Possible Explanation

[Hobbes]

I know that Aftermath is one of the most anticipated expansions of the summer, so there must be a lot of suggestions of what happens in it.

Gordon went through of this whole game wondering about the G-Man and why he was guiding Gordon through it. The player then started to believe the G-Man was an ally and helped Gordon. Although it would entirely make sense the G-Man is of the opposite side.

Lets say Breen is bait. The combine leaders make Breen go to the top of the Citadel and makeing sure Freeman must follow him... and the reward would be of Breen's escape. Although the Combine's initial plan is to let Gordon succeed and kill Breen and cause a radioactive explosion that would wipe out the city... therefore ridding the humans and the important threat Gordon at the same time.

Of course there would be Combine casualties, but do you think the Combine Advisors care too much about a small percent of their infantry?

 

[MiccyNarc]

Eh, but it didn't eliminate Gordon and whiped out a major combine component.
[shameless plug]
But this goes with my theory quite nicely:
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=79203
[/shameless plug]

 

[Hobbes]

Eh, but it didn't eliminate Gordon and whiped out a major combine component.
[shameless plug]
But this goes with my theory quite nicely:
http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=79203
[/shameless plug]

You got me on Gordon, mabe they expected a larger explosion. But there would be no use of the Citadel after the city was completely rid of humans, so I could see it as not being important anymore.

 

[Asknoone]

Nope. The combine didnt want to city wiped out, thats the last thing they wanted. The Citadel is the key to thier operations on earth. The reactor powers thier tunneling entanglement system which allows them to get here. Without it they are unable to tunnel to earth.

They really don't want Breen dead either. They don't really care about him, but without him the overwatch would falter and fail. Remember there are no combine on earth, its just thier technology and they need Breen to keep everything in order.

They also want to augment the humans into thier ranks, not kill them. I'm pretty sure if they could, they would just send out a strike forceto neutralize and capture resistance forces.

 

[SHR]

"The Citadel is the key to thier operations on earth. The reactor powers thier tunneling entanglement system which allows them to get here. Without it they are unable to tunnel to earth."
Incorrect. If you listen carefully, the Reactor power the TID, for THAT city. There are multiple citadels (17 i think?), they can still transport combine from their off-world outposts.



My theory is. that if you noticed, Final scene in Breen's office, Breen mentioned that Gordon's contract was open to the highest bidder. I believe Breen hired G. Freeman to:
A. lead him to Eli, among others. and B. run the city as new administrator or C. to be caught, and to show all resistance that its futile.
The thing in question is GMan, Did he pull both Gordon and Alyx out of the explosion and send them back in time becuase "I’ve received some interesting offers for your services" which meaning, he was just testing him?
But i really think he just pulled them out while it exploded then they wind up eventually in another one of the major cities with a citadel.
Meh, my theory has lots of details, i don't feel like typing them all up...

 

[Flyingdebris]

why would the combine want to wipe out that city by blowing up their own citadel.

Thats a cobra commander type plan right there in terms of stupid

They could just as easily have their striders, gunships, and anything else, blast everything, and still have a citadel left at the end of the day.

Or perhaps just shell c17 with headcrabs and just use striders to mop up the zombies.


there's a lot you can do to wipe out a populace without blowing up your own expensive equiptment

 

[Asknoone]

"The Citadel is the key to thier operations on earth. The reactor powers thier tunneling entanglement system which allows them to get here. Without it they are unable to tunnel to earth."
Incorrect. If you listen carefully, the Reactor power the TID, for THAT city. There are multiple citadels (17 i think?), they can still transport combine from their off-world outposts.



My theory is. that if you noticed, Final scene in Breen's office, Breen mentioned that Gordon's contract was open to the highest bidder. I believe Breen hired G. Freeman to:
A. lead him to Eli, among others. and B. run the city as new administrator or C. to be caught, and to show all resistance that its futile.
The thing in question is GMan, Did he pull both Gordon and Alyx out of the explosion and send them back in time becuase "I’ve received some interesting offers for your services" which meaning, he was just testing him?
But i really think he just pulled them out while it exploded then they wind up eventually in another one of the major cities with a citadel.
Meh, my theory has lots of details, i don't feel like typing them all up...

Nice theory however she does not say it powers it for just City 17, she says "It powers their tunneling entanglement device". She doesn't say specifics, so its safe to assume thats one of a kind considering the fact that this is Breens base of operations, its logical to believe that its the only citadel with a reactor. But then again, might not be the case.

Without that device however, the combine cannot get here, as Mossman states.