Mattias Nilsson

Mattias Nilsson is an ex-ExOps operative and former member of Sweden's Elite Arctic Rangers and The Swedish Navy. He is also well known for his almost fetishistic use of high explosives.

History
Mattias was born in Arvidsjaur, Sweden circa 1978, there is no record of a Mattias Nilsson in official archives. This has caused some to believe that "Mattias Nilsson" may be a pseudonym; others believing the records were lost due to a childhood experiment with explosives. As a child Mattias was a juvenile delinquent who rarely ever attended school and was always in trouble with the law.

Mattias first joined the Swedish Navy at the young age of 17, and became an artillery soldier. However his obsessive use of explosives eventually got him discharged. A short time later, Mattias joined the Lappland Ranger Regiment, commonly known as the Arctic Rangers. While serving with the Rangers, he would accept the most dangerous assignments, seemingly heedless of his own personal safety. His apparent need for a constant adrenaline rush concerned his superiors, who knew the Arctic Rangers existed in an unforgiving and merciless environment. Mattias accepted this and thrived, building up a rapport with his comrades. His loyalty caused problems however as he frequently fought on his fellow Ranger's behalf. Mattias was never liked very much, and after the injury of a fellow member because of Mattias, he was discharged in 1999.

Shortly afterward, he joined an outlaw biker gang known as the Wolfpack Brotherhood MC. Under his influence, the Brotherhood went from being a mild irritant to the Swedish authorities to becoming a host of the most wanted criminals of the nation. Mattias himself became infamous for his violent exploits and adrenaline-fueled stunts. Mattias began a war between the biker gangs by infiltrating army bases and stealing equipment which he used against rival biker gangs. He was eventually captured by the Swedish authorities, but never one to be chained down, he escaped while being transferred to another prison.

Now a fugitive in his native Sweden, he realized he could not remain there. He left the country and became a mercenary. He swiftly gained a reputation for overkill, often using high explosives and air strikes for jobs best suited for small arms. Despite this, he got his assignments done and his explosive reputation soon made him one of the most sought-after mercenaries in the world. After being a operative for Tactical Solutions Inc., he joined Executive Operations, where his first assignment was the "Song Initiative."

Mattias has served in conflicts around the world. The so far known ones are Kosovo where he worked alongside Josef, North Korea, Montenegro, East Timor, Senegal alongside fellow mercenary Blanco and most recently Venezuela.

Personality
Mattias can be summarized as a "wild man." Rowdy, boisterous and an adrenaline junkie he finds his work as a mercenary allows him to operate independently of those who may disapprove of his actions, his employers typically only concerned with results. It is, at its core, his way of being paid for doing what he loves. Though volatile, he is not sadistic or psychotic. He does not take pleasure from the deadly results of his destructive impulses, though he is not unaware of them either, accepting their inevitability. He is also possessed of a dry, sarcastic wit, delivering his lines with a deadpan tone.

The characteristic that has given him the most fame is his frequent use of high-grade explosives for even the smallest problems and his tendency to not only defeat, but utterly destroy his enemies. Even those familiar with his reputation are shocked by his penchant for explosive violence. He does however have a 'soft' side; loyal to those he considers friends and willing to stand up to a threat to defend them. He also has a soft side for the weaker people. He cares little about who employs him or why, only that it allows him to exercise his love of explosives and destruction. A phrase used many times by Mattias is "Why can't EVERYTHING be rocket propelled?"

According to the Mercenaries 2: World in Flameswebsite, Mattias' favorite form of music is Swedish death metal, a genre that is characteristic of his own aggressive, violent and rebellious nature. Some of Mattias' favourite songs are:
 * Slayer – "Angel of Death"
 * In flames – "F(r)iend"
 * The Haunted – "The World Burns"
 * Meshuggah – "Future Breed Machine"
 * Refused – "New Noise "

A recurring joke throughout the series is Mattias knowing nothing about babysitting. In Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction during the AN contract where you need to drive a GSRN reporter to various sites, Fiona asks Mattias "Up for a little babysitting?" to which Mattias obliviously replies "What the hell is babysitting?". Also in Mercenaries 2: World in Flames during the UP contract that involves transporting an executive Fiona again refers to baby-sitting, this time Mattias confusingly responding with "Why would anyone sit on a baby?"

Skills
"This is an emergency! A Viking emergency!"

- Mattias Nilsson

Mattias' time in the Arctic Rangers has made him extremely athletic, capable of running, sprinting, and swimming for long distances. He is also physically strong and coordinated, able to knock out or even kill enemy combatants with one bash from whatever weapon he's holding. His time in the Swedish biker gang has made him an expert in driving motorcycles, and his criminal career has trained him in carjacking and evasive driving.

His stint in various Private Military Companies has given him experience with nearly all modern small arms and military craft, including helicopters, gunships, maritime assault craft, and tanks. He is also very adept at using air strikes, including beacon, radio homing, and satellite coordinated munitions. He is fluent in Russian, Swedish and English.