The first tier mercs have some resistance, wheras the first tier thugs have none. The gain some defence from the second tier, but overall i susspect the suvivability of mercs is better.
I really should do something about this signature.
They have a Medic, what more needs to be said? 
/comfort
Im a 40 merc mm (Solo black).
Your commando, able to fling out rockets and grenades. Accompanied by your sniper rifle weilding spec ops won't be made redundant (if your specs can sticky grenade the bruiser, what use is he )
(oh and an army of full auto firing mercs helps)
/comfort
Sounds good though, I have to ask, do the pets get any holds or anything like?
Defender 'bots can pop up bubbles and heal each other, mercs can fire sticky grenades, flash-bangs and stun people, and I'm sure zombies and ninjas can do some equally funky stuff. (I know one ninja can drop caltrops at one point, but I rarely get to team with mm's that use these sets)
So are the leaderships all the thugs get, or can they hold/immobilize/disorient as well.
And on that note, I heard that the thug leaderships don't work on players, but will they work on other pets?
I assume the bruiser will be able to stun, using the SS set.
btw: nice to see you are alive ashen.
Apathy is its own reward.
Thug leaderships work on all other thugs. No other pets or players. I don't think the thugs have any major special "inconvenience" abilities like the others get bar the leadership skills. But then again I haven't reached level 32 so I can't say just yet. They do seem more bent towards extreme violence and making lots of numbers pop up over the enemies heads rather than tactical application though.
I agree on the sticky grenade thing though.
Friends are just enemies that haven't betrayed you yet.
Thugs
Pistol, Brawl
ET: Dual Wield
UE: Empty Clips
Arsonist
+Res Lethal, Fire
Molotov Cocktails, Brawl
ET: Spit Fire
UE: Fire Bomb
Enforcers
+Res Lethal
Burst, Heavy Burst, Maneuvers, Brawl
ET: Tactics (and guns change from SMG to Uzi)
UE: Blast Clip, Assault, Dual Uzi's
Bruisers
+Res (Lethal, Smashing, Fire, Cold, Confuse, Fear, Placate), Fury
Jab, Punch
ET: Haymaker, Handclap
UE: Knockout Blow, Hurl, Footstomp
Oooooh, good points actually. I didn't realise that; after re-reading the posts here and Augury poking me, I noticed the lack of crowd control.
o.o
Hmmm. Alrightey. Thugs, keep your damage. Just don't come crying to me when that Warwolf gets close and slaughters you.
<_<
>_>
[ QUOTE ]
Oooooh, good points actually. I didn't realise that; after re-reading the posts here and Augury poking me, I noticed the lack of crowd control.
o.o
Hmmm. Alrightey. Thugs, keep your damage. Just don't come crying to me when that Warwolf gets close and slaughters you.
<_<
>_>
[/ QUOTE ]Warwolf, meet burn patches, hand clap, KO blow and foot stomp 
This is probably irrational fear on my part, but am I the only one a little afraid Thugs will make the Mercenaries redundant? In my - admittedly small - experience with the set, Thugs seem to have more constant, consistent rates of damage and I don't see it getting any worse as time goes on.
Factor in the Fury of the third tier Brute, and....eh. Well.
Somebody comfort me? I don't want my Mercs losing their job to some Punks.