Armored Headcrab

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The Armored Headcrab is one of the four known Headcrab variants, which was introduced in Half-Life: Alyx.

Overview[]

For the most part, the Armored Headcrab resembles a Standard Headcrab. However, the dorsal part of the Armored Headcrab's body is covered by hard, dark-green plum-sized growths that protect it from being shot from most angles. However, their ventral side is quite vulnerable – when shot to the belly, Armored Headcrabs shatter to pieces.

Armored Headcrabs differ from normal Headcrabs in that they are coated in a carapace that offers them protection against small arms fire. Said carapace appears to be made up from Xen flora growing on walls and floors in the same environments as they are encountered in. Additionally, there are smaller, vestigial growths around the legs and fore, making up a scaly surface.

Armored Headcrabs will growl at their prey and stand up on their hind legs prior to leaping, revealing a glowing heart, which is not unique to armored variants, as a Standard Headcrab can be witnessed having its heart removed by the Quarantine Zone Vortigaunt, albeit through some tissue. From the protrusion and engorgement of this organ, it can be assumed that the presence of the armor has some anatomical effects on Headcrabs, similar to the effects Headcrabs themselves have on the human body.

Shooting this aforementioned organ is the most effective way to kill the Armored Headcrab, and doing so will cause the creature to burst into multiple giblets. It is possible to kill the creature via shooting its exposed parts along the sides, but will require much more ammunition and effort. This method will result in the Headcrab remaining intact, with the heart losing its glow, as well as its explosive properties.

It is assumed that the nature of these growths is parasitic, due to the exposed internal organ that Armored Headcrabs posess, as well as their general lessened agility. From this, it can be further inferred that the Xen flora poses a similar strategy to that of cordyceps: using the motility of the Headcrab to spread its offspring, further spreading after the Headcrab is blown to pieces.

Behavior and skills[]

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Tactics[]

The most effective method to kill this Headcrab, is by waiting for it to either present its heart while preparing an attack, or by dodging the attack and shooting it while its down.
- It is possible to kill the Headcrab without shooting the heart, but it is highly not recommended, due to it requiring much more effort and ammunition.
Killing its Zombie form requires shooting the Zombie body, followed by the tactic above.
- It is not possible to kill the Armored Headcrab while it is on the Zombies' head.

Gallery[]

List of appearances[]

Half-Life: Alyx (First appearance)

References[]

The Half-Life Wiki has [[:Category:{{{1}}}|more images]] related to Armored Headcrab.

Xen
Creatures	Alien Aircraft • Alien Controller • Alien Grunt • Archer (cut) • Armored Headcrab • Barnacle • Boid • Bullsquid • Charger (cut) • Chumtoad • Fast Headcrab • Fast Walker (cut) • Flocking Floater (cut) • Gargantua• Gonarch • Headcrab • Houndeye • Ichthyosaur • Kingpin (cut) • Leech • Lightning Dog • Mr. Friendly (cut) • Nihilanth • Panther Eye (cut) • Poison Headcrab • Protozoan • Prrobot (cut) • Quiver Creature (cut) • Sand Barnacle (cut) • Snapbug (cut) • Snark • Sphere (cut) • Standard Headcrab • Stukabat (cut) • Tentacle • Unidentified Quiver Creature (cut) • Vortigaunt • Zombie
Weapons	Black Hole Gun (cut) • Ceiling Turret • Grenade • Hivehand • Sentry Cannon • Snark • Snark Mine
Technology	Healing Shower • Thumper
Other	Crystal • Fungus • Healing Pool • Light Stalk • Trampoline • Tree

Creatures
Antlions	Antlion • Antlion Grub • Antlion Guard • Antlion Guardian • Antlion King (cut) • Antlion Rollergrub (cut) • Antlion Soldier • Antlion Worker
Headcrabs	Headcrab • Fast Headcrab • Gonarch • Poison Headcrab • Standard Headcrab • Headcrab Shell • Armored Headcrab • Reviver • Bloody Headcrab • Big Momma Pod (cut)
Race X	Gene Worm • Pit Drone • Pit Worm • Shock Roach • Shock Trooper • Spore Launcher • Sprite • Voltigore
Synths	Synth • Advisor Pod • Attack Synth (cut) • Combine Guard (cut) • Combine Mobile Mine (cut) • Combine Super Soldier (cut) • Combine Synth Elite Soldier (cut) • Crab Synth • Cremator (cut) • Combine Dropship • Combine Gunship • Hunter • Mortar Synth • Sacktick (cut) • Shield Scanner • Strider • Unidentified cut Synth (cut) • Wasteland Scanner (cut)
Xen	Alien Aircraft • Alien Controller • Alien Grunt • Archer (cut) • Barnacle • Boid • Bullsquid • Charger (cut) • Chumtoad • Fast Walker (cut) • Flocking Floater (cut) • Gargantua • Headcrab • Houndeye • Ichthyosaur • Kingpin (cut) • Leech • Mr. Friendly (cut) • Nihilanth • Panther Eye (cut) • Protozoan • Prrobot (cut) • Sand Barnacle (cut) • Snapbug (cut) • Snark • Sphere (cut) • Stukabat (cut) • Tentacle • Unidentified Quiver Creature (cut) • Vortigaunt
Zombies	Zombie • Fast Zombie • Gonome • Poison Zombie • Standard Zombie • Zombine • Zombie Assassin (cut) • Jeff • Lightning Dog Zombie • Bloody Headcrab Zombie • Armored Zombie
Other	Alien Fauna (cut) • Combine Advisor • Earth creatures • Hydra (cut) • Jeff • Jelly Blobber (cut) • Mantis Man • Particle Storm (cut) • Skitch (cut) • Stampeder (cut) • Test Subject 042 • Tripod Hopper (cut)