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Half-Life 2 Hints

Antlion

  • Health: 30
    Attack Damage: 5 from mandible and from jump attack
    First Seen: Highway 17, Section 1

    These vicious creatures are very fast and almost always attack in large swarms of up to six. If you're on foot, they'll shred you in no time. If you're in a vehicle, you can run over them or drive quickly away from them. Fortunately, they only swarm on you in sandy beach areas, so quickly drive over such areas to leave the antlions behind. If you're having to defend yourself while on foot and are low on ammo, a Primary Fire blast from the gravity gun will knock a nearby antlion senseless for a few seconds as well as doing him some damage.

    NOTE: Large black obelisk-like things called thumpers are erected in some sandy areas to help ward off the antlions. They won't go near an active thumper. If you come to one that isn't on, look around for a way to activate it. (Usually there's a red-light-green-light panel on the thumper itself.)

    NOTE: Later in the game, after you get the pheropod (bugbait) weapon, you'll be able to use antlions as friendly allies to attack Combine forces. Simply throw a pod to where you want the antlions to swarm.