Headcrab Zombies

A standard headcrab zombie.

**Headcrab Zombies** are a type of enemy consistently encountered in all seasons of the Garrry's Mod Zombie Apocalypse series. They use the same models and AI of the zombies from the Half-Life 2 universe.

## Pre-Apocalypse

Prior to the outbreak, Headcrab Zombies never existed to any major extent. It is likely that they existed however, just confined within the labs of various Combine bases and research facilities. When David and Rob investigate an abandoned Combine base in Episode 1 of Season 2, there is heavy evidence to indicate that the Combine had been testing the Headcrabs they had genetically engineered on human subjects, thus creating the headcrab zombie.

## Post-Apocalypse

After the outbreak, headcrab zombies obviously became more common. When the Combine launched their headcrab canisters on the rest of society, headcrabs latched on to whatever host they could find, leading to large concentrations of headcrab zombies in major urban areas such as Big City, as seen in Episode 1 of Season 1.

Throughout the series, headcrab zombies are encountered as quite a common enemy, especially during the first few seasons. It is apparent that, in newer seasons, they have begun to become more uncommon, compared to the infected. This is due to the fact that, since the Combine have collapsed, there is no way to create new headcrabs, and therefore, no way to create new headcrab zombies. This is also probably due to hunting against them by survivors, the military, the rebels, and the Joint Strike Force, but even by the infected, who appear to be extremely hostile to the headcrab zombies whenever the two encounter each other.

## Types of Headcrab Zombies

There are various types of Headcrab Zombies, depending on the subspecies of headcrab which takes over the host, each with a corresponding zombie.

### Normal Zombies

These are the only type of enemies to actually be considered "zombies" in the Garry's Mod Zombie universe. The headcrab is a small, parasite species that upon sighting a humanoid host, will leap for the victim's face and affix itself to the cranium, whereupon they will use their beak to break into the victim's skull. The Headcrab then proceeds to take over its host's motor functions through some unknown biological process. The host will then undergo physical changes, presumably induced through chemical means; although the mutations vary between Headcrab species, common changes include the elongation of hands and fingers, reduction or removal of skin and muscle tissue across much of the body, and the exposure of the organs inside the chest cavity.

This gives them the overall *zombified* look. These zombies however cannot transmit any viruses in any way. The standard headcrab zombie is pretty useless in most types of situations and can easily be killed. Though, they can be much more dangerous in a horde, and can rip a survivor to shreds easily.

### Fast Zombies

The fast zombies are probably the most dangerous of the headcrab zombies overall and can easily take down it's victim within a matter of seconds if done right but can easily be killed. Hence their name, fast zombies are extremely speedy, and can sprint and climb faster than the average human. They prefer to traverse on high ground like rooftops, allowing them to get the element of surprise on any unsuspecting survivors below. In a horde fast zombies will easily outrun a group of survivors and kill them in a matter of minutes.

In terms of appearance, fast zombies are essentially nothing but bone and muscle. It appears all of the flesh of fast zombies has withered away including some parts of the lungs and most of its guts, and absorbed as nutrients for the fast headcrab. The claws of the fast zombie appear to be even longer than it's normal zombie counterpart. with the little amount of lungs there are it can make grunting sounds and all.

### Poison Zombies

The poison zombies are quite slow, even compared with the normal zombie, but this is a relatively small downside, as they are essentially a hulking mass walking on two legs. A single zombie can take down at least 2-3 people on occasion, but due to its slow speed it usually does not walk directly into combat. Instead it will throw 3 deadly poison headcrabs at its targets to weaken them, and then will go in for a kill. In a horde, these zombies are not to be trifled with as they can easily tear down anything in their path, even from a range with the poison zombies on their backs.

Poison zombies carry up to three headcrabs on their back. Below these headcrabs, there appears to be a large overgrowth of muscle tissue on it's torso and back. It's cranium appears to be exposed, likely due to the headcrab feeding off of the flesh of the host. Similarly, the poison zombie's spine is exposed on it's back, probably for the same aforementioned reason. The poison zombie walks with a greatly noticeable slouch, likely due to it being weighed down by the poison headcrabs on it's back.

### Zombine

A Combine Zombie, or "Zombine" (coined by Alyx Vance in Half-Life 2: Episode 1) is a unique type of headcrab zombie created when a headcrab takes over a Combine Soldier. Due to the kevlar armor they wore as a Combine Soldier in their life time, Zombines are quite resistant to bullets, and can take up to a magazine of bullets to take down. Zombines are unique in that they do not use only their claws to attack their foes, but will also charge at them with grenades, if they died still carrying any.

Zombines take the same, albeit bloody, appearance as their alive counterparts, Combine Soldiers. They wear the same equipment, however, they appear to have no gas mask. Under the headcrab, the skull of the host is largely gone, with only the bottom jaw still being present.