Gaming
 

Carrier

From StarCraft Wiki

For the terran troop carrier, see Mammoth-class carrier.
Carrier
Unit
Race

Protoss

Role

Heavy Command Ship

Armament

Interceptors

Properties
Hit points

300

Shields

150

Size

Large

Production
Minerals

300 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Psi

6 Psi

Build time

140

Produced at

Stargate

Requires

Fleet beacon

Hot key

C

Combat
Armor

4

Attack range

8

Sight range

11

Unit speed

3.33

The carrier is a protoss heavy air unit.

Contents

[edit] Overview

The carrier

Carriers are large, heavily armored and shielded warships that form the core of the protoss fleet, serving as command centers for fleet commanders. Although carriers lack weapon batteries or other armaments of any kind, their ability to unleash swarms of computer controlled interceptors makes them devastating in ship to ship battle.[1] In addition, the carrier's hangars can house Scout fighters and even Arbiters.[2]

Carriers are capable of making jumps through warp space[3] and can operate in both atmospheric and deep space conditions.[2] When not on the bridge, a carrier commander is entitled to his/her own quarters.[2]

At least some carriers can fire energy beams from their front sections; enough beams inflict purification on a planet.[4]

[edit] "Super Carriers"

Main article: Super carrier

[edit] Game Unit

[edit] StarCraft

The carrier is less durable and slightly faster than the battlecruiser, however it accelerates much faster. Forcibly recalling its interceptors and releasing them again may extend interceptor life and save resources since interceptors are automatically repaired upon returning. Interceptors self-destruct if their parent carrier is destroyed. If a carrier is disabled (for example, through Lockdown), its child interceptors will return to the carrier and only resume attacking once the carrier becomes active again.[5] Carriers in groups can take down any enemy unit within the blink of an eye though are not invulnerable.

Terrans benefit with the ghost's Lockdown, massed goliaths and valkyries (mainly for taking down interceptors). A pair of battlecruisers can also destroy a carrier with the Yamato cannon. Zerg can counter with groups of scourges and massed hydralisks to back off carrier fleets. Carriers however, can still inflict heavy damage on the latter by hit-and-run methods. The zerg abilities Plague and Dark Swarm may also be used against carriers to great effect due to the tendency for carriers to "bunch up". The protoss's Psionic Storm and massed dragoons are also effective counters against carriers.

The enemy may choose to attack the carrier rather than its interceptors. Using terrain such as water and cliffs may limit the ability of ground targets to engage the carrier directly. The tactic is especially effective against defensive structures defended by anti-air units.

[edit] Abilities

Build Interceptor
Usage
Minerals

25 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Notes

The carrier can create up to four interceptors (eight with the Carrier Capacity upgrade).

[edit] Upgrades

File:AirArmor SC1 Upgrd1.png Air Armor
Researched at

Cybernetics core

Properties
Level

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Minerals

150 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

225 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

300 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

225 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

300 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Notes
File:PlasmaShield SC1 Upgrd1.png Plasma shields
Researched at

Forge

Hotkey

S

Properties
Level

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Minerals

200 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

300 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

400 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

200 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

300 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

400 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Required

Cybernetics core

Cybernetics core

Notes
  • +1 bonus to shields per level for all units and structures.
File:CarrierCapacity SC1 Upgrd1.png Carrier Capacity
Researched at

Fleet beacon

Properties
Minerals

100 Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

100 Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Notes
  • Increases the number of interceptors carriers can hold at once by 4 (to 8).


[edit] Quotations

See: StarCraft I Carrier Quotations

[edit] StarCraft II

This article or section contains information about a StarCraft II unit or structure.

The content may be significantly out of date as StarCraft II experiences a new build weekly and may change substantially as more information becomes available. Please do not add speculation to this article, and remember to cite a published source for details.

Carrier
Unit
Race

Protoss

Armament

Interceptors

Properties
Hit points

250[6]

Shields

150[6]

Type
Armor type
Production
Minerals

350[6] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

250[6] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Psi

6[8] Psi

Build time

120[8]

Produced at

Stargate[8]

Requires

Fleet beacon[8]

Hot key

C[8]

Combat
Armor

4[8]

Attack range

Over 8[9]

Sight range

11

Unit speed

Normal[8]

The carrier in StarCraft II

The carrier was originally replaced by the tempest during the development of StarCraft II but was brought back due to "an emotional connection with the original unit."[10] Although it keeps the structural design of the tempest, the 'light' color scheme has been maintained.[11]

Carriers have a longer range than before.[9]

[edit] Abilities

Build Interceptor
Usage
Minerals

25[7] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Duration

15 seconds[6]

Notes

The carrier is produced with four interceptors.[12] Carriers may produce up to eight interceptors[12][13] as an auto-cast ability.[11][12]

Edit

[edit] Upgrades

Graviton Catapult[6]
Researched at

Fleet beacon[14]

Properties
Minerals

150[6] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

150[6] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Research time

80[6] time

Notes

Launch interceptors faster.[6]

Edit
Air Armor
Researched at

Cybernetics Core[15]

Hotkey

A[15]

Properties
Level

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Minerals

100[15] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

150[15] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

200[15] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

100[15] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

150[15] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

200[15] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Research time

140[15] time

170[15] time

200[15] time

Notes
  • Increases air unit armor.
Edit
Plasma shields
Researched at

Forge[15]

Hotkey

S[15]

Properties
Level

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Minerals

200[15] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

300[15] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

400[15] Image:Minerals Terran SC1.png

Gas

200[15] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

300[15] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

400[15] Image:Gas Protoss SC1.png

Research time

140[15] time

170[15] time

200[15] time

Notes
  • +1 to shields per level.
Edit

[edit] Development

The carrier used to have the ability to produce escorts.[7] This ability has been removed in the latest builds of StarCraft II.[7]

  • Manufacture Escorts
    • Carriers may manufacture up to four escorts.[11]
    • Strike fighter escorts cost resources (and about one second) to build and lasted only 45 seconds, but added a decent amount of firepower to a carriers attack. A carrier could have a maximum of 4 escorts. Escorts were given attack orders to focus-fire on whatever the carrier was attacking and they could be destroyed independently of the carrier or each other. The cost for these escorts would be significant enough to where players would not want to just have the max number all of the time, as that would bleed one's economy needlessly. Thus, players would have to pick and choose their battles in where they wanted the full force of the protoss fleet present.[11]

[edit] StarCraft: The Board Game

Carriers as pieces in the board game behind Arbiter pieces.

Carriers are featured as unit pieces in StarCraft: The Board Game.

[edit] Known Carriers

A carrier near Char.

[edit] Known Carrier Classes

[edit] Images

[edit] References

  1. Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mesta, Gabriel (July 1, 2001). StarCraft: Shadow of the Xel'Naga. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-671-04149-5.
  3. Grubb, Jeff (February 27, 2001). StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-671-04148-7.
  4. Furman, Simon (w), Federico Dallocchio, Mike S. Miller, Carlos D'Anda (p, i). "StarCraft #6" StarCraft 1 (6) (November 25, 2009) DC Comics (Wildstorm).
  5. Carrier. StarCraft Compendium Protoss Strategy. Accessed 2007-09-10.
  6. 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 Protoss Carrier. StarCraft II Armory. Accessed 2009-09-26.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 StarCraft Legacy staff. 2009-04-04. WWI 08 Coverage - Protoss Units. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-06-22.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 8.6 8.7 StarCraft Legacy staff. 2009-04-04. Protoss Unit Information. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-05-10.
  9. 9.0 9.1 Browder, Dustin and Bornakk. 2009-03-30. BlizzCast Episode 8. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2009-03-31.
  10. StarCraft Legacy Staff. 2007-08-09. BlizzCon 2007 First Protoss Impressions. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-05-18.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Karune. 2008-04-08. StarCraft II Q&A - Batch 34. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2008-04-08
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 The green bubble on the Battlecruiser in the screenshot is Defensive Matrix. Defensive Matrix surrounds the Battlecruiser with a shield that can absorb 200 damages and it expires after 20 seconds.

    Currently Carrier can have 8 or less Interceptors. Initially Carrier has 4 Interceptors and you can train 4 more Interceptors. You can do right click to activate auto-casting of training Interceptors.
    Cydra. 2009-01-09. Screenshot question. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion. Accessed 2009-01-09.
  13. StarCraft Legacy staff. 2008-07-16. StarCraft: Legacy Internal Q&A. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2008-07-17.
  14. Protoss Fleet Beacon. StarCraft II Armory. Accessed 2009-11-07.
  15. 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 15.15 15.16 15.17 15.18 15.19 15.20 15.21 StarCraft Legacy staff. 2009-04-04. Zerg & Protoss Upgrades. SCLegacy. Accessed 2009-06-18


Did you know you can edit this page?