Combine Worker

Combine Worker
General information
Faction	Combine Engineer Core
Type	Engineer
Individual information
Equipment	Gas mask Flashlight Construction Strider Shotgun

 

Combine Workers are the personnel of the Engineer Core, a non-combat engineering force of the Combine introduced in Half-Life: Alyx.

Overview

Combine Workers are usually seen in areas involving the maintenance or construction of Combine technology or other infrastructure. Most of them wear dark green coveralls, fingerless gloves and short grey vests, with their legs caked in dirt. Their helmets and masks are identical to that of Hazmat Workers, however unlike these colleagues, they opt to leave the hood and filter on their vest collars detached while performing duties. Some Workers also wear orange coveralls and black vests with a fluorescent green Combine logo on the arm, and are only seen in zombified form.

To achieve some of their tasks, Workers pilot a variant of the Strider known as the Construction Strider by riding atop a special platform affixed to the Synth's head. From this position, they can quickly traverse across the rooftops of City 17, carrying out duties such as transporting large electrical cables to plug into Combine machinery or using a mechanical arm on the platform to perform welding work.

There are several markings on the Workers' outfits. There is a Combine emblem on their left arm which is encircled by the words "Engineer Core CMB Group 6"; a large "6" is also emblazoned on their vests, under which are the Cyrillic words "Бригада Инженеры (Engineer Brigade)". There is also a yellow arrow-shaped sign near a port on the left-handed side of their masks which reads "oxygen diluent".

The only living Combine Workers seen in Half-Life: Alyx are present in the opening chapter. Throughout the rest of the game, which took place within the Quarantine Zone, further encountered Workers are either already dead or zombified. Alyx Vance acquires her Shotgun and flashlight from the corpses of Combine Workers.

Behind the scenes

The Combine Worker's model contains several unused animations depicting them in a construction environment. One of those sequences shows a pair of them carrying panels, and another one is a Worker waving signal flags. Additionally, some unused animations show two workers controlling a Construction Strider or standing together on its platform. An unused variant of the Worker's model has a portable red medkit slung on his shoulder, which has the words "първа помощ" (Bulgarian for "first aid") printed on it.

Russell wears a completely orange variant of the Worker's suit under his jacket with the Combine emblem still on his arm. Furthermore, an early concept shows Russell, at that time still named "Lazlo", wearing a Combine Worker's helmet and filter with an antenna on the back of his head. This may indicate that Russell is somewhat related to this job.

The interior texture of the helmet features the Combine claw insignia but with a noticeable alteration: the usual circular element of the symbol is missing. Instead, it has been replaced with a simplified graphic representation of a completed citadel. This design change is significant as it reflects the role of the Combine Workers, who are partially tasked with the construction of the City 17 Citadel.

Gallery

Pre-release

• 

  Concept art for Russell, then known as Lazlo, wearing a full Combine Worker mask.

• 

  A Combine Worker seen atop a Construction Strider in promotional artwork.

• 

  The unused portable medkit.

• 

  A pair of workers together on a Construction Strider.

• 

  Ditto, manning the controls.

Retail

• 

  A Combine Worker travels across the rooftops on a Construction Strider.

• 

  Close-up of a Worker.

• 

  Ditto.

• 

  A Worker pilots his Construction Strider back down to street level.

• 

  A Worker welds a Combine reactor.

• 

  Zombified Combine Worker.

• 

  Ditto, alternate variation.

• 

  Zombified Combine Workers, both variants.

• 

  The suspended corpse of a zombified Worker clings onto a Shotgun.

• 

  A dead Combine Worker carrying the flashlight later taken by Alyx.

• 

  Russell wears a uniform identical to the workers.

List of appearances

• Half-Life: Alyx