Combine imagery



The Combine heavily relies on imagery through logos and propaganda posters to assure their influence on Earth and recall their presence to Earth's residents. The Combine imagery is quite abstract, and the messages can be very subtle.

Logos


Two prominent symbols of the Combine can be identified. They can be seen throughout the game on Combine structures, propaganda posters, directly painted on walls, and on various Combine forces.

Abstract logo
The common Combine logo consists of a circle inside of a sharp edged claw shape, and recalls in style the utilitarian architecture of the Combine.

The circle inside the claw probably symbolizes domination and control over everything. It could also be seen to symbolize slavery of other species (the circle being a planet), the control of fertility (the circle being an egg, thus referring to the Suppression Field), and life and existence itself.

Being that the Combine have control of almost every resource and media outlet, such an abstract symbol can be communicated and understood universally.

That logo can be found on propaganda posters scattered around City 17 and its sector, on several Synth units such as the Combine Dropship, the Shield Scanner, the Advisor Pod (in dark red for the two first ones and white for the latter), and other units such as the Stalker (on the small box attached to its belt), the Nova Prospekt Prison Guard, and the Overwatch Elite, the circle replaced in this one by a cracked skull, the only Combine imagery that indicates hostility or threat.

CMB logo
The second symbol reads "CMB" in the Latin alphabet, based on or the base of the name "Combine". It is likely used only on Earth. It can be found being used with the common Combine logo, sometimes horizontal, sometimes vertical. It is found only on two Combine units, the City and Shield Scanners.

City 17


City 17 has its own logo, a yellow shape based a layer of the Citadel, but the cut "tiles" version. It can be found on several Combine units and devices such as the Suppression Device, the Thumper, the Floor Turret, the Hunter-Chopper and the APC (in grey). It is probably more the logo of the greater Sector 17 than the city itself, as it can always be found on the same devices located outside of the city.

Citadel Core
The Citadel Core has its own logo, as seen on one of its main access doors. Of note is that it is similar to the original City 17 logo (see above), although the armatures in the core room itself reflect similar shapes when seen from above.

Civil Protection
Metrocops have two insignias on their uniform, only consisting of letters and numbers. The red armband they have on the right arm has "c17:i4" followed by a small circle emblazoned on it, written in a squeezed Impact font. The first half of "c17:i4" refers to City 17, while ":i4" and the small circle probably refers to a particular sector, the Combine using many code names for many things, as heard in the radio transmissions and the Overwatch Voice messages. However any CP model has the same code, likely due to game limitations. At the back of the collar can be also be read "C17".

Overwatch Soldiers
Overwatch Soldiers have several insignias. The standard soldier has an orange triangle on the right forearm, with white unknown symbols in it. The left arm features a yellow circle with two black triangles it (it was originally featured on the Combine Super Soldier, with different colors). The Nova Prospekt Prison Guard has on its right arm the same triangle with white symbols in it, only that it is yellow, and that a yellow "Nova Prospekt" is written below in a black rectangle. On its left arm is the claw Combine logo, yellow in a black circle. The same rectangle with "Nova Prospekt" inside it is also on the back, bigger. Finally, the Shotgun Soldier has the same logo as the Overwatch Elite, darker and on a maroon background, and no insignia on the right arm.

Synths
Gunships and Striders bear the same logo on their back and head, respectively. This logo was on the back of the Overwatch Soldier's old skin (in white) and can also be seen on the shoulder of one of the Combine Synth Elite Soldier versions. Its meaning and whether it is a Combine logo or not or if it proves a closer relation between the Gunship and the Strider are unknown.

Posters
Many Combine posters are scattered around City 17 and its sector. Most of the time they include the two common Combine logos (the "claw" and the "CMB"), with variants in color and image backgrounds. One notable poster features a dove flying above the "claw" logo, an ironic symbol of peace.

Behind the scenes



 * According to Valve's Randy Lundeen, the team made periodic attempts to create and scatter Combine propaganda throughout City 17, designed by Lundeen himself, as well as Damarcus Holbrook. The posters were heavily relying on texts, such as the slogans "They're here for you" and "It's great to be part of the greater good" for the Metropolice and "Keep it clean... or he will" for the Cremator, as well as a welcome poster for City 17, featuring a long text split in several paragraphs. It was eventually decided that most of the posters detracted from the atmosphere, and that they were overused, while the Combine propaganda was to be more subtle. It was also fairly obvious for the team that the Combine did not need to rely on subtle messaging to achieve its ends, resulting in the more abstract posters in the final product.


 * Designed by Damarcus Holbrook, the City 17 logo was originally different. Its shape was mostly identical, but it was black, with an additional red line around the middle, and the number 17 in the center. It can be seen in several pieces of concept art for City 17, among them the Combine SWAT Truck, and two posters, such as a City 17 welcome poster from Raising the Bar and another found in the playable Half-Life 2 Beta files, featuring the image of a statue of Vladimir Lenin. The "Lenin" poster logo features a different "17" and the name "City 17" under it, written in the font "FF DIN", the same font used for the Nova Prospekt sign and the Steam logo. As in the final game, the City 17 logo is probably more the logo of the greater Sector 17 than the city itself, since it was to be seen on the Air Exchange tower without a number. It is also likely that any Combine-controlled city was to have the same logo, the Citadels being all the same, with only the number changing. It is unknown however how it works in the retail version, the number having been removed. Although the retail Citadel is completely different than the "tiles" one, the logo shape remained.


 * Several cut Synths also bear logos. The Wasteland Scanner bears the standard "claw" logo (in dark red), and other unknown markings, partially seen in the Overwatch Soldier outfit. The Combine Guard has no logo, while its predecessor, the Combine Synth Elite Soldier, has some informal logos in some of its versions, as well as the same logo seen on the Gunship and the Strider. The Sacktick has two informal logos, one on its back, one on its right front leg, not seen elsewhere. The Combine Super Soldier has the number "314" in its concept art (also featured in the Beta Overwatch Soldier outfit), and two red triangles in a red-rounded circle, reused for the Overwatch Soldier outfit, although with different colors. It also has red strips in several locations.


 * The playable Half-Life 2 Beta texture files feature several Combine logos not featured in the retail game, mostly consisting of claw and CMB logo variants.


 * Studies for the Overwatch Soldier feature many different sleeve insignias, one of them a possible early claw Combine logo.