Super Soldiers (also known as D-Code Soldiers) are soldiers who have been genetically enhanced by Gentek with the three week old DX-1120 strain of the Blacklight virus.

Background

First Outbreak

In 2008, nearly 161 individuals were injected with a variant of the virus, and exhibited no negative side effects at all, but over time, their cellular structure was capable of regenerating much faster than the average human's. In addition to accelerated healing, or perhaps because of it, they also gained incredible strength, speed and endurance, as well near-limitless stamina.

Their healing factor made them prime candidates for surgical enhancements, mostly in the form of bulletproof plating being molded to their soft muscle tissue, making them much more durable. They stand head and shoulders above the standard soldier, and have a much heavier build.

Their only form of equipment is standard webbing and an infection detection device that allows them to see anyone infected with the Blacklight virus, like other Hunters, to pick out Alex Mercer from crowds and see through disguises. Super Soldiers appear to be the most high-ranking officers in Blackwatch, as they wear the same uniforms as human officers and give orders to the lower ranking soldiers in the field. Instead of the tri-lens goggles worn by the standard officers, they wear what appear to be metal gas masks.

Project Orion

During the second outbreak, a new breed of Super Soldiers were developed under Project Orion. The project consisted of two stages: the first phase soldiers were similar to the D-Codes created during the first outbreak and during Phase Two, soldiers were created by combining the enhancing serum with James Heller's DNA, and DNA found in a Hydra. Gentek only succeeded in creating one soldier, but intended to clone him should the rest of the project be destroyed. The Phase Two soldier was even larger, bulkier, tougher and definitely stronger than the basic super soldier, possessing a series of cables running through his shoulders and arms which glowed in a manner similar to Heller's mutated arms. His strength, durability, endurance, speed and stamina far surpassed that of the standard Phase One soldier and his armor was able to deflect rockets. The Phase Two portion of Project Orion came to an end when this soldier was killed and consumed by James Heller, granting Heller the Biomass Expulsion Devastator in the process.

Later in time, Gentek made a last-ditch effort to revive Phase Two in the Green Zone, by securing the last samples of Heller's DNA via helicopter. However, as Heller had been listening in through //BLACKNET, he discovered their plan and collected the samples before Gentek's forces could, thus severing any hope of reviving Phase Two of Project Orion.

Powers & Abilities

• Speed & Movement: Super Soldiers are capable of leaping great distances and running up along buildings, much like Mercer and Heller. If one is not careful, they will jump up in the air and do a downwards punch towards Heller, which will knock Heller back and do heavy damage.
• Strength: Super Soldiers are extremely strong and capable of fighting head-on with even the strongest Infected. They can engage Mercer or Heller in close combat and can perform grappling moves which, if not countered, can deal massive amounts of damage. In Heller's case, when they try to attack him, he can use his Shield to perform a shield bash, which can stun them, giving Heller the opportunity to initiate a counterattack. These counterattacks can deplete a large amount of their health. They also tend to block aerial attacks and can sometimes grab Mercer or Heller out of the air and slam him into the ground with great force.
• Viral Detection (first Prototype only): Being equipped with the latest in Blackwatch hardware, they also function as mobile viral detectors. They are able to detect the presence of all Infected, even if they are in disguise, like Alex Mercer.
• Anti-Consumption (first Prototype only): Ordinary Super Soldiers are impossible to consume except for one exception. No matter how much damage is inflicted upon them, they will remain combat-functional until death. Stealth consume is also useless, as their detection abilities cause them to orient toward Alex automatically. However, an exception exists in the Super Soldiers that are used in the War Event. These particular Super Soldiers do not possess the viral detectors normal ones do and, as with most military forces in War Events, won't attack Alex so long as the Event is not triggered; the only exceptions to this rule are if Alex attacks them or patrolling Marines or vehicles cause them to auto aggro onto him. This will allow the player to use a Stealth consume on them. This will grant the evolution points that killing one would bring, but Alex will not be able to assume their form. Only one way, to grab the Super Soldier by directly doing body surf and going into water. When you get out of the water, you will be holding him onto the neck. You can now consume him, but will not be able to throw him.
• Anti-Patsy (first Prototype only): Alex is unable to patsy them, likely because Alex is unable to take the form of a Super Soldier in the first place.
• Endurance: Super Soldiers are incredibly tough and resilient, through their greatly increased strength, stamina, speed and endurance, are capable of fighting toe-to-toe with Hunters, Brawlers, and even Juggernauts. They even appear to have an advantage, as they can take more damage than their infected counterparts and dish it out as well. Super Soldiers are capable of surviving multiple Anti-Tank Missiles, more than twice as many as an M1 Abrams Tank would. However, unlike the Tank, they do take damage from small arms fire, even though it is very low.
• Anti-dodge move (Prototype 2 only): Using dodge on Super Soldiers is completely useless as they will spin around and deliver a back hand punch or sometimes just an ordinary punch attack on Heller every time he uses dodge to jump over them.

Strategy

Prototype 2

In Prototype 2, Super Soldiers will often emit a blue glow (yellow in case of phase 2). At this state, they are completely invulnerable and are about to strike. However, they will sometimes punch or kick, which won't glow. These attacks inflict less damage and can be interrupted by attacking, but will catch the player off guard more easily. They can also grab Heller, which is required to be countered by the right key, if these grab attacks are not countered in time, they can deplete a large chunk of Heller's overall health.

The most effective powers against Super Soldiers are Claws and Blade; simply keep attacking with the Claws raw speed or use the Blade's tornado attack until they start to glow, then block immediately to perform a shield bash which can stun them.

Super Soldiers' attacks can be stopped by using the Shield when shield-bashed, which is achieved by blocking when they are about to strike, which will cause them to be stunned, allowing Heller to follow up a suplex (achieved by hitting the grab key). The suplex deals heavy damage, grants Heller brief invulnerability, and stuns nearby enemies during the move. Heller can then continue slashing or use a charged up attack.

Super Soldiers become most deadly when paired with other military units, as they take time to take down, while creating openings for other long range units such as rocket launcher operators or helicopters. However, as both are prone to shield block, dealing with them won't be a big problem once the player becomes familiar with this pattern. Experienced players with a shield up mutation can even block or deflect multiple attacks with a single block.

In-game, they are more like Infected on the Blackwatch's side, rather than human beings. They use their own fists for close range attacks and kicking sometimes, throw rocks for long range attacks, with surprising accuracy, and even offer a power or an ability upgrade when consumed just like Infected, although they lack the ability to detect Heller, or healing by consumption.

Trivia

• The Super Soldiers seem to be what Gentek was hoping to achieve back in Hope, Idaho with Carnival II, as the soldiers appear to be similar to the reaction within Carnival I.
• Some people speculated that before Project D-Code Robert Cross is the first and only super soldier to be genetically enhanced with Redlight virus rather than DX-1120 strain of the Blacklight virus.
• On an interesting note, they are the only military personnel that do not use a firearm at any point, either because they choose not to, or because they are too melee-combat oriented to. Additionally, they are unable to use conventional firearms due to the size of their hands.
• Of all military personnel, they are the only ones who cannot be consumed in Prototype, though they become consumable in Prototype 2.
• If the Super Soldiers are hanging onto a helicopter, that helicopter cannot be destroyed or hijacked.
  • However, it can be hijacked due to a glitch.
• They can be stealth consumed in Prototype, but cannot be used as a Disguise. They cannot be stealth consumed in Prototype 2, however.
• In Prototype 2, Super Soldiers can be consumed if they sustain enough damage. The Ravenous mutation from Radnet is also taken into account, allowing consumption before they even reach critical injury.
• Orion soldiers lack the built-in viral sensors that their original D-code counterparts wielded. This might be due to the viral sensors tuned to find Alex, who was virtually Blacklight, among the sea of Redlight viral creatures (Greene, Hunters, etc.). Since the second outbreak was predominantly Blacklight in nature, having the sensors would likely give off many false positives (Brawlers, Juggernauts, Evolved, Heller, etc.). Alternatively, it could be because the scientists behind the Orion Project, Doctor Koenig and his team, were Evolved, and thus, it wouldn't be a good idea to allow the Super Soldiers to detect them.
• Super Soldiers are capable of deflecting missiles from rocket launchers using just their arms. This method makes the rocket launchers prove useless in dealing damage to super soldiers.
  • However, Rocket Launchers can still damage Super Soldiers when timed or distracted for a moment.
  • They can't be damaged while they're running because it will deflect it.
• Interestingly, the Phase Two Orion Super Soldier even had Heller's voice, noted by the latter when he exclaimed, "Piece of shit's even got my voice!" after first hearing the Super Soldier speak. Whether
• Another interesting note is that a small group of Super Soldiers appear in Prototype before being properly introduced as enemies. As a result, they do not automatically attack Alex Mercer, nor do they raise alert to him. They are found on the top of a building fighting a group of hunters. However, it is unconfirmed whether this is a glitch in the game or a side effect of playing the game on "Plus" mode.
• Interestingly, the Super Soldiers in Prototype have the same outfit as a Blackwatch Commander and never a black suit like a regular Blackwatch Soldier. Which states that only Blackwatch Commanders were worthy to go through this genetic change.

Gallery

Concept art

Concept art

A Super Soldier fighting with a Hunter.

A Phase One Super Soldier fighting with Heller.

Heller using his Claws against a Super Soldier.

Super Soldier attacking Heller.

Prototype 2 concept art of the Super Soldier.

Concept art for the Orion Phase Two Super Soldier

The Phase Two soldier

Reference

• Prototype
• Prototype 2