CMBC
20-01-2006, 07:16
I'll update it when I have time and when new things become apparent. I appreciate criticism and advice. Look for updates to come.
Leader: Dr. William Green
After the Incident in which destroyed most of the Former country of Newark, Dr. William Green rose to power by promising a future that would never come. Taking control of the last Three Cities, which he abruptly named City 17, 16, 4. City 17 serving as his Capital. He uses Military might to keep his populace in control, some have labeled him as a maniac and a psychotic Dictator, and he sees himself as the savior of his people.
Type of government: Military Dictatorship
Dr. William Green uses his military power to influence his means; he is the sole ruler of The Combine, although there is a rumor that he is a puppet ruler to some Corporation in the background.
Population: 59 Million People
Most of the people who live in the Combine live in run-down ghetto’s and population centers within the Three Cities. Those who live in small communities on the Coast are harassed and hunted down by the Overwatch Soldiers to be relocated either in one of the Cities or at Nova Prospekt…
History:
In 2049 teleportation became a reality, although an ethical problem. Early experiments and the initial teleportation’s went horribly wrong. People came back half-missing; sometimes they didn’t even come back. Around this time Genetic experiments with live humans started to take place, hoping to solve the Teleportation’s “Effects”. Dr. Green was one of the Scientists at Black Mesa Research Facility. He was involved in many Black Op Projects. During one of the Teleportation’s a Generic Time rift opened causing massive damage to the Facility, the Time rifts spread across the country causing massive earthquakes and Explosions across the Country. Cities were devastated, People were killed. A period of time now called, “Confusion” came over the country. Newarkian Armies fought for control over the country causing even more Devastation. Dr. Green shortly rose to power using Intellectual power and bribery to “buy” armies, to use them to gain control of the populace. Once he marched into City 17, he enslaved the people into building a 3.2Km tall Citadel, which he uses as his Palace. Now Dr. Green is the sole Ruler of The Combine, although it seems he is a puppet-ruler to an outside Corporation.
Ethnicity: Mostly White/ Black, Hispanic, Asian Minorities.
Language: English
Country:
Most of the country is inhospitable to Human life. The only Safe areas are area’s controlled by the Combine. The Combine terra-forms the land to suit their own needs. Resistance members live in the Countryside and battle with harsh living conditions, Headcrabs, and Antlions.
City 17:
After Dr. Green and his Armies marched into the city, the city saw a small glimpse of order. Shortly after Green enslaved the people and made them construct a 3.2Km tall Citadel which he uses to Control the Entire country. Housing over 150,000,000 People it is the largest City in The Combine. The City is no way divided into sections. People live where they can and where Civil Protection allows them to. There are 2 Major places in city 17, The Citadel and The Industrial Complex, also housing will be covered here as well.
Citadel:
The Citadel is the giant structure from which the Combine governs the Nation, it is located in City 17, and resembles a massive, metallic and largely featureless skyscraper, rising some 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) into the sky, and extending underground as well. The Citadel is heavily mechanised, and entire sections of it can move to allow for mass deployment of airborne Combine units such as Scanners or Hunter-Choppers. The Citadel provides power to City 17, as power lines can be seen extending out of it. These power lines then join on to regular transmission towers and poles, to deliver power to the city. There are railway systems in the Citadel that are used by Razor Trains to ship and deliver cargo. Large amounts of the cargo are new Stalkers from Nova Prospekt. The Stalkers are delivered in pods, and The Citadel includes a large transportation system for these pods. Tasks such as the operation of basic panels, or the repairing of damaged Combine equipment and units is done by Stalkers, under the constant supervision of Overwatch personnel or Scanners. The Citadel includes large war factories, where Combine equipment, technology and weapons, as well as Synths are manufactured. Two types of Synth that have been recently developed, the Crab Synth and the Mortar Synth, can be seen being transported around on conveyor belts, indicating that they are manufactured in the Citadel, and are about to be deployed. On one of the very top levels of the Citadel is Doctor Green's office, it is the location from which he transmits his Broadcasts. Unlike the rest of the Citadel, Green’s office has a more classical, human look to it, although Combine architecture is still a very dominating feature in the room. The office includes various luxury items such as a wooden desk, mantle clock, leather seat, olden globe, as well as an expensive carpet. His office also contains a large set of monitors, from which he presumably communicates with the Heads of the Outside Corporations. The very top of the Citadel contains the Combine's dark fusion reactor, which is used to power the whole city, and their secret Teleporter, which they use sparinngly since it uses much of the Dark-Fusion’s Power.
Industrial Complex:
This section of the city, houses Train Depots and Manufacuting Plants. It is heavly guarded by Civil Protection and Overwatch Soldiers. Only Stalkers are aloud to work in the Complexes, The Stalkers will be covered later…
Human Housing:
Human housing for the general Citizen of The Combine is very poor, living Conditions are harse, and some people have applied for Civil Protection Service for a better life, Others turn to the Resistance for a somewhat worse, but “free” life.
City 16:
The City is basicaly the same execpt there is no Citadel, although plans are being made to build one.
City 4:
The City is basicaly the same execpt there is no Citadel, although plans are being made to build one.
Other Population Centers: St. Agust, New Odessa
St. Agust:
A small coastal city, which is under combine control. A small resistance Force also resides within the city. Running gun battles are constant as Striders and Gunships battle RPG, and heavy weapon Wielding Foes. Civil Protection has been over-run recently and Overwatch Soldiers have begun to push into the city.
New Odessa:
A small coastal city in which the Combine has no control. Resistance leaders reside in the City. A large Resistance Army has taken up defensive posistions around and in the city. Overwatch Soldiers are about to break through Resistance lines and silence the Leaders of this Rebellion…or take them to Nova Prospekt.
Research Bases: Black Mesa East, Black Mesa West.
Black Mesa East:
Black Mesa East is set several floors underground, and includes many facilities that make it self-sufficient, such as its own power generators, kitchens, recreational areas, and most importantly a lab with the origional Teleportaion devices from the origional Black Mesa Reserarch Lab. All entry points to Black Mesa East are under constant surveillance by CCTV cameras, and contain decontamination chambers with heavy blast doors to hold anyone or anything that isn't meant to enter. Black Mesa East is directly connected to Ravenholm via a tunnel that has been barricaded off since the shelling of Ravenholm took place, to prevent zombies and headcrabs from entering the facility. Black Mesa East is not Controled by the Combine, instead the Resistance use it to Manufacture weapons and Technology. Due to the Shelling of Ravenholm Overwatch Soldiers cannot Advance against the Overwhelming Numbers of Zombies and Headcrabs. How the Resistance can operate in these condidtions are unknown.
Black Mesa West:
This is the Combines equvilant of The Resistance’s Black Mesa East. We Continue the Research that was at the Origional Black Mesa Research Labatory.
Combine Overwatch Bases:
East Base
West Base
North Base
South Base
These Bases are normal Military Operations Centers. Capable of Supplying One Full Army without resupply for a whole year.
Overwatch Fringe Outposts:
There are 57 Combine Outposts scattered throught The Combine. Those Overwatch Soldiers who man these stations, are reguarded as faliures and they usually are Manned by those who The Operator senses haven’t preformed their job to their upmost abilities.
Ravenholm:
Ravenholm was once a mining communtiy populated by those who escaped City 17. Once Dr. Green discovered the Town he ordered it to be Shelled in a very “new” way. Due to bombardment with artillery containing headcrabs, however, Ravenholm is now swarming with several varieties of headcrabs and the zombie-like creatures created when they take over humans. There are several variations of booby-traps within the city. These presumably are how the Resistance operates without being overrun, in Black Mesa East. No one ventures into Ravenholm anymore, and those that risk it are never seen again.
Nova Prospekt:
Nova Prospekt, formally a Maximum Security Prision. It has been transformed into a Facility to house political prisioners, and those who cause trouble to The Combine. Some say it has been transformed once again into something much worse than a prision. The prisioners that enter the Facility leave in two ways. Either by being “presuaded” by Overwatch Personel into loving The Combine, or by being turned into a Stalker. Nova Prospekt is surrounded by Bunkers and Walls. Escape or intrusion by any person is impossible. The underground Facilites house Factories where Overwatch Soldiers are “Made”.
Combine Military Branches: Civil Protection, Overwatch, Synth
Civil Protection:
Civil Protection, referred to in brief as CPs, and also commonly known as Metro Cops, police inner-city areas and keep citizens in line through the use of intimidation and physical force - ranging from random beatings, questioning and "inspections," to outright murder. They also patrol the canals outside of the city for escapees. Based on quotes heard during the game, Civil Protection appear to be nothing more than humans that willingly join the Combine for privileges and better life standards, such as adequate food. Unlike Overwatch soldiers, they do not appear to be modified or enhanced in any way, although they wear respirators. Additional privileges are gained if the personnel have their memory replaced. It is possible that the Civil Protection personnel work their way up the ranks by having more and more human features and characteristics erased. Metro Cop is killed, its radio emits a prolonged tone (reminiscent of the sound of a "flat-lining" EKG), and any other cops nearby will usually start chattering on their radios. The presence of Civil Protection forces can usually be detected by telltale radio chatter in quiet areas. Civil Protection officers are typically talked to by a female voice over their radios, resembling a dispatcher. She will inform them of mission objectives, reward reminders, downed units, and a variety of other information to keep the officers informed and up-to-date. Civil Protection are generally kept separate from Combine military units, such as Overwatch Soldiers or Synths, and stay in a policing role within the cities. They travel in APCs and dropships, and are often accompanied by scanners or manhacks.Take note that Resistance members wear vests salvaged from Civil Protection officers as protection.
Weapons: USP Match Pistol, Stun Baton, MP7A4 Sub-Machinegun
Overwatch Soldiers: Regular, Snipers, and Elites.
Regulars:
Overwatch soldiers, also known as Combine soldiers are intelligent infantrymen that work well in a team and use a variety of attack methods. While Civil Protection has jurisdiction over the relatively minor affairs of policing the city, Overwatch soldiers can be found everywhere, and form the backbone of the Combine military occupation force. In this role, they are also the most versatile units the Combine have at hand. Combine soldiers will commonly travel using dropships or APCs. Combine soldiers also serve as the pilots and gunners of the Combine's hunter-choppers. Combine soldiers are initially found mostly in the coastal wasteland outside the city, patrolling the highways for resistance activity and staffing Combine outposts. They can, however, be found anywhere the Combine requires direct military action, as soldiers can be transported from the Citadel to a desired area via dropships. Overwatch soldiers are also tasked with guarding very high-security areas, monitoring stalkers in the Citadel and serving as staff in Nova Prospekt. Nova Prospekt's guards wear special blue-and-yellow uniforms, but are otherwise identical to their grey-and-white counterparts. Also, standard soldiers have blue goggles, while their Nova Prospekt counterparts have yellow ones. New types of Combine soldiers, which wear olive-green uniforms with orange goggles, they are used as a Hazmat Soldiers for the Combine. They are also a Quick Reaction Force for the Cities. Combine Soliders are humans that have undergone extensive modifications including, but not limited to, brain surgery, chest surgery and implantation of various mechanical devices in the throat and around the abdomen, and are likely to have their memories replaced. This procedure is carried out at Nova Prospekt. Some Resistance members refer to the Overwatch as “not-human”. Despite the extensive surgery and modifications they receive, Overwatch Soldiers still appear to have certain human characteristics - for instance, they will grunt in pain when attacked, their Moral can be boosted with “speeches just like regular humans, They also communicate over radios, but unlike Civil Protection officers, are not spoken to by dispatchers. Punishments for failing to achieve objectives include "permanent off-world assignment". The threat of being reassigned to what may be the fringes of the Combine empire is apparently an effective method of motivating soldiers to succeed. Off-World assignments include: Death, and Outpost Manning.
Weapons: MP7A4 Sub-Machinegun, SPAS-88 Shotgun, Overwatch Standard Issue Pule Rifle (OSIPR), Fragmentation Grenades.
Overwatch Snipers:
Overwatch snipers are highly trained soldiers, who hide themselves in high, concealed locations that offer a good field of view. The only way to detect a sniper is by the blue sighting beam and the distinctive crack of his sniper rifle. Typically, these snipers are so well-entrenched that they can only be killed with a well-thrown grenade or other explosive device. Combine snipers also seem to take the doctrine of "Shoot anything that moves" quite literally; aside from their fellow Combine, they will fire upon anything that moves. They wear a similar stark-white outfit worn by Combine Elites, but was much less bulky to allow the sniper to move around easier, and make less noise which might alert the target to its presence, they are much more robot-like combat synth with three eyes, to maximise their long-range vision.
Weapons: Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Sniper Rifle (OSIPSR)
Overwatch Elites:
Sporting a distinctive white uniform with a single red ocular lens, the Elites are the deadliest of the Combine Overwatch infantry, and are theorised to be altered even further than standard soldiers. They use similar combat tactics as regular Combine soldiers, save for a few improvements. The Elite soldiers are tougher, have better accuracy with weapons, and inflict more overall damage than regular Soldiers do. They are always armed with an Overwatch Standard-Issue Pulse Rifle. Elites typically fight in squads of their own kind, but will occasionally lead squads of regular soldiers. Elites are fewer in number than regular soldiers, and are thus reserved for the more critical combat missions, where deadly tactics are required. They also serve as Doctor Green’s personal guards.
Weapons: Overwatch Standard Issue Pule Rifle (OSIPR), Fragmentation Grenades.
Combine Military Vehicles: APC, Hunter-Chopper
APC:
Armoured personnel carriers are the main ground vehicle used by both the Combine's Civil Protection and Overwatch forces, for transport as well as for combat. Resembling large armored trucks or vans. The APC has a door on its right side as well as a set of double doors at its rear. The rear doors are likely for troops to enter through, while the front door is probably for the driver who possibly serves as the vehicle's gunner as well when not driving. The APC has unusual, striped tires which are not made of Rubber. The APC can carry a driver as well as four fully equipped soldiers and is armed with a mounted pulse gun and integrated missile launcher. The APC's biggest asset, however, is speed. Civil Protection officers use APCs as rapid response vehicles to reach conflict sites and crime scenes within minutes. Overwatch soldiers, on the other hand, use the vehicles mostly as fast and reliable transportation through the wastelands outside the metropolis. An APC can also be quickly carried over problematic terrain by a Combine dropship if required. When not in use, the APC can be hooked up as a power source for Combine devices such as force field pylons. The APC has a siren which will typically be activated during a Civil Protection raid. It is never used by Overwatch personnel. Personnel inside the APCs can attack using the powerful short-range gun turret and volleys of longer-range, very accurate homing missiles. Luckily, enough gunfire can blow these missiles out of the sky or, at least, force them off course. APCs are sturdy enough that they are often used to simply smash into or run over the enemy. They are also very well shielded, offering complete protection from most conventional weapons
Hunter-Chopper:
Incredibly powerful, the hunter-chopper is a combat helicopter used, as the name implies, for search-and-destroy missions against weaker targets. It utilizes a two-man crew of Overwatch soldiers; one pilot and one gunner. The hunter-chopper is armed with a powerful pulse gun on a fixed mount and has the ability to drop explosive timed mines. The gun has a wide spread and is used mainly on slow or stationary targets. Before firing the hunter-chopper emits an audible "whining" sound that can be used as an indication of when the gun is charging up. The spherical mines are used offensively - dropped directly in front of enemy vehicles and onto weaker structures. They detonate either upon contact, or after a short timer counts down. The mines also float on water, allowing them to be used against boats and other water-craft. One hunter-chopper maneuver involves launching around fifty mines simultaneously during one high-speed bombard - effectively saturating an entire area. Hunter-choppers are among the fastest Combine units able to keep pace with, or outrun, almost any opponent. They are used mainly within the city and its outlying canals to search out and eliminate specific targets, especially those on foot. The hunter-choppers work both as lone attackers or as support units for other attack forces depending on the mission. At locations further from the city, however, such as the coast or locations where there is a large number of enemies, the Combine will typically choose to use gunships instead.
Combine Synth Vehicles: Gunship, Dropship, Manta, Crab.
Gunship:
A powerful, autonomous aircraft that combines aspects of an airplane and a helicopter with Synth technology, the gunship is the Combine's most versatile combat aircraft. Gunships are used to attack enemies not normally accessible to ground forces, or in remote locations where air power would be more convenient. They are also sometimes used in a support role, called into specific trouble spots. Gunships are powered by an array of different jet engines, visible on their belly, and a single, large, rotating insect-like wing at its rear that works similar to a helicopter rotor. Dragonfly-like compound eyes are positioned directly behind the gunship's pulse gun, they aim the weapon. The chassis itself has one large exposed compound eye on each side, which it uses to "see" or detect enemies under normal conditions. Although lacking the hunter-chopper's explosive mines and intelligent pilots, the gunship surpasses the hunter-chopper in maneuverability and accuracy with its pulse gun. Like most Combine Synths and vehicles, the gunship is invulnerable to small arms fire and can only be damaged by heavy weapons like rocket-propelled grenades. Because of this weakness to explosives, gunships will give any incoming explosives, such as rockets, a priority over enemies, and will attempt to shoot them down. If there is more than one gunship, they will all attempt to shoot down an incoming explosive in order to protect each other. Gunships are also equipped with a "belly cannon" which releases a matter disintegration blast, directly beneath the gunship. The “Belly Cannon” in only used against Hard targets.
Dropship:
Resembling a crab-like creature with ten limbs, the dropship serves as the primary aerial transport unit of the Combine, they are used for any situation that requires fast air transport, mostly for attacks on remote locations. Dropships are also used as minelayers for deploying rollermines.The front and two rearmost pairs of legs contain the engines that give the dropship lift and movement. The front two legs also hold retractable wings, used for maneuvering. The middle four legs are tipped with large gripping pads, and are used to carry various forms of cargo.Dropships can transport most Combine forces, and they have been seen transporting Combine APCs, striders, rollermines as well as both Civil Protection and Overwatch soldiers in troop-carriers. The Overwatch soldiers and Civil Protection are transported in large, streamlined containers, equipped with a powerful, and highly-accurate mounted pulse gun. Other than the troop-container's gun, the dropship has no weaponry, no means of attack, it compasates for that by being nearly invunerable.
Strider:
An extremely deadly and effective assault unit, the Strider is perhaps the most powerful, and the most feared of the Synths. Striders are essentially walking autonomous tanks, consisting of a beetle-like shell and three massive legs. The underside of the segmented shell holds the strider's external mechanics and two guns. The smaller of the two is a powerful and highly-accurate pulse gun, while the larger is a high-power "warp cannon" or "singularity cannon" able to punch significant holes in the thickest concrete and vaporize enemies. The firing of this weapon is signaled by a strange distortion of the light around the cannon's muzzle, a loud hum, and a smaller initial beam that indicates where the full force will hit. This process takes only a few seconds, leaving little time to react. Their powerful legs are also tipped with sharp spikes, which they use to impale weaker targets and kick debris. Individual striders are used to patrol off-limit city streets and provide combat support for groups of soldiers. However, in major combat, striders are used in a role similar to manhacks on a city-wide scale, destroying possible shelters and flooding an area as a means of removing all enemies. Because of their greater effectiveness and value, they are used mostly in a defensive role. Striders fit this task well due to their destructive ability and remarkable maneuverability on even the harshest terrain. When unleashed, a strider can, and will, destroy an entire building in order to strike a handful of targets inside. Conveniently, their long legs can climb over any resulting debris or any barriers of up to several meters high. They can even crawl through very small traffic tunnels and parking garages, if need be, "digging" through barriers using their "warp" cannon. Striders are also armored against all but the most powerful weapons, making non-explosive rounds useless against them. Luckily, striders tend to follow specific patrol routes when tasked with defending a limited area, making them easy to avoid, so long as shield scanners are not being used. When shield scanners do accompany a strider, they function as spotters for it, searching inside buildings and other places of concealment for targets the strider would otherwise be unable to see. Striders also work with Combine dropships, folding their legs into a compact shape that allows them to be transported.
Manta:
It is an Airborne Automonous Heavy Assault Vehicle. It fires Energy projecties at hard targets. It is used against defensive structures and large formations of Enemy Units.
Crab:
The Combines Automonous Tank. It fires Solid Projectiles at hard targets. It is used against defensive structures and large Formation of Enemy Units.
Other Combine Military Devices: City Scanner, Shield Scanner, Hopper Mine, Manhack, Rollermine.
City Scanner:
City scanners, often referred to simply as scanners, are piranha-like, flying security cameras used by the Combine to monitor City citizens. They are equipped with a built-in camera and a blinding searchlight. City scanners have no weapons, but the blinding searchlight and the photographic flash emitted can temporarily stun a person. They are lightly armoured, and can easily be destroyed by launched objects, gunfire, or by simply being smashed with a hard object. When a city scanner receives critical damage, it attempts to crash itself into its attacker in hope of doing damage to them. They are powered by a single Combine battery, and a destroyed one will drop such a battery. As the name implies, city scanners are used primarily in the city, rather than in out-of-city locations, such as the canals or the coast. It appears that city scanners are mass-produced in the Citadel, as they serve many purposes - including the obvious surveillance role, as well as reconnaissance, and the hunting of missing or wanted individuals. City scanners will typically accompany Civil Protection personnel and almost always work with other Combine units, but are typically not directly used in combat, and only have the role of informing other, more combat equipped Combine units about citizens and their locations, should there be need for combat. City scanners rarely travel alone, so the sight of a city scanner is usually an indication that there are other Combine forces nearby. In cases of emergency, city scanners can be mass-deployed in hundreds or thousands from the Citadel, to perform a city-wide, and possibly out of city search as well.
Manhacks:
Manhacks are flying, gyroscope-like devices, slightly smaller than city scanners. They have three razor-sharp blades which constantly spin at extremely high speeds. The blades's spinning produces a high-pitched whine, which can be used as an indicator of a manhack's presence nearby. The manhack's blades are powerful enough to instantly slice through wood planks and fencing, but are unable to slice through stronger materials such as metal or concrete. Semi-intelligent, they have very little concept of self-preservation, careening off walls and through objects in the single-minded pursuit of their target. Manhacks are deployed by the Combine (who call them "viscerators") and are used to scout areas too dangerous for city scanners. Manhacks never travel alone, but are usually deployed in groups of at least four or more. They appear to be fairly armoured against gunfire, and are more easily destroyed by being smashed with a hard object, which will cause it to become disoriented, and stop attacking for a couple of seconds as it re-stabilizes itself.
Rollermine:
Rollermines are electrically-charged, spherical devices slightly larger than soccer balls that react to movement within a sizable radius. Rollermines are used as offensive and defensive traps by the Combine. As the name implies, they roll towards enemies in attempt to electrocute them. Extensively used along the coastal roads, the mines are deployed from the air by Combine dropships, in groups of two to four. Upon landing, the mines will remain inert or, if they land on softer terrain like soil or asphalt, they will burrow themselves into the ground, remaining almost invisible. When an enemy target is detected, the roller mine will pop out of hiding and roll towards it in a relatively straight line. They inflict damage to people via close-range electric shocks. The mines can magnetically cling to a target vehicle and interfere with the steering, forcing the driver to either stop or drive off the road. Besides the damage inflicted by any resulting car wreck, attached rollermines pose little threat to the occupants of a vehicle, concentrating instead on shocking the vehicle itself. For this reason, rollermines are usually deployed in tandem with Combine soldiers, who would ambush the stranded individuals. Attached mines cannot be removed except through excessive force, and touching them will cause electrocution. They are also deployed in structures, taking any intruder by surprise.
Shield Scanner:
The successor of the city scanner, the shield scanner appears for a brief time in later chapters of the game. It is very similar to the city scanner in terms of function and capabilities. The shield scanner features a stronger, and more blinding search light, and is equipped with a large pincer arm, which is kept concealed behind an armored hatch at its front, along with several additional sensors and parts.The shield scanner, unlike the city scanner, has minor combat roles. A shield scanner uses its pincer arm to efficiently pick up and deploy hopper mines, giving it the additional combat support roles of a miniature equipment transport and minelayer. Shield scanners are also used as target-spotters for striders, alerting them to the presence of enemies hiding inside structures, or in other areas that might be used for concealment.
Hopper Mine:
Hopper mines are anti-personnel mines that hop into the air before exploding. These mines are carried and deployed by shield scanners. They are vaguely cone-shaped with three sharp "legs". When dropped, the mines use these legs to bounce around until they land right-ways up on a smooth surface. They then jam the legs into the ground, attaching themselves very firmly.When an enemy target comes close, the mines light up and give off a warning chirp. If the enemy target gets too close, the mines will toss themselves unpredictably, nearly two meters (six feet) into the air, and explode upon contact with whatever they happen to hit on the way down, which is usually the ground. They also detonate if smashed too violently. Because of their danger, immovability and extreme durability, hopper mines are impossible for most enemies to disable or defuse. Thus, they are used by the Combine almost exclusively to deter attacking enemy personnel, creating makeshift but often impassable barriers in seconds. They are used both indoors and outdoors, mostly in vital choke-points and occasionally concealed as traps. Hopper mines use a friendly fire identification system which resets whenever they are picked up. The mines interpret a "friendly" unit as whichever faction placed it last. Thus, a mine placed by a citizen with a gravity gun will attack Combine, and a mine dropped by a shield scanner will attack citizens. This system is signaled through a color-coded light at the top of the device.
Dangers to both Resistance and Combine Forces: Headcrabs/ Zombies, Antlions.
Headcrabs/Zombies:
The headcrab is a small creature with a relatively simplistic design, consisting of a small rounded body with four legs for movement (two hind legs at the back and another stubbier two at the front, obscured by its claws) and a pair of larger frontal claws for attacking prey or as additional support when standing still. Under its body is a large rounded mouth with viciously sharp teeth. Headcrabs have a mottled tan-coloured skin and red legs.Although small, slow-moving, and relatively weak on its own, the headcrab has the ability to quickly leap long distances using its hind legs, while tilting upwards to face its mouth towards a target, inflicting minor injury with its claws, legs, and teeth. Its main goal, however, is to attach itself onto an appropriate host body.Headcrabs are often heard making a variety of vocalisations. When they are not hunting, headcrabs usually emit squeaks and fairly quiet, repetitive calls, whilst gently swaying their bodies back and forth. When attacking, the headcrab will emit a sharp, shrill shriek as it leaps towards its victim. Headcrabs appear to be very social animals, often seen clustered in groups, and like sheep, the entire group often copies the actions of a single creature. This, combined with the fact that headcrabs will pursue their prey under the most dangerous conditions, suggests that the headcrab possesses only a basic level of intelligence.
A headcrab's primary goal is to attach to the head of a suitable host using its mouth, and burrow its claws and hind legs into the host, whereupon it takes control over its victim's body, rendering him a mindless zombie-like being. Additionally, the headcrab's physiology causes various "mutations" to rapidly manifest in its host, such as elongated claws, increased strength, and a sharp-toothed, sideways mouth that bisects the victim's chest cavity from neck to groin. This last feature has caused some fans to dub the headcrab zombies as "Mawmen". The results of these changes may depend on the type of host and/or the length of time the headcrab is attached. In most cases, a headcrab remains attached to its host until destroyed, they have the ability to detach from the host if it is damaged significantly. Removal of the headcrab reveals that the host's face has been largely eaten away by the creature, leaving behind merely a skull, eyes, and minor residual tissue. Horrified sounds emanating from headcrab zombies imply that, while severely wounded, the host creature is at least partially aware of its horrific situation. Cries have been interpreted as "GOD HELP ME", yells of "GET IT OFF ME!".
Combine use the headcrabs as a form of biological weaponry towards the Resistance. "Headcrab shells", as they are known, are shells containing several headcrabs, within a gace that are launched from artillery. If released in large numbers, the shells are highly effective in neutralizing a large concentration of Resistance groups, as proven during a visit to the devastated town of Ravenholm. Standard headcrabs and fast headcrabs have been observed emerging from headcrab shells, but it is also believed that poison headcrabs are used as well, due to the presence of poison zombies close to areas where headcrab shells have landed.
The first variation is known as a fast headcrab, having longer, thinner, almost spider-like legs, which allows it move much faster, as well as sharper talons in and around its mouth. This type appears to produce leaner zombies, stripped of their outer skin and some body tissue (revealing large parts of the victim's skeleton) along with the standard elongated claws. These zombies are astonishingly fast, agile, and have the ability to leap long distances and climb quickly.
The second variation, a poison headcrab, is identified by its brown/black color skin, with thick hairs on the joints of its long legs. To distinguish it further is the white bands that encircle the area where the leg meets the body. It also makes a very distinct and unpleasant sound similar to that of a rattlesnake's tail when it detects a viable host. poison headcrab's neurotoxin is extremely powerful and hazardous to non-hosts. The toxin may also be used as the poison headcrab injects it into its host through its bite, producing a bloated, hunched-over carrier zombie that is usually encumbered with several other poison headcrabs hitching a ride on it. This zombie's appearance is probably caused by the mass amount of toxins injected into its body, causing it to become swollen. It is able to hurl the hitch-hiking headcrabs at enemies over a great distance, while the headcrabs may also jump off of the zombie by themselves. In addition, carrier zombies have extraordinary endurance.
Antlions:
Antlions live in underground colonies, typically situated in sandy areas such as beaches. They usually hide under the sand, waiting for anything unlucky to cross its path and then quickly surface and tear it apart. Antlions sense a victim's presence via vibrations transmitted through loose soil or sand; this makes it possible to safely venture through antlion territories by walking solely over foreign items placed on the sand, or by walking across rocks. If unlucky enough to disturb a swarm of them, temporary refuge may be sought in water, since Antlions quickly die when they come into contact with it. Antlions also possess the ability to fly (more a wing-assisted hop, really) over short distances. Antlions are a constant and lethal pest to people living in areas near them, though both the Resistance and the Combine have different ways of dealing with them. The resistance uses pheropods, or "bugbait", containing Antlion pheromones to control and tame the Antlions. The Combine, however, use "thumpers" — large machines that repeatedly pound the ground and form "safe zones" that Antlions will not cross.
Defence Against Antlions:
Whilst the countryside around City 17 (and presumably the rest of the nation as well) is swarming with Antlions, cities are protected by large mechanical devices known as "thumpers". These machines repeatedly pound the ground. The vibrations they produce are strong enough to intimidate Antlion colonies, preventing the creatures from swarming into protected areas. Large thumpers, appear around the perimeters of City 17, 16, and 4 and Nova Prospekt.
Leader: Dr. William Green
After the Incident in which destroyed most of the Former country of Newark, Dr. William Green rose to power by promising a future that would never come. Taking control of the last Three Cities, which he abruptly named City 17, 16, 4. City 17 serving as his Capital. He uses Military might to keep his populace in control, some have labeled him as a maniac and a psychotic Dictator, and he sees himself as the savior of his people.
Type of government: Military Dictatorship
Dr. William Green uses his military power to influence his means; he is the sole ruler of The Combine, although there is a rumor that he is a puppet ruler to some Corporation in the background.
Population: 59 Million People
Most of the people who live in the Combine live in run-down ghetto’s and population centers within the Three Cities. Those who live in small communities on the Coast are harassed and hunted down by the Overwatch Soldiers to be relocated either in one of the Cities or at Nova Prospekt…
History:
In 2049 teleportation became a reality, although an ethical problem. Early experiments and the initial teleportation’s went horribly wrong. People came back half-missing; sometimes they didn’t even come back. Around this time Genetic experiments with live humans started to take place, hoping to solve the Teleportation’s “Effects”. Dr. Green was one of the Scientists at Black Mesa Research Facility. He was involved in many Black Op Projects. During one of the Teleportation’s a Generic Time rift opened causing massive damage to the Facility, the Time rifts spread across the country causing massive earthquakes and Explosions across the Country. Cities were devastated, People were killed. A period of time now called, “Confusion” came over the country. Newarkian Armies fought for control over the country causing even more Devastation. Dr. Green shortly rose to power using Intellectual power and bribery to “buy” armies, to use them to gain control of the populace. Once he marched into City 17, he enslaved the people into building a 3.2Km tall Citadel, which he uses as his Palace. Now Dr. Green is the sole Ruler of The Combine, although it seems he is a puppet-ruler to an outside Corporation.
Ethnicity: Mostly White/ Black, Hispanic, Asian Minorities.
Language: English
Country:
Most of the country is inhospitable to Human life. The only Safe areas are area’s controlled by the Combine. The Combine terra-forms the land to suit their own needs. Resistance members live in the Countryside and battle with harsh living conditions, Headcrabs, and Antlions.
City 17:
After Dr. Green and his Armies marched into the city, the city saw a small glimpse of order. Shortly after Green enslaved the people and made them construct a 3.2Km tall Citadel which he uses to Control the Entire country. Housing over 150,000,000 People it is the largest City in The Combine. The City is no way divided into sections. People live where they can and where Civil Protection allows them to. There are 2 Major places in city 17, The Citadel and The Industrial Complex, also housing will be covered here as well.
Citadel:
The Citadel is the giant structure from which the Combine governs the Nation, it is located in City 17, and resembles a massive, metallic and largely featureless skyscraper, rising some 3 kilometres (1.8 miles) into the sky, and extending underground as well. The Citadel is heavily mechanised, and entire sections of it can move to allow for mass deployment of airborne Combine units such as Scanners or Hunter-Choppers. The Citadel provides power to City 17, as power lines can be seen extending out of it. These power lines then join on to regular transmission towers and poles, to deliver power to the city. There are railway systems in the Citadel that are used by Razor Trains to ship and deliver cargo. Large amounts of the cargo are new Stalkers from Nova Prospekt. The Stalkers are delivered in pods, and The Citadel includes a large transportation system for these pods. Tasks such as the operation of basic panels, or the repairing of damaged Combine equipment and units is done by Stalkers, under the constant supervision of Overwatch personnel or Scanners. The Citadel includes large war factories, where Combine equipment, technology and weapons, as well as Synths are manufactured. Two types of Synth that have been recently developed, the Crab Synth and the Mortar Synth, can be seen being transported around on conveyor belts, indicating that they are manufactured in the Citadel, and are about to be deployed. On one of the very top levels of the Citadel is Doctor Green's office, it is the location from which he transmits his Broadcasts. Unlike the rest of the Citadel, Green’s office has a more classical, human look to it, although Combine architecture is still a very dominating feature in the room. The office includes various luxury items such as a wooden desk, mantle clock, leather seat, olden globe, as well as an expensive carpet. His office also contains a large set of monitors, from which he presumably communicates with the Heads of the Outside Corporations. The very top of the Citadel contains the Combine's dark fusion reactor, which is used to power the whole city, and their secret Teleporter, which they use sparinngly since it uses much of the Dark-Fusion’s Power.
Industrial Complex:
This section of the city, houses Train Depots and Manufacuting Plants. It is heavly guarded by Civil Protection and Overwatch Soldiers. Only Stalkers are aloud to work in the Complexes, The Stalkers will be covered later…
Human Housing:
Human housing for the general Citizen of The Combine is very poor, living Conditions are harse, and some people have applied for Civil Protection Service for a better life, Others turn to the Resistance for a somewhat worse, but “free” life.
City 16:
The City is basicaly the same execpt there is no Citadel, although plans are being made to build one.
City 4:
The City is basicaly the same execpt there is no Citadel, although plans are being made to build one.
Other Population Centers: St. Agust, New Odessa
St. Agust:
A small coastal city, which is under combine control. A small resistance Force also resides within the city. Running gun battles are constant as Striders and Gunships battle RPG, and heavy weapon Wielding Foes. Civil Protection has been over-run recently and Overwatch Soldiers have begun to push into the city.
New Odessa:
A small coastal city in which the Combine has no control. Resistance leaders reside in the City. A large Resistance Army has taken up defensive posistions around and in the city. Overwatch Soldiers are about to break through Resistance lines and silence the Leaders of this Rebellion…or take them to Nova Prospekt.
Research Bases: Black Mesa East, Black Mesa West.
Black Mesa East:
Black Mesa East is set several floors underground, and includes many facilities that make it self-sufficient, such as its own power generators, kitchens, recreational areas, and most importantly a lab with the origional Teleportaion devices from the origional Black Mesa Reserarch Lab. All entry points to Black Mesa East are under constant surveillance by CCTV cameras, and contain decontamination chambers with heavy blast doors to hold anyone or anything that isn't meant to enter. Black Mesa East is directly connected to Ravenholm via a tunnel that has been barricaded off since the shelling of Ravenholm took place, to prevent zombies and headcrabs from entering the facility. Black Mesa East is not Controled by the Combine, instead the Resistance use it to Manufacture weapons and Technology. Due to the Shelling of Ravenholm Overwatch Soldiers cannot Advance against the Overwhelming Numbers of Zombies and Headcrabs. How the Resistance can operate in these condidtions are unknown.
Black Mesa West:
This is the Combines equvilant of The Resistance’s Black Mesa East. We Continue the Research that was at the Origional Black Mesa Research Labatory.
Combine Overwatch Bases:
East Base
West Base
North Base
South Base
These Bases are normal Military Operations Centers. Capable of Supplying One Full Army without resupply for a whole year.
Overwatch Fringe Outposts:
There are 57 Combine Outposts scattered throught The Combine. Those Overwatch Soldiers who man these stations, are reguarded as faliures and they usually are Manned by those who The Operator senses haven’t preformed their job to their upmost abilities.
Ravenholm:
Ravenholm was once a mining communtiy populated by those who escaped City 17. Once Dr. Green discovered the Town he ordered it to be Shelled in a very “new” way. Due to bombardment with artillery containing headcrabs, however, Ravenholm is now swarming with several varieties of headcrabs and the zombie-like creatures created when they take over humans. There are several variations of booby-traps within the city. These presumably are how the Resistance operates without being overrun, in Black Mesa East. No one ventures into Ravenholm anymore, and those that risk it are never seen again.
Nova Prospekt:
Nova Prospekt, formally a Maximum Security Prision. It has been transformed into a Facility to house political prisioners, and those who cause trouble to The Combine. Some say it has been transformed once again into something much worse than a prision. The prisioners that enter the Facility leave in two ways. Either by being “presuaded” by Overwatch Personel into loving The Combine, or by being turned into a Stalker. Nova Prospekt is surrounded by Bunkers and Walls. Escape or intrusion by any person is impossible. The underground Facilites house Factories where Overwatch Soldiers are “Made”.
Combine Military Branches: Civil Protection, Overwatch, Synth
Civil Protection:
Civil Protection, referred to in brief as CPs, and also commonly known as Metro Cops, police inner-city areas and keep citizens in line through the use of intimidation and physical force - ranging from random beatings, questioning and "inspections," to outright murder. They also patrol the canals outside of the city for escapees. Based on quotes heard during the game, Civil Protection appear to be nothing more than humans that willingly join the Combine for privileges and better life standards, such as adequate food. Unlike Overwatch soldiers, they do not appear to be modified or enhanced in any way, although they wear respirators. Additional privileges are gained if the personnel have their memory replaced. It is possible that the Civil Protection personnel work their way up the ranks by having more and more human features and characteristics erased. Metro Cop is killed, its radio emits a prolonged tone (reminiscent of the sound of a "flat-lining" EKG), and any other cops nearby will usually start chattering on their radios. The presence of Civil Protection forces can usually be detected by telltale radio chatter in quiet areas. Civil Protection officers are typically talked to by a female voice over their radios, resembling a dispatcher. She will inform them of mission objectives, reward reminders, downed units, and a variety of other information to keep the officers informed and up-to-date. Civil Protection are generally kept separate from Combine military units, such as Overwatch Soldiers or Synths, and stay in a policing role within the cities. They travel in APCs and dropships, and are often accompanied by scanners or manhacks.Take note that Resistance members wear vests salvaged from Civil Protection officers as protection.
Weapons: USP Match Pistol, Stun Baton, MP7A4 Sub-Machinegun
Overwatch Soldiers: Regular, Snipers, and Elites.
Regulars:
Overwatch soldiers, also known as Combine soldiers are intelligent infantrymen that work well in a team and use a variety of attack methods. While Civil Protection has jurisdiction over the relatively minor affairs of policing the city, Overwatch soldiers can be found everywhere, and form the backbone of the Combine military occupation force. In this role, they are also the most versatile units the Combine have at hand. Combine soldiers will commonly travel using dropships or APCs. Combine soldiers also serve as the pilots and gunners of the Combine's hunter-choppers. Combine soldiers are initially found mostly in the coastal wasteland outside the city, patrolling the highways for resistance activity and staffing Combine outposts. They can, however, be found anywhere the Combine requires direct military action, as soldiers can be transported from the Citadel to a desired area via dropships. Overwatch soldiers are also tasked with guarding very high-security areas, monitoring stalkers in the Citadel and serving as staff in Nova Prospekt. Nova Prospekt's guards wear special blue-and-yellow uniforms, but are otherwise identical to their grey-and-white counterparts. Also, standard soldiers have blue goggles, while their Nova Prospekt counterparts have yellow ones. New types of Combine soldiers, which wear olive-green uniforms with orange goggles, they are used as a Hazmat Soldiers for the Combine. They are also a Quick Reaction Force for the Cities. Combine Soliders are humans that have undergone extensive modifications including, but not limited to, brain surgery, chest surgery and implantation of various mechanical devices in the throat and around the abdomen, and are likely to have their memories replaced. This procedure is carried out at Nova Prospekt. Some Resistance members refer to the Overwatch as “not-human”. Despite the extensive surgery and modifications they receive, Overwatch Soldiers still appear to have certain human characteristics - for instance, they will grunt in pain when attacked, their Moral can be boosted with “speeches just like regular humans, They also communicate over radios, but unlike Civil Protection officers, are not spoken to by dispatchers. Punishments for failing to achieve objectives include "permanent off-world assignment". The threat of being reassigned to what may be the fringes of the Combine empire is apparently an effective method of motivating soldiers to succeed. Off-World assignments include: Death, and Outpost Manning.
Weapons: MP7A4 Sub-Machinegun, SPAS-88 Shotgun, Overwatch Standard Issue Pule Rifle (OSIPR), Fragmentation Grenades.
Overwatch Snipers:
Overwatch snipers are highly trained soldiers, who hide themselves in high, concealed locations that offer a good field of view. The only way to detect a sniper is by the blue sighting beam and the distinctive crack of his sniper rifle. Typically, these snipers are so well-entrenched that they can only be killed with a well-thrown grenade or other explosive device. Combine snipers also seem to take the doctrine of "Shoot anything that moves" quite literally; aside from their fellow Combine, they will fire upon anything that moves. They wear a similar stark-white outfit worn by Combine Elites, but was much less bulky to allow the sniper to move around easier, and make less noise which might alert the target to its presence, they are much more robot-like combat synth with three eyes, to maximise their long-range vision.
Weapons: Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Sniper Rifle (OSIPSR)
Overwatch Elites:
Sporting a distinctive white uniform with a single red ocular lens, the Elites are the deadliest of the Combine Overwatch infantry, and are theorised to be altered even further than standard soldiers. They use similar combat tactics as regular Combine soldiers, save for a few improvements. The Elite soldiers are tougher, have better accuracy with weapons, and inflict more overall damage than regular Soldiers do. They are always armed with an Overwatch Standard-Issue Pulse Rifle. Elites typically fight in squads of their own kind, but will occasionally lead squads of regular soldiers. Elites are fewer in number than regular soldiers, and are thus reserved for the more critical combat missions, where deadly tactics are required. They also serve as Doctor Green’s personal guards.
Weapons: Overwatch Standard Issue Pule Rifle (OSIPR), Fragmentation Grenades.
Combine Military Vehicles: APC, Hunter-Chopper
APC:
Armoured personnel carriers are the main ground vehicle used by both the Combine's Civil Protection and Overwatch forces, for transport as well as for combat. Resembling large armored trucks or vans. The APC has a door on its right side as well as a set of double doors at its rear. The rear doors are likely for troops to enter through, while the front door is probably for the driver who possibly serves as the vehicle's gunner as well when not driving. The APC has unusual, striped tires which are not made of Rubber. The APC can carry a driver as well as four fully equipped soldiers and is armed with a mounted pulse gun and integrated missile launcher. The APC's biggest asset, however, is speed. Civil Protection officers use APCs as rapid response vehicles to reach conflict sites and crime scenes within minutes. Overwatch soldiers, on the other hand, use the vehicles mostly as fast and reliable transportation through the wastelands outside the metropolis. An APC can also be quickly carried over problematic terrain by a Combine dropship if required. When not in use, the APC can be hooked up as a power source for Combine devices such as force field pylons. The APC has a siren which will typically be activated during a Civil Protection raid. It is never used by Overwatch personnel. Personnel inside the APCs can attack using the powerful short-range gun turret and volleys of longer-range, very accurate homing missiles. Luckily, enough gunfire can blow these missiles out of the sky or, at least, force them off course. APCs are sturdy enough that they are often used to simply smash into or run over the enemy. They are also very well shielded, offering complete protection from most conventional weapons
Hunter-Chopper:
Incredibly powerful, the hunter-chopper is a combat helicopter used, as the name implies, for search-and-destroy missions against weaker targets. It utilizes a two-man crew of Overwatch soldiers; one pilot and one gunner. The hunter-chopper is armed with a powerful pulse gun on a fixed mount and has the ability to drop explosive timed mines. The gun has a wide spread and is used mainly on slow or stationary targets. Before firing the hunter-chopper emits an audible "whining" sound that can be used as an indication of when the gun is charging up. The spherical mines are used offensively - dropped directly in front of enemy vehicles and onto weaker structures. They detonate either upon contact, or after a short timer counts down. The mines also float on water, allowing them to be used against boats and other water-craft. One hunter-chopper maneuver involves launching around fifty mines simultaneously during one high-speed bombard - effectively saturating an entire area. Hunter-choppers are among the fastest Combine units able to keep pace with, or outrun, almost any opponent. They are used mainly within the city and its outlying canals to search out and eliminate specific targets, especially those on foot. The hunter-choppers work both as lone attackers or as support units for other attack forces depending on the mission. At locations further from the city, however, such as the coast or locations where there is a large number of enemies, the Combine will typically choose to use gunships instead.
Combine Synth Vehicles: Gunship, Dropship, Manta, Crab.
Gunship:
A powerful, autonomous aircraft that combines aspects of an airplane and a helicopter with Synth technology, the gunship is the Combine's most versatile combat aircraft. Gunships are used to attack enemies not normally accessible to ground forces, or in remote locations where air power would be more convenient. They are also sometimes used in a support role, called into specific trouble spots. Gunships are powered by an array of different jet engines, visible on their belly, and a single, large, rotating insect-like wing at its rear that works similar to a helicopter rotor. Dragonfly-like compound eyes are positioned directly behind the gunship's pulse gun, they aim the weapon. The chassis itself has one large exposed compound eye on each side, which it uses to "see" or detect enemies under normal conditions. Although lacking the hunter-chopper's explosive mines and intelligent pilots, the gunship surpasses the hunter-chopper in maneuverability and accuracy with its pulse gun. Like most Combine Synths and vehicles, the gunship is invulnerable to small arms fire and can only be damaged by heavy weapons like rocket-propelled grenades. Because of this weakness to explosives, gunships will give any incoming explosives, such as rockets, a priority over enemies, and will attempt to shoot them down. If there is more than one gunship, they will all attempt to shoot down an incoming explosive in order to protect each other. Gunships are also equipped with a "belly cannon" which releases a matter disintegration blast, directly beneath the gunship. The “Belly Cannon” in only used against Hard targets.
Dropship:
Resembling a crab-like creature with ten limbs, the dropship serves as the primary aerial transport unit of the Combine, they are used for any situation that requires fast air transport, mostly for attacks on remote locations. Dropships are also used as minelayers for deploying rollermines.The front and two rearmost pairs of legs contain the engines that give the dropship lift and movement. The front two legs also hold retractable wings, used for maneuvering. The middle four legs are tipped with large gripping pads, and are used to carry various forms of cargo.Dropships can transport most Combine forces, and they have been seen transporting Combine APCs, striders, rollermines as well as both Civil Protection and Overwatch soldiers in troop-carriers. The Overwatch soldiers and Civil Protection are transported in large, streamlined containers, equipped with a powerful, and highly-accurate mounted pulse gun. Other than the troop-container's gun, the dropship has no weaponry, no means of attack, it compasates for that by being nearly invunerable.
Strider:
An extremely deadly and effective assault unit, the Strider is perhaps the most powerful, and the most feared of the Synths. Striders are essentially walking autonomous tanks, consisting of a beetle-like shell and three massive legs. The underside of the segmented shell holds the strider's external mechanics and two guns. The smaller of the two is a powerful and highly-accurate pulse gun, while the larger is a high-power "warp cannon" or "singularity cannon" able to punch significant holes in the thickest concrete and vaporize enemies. The firing of this weapon is signaled by a strange distortion of the light around the cannon's muzzle, a loud hum, and a smaller initial beam that indicates where the full force will hit. This process takes only a few seconds, leaving little time to react. Their powerful legs are also tipped with sharp spikes, which they use to impale weaker targets and kick debris. Individual striders are used to patrol off-limit city streets and provide combat support for groups of soldiers. However, in major combat, striders are used in a role similar to manhacks on a city-wide scale, destroying possible shelters and flooding an area as a means of removing all enemies. Because of their greater effectiveness and value, they are used mostly in a defensive role. Striders fit this task well due to their destructive ability and remarkable maneuverability on even the harshest terrain. When unleashed, a strider can, and will, destroy an entire building in order to strike a handful of targets inside. Conveniently, their long legs can climb over any resulting debris or any barriers of up to several meters high. They can even crawl through very small traffic tunnels and parking garages, if need be, "digging" through barriers using their "warp" cannon. Striders are also armored against all but the most powerful weapons, making non-explosive rounds useless against them. Luckily, striders tend to follow specific patrol routes when tasked with defending a limited area, making them easy to avoid, so long as shield scanners are not being used. When shield scanners do accompany a strider, they function as spotters for it, searching inside buildings and other places of concealment for targets the strider would otherwise be unable to see. Striders also work with Combine dropships, folding their legs into a compact shape that allows them to be transported.
Manta:
It is an Airborne Automonous Heavy Assault Vehicle. It fires Energy projecties at hard targets. It is used against defensive structures and large formations of Enemy Units.
Crab:
The Combines Automonous Tank. It fires Solid Projectiles at hard targets. It is used against defensive structures and large Formation of Enemy Units.
Other Combine Military Devices: City Scanner, Shield Scanner, Hopper Mine, Manhack, Rollermine.
City Scanner:
City scanners, often referred to simply as scanners, are piranha-like, flying security cameras used by the Combine to monitor City citizens. They are equipped with a built-in camera and a blinding searchlight. City scanners have no weapons, but the blinding searchlight and the photographic flash emitted can temporarily stun a person. They are lightly armoured, and can easily be destroyed by launched objects, gunfire, or by simply being smashed with a hard object. When a city scanner receives critical damage, it attempts to crash itself into its attacker in hope of doing damage to them. They are powered by a single Combine battery, and a destroyed one will drop such a battery. As the name implies, city scanners are used primarily in the city, rather than in out-of-city locations, such as the canals or the coast. It appears that city scanners are mass-produced in the Citadel, as they serve many purposes - including the obvious surveillance role, as well as reconnaissance, and the hunting of missing or wanted individuals. City scanners will typically accompany Civil Protection personnel and almost always work with other Combine units, but are typically not directly used in combat, and only have the role of informing other, more combat equipped Combine units about citizens and their locations, should there be need for combat. City scanners rarely travel alone, so the sight of a city scanner is usually an indication that there are other Combine forces nearby. In cases of emergency, city scanners can be mass-deployed in hundreds or thousands from the Citadel, to perform a city-wide, and possibly out of city search as well.
Manhacks:
Manhacks are flying, gyroscope-like devices, slightly smaller than city scanners. They have three razor-sharp blades which constantly spin at extremely high speeds. The blades's spinning produces a high-pitched whine, which can be used as an indicator of a manhack's presence nearby. The manhack's blades are powerful enough to instantly slice through wood planks and fencing, but are unable to slice through stronger materials such as metal or concrete. Semi-intelligent, they have very little concept of self-preservation, careening off walls and through objects in the single-minded pursuit of their target. Manhacks are deployed by the Combine (who call them "viscerators") and are used to scout areas too dangerous for city scanners. Manhacks never travel alone, but are usually deployed in groups of at least four or more. They appear to be fairly armoured against gunfire, and are more easily destroyed by being smashed with a hard object, which will cause it to become disoriented, and stop attacking for a couple of seconds as it re-stabilizes itself.
Rollermine:
Rollermines are electrically-charged, spherical devices slightly larger than soccer balls that react to movement within a sizable radius. Rollermines are used as offensive and defensive traps by the Combine. As the name implies, they roll towards enemies in attempt to electrocute them. Extensively used along the coastal roads, the mines are deployed from the air by Combine dropships, in groups of two to four. Upon landing, the mines will remain inert or, if they land on softer terrain like soil or asphalt, they will burrow themselves into the ground, remaining almost invisible. When an enemy target is detected, the roller mine will pop out of hiding and roll towards it in a relatively straight line. They inflict damage to people via close-range electric shocks. The mines can magnetically cling to a target vehicle and interfere with the steering, forcing the driver to either stop or drive off the road. Besides the damage inflicted by any resulting car wreck, attached rollermines pose little threat to the occupants of a vehicle, concentrating instead on shocking the vehicle itself. For this reason, rollermines are usually deployed in tandem with Combine soldiers, who would ambush the stranded individuals. Attached mines cannot be removed except through excessive force, and touching them will cause electrocution. They are also deployed in structures, taking any intruder by surprise.
Shield Scanner:
The successor of the city scanner, the shield scanner appears for a brief time in later chapters of the game. It is very similar to the city scanner in terms of function and capabilities. The shield scanner features a stronger, and more blinding search light, and is equipped with a large pincer arm, which is kept concealed behind an armored hatch at its front, along with several additional sensors and parts.The shield scanner, unlike the city scanner, has minor combat roles. A shield scanner uses its pincer arm to efficiently pick up and deploy hopper mines, giving it the additional combat support roles of a miniature equipment transport and minelayer. Shield scanners are also used as target-spotters for striders, alerting them to the presence of enemies hiding inside structures, or in other areas that might be used for concealment.
Hopper Mine:
Hopper mines are anti-personnel mines that hop into the air before exploding. These mines are carried and deployed by shield scanners. They are vaguely cone-shaped with three sharp "legs". When dropped, the mines use these legs to bounce around until they land right-ways up on a smooth surface. They then jam the legs into the ground, attaching themselves very firmly.When an enemy target comes close, the mines light up and give off a warning chirp. If the enemy target gets too close, the mines will toss themselves unpredictably, nearly two meters (six feet) into the air, and explode upon contact with whatever they happen to hit on the way down, which is usually the ground. They also detonate if smashed too violently. Because of their danger, immovability and extreme durability, hopper mines are impossible for most enemies to disable or defuse. Thus, they are used by the Combine almost exclusively to deter attacking enemy personnel, creating makeshift but often impassable barriers in seconds. They are used both indoors and outdoors, mostly in vital choke-points and occasionally concealed as traps. Hopper mines use a friendly fire identification system which resets whenever they are picked up. The mines interpret a "friendly" unit as whichever faction placed it last. Thus, a mine placed by a citizen with a gravity gun will attack Combine, and a mine dropped by a shield scanner will attack citizens. This system is signaled through a color-coded light at the top of the device.
Dangers to both Resistance and Combine Forces: Headcrabs/ Zombies, Antlions.
Headcrabs/Zombies:
The headcrab is a small creature with a relatively simplistic design, consisting of a small rounded body with four legs for movement (two hind legs at the back and another stubbier two at the front, obscured by its claws) and a pair of larger frontal claws for attacking prey or as additional support when standing still. Under its body is a large rounded mouth with viciously sharp teeth. Headcrabs have a mottled tan-coloured skin and red legs.Although small, slow-moving, and relatively weak on its own, the headcrab has the ability to quickly leap long distances using its hind legs, while tilting upwards to face its mouth towards a target, inflicting minor injury with its claws, legs, and teeth. Its main goal, however, is to attach itself onto an appropriate host body.Headcrabs are often heard making a variety of vocalisations. When they are not hunting, headcrabs usually emit squeaks and fairly quiet, repetitive calls, whilst gently swaying their bodies back and forth. When attacking, the headcrab will emit a sharp, shrill shriek as it leaps towards its victim. Headcrabs appear to be very social animals, often seen clustered in groups, and like sheep, the entire group often copies the actions of a single creature. This, combined with the fact that headcrabs will pursue their prey under the most dangerous conditions, suggests that the headcrab possesses only a basic level of intelligence.
A headcrab's primary goal is to attach to the head of a suitable host using its mouth, and burrow its claws and hind legs into the host, whereupon it takes control over its victim's body, rendering him a mindless zombie-like being. Additionally, the headcrab's physiology causes various "mutations" to rapidly manifest in its host, such as elongated claws, increased strength, and a sharp-toothed, sideways mouth that bisects the victim's chest cavity from neck to groin. This last feature has caused some fans to dub the headcrab zombies as "Mawmen". The results of these changes may depend on the type of host and/or the length of time the headcrab is attached. In most cases, a headcrab remains attached to its host until destroyed, they have the ability to detach from the host if it is damaged significantly. Removal of the headcrab reveals that the host's face has been largely eaten away by the creature, leaving behind merely a skull, eyes, and minor residual tissue. Horrified sounds emanating from headcrab zombies imply that, while severely wounded, the host creature is at least partially aware of its horrific situation. Cries have been interpreted as "GOD HELP ME", yells of "GET IT OFF ME!".
Combine use the headcrabs as a form of biological weaponry towards the Resistance. "Headcrab shells", as they are known, are shells containing several headcrabs, within a gace that are launched from artillery. If released in large numbers, the shells are highly effective in neutralizing a large concentration of Resistance groups, as proven during a visit to the devastated town of Ravenholm. Standard headcrabs and fast headcrabs have been observed emerging from headcrab shells, but it is also believed that poison headcrabs are used as well, due to the presence of poison zombies close to areas where headcrab shells have landed.
The first variation is known as a fast headcrab, having longer, thinner, almost spider-like legs, which allows it move much faster, as well as sharper talons in and around its mouth. This type appears to produce leaner zombies, stripped of their outer skin and some body tissue (revealing large parts of the victim's skeleton) along with the standard elongated claws. These zombies are astonishingly fast, agile, and have the ability to leap long distances and climb quickly.
The second variation, a poison headcrab, is identified by its brown/black color skin, with thick hairs on the joints of its long legs. To distinguish it further is the white bands that encircle the area where the leg meets the body. It also makes a very distinct and unpleasant sound similar to that of a rattlesnake's tail when it detects a viable host. poison headcrab's neurotoxin is extremely powerful and hazardous to non-hosts. The toxin may also be used as the poison headcrab injects it into its host through its bite, producing a bloated, hunched-over carrier zombie that is usually encumbered with several other poison headcrabs hitching a ride on it. This zombie's appearance is probably caused by the mass amount of toxins injected into its body, causing it to become swollen. It is able to hurl the hitch-hiking headcrabs at enemies over a great distance, while the headcrabs may also jump off of the zombie by themselves. In addition, carrier zombies have extraordinary endurance.
Antlions:
Antlions live in underground colonies, typically situated in sandy areas such as beaches. They usually hide under the sand, waiting for anything unlucky to cross its path and then quickly surface and tear it apart. Antlions sense a victim's presence via vibrations transmitted through loose soil or sand; this makes it possible to safely venture through antlion territories by walking solely over foreign items placed on the sand, or by walking across rocks. If unlucky enough to disturb a swarm of them, temporary refuge may be sought in water, since Antlions quickly die when they come into contact with it. Antlions also possess the ability to fly (more a wing-assisted hop, really) over short distances. Antlions are a constant and lethal pest to people living in areas near them, though both the Resistance and the Combine have different ways of dealing with them. The resistance uses pheropods, or "bugbait", containing Antlion pheromones to control and tame the Antlions. The Combine, however, use "thumpers" — large machines that repeatedly pound the ground and form "safe zones" that Antlions will not cross.
Defence Against Antlions:
Whilst the countryside around City 17 (and presumably the rest of the nation as well) is swarming with Antlions, cities are protected by large mechanical devices known as "thumpers". These machines repeatedly pound the ground. The vibrations they produce are strong enough to intimidate Antlion colonies, preventing the creatures from swarming into protected areas. Large thumpers, appear around the perimeters of City 17, 16, and 4 and Nova Prospekt.