Overview
A informational guide on Half Life 2’s always present threat, The Combine. [SPOILER WARNING FOR HALF LIFE 1 CONTENT IN THIS GUIDE]
Combine Overview
The Combine are the main antagonist of Half Life 2. They are a large, alien military force that invaded and took over Earth in 7 hours. The forces you fight consist of troops armed with various weapons you find in game. They also have Striders, which act as tanks, and flying Scanners that can blind you and lay Hopper Mines. They also have APC‘s that are used as gun posistion you have to destroy. The Combine also launch Headcrab Pods, that not only do damage on impact, they also have Headcrabs inside them that leap out when the pod lands. They can be tough when they outnumber you in open firefights with no cover.
The Combine Story
The Combine (dispite only being seen and fought in Half Life 2) have been referenced in both games as a powerful enemy. In Half Life 1, the Vortigaunts apear to be wearing collars and shackels, and the Vortigaunt in the beginning of Half Life 2 is wearing the same restraints. This means the Combine had attempted to inslave the Vortigaunts before the events of Half Life 1. Also, Nihilanth (Half Life‘s final boss) looks as if he/she has been augmented with Combine tech (much like the Advisors). Nihilanth also states lines as you get closer to him about a larger, more evil force that was coming for him, and will attack Earth as well. Evidence suggest he was refering to the Combine. Half Life 2 story states the Combine took over Earth in 7 hours in a war respectivly called the 7 Hour War. Before Humans were completely annahilated, Dr. Wallace Breen stepped in with a proposal about letting the Human Race live under their rule. The Combine accepted, and appointed Dr. Breen as the ambassador of Earth. Since then, Earth has been under Combine control, living in appointed Urban Centers (Ex: City 17). Rebels have continued fighting the Combine, refusing to give in. This leads up to the story now, where Gordan Freeman is tasked with fighting the Combine along side the Rebel forces.
Combine Infintry
Below this is a selection of sections about Combine infinty forces, from Metrocops to Combine Elite.
Combine Enemy 1: Combine Soldier
The footsoldier of the Combine is the Combine Soldier. He is a person-sized enemy, who can be found using SMGs and Pulse Rifles. They are usually spawned in groups of 2-3, and are mostly spawned in with at least 1 Combine Shotgunner. They also have the ability to through a Grenade if you are not in sight. In Nova Prospekt, the Combine Soldiers have a changed skin that adds a darker color palet, and have a strip on their back with the words “Nova Prospekt“. This does not change the way they fight, or how tough they are.
Combine Soldiers can be easily dispatched with heavy props and explosives. They are not tough 1 on 1 if you have ammo or heavy props, but can be dangerous when you are stuck with melee, or they are ganged up on you.
Combine Enemy 2: Combine Shotgunner
The Combine Shotgunner is similar to the Combine Soldier, with only a few changes. They use Shotguns, and have a tweaked AI. Instead of taking cover behind walls, they will charge you with their Shotguns ablaze. They also have darker colored armour, and have orange-red eye lenses insted of blue. They are spawned in with Combine Soldiers, and are sometimes spawned in in pairs.
The Combine Shotgunner has identical stats to the Combine Soldier, but have a tendency to charge enemies. They are not dangerous at long range, but are extremely dangerous as they get closer. They should be taken out first if there isn’t any other immidiate threats in the area.
Combine Enemy 3: Combine Elite
Unlike the Combine Soldier and Combine Shotgunner, the Combine Elite is a tougher enemy. They are usually in pairs and always use Pulse Rifles. They are also the only enemies that can drop Energy Balls on death. They also have white armour with one red eye in the center of their helmet. They can take the most hits out of all the Combine infintry, and have a tactical AI like the Combine Soldier. They can fire an Energy Ball at enemies, making quick work of them.
They are still easily killed by props, but have a bit more resistance to explosive. If the explosive is a distance away, they can resist the explosion. They also take quite a bit more punishment from guns, so it would be better finding alternate ways to kill them.
Combine Enemy 4: Metrocop
These Combine infintry force are the weakest units of the Combine‘s forces. They are supposed to be Humans who have been brainwashed and programmed with this basic function: Control the Civillians. They are the first enemies that will attack you, and are littered throughout the areas around and in City 17. They use SMGs and Pistols, and are usually around Scanners. They are also the only AI who can use the Stunstick. They are very weak, for it will only take a few shots with a Pistol to take them down.
They are used as a basic, easy enemy to take out. But, they are usually used in groups of 2-5. This can pose a problem when they surround you, converging fire with SMGs and you are out of ammo.
Combine Robots
Below this is a collection of sections about Combine Robots you will find in game.
Combine Robot 1: Scanner
Floating around City 17, the Scanners are an annoyence. They mostly hang around Metrocops and other Combine forces. They are easy to kill, and cause no damage at all. There are 2 kinds of Scanners, City Scanners and Shield Scanners. The City Scanner serves as a mobile flashbang, temporarily blinding your screen. This can be bad if your are under fire from other enemies. The second Scanner lays Hopper Mines in areas you are going to. They can be dangerous if you don’t pay attention to them.
Both these Scanners have low health, and are easily killed. They simply serve as trap layers and distractions.
Combine Robot 2: Manhack
As their name states, Manhacks are flying enemies that pursue you and Rebels and “hack” them. This robot is usually found in swarms that go up to 7 Manhacks in 1 swarm. Manhacks are also deployed by Combine Metrocops and somtimes Combine Soldiers. They will pull Manhacks out of their back and throw them into the air. Manhacks are easy to kill, but will swarm people and kill them quickly if they are not careful.
Even though melee is an effective 2-hit kill tactic, 1 hit will send the Manhack flying back and into a beeping rage, where the eye will turn yellow, and smoke will emit from it. These enemies can be used to kill others. Useing the Gravity Gun to pick one up, you can then throw the at an enmey and kill them with it, which also counts toward an achievement.
Combine Robot 3: Strider
Even though the Strider is technically a Synth, along with the Gunship and Dropship, it is still part robot. The Strider is a tall, elongated enemy that can take no damage from bullets, and only takes damage from explosives. It is equiped with a Strider Canon, a devestating rapid fire burst weapon, with a deadly charged blast that can obliterate anything in the blast, but can not be used by the player. The Strider can also impale people if they are close or under him. You know if someone has been impaled when you hear a god awful sound that resembles a sheet of metal getting torn apart by another sheet of metal.
The Strider can only be killed by explosives. This means you have to use Rockets, Explosive Barrels, SMG Grenades, and Grenades. But, the Strider can also be killed using Energy Balls. A couple hits with these types of weapons should do the job. Keep in mind, cover is VITAL to surviving them.
Combine Robot 4: Gunship
The Gunship is a Synth like its other augmented brothers. It is a flying enemy, and is mostly used as a mini-boss for you to fight, mostly showing up when your on rooftops or open spaces with minimal cover. It has a gun similar to the Strider Canon, except with a slightly faster firing speed and no charged attack. It will usually make circling patterns around its target and do strafing runs, like the Hunter Chopper. This enemy, too, can only be harmed by explosives, but the Rocket Launcher is most effective.
The Gunship will attempt to shoot down any explosives fired at it. But, the Rocket Launchers laser guide can be used to steer the Rocket out of the Gunships fire, and into said Gunship. 3-5 shots should take it out.
Combine Robot 5: Dropship
The Dropship is Synth as well. Its main purpose is to carry a pod that when the Dropship lands, will deploy around 5 Combine enemies, usually Combine Soldiers and Shotgunners. They also carry APCs and Striders into battle. The Dropship does have a rapid-fire, mounted gun that only faces the front with a 90 degree turn radius. It is only used if someone is infront of the Dropship, and is most likely a mounted Pulse Rifle.
You can not kill a Dropship, but a couple of Rockets to its underside will cause it to drop its payload. This can be useful to make it drop a pod of troops or an APC so you won’t have to fight them later.
Combine Robot 6: Roller Mine
The Roller Mine is a spherical mine that will chase after enemies and shock them. They will also attach themselves to your Buggy in Highway 17, causing it to flip periodicly. The only way to kill them, is to throw them into the ocean. Throwing them into the ocean will cause them to explode.
Combine Vehicles
Below this are a few Combine Vehicles you will find and fight.
Combine Vehicle 1: APC
The APC is an armoured car that can be is used as a gun position that you can either avoid or take out. The APC is equiped with a mounted Pulse Rifle, and a Rocket Launcher. They are not tough and only take a couple Rockets before exploding, and can be taken out with the Airboat Turret.
They are far and few between in the game, only apearing mostly in the beginning of the game, and rarely throughout the rest.
Combine Vehicle 2: Hunter Chopper
The Hunter Chopper does just what the name implies. Their main purpose is to hunt down escaping Citizens and overall, you. It is a flying enemy that is very tough to take down. It can take many hits, and the only effective weapon you get when you encounter it is the Airboat Gun. This battle takes a lot of strafing to avoid the Hunter Chopper‘s attacks. What makes the Hunter Chopper different than the Gunship, is that the Hunter Chopper‘s gun fires more rapidly with a wider bullet spread, and has the ability to lay down sphereical mines that explode in a matter of seconds from being launched or if they are hit.
Killing the Hunter Chopper will make the ragdoll of a Combine Soldier fall out of the Chopper before it explodes. This proves that it is in fact piloted and is not a robot.
An Explaination of Synths
Most likely standing for Synthetics, Synths are the alien/robots you fight. Synths, like the Strider, were once an alien race who have been taken over and augmented by the Combine. For instance, Striders probably didn’t look the way they do now or have mounted guns. They must have lived in peace on their own home planet before the Combine came. The Combine probably took the surviving Striders and augmented them for war. This probably goes for every Synth, and the Synths are Striders, Gunships, Dropships, and possibly Shield Scanners.
In Conclusion
Thank you for viewing this guide, and I hope it helps you understand what the Combine are and what they do. Check out my other guide called “Half Life 2: Zombie Guide“, and have fun.