Flood combat form: Difference between revisions

|distinctions=The host body with greenish-Grey decaying skin (more so in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'') They are armed with tentacles and the weapon that their host was carrying at the time (if any).  The head is pushed aside (for Brutes the jaws are pushed apart) to make room for the [[Infection Form]] (most noticeable on Human Combat Forms).

A '''Flood Combat Form'''<ref>''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', page 225: "The first of these '''combat forms''' he'd seen had once been Elites."</ref> is a vertebrate suitable for combat that has been infected by the [[Flood]] parasite via an [[Infection Form]]. The victim is mutated into a combat unit that fights for Flood goals and objectives. They coordinate attacks on certain enemies by a [[Gravemind]], if there is one.

The host stays alive during the transformation process and can even be conscious and aware after the final transformation. This process is presumably very painful and terrifying. Once fully transformed, the [[Infection Form]] has total control over the host's body and changes the physical appearance of the host to better suit its own needs. (Although an infected host will be roughly the same size as it was before.) On rare occasions, this effect may be weakened by time in stasis, allowing the host to regain some control <ref>''[[Halo: The Flood]]''</ref>. Combat Forms retain the host's previous skills and so can wield weapons(not dual wield), drive [[vehicles]] and [[boarding|board]] enemy [[vehicles]]. However, [[Infection Forms]] do not require their hosts to still be alive for infection. Even dead hosts are suitable for conversion into a Combat Form, [[reanimation|reanimating]] again after being infected. Though the brain tissue remains dead, the victim's biomass and calcium reserves are sufficient to warrant infection.

In the initial stage of a Flood outbreak, the [[Feral Stage]], Combat Forms communicate using pheromones and have one instinctual behavior: to secure new hosts to strengthen the local [[Proto-Gravemind|controlling intelligence]]. Once a sufficient store of biomass is available for the Flood to enter the [[Coordinated Stage]] and begin forming [[Pure Form]] Flood, the Combat Forms are used either as defensive units or calcium/biomass reserves.  According to the [[Master Chief]], it looked like an [[Elite]], except it appeared that someone had "killed him, buried the body, and dug it up two weeks later" <ref>''[[Halo: The Flood]]'', page 220</ref>. Flood infection is a rapid and efficient biological process, which can take under a minute in extreme cases. An interesting side effect of the deadly [[Human]] disease [[Boren's Syndrome]], which [[Sergeant Avery Johnson]] suffered from, is total immunity to Flood Super Cells. The [[Flood]] can recognize if a potential host is immune, and will focus on that organism above other threats in the area. A group of Flood will occasionally go after [[Sentinels]] if they are perceived the greatest threat in the area, although Sentinels are unable to be infected by the Flood. Curiously in ''Halo 2'', if their is a single Flood left that matches the species of the player(i.e. Human Flood if playing as Master Chief.) The flood will not attack the player but simple stand idle. Implying that the memories the Flood has absorbed seems to have a degree of influence over there actions. However, if other Flood arrive it will resume attacking.

It seems to be more alert and is quicker to melee an opponent. It also presents a smaller, harder to hit target, especially the [[Infection Form]], as it isn't protruding out of the body as much as those of Elite Forms. However, in ''Halo 3'', the Human form becomes an easier target to hit; the Infection Form protrudes a lot more out of the host's chest, allowing for an easy headshot, and it seems to be significantly slower.  

They wield the weapons of former [[UNSC Marines]] and, if available, those of the Covenant. On a rare occasion, if the player leaves a detached turret next to a dead Combat Form, when the Combat Form gets reanimated it will wield the turret. They can be dangerous when wielding [[UNSC]] weapons like the Shotgun, which on higher difficulties can kill you in a couple of shots. In ''Halo 2'', they are also capable of driving vehicles such as [[Warthog]]s, [[Scorpion Tank]]s, [[Ghost]]s, and [[Wraith]]s. While they lose the ability to drive vehicles in ''[[Halo 3]]'', slow moving ones can still be boarded. They can wield any weapon, from  [[Battle Rifles]] to [[Brute Shot]]s. But like the Brute Combat Form, they only use their tentacle arm to attack. They never use the [[Gravity Hammer]]. In ''Halo 3'', regardless of the Marine's gender, once infected, the combat form will be male.

During infection, the [[Elite]]'s head is forced backwards, to create space for the [[Infection Form]] to reside.

All of the Elite combat forms encountered, have the blue armor of a [[Minor Elite]] in ''[[Halo 2]]'', regardless of the hosts actual rank and original armor color. In ''[[Halo 3]]'', they have the same color armor as the host. The normal amour color you will see on an Elite Form in ''Halo 3'' is Blue , Red, and sometimes White. They can use any vehicle in ''Halo 2'', but like the others, they can't use any in ''Halo 3'', but they still can board a slow moving one and hit a devastating blow. If equipped with a [[Gravity Hammer]] it will use its tentacles and not the [[Gravity Hammer]].

They usually wield Brute weapons such as Spikers, Maulers, Brute Shots, and even Gravity Hammers, as well as more traditional Covenant weaponry and Human armaments.

However, they do not use the Gravity Hammer to great effect, they just use it to melee instead of using the primary explosive hit (though that may have been a consideration on Bungie's part, it could be possible that they will kill themselves in the shockwave the Hammer produces). They are more powerful than the [[Human]] Form, but they are slower (bulkier) and can't jump as high due to their weight. Since when a Brute's armor is damaged far enough, it falls off leaving a stripped body, when a Flood Infection Form infects them, they don't have shielding capabilities like the Elite form. A shotgun round or a few melee attacks should be able to kill one.

In all three ''Halo'' games, a Combat Form may fall only to stand up again and keep fighting. This can only happen if it still has a usable limb and appendage.

In ''Halo 2'' and ''Halo 3'', if the body is not destroyed, such as by an [[Energy Sword]], [[Grenade]] or [[Brute Shot]] blade, Combat Forms can be revived by other Infection Forms crawling into it.  

The [[Needler]] can be devastating, as the [[seven]]-needle explosion will prevent it coming back to life in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', and will shatter it in ''Halo 2'' and ''3'. In addition, the Needler's explosions will destroy an entire horde of charging Flood Combat Forms, similar to grenades and rocket launchers. However, for this to work, you must have at least 7 needles embedded into the Flood form.

In ''Halo 2'', the Sentinel Beams dropped by the Forerunner Sentinels are also very effective against the Flood.

In ''[[Halo 3]]'', plasma and melee attacks, formerly weak against the Flood Combat Forms, are now highly effective: a Combat Form can usually be destroyed with 1-3 melee attacks depending on its type and the difficulty setting, and weapons such as the Plasma Rifle are very effective, especially when dual-wielded. Also, a melee attack with any weapon to a Combat Form corpse render it unusable to Infection Forms. This makes gameplay easier, as, previously, it took around 7-10 melees to kill, even for assassinations.

In ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' it's possible to remove both arms off a Combat Form, rendering it harmless and even helpful.

This bug was removed in ''[[Halo 2]]''. Instead, removing both arms will cause the [[Infection Form]] to abandon the damaged host in search of another. Also if you have the game set on [[Legendary]] and go to the level the [[The Oracle]] and get to the [[Famine Skull]], in that very room sometimes one of the four Flood Combat Forms that are twitching gets up but does not harm as it tends to stay in the same spot doing nothing.

It is still possible to remove one arm if the Combat Form is not carrying a weapon. In ''[[Halo 3]]'' removing the tentacled limb of an unarmed Combat Form causes it to melee the player.

But, in some rare cases, in ''[[Halo 3]]'' if they pick up a [[Gravity Hammer]] and have their tentacle arm shot off, they will act similar to the "[[Flood Buddies]]", approaching the player for a few seconds then walking away then repeating and, in some cases, attacking the player with invisible arms. Occasionally, if a Combat Form is not completely destroyed (i.e. all limbs removed, splattered, head removed), it will eventually get back up and keep fighting. If you kill the Flood but not the dead host (if the Infection Form leaves its host) it will become an open host for a new Infection Form to occupy.

[[Image:1216051647 Infected.jpg|thumb|right|A Marine getting infected.]]

*In ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' Combat Forms will not disintegrate from successive melee hits when they are dead like in ''[[Halo 2]]'' and ''[[Halo 3]]''.

*In ''[[Halo 2]]'' and ''[[Halo 3]]'', [[Flood]] Combat Forms retain more of the host's armor, such as chest plating. They were almost naked in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]''. This could be attributed to the Flood becoming more intelligent, due to the [[Gravemind]]'s influence.

*Occasionally, if a player throws a [[Plasma Grenade]] on a Combat Form it will charge towards the player, ignoring any other non-Flood targets. In ''Halo 3'', they will jump away from grenades or (unsuccessfully) attempt to shield themselves from the resulting explosion.

*Some combat forms on ''Halo 2'' on ''High Charity'' have a '''sniper rifle''' that doesn't reload, not a beam rifle.

*The Human combat forms in ''Halo 2'' are very skinny and emaciated, while in ''Halo 3'', they are bulkier and contain a lot of Flood bio-mass.

===''Halo: Combat Evolved''===

*In all of the ''Halo'' games, [[Flood]] Combat Forms always hold the [[Shotgun]] with one hand, and fire it without pumping another round into the chamber. In ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', they somehow manage to make the shotgun pump itself. A possible explanation for this is that the Flood has extended an appendage into/onto the Shotgun which allows it to use the Shotgun's pump as a body part. That, or the pump action just wasn't programmed into ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.

*In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' if you stand on a Light Bridge (343 Guilty Spark) and shoot off armed Flood gun arms they will leap onto the bridge and get stuck and will only be able to move by jumping at you.

*If you shoot both arms off a combat form in ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' it will not be able to attack you it will simply follow you around. Players have dubbed this instance as creating a [[Flood Buddy]].

===''Halo 2''===

*''[[Halo 2]]'' is the only game where the [[Flood]] use vehicles (in the level [[Quarantine Zone (Level)|Quarantine Zone]]).

*In ''Halo 2'' if you look at the Flood infected [[Elites]]' mouth the mandible guards are white like an Ultra Guard's mandible guard.

*In ''Halo 2'' there are 4 [[Elite]] Combat Forms twitching in the room were the Famine Skull is.

*During some parts of the ''Halo 2'' levels with Combat Forms some are seen rarely using Sniper Rifles, although their poor aim suggests that the form's feeler-based sensory would make using scope-based weapons pointless (when they use the M6D pistol in ''Combat Evolved'' they always aim for the chest). On Legendary difficulty, however, these Combat Forms are incredibly deadly as they can kill the player with one shot.

*In ''[[Halo 2]]'', all the Flood infected Elites wear the armor of an [[Elite Minor]], even on levels where no Minor Elites were found. In ''Halo 3'', an infected Elite Ultra retains the appropriate armor of an Ultra, but reverts to that of a Minor when it is killed.

*The Energy Sword's energy drops only a little when used against the [[Flood]]

===''Halo 3''===

*If the [[IWHBYD]] skull is activated in ''[[Halo 3]]'', the background murmuring of the combat forms sounds like ''brains'', as the Flood Combat form can be considered a "zombie". Also, if you try hiding in a corner, it may sound like "I see you..."

**The glitched [[Elite Ultra]]s on the level [[Floodgate]] are the only white armored combat form, you face in ''Halo 3''.

*Sometimes in ''Halo 3'', [[Flood]] will wield [[Flamethrower]]s if they are revived close to one. In some cases, they can be seen wielding [[Plasma Turrets]] with one arm or tentacle. This is common on the level [[The Covenant]], right after you kill the Brute Chieftain with the [[Plasma Cannon]]. This may either mean that the Flood has built up a powerful muscular structure in the host during infection, or they haven't been programmed to hold these weapons with 2 hands.

*A Combat Form's old "head" (the one that used to belong to the host) will move or twitch as if in pain if you watch it in the theater in ''Halo 3''.

*[[Flood]] Combat Forms in ''Halo 3'' can pick up weapons discarded by the player, i.e. Spartan Lasers, if there is any ammo/charge left in the weapon. Care should be taken when dropping these kinds of powerful weapons around Flood forms, as they might be used against you by revived Flood.

*In ''Halo 3'', an infected Chieftain will turn into a Brute combat form with [[Minor Brute]] armor on. These errors were due to memory constraints and also represent the rapid increase of visual effects technology over the course of the development of the games.

*In ''Halo 3'', if an Elite is infected, a Gravity Hammer like pulse will be emitted from his suit. It is unknown why this happens, though it could be a remnant of an energy shield, or simply a glitch.

*In ''[[Halo 3]]'', the Gold Skull "Fog" is held by a [[Flood]] Combat Form.

*''Halo 3'' is the only game where you can instantly kill a combat form by meleeing them.

*In ''Halo 3'' if you shoot a Combat Form's "host face" it will "pop" and be covered in blood.

*In ''Halo 3'' if you shoot off a Flood Combat Form's arms it will try to push you off a cliff by running into you.

*In ''Halo 3'' you can see and shoot the Infection Form in the host's chest. If you successfully destroy the Infection Form and leave the empty corpse intact and "face up," you will see a large purplish hole where the Infection Form was. When an infection form "resurrects" the corpse, the infection form will inhabit that previously mentioned empty cavity.

*Regardless of gender, an infected Human Flood becomes a male Combat Form. Their are no variations between and infected male or female Marine.

*If a Marine is possessing a radio-pack it's "dissolved" during infection and disappears completely.

{{Flood}}