going to state this outright this is just a fan rambling off ideas with no hope of any of them happening.
Also note most of these are enemy ideas for XEN, and I know they will not happen.
::Headcrab zombie suggestions::
:Zecu:
gear drop/live grenades
concept: Hecu grunts are geared to hell and back, with enough ammo and grenades to take on an army(exageration), that said you would think that a zecu would still have some supplies on them after being taken over. suggestion is simple for some zecu to still have some ammo on them, like a mag of mp5 ammo, or hand grenade.
grenade function: the ones with grenades would have a unique mechanic if gibed be it by shotgun or explosion, the grenade will drop live and explode shortly after making them a hazard in close range or a benefit in groups. (like the group at the top of the parking garage
:Z.E.V:
info: zombie HEV, these would be unique to xen and would only appear in areas that show signs of scientist camps, they would come in two types standard and long jump.
looks: do to the HEV constricting the head crabs mutation, the suit is bulged in the chest and arm areas, with large bone like protrusions breaking out of the forearm, shoulder, and back areas. With out the headcrab one can see that the head and helmet are ripped to peaces, with the helmet being torn off and the skull being almost devoid of fesh, infact it is missing the lower jaw and has no brain to speak of with a large hole in the head.
:function:
the Z.E.V has two functions, first being an endgame version of the normal zombie, slow and weak but a threat in numbers, the biggest difference is the fact that they have a random “shield” level that reduces damage by 1-15% and will drop ammo canisters which can be seen on their back if they have one.
The second function would be the long jump ones, these would like the zombine in a sense as at random do to the punctures in the pack the long jump may activate speeding up the zombie and allowing it to jump after the player. though the zombie has no control over this, and it is just as likely to activate mid swing as it is upon spotting you. (just imagine a Z.E.V taking a swing only for its long jump to activate forcing it over a cliff.)
::OTHER NPC SUGGESTIONS::
A-GRUNT TANK
info: an A-grunt in full armor, and I mean full, with no point on their body being left un armored, well except for the joints, these tanks have their chest arm cut off and by the looks of them have been made purely to walk to a location, and start putting down suppressing fire with two hive hands.
looks: an A-grunt with full plated armor imagine an A-grunt in iron monger armor with out the glowing bits and two hive hands.
AI function and combat: the A-grunt tank, would be a slow moving NPC, that is imune to small arms, melee, and hive hand shots, that said a single satchel charge or RPG can blow off most of their armor making them lose their resistances. The big danger of the A-grunt tanks is the fact they can and will act is defensive turrets, sitting in a location and pooring down bees until death, this is do to their dual hive hands allowing them to maintain fire at all times.
reason for idea: vary gameplay, currently A-grunts have two easy ways to kill, either cross bow them, or close range double shots with the shotgun. This idea would make a type in which the player has to think before engaging in combat.
::H.E.V survivor::
allied NPC
info: always thought it was strange that everyone on xen was dead except for one scientist hidding in the final bosses lair. (likely the remnants of a team that was there studying it.) I get the final chapter is meant to be a man on a mission bit, but allies are allies and they give some good directions.
H.E.V survivor suggestion: during the XEN chapters the H.E.V survivors will be your contact with the lambda team, using radios, and research bases to guide you to your goal generally helping you by pointing the way or even giving supplies, and maybe at parts giving fire support.
something to note, from the hazard course which in canon, all HEV personel are trained in the use of the MP5 with grenade launcher. this means any survivors you run into would atleast have that making them your best follower allies in the game, and maybe even giving the support to take out impossible odds.
yeah this part is just rambling as we have no news on the xen levels becides a leak My only hope is that we do see other science team members alive in xen as well there would be survivors.