Crab Synth

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The Crab Synth is a Half-Life 2 enemy never encountered in combat and only glimpsed towards the end of the game, during Gordon Freeman's second pod ride in the chapter Our Benefactors.

Overview
Judging from the Crab Synth's appearance, it seems that this type of Synth can use the sharp-looking claws on its first pair of limbs to slash targets or can fire at enemies using what seems to be pulse turrets mounted on its front. The Crab Synth is assumed to be used by Combine forces as something comparable to a small battle tank, judging its size, but until it is actually encountered in a Half-Life game, its true function will remain unknown.

Behind the scenes

 * Designed by Dhabih Eng, it is one of the earliest created Synths (with the Mortar Synth), when they bore more red and yellow (see also the original Dropship). Ted Backman subsequently defined the current design, with more blue.

Trivia

 * In the SDK Model Viewer, animations show the Crab Synth using several melee attacks, as well as charging at enemies, making it somewhat similar to the Antlion Guard.
 * Crab Synths can be spawned in Garry's Mod without crashing the game. However, it will remain idle and the player can walk through it, since Crab Synths have no collision files. Inside it can be found a chaingun-like weapon.

List of appearances

 * Half-Life 2
 * Half-Life 2: Raising the Bar