History
Crane Site was the first-ever map in Phantom Forces, and true to its name, the focal point of this map was its massive crane. It became something of a meme as many players would gather atop the crane to snipe people, and due to the amount of cover, it was extremely hard to kill players hiding on it.
A version of it was added to the CTE as a one-handed melee weapon, but this version predated melee types and did not make it to the main game.
Obtaining
To obtain the Crane, players had to find 14 special targets on the map Crane Site. Each target would play a small sample of Darude - Sandstorm when struck. Once all 14 targets were destroyed, a special event would happen where the crane would lift off like a helicopter before the map was nuked. Upon the map being nuked, all players present would be rewarded a copy of the Crane, to be unlocked once the player rejoined. As of 28 June 2019, this weapon is no longer obtainable.
Model
The Crane is an over-simplified version of the original model of the crane from Crane Site.
In-Game
General Information
As a two-hand blunt melee, the Crane performs just as well as both the Baseball Bat and Sledge Hammer on some fronts. With a walk speed of 16, the Crane is on par with most other melee weapons, along with being equal to the Baseball Bat. Performance-wise, the Crane is outperformed by the Baseball Bat, being bested on terms of headshot and torso damage, along with blade length.
Usage and Tactics
The Crane is applied much like the Baseball Bat; a fast, powerful, heavy-hitting melee with a long blade range. With a considerable damage value to the head, a long-range, and a quick attack speed, the Crane can outperform several one-handed melees in close-quarters-combat (CQC).
Conclusion
Overall, the Crane is a surprisingly mobile weapon, with a long blade range and quick attack helping it to stay on par with shorter blades. However, the somewhat mediocre damage to the front reduces its effectiveness in CQC.