CONTRA Program

Summary:
The CONTRA (Cerebrally Overridden Neurotopical Recurgency Asset) program was a government program meant to assist the CIA and other government agencies in field operations without the possibility of the subject going rogue and following their own agenda. Created using a combination of biotechnology and genetic modification, CONTRA subjects are designed to be brainwashed super soldiers acting only on orders from their superiors. Essentially, they were meant to act as a sort of "official" terror cell programmed to operate under orders from the government.

However, before the program could finish the test phase prior to mass production, a flaw in the CONTRA's brainwashing became apparent when, rather than erasing the subject's personality and leaving an obedient clean slate, the process functionally destroyed all of the subject's personality leaving nothing but a self-serving shell. Because of this, CONTRA subjects see the world in a skewed sense with fellow CONTRAs on one side and everyone else on the other.

While their programming was flawed, the training portion was not and a CONTRA subject is every bit as dangerous as a trained soldier. In addition to this, the CONTRAs seem to have gained dominion over a swathe of territory in and around The Divide.

CONTRAs are typically armed with black market weapons like most paramilitary groups. Such as Soviet surplus weapons, MP40s and US military issued weapons.

Failed C.O.N.T.R.A Experiment
Little is known about the C.O.N.T.R.A Program, or what their true goals are, what is known is that whatever process turns normal survivors into C.O.N.T.R.A is flawed. Sometimes, instead of creating a "normal" C.O.N.T.R.A, the survivor undergoes a drastic mutation that leaves them looking closer to a Zombified, this flaw also leaves the newly failed C.O.N.T.R.A far weaker than any of its brethren.

THREAT LEVEL: LOW

Like most humanoid enemies, a solid piece of high velocity lead to the cranium keeps these guys from beating you into submission. Don't let them get close though, they are quite good at breaking arms with their clubs.

C.O.N.T.R.A Kidnapper
After the C.O.N.T.R.A Program went rogue it began developing its own specialized units, some of which seem designed specifically for the purpose of procuring more survivors to be made into C.O.N.T.R.A, The Kidnapper is one of these. Sent into the wasteland regularly, these specific C.O.N.T.R.A are seen commonly mixed into the "Abduction Parties" that plague the wastes.

THREAT LEVEL: LOW

While stronger and more intelligent than their Failed counterparts, C.O.N.T.R.A Kidnappers suffer from the same defensive flaws, that is, a well placed round to the facial region tends to make them stop running towards you, however they should not be underestimated, their attacks will hurt you bad if they get within range, and their role as cannon fodder allows the much more dangerous C.O.N.T.R.A time to line up your face as you try to remove theirs.

C.O.N.T.R.A Abductor
Another C.O.N.T.R.A much like the Kidnappers, the only marked difference is their tendency to use one handed weapons to beat your skull in instead of the two handers the Kidnappers make use of.

THREAT LEVEL: LOW

Just like a Kidnapper, these guys still haven't learned what a helmet is, so make sure you teach em the importance of having your brain inside your head instead of splattered all over the surrounding premises. They like to come running straight for the first person they see, usually with the intention of beating said person to a bloody pulp and dragging them back to whatever hellish facility makes these things.

C.O.N.T.R.A TRENCH HUNTER
While the C.O.N.T.R.A Program has a near constant supply of corpses for reanimation simply due to the ongoing Zombie War, these are rarely complete or have simply sat in the wastes too long. The only logical solution? Kidnap and force the C.O.N.T.R.Afication upon any and all survivors, to this end C.O.N.T.R.A made the Trench Hunters.

THREAT LEVEL: MEDIUM

Trench Hunters are far more dangerous than any of the aforementioned C.O.N.T.R.A types, no, they haven't learnt that they need to protect their soft squishy brain, but they have learned to shoot. The Trench Hunter is armed with a Trench-gun which they use with alarming competency, due to their purpose as Hunters, they load their shotgun with beanbag rounds. A scary thought for anyone who may be confronted by them alone, take a couple shells and the next thing you'll be seeing is... well.. we aren't really sure..

C.O.N.T.R.A SURGEON
Since the C.O.N.T.R.A program requires humans to be operated on in order for any conversion to take place, it seems only logical that they would have surgeons. What never seemed likely before is that C.O.N.T.R.A sends these surgeons out with their Abduction Parties, perhaps this behavior is an attempt to increase the rate that C.O.N.T.R.A's are made, or perhaps these surgeons are just crazy..

THREAT LEVEL: LOW

Just like every other C.O.N.T.R.A these guys have no idea that their brain is a requirement for continued living, in fact, the Surgeons only cover their face with a cheap surgical mask, not something that stops a face full of buckshot. Like any other enemy though, do not underestimate them, they are fairly intelligent and fast, which coupled with a medical bone-saw makes them somewhat dangerous opponents... if you let them reach you in the first place.

C.O.N.T.R.A ARSONIST
Not every C.O.N.T.R.A is designed to ensure that there are intact corpses available for processing, the Arsonists are such an example. These crazies wield a FLAMETHROWER as their primary weapon, and they have no issues burning everything that gets in their way.

THREAT LEVEL: MEDIUM

Though the Arsonists are vastly more dangerous than any other C.O.N.T.R.A documented so far they do have one great weakness, and no, I'm not talking about their brain case. These C.O.N.T.R.A have learned that helmets help, though whether this is to stop their untimely demise or prevent flamethrower induced blindness we remain unsure. No the weakness of an Arsonist is the exact thing that makes them so much more dangerous, their flamethrower has only a very short range, easily enabling a more agile opponent to dance their way out of range of the scorching heat. Also turns out they talk in their sleep.. who knew?

C.O.N.T.R.A OFFICER
The officers of the C.O.N.T.R.A program are a thing shrouded in mystery, mainly why does C.O.N.T.R.A even have officers? Of course the answer is obvious, because C.O.N.T.R.A was made by the evil Capitalist Government they have simply developed a belief that some should just be better than others for no real reason.

THREAT LEVEL: MEDIUM

C.O.N.T.R.A Officers are quite dangerous combatants, they are extremely well trained with their guns and will not ever hesitate to remove your pretty head from the shoulders it rests on. However, because they are Officers and require some sort of self-gratification, they follow the common C.O.N.T.R.A trend of not knowing that their head isn't immune to physics, and instead wear a red beret as a symbol of their superiority over the average C.O.N.T.R.A. Officers tend to favor other high ranking C.O.N.T.R.A in Abduction Parties instead of pairing with weaker members such as Abductors, though that does not mean that a party of weaker C.O.N.T.R.A is guaranteed to lack in Officers.

C.O.N.T.R.A GUERRILLA
C.O.N.T.R.A made from ex-military commandos and snipers may find themselves belonging to the class known as the Guerrilla, these C.O.N.T.R.A are masters of stealth, though their purpose is generally more of a reconnaissance nature, they are more than equipped to fight their way out of any unforeseen situations.

THREAT LEVEL: MEDIUM

Through the double effect of previous Military training and the reprogramming of the mind by C.O.N.T.R.A Guerrillas have become easily equivalent to the capabilities of Military Spec-Ops, this makes them very dangerous opponents indeed. However they, yet again, suffer from that lack of knowledge of human anatomy, aim for the head, fire and its dead. Beware if they see you though, you may very well not get that shot off in time.

C.O.N.T.R.A EXTERMINATOR
What happens when you take an Establishment Operative, beat him over the head a few times, then turn him into a C.O.N.T.R.A? You get a Drumgun wielding machine of death that will hit you with a full burst at half a kilometer right in the left eye socket. My friends, meet the Exterminator.

THREAT LEVEL: WHY??

If you see an Exterminator, don't waste a single second pumping his eye socket full of some .308 goodness, or bigger, bigger preferably. I shouldn't need to tell you not to mess with these guys, and if they do see you, well, it was nice knowing you.

How To Deal With C.O.N.T.R.A
Now we all know that C.O.N.T.R.A want our corpse to make us one of them, so unless you're suicidal hugging, kissing or any other form of non-violent interaction with a C.O.N.T.R.A is not recommended.

As noted in the above units section, the most reliable way to put down a C.O.N.T.R.A is through application of some hot lead to their facial area, preferably through the eye sockets as these lead directly to the brain and thus, result in a much deader C.O.N.T.R.A.

 IMPORTANT 

C.O.N.T.R.A by their nature require corpses to continue their life cycle, this has brought them to send out so called "Abduction Parties" , these groups of C.O.N.T.R.A actively roam the wasteland looking for anyone they can utilize in the production process. These groups show a remarkable trend however, one that should be used to a survivors advantage, C.O.N.T.R.A Abduction Parties will only travel and actively search during the night hours. During this time they may enter nearly any interior area without warning and actively hunt any survivors within. Use this knowledge when setting up a camp, perhaps a mine at the door might be a good idea?

Trivia:

 * It is possible that the establishment utilizes CONTRAs due to their similarity in facial appearance to CONTRAs found in the prologue. Both groups bear similar scars and bodily damage and it is mentioned that the CONTRA program was government funded (Of which the establishment is a government agency).
 * There are a few C.O.N.T.R.A prototypes littered around the starting area, these along with the doctor indicate that the PC was mere seconds away from becoming a C.O.N.T.R.A before the games beginning.
 * Officially, the CONTRA program is defunct following the mutiny by the program's subjects, unofficially the C.O.N.T.R.A program is still fully functional, operating mainly out of an area known as "The Divide".