Military

Members of the military and a Rhino at Fort Baxter Air Base.

The military in GTA games are the armed forces of the USA, comprising mostly of the army or National Guard, but also with air and naval bases. The army themselves don't appear in Grand Theft Auto IV. The military is also important in many missions throughout the series, such as Sir, Yes Sir!, Black Project, Green Goo, Up, Up and Away!, Vertical Bird and Over the Top.

Behavior

Grand Theft Auto III era

After the player gains six stars in a GTA III Era game, the military will begin to chase the player. On the ground, two military vehicles are used to kill the player; the Barracks OL, which is used for troop transport, and the Rhino tank. The soldiers themselves are always well armed with assault rifles that will often make short work of the player and most vehicles. Members of the military behave as a gang in Vice City despite not really being one and will attack the player if spotted on military territory, unless in a Cop uniform. They will also set up roadblocks comprised of the Barracks OL with soldiers armed with M16's in GTA III, M4's (in Fort Baxter Air Base) and MP5's (during a 6-star wanted level), and M4 Carbines in every other GTA III Era game. These aren't as lethal as those of the FBI since there could be two FBI vehicles taking up one road with at least eight agents. But seeing as how the Barracks takes up the space of one road they can be broken through although the MP5s still pose an extreme threat.

A strange thing is that soldiers in the Fort Baxter Air Base never participate in law enforcement activity; if the player is wearing a police uniform or army fatigues and enters the base with a wanted level; only the law enforcement officers that enter from outside will try killing the player. National Guard soldiers also use pistols at the United States National Guard Depot in Los Santos despite the large amount of heavy weaponry located around the facility.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

After gaining six stars, the Rhino and occasional on-foot military soldiers will appear. Soldiers are armed with AK-47s at all times. While encountering an occupied Rhino, the player cannot hijack the occupied Rhino. However, there are two ways the Rhino will react depending if the player is on foot or in a vehicle. If the player is in a vehicle, the Rhino will immediately fire at the player's vehicle setting it aflame (but not blow it up giving the chance for the player to bail out and save his or her life). However, if the player is on foot, the Rhino will reluctantly fire giving the player ample time to escape, but will also try to run the player over. The very slow speed of the Rhino makes it easy for the player to outrun it on foot. The Rhino will eventually fire at the player if the player stays in range on foot for too long. A direct hit usually kills the player unless the player has full health and full armour, but will reduce the health to roughly 25% and armour to 0%. The same goes for the Destroyer when the player enters the water.

Military bases

• Fort Baxter Air Base in Vice City Mainland, Vice City.
• United States National Guard Depot in Ocean Docks, Los Santos, San Andreas.
• Easter Basin Naval Station in San Fierro, San Andreas.
• Area 69 in Bone County, San Andreas.
• K.A.C.C. Military Aviation Fuel Depot in Las Venturas, San Andreas.

Military vehicles

Controllable

• Barracks OL
• Cargobob
• Destroyer
• Flatbed
• Hunter
• Hydra
• Jetpack (prototype experiment, stolen by Carl Johnson in 1992)
• Land Roamer, (Armed)
• Mesa Grande
• Pacifier
• Patriot
• Rhino
• Tank
• Tiger Tank

Not Controllable

• Unnamed submarine (submerged North of Vice City Beach island in GTA: Vice City)
• USS Numnutz Submarine
• LHD-069 Amphibious Warfare Vessel

Trivia

• In the GTA III Era the Rhino tank (which chases the player at six stars) does not fire it's main gun. However, in Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars the Rhino is programmed to use its turret to full effect, blasting the player into oblivion.
• The Vice City National Guard soldiers strangely seem to wear fatigues similar to the present day German Army fatigues.
• If the player kills a large number of military personnel in Vice City, they will be listed as the Streetwannabes in the stats.
• A Military Base is confirmed to appear in Grand Theft Auto V, although it is unclear if the Military will actually be seen in the game.

Gallery

Top down games

A Tank in GTA 1. An ICBM in GTA London, 1969. An Armed Land Roamer in GTA 2. A regular Land Roamer in GTA 2. A Pacifier in GTA 2. A Tank in GTA2. A Barracks OL in GTA Advance. A Tank in GTA Advance. A Rhino in GTA Chinatown Wars. A Destroyer in GTA Chinatown Wars.

GTA III

A solider in GTA III. A Rhino in GTA III. A Barracks OL in GTA III.

GTA Vice City

Military soldiers in GTA Vice City. A Patriot in GTA Vice City. A Barracks OL in GTA Vice City. A Hunter in GTA Vice City. Fort Baxter Air Base in GTA Vice City. A Rhino in GTA Vice City

GTA San Andreas

Cargobob-GTASA-side.jpg A Cargobob in GTA San Andreas. A Hunter in GTA San Andreas. A Hydra in GTA San Andreas. A Launch in GTA San Andreas. A Patriot in GTA San Andreas. A Barracks in GTA San Andreas. A Military Mesa without a roof in GTA San Andreas. A Military Mesa with a roof in GTA San Andreas. The LHD-069 in GTA San Andreas. The USS Numnutz in GTA San Andreas. A Rhino in GTA San Andreas. The Easter Basin Naval Station in GTA San Andreas. K.A.C.C. Military Fuels in GTA San Andreas. Area69.jpg Area 69 in GTA San Andreas.

GTA Vice City Stories

A Patriot in GTA Vice City Stories. A Military Mesa in GTA Vice City Stories. A Hunter in GTA Vice City Stories. The Military only appearing at Fort Baxter in GTA Vice City Stories. A Barracks OL in GTA Vice City Stories.