Note: The Cartel also uses many modern-day weaponry that are explained in the Modern Arms section.
CARTEL GUARDS: Soldiers who guard the large number of cartel assets and properties vary. They are usually toughs, criminals and gunmen recruited from nearby towns and cities. They have basic training and are mostly armed with glock pistols, AK-47s and sometimes grenades. Guards at more important sites recieve better training, have cartel uniforms and are armed with M-4 rifles.
GREEN GUARDS: Green guards are soldiers who, either willingly or forcefully, are given excessive amounts of a special drug called "BOOST". This drug causes a massive increase in the subject's metabolism, making them much stronger, agile and faster. The side-effects of the drug turns the subject into zombie as well as turning his/her eyes green, hench their name.
CARTEL COMMANDOES: The Cartel Commandoes are the best trained soldiers of the Spider Cartel. Equipped with M-16 Assault Rifles and grenades, commandoes are used for special-ops missions against drug-enforcement agencies or to guard key Cartel leaders.
SUITS: Suits are soldiers dressed in suits who are used to stand guard and serve as bouncers at public Cartel events and properties such as casinos. Though usually not visibly armed, Suits come armed with hidden MP5 submachine guns and wear kevlar vests under their clothes. They are also sometimes used as hitmen to assassinate key opponents.
MOTORCYCLE: Soldiers are mounted on dirtbikes, giving them high speeds and ability to traverse terrains that normal four wheel vehicles cannot pass. Soldiers using motorcycles require more training in both handling the bike and firing a weapon at the same time.
TACTICAL: Also known as Technicals, Tacticals are nothing more than a machine-gun placed on the back of a standard civilain vehicle, such a pick-up truck or a jeep. Lacking in armor or firepower, the Tactical relies on its speed to elude more powerful opponents. It's low cost makes it easy to build and maintain and removing the machine-gun can hide the vehicle amongst other civilian vehicles.
BLACK VAN: Named after the black paint colour of the van, the BV is a covert, non-descript van that is used to transport armed gunmen through urban areas quickly and without attracting attention. The van has a canopy from where soldiers can fire and straps in the back can allow soldiers to fire out the rear. The van is made from an aluminum alloy that gives it better armor than standard civilian vans.
URBAN ASSAULT VEHICLE: The UAV is the only heavy weapons platform used by the Cartel. It is a six-wheeled tank that has a single 75mm cannon and a turret-mounted machine gun. Inside it carries sophisticated equipment that allows it to operate in urban and rural terrains. It is also small enough to be moved inside cargo trucks. But the UAV is badly outclassed by any main battle tank, especially the Abrams, Challenger, T-80, Leopard and LeClerc.
AA QUAD CANNON: An old anti-aircraft platform from the Soviet era, the Quad is a mobile gun platform used to protect Cartel assets against airborne targets. While it is deadly to common law enforcement helicopters and small planes, the Quad does not fare well against more advances military aircraft.
LITTLE BIRD: The Little Bird is a small, two-seater helicopter. It is highly manouverable and can carry two machine-gun turrets under the belly. Passengers inside can also fire out through the windows. It lacks firepower and armor and can only outfly more heavily armed attack helicopters.
HUEY: The Huey is a single-rotor troop helicopter built by the United States and was used extensively during the Vietnam War. Though it has since been replaced in the US Armed Forces by the more advanced Chinook, Hueys are found more commonly amongst third world armies. The Huey can carry two machine guns as well as several soldiers into battle. It can also be fitted with rocket pods for additional firepower.
LIMOSINE CHOPPER: The LC is a modified chinook helicopter that has been designed as an airborne limosine. Carrying its passengers in luxury, the interior of the helicopter can have beds, bars, televisions and even baths fitted into them. This, however, comes at the expense of any arnament and must be protected by escorting helicopters.
SPEEDBOAT: The speedboat is a converted civilain boat that uses its high speeds to dodge coast guards as it transports illegal drugs and arms into a country. While it can have a machine-gun mounted on it, its speed is its best defence.
TOWERS: Towers are standard defences around cartel factories and other buildings. Soldiers are stationed at the top, giving them a further sight radius. Towers are sometimes equipped with fixed machine guns or rocket launchers, but in most cases the soldiers provide the arnament.
THE GARGANTUA: The mad creation of Francisco Ortega, the Gargantua is one of the world's most powerful weapons. The giant mechanical spider is extremely heavily armoured and its twin laser cannons can decimate large buildings. It was destroyed by the Road Rovers in Washington DC, but rumours tell of a possible second Gargantua. These rumours were confirmed when, two years later, the second Gargantua was brought into action for use to finish Project Trojan. The second Gargantua was much more powerful, with an titanium alloy metal plating that is double-hulled, additional SAM and AAA guns built into the body, and more powerful legs as well as storage space for attack helicopters and other vehicles.