once and for all whether he is to blame for his actions in Dubai.

3. #3Weapons

   Keys: Submachine Guns, Incindary weapons, guns, Assault Rifles, Heavy Machine Guns, Weapons, Sniper Rifles, Launchers, Explosives, Handguns, Light Machine Guns, rifle

   Weapons that can be found across Dubai, some are rarer than others.

   Assault Rifles: AK-47, AKS-74U, M4A1, TAR-21, FAMAS, OTS-14, SCAR-H, HK 417, Steyr AUG

   Submachine Guns: UMP 45, Micro Uzi 9mm, P90, Vector SMG, MP7

   Shotguns: M1014 Benelli, AA-12, W1300, Mossberg 590

   Light Machine Guns: M249 SAW

   Handguns: M9 Beretta, Desert Eagle, .44 Magnum, Glock 18, P220, FNP-45

   Sniper Rifles: Steyr Tactical Elite, MSG 90, M110, Barrett M-99 Anti-materiel rifle

   Launchers: RPG-7, FN MK 13, M32 MGL, M120 Mortar

   Heavy Machine Guns: Browning M2A2, GE M134 Minigun, M2E2HMG

   Explosives: C4, Flash Bang, Frag Grenade, Proximity Mine, Sticky Grenade

   Incindary weapons: Flamethrower, White Phosphorus grenades

4. #433rd Infantry

   Keys: ennemy, thirty third, 33rd Infantry, traitors, victim, soldiers

   The 33rd Infantry Battalion was a large combat unit of the United States Army led by Colonel John Konrad in Dubai.

   Status: Rogue

   Leader: Colonel John Konrad

   Robert Darden

   Size 982+ Men

   Affiliations: US Army

   Specialized Unit: Heavy Trooper, Bayonet Runner, Zulu Squad

   Deployment in Dubai: Following the completion of their tour in Afghanistan, the entire 33rd Infantry Battalion was volunteered by Colonel Konrad to assist in the evacuation of Dubai following the most catastrophic sandstorm in the city's history. Despite initial attempts to evacuate the refugees, the intense sandstorms across the city rendered their efforts moot. With the situation continuing to deteriorate with little relief in sight, the 33rd were ordered by US Central Command to withdraw from the city regardless of the evacuation progress. As their desperate pleas for assistance fell on deaf ears amongst CENTCOM, the 33rd disobeyed their direct orders and opted to remain in the city to continue assisting trapped civilians unable to evacuate in time. Their refusal to evacuate led to the United States military disavowing the entire unit, and a no-man's land was declared by the UAE government. With all evacuation routes leading out of Dubai closed and communications with the outside world cut off following the arrival of the storm wall, unrest began spreading throughout the civilian refugees. As the city's already-limited resources were stretched to the breaking point, the 33rd instituted martial law out of desperation and quickly began brutally cracking down on dissent from the local populace. The atrocities committed by the 33rd led to a major schism within the battalion, as two major factions were formed: loyalists led by Konrad were referred to as "The Damned," whereas rebels led by the majority of the battalion's command staff were referred to as "The Exiles." As open conflict broke out between "The Damned" and "The Exiles" across the city, Konrad's loyalists frequently gained the upper hand in the conflict, despite the refugees' support for "The Exiles." Ultimately, the sheer numerical might of "The Damned" overwhelmed "The Exiles" and resulted in the execution of the remaining mutineers at Konrad's direction. Their corpses were displayed as a warning amongst the refugees against further acts of insurrection. Following the end of the civil war, Konrad led one final desperate attempt to evacuate the city and led a convoy out of the city. However, the arrival of further devastating sandstorms overwhelmed the convoy and led to the deaths of over 1,300 refugees and soldiers. The failure of the convoy led to the survivors making their way back to the city, as tensions between the surviving 33rd and refugees grew drastically. Prior to their defeat, certain segments within the refugees were armed and trained by "The Exiles," and they led a sporadic local insurgency against the 33rd. As the insurgency reached its peak, the 33rd successfully negotiated a ceasefire between the two groups, leading to an increasingly tense situation. Further compounding the tense atmosphere was the covert insertion of a CIA team sent to investigate and potentially cover up the actions of the 33rd. Roughly five and a half months following the failure of the convoy, Konrad made one final broadcast recounting his failure to evacuate the city, which was eventually received by US Central Command. Following this, Konrad became overwhelmed with guilt and committed suicide, leaving command of the 33rd to its embedded civilian radioman, Robert Darden. Seeking answers, US Central Command covertly deployed a Delta Force recon team, led by Captain Martin Walker, a former soldier under Konrad's command. Concurrently, the CIA agents realized the potential geopolitical implications should the outside world discover the atrocities committed by the 33rd. Thus, a plan was formed to reinstigate the conflict between the refugee insurgents and the remnants of the 33rd. By the time Walker's team arrived in Dubai, the conflict between the 33rd and the insurgents had exploded full-swing into open conflict, and the 33rd found itself reverting to utilizing harsher methods in an effort to rein in further chaos.

   Present: By the time Captain Walker and his team reach Dubai, the Civil War has essentially been over, with "The Exiles" having been crushed by "The Damned." Re-focusing their attention on Dubai, the 33rd discover CIA operatives deployed into the country in the hopes of re-igniting tensions between the locals and the 33rd and essentially wiping out all survivors of the disaster. Their attempts prove successful, as tensions are pushed to the breaking point, which escalates into a full-blown war, breaking the cease-fire. Between the fight against the insurgency and the Deltas, who were forced to join the CIA agents, all the remaining 33rd are annihilated. Though they managed to kill two of the Deltas, when Captain Walker reached the Tower, all surviving soldiers apparently submitted to his orders, but in fact it was a simple hallucination, as he really was alone.

   Known Units: 33rd Dispatch, Alpha Patrol, Callsign Sheltron, Zulu Squad

   Known Members: Lieutenant Colonel John Konrad

   Robert "Radioman" Darden

   First Lieutenant John McPherson

   Lieutenant Bradley

   First Sergeant L.S. Harris

   Staff Sergeant Josh Forbes

   Sergeant O'Neill

   Private First Class Pete Gobbi

   Private Wilson Benson Crosby

   Creasman, David Long

   Garry Jeff Bowles Ken Tebby

   MartzenMuler Peter Hoffman

   Pineda Randolf Dossler

   Known Equipment: As a U.S. infantry battalion, the 33rd had access to standard military equipment. But because they were stranded in a hostile environment for so long, some of this valued equipment was lost, forcing them to scavenge for additional firearms. Most soldiers wear standard ACUs, with the notable exception of the Zulu Squad, which wears stronger armor. Many, if not most, of the battalion's vehicles had been lost either to hostile fire, being buried in sand, lack of fuel, or lack of practical use in the unstable, sandy environment. Weapons used by the 33rd Infantry:

   The term on the right denotes how commonly the weapon is encountered in the hands of the 33rd.

   HK 417 - rare

   AA-12—extremely rare

   AK47 - extremely common

   FAMAS—uncommon (for elite units)

   Barrett M-99 Anti-materiel rifle - only one

   M1014—uncommon, but common later on (replaces W1300)

   M120 Mortar—extremely rare M249 SAW—common (used by heavy troopers and elite members only)

   M4A1—extremely common (standard assault rifle)

   M9 Beretta - uncommon (only used as a last resort)

   Micro 9mm—extremely rare (can be found on Bayonet Runners)

   P90—very common (used by Zulu Squad members)

   SCAR-H - common late game Scout Tactical - common (standard sniper rifle)

   UMP 45—extremely common (standard SMG)

   W1300—very common (standard shotgun for lower-ranking troops; later becomes uncommon as a better alternative is available)

   RPG-7—very rare

   Vehicles:

   AH-6J Little Bird

   MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator

   HMMWV

   Stryker

   Trivia: Konrad had all of his staff killed due to their mutiny; it is unknown who led the 33rd after their executions and Konrad's suicide, but given the Radioman's role, it is possible he took over because he is heard giving orders to the 33rd. Despite the above point, a soldier can be heard addressing a major. It should be noted that Walker said that the 33rd was no longer acting as part of the U.S. Army; it's possible the major in question was an officer that remained loyal to Konrad or was promoted after the staff was executed. The 33rd was the U.S. Army's most decorated battalion. Some soldiers listed in the 33rd's memorials are ranked as airman first class. They may have been part of a Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) embedded with the 33rd to coordinate air support. The 33rd has a total of more than 982 soldiers. The use of the maroon beret by some Bayonet Runners of the 33rd suggests that the unit is an airborne unit or was in the unit's past. The unit's use of MH-60L Direct Action Penetrators and AH-6J Little Birds implies that the unit is an air assault. So similar to the real-world 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), the 33rd was formerly an airborne unit that became an air assault unit but kept the maroon beret for historical reasons. The use of Strykers by the unit is irregular for U.S. Army infantry battalions. Strykers are typically used in Stryker Brigade Combat Teams or Cavalry Regiments. It is possible that a Stryker unit was attached to the 33rd to assist with the evacuation. The AH-6J Little Birds and MH-60L Direct Action Penetrators are used only by the U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne); this implies that the unit was attached to assist in the evacuation.

5. #5Zulu Squad

   Keys: Zulu, ennemy, elite, Zulu Squad, soldier

   The Zulu Squad is the 33rd Infantry's elite fighting force.

   Overview: Zulu Squad is equipped with heavy body armor and plate carriers, allowing them to absorb more damage than 33rd Infantry soldiers. They can be easily distinguished by their black and orange white armor, mixed with white spray-painted skeleton iconography.

   Being the only 33rd unit that communicates in combat by radio and is the most skilled, Zulu Squad soldiers are much more calm and collected (issuing simple orders like "Flank them", "Eyes on target", "Eyes wide", etc) instead of shouting, but are much more recognizable.

   First seen when Riggs is picking the door lock of the Aquatic Colosseum, they become more prominent in the later stages of the campaign and eventually make up a large chunk of enemies.

   According to Riggs' description, the 33rd are "the 33rd's final solution to any and all of life's problems". It is also implied that Zulu Squad operates the Damned 33rd's air fleet, as a Zulu Squad soldier is seen flying Freebird (an AH-6J Little Bird) and many other helicopters.

   Weaponry: Many are equipped with P90 submachine guns, but they can be found with other elite weapons later in the game such as M1014 Benellis, SCAR-Hs, Barrett M-99 Anti-materiel rifle, Desert Eagle, Micro Uzi 9mm, M249 SAWs, FAMAS and AA-12s

   Known Units: Zulu 1, Zulu 2

6. #6John Konrad

   Keys: John Konrad, Colonel

   Lieutenant Colonel John Konrad is the commander of the 33rd Infantry Battalion and apparent main antagonist.

   John Konrad

   Title: Lieutenant Colonel

   Gender: Male

   Faction: United States Army, 33rd Battalion

   Status: Deceased

   Biography:

   Life before the Storm:

   Little is known about Konrad's past, but he had a wife named Elizabeth and a son named Jeremy. He was a decorated military commander, often compared with General Patton. He led the 33rd Battalion in Afghanistan and was accompanied by Robert Darden, a reporter who became the Radioman in Dubai. During a battle in Afghanistan, Walker was rescued by Konrad, leading to Walker having a lot of respect for him.

   However, the U.S. operations in Afghanistan began to fail, which distressed the commander's psyche, worsening his PTSD and failing mental health.

   The Storm Incident:

   When the storm hit Dubai and stranded the immigrant population in the city, Konrad and the 33rd volunteered to assist in the evacuation and depart from Afghanistan. Both the Red Cross and the U.S. Government had abandoned Dubai as the sandstorm got worse, with Konrad being ordered to abandon the city as well. However, as a way to regain his hero status, he defied the order and ordered the 33rd to stay within Dubai to keep the peace.

   Konrad's attempt to evacuate Dubai from the sandstorm ended in catastrophic failure, with 1300 civilians dying in the journey; this forced the 33rd to stay within the city. They soon began martial law, of which resources like water became restricted, making the civilians angrier. The martial rule became harsh with the executions of people who attempted to steal water. Konrad slowly began to hate the United States, with him ordering a U.S. flag to have its stars covered in black paint.

   Soon, Konrad's inner circle deserted him and became the Exiles, instigating a civil war between the Loyalists and the Exiles. The Damned won the civil war, and Konrad brutally executed his enemies with white phosphorus burning of the inner circle. The stay had entangled Konrad's mind and made him more reclusive.

   125 days/4 months after the storm, Konrad wrote a confession letter that he deserted his unit in Dubai and only he should be blamed for this. Due to the warped reality of Walker, it is really unknown whether he is still alive or he genuinely committed suicide. Considering the words of Forbes and Radioman, it is implied that Konrad did die and committed suicide.

   6 months after the storm, Konrad's radio message is heard, and Delta Force is sent to scout Dubai for any survivors.

   Delta Attempted Scouting and Destruction:

   Konrad first appears where he goes through what seems to be a normal life in a Burj Khalifa flat.

   He is constantly mentioned by Walker as he is asking 33rd members for Konrad's status. After a brief skirmish with the 33rd in the Nest, Walker led his team to dive deep into Dubai in an attempt to search for Konrad as a way to stop the 33rd's rogue actions.

   Konrad is first heard through a radio when Delta Squad investigates the burnt corpses of the Command Team, justifying his brutal actions and clarifying that Konrad is in control of the 33rd. He is heard shortly when Delta Squad proceeds forward to a highway where two men are facing execution by snipers. Konrad tests Walker for his actions.

   If Walker shoots the soldier, Konrad is surprised but appreciates the action and thinks that Walker would fit in the wasteland. If Walker shoots the civilian, Konrad agrees with Walker's action. If Walker defied Konrad by attacking the snipers or freeing the prisoners, Konrad felt disappointed in Walker's actions. He can be heard once more during the ambush. If he complies with Konrad's orders, Walker attempts to convince Konrad to stand down the 33rd, but he refuses as vengeance for the white phosphorus bombing at the Gate.

   Konrad is heard once more in the Aquatic Colosseum, where he warned Walker that Riggs wants to destroy the water supply in order to wipe out the survivors to cover up Konrad's crimes. As Riggs and Delta Squad capture the water trucks, Konrad warns Walker of the consequences and apparently sends the 33rd forces to intercept the trucks. He reappears as a hallucination when Konrad berates Walker for his actions.

   Konrad is heard again later, where he warns Walker that evacuation is near impossible and he is just damning all of the people. He becomes angry after Walker made the evacuation announcement that he's risking people's lives as he did and assumed he broke contact.

   Konrad began to appear to Walker more hallucinatory than ever, with Konrad showing Walker the true consequences of his crimes and that he is the true danger. He then appears to welcome Walker to Hell after the white phosphorus bombing in the Mariana. He is heard again to taunt Walker for his failures and noted the similarities between the two.

   As Walker approached Konrad at the balcony in the penthouse, he asked Walker whether he was crazy, which Walker hoped he was. Konrad replied that he was still sane. He is finally seen painting an event of the white phosphorus bombing at the Gate, reminding Walker of his crime. As Walker approaches Konrad at the end of the balcony, he is found as a rotting corpse who had committed suicide. Konrad revealed himself to be Walker's hallucination as a way to cope and justify his action at the Gate and remind Walker of his crimes and the true purpose of the events: to feel like a hero.

   Konrad soon tells Walker for things to end, with Konrad pulling a pistol at Walker. Forcing Walker to either shoot Konrad or let Konrad shoot him, ending in suicide. As Konrad counts down to 5, Walker begins to deny, blame, and beg for forgiveness before Walker takes action. Walker shoots Konrad, and Konrad reminds him that it takes a stronger man to deny and comforts Walker that he can still go home before finally disappearing.

   Trivia:

   Konrad saved Captain Walker's life during a combat mission in Kabul by dragging him half a mile to an evacuation flight. Once Walker talked about Kabul "before it all went bad," implying that some major offensive occurred around the time the 33rd withdrew.

   He had a wife named Elizabeth and a son named Jeremy, whom he writes to in two of the pieces of intel.

   His depicted awards in the introduction are, from left to right, a Congressional Medal of Honor, a Defense Superior Service Medal, a Legion of Merit, and a Soldier's Medal. The "fruit salad" ribbons on the right pocket of his jacket are a Presidential Unit Citation, Joint Meritorious Unit Award, Valorous Unit Award, and what appears to be an Army Superior Unit Award. The other side includes a Vietnam Service ribbon. The jacket itself is the older green service uniform.

   Konrad's descent into madness and grief over his failures and the atrocities he has committed is the same fate that eventually befalls Walker.

   After Walker chose to shoot "Konrad," he was later found by another team of US soldiers wearing the colonel's jacket filled with decorations, which can be seen as an allegory about his inner Konrad.

   In the last big hallucination, when Konrad finishes his painting, he asks Walker his feelings about it. The painting depicts the horror of civilians killed by the white phosphorus because of Delta's actions. Walker says, "You did this." Konrad replies, "No, you did." This is a reference to the famous Guernica painting, exhibited at the 1937 world exposition in Paris. A German officer asked Pablo Picasso if he did it, and the painter answered, "No, you did." The Spanish town of Guernica was bombed several months before by a German airstrike during the Spanish Civil War. It was the first time a city filled with innocent civilians was bombed for psychological effect, as there were no military objectives. Telling the German officer, "No, you did," was a way for Picasso to make him face the responsibility for this war crime.

7. #7Robert Darden (Radio man)

   Keys: Robert Darden, the Radioman

   Robert Darden, also known as the Radioman, is the secondary antagonist.

   Robert Darden

   Title: Leader

   Gender: Male

   Faction: 33rd Infantry

   Status: Deceased

   Biography:

   Darden was once a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine who focused primarily on "celebrity fluff pieces," but was eventually allowed by Konrad to be embedded with the 33rd Battalion. Darden was with the 33rd during the Afghanistan campaign and had a good relationship with Konrad in the process. He soon accompanied the 33rd from Afghanistan to Dubai to assist in the evacuation, where he soon recorded the past 6 months inside Dubai for the news piece.

   He soon discovered a major cover-up with the Dubai elites attempting to hinder evacuation so that they could save their own skin. He confronted one of the politicians who indirectly admitted to the cover-up and discovered foreign aid workers' corpses shot and burned. During the 6 months, he witnessed Konrad's martial rule and, although supportive, was still disturbed. He also interviewed 33rd soldiers and Konrad, although with the latter he secretly turned off the recording.

   According to the final recording, Darden was brokenhearted that Konrad committed suicide but happy to see people haven't given up yet. He decided to make a last-ditch effort to broadcast a distress signal. He was responsible for broadcasting the distress signal that led to Delta Force being sent to Dubai. While the intel itself is debatable, the physical evidence supports this fact, as the only person responsible for radio equipment is the Radioman and the 33rd soldier's fresh corpse meant that people had been there recently.

   While he is not a commander, he became the radioman for the derelict Dubai to both the 33rd and civilians, with speakers spreading all over the city.

   Events of the story:

   He is first heard in Assai News Dubai, where his song, Deep Purple—Hush, is played in the news station, and his broadcast of the truce between the 33rd and the CIA being broken is heard by Delta Force.

   Nevertheless, he was kept in good care by the 33rd for reasons that are not explicitly clear. It is possible that they believed he was an invaluable asset due to his monitoring of Dubai and informing the 33rd of trouble. It is also possible that after Konrad had his command staff executed, the Radioman was the closest thing he had to a second-in-command.

   Regardless, he effectively became the Damned 33rd's apparently only commanding officer and his eyes and ears in Dubai, tracking Delta Force since their arrival. He also taunted Delta Force as well as the CIA Grey Fox team about their failures and casualties.

   Walker eventually decides to assault the radioman's tower in order to use his equipment to order an evacuation. After fighting through the 33rd's guards, Delta confronts the Radioman, who remains nonchalant. After he tells Lugo how to use his equipment, Lugo shoots him twice in the chest and once in the head with his Beretta. Adams is furious with Lugo for being so brash, while Lugo feels that the Radioman kept the 33rd on their trail the whole time and would not allow them to walk away alive. Walker uses the Radioman's radio to send a message to Dubai and then destroys the radio station with the mounted gun of the MH-60L DAP.

   Trivia:

   Darden plays a variety of songs, many of them apparently references to songs of the Vietnam era and commonly heard in Vietnam War movies.

   His soundtrack includes Hush by Deep Purple, Verdi Dies Irae by Giuseppe Verdi, First Vietnamese War by The Black Angels, Nowhere to Run by Martha Reeves, and Bad Vibrations by The Black Angels.

   He is commonly referred to as "The Radioman."

   Darden is arguably the real main antagonist of the game, as it is revealed at the end that John Konrad died well before Walker and his squad entered Dubai.

   Darden even refused to convince the 33rd to stand down when Walker requested it over the radio and pointed out that the conflict was not working for either side.

8. #8Rick Gould

   Keys: CIA, agent, Rick Gould

   Agent Rick Gould is a CIA operative that appears in Dubai.

   Rick Gould

   Title: Agent

   Gender: Male

   Faction: CIA, Grey Fox

   Status: Deceased

   Biography:

   Gould is a member of Grey Fox, a covert team sent by the Central Intelligence Agency into Dubai to look for survivors. He is one of the leaders of the refugees, alongside other Grey Fox agents like Agent Daniels, Brian Castavin, and Jeff Riggs.

   Meeting Walker:

   First encountered in The Pit, Delta Squad comes across the corpse of Agent Thomas Daniels. To their surprise, it turns out to be a trap laid by the Damned 33rd for Gould (according to the Radioman). Noticing Walker and his men pinned down, Gould calls out to Walker and throws a smoke grenade to help, then tells them to run and flees himself.

   Gould originally intends to properly meet with the team of Delta Force operators and routes them through a nearby museum to the meeting point but is interrupted when the Radioman dispatches an attack helicopter to fire upon Delta, forcing them to flee instead.

   Storming the Gate

   In The Battle, Walker decides that Gould is their only reasonable way to get out of Dubai alive so that they can call in the evac team. Gould reconnects with them shortly afterward, telling Walker that there are rumors John Konrad is still alive and hiding out somewhere, but is interrupted by another helicopter attacking his position.

   Delta Squad soon makes it out into an overlook where they see Gould leading a group of insurgents against a group of the Damned 33rd, intending to make it to The Gate and capture the massive 33rd camp there, including rescuing civilians that had been taken from The Nest there. Before they can meet with him, a rocket strikes the helicopter and causes it to crash into a nearby building. The ensuing explosion lights the area on fire, and a smokescreen covers the area, preventing them from seeing where he went.

   Though the ensuing firefights between Gould's men and the 33rd are never directly seen, it is implied that they were outmatched by the Damned and took very heavy losses. With the last groups of looters being shelled by white phosphorus moments before Delta arrives, they find out that Gould has been taken captive by the 33rd and is being interrogated by Randolf Dossler for information about Jeff Riggs. Lugo tries to take the shot to save him but is stopped by Adams, who tells him to wait for his orders.

   Death

   If Delta tries to save Gould, a large shootout ensues, and Gould dies of the injuries he took during the sandboarding of his torture. If they choose to save the civilians instead, Dossler strangles Gould to death at the end of his interrogation.

   After the battle is over, Walker searches his body and finds his mapped plan to besiege the Gate. Not knowing that he intends to launch a rescue mission and not a siege against the Gate, Delta Squad goes there to attack it on their own. This indirectly leads to the white phosphorus incident in The Gate, resulting in the deaths of 47 civilians inside the camp that Gould had originally intended to save.

   Gould later appears during Walker's nightmare after the helicopter crash. Gould responds to Walker telling the apparition of John McPherson, saying that Walker always had a choice but just fucked it up.

   Trivia:

   Gould is the most friendly and honest member of the CIA team, saving Delta Squad and regretting the civilian casualties that the 33rd forces him to witness. Additionally, he is vocally against Jeff Riggs' plan to destroy the water supply, telling Riggs that he is insane.

   Despite what he says in the hallucination, Gould will die no matter which option Walker takes when faced with how to handle his rescue.

   Gould genuinely believes that the founding and backing of the insurgency against the 33rd will allow them to turn the tide and save the city, including how he intends to rescue civilians from the 33rd that had been kidnapped from The Nest beforehand.

   Gould's death indirectly causes the white phosphorus incident and sets into motion Delta's descent into madness, as Walker misinterprets Gould's plans for The Gate and is unaware of the civilians present inside the camp.

9. #9Jeff Riggs

   Keys: company man, CIA, agent, Jeff Riggs

   Agent Jeff Riggs is the tertiary antagonist and part of the CIA team Grey Fox alongside Rick Gould, Brian Castavin, and Thomas Daniels. They were sent into Dubai to discover what happened there after the sandstorm crisis.

   Name: Jeff Riggs

   Title: Agent

   Gender: Male

   Faction: CIA, Grey Fox

   Status: Deceased

   When Walker goes to rescue him, he tells him about a plan to steal water from the 33rd, but once the plan goes wrong, he purposefully crashes the trucks. Martin Walker will take his .44 Magnum off the ground, and the player has the option of either killing him or allowing him to burn to death when the wrecked truck's burning fuel engulfs him.

   Riggs wanted to destroy the water supply from the Aquatic Colosseum to kill off the population of Dubai in order to cover up the actions of John Konrad and the 33rd to avoid an unwinnable war between the Middle East and the United States. Whether or not this hypothetical scenario was merely a delusion of Riggs' is unclear.

   Along with Gould, he is one of the figures seen in Walker's hallucination after the helicopter crash, taunting him as he tries to justify his actions. In the last chapter of the story, he is seen in the flashback accounting Walker's journey through Dubai.

10. #10Brian Castavin

    Keys: CIA, agent, Brian Castavin

    Brian Castavin Title: Agent Gender: Male Faction: CIA, Grey Fox Status: Deceased

    Brian Castavin is the quaternary antagonist in Spec Ops: The Line.

    He is one of the members of Grey Fox, alongside Gould, Riggs, and Daniels.

    He is first seen in the nest chastising one of the refugees for their use of C4 in the weakened building. He is later seen interrogating John McPherson, who takes advantage of a momentary distraction by Walker to turn his own gun on him and kill him.

    He seems to be the more serious member of the team, based on his aggressive behavior. He is also the only member that is hostile towards Walker and his team, unlike Gould and Riggs.

11. #11Thomas Daniels

    Keys: Thomas Daniels

    Agent Thomas Daniels is a CIA operative and minor character in the story.

    Thomas Daniels

    Title: Agent

    Gender: Male

    Faction: CIA, Grey Fox

    Status: Deceased

    Biography:

    Not much is known about Daniel's past, but he was part of Grey Fox, which was sent into Dubai to investigate survivors. His movements are unknown except that he was supposed to leave Dubai in order to report Dubai status. However, it is likely that he was captured while leaving Dubai.

    After his capture, he was tortured by the interrogator for more information on Grey Fox and its mission. He died from the torture and burned with white phosphorus. His corpse and the torture recordings were used to attract any CIA agents, especially Agent Gould.

    The torture broadcast is overheard by Delta Team, and they proceed to head deeper into Dubai to get in contact with the CIA team in order to know Konrad's status. His corpse is later discovered by Delta Team, and the microphone is removed from his phone.

    Trivia:

    Despite being an agent, his interrogator refers to Daniels as a "Lieutenant," suggesting he was once in the US Forces.

12. #12CIA

    Keys: the company, CIA

    The Central Intelligence Agency, or CIA, is an independent civilian intelligence agency of the United States of America. It is an executive agency that reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence.

    The CIA is featured in Dubai as the field squad "Grey Fox" sent to look for survivors in Dubai but ended up being destroyed by the 33rd and Delta Force.

    Known Members: Brian Castavin, Jeff Riggs, Rick Gould, Thomas Daniels, Doctor Miller

13. #13Grey Fox

    Keys: CIA, Grey Fox

    Grey Fox is a CIA squad that appears in Spec Ops: The Line. Its role initially was antagonistic before turning to supportive when Delta Squad was hostile towards the 33rd Battalion.

    Gray Fox informations: Status: Destroyed Leader: Jeff Riggs Size: 4 men Affiliations: CIA

    History: Not much is known about the team history, but the CIA sent the Grey Fox team in order to investigate any survivors in the Dubai wasteland. It is unknown exactly when they were sent in the 6-month period, but it is likely to be after the 33rd Civil War, where the Exiles are defeated.

    Grey Fox managed to investigate the status of Dubai under the 33rd management. They sent Daniels out of Dubai to report any findings and receive further instructions. However, Grey Fox had ulterior motives: they destroyed the water supply in order to kill the city from dehydration. All of this is in order to cover up Konrad's crimes in Dubai, which would instigate a huge war in the Middle East with the US likely defeated. However, it is unknown whether the cover-up plan was actually from the CIA or Riggs acting rogue. Considering that Daniels was captured before exiting Dubai and Gould objected to Riggs' plan, it may be the latter.

    During the period before the game and Grey Fox entry, Daniels was captured and tortured to death, leaving his burnt corpse to trap any CIA agent coming to his rescue. Meanwhile, Grey Fox soon armed the angry civilians for them to fight against the 33rd martial rule, leading to another conflict in Dubai. The CIA soon establishes their base of operations in the Nest.

    There was a temporary truce between the 33rd and the insurgents, only to be broken by the time when Delta Squad responded to the transmission. The insurgents under Castavin's orders attacked Alpha Patrol and captured its leader, Lt. McPherson, in order to interrogate him on the security in the Aquarium Colosseum. The interrogation is interrupted by Delta Squad, which costs Castavin his life. The 33rd attacked the Nest and captured around 30-40 civilians but sustained huge casualties in the operation.

    Unit Members: Jeff Riggs (leader, killed) Brian Castavin (killed) Thomas Daniels (killed) Rick Gould (deceased)

    Trivia: Gray Fox was the codename used by the US Army Intelligence Support Activity at the beginning of the war in Afghanistan.

14. #14Falcon One

    Keys: Falcon One, U.S. marines

    Falcon One is the callsign of a United States Marine Corps unit sent to investigate the aftermath of Captain Martin Walker's botched investigation in Dubai.

    Falcon One

    Falcon 1 Patch

    Status: Active

    Leader: Sergeant Roberts

    Affiliations: USMC

    History:

    Following Walker's confrontation with his hallucination of the deceased John Konrad, Falcon One was deployed into the burning Dubai upon receiving Walker's radio transmission. Led by Sergeant Roberts, three squads from the unit traversed through the ruins of the city and witnessed the aftermath of the carnage that resulted from the conflict between Walker's Team, the CIA, and the 33rd. As they made their way through the disturbingly empty ruins, the unit split in two, with one squad continuing to explore the desolate ruins as the remainder of the unit continued their way to the Dubai Seaside Tower.

    When they arrived, the unit dismounted their Humvees upon locating a shell-shocked Walker at the base of the tower. Cautiously setting up positions, Roberts carefully approached the traumatized captain. Despite urging from his men on Walker's mental state, Roberts insisted on approaching Walker and calmly requested the traumatized captain to hand over his weapon.

    As this occurs, Walker is given three options as to what happens next.

    1. Should Walker peacefully lay down his weapon, he will leave Dubai with Falcon One. In the drive out of the city, Roberts remarks on the destruction of the city, questioning how Walker survived the carnage. Walker simply responds, "Who said I did?" However, it is strongly implied that the conversation between the duo was Walker's final hallucination of the game.

    2. Alternatively, should Walker open fire on Falcon One, reinforcements arrive at the Seaside Tower; however, Walker is gunned down. As he lies dying, he remembers a past conversation he had with John Konrad in which he asked what it would be like to return home after the war. Konrad tells him that men like them can never truly go home and must carry the weight of their actions until the day they die. As Walker finally succumbs to his wounds, the surviving soldiers of Falcon One simply observe him as he dies.

    3. Lastly, if Walker manages to kill the initial recovery team, including reinforcements from the rest of Falcon One, Walker will approach a dying soldier before seizing his radio and communicating to U.S. Central Command, hauntingly welcoming them to Dubai over the now clear airwaves. Walker will then walk back into the remains of Dubai as he prepares for the inevitable arrival of further U.S. forces into No Man's Land.

    The Humvees that Falcon One drives are in woodland camouflage, which is different from the otherwise desert camouflage Humvees seen used by the 33rd, and only use M4A1 rifles.

15. #15Delta Force

    Keys: Delta Force, Delta team

    Delta Force, also known as the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D) and Combat Applications Group (CAG), is the United States Army's secretive Tier One special mission unit, specializing in counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, direct action, and special reconnaissance, often against high-value targets.

    Captain Martin Walker and his squad are the only three Delta Force operators appearing in Dubai. They are tasked with finding Colonel John Konrad and what's left of the 33rd Battalion in the deserted sandstorm-engulfed city of Dubai.

    Notable Members:

    Captain Martin Walker

    First Lieutenant Alphanso Adams

    Staff Sergeant John Lugo

    Known squad equipment: M249 SAW, M4A1, M9 Beretta, Scout Tactical, M1014 Benelli, TAR-21

16. #16The Damned

    Keys: The Damned, soldiers

    The Damned are the loyalist faction. They are composed of soldiers of the 33rd Infantry who remained loyal to Colonel Konrad during the crisis in Dubai. They have an overall "psychotic" appearance, as opposed to The Exiles, who have a more professional and militaristic look.

    The Damned have access to the Scavenger class witch act like a sapper, which is better at repairing Vital Points, take less explosive damage, and their explosives have an increased radius.

    The Damned enjoy faction bonuses that aided them in ways that allow for a slightly more covert approach to combat. For starters, they benefit from a slight increase in ranged weapon effectiveness. This bonus gives just enough of an edge to their Snipers and those in long-range standoffs to tilt the balance in their favor, assuming all else is equal. They have a reduction to fall damage, which enables them to drop off nearly any ledge without fear of dying (falling off a bridge on Crow’s Nest is still fatal, as there is effectively no bottom to land on). Whereas The Exiles are encouraged to carry a pistol as a secondary weapon, those playing as The Damned may want to consider equipping a sniper rifle alongside their standard assault rifle or shotgun even when not a Sniper so as to take advantage of the slight increase in weapon range effectiveness.

    Trivia: The Damned prior to Delta's arrival have a strong visual difference from their counterparts months later.

17. #17The Exiles

    Keys: The Exiles, soldiers

    The Exiles are the mutineers faction. They are composed of renegade soldiers of the 33rd Infantry who have rebelled against Colonel Konrad's orders during the crisis in Dubai.

    They have an overall more professional appearance than The Damned, which have a more rag-tag appearance.

    The Exiles have access to the Breacher class which act like an explosife specialist, which deals more damage with explosives and can carry double the amount of them.

    The Exiles’ faction bonuses aid them in moving quickly across the map and close-range combat. The damage reduction offered while on zip-lines and fast ropes is particularly useful on places like Crow’s Nest and Extinction that feature numerous zip-lines.

    Trivia: The leaders of The Exiles were Konrad's command team, which started a mutiny after the failed extraction mission. Originally, The Exiles were known as the Spec Ops.

18. #18Bayonet Runner

    Keys: Crazy, Elite, Bayonet Runner, Ennemy, soldier

    Bayonet Runners are a type of enemy.

    They are the fastest soldiers in the 33rd and are capable of dodging weapons fire. However, they never take cover and have little armor and are thus easily dispatched if spotted in time. They are equipped with a bayonet and will attempt to charge straight at their enemies.

    Trivia:

    They will never use a gun even if one is easily accessible to them; it is probable that they are insane as a result of the events in Dubai. Lugo even refers to one of them as a "crazy fucker with a knife."

    Despite their aversion to guns, they carry a Micro Uzi 9mm, which they drop upon death.

    When they are killed, they will drop and swing their bayonet in a desperate last-effort attack.

    They cannot be knocked down by melee attacks, similar to the Heavy Trooper.

    Unlike other 33rd soldiers, they will still charge the player when hit with a sticky grenade, making them a potentially explosive hazard.

    When hit with a melee attack, they will be knocked back a short distance; before attempting to attack again, they must be hit like normal enemies twice with a melee attack before being knocked down and executed.

19. #19Heavy Trooper

    Keys: Elite, Heavy, Ennemy, soldier, Heavy Trooper

    The Heavy Trooper is a type of enemy soldier that appears on rare occasions and in big fights.

    Background:

    They are heavy assault soldiers of the 33rd Infantry that wear a menacing balaclava and large jury-rigged black armor cannibalized from ballistic and armor plates on an EOD suit, which is designed to resist explosions. They are typically equipped with an M249 SAW light machine gun, but the best of them use AA-12 automatic shotguns, which makes them among the 33rd Infantry's heavy hitters.

    Strategy

    Fighting them head-on is ill-advised, as they can easily withstand high amounts of damage while also dealing out high damage themselves.

    The best way to kill them is to take advantage of their slow speed and inability to take cover, such as by pelting them with grenades, using blind fire, or concentrating fire on them via squad commands. They can also be blinded by sand, like every 33rd soldier, blocking their view. Their main weak spot is obviously the head, but it will take several shots to remove the armor covering their face before being taken out with sustained fire.

    Heavy Troopers also have a long reload time with their M249 SAW, and as such, that is when they are most vulnerable. Their slow speed also makes them a prime target for sticky grenades.

    Trivia

    The Heavy Trooper wears an "Ulbrichts Witwe Zenturio 05," one of many German helmets in use by the GSG 9. As to why the Heavy Trooper may be wearing this, it is unknown, but it is possible that they seized it from local police forces.

    Heavy Troopers can take the most damage before dying out of all the human enemies encountered in the entire campaign.

    Like Bayonet Runners, these soldiers cannot be knocked to the ground by melee thanks to their weight and size and will punch back harder.

    All Heavy Troopers are possibly officers, as they can be heard ordering their fire teams (or other nearby soldiers) to give them covering fire. However, it is possible that due to their vulnerability as a result of their slow speed and inability to take cover, the 33rd simply has regular soldiers provide cover fire on request.

    They also appear to have a high-caliber pistol on a makeshift holster taped to their right leg; however, they are never seen using the pistol except in emergencies.

    The suit of armor worn by Heavy Troopers appears to consist mostly of riot gear with armor plates and steel taped to it, which makes them extremely hard to kill, and only concentrated fire or direct impact with high explosive munitions can wear it down.

    All heavy troopers are around 6 feet 4 inches to 6 feet 10 inches, making them easier to spot and a massive target.

20. #20Flamer

    Keys: , Flame trooper, Flamer, ennemy

    The Flamer is an enemy that, as the name suggests, uses the Flamethrower weapon.

    It is rarer than the Heavy Trooper.

    Description: The Flamer is a 33rd soldier donning an olive green EOD suit, with armor added onto the suit afterwards. He also has a yellow visor with a crack across it and has tanks on the back that are connected to the flamethrower by a hose. Another hose connected to the helmet is taped to the back of it, suggesting the suit was outfitted with a self-contained breathing apparatus so the Flamer doesn't asphyxiate himself.

    Close-quarter fighting will result in immediate incineration by its main weapon.

    Shooting the fuel canister in its back will trigger a massive explosion and burn both friend and foe caught in the radius.

21. #21Refugees

    Keys: civilians, Refugees, insurgent

    Refugees

    Status: Dying

    Leader: Grey Fox, Fari

    The Emirati Refugees are a group of survivors of the Dubai sandstorm led and armed by the CIA squad, Grey Fox. Before Delta Squad arrived in Dubai, the 33rd and the refugees had agreed to a ceasefire, but the refugees later called it off. At first they were hostile to both the 33rd Infantry and Walker's team, but after it was confirmed that Walker's squad was also against the 33rd, they became friendly.

    CIA agents Gould and Riggs mainly used them as a distraction against the Damned 33rd while Riggs tried to eliminate the evidence of Konrad's actions within the city.

    They appear to be composed not only of Emirati citizens but also of other nationals.

    Known Equipment:

    Due to the irregular nature of the refugees, they lack any sort of common uniform. Most of their equipment is either captured military gear from the 33rd or repurposed items, such as water bottles strapped to their legs with tape for a canteen or handcuffs used to hold on pistol holsters. They seem to wear whatever they can get their hands on, from dockworker's jumpsuits to dress shirts and ties.

    Weapons

    417 (rare, only marksmen use it)

    AK-47 (common, standard assault rifle)

    Micro Uzi 9mm

    W1300 (restricted to shotgunners)

    M9 Beretta (uncommon)

    RPG-7 (very rare)

22. #22Dubai

    Keys: Dubai

    Dubai is the capital city of the emirate of the same name within the United Arab Emirates and the main setting of the story.

    History:

    Before the Storm:

    Not much is known about Dubai, but it can be safely assumed that the history of Dubai in the Spec Ops world is the same as in the real world. However, there are key differences between the game world and the real world. There were several buildings, such as The Gate, present in the game world, while in the real world, they do not exist. The biggest difference, however, is Dubai's coastline, which developed far differently than our own, with many more palm islands being created, to the point that a very large one was partially carved into the coastline itself.

    6 months before the present events, a devastating sandstorm hits Dubai, which results in the city being buried in sand and massive casualties among the population. Based on the Radioman's tapes, the wealthy elite of Dubai, including the expats, secretly evacuated Dubai 2 days before the storm hit the news, effectively leaving the rest of the population behind to die in the sandstorm. Worse off, the elite have been executing foreign aid workers in order to cover the evacuation and using the media to lie to the population about the possibility of evacuation.

    The fate of the other Emirates cities is unknown, but considering how close they are to Dubai, it is possible that Ajman and Sharjah also suffered from the storm.

    During the Storm:

    This results in the surviving citizens becoming refugees. Soon, the 33rd Infantry Battalion of the US Army, led by Colonel John Konrad, volunteered to evacuate the trapped refugees in Dubai. However, the worsening sandstorm trapped the 33rd instead, with high command ordering the battalion to abandon the city. However, the Colonel disobeyed the command orders and remained in Dubai to evacuate the refugees, which led to the 33rd being considered deserters and traitors to the world.

    During the next six months, the entrapment led the 33rd to establish martial law over the refugees in order to ration their supplies in the dying city. This led to tensions between the military and the civilians as the 33rd carried out a brutal punishment for the lawbreakers. It was made worse when a CIA unit, Grey Fox, infiltrated Dubai to search for survivors before switching the objective to killing them in order to cover up the 33rd cruel rule, which led the refugees to become insurgents and fight against the 33rd in the process.

    The martial law also led to the rest of the 33rd command questioning Konrad's ability to lead and staging a mutiny against Konrad. However, this ultimately failed, and Konrad burned his command team with white phosphorus. Soon, Konrad decided to stage a last attempt to evacuate Dubai, but it ended in a massive failure with nearly 1,300 civilians dead. The whole event had led Konrad to commit suicide; for all the events that happened in Dubai and the crimes he committed, he wrote a confession letter to absolve his men's deeds, a final order to the 33rd, and an apology letter to his son. After that, the whole of Dubai is in a mess, with the 33rd and the refugees having an uneasy truce.

    Six months later, Captain Martin Walker's team, consisting of himself, Sergeant John Lugo, and Lieutenant Alphanso Adams, is sent into Dubai after the catastrophic sandstorm in order to recon and locate survivors. However, after a skirmish with the refugees and the 33rd, Walker decides to locate Konrad instead, which leads to further insanity for him and his team. Walker's team's actions, with the Grey Fox unit, had damned the trapped people by destroying the water supply and the radio station and crippling the 33rd in the process.

    The fate of Dubai is grim after these events, as the city's water supply can only last 4 days, and without any effective communication beyond the storm wall, the rest of the survivors would die in the process, helping to cover up the history of Dubai during the sandstorm.

23. #23The Gate

    Keys: location, The Gate, place

    The Gate is a compound and set of buildings featured in Chapter 8 of Spec Ops: The Line. Utilized by the 33rd Infantry as a "gate" into their territory, it is of high importance to them, featuring a large garrison and a high concentration of vehicles, such as Humvees and Strykers.

    Background:

    Before the sandstorms ravaged Dubai, the Gate was known as the Naeemah Center (though it was also referred to as the "City Gate Project" in an advertisement in Dockside), constructed by U.E.tec Construction. According to banners hanging around the interior of the building, as well as the mall nearby, a symposium for solutions to natural problems was to be held there on August 20th by Dr. Riad T. Moha. Due to the sandstorms becoming worse, however, it is unlikely this event occurred.

    As the sandstorms grew worse, and the 33rd settled into their occupation, the Gate presented a sound tactical position for them: due to the sand piling up, many of the roads in Dubai were buried, leaving Sheikh Zayed Road uncovered due to a series of concrete barriers. The Gate provided a natural choke point, and because of this, the 33rd set about reinforcing it, stacking Hesco barriers, stringing barbed wire, laying anti-tank traps, and garrisoning a high number of soldiers to secure it.

    During Operation: Reclamation, it was also used as a position to hold and process civilians taken from The Nest.

    When Walker, Adams, and Lugo make their way through the Market Plaza, they come upon the entrance to the Gate from above. Adams quickly killed the guard, and they snuck up on the overlook. It is clear that there were a large number of people there; however, Delta mistakes them for 33rd soldiers rather than civilians. Adams and Walker decide to use the nearby M120 mortar to rain white phosphorus down on the compound, against Lugo's wishes. They fire down until everyone is dead or incapacitated. After walking through the compound and attempting to ignore the screams and moans of those they have killed, they meet a dying man who tells them that they were helping, and Delta realizes their error, having murdered 47 innocent people.

    From here on out, Walker's grief turns him into a more primal and aggressive soldier.

24. #24The Nest

    Keys: location, The Nest, place

    The Nest is the name given to a network of buildings, shelters, and tunnels spanning a large portion of Dubai. It serves as one of the major locations in Dubai.

    Description:

    It includes many buildings and yards both above and below surface level. It appears to primarily belong to the 33rd Infantry, although the refugees do have strongholds over some parts of it, and the CIA squad Grey Fox has infiltrated it, setting up their base of operations underneath a major refugee camp.

    It is broken up into four major parts, but its true extent is not known. They include:

    Assai News Dubai:

    A former news broadcasting building, repurposed into an outer lookout and strong point. This is the outermost section of the Nest and is the point where Delta Squad enters it.

    Sunken Hotel:

    A large, mostly buried hotel, located directly after the Assai News building. It contains large banquet halls, shopping areas, sitting areas, and courtyards. It seems to function as another layer of defense for the inner areas of the Nest, with Browning M2A2s having been set up in essential areas.

    Financial Center:

    Accessed by an elevator shaft from the hotel, the financial center serves as the first real living area within the Nest. A number of living areas have been set up where possible. However, since Grey Fox's infiltration into the complex, this has also become their safehouse and staging area, where they coordinate the refugees and plan their assault on the Gate.

    Oasis:

    Once a large shopping center, Oasis has been converted into the major living area of the Nest, with refugees even setting up a market to trade for what scant resources exist in Dubai. It is accessed from the Financial Center through several broken floors via rappel ropes.

    The Delta Squad first seeks out the Nest when the dying hostage tells them that Lieutenant John McPherson was taken there. Unfortunately, when Delta finally finds him, McPherson mistakes Captain Martin Walker and his team for CIA operatives, and this eventually leads to the 33rd mistakenly seeing Delta Squad as CIA and a threat. The map "Last Resort" takes place on the hotel.

25. #25Trans-Emirates Building

    Keys: location, Trans-Emirates Building, place

    The Trans-Emirates Building is a location reached in Dubai center. It is where the story's secondary antagonist, Radioman, is situated and where he makes all of his broadcasts from, as well as where he dies at the hands of Lugo. It appears as a very large tower, reaching far into the clouds of Dubai, and only the rooftop is ever explored. Curiously, there are many life-size figurines of people placed on the deck where the firefights take place, causing considerable danger to the player should they confuse them for actual soldiers.

    At its top is a smaller sun tower, which Radioman has made his comfortable residence. It is a large metal frame creating a dome, and much of it is merely glass. It is defended by large amounts of 33rd soldiers and is one of the main stops for helicopters in Dubai. Many solar panels and radio dishes adorn its surface, and the equipment inside is eventually jacked by Lugo.

    Walker and his team make their way across the rooftops and onto the top floor of the Trans-Emirates Building for the long-awaited confrontation with Radioman. They fight off hordes of 33rd soldiers and eventually climb their way to the sun tower at its peak, triggering a cutscene in which Lugo both kills Radioman and takes control of the broadcasting equipment. However, by the time they are ready to leave, more soldiers are dropping in, and Delta is forced to take siege of an enemy helicopter to escape. Walker uses the machine gun inside to completely demolish the sun tower, and the building is left behind.

    Trivia:

    The Trans-Emirates Building stands as the tallest reachable tower in Dubai. However, from its location and the subsequent helicopter fight over Dubai, one can catch a glimpse of the tallest tower in Dubai if one looks carefully. This is the Burj Khalifa, which is the tallest tower both in Dubai and in the world.

26. #26Assai News Dubai

    Keys: Assai News Dubai, location, place

    Assai News Dubai is a minor location in Dubai.

    Before the storm wall fell, it was one of the offices of the Assai News Dubai News Agency, one of Dubai's many news agencies. However, by the time Delta arrives, it has been repurposed as an outpost by the refugees. This is the first building in the complex called The Nest.

    Delta passes through this area at the beginning of the story, and it is full of grenade crates.

27. #27Sunken Hotel

    Keys: location, Sunken Hotel, place

    The Sunken Hotel is the unofficial name of a major location in Spec Ops: The Line.

    The hotel itself makes up a large portion of The Nest and spans over much of Dubai itself. It features prominently in the area, where a sandstorm actually buries part of it. Much of the hotel complex to speak of is already underground, although largely intact. It is a stronghold for the 33rd infantry until Delta Force arrives. Some areas have even been fully converted into military outposts.

    Delta had made their way through a portion of the hotel, the area that had just been buried. In doing so, they discover that the CIA is also in Dubai.

28. #28The Gorge

    Keys: location, The Gorge, place

    The Gorge is a major location in Dubai.

    Background:

    When the storm wall fell, much of Dubai was buried in sand, often to the tops of buildings, leaving the ground level buried under mountains of sand. However, in the Gorge's case, the tall nature of the buildings acted as a windbreak, allowing for a deep chasm to form between them. As the 33rd Infantry settled into their occupation of Dubai, they began to create a series of outposts around the Gorge, even going so far as to create an interrogation facility, Camp Truth, at the bottom of it.

    The Gorge is a prominent location; a lot of the story is taking place in and around it. Captain Walker and the rest of Delta Squad come to it while looking for Agent Daniels and, with the signal of his interrogation coming from the bottom of it, begin descending, using ziplines and rappel ropes to work their way down through the buildings, with Walker eventually becoming separated after falling to the bottom of the gorge.

    Once there, he has to defend himself against waves of 33rd soldiers until he can reconnect with the rest of his team and begin searching for Daniels. Eventually, they find Camp Truth, only to discover the grisly truth that Walker's suspicions about the 33rd going to war against itself are true and that Daniels has been deceased since the beginning.

29. #29United States of America

    Keys: United States of America

    The United States of America (commonly abbreviated as US or USA) is a country in North America.

    Background: Most, if not all, of the United States' history remains the same in the Spec Ops universe. However, the key point of divergence is when, at some point in the 21st Century, it begins withdrawing from Afghanistan. Due to the chaotic nature of the pull-out, John Konrad suffered a loss of face and, seeing a need to redeem himself, volunteered his entire battalion to help with the evacuation of Dubai, thus setting up the events for the story.

    At some point before, a 51st state, likely Puerto Rico, joined the United States, as can be seen on the flags hanging around Dubai.

    Military: The United States armed forces are broken up into three branches: the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force. Most of the factions within the seting belong to one branch of the armed forces, including the Army Rangers, the Green Berets, and Delta Force. Outside of these factions, the 33rd Infantry Battalion is a US Army battalion, while Falcon One is a Marine Corps task force sent to help evacuate Dubai.

30. #30US Army Green Berets

    Keys: US Army Green Berets

    The United States Army Special Forces, also known as the Green Berets because of their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force tasked with five primary missions: unconventional warfare (the original and most important mission of Special Forces), foreign internal defense, special reconnaissance, direct action and counter-terrorism. The first two emphasize language, cultural, and training skills in working with foreign troops.

31. #31US Army Rangers

    Keys: US Army Rangers

    The 75th Ranger Regiment (Airborne), also known as Rangers, is a Special Operations light elite infantry unit of the United States Army. It operates as a special operations force of the United States Army Special Operations Command (USASOC).

    Known Equipment: M249 SAW M16 M60 Grenades Ithaca 37 HKMP55D M203 BARRET M82A SSG M4 HKG11 AK-74 Laptop RPK G11 HK5SSD AH-6 Little Bird

    Known Members: Baldwin Ericsson Griffbaski King Martinez Merrill O'Conner

32. #32John Lugo

    Keys: John Lugo

    Full name: John Lugo

    Title: Staff Sergeant

    Gender: Male

    Faction:

    United States Army

    Delta Force

    Status: Deceased

    John Lugo is a member of Walker's squad. He is often seen carrying a Scout Tactical and a TAR-21. He is the squad's designated marksman and medic. Outside of combat, Lugo is depicted as the team's engineer and a translator.

    Early in the mission, Lugo shows distaste for the mission and often jokes about every situation they are in. As the game progresses, Lugo begins to show some extreme disapproval towards Walker and his orders. He also clashes with Adams on several occasions, namely on the team's association with the CIA within Dubai.

    Later in the mission, Lugo is captured and hanged by a mob of refugees angered at Delta Squad and Grey Fox's actions. His death may cause Walker and Adams to kill some of the refugees that they are supposed to be saving.

    Later in the assault on "The Bridge," Walker has a hallucination of an AA-12-wielding Heavy Trooper as Lugo. "Lugo" then yells at Walker, saying, "You left me to die!" while "he" attacks him, showing Walker blames himself for Lugo's death. When "Lugo" is killed, he says, "The only villain here is you, Walker."

    Lugo typically disagrees with Walker's orders, unlike Adams, and is prone to protesting when he feels an action is morally wrong.

    Lugo will push Walker to save Gould over the civilians.

    The patch on Lugo's hat says, "Life's a beach," which is a play on the phrase "life's a bitch."

    Lugo is said to be multilingual, being fluent in multiple languages, including Farsi, Hindi, Turkish, and Cantonese. Farsi is the language that he uses to communicate with the refugees in the story; however, this is not the official language of the UAE but is widely spoken due to the large Persian population in the country.

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