Baneling

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Baneling
Unit
Race	Zerg
Role	Sapper
Armament	Volatile Burst[1]
Properties
Hit points	35[2]
Type	Ground, biological[2]
Armor type	Light[2]
Production
Minerals	50[3][2]
Gas	?[4]
Control	1[2]
Build time	10[2][5]
Produced at	Zergling[2]
Requires	Baneling nest[2][6]
Hot key	B[2]
Combat
Ground attack	Volatile Burst: 15 (+20 vs light)[1] Attack Building: 80[7]
Armor	0[2]

The baneling is a wheel-shaped explosive zerg strain in StarCraft II.

Contents 1 Overview 1.1 History 2 Game Unit 2.1 Attacks 2.2 Researched Abilities 2.3 Researched Upgrades 2.3.1 Strategies 2.3.2 Notes 2.4 Baneling Development 3 Images 4 References

[edit] Overview

Banelings are created from zerglings following a brief chrysalis phase. In the new form, the zergling's claws shrivel and become withered, and a swollen sac filled with volatile chemicals grows out of its back.^[8]

Banelings can waddle, but after an evolution they can tuck into a tight ball and roll around the battlefield.^[9]

The creature's only form of attack is to trigger a reaction within its chemical payload that causes it to explode with devastating force and shower the immediate surroundings with searing acid.^[8]

These living bombs are highly effective against both structures and ground forces; in fact, a clutch of them is capable of wiping out a group of vehicles and infantry in the blink of an eye. The banelings' lethality is further enhanced by the zerg predilection for burrowing. An apparently safe area can soon turn into a deathtrap as these monstrosities emerge and roll into the midst of their foes, giving them virtually no time to react.^[8]

[edit] History

Banelings were first created from zerglings in the interbellum following the Brood War.^[10] Zerg queens drove development and engineered a morph that could contain the energies until just the right moment.^[8]

When terrans first encountered the baneling they thought it was a mutation of a previously unknown genus rather than a morph of the zergling. The baneling was duly added to the list of threats and scientists began an effort to develop chemical rounds to detonate banelings prematurely.^[8]

[edit] Game Unit

Banelings are relatively large units that slowly move around the battlefield and kill opponents with a low-damage suicide attack.^[10]

As of April 2009, banelings do not roll^[11] unless they have their speed upgrade.^[9]

Banelings "stand still" when idle.^[12]

[edit] Attacks

Explode
Notes
Banelings can be commanded to explode "like a mine".[13] It does not deal friendly fire damage.[4] This ability is not smartcast.[14]
Edit

Banelings are strong against melee units^[15] and "light" buildings such as bunkers and photon cannons^[16] but are weak against ranged weapons due to their low hit points.^[17] They are designed to counter zealots, zerglings and unupgraded marines.^[18][19]

The baneling's splash attack does not currently injure friendly units.^{[4][20][21][22]} It does full damage within the splash radius.^[18][19][21]

Banelings only explode as part of an attack, or when destroyed.^[23] They can be commanded to explode while burrowed, like a mine.^[13]

Banelings won't accidentally target buildings when ordered to attack units instead.^[24] To destroy buildings, they must be manually targeted against them.^[23]

[edit] Researched Abilities

Burrow
Acquisition Minerals 50[25] Gas 50[25] Evolution time 50[26] Evolved at Hatchery/Lair/Hive[27][11] Hotkey B[25]
Notes
Many zerg ground units may burrow, rendering themselves invisible but incapable of moving or attacking. The ability is not smartcast.[14]
Edit

[edit] Researched Upgrades

Centrifugal Hooks Evolved at Baneling nest[25] Hotkey C[25] Properties Minerals 150[28] Gas 150[28] Evolution time 110[28] Notes Increases the speed of banelings.[28] Causes banelings to roll instead of walk.[9] Edit

Carapace Evolved at Evolution chamber[25] Hotkey C[25] Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 150[25] 225[25] 300[25] Gas 150[25] 225[25] 300[25] Evolution time 140[25] 170[25] 200[25] Required Hatchery[25] Lair[25] Hive[25] Notes +1 bonus to armor per level for drones, queen, zerglings, banelings, hydralisks, lurkers, infestors, roaches and ultralisks.[25] Edit

[edit] Strategies

Banelings are a powerful economy-raiding force; by using overlords to transport them into an enemy base, they can quickly devastate the workers. However, a planetary fortress is well suited to destroying the banelings.^[17] Use of raiding is recommended even until late game.^[29]

Banelings should be mixed with zerglings when facing ranged opponents because they become difficult to focus fire; even one baneling escaping the fire can destroy a mass of ranged units.^[30]

Banelings have low hit points so are best used in ambushes.^[31] They can burrow, attacking like mines,^[30] but can also attack from other hidden areas, such as behind trees, to accomplish the ambush.^[31]

Banelings are very useful against marines and zealots, even into the late game,^[29] and generally dominate units such as zerglings in combat, but zerglings can come out ahead with micro.^[32]

As they do splash damage, banelings are effective against cloaked units. For instance, a group of dark templar attacking a hatchery can be eliminated by banelings that target the hatchery itself.^[33]

A baneling/roach combo can be very powerful against terrans. The roaches will soak incoming damage, making it easier for the banelings to reach their targets.^[34]

[edit] Notes

A baneling levitated by Anti-Gravity explodes when destroyed,^[23] dealing damage to air units. This can open up new tactics in team games.^[35]

[edit] Baneling Development

As of April 2008, banelings have been increased in size from previous builds to make it easier to focus fire on them. In addition their splash radius was increased.^[36]

[edit] Images

Concept art.

Development render.

Development render.

[edit] References

Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft II
Land units	Larva · Drone · Zergling · Baneling · Roach · Hydralisk · Lurker · Infestor · Ultralisk · Queen
Air units	Overlord · Overseer · Mutalisk · Brood lord · Corruptor
Spawned units	Broodling · Changeling · Infested terran
Basic buildings	Hatchery · Creep tumor · Extractor · Evolution chamber · Spawning pool · Baneling nest · Hydralisk den
Combat Buildings	Spine crawler · Spore crawler
Advanced buildings	Lair · Hive · Infestation pit · Spire · Greater spire · Roach warren · Nydus network · Nydus worm · Ultralisk cavern · Lurker den
Transition units	Egg · Baneling egg · Overlord cocoon · Lurker egg
Others	Creep
Campaign-Exclusive Zerg Units and Structures of StarCraft II	Special Zerg Breeds	Brutalisk · Centaur · Sac
Scrapped	Removed Units	Infested protoss · Large Queen · Huge Queen · Morphalisk · Swarm · Swarm guardian
	Removed Buildings	Infested protoss buildings · Infested terran buildings · Shrieker · Spore colony · Sunken colony · Swarm clutch · Swarm infestation