Wikiprojekt:Half-Life/en/Wykaz przeciwników w grze Half-Life 2

Artykuł zawiera spis humanoidalnych i syntetycznych sił na usłuach Kombinatu w grze Half-Life 2, wydanej w 2004.

Humanoidy

Jednostki bojowe Kombinatu składają się w głównej mierze z humanoidalnych jednostek Nadzoru Kombinatu. Doktor Wallace Breen mówi o nich, że są "transludzkim ramieniem nadzoru sektora siedemnastego". Są to ludzie, którzy zostali pojmani i poddani procesowi prania mózgu, co przeistoczyło ich w "transludzi", lub "po-ludzi" - cyborgi. Są najczęściej spotykanymi w grze wrogimi jednostkami.

System głośników poumieszczanych w mieście pozwala zrozumieć częściowo taktykę, którą kieruje się Nadzór Kombinatu. Wydaje się, że te jednostki bojowe traktują całe miasto jak żywy organizm, a siebie jak białe krwinki i inne mechanizmy obronne właściwe dla żywych organizmów, zwalczające zarazę w postaci powstania. W komunikacji stosują wyrażenia takie, jak "powstrzymać", "martwica", "kleszcze", czy "amputować", a kiedy liczebność jednostki spadnie do 1, ostatni jej członek krzyczy "Wybuch, wybuch, wybuch!", co w terminologii wojskowej oznacza ostrzeżenie pozostałych jednostek patrolowych przed przeważającymi siłami wroga.

Ochrona cywilna

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 1, Point Insertion

• Całkowita energia: 26 (przed rozdziałem 11 - Anticitizen One), 40 (w trakcie rozdziału 11 i późniejszych - Anticitizen One)
• Zadawane obrażenia: pałka obezwładniająca (0,5), H&K USP Match (3), H&K MP7 (3-7)
• Zdolności specjalne: Flary ogniowe - wezwanie posiłków, uwalnianie Manhack, atak wręcz
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_metropolice

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 more privileges and better living standards, such as adequate food. Unlike Overwatch soldiers, they do not appear to be modified or enhanced in any way, although they wear masks that alter the sound of their voice (as if through a radio).

In the first few chapters of the game, the Civil Protection are armed with USP Match pistols and stun batons. However, later, they will occasionally carry MP7 sub-machine guns. Each Civil Protection officer is outfitted with a black-green uniform and leather boots, a high standard when compared to regular citizens, and a bulletproof vest with a white mask, obscuring human features.

Some cops are also outfitted with deployable manhacks, which they will release at opportune moments, while other cops have the ability to call in reinforcements by launching flares (typically from Combine watchtowers).

The tactics that the Civil Protection employ are basically strafing to avoid enemy fire or hiding behind cover when they are wounded. When a 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 dispatcher-like female voice over their radios (voiced by Ellen McLane). She will inform them of mission objectives, rewards, reminders, downed units, and a variety of other information to keep the officers informed and up-to-date.

Certain radio transmissions heard over the Civil Protection's radios suggest that they are rewarded with sex, or at least a simulation of it ("non-mechanical reproduction simulation" in the words of the dispatcher) in return for good job performance (note that Raising the Bar mentions the Combine has used the human race's negative traits such as cruelty to aid them in conquering other worlds, so it is also probable that the Combine is using the human race's sexuality to manipulate them); normal citizens have had the right to procreate removed, due to the Combine's suppression field. Other radio transmissions suggest that 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.

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.

Resistance members have been noted wearing vests salvaged from Civil Protection officers as protection.

Overwatch Soldier and Nova Prospekt Prison Guard

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 4, "Water Hazard" (soldier), Rozdział 8, "Sandtraps" (prison guard)

• Całkowita energia: 50
• Zadawane obrażenia: Weapon butt (10), H&K MP7 (3), Franchi SPAS-12 (3 per pellet), Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Rifle (5), Grenade (75 (splash damage))
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_combine_s (Regular soldier) and npc_combine_p (Nova Prospekt soldier) (Half-Life 2 only)

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. They are typically armed with either an MP7 sub-machine gun, a Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun or an Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Rifle, and usually carry a supply of M-38 grenades. Certain soldiers will use Overwatch sniper rifles, although they are less common (see below). The Combine soldiers are equipped with camouflage uniforms and advanced body armor, which protects their torso, groin, arms and thighs. Also, their masks are a model more advanced than those issued to the Civil Protection units. The soldiers have the Overwatch insignia emblazed on their right armpad and the unit designation on the left one. Interestingly, the unit patch is an orange variant of that belonging to the 7th Infantry Division. Nova Prospekt guards have the facility name underneath the Overwatch symbol and the Universal Union insignia on their left armpad.

Originally the uniforms were intended to have randomly generating alphanumeric unit numbers on them, as well as have a different camouflage design, yellow undergarments and dark orange goggles. However, due to gameplay and programming issues, the design was reworked.

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 the Nova Prospekt. In addition, they also serve as pilots and gunners of the Combine hunter-choppers.

Nova Prospekt's prison guards wear special blue-and-yellow uniforms with the words "Nova Prospekt" on the back, but are otherwise identical to their grey-and-white counterparts. Also, standard soldiers have blue goggles, while their Nova Prospekt counterparts have yellow ones. The prison guards are not present anywhere else except in Nova Prospekt.

Green-colored Combine soldiers with glowing orange eyes named "Skullbreaker Soldier" or "Combine Skullbreaker" were seen in preview screenshots of Half-Life 2: Episode One, during the time when the episode was still called Aftermath.[1] It is unclear how this variation related to the rest of the Combine Overwatch, as they were replaced by regular Combine soldiers in the game's final release. These same green-colored soldiers can also be seen in the main menu of Half-Life 2: Deathmatch.

Combine soldiers are confirmed to be 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 and the Citadel. Some players like to think of Combine soldiers as human synths; Dr. Kleiner describes them in Episode One as "post-human" in reference to their enforced enhancements.

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, and during the Nova Prospekt chapter, Doctor Breen is giving what appears to be a morale-boosting speech to them, and they sometimes can be heard shouting expletives in the heat of battle, indicating that they still have human emotions to a certain extent. They also communicate over radios, but unlike Civil Protection officers, are not spoken to by dispatchers. Based on announcements made over the public address system of Nova Prospekt, 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.

The following combat tactics are true for both Combine Soldiers and Combine Elites:

• Soldiers usually stay behind cover and only come out for a short time to fire.
• They frequently attempt outflanking maneuvers to surround enemies.
• When faced with an enemy that is too close to safely fire upon, they will use the butt of their weapons to strike the enemy and attempt to drive him or her back.

Overwatch sniper

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 6, "We don't go to Ravenholm..."

• Całkowita energia: 125
• Zadawane obrażenia: Combine Sniper Rifle (20)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_sniper

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, to which they will briefly yell "Shit!" in alarm when one reaches their position. The explosion will typically blow the sniper out of his hiding spot, but his weapon never seems to fall to the ground for the player to collect. If spawned during play using console commands, it is possible to see that the sniper doesn't actually carry a weapon, or that its weapon has no model, and that the laser comes out of the sniper's groin; this is probably due to the fact that snipers are usually not directly visible. If the ammo cartridge for the sniper rifle is spawned (with the command "give item_box_sniper_rounds"), a noticeable feature is the texture of the box, which is pink with the repeating words "OBSOL33T" wrapped around it. However, The box of ammo will just stay on the ground as the game does not know what weapon uses it. [2]

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, including crows, headcrabs, friendly rollermines (in Half-Life 2: Episode One), pigeons and headcrab zombies. Combine snipers can be seen shooting any breakable items around a hiding target, in order to eliminate the amount of additional cover that the target can use.

The player was intended to use a Combine sniper rifle during the game, but the concept was dropped during the development of Half-Life 2, replaced by the resistance-built crossbow.

Early concept art of the snipers reveals that they might have been female at some point, much like the human Black Ops assassins from Half-Life.Szablon:Ref label This version wore a similar stark-white outfit worn by Combine Elites, but was much less bulky to make movement easier, and make less noise which might alert the target to its presence. Another concept that was not utilized was the idea of the sniper being a much more robot-like combat synth with three eyes.Szablon:Ref label

In Half-Life 2: Episode One, Alyx Vance uses a sniper rifle to aid Gordon Freeman in an area of City 17. However, Gordon does not see her holding the sniper rifle as she becomes hidden in the same way as an Overwatch sniper. The sniper rifle itself also emits a different sound in Episode One. The rifle sounds less powerful and slightly quieter in the expansion (perhaps due to a silencer), and a brief recharge period can be heard between each shot.

It is interesting to note also that when spawned in the "Our Benefactors" level after Gordon recieves the upgraded gravity gun, attacking the sniper with the gravity gun will not "kill" the sniper but rather instead will spawn ragdolls from the spot the sniper is standing at.

Overwatch Elite

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 9, Nova Prospekt

• Całkowita energia: 70
• Zadawane obrażenia: Weapon butt (15), Overwatch Standard Issue Pulse Rifle (3), Pulse Rifle Energy Orb (15)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_combine_s (Elite Soldier model - cannot be spawned during play, unless in Garry's Mod)

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, but with a few improvements.

Their body armour is upgraded, which is evident by the larger neck guard and the protection it offers (i.e. lifespan of the Elite). Their helmet also differs drastically from the ones regular soldiers are equipped with, and possibly improves senses, as evidenced by the two miniature domes located where the ears of the human would be.

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, and are the only units who seem to have access to the weapon's secondary-fire energy orb. They use this advantage without hesitation and with deadly accuracy. The orbs they fire, however, can be caught by Gordon Freeman's gravity gun, to be used as he sees fit. The orb, though, will explode after a set amount of time (depending on the player's difficulty level), whether flying freely (it is not affected by gravity, and can bounce off anything it doesn't kill instantly) or if left in the gravity gun's field.

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 Breen's personal guards.

Early conceptual work on the Combine Elite had emphasized their alien features: early Elite concepts had them as more ambulatory versions of the Combine Advisor, a Strider synth grafted down into the proportions of a human (which in turn may have been repurposed into the Hunter synth), and an asymmetrically proportioned cyborg synth, typically with a human face visible. The more conventional looking Elite, partly based off the concept for the unused female Combine Assassin, was chosen over the early concepts to avoid overshadowing the remarkable nature of the Citadel and to keep the Combine as a more elusive and transparent enemy.Szablon:Ref label

Stalker

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 9, Nova Prospekt

• Całkowita energia: 25
• Zadawane obrażenia: Welding Laser (estimated 2 per second, but is a sustained fire)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_stalker (only functional in Episode One)

The product of extreme, brutal Combine engineering, stalkers are humans who have been experimented on by Combine scientists, had their higher brain functions severed, nano-devices embedded into their skin, and their bodies physically altered. Their limbs have been removed and replaced with mechanical extensions; most organs, excess fat, as well as muscle have also been removed and what appear to be metallic augmentations added to parts of their body. "Stalkers", the codename by which the Combine know them, appear to be in constant pain, as their loud wheezing indicates. A stalker can't talk, and instead can only make beastly roars, most likely because its vocal cords, or perhaps entire larynx, has been removed, as the metallic hole in their throats suggests. The lack of higher mental functions would also prevent them from forming any kind of coherent vocalizations.

For ease of maintenance and to bring a physical dependence on the Combine, the stalker's digestive tract has been removed, resulting in the stalkers surviving solely on a saline solution that the Combine provides Szablon:Ref label. Stalkers would originally have to work to gain the metallic legs, proving they could be trusted with additional movement. All stalkers appear to come from male human beings, as they have facial hair stubble. However, this may simply be a developer oversight – even female citizens of City 17 will occasionally comment "They're never gonna make a stalker out of me!"

Humans are turned into stalkers at Nova Prospekt, and are then transported to the Citadel to do slave labour for the Combine. They are transported by Razor Trains, and are confined in pods during the transportation. Despite being seen in Nova Prospekt and the Citadel, stalkers are never actually engaged in combat during Half-Life 2. However, it is possible to see and battle against them in Half-Life 2 modifications such as Garry's Mod, and it is necessary to engage in combat with them in order to achieve mission objectives in Half-Life 2: Episode One, as their lasers prevent certain tasks from being completed. Episode One is also where the exact nature of stalkers is first revealed.

It appears that the citizens of City 17 have a full knowledge and understanding about stalkers, what they are, and how and where they are "made." Alyx Vance comments on Nova Prospekt: "It used to be a high-security prison, it's something... much worse than that now." Barney Calhoun also makes the comment, "He was about to board the express to Nova Prospekt!" at the start of the game. All comments indicate that the citizens know about stalkers, as well as Nova Prospekt.

Stalkers, when spawned using the console, shoot lasers from beneath their feet at the player, treating the player like an enemy. This is unfinished code originally intended to be in Half-Life 2 - the laser was originally supposed to be fired from the tools attached to the stalker’s head. If the player kills a stalker the game will crash, as the model does not have a "ragdoll" state. Some mods have successfully avoided this problem (Gmod, for example). In Episode One, they now possess ragdoll physics and the lasers shoot from the head as originally intended.

Combine synths

In Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, there is discussion of the "Synths" as results of enslaved races, and also mentions of the Combine as moving through the universe and enslaving and assimilating various races into their military forces and empire. This has led to the suggestion of two theories for the nature of the Synth: either they are techno-organic creatures genetically engineered by the Combine from the DNA of assimilated races, or they are fully-existing creatures in their own right that have been enslaved by the Combine as they are.

Various types of Synth have been brought over to Earth by the Combine, but other types of Synth are likely to exist. The total number of different Synth is unknown. It is likely that Synths were the primary forces used by the Combine during the Seven Hour War (this is likely, due to the newspaper clippings of the war that show a blurry synth Gunship), as the human-derived Combine units, as well as technology such as hunter-choppers and APCs, would have only started appearing after the Combine's rule on Earth had been established.

Combine pod

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Episode One, Rozdział 1 - Undue Alarm

• Całkowita energia: N/A
• Zadawane obrażenia: N/A
• Nazwa kodowa: Cycler (spawn malfunctioning in Half-Life 2)

Bearing a very large resemblance to the other flying synths, Combine pods, also known as Advisor pods, appear to be used by the Combine as escape vessels and transportation. They have a large, white hull bearing the Combine emblem, and each pod seems to include something resembling a registration number written on it. The synth is mostly hollow, allowing it to house an Advisor in what resembles a glass casing. Although the Advisor inside the pod is visible when Alyx and Gordon first encounter one being launched, the pod is able to close the lower lip using its legs to provide complete protection, and it uses this state when in flight. Several Combine pods are seen leaving the Citadel moments before its destruction.

During the game's commentary mode, Ted Backman mentions that Combine pods will play an important role during Half-Life 2: Episode Two, and that their initial appearance in Episode One allowed them to introduce the pods' "mind blast" ability that they are capable of emitting. This attack causes headaches and hallucinations in the victim, although it is not yet clear if it came from the pod itself or from the Advisor within it. It is also possible that the "mind blast" is simply a side effect of the engine.

Crab synth

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 13 - Our Benefactors

• Całkowita energia: N/A
• Zadawane obrażenia: N/A
• Nazwa kodowa: monster_generic (has no AI, game crashes when spawned, for unknown reason)

This Synth is only seen once, at a distance, near the very end of Half-Life 2, being transported on a conveyor belt in the Citadel during Gordon Freeman's second pod-ride, and is never encountered in a combat situation. Crab synths, along with Mortar synths, are described as being self-replicating and part-replacing creatures, and that they serve as the backbone of the Combine's armies.Szablon:Ref label Crab synths use their sharp mandibles as a melee weapon up close. Checking the model in the Source SDK model viewer reveals that it has a charging animation. A large chaingun is also visible protruding from under the synth's body when it walks. No other information is known, as it has seen action neither in Half-Life 2 nor in Half-Life 2: Episode One.

Dropship

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 4 - Water Hazard

• Całkowita energia: N/A
• Zadawane obrażenia: Pulse Turret (only on soldier carrier) (3)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_combinedropship (only stays in one spot if spawned during play)

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. Depiction of the dropship using the Half-Life 2 Model Viewer shows that the pads are modeled after, and are identical to the mouths of lampreys.

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. Gordon Freeman's dune buggy is also stolen and carried away by a dropship after the battle at Lighthouse Point.

The Overwatch soldiers and Civil Protection are transported in large, streamlined containers, equipped with a powerful, highly-accurate mounted pulse turret. The fact that all these objects are metal suggests that there may be some kind of magnet on the bottom of the dropship.

Dropships are unarmed, harmless and invulnerable to all attacks. The cargo being held, however, is unshielded and open to damage.

Gunship

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 1 - Point Insertion

• Całkowita energia: 3 (Easy) 5 (Normal) 7 (Hard) RPG hits. Grenade/Pulse Rifle orb hits do half the damage of RPG hits. Generator orb hits in the Citadel do a little less than twice.
• Zadawane obrażenia: Pulse Turret (3)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_combinegunship (only stays in one spot if spawned during play)

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. Apparently, in urban settings or when protecting highly important facilities (such as the Citadel dark fusion reactor or Nova Prospekt) the gunship are deployed in pairs, in what appears to be a buddy system, in which one protects the other. However, when deployed to oversee vast spaces, such as the coast, they are apparently deployed only one unit at a time.

Gunships are powered by an array of different jet engines, visible on their belly, and maneuver using a rear helicopter-like rotor with dragonfly wing-blades. Dragonfly-like compound eyes are positioned directly behind the gunship's pulse gun, and it is likely that they aim the weapon. The chassis itself has one large exposed compound eye on each side, which it might use to "see" or detect enemies under normal conditions. It should be noted that the aforementioned "dragonfly" eyes can be viewed in the Half-Life 2 Model Viewer as being able to extend downwards and sweep left and right, probably to maximize its chances of finding a target. Although lacking the hunter-chopper's explosive mines and intelligent pilots, the gunship surpasses the hunter-chopper in maneuverability and accuracy with its pulse turret.

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, similar to that of the suppression device, directly beneath the gunship. This attack is never used during the single player mission, nor Episode One, but additional gunships spawned by players have been witnessed using such an attack. Analysis of the single player missions that were released in an uncompiled format reveals that the gunships were deliberately set not to use this weapon. It is interesting to note that this form of attack is also used by Xen's Manta Rays in the original Half-Life, mainly witnessed at the beginning of Opposing Force, in which a group of Manta Rays destroy military aircraft. However, this is most probably just a coincidence, as it was confirmed by Marc Laidlaw that the Combine was not present on Xen during the events of Half-Life.

Hunter

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Episode One, Rozdział 2 - Direct Intervention

• Całkowita energia: 300 (In Episode One)
• Zadawane obrażenia: Pulse-Turret (2), built in suppression device (instant death, or large splash damage if not direct hit) (In Episode One)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_ministrider (spawned in Episode One only)

Suggested by its Nazwa kodowa name to be a smaller variant of the Strider, the Hunter (as named in a GamesRadar article [3]) is seen twice in Half-Life 2: Episode One: first when one breaks into a snow-covered facility during the recording of a message by Dr. Judith Mossman, and then again in the closing Episode Two teaser, in which a pack is seen dashing through a forest.

Unlike the standard Striders, which walk about one step at a time, Hunters can gallop with a powerful gait similar to a gorilla's. They also have visible eyes or eye-like devices and are more agile than their enormous cousins. They are clearly well-suited to the forest environment of Episode Two. When spawned in Episode One, they attack with a minigun-like weapon simillar to the one used by the larger Striders. In the second Episode Two trailer, it is revealed that the Hunters fire a weapon similar to the Combine Turret or Overwatch Pulse Rifle from both of their "eyes". From what is seen in gameplay videos, they seem to only use this weapon when the target is unreachable or a considerable distance away, preferring to charge and violently kick their enemies most of the time. Animations also suggest that the Hunter mounts its legs to the ground before firing, (something suspected to also occur in Episode Two's trailer). This "mounting" animation may also suggest a more powerful weapon in the future, similar to the Strider's singularity cannon. When spawned in Episode One, the Hunter may activate a cannon that fires a pulse shot similar to those shot from the suppression device atop the Overwatch Nexus.

Despite being fast and armored, a pre-release gameplay footage of Episode Two indicates that a Hunter can be defeated by hitting the creature with objects using the gravity gun or being rammed by vehicles. Spawning Hunters in the in-game console in Episode One spawns it as completely gray, with no color or detail; the bullets of its weapons are not seen, only the spots where they hit are visible; and standard firepower does little damage to the Hunter, but grenades thrown with the gravity gun and rockets can down them much easier than they can down a full-sized Strider.

Mortar synth

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 13 - Our Benefactors

• Całkowita energia: N/A
• Zadawane obrażenia: N/A
• Nazwa kodowa: cycler (has no AI and has the same Nazwa kodowa that Advisor, also spawn malfunctioning in HL2)

Like the crab synth, this creature is seen being transported on a conveyor belt in the Citadel during Gordon Freeman's second pod-ride, but is never encountered in a combat situation. Mortar synth, along with Crab synth, are described as being self-replicating and part-replacing creatures, and that they serve as the backbone of the Combine's armies.Szablon:Ref label It is an airborne attack unit that launches biomechanical armaments and shells, hence its name and the catapult-like structure on its back. It appears to be a synth of a squid-like creature, as there are several tentacle-like appendages extending from the front of the synth. It also has two claw-like limbs next to the tentacles. When a mortar synth is approached during play and interacted with the USE key, the Nazwa kodowa's current animation will freeze and continue moving by frame when it is shot. Its animation would resume when the USE key is pressed again.

Shield scanner

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 11 - Anticitizen One

• Całkowita energia: 30
• Zadawane obrażenia: Dive (25)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_clawscanner (spawned in Episode One only, and in Half-Life 2, in "Anticitizen One" chapter only)

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 (or "Hopper Dropper") 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. The official Prima game guide says that this type of scanner is equipped with a light machine gun. However, this feature was most likely cut from Half-Life 2, as the shield scanner never uses such a weapon in-game.

Strider

Napotkana po raz pierwszy: Half-Life 2, Rozdział 1 - Point Insertion

• Całkowita energia: 5 (Easy) 7 (Normal) 9 (Hard) RPG hits. Grenade/Pulse Rifle orb hits do half the damage of RPG hits. Generator orb hits in the Citadel do about twice.
• Zadawane obrażenia: Pulse Turret (5), Cannon (instant death, or large splash damage if not direct hit), leg impalment (instant death)
• Nazwa kodowa: npc_strider

Striders, consisting of a beetle-like carapace and three jointed legs are a terrestrial equivalent of a Gunship. Mounted on the nose is a powerful, accurate pulse turret. On the belly is a larger "singularity cannon" capable of punching massive holes wherever fired inflicting significant splash damage vaporizing anything in close proximity. Prior to the cannon's discharge, a thin blue laser indicates where the cannon is aimed followed by an audible hum distorting the surrounding space enveloped by a blue halo. Their legs are tipped with sharp spikes, which impale targets and clear debris. Striders have compound eyes, two on each side of the pulse turret.

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. A strider will destroy an entire building in order to strike a handful of targets inside. Their long legs can climb over any resulting debris or any barriers several meters high. They can crawl through small tunnels "digging" through barriers using their "warp" cannon.

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. In Half-Life 2: Episode One, a citizen remarks: "I hear they put babies in those Striders," although this is very unlikely as the Combine's suppression field has been in effect for many years by that point. The newest trailer for Episode Two demonstrates that the striders can be defeated with a small device (dubbed the "strider buster") that sticks to the strider and drains its power supply, allowing the strider to be destroyed with non-explosive weapons.

Striders can only be damaged by RPGs, submachine gun-launched grenades and pulse rifle energy orbs, though by throwing a grenade straight into the air, it will detonate at a height which is roughly equal to the height of a strider's "head", allowing them to do damage.

As a side note, striders closely resemble the "tripods" described in H. G. Wells' The War of the Worlds. In addition, a smaller variant of striders, dubbed "Hunters" (referred to as "ministriders" in the game's files), have appeared in Half-Life 2: Episode One.

Zobacz też

• Technologia cywilna Kombinatu
• Technologia bojowa Kombinatu

References

1. Szablon:Note label Szablon:Note label Szablon:Note label Szablon:Note label Szablon:Note label Hodgson, David: Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar. Prima Games, 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4364-3.brak strony w książce
2. Szablon:Note label Szablon:Note label Szablon:Note label Hodgson, David: Half-Life 2: Prima Official Game Guide. Prima Games, 2004. ISBN 0-7615-4362-7.brak strony w książce
3. Half-Life 2 (PC), Valve Software, 2004. Official Website