Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition

The Selectable Lightweight Attack Munition, better known as the S.L.A.M, is a small explosive device, dark green in color, that was originally intended to be a usable weapon in Half-Life 2 but was cut from the final release, though the Combine do use them in the game. (They are used by the soldiers during the defense of Nova Prospekt, and also in the city, occasionally, although the Nova Prospekt SLAMs are a different color and size.) The SLAM functions in a similar manner to the Laser Tripmine in Half-Life. It is usable in Half-Life 2: Deathmatch. The SLAM is based on the real life US military weapon of the same name.

Tactics

 * The SLAM has two modes of operation:
 * Its primary use is as a laser tripmine. Once placed, it will first make a sound like it is charging up, and then will emit a red beam. If anything breaks this beam the device will detonate. In this way SLAMs can be used for two purposes, creating traps and area denial. SLAMs used to create traps can be placed in stairwells or around corners to snag careless individuals who run into them. Alternatively, SLAMs can be placed in clear view; enemies are less likely to run into them, but are forced to slow down to deal with or avoid the threat, a situation the trap-setter can take advantage of. The SLAM can be placed on any solid surface, even on physics objects, although this is very dangerous, as bumping the object can detonate the device, this can be a good (though risky) way to set up a trap. Block a corridor or doorway with crates or other objects, and place a SLAM on the debris were it is not visible from the other side. Then, when the opponent tries to clear the debris out of the way so they can pass, they'll detonate the device without ever knowing it was there.
 * The second mode is remote-detonated. It is possible to drop one or more SLAMs on the ground, which can be remote detonated with the secondary fire key. Taking these two uses into account, the SLAM combines the functions of both the Laser Tripmine and the Satchel Charge from Half-Life.


 * If SLAMs are blocking the way, they are easy to deal with; spot them before walking into a trap. Simply shooting them or throwing an object through their beam will cause them to detonate. When detonating a SLAM, remember to stand back otherwise explosion damage will still be incured - SLAMs tend to have a large blast radius. Setting up multiple SLAMs can cause chain reaction explosions.


 * Remember that after pressing the alternate fire button there is a brief pause before deployed SLAMs are detonated; remember to compensate for this.

Trivia

 * SLAMs will be planted against a wall faster (that is, the animation is shorter), if one already has a "free" (i.e. not tripmine) slam deployed.

List of appearances

 * Half-Life 2
 * Half-Life 2: Deathmatch