Society Little is revealed of the Combine's activities outside of Earth, but dialogue in
Half-Life 2 states that they control worlds of various dimensions inhabited by a range of species. The Combine occupation of Earth is shown to be a brutal
totalitarian police state. In
City 17, an
Eastern European city, Civil Protection units routinely conduct searches of apartment blocks, interrogating human citizens, and engaging in wanton
police brutality. The military Overwatch forces of the Combine attack human resistance bases in an effort to further solidify their authority in the urban centers. Human citizens are clad in blue uniforms, living in designated apartment blocks and move around to different cities or locales in passenger trains by the Combine's will.
Vortigaunts, enemy alien creatures from
Half-Life, have also been enslaved, and are observed in various professions such as janitors. According to
Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, the Combine are draining Earth's oceans and resources to be used on other Combine worlds. and deep underground. Located within City 17, the Citadel serves as the Combine's headquarters on Earth, housing Combine Advisors and the office of Earth's administrator,
Dr. Wallace Breen. Breen, a
puppet ruler, is frequently seen on large screens around the city on which he spreads
propaganda and makes announcements. The Citadel projects an energy field that is able to prevent human reproduction, as well as a field that keeps dangerous alien fauna out of the city. In addition, the Citadel contains a trans-dimensional teleporter which allows the Combine to travel between their native universe and Earth.
Depiction The Combine comprises various species and machines. The most commonly encountered enemies throughout
Half-Life 2 and its episodic sequels are the
transhuman soldiers and human Civil Protection officers. In addition, a variety of combat machines appear, ranging from
APCs and
helicopter gunships to a giant 'smart wall' enclosing occupied cities and gradually destroying anything in its path, as well as a number of weaponized alien 'synths'.
Advisors . Advisors are large
larvae-like aliens which are virtually featureless, with no visible eyes, ears or limbs, although they do possess an eye-like mechanical device attached to the left side of their heads, and detachable mechanical arms. Their faces are covered by a
respirator, which is able to lift to reveal a mouth-like orifice from which they can extend a long and flexible
proboscis. With this, they can examine objects, or attack and kill other creatures. Advisors appear to be feeding upon their victim during their attacks. It is implied that Advisors are the Combine's
ruling class, with Breen answering directly to them. Although Advisors are usually seen in protective pods guarded by Combine soldiers, they also possess
psychokinesis with which they are able to float through the air and immobilize other creatures so that their proboscis can examine victims without interference.
Civil Protection The Civil Protection is the Combine's primary
law enforcement agency on Earth, whose ranks are drawn from unmodified, volunteering humans. Commonly referred to as "metrocops" or "CPs", Civil Protection personnel wear light body armor and face masks which resemble a modified
PMK gas mask. They also have voice modifiers, masking their normal voices. They typically carry
electroshock batons (named stun-sticks in the game) and pistols, and are occasionally equipped with submachine guns. The Civil Protection are frequently brutal in their methods, keeping the local populace in line via intimidation and violence.
Interrogations,
inspections,
raids,
random beatings,
summary executions and acts of
police brutality are all used as a means of policing their jurisdictions; the Civil Protection's methods are justified by their role as "protectors of the civilians well-being". On the outskirts of
City 17, the Civil Protection carry out constant patrols for escapees from the city. Civil Protection personnel are in constant contact with the Combine's Overwatch headquarters, which issues them objectives and situation updates. Upon the death of Civil Protection personnel, their armor detects that its wearer is no longer alive and automatically informs the Overwatch of the fatality.
Transhuman forces The transhuman forces is the primary Combine
military ground force on Earth. It consists of
biomechanically enhanced humans who wear heavy body armor and gas masks. They are armed variously with submachine guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, and
pulse rifles. The markings on their uniforms suggest a difference in specialization. Elite soldiers wear bright white armor with one-eyed helmets and can fire a ball of energy from their pulse rifle, while the rank-and-file wear blue, depending on their role as infantry or a shotgunner respectively. Soldiers wielding shotguns wear similar outfits to other transhuman soldiers but are equipped with uniforms coloured brown and helmets with orange (instead of blue) eyes. Overwatch soldiers typically operate in small groups of four to six using
infantry tactics and
grenades to flush out and flank the player. They occasionally provide support to Combine synths, and often travel to areas by use of dropships and
armoured personnel carriers. Transhuman soldiers utilize
two-way radios to communicate with each other and with headquarters. The transhuman forces are usually encountered outside City 17, and only appear in the city near the end of the game. They are commanded by the Overwatch, an unencountered artificial female voice which issues orders such as, "Attention ground units. Mission failure will result in permanent off-world assignment. Code reminder: sacrifice, coagulate, clamp." Throughout the games, various futuristic computer consoles, doors, power sources and weapon emplacements are encountered. In addition, the Combine employ the use of robotic drones called city scanners, to observe the citizens of Earth. They monitor individuals and take photographs, while combat drones called shield scanners are used to drop mines. Militarily, the Combine make use of both synthetics, creatures augmented with machinery, and traditional machines such as
armored personnel carriers and
attack helicopters. The most prominent of the synthetic machines are the insect-like
gunships; and Striders, armored creatures which walk on three legs and are armed with a high powered cannon and a head-mounted pulse turret. In
Episode Two, the Hunter, a smaller equivalent to the Strider, is introduced. These tripodal assault machines fire explosive flechettes at targets and are small enough to maneuver indoors. Other synths are seen near the end of the
Half-Life 2, though their roles are not elaborated on.
Sentry turrets are also used by the Combine. The Combine often uses headcrabs as a method of
bioterrorism against dissidents and refugees, firing artillery shells loaded with the creatures into areas and allowing them to infest said area. ==Appearances==