{{Article|hl1|featured}}
{{Youmayd2|the Half-Life Opposing Force enemy|the enemy cut from Half-Life 2|Alien Assassin|, also known as a '''Shock Trooper'''.}}
{{Enemy Infobox
|image=FileShock trooper.png|200px
|name=Shock Trooper
|affiliation=Race X
|type=Soldier
|health=50/50/80
|weapons=*Shock Roach
*Spore Grenade
*Punch
|entity=monster_shocktrooper
|designer=*Stephen Bahlhttp//valvetime.net/threads/marc-laidlaw-vault.114535/page-5 Stephen Bahl as quoted on ''Marc Laidlaw Vault'' on the ValveTime.net Forums
*Brian Martelhttp//bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/finger.pl?id=305&time=19990907022620 .plan file of Brian Martel on Blue's News (September 7, 1999)
}}
{{Quote|I've never seen that species before!|Black Mesa Science Team|Black Mesa scientist|Half-Life Opposing Force|Fileof1a5 sc02.ogg}}
'''Shock Troopers''' are one of the main Race X species that invade the Black Mesa Research Facility during the later stages of the Black Mesa Incident. They act as one of the antagonist forces of ''Half-Life Opposing Force''. One is first briefly glimpsed in the chapter ''"We Are Pulling Out"'', and they start to appear as common foes beginning in ''Crush Depth''.
==Overview==
Shock Troopers are bipedal creatures with four arms and a plate-like body covering resembling an insect WikipediaExoskeleton|exoskeleton. Most notably, they have a single large eye centered in their torso. Shock Troopers are highly intelligent creatures, making up the primary work force and military component of Race X.''Half-Life Opposing Force'' Prima Guide They have mastered teleportation technology, an ability they managed to develop innately,{{IA|20000425072423/http//gamecenter.com/News/Item/0,3,0-2901,00.html|Game Spin Half-Life Expansion|Gamecenter (June 18, 1999)}} and use it to teleport in and out of combat situations. They also control the teleportation of both the Pit Drones and the Voltigores. At one point, Adrian Shephard observes a Shock Trooper grabbing a Black Mesa Black Mesa Science Team|scientist prior to teleporting away, abducting him in the process.
They carry creatures known as Shock Roaches, parasites which must attach themselves to hosts in order to survive. The two share a WikipediaSymbiosis|symbiotic relationship. These Roaches are, in turn, used as weapons to discharge deadly bolts of electricity at foes rapidly. Shock Troopers also have the ability to spit up Spore Pods, biological explosives which they throw at enemies like grenades. At close range, they punch hostiles to knock them back. When alone, a Shock Trooper will often summon Pit Drones to assist him in battle. However, Shock Troopers also frequently travel in groups, working closely with their teammates to outmaneuver their enemies.
===Infant version===
FileSpore Launcher world.jpg|An infant Shock Trooper, also known as a Spore Launcher.|right|200px|thumb
{{Main|Spore Launcher}}
Baby Shock Troopers, named Spore Launchers in-game, are the young larval stage of Shock Troopers that has only formed a head and torso with multiple tails trailing behind it, effectively a WikipediaTadpole|tadpole. They are WikipediaAmphibian|amphibious, although immobile outside of water. Infant Shock Troopers are first found in Black Mesa being kept in water tanks in the Biodome Complex of Sector E, seemingly implying that the Black Mesa Science Team had encountered and taken interest in studying Race X specimens in addition to Xen creatures.
This alien can be used as a weapon, allowing itself to sit on the user's shoulder and wrapping its tail around his or her arm. The user holds one of its pair of appendages near its mouth, those resembling WikipediaMandible (insect mouthpart)|insect mandibles, as a handle. Baby Shock Troopers are capable of firing baseball-sized biological spores collected from pods scattered around the facility which are then hand fed to the creature and launched either as rocket or grenade-like projectiles, both very toxic to enemies. Adrian Shephard demonstrates some fondness for this creature as he is seen occasionally petting the alien's head gently, to which it responds with affectionate purrs.
==Behind the scenes==
An early rendition of the Shock Trooper depicted the alien with orange skin. Before the recording sessions, Gearbox's lead programmer John Faulkenbury and sound designer Rob Heironimus implemented WikipediaGreedo|Greedo's voice from ''WikipediaStar Wars (film)|Star Wars'' as a placeholder for the Shock Trooper's sounds.http//bluesnews.com/cgi-bin/finger.pl?id=293&time=19991028175005 .plan file of Randy Pitchford on Blue's News (August 2, 1999)
Shock Troopers inherit the same WikipediaArtificial intelligence|artificial intelligence behavior and tactics used by the Hazardous Environment Combat Unit|HECU Marines from the original ''Half-Life''. They were modified not to recognize the aliens from Xen. However, they will still attack Alien Grunts{{abbr3|i|They normally never encounter one another in Opposing Force.}} and Gargantuas on sight. This is believed to be an error in the code as the developers did not disable the Marines' "nemesis" function which overrides their AI. This function makes Shock Troopers ignore the player and solely target their specified nemeses, in this case the ones attributed to the Marines.
===Language===
Shock Troopers possess a verbal form of communication, uttering strange electronic-sounding noises to each other. Their language consists of 17 distinct WikipediaPhoneme|phonemes which are combined to form the phrases heard during combat. This is the full list of phrases and meanings
* "Ksswirtras" - an alert when throwing a spore grenade.
* "Ksskyurkiml" - a warning shout when reacting to an incoming grenade.
* "Ditdit", "Ditksskss", "Kssdit ditkss" - said when a human is spotted.
* "Purthirvpurksskss" - said when a hostile alien is spotted.
* "Kagablisbliska" - said when retreating to cover.
* "Kimlkiml" - a taunt.
* "Mubpuhmubditdit" - said when charging the enemy.
* "Kukurku" - an idle statement.
* "Puhpurhyuka" - a question spoken to other Shock Trooper members.
* "Dupdup" - a response given to questions.
* "Ksskss" - asking other members to check in.
* "Dupblisdup" - a checking in response to acknowledge that the area is clear.
==Gallery==
FileCgw 183 02.jpg|Early version with orange skin.
FileOF14early.png|Early screenshot.
FileOp4 install4.png|Staged screenshot of Shephard and his comrades battling Shock Troopers and a Voltigore.
FileOp4 install2.png|Staged screenshot of Shephard and his comrades fighting Shock Troopers, Headcrabs and Black Ops in the area following the Sector G Hydro Plant|dam.
FileOf1a5b trooper.jpg|Shock Trooper grabbing a scientist and teleporting away.
FileOf3a6 trooper.jpg|Shock Trooper and Pit Drones.
FileOf4a1 trooper.jpg|Ditto.
FileOf4a2 Spore Launchers.jpg|Baby Shock Troopers kept in water tanks in the facility.
==List of appearances==
*''Half-Life Opposing Force'' {{1st}}
==References==
{{Imagecat|Shock Trooper images}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Race X}}
{{Creatures}}
CategoryRace X creatures
CategoryEnemiesCategoryHalf-Life Opposing ForceCategoryCreatures
