Crab Synth
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| Crab Synth | |
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N/A[1] |
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The Crab Synth is an incomplete Half-Life 2 Combine Synth enemy.
Contents
Overview[edit]
Crab Synths are only briefly glimpsed in the game's penultimate chapter, Our Benefactors. During Gordon's second Prisoner Pod ride inside the Citadel, they can be seen walking on conveyor belts along with several Mortar Synths. It is unknown where these Synths were being transported to as they are never encountered in any combat during the game or its Episodes. Along with the Mortar Synths, Crab Synths are said to be "the backbone of the Combine's subsequent armies."[1]
The Crab Synth has a murky green-brown carapace with red and tan-colored large, segmented rear legs. Its front legs are sharp with two spiny protrusions on each leg. The Synth also has metallic antennae coming out of its face as well as from its rear. At the back of the Synth is a large engine embedded in its body with several exhaust vents. A red line is painted on this machinery running down the cylinder. On its underside is a Gatling gun which is normally concealed behind a plate below its belly.
Behind the scenes[edit]
Designed by Dhabih Eng,[3] the Crab Synth and the Mortar Synth are two of the earliest created Synths. Like the original Dropship, they were to feature a more red-and-yellow color scheme without any Combine logos. Ted Backman subsequently defined the current design with added blue colors. Concept art shows the Crab Synth with what seems to be the numbers "31-17" on its leg. The uncorrected proof of Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar includes two early sketches for "attack" and "tank" Synths, which are said to have become the final Crab Synth model.[4]
The Crab Synth model contains unseen animations showing a charge attack, similar to the Antlion Guard. Furthermore, the 2023 repository leak revealed unused animations for swiping, bashing and stabbing, firing from the gatling gun, and being thrown on the ground in reaction to taking explosive damage.[5]
Trivia[edit]
Crab Synths were originally meant to appear in the unfinished/scrapped Half-Life: Alyx cinematic "Anti-Science".[source?]
Gallery[edit]
Concept art of the "attack Synth".
Concept art of the "tank Synth".
Concept art featuring a Crab Synth and Combine troops at the Citadel perimeter wall, based on the February 2001 map
VanceHQ.
Alternate crop with a more visible Citadel.
The same area in
VanceHQ.
Top view.
Rear view showing the engine.
Walking animation, showing its Gatling gun deployed under its belly. This is the only animation where the weapon is deployed.
Crab Synths and Mortar Synths in the Citadel.
Ditto.
List of appearances[edit]
Main games[edit]
- Half-Life 2 (First appearance)
Other[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Half-Life 2 Prima Guide, page 34
- ↑ Half-Life 2 leak
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar, page 88
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar (uncorrected proof), page 270
- ↑ Half-Life 2 leak source code
