Victory Mine


 * Help awaits us, in the mines. - Vortigaunt

The Beginning of Episode Two
After Gordon Freeman and Alyx Vance escape from City 17 via train, the train is derailed by the explosion of the Citadel in Episode One. After Gordon Freeman is freed from the train with the help of Alyx, the two can see a view of all of City 17. The Citadel is completely demolished, and a portal storm emerges from the ruined Citadel. You will then enter the next area, the Outland Mines.

In the Upper Mines, there is a communications center with which Alyx uses to contact White Forest. After exiting this area, Alyx Vance is severely injured by a Hunter, and her life hangs by a thread. A Vortigaunt appears, who helps Gordon Freeman transport Alyx Vance to the Lower Mines, where Gordon Freeman assists resistance members in holding back the antlion forces. Gordon Freeman helps the Vortigaunt locate the larval extract, which is used to save the dying Alyx Vance's life. After fighting through hordes of antlions and an antlion guard, Gordon Freeman, the Vortigaunt, and Alyx Vance exit the mines to see Combine forces moving North, presumably to White Forest.

Abandon Mines
The mines have nothing here except the Antlions. There are no Resistance or Combine in the mines. You can find skeletons and rotting corpses inside the webs and around the areas, with supplies, you are the only live human left inside here.

The Vortigaunt says, when you are trying to find the extract, "The sad fate of these others, is our good fortune". This could mean their lives depend on us to win this war(?).

Resistance Outposts
There are some outposts around here, but only one of them has Resistance members. The first outpost has Griggs and Sheckley. You help them kill the Antlions, so that they won't reach the Vortigaunt attempting to heal Alyx.

Most of these outposts carry Hopper Mines so that you can hold off the Antlion and Zombies. But Griggs and Sheckley have Resistance Turrets so you can hold off the assault. Most of these Hoppers and Turrets have happy faces or lamba signs painted on them to let you know that they are friendly machines.

One of these outposts has a Thumper to hold off the Antlion attacks, but wont stop acid spits from a distance, so be careful. Vortigaunts call thumpers repelent devices.

Plus all these outposts have supplies. Look high and low for crates.

The Antlion Nest
The Antlions have taken over the mines. They have nests to hold their Grubs. Most parts of the mines have Antlions all over, plus the newest Antlion: The Antlion Worker. Most of the Antlion locations have dark blue-ish rocks making up the floors, walls and ceilings, carved out by the Worker Antlions acid spit.

One of the nest locations is called the "Guardian's Lair", that is the area where you meet the Antlion Guardian. Though similar to the Antlion Guard's in size and shape, it has glowing green body parts, which may have evolved to help it see in the dark caverns of the mines and other caves

The Guardian is the one guarding the extract. Which is needed to heal Alyx, as it is the only way.

First part of chapter 3
The mines don't end. The first level of Freeman Pontifex has mine carts and also a pickaxe. It is also the area you fight the Guardian and another Antlion Guard.

It also features the Combine on a distant bridge.