How to become combine

Half-Life 2136 views4 favorites8 min readby PAJOUpdated Apr 3View on Steam ↗

Introduction

Works for both episode 1 and 2 and the original Half-Life 2
The original guide for this that I made is a bit outdated. It didn't explain much and made the whole process unnecessarily long. So I'm now revisiting this topic with a simpler guide.
It's impossible to truly play as a combine soldier in this game, but you can tweak the console a little to get close.

To turn on console, go to options, then keyboard, then advanced and tick Enable developer console

PLEASE READ THE GUIDE CAREFULLY

There are two ways I'd go about this.

Autoexec Method

READ AND FOLLOW THE STEPS CAREFULLY

Step 1:

autoexec.cfg For this one, you don't need the console command. Go into your steam library page for Half-Life 2, click settings (the cogwheel icon), manage and then browse local files. In your Half-Life 2 folder, go to hl2_complete, then the cfg folder and create a new file called autoexec.cfg
For older versions of Half-life 2, find the Half-Life 2 folder then go to hl2 and then the cfg folder to put the autoexec.cfg file in. Older versions which don't have episode 1 and 2 added in.
Edit this autoexec.cfg file with notepad. Copy and paste this whole thing into the file.

ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_citizen target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_metropolice target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_combine_s target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_strider target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_manhack target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_cscanner target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_clawscanner target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_sniper target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_rollermine target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_turret_floor target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_turret_ceiling target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_combinedropship target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_helicopter target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_combinegunship target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_hunter target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_advisor target !player startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_stalker target !player startactive 1

This makes you hostile to citizens/rebels and vortigaunts while being friendly to all combine NPCs.

Step 2:

Execution
This autoexec.cfg file remains dormant until executed.
Ingame this can be done using this command:

exec autoexec.cfg

BUT you can also go into the Half-Life 2 steam library page, go to the settings, then click on properties and add

+exec autoexec.cfg

into the launch options. This will make the command activate every time you enter the game instead of having to execute it while you're inside. If you want it to stop, you'll have to remove the launch options, or you can just execute it via the console commands regularly every session.

EXTRA: STORY NPCS

WARNING: SOFTLOCK

I do not recommend making story NPCs hostile. It can break the game and softlock you when unarmed story NPCs enter panic mode and stop the progression or armed NPCs begin shooting you.
But, if you insist, paste these commands into the autoexec.cfg file in a new line.

ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_vortigaunt target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_eli target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_barney target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_alyx target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_dog target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_kleiner target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_gman target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_monk target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_mossman target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1 ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_magnusson target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1

Slow Method

Warning: DOES NOT SAVE BETWEEN SESSIONS

Please copy and paste these commands one by one, as the console command bar has a character limit. Go into the console and type in

sv_cheats 1

This will disable achievements but allow you to do these commands. The autoexec method doesn't need this.
Step 1:
Aliases

The alias command puts another command under an alias to shorten it.

alias ck "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_citizen target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1"

If you type ck now in the console alone, that whole command activates. It is meant to make citizens/rebels hostile NPCs that you can kill. But don't type in ck yet, you have to do the other aliases.

alias c1 "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_metropolice target !player startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_combine_s target !player startactive 1"

Alias to make you friendly to civil protection and combine soldiers (prison guards and elites included)

alias c2 "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_strider target !player startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_manhack target !player startactive 1"

Makes you friendly to striders and manhacks.

alias c3 "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_cscanner target !player startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_clawscanner target !player startactive 1"

Makes you friendly to combat scanners (they wont't drop mines for you) and city scanners.

alias c4 "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_sniper target !player startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_rollermine target !player startactive 1"

Makes you friendly to snipers and rollermines.

alias c5 "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_turret_floor target !player startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_combinedropship target !player startactive 1"

Makes you friendly to turrets and dropships.

alias c6 "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_helicopter target !player startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_combinegunship target !player startactive 1"

Makes you friendly to helicopters and gunships.

alias st "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_stalker target !player startactive 1"

Makes you friendly to stalkers.

alias c7 "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_hunter target !player startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_advisor target !player startactive 1"

Makes you friendly to hunters and advisors. Step 1.5:
(OPTIONAL AND NOT RECOMMENDED) Story NPCs
WARNING: SOFTLOCK
As I said in the first autoexec method, story NPCs are essential. If you are hostile to them, you will make them attack you or go into panic mode and run. This can break several sections of the game and softlock you.
But, if you REALLY want, here are the story NPCs.

alias ca "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_alyx target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_barney target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1"

Makes you hostile to Barney and Alyx.

alias cb "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_eli target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_kleiner target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1"

Makes you hostile to Eli and Kleiner.

alias cc "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_dog target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_magnusson target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1"

Makes you hostile to Dog and Dr. Magnusson.

alias cd "ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_vortigaunt target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1;ent_create ai_relationship targetname newrel subject npc_mossman target !player disposition 1 reciprocal 1 startactive 1"

Makes you hostile to vortigaunts and Mossman. Then use this command

Bind m "ck;c1;c2;c3;c4;c5;c6;c7;st;ca;cb;cc;cd"

You can replace m with any key you want, and when you click it, it will change all of the AI relationships required. Step 2:
Binding (WITHOUT STORY NPCs) These commands can't be done on their own because they reset every checkpoint.
You have to bind them to a key that you press every checkpoint to keep it working.
The bind command goes like this:

bind (key) "(command)"

For this guide the key is m.
the aliases are their own individual commands, which is why we made the aliases in the first place.

bind m "ck;c1;c2;c3;c4;c5;c6;st"

However, these aliases don't save between sessions. So every time you leave and re-enter the game, you have to retype all the commands again.

Weapons (Optional)

A combine soldier must be armed, but this is optional.
You can give yourself weapons with two commands:

give (weapon)

impulse 101

Impulse 101 gives you every weapon you can have, while the give command only gives you one.

Here are some weapons that the combine use. For other weapons, look at other command guides:
give weapon_pistol
give weapon_smg1
give weapon_ar2
give weapon_shotgun
give weapon_frag
give weapon_stunstick_player

For ammo, hold your gun and do the command

givecurrentammo

However, it won't give you AR2 energy balls or SMG grenades (unless you already have them in your gun, in which case it will give you more). For them do:
give item_ammo_ar2_altfire
for energy balls and:
give item_ammo_smg1_grenade
and THEN do givecurrentammo.

Credits:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3087273607
For giving me a list of NPC names.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2667013479
For giving me the idea. I experimented with this command and learned that I can make NPCs friendly to myself.

Original:

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2893491010