Just make all mercs to use player's skin, male or female and then allow them equip armor you give them, so if you have 5 BAs laying somewhere and you don't know what to do, give it to merc, and he'll automatically equip best armor in his inventory, the same, as weapon. Simple change skin and set DR and DT, because everyone knows that NPCs can't wear armors really. Dialogue option will have "Unequip armor", so he'll have it's default armor. Default armor can't be looted and seen in inventory, and it'll be leather jacket, as the worst armor, because merc-bluesuiter... well... looks a bit strange. This way you may equip your merc with weapon and armor, but it requires alot work as script, that will allow to merc recognize the most expensive armor in his inventory, then this armor will disappear, then merc's skin will be changed according to armor, his DR and DT will be set according to armor. And of couse it won't deteriorate, because it's impossible without changing engine and making critters wear real armor. But still, it can be done by creating variable, seting it on equiping to current armor's deteriorationg level, and then reduce it on some number everytime merc get hit, and then when he unequip armor or dies, this armor's deterioration will be set on that variable.
