| “ | What they wanted was... the perfect machine. So they followed the best example thus far - the human being. Walking, talking, fully articulate... Capable of anything.
— Father on Synths
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” |
A “Synth”, sometimes referred to as an “Android” is a type of humanoid artificial life form created by the Institute, the remnants of the Commonwealth Institute of Technology, who, after the nuclear war of 2077, formed an insular, technologically advanced bunker-dwelling society in what was once the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Institute makes use of synths as both laborers and combat troops, armed with advanced weaponry. The earliest “Generation 1” synths were mechanical in nature, with no efforts to disguise their identity, while the later “Gen 2” synths had plastic skin and faces which, while it could hide their identity at a distance, were still obviously artificial upon closer inspection. While most mechanical synths are only semi-sapient, similar to pre-war robots, two fully intelligent prototypes, one with a copy of the personality of pre-war police officer Nick Valentine, and one, named DiMA, who was allowed to develop his own personality. Both Nick and DiMA would later escape the Institute and would later meet the Sole Survivor.
After the escape of Nick and DiMA, the Institute began experimenting with “Gen 3” Synths, which were almost entirely biological and indistinguishable from normal humans, save for a chip in the brain which cannot be detected or extracted without killing the synth in question. In 2229, the post-war wastelanders of Commonwealth became aware of the “Gen 3” synths when one was went on a rampage in the post-war settlement of Diamond City, and was subsequently shot by security. This, along with the supposed assassination of all delegates of the newly-formed Commonwealth Provisional Government by a synth (though Institute records claim they attempted to support the CPG, and its downfall was caused by political infighting), resulted in the citizens of the Commonwealth becoming increasingly paranoid that their neighbors may be synths. Regardless of their generation, combat synths are highly dangerous adversaries, equipped with advanced energy weapons and sometimes active camouflaging “Stealth Boys”, and are often equipped with advanced armor, are immune to radiation and toxins, and are more durable than humans, with mechanical synths being capable of continuing to fight after the loss of one or more limbs.
Battle vs SCP-3033 (by SPARTAN 119)[]
Synths: 
SCP-3033: 
Ten Chaos Insurgency "Mike" units walked through the ruins of a destroyed city, in search of an anomalous object. Little did they know, the Institute also had their sights on the same object for further perfecting their Synth program. Ten Synths relayed into a ruined intersection, with two of the synths with laser weapons teleporting onto a balcony overlooking the intersection.
One of the Synths advanced and spoke in its robotic voice: "This area is under Institute control". The SCP-3033 units ignored the synth. Instead those with AK-47s raised their weapons, while those with knives charged.
"Engaging hostiles", the synth said as it raised it rifle and fired off a burst of laser fire at the nearest in "Mike" as it charged with a knife in hand. The first three beams burned clean holes through the chest, doing little damage, but the fourth reduced the "Mike's" forearm to ashes. A fifth shot burned through the head, destroying the implants.
Second later, the Synth was struck by several 7.62mm rounds, the first few causing little damage, but one went right though its eye, destroying its central processor. Two more Synths moved in with shock batons, and engaged in combat with the melee-armed "Mikes". One of the Synths struck an SCP-2033 unit on the head, the shock overloading the implants and causing it to collapse. Less than a second later, however, both Synths were overrun and torn apart by a group of melee-attacking "Mikes".
The four remaining knife-wielding SCP-3033 did not last much longer. The four remaining Synth riflemen, including the two on the balcony opened fire with the Institute laser rifles, sending a streams of photons burning through the "Mikes". Under the sustained fire, one was completely reduced to ashes, while the others had limbs and heads vaporized. The last surviving "Mike" crawled forward, one of its legs having been blown off, before being struck by a well-placed headshot and finished off.
Meanwhile, the "Mikes" armed with AKs opened fire, spraying bullet at the synths holding the building at the end of the street. One of the synths in the lower floor window as unlucky enough to be next to a ruined car, which was struck in the microfusion cell by a storm of bullets. The vehicle exploded (as cars in Fallout always do) killing a Synth rifleman and one of his fellows with a baton.
As most of the "Mikes" were reloading, a Synth on the rooftop fired his a burst of fire at one of them, scoring a headshot that vaporized their entire head.
At the same time, a Synth armed only with a baton showed the presence of mind to seize the rifle from his fallen comrade and started shooting. Soon enough, a second "Mike" unit was killed, numerous holes burned through its body.
As one of the Synths got up to fire, it was hit by three bullets in the head, blowing away its plastic face and sending pieces of metal flying out the back of its steel skull. The Synth collapsed to the ground, having been destroyed.
The last two "Mike" units, however, were under heavy fired and did not last much longer. Each being struck by multiple laser beams, the sheer amount of heat imparted reduced both of the last two "Mikes" to a pile of ash, bones, and mechanical pieces.
"Area secure", one of the Synths said as the last "Mike" was destroyed.
Expert's Opinion[]
The Synths won this battle in large part thanks to their superior intelligence, as well as the firepower of their laser weapons. While both were mechanical "cannon fodder" for their respective organizations, the Synths had superior intelligence, being able to make tactical decisions and take actions such as using cover or picking up a superior weapon if one becomes available. This greater flexibility gave them the win.