What facets of the Combine do you want to see in future games?

[Narvi]

I don't mean stuff you fight. I mean stuff like boats and fighters and so on. We really haven't seen much of their army, after all, and it would be nice if they were more fleshed out in later games.

I would like to see their air force, myself, besides the Combine gunships. They've got to have some sort of bombers and fighters and so on... gunships aren't exactly known for going supersonic. They could show them to us by bombers doing bombing runs overhead and fighters strafing rebel columns.

I would also like to see Combine artillery, as implied by the Mortar synths. It would lend an interesting dynamic to how you fight in Episode 2 if there's a chance that the house you're in might be bombarded at any time. Though it seems unlikely given what we know, it would be interesting if an example of the 'open-ended' gameplay are optional objectives like taking out a Mortar synth post, so you don't get bombarded irregularly. Such objectives would serve both storyline and gameplay functions, but again, it seems unlikely.

I also want to see the Combine spaceforce. Organizations like the Covenant or the Galactic Empire are armed with gigantic planet-killing warships, making the Combine look rather weak in retrospect. This annoys me, since I can't really take a horrible universe-spanning foe which can't blow up planets seriously. I would like to know whether they maintain a satellite network and a reasonable spacefleet. Presumably they don't have teleportation-based FTL, though they might have a "Go-really-fast"-based FTL. Their materials science is also advanced enough to make kilometre-tall blocks stay up, so at the very least they should have figured out how to make a space elevator.

That's all I can think of for now. Give us some of your ideas!

 

[Omnomnick]

i think it would b good if we were shown the comibine airforce and their normal army not just the transhuman army stationed on earth

 

[nokori3byo]

I also want to see the Combine spaceforce. Organizations like the Covenant or the Galactic Empire are armed with gigantic planet-killing warships, making the Combine look rather weak in retrospect. This annoys me, since I can't really take a horrible universe-spanning foe which can't blow up planets seriously.

I think there's ample reason to believe the Combine space force is large and well-equipped. Taking the game to space result in the kind of sterility that comes froma uniform environemt (consider the second chapter of Duke Nukem 3D, or Xen, for that matter), but that needn't be the case. When you think about it, the possibilities for what could be introduced in future games are limitless. The Combine could have city-sized specimens of alien environments, flora, and fauna stored on ships. There could be facilties to enable forced evolution of captured life-forms into battle-ready synths. Fun to think about anyway.

 

[Destron]

I think that taking the combine into space is like a TV show "jumping the shark". It's just too much and it's completely unoriginal.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

But why build a space elevator if you've got a citadel?

But I agree, they must have some kind of space army since they can't locally teleport.

 

[Narvi]

But why build a space elevator if you've got a citadel?

Because it's not high enough, duh.

I think that taking the combine into space is like a TV show "jumping the shark". It's just too much and it's completely unoriginal.

Depends on how it's done, really.

 

[Destron]

Well, here's the argument against it. The Combine wouldn't have a space force, since they don't need one. They just warp all their stuff from their homeworld(s) into the Citadel, right? If they had a space force, then it wouldn't be such a big deal that the citadel had been destroyed.

 

[Oppressor]

The Combines main forces are on their way, but this isnt Star Wars.. :hmph:

 

[Omnomnick]

if u listen on ep1, you will hear (in kleiner's glorious speech)that 'all combine units currently stationed on earth are ISSOLATED units, stranded!'
nd u also hear that no combine forces can go to or from earth until after the protal storms which could last years (we know they wont cos thatd b pointless) but a space fleet would b pointless for the combine, because they take over planets and races by slowly influltrating the planet with larger and larger numbers, until the time is right to strike against the planets united defences (aka 7hour war)

P.S. soz i went on a bit

 

[Calhoun]

Well, here's the argument against it. The Combine wouldn't have a space force, since they don't need one. They just warp all their stuff from their homeworld(s) into the Citadel, right? If they had a space force, then it wouldn't be such a big deal that the citadel had been destroyed.

The Combine exist in another universe. They may have a space fleet, but it would prove very difficult to teleport it into "our" universe without the stable network on Earth which was taken down, and if they could, they could simply send in many more ground forces to regain control and reinforce ground forces already on the planet instead of their fleet, assuming that they still want the planet. And, the Combine definitely would recognize the advantage of having a fleet capable of space travel and quite possibly, with their technology and resources, be very capable of having one, and with their lack of successful local teleportation technology, they would probably have some kind of space capable ships for reliable and easy transportation between planets that they occupy in one universe.

 

[Planetary]

I've always wanted to see the Combine homeworld, if there is one. I hope that by the end of Episode 3, we see go there. Valve always like putting alien environments at the end of their games (Xen in HL1, Citadel in Hl2), so who knows where we go at the end of the trilogy?

 

[spiker5]

Humans don't have a space fleet, why would they bother sending theirs. Combat space trash?

I'd assume that they would have some interesting heavy flyers, like a mothership, or just more synth ships and creatures in general. We'll get it all eventually.

 

[Destron]

Humans don't have a space fleet, why would they bother sending theirs. Combat space trash?

Well, for one thing, with a space fleet, the combine could have boots on the ground pretty much anywhere within a much smaller space of time than traveling by air or ground.
But, if the combine does have a space force, this begs the question: "How does it survive?" - The Combine uses synths for transports and also for attack vehicles. Synths are organic creatures, so how would they survive in space?

@Calhoun:
To quote Samon:

Damn, yeah, I'm wrong.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

But, again, unless they already have a space force in orbit around Earth, what use would it be? It still can't teleport to our universe, and once the combine have teleportation ability again, any space force would be inefficient cause then they can teleport their forces directly to the ground anyway. I think the combine most likely used space fleets to conquer whatever universe they first came from but ever since they discovered teleportation they've probably utilized the Citadel-approach.

And yeah, it's the wrong game. It'd Jump the Shark.

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I would like to see those worm type creatures in trenchcoats that I have seen quite a lot of in the raising the bar book, and theres also those soldiers that had semi-invisocamo

 

[Flyingdebris]

its easier for the combine to simply jump dimensions than muck about in space.

Essentially "Why drive to the market for a carton of milk when i can steal it from the guy next door?"

as far as combine forces, i agree, a more fleshed out airforce would be nice. Everything we've seen so far is CAS type units (close air support)

I'd like to know more about the actual combine themselves. We know they are transhuman, we know they shoot you at every oppertunity. But personality-wise, motivation-wise, they could use some more elaborating upon.

I'd also like to see some deployment of the exosuit looking elites or assassins. Or maybe just make the elites behave a little more elite than just knowing how to press the alt fire on the pulse rifle.

Also, I think i'd like to see different local variations of combine uniforms. Maybe all the combine for c17 dress the way they do in hl2, but maybe at another city or out in the wastes, the combine sport different uniforms possibly designating different branches of the combien military.

 

[leib10]

It would've been cool if we saw some soldiers with green uniforms for blending in with a forest environment.

 

[Tagaziel]

I would like to see their air force, myself, besides the Combine gunships. They've got to have some sort of bombers and fighters and so on... gunships aren't exactly known for going supersonic. They could show them to us by bombers doing bombing runs overhead and fighters strafing rebel columns.

Gunships fill this role perfectly. Why should the Combine go out on a limb and teleport in a bunch of bombers if Gunship synths can do the job better and quicker?

I also want to see the Combine spaceforce. Organizations like the Covenant or the Galactic Empire are armed with gigantic planet-killing warships, making the Combine look rather weak in retrospect. This annoys me, since I can't really take a horrible universe-spanning foe which can't blow up planets seriously. I would like to know whether they maintain a satellite network and a reasonable spacefleet. Presumably they don't have teleportation-based FTL, though they might have a "Go-really-fast"-based FTL. Their materials science is also advanced enough to make kilometre-tall blocks stay up, so at the very least they should have figured out how to make a space elevator.

Blowing up a planet is moronic to start with.

The Combine Empire > (Covenant + Galactic Empire)^2

Reason? They can kick the asses of humans in seven hours with unbelievable numbers. Those two organizations would be alittle bit tougher, but still would far.

Personally, I'd like to see the gruesome side of the Combine explored, such as how exactly do the surgeries go, where people are kept, what the solution that feeds stalkers and soldiers is made of...

 

[kupocake]

I'd like to see what kind of invasion forces the Combine field on other worlds. For instance, what they'd send to Xen if they ever conquer it. Transvort Soldiers? Or versions of stuff actually native to Xen? (if anything is...).

I'd like to see what happens to invaded worlds when they have become of no value to the Combine: do the combine simply up and leave, letting the remaining natives to fend off the last days on their world with no resources? Or does the Combine have some kind of planet smasher to despose of the natives once and for all?

It'd be interesting to see what kind of underwater forces the Combine use. They may have even conquered ocean worlds... Even the existing synths are seemingly designed (by Valve) with animals that spend time in and out of water in mind. It seems likely that Humans would think of hiding underwater if the Combine could go there... or perhaps the Combine DO drain the oceans, and that is their way of dealing with ocean environments?

I'd like to, and fully expect to see variations of the existing HL2 enemies that can specifically cope with the unique climate of the arctic, though short of Gunships in large jackets, i'm out of ideas

I want to see the Overwatch dispatcher up close. Is it a giant computer, or a kind of human / computer interface or something else? Would destroying it effect Combine communications and send them into disarray?

 

[leib10]

I would like to see the Combine's homeworld and a more complete picture of what their true form is. I'd like to see the Mortar and Crab synths up close and fight them.

 

[kupocake]

I'd like to see the Mortar and Crab synths up close and fight them.

I wouldn't actually. It's obvious that they were just background props and that their actual gameplay value was zero, or else Valve would have put one in the game by now.

 

[leib10]

Maybe they simply didn't fit in City 17's confined spaces. It could be that they're waiting to put them in elsewhere.

 

[Narvi]

Gunships fill this role perfectly. Why should the Combine go out on a limb and teleport in a bunch of bombers if Gunship synths can do the job better and quicker?

Gunships can handle fighters now? Besides, they can't take down reinforced areas.

The Combine Empire > (Covenant + Galactic Empire)^2

Reason? They can kick the asses of humans in seven hours with unbelievable numbers. Those two organizations would be alittle bit tougher, but still would far.

To completely utilize the resources on an entire universe, the Combine need space travel. Otherwise they're just mucking about on one world. Besides, the Empire and the Covenant have control of more worlds than just one, and have more advanced tech as well. And orbital support shouldn't be underestimated, considering the humans couldn't just pull back and bombard the Citadels from orbit.

 

[Flyingdebris]

the combine don't need space travel, space travel is hard work and takes a lot of time. However there are essentially all sorts of dimensions ripe for the picking.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

the combine don't need space travel, space travel is hard work and takes a lot of time. However there are essentially all sorts of dimensions ripe for the picking.

The combine cannnot travel locally, only between universes. So how do they get to other planets? Just walk across space? Whats the point of invading worlds if you can only get to one world. (Having said this, I think it would spoil it to see a "space navy" is HL - but I still beleive the combine must have one, or they can't really do much.

 

[GreatEmperor]

Maybe they simply didn't fit in City 17's confined spaces. It could be that they're waiting to put them in elsewhere.

You see them recycle just about the rest of the stuff in the beta, they are barely steering away from the Cremator but it will probably be put in there.

The Crab creature would be great for this and it would make it original. A large chemical weapons developing thing that sprayed acid and poisons and could poison you badly if you touch it. This could be cool for some of the maps there

 

[Flyingdebris]

The combine cannnot travel locally, only between universes. So how do they get to other planets? Just walk across space? Whats the point of invading worlds if you can only get to one world. (Having said this, I think it would spoil it to see a "space navy" is HL - but I still beleive the combine must have one, or they can't really do much.

coordinates

you are sending matter into another universe, you'd think they can choose the destination. Why send matter to point a and have it transported locally to point b when you can just send matter to both of the places in 1 go. Or at the minimum, send point a's stuff back to combine prime or whatever and have them relay warp it to point b. Much more effecient than having a bunch of ships in space doing a whole lot of nothing

 

[ríomhaire]

Gunships can handle fighters now? Besides, they can't take down reinforced areas.

Gunships have a vertical, secondary attack, similar to a strider's megadeath canon. Valve just disabled it in all its appearances in HL2, presumably because it wasn't very fun to fight. That could probably do a good bit of damage to reinforced areas. And if it doesn't there's always the giant gunship you can see in one of the newspaper clippings (Attacking the UN building, IIRC).

 

[99.vikram]

Combine starships. Nao.

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

coordinates

you are sending matter into another universe, you'd think they can choose the destination. Why send matter to point a and have it transported locally to point b when you can just send matter to both of the places in 1 go. Or at the minimum, send point a's stuff back to combine prime or whatever and have them relay warp it to point b. Much more effecient than having a bunch of ships in space doing a whole lot of nothing

Good point, but how did they travel through their own universe at first? They wouldn't have had other universes under their dominance at that time, so they wouldn't be able to teleport.

 

[Planetary]

Gunships can handle fighters now? Besides, they can't take down reinforced areas.

They are bullet proof and can shoot down missiles shot at them. And they're very accurate. Of course they could destroy human fighter aircraft.

 

[Narvi]

They are bullet proof and can shoot down missile shot at them. And they're very accurate. Of course they could destroy human fighter aircraft.

Human fighters aren't armed with RPGs, and they tend to go at sonic speeds...

 

[Tagaziel]

Gunships can handle fighters now? Besides, they can't take down reinforced areas.

The precision of the attack means they can pick the defenders one by one by shooting into the fire ports. Plus, the suppression attack.

Also, human fighters need to scramble and need tons of support. Combine counters both.

To completely utilize the resources on an entire universe, the Combine need space travel. Otherwise they're just mucking about on one world. Besides, the Empire and the Covenant have control of more worlds than just one, and have more advanced tech as well. And orbital support shouldn't be underestimated, considering the humans couldn't just pull back and bombard the Citadels from orbit.

Newsflash: Combine control myriads of planets in a myriad of universes. The Gal. Empire and the Covenant are but a fly compared.

 

[leib10]

For air forces, most of the time they are by and large destroyed on the ground. The First Gulf War and the Six Day War are good examples, but by far the most impressive was the German destruction of the VVS (Red Air Force) during the opening of Operation Barbarossa. The Russians lost around 3000-4000 aircraft in the first few days alone, crippling it and allowing the Germans complete air superiority.

The same thing might've happened during the Seven Day War. Gunships might've swarmed in, strafing airbases and destroying aircraft, their crews, and support equipment and personnel, something akin to the destruction of El Toro in Independence Day. By limiting the number of airplanes that are even in the condition to fly, their job was made far easier.

 

[Asknoone]

The Combine have an extremely multi-tiered task force and would cripple the Covenant/Galactic Empire purely because they could respond with a force of equal strength. All you see in Half-life 2 is the Overwatch; an upgraded human task force that has been adapted and molded to replicate our own forces. That's how they operate. The likes of the Covenant and Galactic Empire could never respond to such a threat. Their technology simply isn't adequate, and by the time they'd mustered their best the Combine would respond with a transparent force.

Air force etc isn't necessary when you can develop airborne vehicles that are actually alive from within a Citadel. I'd wager the Combine have forces that could survive within space. It isn't about how much artillery you have - that stuffs superficial, it's about how well you can respond to a threat and match it with a more versatile force.

For the threads question I'd say I want to see off-world forces; the Overwatch has been defeated. I want to see the backbone of the Combine's true military force that they'd whip out with the going got tough. I've a feeling we'll see it in Episode 3.

 

[Planetary]

Human fighters aren't armed with RPGs, and they tend to go at sonic speeds...

Air-to air missiles?

And we have no idea how fast gunships can go. We only ever see them when they're already targeting us, and by then they've of course slowed down to shoot.

 

[leib10]

I think a Gunship would have problems shooting down a modern ATA missle. For instance, the AIM-9 Sidewinder carried on US fighters travels at Mach 2.5, or around 2100 MPH. If they have some trouble shooting down RPG rounds, I think it would be doubtful if they could shoot down a true missile.

 

[Narvi]

Air-to air missiles?

And we have no idea how fast gunships can go. We only ever see them when they're already targeting us, and by then they've of course slowed down to shoot.

They aren't aerodynamic, and rotors don't work that well at supersonic speeds.

The precision of the attack means they can pick the defenders one by one by shooting into the fire ports. Plus, the suppression attack.

Also, human fighters need to scramble and need tons of support. Combine counters both.

They're accurate enough to shoot the fireports from a kilometer away now?

Newsflash: Combine control myriads of planets in a myriad of universes. The Gal. Empire and the Covenant are but a fly compared.

Which makes my point of them having and needing an effective spacefleet even more relevant.

 

[Planetary]

I think a Gunship would have problems shooting down a modern ATA missle. For instance, the AIM-9 Sidewinder carried on US fighters travels at Mach 2.5, or around 2100 MPH. If they have some trouble shooting down RPG rounds, I think it would be doubtful if they could shoot down a true missile.

Don't forget, however, that during the 7 hour war, it wasn't just one gunship, was it? We learn at Nova Prospekt that gunships protect each other, shooting down an RPG even if the target is another. That sort of cooperation in number probably helped keep the war that short length.

 

[leib10]

They'd still have to have excellent targeting systems to be able to hit that. Even against a relatively stationary target (ie, Gordon) they're not nearly 100% accurate.

Maybe they have chaff and flares. LOL