Depot



The Depot, also known as the Combine Depot, is a a major Combine structure primarily used to detain and process Combine prisoners. It is also known as the Prison or Gulag from early development plots of Half-Life 2, but was partially cut from the final version.

Half-Life 2
The Depot is an enormous structure built over the Nova Prospekt prison facility and a nexus for Combine distribution of stalkers, as well as a storage center for political prisoners such as Doctor Eli Vance. The depot covers cellblocks C1 through D8, and fills the area with Combine articles. In addition, the depot is a relay for the Razor Trains coming directly from City 17 and other locations. Basically, once humans arrive at the Depot, they are held in sturdy metal straitjackets housed within metal pods. Once needed, the pods can be brought in at any point from within an access point. Just like the Citadel, the depot has its own pod distribution center. Finally, the Depot houses the Combine entanglement device, which in the end of Chapter 9 explodes just as Gordon and Alyx teleport out of the facility. It is unknown if this is a prototype teleportation device, or a regular tunneling teleporter used by the Combine.



Development Notes


In the early stages of the game development, Gordon gets into a Combine train depot, simply called the Depot, through the basement of a lighthouse, after a battle with a Gunship from the top of that lighthouse. The Depot is built on an unnamed old prison where Gordon fights Combine soldiers, with the aid of Antlions. He then discovers the "Gunship Bays", where Gunships are built. Gordon was to leave the places in flames to the Antlions by going into the Depot itself through the cargo conveyor and then proceeding to the Air Exchange on foot.