I've divided the weaons into six categories based on how they're organized on the
directional
pad.  The five categories are Precision (d-pad up), Assault (d-pad right), Tools (d-pad
down),
Explosive/Handheld (d-pad left), Mounted (spread throughout the environment, not part of
your
inventory), and Special (basically, the miscellaneous category).  I've also prepared
descriptions
and recommendations for each weapon based off of my own playing experience.  You can use
this section as a quick reference for deciding which weapon fits the current situation.
Tools
The "tools'" of Half-Life 2 consist of two weapons:  the Crowbar and the Gravity Gun.
These
will generally be used to solve certain "environmental puzzles" as well as clearing
obstacles from
your path.  They also have the distinction of being the very first and very last weapons
in the
game for your use.
Crowbar
The Crowbar is the first weapon you acquire in the game.  It is also your only melee
weapon.  The
crowbar is useful for destroying wooden crates and boards that block your path, and is
also good
for getting into supply crates.  You can also use it to bash enemies in the face to take
them down,
though this isn't recommended against armed Combine soldiers.  On the other hand, this
weaon
is rather effective against Zombies, Headcrabs, and Man-Hacks, and can save you some ammo
when you're running low.  For the first part of the game, you'll be using this weaopn a
lot, but
once you start getting better weapons, the crowbar should be used sparingly.
Gravity Gun
Once you have this baby, the crowbar will become almost useless.  The Gravity Gun is
capable of
picking things up, giving them a violent shove with a special burst, and even launching
things
through the air like a catapult.  You'll get this weapon about a third of the way through
the game,
and you'll almost immediately find many uses for it.  You should primarily use this weapon
for
gathering supplies from a distance and pushing things out of your way.  However, launching
heavy objects at enemies is very effective for killing them, even when against Combine
soldiers.
You can even pick up an object such as a table or empty fuel barrel to use as a shield
from bullets
as you move in closer to the enemy.  Another neat trick with this weapon is that when a
Headcrab jumps at you, you can use the burst to "punch" the Headcrab back, causing damage
to
it and eventually killing it.  With a little imagination, this weapon can easily be one of
your most
dangerous items.
Precision Weapons
The precision weapons are, as the name implies, great for taking out enemies at a distance
while
maintaining decent acccuracy.  This category consists of three weapons:  the Pistol,
Magnum
Revolver, and the Crossbow.  You won't ever find a ton of ammo for these weapons, but
their
accuracy makes up for this small setback.  These weapons should, however, be used
sparingly.
Only use them against targets at long range, or as sidearms when you run out of ammo in
your
assault weapons.
Pistol
This is the second weapon you get in the game, soon after the crowbar.  For a while, this
will be
your main weapon, but should be holstered once you acquire a better weapon.  The pistol is
relatively weak, and is the least accurate of its group, though it is much more accurate
than
anything in the assault category.  The pistol shouldn't be seeing much combat.  Instead,
you
should only use it against Ceiling Monsters,or as a secondary weapon for your SMG.
Otherwise,
just keep it holstered, since it won't be much use to you in an all out firefight.
Magnum Revolver
This weapon is very accurate, and very deadly.  Two shots from this monster will take down
any
Combine soldier or Zombie that gets in your way, and is also a formidable "sniping" weapon
against long range targets.  Unfortunately, ammo for this gun is somewhat hard to come by,
and
you don't get very much to carry in reserve, which means this weapon will be seeing very
little
combat.  The ONLY time this gun should be used is when your other weapons are out of ammo
and you need a weapon to replace them temporarily until you get more ammo.  Otherwise,
save
it.  It just may be the difference between life or death when things get hairy.
Crossbow
This is the closest thing to a sniper rifle that you'll find in Half-Life 2.  It is a
one-shot kill on
almost every soft target in the game, is extrememly accurate, and is equipped with a scope
for
you to make very long range kills. This weapon is also quiet, so it won't attract too much
atention.  Ammo for this weapon is quite rare, and you won't find many good opportunities
to
use it, so don't.  Only use it against soldiers that are in guard towers or when they're
out of range
for your other weapons.  Most of the time, though, you shouldn't have to use the crossbow.
Assault Weapons
This category is your primary source for all combat situations.  The weapons in this
category are
good for short, medium, and long range shooting, and ammo is plentiful for all of them, so
you
don't have to worry so much about accuracy.  This group contains three weapons:  the SMG,
the
shotgun, and the pulse rifle.
SMG
You'll acquire this weapon early in the game, and you'll probably notice right away that
it shoots
very, very fast, has a large clip, and is horribly inaccurate.  It is also almost as weak
as the pistol,
meaning that you'll often burn through almost an entire clip on just one enemy.  Luckily,
there is
a ton of ammo in the game for this weapon, but you might still be thinking "What's the
point of
even using this gun?"  Well, it has one silver lining:  the ability to launch grenades.
Got a room
full of Combine soldiers?  Pop a grenade through the door and clear 'em out.  Zombies got
you
cornered?  Blast 'em to smithereens.  Also keep in mind that when your shotgun is out of
ammo,
the SMG is the best backup.  Although weak at medium to long range, it is devastating at
close
range where you won't miss as much.  And believe me about the ammo, you won't run out for
this gun very often.  With practice, you'll come to appreciate the little SMG for what is
has to
offer.
Shotgun
The ultimate close-combat weapon, the shotgun will take down Combine soldiers in as little
as
two shots, sometimes one, and is your best bet against zombies, headcrabs, and man-hacks.
There is plenty of ammo for the shotgun as well, so don't be shy about using it.  Of
course, one of
the best things about the shotgun is its alternative fire mode.  Using its secondary
function will
let you fire two shells at the same time, a very devastating maneuver against soft
targets.  This
weapon is also excellent for killing ant lions and the mother an lion because of its high
firepower.
Just remember not to use this weapon in extended firefights with Combine soldiers, since
its
accuracy and firepower quickly diminish with distance.  Otherwise, have it at the ready at
all
times.
Pulse Rifle
This is the game's assault rifle, and just like in any other game, it holds thirty shots
per clip, is best
used for medium and long range fighting, and often has plenty of ammo to spare.  It also
has a
neat secondary fire mode:  a ball of energy is fired that will vaporize soldiers and
zombies alike,
and even has some explosive qualities against vehicles.  However, ammo for the secondary
mode
is very rare, and you usually won't need to use it either.  But if you want to see
something cool,
go right on ahead.
Explosives/Handheld
Obviously, you'll use these weapons against vehicles and against large groups of enemies
bearing
down on you.  This set consists of three heavy hitters:  the Grenade, Rocket Launcher, and
the
Phera-pod.  Every weapon in this category has very specific uses, and are only fully
effective
when used at the right times.
Grenade
This weapon is a handheld item, and you throw it rather than shoot it.  (Note:  these
cannot be
picked up as ammo for the SMG's grenade launcher.)  Use the grenade for taking out enemies
from around corners, or toss it over a wall or barricade to kill enemies that way.  These
will also
come in handy for taking out snipers and destroying vent turrets or knocking over tri-pod
turrets.
Throwing grenades is somewhat cumbersome, so you shouldn't use them if you're caught out
in
the open.  Instead, you should almost always use them from behind cover, or else you'll
take
damage while trying to throw it.  You can also roll a grenade instead of throwing it.
Rocket Launcher
This is your only anti-vehicle weapon in the game, and only comes in handy at very
specific
points in the adventure.  It isn't your average rocket launcher,however.  When you fire
the rocket,
you can guide the projectile by pointing the weapon's laser pointer at the desired target.
The
rocket will automatically home in on the laser, so all you gotta do is make sure you line
it up
correctly.  Keep in mind, though, that gunships can shoot your rockets right out of the
sky, and
they are prone to running straight into obstacles before hitting their target.  A little
trick you can
use to improve accuracy when guiding rockets is to zoom in on your target right after
launching
the rocket.  This will make it easier to keep the laser on a vehicle that's far away from
you.
Phera-pod
This is a very fun weapon to use, and comes in infinite supply once you get it.
Unfortunately,
you can only use it at one specific point in the game, after which it becomes useless.
What this
weapon does is attract ant lions.  While in possession of the phera-pod, the ant lions
will act as
soldiers for you.  The secondary function lets you squeeze the pod to call the ant lions
to you,
while the primary function lets you throw the pod to send your ant lions on the attck.
The ant
lions will then proceed to kill whatever enemy is in the surrounding area.  If your ant
lions die,
more will appear, so don't worry about casualties.
Mounted Weaponry
This class of weapons isn't available for you to carry in your inventory, but you can
still use them
to great effect whenver you come across them in the course of your adventure.  There are
two
weapons in this category:  the mounted machine gun and the tri-pod turret.
Mounted Machine Gun
The mounted machine gun is a powerful automatic that has infinite ammo, never has to
reload,
and never overheats.  Whenever you use this weapon, you'll be facing several enemies at
once,
and sometimes even combine gunships.  Not to  worry, however, as this weapon is effective
against both infantry and gunships, so fire away!
Tri-pod Turret
Okay, so this isn't exactly what you'd think of as a mounted weapon, but I couldn't think
of
anywhere better to put the gun, so live with it.  This weapon can either work for you or
against
you, depending on the situation you're facing in the game.  Most of the time, they'll be
working
against you, and you'll have to either avoid them altogether or move behind cover to get
behind
them and knock them over with your crowbar or gravity gun.  However, there is a small part
in
the game where you'll be able to use these weapons for yourself against the Combine.  All
you
have to do is set them up where you want them, and they'll lock onto targets and shoot
them
automatically.  These weapons are also completely indestructible, so the only way to
disable them
is to knock them over, causing them to shutoff.  You can bet the Combine soldiers will
attempt
to do this as much as possible, so you still have to be on your guard.
Special Weapons
The only specialty weapon in the game would be the land mine.  You won't find these until
late
in the game, but you can use them to great effect.  Use the gravity gun to pull them from
the
ground, causing them to reset.  Now simply drop the land mine wherever you want to, and
it'll
set itself back into the ground.  When one is tripped, it will fly up and explode right
over the
target, killing it instantly.  You can always tell whenever a land mine is hostile,
friendly, or
neutral by its light.  If it turns red when you're close, its hostile.  Green means that
it's friendly
(but hostile against your enemies), and blue means that it's neutral and won't explode.
You can
also send them flying with the gravity gun at enemies, causing them to explode on contact.
Either way, they can be pretty useful, so try to use them whenever you can.
Thank you for taking the time to look at this FAQ.  These are only the weapons in this
highly
immersive game, but I hope that this guide can help you survive those intense battles.