Frontline (Metro 2033 Level)

 Frontline has other uses. Please see Frontline (Disambiguation) for other meanings. 

Front Line
Previous:	Armory
Next:	Trolley Combat
Information
Chapter:	4 "War"
Game:	Metro 2033
Objective:	Cross the frontline into the fascist territory.
Walkthrough
	A walkhrough for this level is available on Metro Wiki. See walkthrough.

“	Even the apocalypse didn't stop us from killing each other over ideology. I was about to go through the front line between the Nazis and the Communists. I've heard they once fought another war and that the Nazi's lost.	„
— Level description

Frontline is a level that takes place within the "War" chapter of the game. Here, Artyom must fight or sneak his way through the frontline between the Nazis and the Communists.

Overview

Frontline begins with Artyom falling off the military railcar, moments before it makes a stop at the communist side. From this point on, it's essentially up to the player as to how to navigate through the level, as there is plenty of room for managing firefights, speedy navigation, and stealthily keeping under the radar. Regardless of how the player gets there they can either decide to cross over to the Nazi side from under or on the main bridge. The Nazi side proves to be more of a challenge for combat oriented players as the Nazis have a fully equipped railcar, which can prove to be a potent foe without the aid of grenades; a simpler way is to wait for it to pass then shoot the gunner in the back of the head when it stops - this will in turn blow up the whole car, but be careful because if it hits Artyom even if moving backwards after being destroyed then it will still kill him. After moving through to the Nazi camp the player has an opportunity to rescue some communist soldiers who are being held captive. Near the back of the Nazi camp is a side door leading to the side tunnels away from the frontline. As Artyom opens the door, Nazi soldiers behind it grab hold of him and hit him in the head - ending the level.

Trivia

• In the original trailers for the game, the two Nazis at the end of the level both wore gas masks and completely black attire, but in the final version they use no gas masks and different attire.
• The song that is sung by the Communist soldiers while you are on the cart is called "Varshavianka" (Polish: Warszawianka 1905 roku, meaning Warszawianka of 1905, pronounced identically to Varshavianka). It's a Polish socialist anthem that was written in the late 19th century and became extremely popular among Polish revolutionaries or striking workers, especially during the 1905 Revolution in Poland. The Varshavianka featured in the game is an altered Soviet version of the original, sung in Russian instead of Polish.
  • Just after the arrival to the level area, while the soldiers on board the cart are 'welcomed', the Red officer begins to sing the Russian version of "The Internationale", a left-wing anthem.
• The Nazi 'recruitment broadcast' being repeated by the commanders over at the Nazi side of the bridge shares a notable level of similarities with those of Nationalist General Queipo de Llano, during the Spanish Civil War. For example: "Red soldiers, abandon arms. Franco forgives and redeems. Follow the example set by your comrades who have joined our ranks. Only then you will achieve victory, happiness at home, and peace in your heart".
• The recruitment broadcast can also be stopped by shooting the speaker to the right (when looking from the Russian side). The speaker is located a little bit in front of the search light and to the red side and can be seen by its white light. The player must shoot the power box below it to stop it. The light will go out when it has been shot.
• The Reds on the cart share several parallels with the Trotskyist fighters that rescue Artyom in the novel, including the dialogue between the one of the fighters and the Commissar.
• The level is one of the few that has long range combat, so buying a scope-mounted gun may be useful.
• You can destroy the speaker in the Nazi camp where the Communists are captured. It must be shot twice.
• In Last Light, two of the Reds in "Revolution" can be overheard discussing the events of Frontline. Elaborating that a single person (hinting towards Artyom) killed every soldier on both sides of the front.
  • An alternate explanation given proposes that it was a supposed tunnel demon, the "Dark Rail Tracer", that wiped out the camps.
  • Later on, in the Sparta Base, the Rangers discuss the tunnels beneath the catacombs. Anna mentions the rumours of the Big Momma, but the other Rangers pass it off as nonsense, alongside the 'Dark Rail Tracer'.
• The same two Reds can be heard talking about a traitor smuggling someone to the Frontline by hiding him in the luggage compartment in a rail car.
• Both Red Army and Reich officers share the same uniform, the only difference being the color. Reich officers in a blue-ish grey and Red Army officers in brown.
  • This is not true for Metro 2033 Redux, where the models are as they are in Metro: Last Light.

Related Achievements

Metro 2033

	Rescue Ranger	30
	Save a group of "Reds" from Fascist captivity.

	Invisible Man	40
	Complete "Frontline" without killing anyone.

	Hedge-hopper	30
	"On the level "Frontline" kill all of the enemy Red Army and Fascist Soldiers."

Metro 2033 Redux

	Hedge-hopper	Bronze Trophy - 30
	On the level FRONTLINE kill all of the enemy Red Army and Fascist Soldiers

Gallery

Artyom falls off the railcar.

The commisar gives his speech on the Red side.

The right (foreground) and left (background) bridges of the Red side.

The Red under-bridge.

The execution.

The path to the bottom of the trench.

The left Red bridge.

The Red back hall.

The frontline from the Red perspective.

The frontline facing the Reds.

The frontline.

The frontline facing the Reich.

The foggy bottom.

The trench exit.

The Reich back hall.

The Reich's frontline.

The frontline from the Reich's perspective.

The Reich under-bridge.

Railcar of the Reich.

Behind Reich lines.

Ventilation ducts for stealth pathway.

The Red prisoners.

Artyom ambushed.

A new area featured in Metro 2033 Redux.