Civil Protection
| |
| |
| Civil Protection | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Faction | |
| Type | |
| Individual information | |
| Health |
|
| Weapon(s) |
|
| Equipment |
|
| Game information | |
| Entity |
|
| Designer(s) |
Half-Life 2
Half-Life: Alyx
|
| Voiced by |
|
Civil Protection,[7] also referred to as the Metro Police,[1][8] is the Combine's oppressive human police force in all Combine-controlled urban areas on Earth, including City 17. Its officers are named "Metro Cops",[1][2][3][9] while the spelling "Metrocops"[10] is also used. "CPs"[7] is mostly used by Citizens and Resistance members to refer to Metro Cops. The entity uses "Metropolice" (the original term),[11][12] and the subtitles use "MetroPolice". The Overwatch Voice simply uses the term "Protection Teams".[7] It is implied to be related to an organization referred to as the Combine Civil Authority,[13] while the Ministry of Civil Protection is also mentioned.[9]
Part of the Combine Overwatch,[1] Civil Protection officers are ordinary human volunteers who have willingly joined the Combine,[14] either for more privileges, such as additional and higher-quality food, better living conditions, an increase in authority and status over others, or out of genuine sympathy and identification with the Combine's aims. As such, they have not been subject to transhuman modification in any way, unlike other Overwatch units. Barney Calhoun is notable for having infiltrated the Combine by joining the Civil Protection ranks as an undercover Resistance member.
Contents
Overview[edit]
Civil Protection officers wear white masks hiding their faces, with built-in vocoders to disguise their voices; these each contain a radio and air filters, and appears like a cross between an old Soviet PMG and a PBF gas mask. They also wear a combat vest, leather boots with a black-green uniform, an armband on the right arm, with "c̄17:i4" emblazoned on the armband written in a squeezed Impact font and "C17" in the back of the collar. For City 17's uprising, the Resistance has retrieved a high amount of Civil Protection combat vests for the Rebels, who wear them above their Citizen attire.
Civil Protection officers are typically armed with 9mm Pistols and Stun Batons - they are known to beat unarmed Citizens at the slightest provocation; Barney Calhoun mentions being "behind on [his] beating quota". In more critical circumstances, they will be issued with Submachine Guns (which they fire from their hip), use Emplacement Guns, and are provided with fire support from APCs and Hunter-Choppers. Some officers are also armed with a deployable Manhack and/or Flare Gun to call for help.
Civil Protection officers are almost always encountered in squads or teams (terms used by the Overwatch Voice), and will employ very basic tactics, such as covering one another and running to cover when injured or reloading. Civil Protection officers normally attack in an aggressive manner, and will give pursuit to evading suspects. The Overwatch Voice also suggests that each squad has a particular leader. They are generally kept separate from Combine military units, such as Combine Soldiers or Synths, and stay in a policing role within the cities. They travel in APCs and Dropships and are often accompanied by City Scanners or Manhacks. They are also seen stationed on Combine Watchtowers from which they can fire flares to alert the other nearby Civil Protection officers.
Civil Protection heavily communicate with the Overwatch Voice over their radios; they are thus constantly fed mission objectives, rewards, reminders, and are directed to respond to certain incidents (such as the locations of downed units or other criminal acts). Civil Protection officers do not communicate with each other like they once did as citizens, using instead complex procedure words. When a unit speaks to another unit, the unit being spoken to will say "copy" and then proceed on listening to the other unit's words. He will say "copy" to let the other unit know he has his attention. The unit that first started speaking will say the other unit's number code so the latter will know that he is the one being spoken to. The constant radio chatter usually gives away unit positions before they are visible. When a Civil Protection officer is killed, its radio emits a prolonged tone similar to that of a flatlining ECG, followed by the Overwatch Voice declaring the unit down, along with his last known location and orders to nearby units to respond.
Certain transmissions heard over the Civil Protection radios suggest that officers are rewarded with, in the words of the Overwatch Voice, "non-mechanical reproduction simulation" for good job performance. Another reward addressed by the Overwatch Voice evokes a "family cohesion" being "preserved", suggesting that failing a given order may result in the officer being separated from their family. Other radio transmissions imply that additional privileges are gained if a Civil Protection officer has their memory replaced,[15] this being related to the promotion to Combine Soldier or Combine Elite by willfully surrendering more and more human features and characteristics.[16][17] Another transmission suggest that Civil Protection officers are provided with "anti-fatigue rations" of at least 3 mg.
Appearances[edit]
Half-Life 2[edit]
Civil Protection are first encountered in Half-Life 2 immediately after Gordon Freeman departs from a train inside the City 17 Trainstation. From the very beginning of the game, their brutality can be witnessed involving shoving a citizen into a stack of suitcases for trying to locate his luggage as well as making various arrests on other citizens. During the opening chapter, they seen patrolling the city's plaza and streets, however when Overwatch detects a miscount, Civil Protection launches a raid on an apartment in an effort to apprehend Gordon. Shortly thereafter, Alyx Vance rescues Gordon from a group of Civil Protection officers who attempt to ambush him in an abandoned warehouse. Once Gordon departs from Kleiner's Lab, he is pursued aggressively by Civil Protection through the trainstation and surrounding canals leading to Black Mesa East.
During the Uprising, Civil Protection battles with Gordon and the Resistance throughout the streets of City 17.
Half-Life 2: Episode One[edit]
Civil Protection appear briefly in Half-Life 2: Episode One towards the end of the game, ambushing Gordon Freeman, Alyx Vance and Barney Calhoun as they attempt to lead groups of citizens to a train in an effort to evacuate them from the looming destruction of the Citadel and City 17. Barney mentions that the remaining CPs are having second thoughts about still defending the city in light of its impending doom.
Half-Life: Alyx[edit]
Civil Protection in Half-Life: Alyx serve a minor role compared to Half-Life 2. They are never directly fought by the player throughout the game. Still, they are witnessed in the first chapter, Entanglement, either patrolling the streets or herding Citizens into prisoner transport trucks. After a shipment of Combine mini-reactors is intercepted by Eli Vance and Russell, Overwatch dispatches Civil Protection to conduct what Olga refers to as "not a routine sweep" of the surrounding area.
Shortly thereafter, Alyx Vance is briefly detained and held inside a prisoner transport truck by two Civil Protection officers who Alyx questions where they are taking her while demanding to know the whereabouts of her father. After they instruct her to stop moving around in the back of the truck, Russell's drone smashes into the front windshield, dropping a live grenade which falls under the front passenger seat. The two Civil Protection officers panic and scuffle to fruitlessly remove the grenade moments before it explodes, killing both of them in the process and causing the vehicle to violently crash into the corner of a building and flip over on its side.
Although Civil Protection is not encountered afterwards, a related organization known as the Ministry of Civil Protection is referenced on various Combine billboards scattered throughout the Quarantine Zone.
Tactics[edit]
Civil Protection officers are not as organized and effective as the two other Overwatch units, and generally use weaker, more basic weapons, and are not very accurate. They almost always work in groups, so when in a firefight with a squad or two, it is advised to hide as much as possible and shoot while they are reloading. As almost all of the combat they encounter is against unarmed and untrained Citizens, they will appear as being inexperienced in firefights against tougher, more competent opponents. Civil Protection officers also do not carry out melee attacks unless they are armed with a Stun Baton.
In the early Half-Life 2 levels, a few pistol shots will kill an officer. In close quarters, a couple of hits with the crowbar will kill them. If they drop a Stun Baton in combat, it can be used as a battery for the HEV Suit. Later in the game, the best weapon to use against them is the Submachine Gun which can easily dispatch large numbers of them at once.
In the Canals levels, many explosive barrels are scattered on, under, or near wooden structures where an officer tend to stand. It is advised to shoot the barrels for more effective (and spectacular) results. Civil Protection officers will also occasionally use the barrels as improvised grenades, rolling them to Gordon after igniting them. It is advised to shoot them while they are still rolling. Civil Protection officers also often tend to throw themselves in the path of the Airboat or stand on breakable wooden structures, in a similar way to the Combine Soldiers with the Buggy in the Coast levels. This should be used as well for more effective results.
Related Achievements[edit]
| Half-Life 2 | |
|---|---|
|
Submissive (5G) |
| Put the can in the trash. | |
|
Defiant (5G) |
| Hit the trashcan cop with the can. | |
Behind the scenes[edit]
- The Metro Cop was originally referred to as the Combine Guard (not to be confused with the Synth unit of the same name), which evolved into both the Metro Cop and the Combine Soldier. Much like the Combine Soldier in the final version, Civil Protection originally also had its elite variant, the Elite Metro Cop. Metro Cops were originally to have other colors on their uniforms, such as red or yellow, and the right armband colored red. One version also depicts them with bright blue eyes.[18]
- Originally, the Civil Protection was to be named "Metropolice", a name that survived in the Civil Protection entity,
npc_metropolice. Many Metropolice posters were to be seen around City 17, but were removed when the team thought that the Combine did not need to rely on subtle messages to achieve their ends.[11] Three posters, designed by Randy Lundeen, are known: one involves the Consul, an early Citadel, Combine Guards, and the slogan "It's great to be part of the greater good".[19] Two other posters, including again Combine Guards, bear the ironic slogan "They're here for you".[11][12] Some of these posters are featured in WC map pack maps, when propaganda was still an important storyline tool for the team. - A Civil Protection headquarters building was originally to be seen near the Manhack Arcade, with above it the sign "C17 MP", or "City 17 Metropolice", in the WC map pack map
c17_04and its variants.[20] In Raising the Bar, it is nicknamed "Cop Station", and was to be seen after and not before Kleiner's Lab.[21] CPs were also to stand in Door / Guard Towers, hanging cabins used either to operate gates or guard an area. Moreover, they were to use early Combine Watchtowers near Sensor Gates, another cut Combine device. - According to Valve's animator Doug Wood, the Metro Cop went through several sets of animations during its development. None of them felt right until the team decided to give the CP a more bullying personality. Then Wood put a slight swagger into the CP walk and changed the chest posture to a more leading position.[3]
- In the Half-Life 2 leak files can be found several early Metro Cop sounds, with the prefixes "mc1ans" and "mc1que". They mostly consist of a chat between at least two different idle cops (as there are two different voices). Sometimes a bit hard to make out, these sounds include things like "You're in helluva a mood", "Watch yer mouth", "You expect me to believe that?", "Yep, this was definitely the best career choice I ever made", "I'm feeling pretty good about myself, ok?", "I wouldn't have kids even if they let me", "Supposedly we're getting a raise next week", "Your wife doesn't like me, does she?", among others.[12] Setting Metro Cops on fire caused them to start screaming, while they do not in the final game.
- The Half-Life 2 soundtrack track "CP Violation", played during the chapter Route Kanal, refers to the Civil Protection and Gordon running against each other to Black Mesa East. One of the most fast-paced tracks of the soundtrack, it also has a shorter remixed version. CP Violation is also a concept in theoretical physics.
- When asked about the devices on the belts of Civil Protection officers, Dhabih Eng stated that they were comms.[22]
Gallery[edit]
Half-Life 2[edit]
Pre-release[edit]
City 17 Civil Protection armband logo, leak version.
"C17" collar logo.
Restoration of the old Metro Cop skin, as seen in the E3 2002 demo "Terminal". The "IHV" Barney model and the original textures found in the Half-Life 2 leak were used as the base.
Early Barney Half-Life 2 model, with the early Metro Cop skin.
Old skin Metro Cop in the Cremator factory.
The Cremator factory in the WC map pack.
Concept art for Door Towers, with a Metro Cop on the bottom-right.
Old skin Metro Cops in the map
e3_terminal.
"C17 MP" sign.
Metro Cop near a school bus in the map
subt.
A pair of Metro Cops and a Hunter-Chopper in the early canals.
Metro Cops beating up Citizens.
Metro Cops standing on a boat in the Canals.
Alternate version of the promotional Metro Cop art.
Retail[edit]
City 17 Civil Protection armband logo.
"C17" collar logo.
Metro Cop graffiti.
Model.
Barney Calhoun, undercover Metro Cop.
Metro Cop on a fast food bag. The circle is also found on a hamburger box.
A Citizen being harassed by a Civil Protection officer.
Metro Cops at the City 17 Trainstation checkpoint.
Barney as an undercover Civil Protection officer.
Citizens being searched by the Civil Protection officers.
Civil Protection officers guarding a door.
"Pick up that can."
Metro Cop on the Nova Prospekt platform in the City 17 Trainstation.
A Citizen valiantly trying to explain his security clearance in a cell.
A parked APC with CPs on guard.
Civil Protection conducting an inspection on an apartment block.
Citizens about to experience a CP raid after the detected miscount.
Civil Protection apartment raid.
Gordon being ambushed by Civil Protection officers.
Barney watching monitors in Kleiner's Lab, one of which includes a Metro Cop.
Metro Cops shooting at Gordon at the back of the City 17 Trainstation at the start of Gordon's escape.
Ditto.
Ditto.
Gordon's first close encounter with some Metro Cops beating Citizens.
Ditto.
A Civil Protection officer attacking Gordon.
A Civil Protection officer pushing an explosive barrel from a stairway.
Civil Protection officers assaulting Gordon in the back alleys.
Metro Cop using an Emplacement Gun at Station 1.
Ditto, near the APC garage in the Canals.
Civil Protection officers trying to stop Gordon.
Ditto.
Civil Protection officers releasing explosive barrels onto Gordon's path.
Civil Protection officers rappeling down.
Civil Protection officers in a gatehouse.
A Civil Protection officer on a tower.
A Civil Protection officer behind a Gun Emplacement.
Civil Protection officers on a wooden tower.
Civil Protection officers inside the water treatment building.
Civil Protection officers releasing a Manhack at the water treatment building.
Metro Cops waiting for Gordon at Gate 5.
Metro Cops inside Gate 5's main warehouse, waiting for Gordon.
Metro Cops at Gate 5.
Metro Cops ambushing Gordon inside Gate 5's watchtower.
Metro Cop shooting from a Combine Watchtower.
A Civil Protection officer in an apartment building.
Civil Protection officers hiding inside a shack.
A Civil Protection officer on a balcony.
Metro Cops firing at Gordon with two Emplacement Guns and a Submachine Gun in a City 17 tunnel.
A band of Metro Cops engaging Gordon during the evacuation of City 17.
Half-Life: Alyx[edit]
Pre-release[edit]
Concept of key art for Half-Life: Alyx featuring Civil Protection officers.
Concept art of Alyx Vance watching Metro Cops running down the street.
Ditto, final version used as promotional artwork for the game.
Concept art of a Civil Protection officer in a back alley.
Model render.
Ditto.
Retail[edit]
Model.
Civil Protection during a sweep.
Ditto sweep.
Civil Protection jogging down a city street during a sweep.
A Civil Protection officer stands on guard.
Civil Protection loads Citizens into a transport.
A child's drawing of a Civil Protection officer at the Central Zoo
Other[edit]
Civil Protection officer on the credits page of The Final Hours of Half-Life: Alyx.
"Combine Helmet", a part-skull, part-helmet Civil Protection head sticker from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive.
A recreation of the assumed Civil Protection logo as seen tattooed on Gary.
Half-Life 2: Deathmatch Metro Cop spray.
List of appearances[edit]
Main games[edit]
- Half-Life 2 (First appearance)
- Half-Life 2: Episode One
- Half-Life: Alyx
Other[edit]
- Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar
- Half-Life 2: Deathmatch (Non-canonical appearance)
- The Final Hours of Half-Life: Alyx
Notes[edit]
- ↑ The internal metadata of unfiltered Civil Protection lines found in the Half-Life 2 leak reveal Bateman's name who goes uncredited in the released product. In the final game, the only surviving lines from Bateman's performance are the Civil Protection pain and death cries as well as the "Take him down!" line used when Gordon is ambushed in the tenement block.
- ↑ Only in the prisoner transport crash scene.
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Half-Life 2 Prima Guide
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 110
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 114
- ↑
Tom Leonard on LinkedIn
- ↑ Max Aristov on ArtStation
- ↑
Michael Schwalbe's tweet on Twitter (March 23, 2020)
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Half-Life 2
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar (uncorrected proof), page 283
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Half-Life: Alyx
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Episode One
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 181
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Half-Life 2 leak
- ↑ Gate 5 station
- ↑ Marc Laidlaw Vault on the ValveTime Forums
- ↑ Overwatch Voice: "Reminder: Memory replacement is the first step toward rank privileges." Half-Life 2 (Overwatch Voice Quotes)
- ↑ Dr. Isaac Kleiner: "Some of our neighbors have allowed themselves to be co-opted, and purged of their humanity, by the military machine." Half-Life 2: Episode One (Breencast Quotes)
- ↑ Tweet: "These are Overwatch Soldier conversion mechanisms. Idea being that once proven in Civil Protection as a Metrocop you get to graduate to be a Combine soldier which involves memory replacement, among other mods. All things that make them less and less human the higher the rank." @dhabiheng (Dhabih Eng) on Twitter (January 30, 2022)
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 70
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 201
- ↑ WC map pack
- ↑ Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 240
- ↑ Tweet: "it's comms! and Resistance stole em to use themselves" @DhabihEng (Dhabih Eng) on Twitter (Jan 19, 2023)
