The Combine HQ is a Building constructed by your CEO to unify your forces and strengthen your armies.
The Combine HQ has 31 levels (0-30). When first constructed, your Combine HQ will be at Level 3, but it can be downgraded to zero by rival Combines. Remember: the higher the Level of your Combine HQ, the greater the bonuses. Each upgrade Level:
- Grants you additional Dominance Points.
- Increases the bonuses you are able to receive from your Technologies.
Technologies are special areas of discovery that allow a Combine to simultaneously boost the statistics of all of its Members' armies.
The Combine HQ interface has 3 main tabs:
1. Info
In this tab, you can:
- View Combine Resources (Battle Marks and Tech Chips) as well as the number of Diamonds you personally hold
- View Combine Resource history
This shows which Combine Members have used which Combine Resources, including how much they have used, and when they used them.
- Rename your Combine HQ
Those Combine Members authorized to do so must simply click on the icon next to the HQ's current name.
- Relocate your Combine HQ
This only applies to those Combine Members authorized to do so.
- View various Upgrade Requirements
This indicates the number of requirements that must be met in order for a HQ to be able to be upgraded to the next Level.
- View current Combine Bonuses
Bonuses granted from HQ Technologies, as well as any Dominance Bonuses, will be displayed here.
2. Garrisons
Here you can see which Units are currently stationed at your Combine HQ (meaning Reinforcements sent to the HQ by other Combine Members).
3. Technologies
Here you can:
- View Combine Resources (Battle Marks and Tech Chips) as well as the number of Diamonds you personally hold.
- View Combine Resource history
This shows which Combine Members have used which Combine Resources, including how much they have used, and when they have used them.
- View your Technologies and their current Levels
Combine CEOs – and those Combine Members authorized to do so – are able to Upgrade Technologies. Upgrading Technologies to higher Levels means all Combine Members will receive even greater bonuses.
Remember: your HQ also provides storage for Combine Resources. If a Combine is dismissed, all Units stationed at its Combine HQ will automatically return to their owners' Bunkers – however, all Combine Resources will be permanently lost.
HQ Building and Relocation
Building your HQ
Each Combine may build one Combine HQ, which can only be built by the Combine CEO.
There are several ways to build a Combine HQ:
1. From the Global Map
Open the Map and click on the "Build Combine HQ" button. You will be shown a list of special locations where you are able to construct your Combine HQ. These locations are called "HQ Sites". Simply choose the location where you would like to build your Combine HQ, then click "Place HQ". Bear in mind that the location of your Combine HQ should be suitable for all Combine Members, as they will be called upon to protect it in times of need.
2. From the "My Combine" tab at the Joint Ops Center
Go to the "Combine description" section and press the "Build Combine HQ" button next to your Combine's name. You will be taken to the Map and shown which HQ Sites are currently available.
Important: You can build your Combine HQ only if your Combine is 7 days old or more.
Relocating your HQ
Combine HQ Relocators are special Items that can be used to change a HQ's location on the Map. Combine CEOs – or those Combine Members with permission to do so – are able to use Combine HQ Relocators to relocate their Combine HQ to a new location of their choosing. Each Combine HQ can only be relocated ONCE per day. Combine HQ Relocators can be acquired from the Black Market, within the "Special" tab.
BE AWARE: Once a Combine HQ is relocated, it cannot be moved back to its previous location.
When relocating a Combine HQ, all Units stationed there will be relocated along with it, and all ongoing Upgrades happening at the HQ will continue as normal. If a rival Combine attacks your HQ at the moment of relocation, their Units will be returned to them.
HQ Management
Some Combine HQ features are initially only available to the Combine CEO. To allow other Combine members to use Combine Resources, or to rename or relocate their Combine HQ, the Combine CEO must give permission to those users from within the "My Combine" tab at the Joint Ops Center.
Every fully-fledged Combine Member is able to contribute to the defense of their own Combine HQ, as well as any attacks on other Combines' HQs. Every fully-fledged Combine Member is also able to contribute towards the upgrade of their Combine's HQ – as well as to the upgrade of various Technologies – by participating in Tournaments and Combine Contracts and helping their Combine earn Combine Resources. Combine CEOs – and other Combine Members with permission to do so – can view their Combine's Resource history from within the "Combine Resource History" tab.
BE AWARE: If a Combine Member leaves their Combine, all Units they have garrisoned at their Combine HQ will be sent back to their personal Bunkers. However, all Combine Resources gained will remain in the Combine account – and not taken by the leaving player.
HQ Downgrade
Each Combine should strive to downgrade other Combines' HQs for two main reasons. The first of which is to deprive rival Combines of their much sought-after bonuses. The second is that downgrading other Combines' HQs is a key requirement for a Combine to upgrade its own. If you want to boost your own HQ, you're going to have to go to war with rival Combines! To downgrade a rival HQ, your Combine must perform a successful attack on it.
Important: Combine HQs cannot be downgraded more than ONCE per day.
If another Combine successfully attacks your HQ while an upgrade is not in progress, your HQ will be downgraded by one Level, and 50% of the Battle Marks spent on the upgrade to the lost Level will be returned to your Combine. If another Combine manages to perform a successful attack on your HQ while it is being upgraded, the upgrade will fail, and your HQ will be downgraded by one Level. Your Combine will be reimbursed 75% of the Battle Marks spent on the attempted upgrade, as well as a further 50% of the Battle Marks spent on the upgrade to the lost Level. If a Combine HQ is downgraded while a Technology is being upgraded, the upgrade will continue as normal, and will not be interrupted.
BE AWARE: you cannot attack other Combine HQs while your diplomatic status is "At Peace".
Milestone Level
Milestone Level is key in keeping the strength of your Combine HQ. Once a Combine HQ has been upgraded up to Milestone Level, it cannot be downgraded below it.
Capital Upgrade
Your Combine needs to fulfill several requirements to upgrade its Combine HQ:
1. Hold enough Battle Marks
You can get Battle Marks by participating in Tournaments, or by purchasing them from the "Info" tab of your Combine HQ.
2. Hold the required number of Mining Complexes of the required Level
3. Hold the required positions in the Combine Rankings
4. Downgrade an HQ of the required Level or higher
This requirement must be completed only ONCE for each upgrade Level.
Upgrading your Combine HQ takes time, but Combine CEO – and those granted permission to do so – can speed up this process with Diamonds. Normal process Boosts cannot be used to speed up this process, and HQ upgrades cannot be cancelled – so think carefully before deciding to upgrade your Combine HQ.
IMPORTANT: If another Combine successfully attacks your HQ while an Upgrade is not in progress, your HQ will be downgraded by one Level, and 50% of the Battle Marks spent on the upgrade to the lost Level will be returned to your Combine. If another Combine manages to perform a successful attack on your HQ while it is being upgraded, the upgrade will fail, and your HQ will be downgraded by one Level. Your Combine will be reimbursed 75% of the Battle Marks spent on the attempted upgrade, as well as a further 50% of the Battle Marks spent on the upgrade to the lost Level.
Technologies
Each Technology provides statistical bonuses to all Combine Members simultaneously. The following Technologies are available:
1. Ration Consumption Reduction - Decreases the amount of Rations consumed by all Combine Members' Units.
2. Unit Speed Increase - Increases the speed of all Combine Members' Units (Convoys not included).
3. Light Infantry Defense - Increases Infantry Units' Defense against all types of Units.
4. Heavy Infantry Defense - Increases Heavy Infantry Units' Defense against all types of Units.
5. Armor Units Defense - Increases Armor Units' Defense against all types of Units.
6. Combat Aviation Defense - Increases Combat Aviation Units' Defense against all types of Units.
7. Light Infantry Offense - Increases the Offensive statistics of Infantry Units.
8. Heavy Infantry Offense - Increases the Offensive statistics of Heavy Infantry Units.
9. Armor Units Offense - Increases the Offensive statistics of Armor Units.
10. Combat Aviation Offense - Increases the Offensive statistics of Combat Aviation Units.
Attention: Defense and Offense Technology Bonuses will not affect Xenomorphs and Predators!
Each Technology also provides your Combine with a Dominance Bonus. The higher the Level of the Technology, the greater the bonus!
Combine Members will only be able to visit their Combine HQ – and benefit from its bonuses – once they have been a Member of their Combine for 7 days or more.
Technology Levels
To increase the bonuses granted by a Combine HQ, a Combine must upgrade its Technologies. Only Combine CEOs – and those Combine Members with authorization – are able to Upgrade a Combine's Technologies.
From the beginning, every Combine's Technology will be at Level 0, but each Technology can be upgraded to a maximum Level of 30. The higher the Level of the Technology, the greater the bonuses it will provide.
IMPORTANT: Bonuses you receive from Technologies are limited by the Level of your Combine HQ. If you have a Technology of Level 20, but your HQ is only Level 10, you will only receive bonuses equivalent to a Technology of Level 10.
Technology is not affected by attacks, and cannot be downgraded. Once upgraded to a certain Level, it will never drop below that Level. You can only upgrade one Technology at a time.
To upgrade Technologies, you need Tech Chips. Tech Chips are a special Combine-only Resource that can be acquired either by participating in Combine Contracts and Tournaments, or by purchasing them for Diamonds when attempting to upgrade a Technology.