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The Orange Box: Half-Life 2: Episode Two Hints

Specific Antlion Attack Strategies

  • 1 of 20: The first tunnel to spawn antlions will be tunnel 36, so get both turrets over there as soon as you can, preferably before the sensor goes off.
  • 2 of 20: Soon after tunnel 36 is cleared, the breach tunnel to the left of it will spawn some antlions. Get your turrets moved over there as soon as tunnel 36 is clear.
  • 3 of 20: Tunnel 24, which is way over on the opposite side of the area, will be the next one. It'll be a two-light alarm, so double-time it in getting your two turrets over there. (You might want to move one over there before the breach is clear.)
  • 4 of 20: Next, minor swarms will appear in both tunnel 12 and tunnel 36. The resistance guys will cover 36, so get your two turrets over to 12.
  • 5 of 20: Do keep checking the guys at 36 to see if any antlions manage to reach them. If so, turn the turret you're holding that way to help them out. (Or set your turret to face them and use your SMG or shotgun on antlions in tunnel 12.)
  • 6 of 20: Now you'll be getting antlions through 12, 24, and the breach tunnel all at once. The guys will cover the breach, so you need to cover 12 and 24.
  • 7 of 20: The best way to do that is set one turret to cover 12, and put the other turret facing 24, but put it fairly near the first turret instead of at the entrance to 24. That'll make it easier to quickly set it upright again if it's knocked over.
  • 8 of 20: Get out the SMG or shotgun and station yourself at a spot between tunnels 12 and 36. From there, you can easily shoot down any antlions that get past your turrets.
  • 9 of 20: After that, quickly resupply on SMG or shotgun ammo (whichever you were using), then move your turret that was covering tunnel 24 over to cover the breach.
  • 10 of 20: Antlions will be coming from 12, 24, and the breach again, with the biggest concentration at 24.
  • 11 of 20: As before, use your SMG and/or shotgun to help kill antlions that get past the turrets and the guys. (The safest spot for you is just inside the entrance to tunnel 36.)
  • 12 of 20: The antlions will stop coming from the breach and tunnel 12 before they stop coming from 24, so watch the sensors and move the turrets to help cover 24 as soon as you can.
  • 13 of 20: As soon as that attack is over, quickly move both turrets down into the vortigaunt's area. Put them on either side of the vort, and have them face the large ramp. Antlions will be coming from *every* tunnel from now on!
  • 14 of 20: Move around in the vortigaunt's area, using the SMG to help your turrets shoot antlions. If you have hoppers set nearby, watch out that they don't hurt you or knock over your turrets when they explode. (You might want to yank them up with the gravity gun and throw them at antlion clusters.)
  • 15 of 20: Thankfully, the vort can take several hits without dying or letting Alyx die, so keeping them alive shouldn't be too hard.
  • 16 of 20: After the first every-tunnel attack is over, run and resupply on ammo, then set a few hoppers near tunnel entrances and the top of the big ramp if you have time.
  • 17 of 20: The second every-tunnel attack probably won't be any worse than the first one, so handle it the same way.
  • 18 of 20: The turrets will both flame out at that point, but that's okay, since the three-light alarm on tunnel 12 is just the other vortigaunts showing up at last.
  • 19 of 20: But the battle isn't quite over yet. As the vorts get into position for the final massive antlion attack, quickly set any hoppers you have left, resupply on SMG and shotgun ammo, and position yourself near Alyx.
  • 20 of 20: The vorts are extremely capable antlion-killers, so you really don't need to do much except dodge, but you might as well fire off all of your SMG and shotgun rounds since you can resupply afterwards.