Combat Form

A **Flood Combat Form** is a sentient being that has been infected by the Flood parasite via an Infection Form or Flood Spores, mutating the victim into a basic combat unit for use by the Flood. They are extremely dangerous, but can be easily defeated when alone or feral. However, when under the control of a Proto-Gravemind they can be coordinated and deadly.

## Overview and Background

A Combat Form is not a natural organism, but rather a mutated host infected by parasitic Flood Super Cells implanted by an Infection Form. Successful creation of a Combat Form requires a host with sufficient biomass and calcium storage, and an Infection Form to infect the host. After mutation begins, the infection form attaches with one of its tentacles, which it uses to establish a neural connection that allows it to command the host's nervous system, thus rendering command of the legs and arms useless. During the infection process, the host's internal organs are liquefied, and the nutrients from them are used to develop the tentacles and other appendages.

A host becomes a Combat Form after an Infection Form enters its body. Transformation involves brutal mutations that makes the host more suitable for combat. This process is presumably very painful and terrifying, and will kill the host; though, in certain circumstances, the host is still alive. 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). Combat Forms retain the host's previous attributes, therefore they can wield weapons.

Infected hosts are rapidly digested while being converted, which leaves the host severely ravaged and decayed, much like a corpse that has been exhumed a few weeks after its burial. Flood infection is a rapid and efficient biological process, as it can take under a minute in certain cases. A group of Flood will occasionally go after Sentinels if they are perceived to be the greatest threat in the area, although they are unable to be infected by the Flood due to their robotic and inorganic nature.

## Types of Combat Forms

A specific creature is needed for the infection and creation of a Combat Form. Of the various Covenant races, only a few species meet the necessary requirements. Species known to be immune to conversion include the Mgalekgolo/Lekgolo, whose complete lack of skeletal calcium (i.e. bones) and central nervous system, colonial physiology, and insufficient biomass per individual worm make infection and neural synchronization impossible for Infection Forms. All victims of the Flood's infection, regardless of their physiology, will undergo the reanimation process where the hosts will experience its skin decaying rapidly (if they were infected while alive), growing whip-like appendages which will serve as their primary melee weapon in close-combat situations and have their heads (which are useless to the Infection Form, as it is now in command of any and all neural activity) pushed aside. For a live transformation, the Infection Form will force the host's neck to be snapped, thus allowing the Infection Form to gain complete control over the host's body. Afterward, the whip appendages will force itself out of host's left arm, and the Infection Form will force itself out of the host's chest.

If available, the Combat Forms are able to wield the arsenals of the UNSC and those of the Covenant.

 Brute Form
 Human Form
Although it cannot take as much damage as the Sangheili Combat Form can, the Human Form has some advantages. It seems to be more alert and is quicker to melee an opponent. Furthermore, it is far more accurate and proficient with its firearms, allowing them to reliably hit the player at range. It also presents a smaller, harder target to hit, especially the Infection Form, as it isn't protruding out of the body as much as those of Sangheili Forms.

## Gameplay Information

### General

Combat Forms vary depending on the host the Infection Form has taken, as aforementioned in the table above. But in general, Combat Forms like to swarm and overwhelm their target by sheer numbers and firepower. The majority of the Combat Forms are weak against ballistic weaponry and show resilience against high penetration weapons like sniper rifles. However, the Elite Form possesses the energy shields of its hosts, forcing the player to use plasma weapons to deal with their shielding's. Combat Forms are poor shots and would often wildly fire their weapons in the general direction of the target, instead, charging directly at the player for a powerful melee attack if the opportunity arose.

### Strategy

Short-range weapons like Shotguns, SMGs, Assault Rifles and Machine Guns work wonders against Combat Forms whilst Plasma weapons could deal with the energy shields of an Elite Form. Flamethrowers deal devastating damage against all Combat Forms whilst explosive weapons deal with swarms of them at the expanse of ammo scarcity and the danger of explosive misfire. What you do not want to have is precision weapons like Sniper Rifles, Battle Rifles, DMRs, Focus Rifles and Particle Carbines as they fire too slowly, have less ammunition and over-penetrate their targets, causing less damage per shot.

## Developer Information

### Brute Combat Form

Identical to the ﬂood in H1, they run at the player and use their weapons without much thought or tactics. They are simply a new look for the classic AI. Infected brutes should have a large biomass grow in the upper left and left arm, while the right hand side remains largely unchanged.

### Elite Combat Form

Similar to brute combat forms, but with weak energy shields and advanced weapon tactics such as the ability to use secondary triggers. Elite Combat forms also know how to go into cover to allow their shields to recharge, and can dive to avoid grenades.

### Human Combat Form

They will work more or less as human marine enemies, with changes to aiming and accuracy to accommodate their infected form along with new collision and health changes. They prefer to hang in the back, pepper the player with ranged weaponry, and on occasion throw grenades from their positions. They can work in squads, and strafe. (We will need to ﬁnish the new marine models ﬁrst)

## Trivia

* The claws from the Brute Combat Form is modelled after the Flood Combat Claw skin used by the simulated infected Spartans from Halo 4's Infection mode.