The Combine's Brutal Police Force | The Civil Protection | FULL Half-Life Lore 

Would you join The Civil Protection or The Resistance?

11:37 The "Pick up that can" cop actually says "Reporting citizen summoned to voluntary conscription for General Public Service Detail T94-322" once you put it in the trash can, meaning it's possible he actually helped raise your reputation/score as a citizen afterward and it wasn't all for nothing.

Idk those 2 local civil protection officers on my block are pretty chill, think their names are Mike and Dave

To answer the question of this video, a quote. "It will amaze you what a human being can do, when they grow _really_ hungry."

Being like Barney would probably be best case scenario, the benefits of being CP and working with the resistance at the same time. Probably very stressful at the same time though, trying not to get caught.

8:38 On the topic of scanners, in the 2003 leak there is dialogue from Barney about a "human index" which I assume is like an archive of every single known human on Earth. If a checkpoint camera or city scanner were to snap a photo of your face and it wasn't recognizable and didn't trace to anyone in the index, you'd be in trouble. I believe this "human index" concept was still used in Retail and was the main reason Civil Protection pursued Freeman at the start of the game. The human index from what I know isn't documented anywhere, any wikis, not even the Combine Overwiki.

During the Uprising Barney does mention the 'Chicken Sht Metro cops' who stuck with the combine. I'm imagining due to the sheer number of resistance members with CP Armor, there was probably quite a few turncoats who joined the resistance and probably even emptied the CP armories. Since almost none of the resistance members before Black Mesa East have armor.

Something I’ve never heard anyone address is the legal system implemented by the combine. During at least the water hazard chapter, signs can be seen with administrative codes warning people to stay out. Additionally, during Point Insertion, citizens can be heard saying things like “they can’t keep getting away with this” in regards to the mistreatment they are receiving from Civil Protection. All this makes me wonder if there perhaps actually is something resembling a judiciary system in place. Even if it ultimately is a shame that rarely benefits the citizens.

“When I look out there it makes me glad I’m not you” -GLaDOS

It's time to confirm my status with my local civil protection team immediately

Combine are such a fresh air to me cause after fighting against so many Zombies and some Vortigans and Xen creatures in Half life 1, it's makes me feel comfortable and feel more human again, I don't know how to explain it, but that's the way it is

I was so happy to see these guys after going through ravenholm and the mines

even though Entropy Zero isn't technically canon, I wish you'd one day make a video on Aiden Walker and his backstory, Wilson, and the "Arbeit Communications" complex.

One time when I was asked to pick up the can, I actually tried to take the can all the way to the other side of the room and make a long shot like how Gordon does it in Freeman’s Mind 2 Episode 1 but the cop just chased me down and kept hitting me with his stun stick for not putting it in the trash can 😂

Always loved the way the cps are organised, their actual organisation is a mix between police and security forces, you can even notice that in the actual game as civil protection raided black mesa east themselves, basically anything that is inside the city and directly is a danger to the combine the cps will take care of it, just like you said if cps cant handle it then the transhumans will be sent. Ironically the cps have lines for antlions, either antlions would play a bigger role or cps are defending at the border of the city against them. Either way video is amazing, i love the duality of a cp, the reassons why people join and all that.

Just a small detail to add thanks to Valve's subtle story telling about CP living conditions that I notice during play throughs, particularly during the uprising levels - CP's lived on the upper levels of buildings with bridges connecting these levels to different buildings. If you think about it, it makes sense to house CP in these places as they can survey civilians from height, move ammunition/weapons and officers to locations around the City more efficiently and above all (pun intended 😅) it was a far better place to safely rest and sleep away from headcrabs, zombies, antlions radiation etc more commonly found on ground levels and just below. It could have also been a hierarchical status feeling of being closer to the combine meant being safer too in some almost religious way maybe? It's not much but it's just a tiny bit of detail that is so easily missed and yet explains so much. 😁 Love your channel btw 😎

I've always had the theory the Overwatch was a more primitive version of Portal's GLaDOS, a lot of Aperture tech is used by the combine: turrets, force fields, reactors and energy orbs, laser bridges, orbs turned into bombs, etc.

I have watched every single one of your Half Life lore videos and I am very grateful for a RU-vid creator like yourself because others don't go into as much depth as you and you are very easy to listen too as well, so thank you.

I can't believe I am just noticing how comically large the doors are in this game

13:22 shout out to the rebel who got his hands on the toolgun.

There‘s not just super-supression to the combine. In HLA, we can see citiziens living somewhat norma lifes and apartments eve being custom decorated. My thoughts are that the combine were far less strict before G-Man escaped custody in the Vault. His escape signaled them the strength the resistance truly had by freeing him with *one person* so they cracked down on ANY form of humanity.

i like to think that some civil protection escaped city 17 and started a faction that was hostile towards the combine and resistance, basically they've gone rogue

CP are definitely an interesting enemy, like you said underneath their armour they are still human beings with their own individual reasons. I guess it's easy to say "I would rather die/starve than betray my species/friends" when you're not in danger, a very different thing when you or somebody you love is on the verge of dying and it looks like things will never get better. On the other hand, there were thugs who got a sick kick out of bullying civilians, maybe in time the kinder CPs would have turned into them, especially as Resistance attacks grew stronger. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, as the saying goes

This sounds very similar to the Story of the Capos, which were Jews who, during the Early Stages of the Holocaust, from the German Invasion of Poland until their invasion of the USSR, Jews were put into Ghettos (similar to City 17), and some Jews were offered slightly better conditions for being brutal cops, and quite a few Jews thus became those Capos.

Dont worry about your cold, you sound awesome. I love the dystopian world of half life 2. It has influenced my works and will always be my favorite Dystopia.

I think entropy zero two really makes you feel like you’ve been brainwashed. By the end of that game you realize that what you’re doing may be wrong but your character has been so brainwashed by the combine that what you’re doing seems like it’s for the betterment of people when in reality you’re killing innocent people

"Ha. Hey, let's go grab a doughnut." "Oh, I couldn't. I already had seven before I came to work." "Oh." "Hey, I've got an idea. Our patrol loops back soon anyway. Why don't you just meet me back on Palmer? It's only half a block from here." "By the time I get there, you should be done with your doughnut." "Yeah. Yeah, that sounds good. Let's do that. Divide and conquer."

I wonder if any human soldiers were shipped off world and if they were, what horrors would they have seen

I never understood the lore behind half life, now because of these videos I will replay and appreciate everything so much more, thank you for these awesome videos

Raiding the CP stations was fun and high octane throughout the vanilla, and ep. 1, but the general lack of a squad leader/captain NPC was a missed opportunity, imo. Even if all it would take, was to reuse the combine shotgun trooper and put a cool looking skin over him without touching his stats, it would've been gucci and super satisfying to just knock the doors in to his office and solo him in a CQC.

I am playing through HL2 VR mod right now and even though I have been playing Half Life since forever the combo of these lore videos and VR makes it a crazy experience.

These videos are gold. Thanks for taking me back to one of the games that helped shape my formative years.

“Pick up that can”

I love your videos! They are made with so much love for detail. Thank you!

You're the best channel for half life lore. As always good video skyrionn.

19:13 well during Germany’s occupation of France Back in ww2 A paramilitary organization recruiting French citizens was set up to keep their countrymen in line in exchange for a better life such as avoiding the worker draft Also Like the Combine they were also brutal

random blooper at 13:27 you can see him with the tool gun in the background as the camera zooms in. good job though keep up the good work.

Yay!!! Thank you for more HL2 content!!

I just discovered yer videos about half-life lore and its universe yesterday after i went and replayed half-life again. I love these videos and actually gives me a deeper understanding o the lore behind these games, last time i played half-life must have been 20 years ago and maybe even more and I never understood the background to this game untill now with yer videos. I also love tha yer neutral towards everything in the game and not biased which makes it easier to listen to ye talking. All I can say is thank ye fer this lore and information.

Man this channel is a newfound goldmine!

I wish there was more info out there about the biological modifications of these units. Was that graffiti meant to be taken as literal or symbolic? How far did the modification go? Implants? Limb replacement? Or something more extreme like stalkers? Also, it's easy for people sitting in their comfortable, safe homes to say they'd become brave freedom fighters in this situation, but I'd like to see how many actually have the fortitude to live that kind of life, giving up all your luxuries and watching your loved ones get killed and tortured. In the face of an enemy that is so vastly superior. "Well the French did it in WWII!!" Yeah and they had help from other nations, and they were fighting a human enemy. In an alien invasion there would be no outside help because every nation would be screwed. Also the vast majority of French citizens were not freedom fighters. They fell in line even if they might not have liked it. Maybe they didn't support the Nazis or outright help them, but very few actually joined any sort of active resistance. There are no doubt a select few who would be real heroes, resist the alien invaders and thrive while doing it, but not most of us. Most of us would keep our heads down and try to continue living some sort of tolerable existence. Begrudgingly doing as we are told, maybe helping in passive ways like doing a shitty job on the assembly line or whatever.

21:41 this is what's so fascinating about Half-Life and Valve games in general to me. Most players including myself don't pick up on much of the story or lore, we just cruise along through the game. Valve games are the epitome of show don't tell.

Thanks so much bro. Half-Life content is always amazing. ❤️💕

“You are not you when you are hungry” - Snickers

Man, I love half life lore, this was awesome, another great lore video 👍

"Now Officer, enjoy your day" With that ending Statement it's almost like You've broadcasted a recruitment video the entire time. Now we know which side you stand on, just another traitor to the human race.

Great vid as usual!

Thank you for going over Half Life Lore/content I’ve recently been getting tiered of modern gaming and came across Half-life series and have been a fan ever since Question can you do a Half life what if Series’s ? going over cut content and how some of the concepts could have been.

Im a security officer by profession. Im also a former serviceman, so suffice to say ive always held a strong belief in Law and Order, and sense of Duty to my tasks comes without a second thought. But even so, among my own fundamental principles, also lies the steadfast belief in unalienable right to individual freedom and liberty of every citizen. That and many more rights that are constitutional, i hold close to my heart. So if it should ever come to that, that tyranny becomes a law, then i believe resistance becomes duty. Duty of every free citizen, and a duty of mine. I wouldnt have the heart to suppress and persecute my own species.

I love how cool this universe is, and how kind of realistic it is. It's frightening to know that in the real world some people would join a police force that serves an evil faction so they would get personal benifits

Amazing review, mate

Great content! You gotta do a HL2 lore video on teleportation. A very important but hidden theme of HL2

God Half Life 2 is still my favorite game to this day. Thanks so much for continuing to make these amazing videos, they are always so detailed & interesting!!!

The blueprint for the future Social Credit system.

These are the best videos. I fucking love when a new one is uploaded! I learn so much about my favorite video game!

as always excellent work!

I think there would certainly be a lot of people who'd join the Combine irl. If you look at similar real life scenarios, you'll see that a lot of people who were victims actually turned on their own in order to benefit themselves, some of which even believed in their captors cause. Here in my country for example, during colonization a lot of African folks were kidnapped from their homeland and forced to work as slaves, not only that, but they had every aspect of their humanity removed and brutalized, and still there were those who were enslaved but would betray their own and aid on the fight against the eventual resistance forces, those were given positions of relative power over their fellow slaves, and were named something like "Bush Captains" since runaway slaves would hide in the wilderness, and these captains were tasked with hunting them down. And that's an example of the rule of men over men, imagine what would happen if we were talking about a super advanced alien species, people would probably worship them as gods, and a lot of the Combine's fear tactics wouldnt even be necessary, since people would just worship them, and others would be more afraid of the pro-combine humans than the combine itself.

I truly believe this is the future the WEF wants and 1984 is the obvious reference material they used.

This game still manages to peak my interest. Thanks for the video!

"A situation that will never happen in our world, hopefully" Dont count on it

I always liked those guys but i don't like that everyone really portrays them as exactly evil. They're doing what they can to have a better life and they might be like Barney, or either, they might be depressed and angered at the combine behind that mask too for having to beat up citizens and to kill refugees regularly. I think this is a portrayal that was never talked about, but most of them would probably not be bullies.

I love cp Civil protection

I will overdo my beating quota. Must be nice to beat up rebels while your stomach is full from double ration.

Good stuff as always

“People Suck.” - Callsign Savage 3650

This guy is worth binge watching

I dunno if you still answer comments, especially after a year, but I’ve always wondered what you meant when you referred to civil protection getting modifications? Do you mean the memory replacement? As a side note I do appreciate the effort out into videos like these, they’re a relatively easy way to digest a lot of information.

13:26 i like how you can see the creator with a tool gun out on the right

so weird that they made having these guys on your computer illegal

“Oh honey, where did you go every day 6:30 to 15:00?” CP: “Oh you know honey…stuff” But no seriously the mask and voice changer was not intentional by the Combine at all. Anyone with 2 brain cells and figure out which family member sold themselves for privileges.

Im binging these kinds of videos explaining stuff about half life and now im really sad knowing there might not be a HL3. I still have hope though. I started playing HL less than a year ago so im still fresh to the community. The wait wasnt been to rough for me so I still believe we'll get it someday.

Great job

im worried that the "real" world is gonna have a police force like this is the coming future..

To quote a certain 3650: "People took everything from me Then came the combine. They listened. They told me the problems of the mind are not the problems of the soul. I only had to give up one thing for this job: my humanity. Some would say... I never had it anyway." Half life entropy zero 2

Cops have a similar alert to the flatline effect, only they hit a button on their vest that sends an alarm to every unit in their precinct when they need immediate help

11:37 the can scene is a loyalty test you learn this by throwing the can at the Metrocop and having it land on the other side of him

During WW2, the Germans had a network of concentration camps. In these camps they used an auxiliary police, the so called "kapos", to help keep inmates in check. Kapos were recruited from the ranks of prisoners. They were still prisoners, but with better food rations and with some degree of power over regular prisoners. Basically, kapos were real life equivalents of CP. So yes, people would definitely enlist into CP.

I think it will be very interesting to see Valve revisit these characters to expand more on them, like the life of those citizens after they joined the Civil Protection, the untold side stories of theirs, the hierarchy, the system, rules, etc. Furthermore, in my opinion, & also my take on his story, as much as I like to see him in Ravenholm, I think Adrian Shepherd would make a great comeback as a role of CP, perhaps during Gordon's arrival, or prior to his arrival, where he work his way from being a Combine's material, to once again regain his former corporal status. In that way, this may open up a story of the possibility that he lead some of the members, or surviving members during the fall of Citadel, of CPs to escape the grasp of the Combine to form his own rebellion group against them. Kind of like having two different resistance group, but with a same goal in their mind. As well as nodding to the fact that Adrian have never meet Gordon face to face. Then again, the character was from an expansion where Race X exist, and not to mention being, technically, owned by Gearbox. So the possibility might be zero. However, the fact that the unreleased Ravenholm game exist, means that there's still a chance for Valve to make the above potentials come true. If you have been reading this far, thanks for wasting time on me, I guess. If you skip through this entire thing, here's the tldr, I guess: Expand the Civil Protection lore, and also put Adrian Shepard as part of them.

The Combine have gotta be my favorite video game villains, from their look to the lore that follows them

These videos make me appreciate the worlds and lore of Half Life so much more than i did

I’m so glad you brought up 1984 and this. I’ve always associated half life with 1984 and the Gulag archipelago in my mind

Not sure if those enhancements with the civil protection "armor" is quite right, from what i've heard from other people was that the Civil Protection armor was only outfitted to protect against things civilians could easily obtain (ex: garbage) and night vision just doesnt seem logical for such a cannon fotter troop

im glade people still make vids about half life

An episode about Airwatch, white forest locations(except the base), or coastline will be great.

I really wish you could cover the lore of Entropy: Zero.

Correction: Metropolice is used in Beta not Metrocop, Barney even refers the CPs Metrocops in EP1 in his first debut CPs originally had another unit Called Combine Guard *Not the synth the human version* They had trenchcoats with Overwatch Soldier mask and Double-Barreled Shotgun, thier design were formed into Civil Protection and Overwatch Soldiers In the Beta setting them on fire would cause them to scream rather than: Officer needs help! Help! Augh! Civil Protection in Half-Life Community are quite loved, Many Half-Life 2 Combine sourcemods have you play as either Overwatch Soldier or Civil Protection Unit The major CP mods are: Human Error, Entropy Zero, Civil Protection... ah crap that's all I know if anyone knows any CP mods please reply. Also Sky' since you've started playing Entropy Zero series *Looked at the comments* will you also put the OST in your HL Lore videos? They have the somewhat same level as HL2's soundtrack.

Your voice literally helps me sleep at night

13:23 love it when a random rebel is standing with a toolgun in city 17 😃😃😃

You already have the Combine and Civil Patrol in China Lots and lots of parallels between the two.

This basically happened during WW2. Nazi occupied nations like Estonia, Ukraine, France and others were allowed to join the Waffen SS to fight against the Allies to improve their homeland since I think they would demand less labour force if they received more troops.

"REMEMBER THAT BEER I OWED YA." my favorite word in half life 2

sick vid

I don't think I would wanna join any part of the combine, no matter how much of a "better" life style it would portray compared to a citizens lifestyle. Just the fact that you'll slowly lose parts of yourself overtime both mentally and psychically is probably enough for me consider becoming apart of the combines army is a fate worse than death itself. Yet despite what I said, I think that's still not the worst way to go in the Half-Life universe.

I love this, is like a ww2 documentary

that question to the audience towards the end made me think alot ive never put myself in that situation

Snow here, love da videos!

After seeing how the world today is going, I wouldn't mind living in the HL universe. Sure it may be a bit brutal, but at least the Earth's Combine aren't run by someone who wants to start an unnecessary war.

i have sympathy for these guys.

>Provides jobs >Provides employee housing >Does not discriminate >Opportunity to progress your career >Healthcare >Management provides up-to-code equipment to efficiently do your work >Zero nepotism Me in 2024: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲

Just saying, most of the Native American tribes surviving to this day once turned their back on other tribes and helped the Americans in some way. As a reward, they were assigned reservations to live out their life.