- A goliath pilot(src)
The goliath combat walker[1] is a terran one-man all-terrain combat walker used to support marine forces.
Overview
A personalized goliath
Goliaths are constructed out of neosteel.[2] Their armor renders them quite resilient to fragmentation grenades and even small arms fire, though their cockpits are vulnerable to missiles.[3] Their fronts are protected by a plexishield.[4] Twin speakers are equipped on the walker and it can be equipped with external audio pickups.[5]
A UED goliath
With reverse-jointed legs,[3] the twelve-foot tall[6][5] goliath features all-terrain maneuverability.[7] To control a goliath, the pilot straps themselves into a "cradle" which enables the goliath to mimic their movements by passing instructions through the onboard computer. The process takes practice to get used to it. Some commands (such as moving the arms up and down) can be uttered by voice.[5]
The goliath features a computer-based heavy weapons system. It is equally adept at providing both ground level and anti-air support.[7] Goliath armament consists of twin anti-armor 30mm smoothbore autocannons on the arms[7][1] which fire explosive shells[3][8] and Hellfire-AA scatter missiles.[7] As such, while goliaths are primarily used against aerial targets, they still pose a great threat to infantry.[3] Goliaths were further upgraded with the arrival of the United Earth Directorate in the Koprulu Sector. With improved propulsion technologies via Charon Boosters and upgrades to existing targeting system software, the goliath's range via its Hellfire missiles was increased dramatically.[9] UED goliaths featured a large machine-gun attached to the lower torso and missile racks on the "shoulders".[10] This design was adopted by the Dominion.[11] Many goliaths were equipped with three guns, one on each arm and one between the "legs".[12][13] By the Second Great War, another variant existed with two additional guns mounted coaxially with the main cannon.[14] The autocannons can be replaced with shovel-hands to allow a pilot to (dis)embark while in the field.[5]
History
In battle against the protoss
The goliath was originally manufactured by LarsCorp Technologies for the Kel-Morian Combine.[7] The Combine was using it by 2480.[3]
The goliath was intended for the infantry support role, especially in urban environments. The walker became widespread throughout the Koprulu Sector when the blueprints were stolen by corporate spies and sold to Confederate interests.[7] The Confederacy was using goliaths by 2485 at the Battle of Noranda Glacier on Onuru Sigma, which began the Guild Wars.[3] Confederate goliaths were placed in the Confederate Armored Vehicle Corps, pilots requiring a PEB (Preferred Experience Base) of six months combat experience to be trained in their use.[15] Not that goliaths were entirely confined to a single corps however, being found within many Confederate units and often attached to mechanized infantry.[16] As such, goliaths became well known throughout the Koprulu Sector.[7]
A goliath after the Brood War
Unfortunately for the goliath, the Brood War revealed critical weaknesses in terran anti-air capability. Wraith combat fighters and Valkyrie missile frigates proved to be an unwieldy combination against agile zerg airborne organisms, while ground-based anti-air support from the goliath was too limited in its mobility: all too often airborne attackers would simply move out of the goliath's range and find less well-defended targets to destroy. As such, terran technicians developed the Viking as the solution to this lack of flexibility.[17]
The Dominion Armed Forces and LarsCorp retained goliaths for a period after the Brood War.[18][19]. By the Second Great War, the Dominion had mainly replaced them with vikings[20] although it still used them in to defend Korhal.[21] Goliaths were retained by other forces.[14]
Game Unit
StarCraft
Goliaths are best suited for the anti-air role, especially against large-sized air units. In StarCraft: Brood War, Charon Boosters allows it to outrange even guardians. The goliath's ground attack is less impressive for its cost; compared to two or three marines that deal more damage, the goliath trades firepower for staying power. Goliaths are large, but only take up two slots in a dropship or other transport vessel. It is also suitable for medium ground support with marines and firebats against larger units. Goliaths with Charon Boosters can be used as mobile missile turrets in bases.
Groups of goliaths are used by terran players when the opponent focuses heavily on aerial units. Given their role as anti-air units, goliaths are effective against virtually all air units save for small-sized air units such as mutalisks, scourges, and observers, but when paired with marines, this becomes less of a problem. Goliaths are ideal for backing down capital ship fleets if in significant numbers.
Upgrades
- +1 bonus to armor for goliaths, siege tanks, and vultures.
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
- +1 bonus to goliath ground attack per level
- +4 to goliath air attack per level (+2 per missile)
- +2 to vulture attack per level
- +3 to siege tank tank mode attack per level
- +5 for siege tank siege mode attack per level
| Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
- Increases goliath anti-air attack range by 3 (to 8).
| Acquisition | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Quotations
Unit wireframe
Development
Goliaths appeared and functioned much the same in the StarCraft beta as they did in StarCraft proper. However, their weaponry consisted of chainguns and scatter missiles instead of autocannons and Hellfire missiles.[22]
A pair of goliaths during the StarCraft alpha.
During the late StarCraft alpha however, they had a different appearance than in the later stages of development. They were capable of using their machine guns, a flame thrower and missiles against ground targets.[23]
StarCraft: Ghost
Nova faces down a goliath
Goliaths were set to appear in StarCraft: Ghost. Nova could pilot them.[24]
StarCraft II
For all intents and purposes, goliaths have been replaced by the viking in the multiplayer, the viking functioning as an air-to-air fighter and support walker.[17]
In the single-player campaign Raynor's Raiders still operate them, powering them up in the mission "Welcome to the Jungle" in anticipation of heavy anti-air resistance from the Tal'darim.[14] The Terran Dominion also employs them.[21]
Compared to the viking, the goliath costs one more supply and is less maneuverable in exchange for being lower on the tech tree and very slight advantages in cost and build time. Its ground attack has higher base damage than the viking, but due to a slower rate of fire has ultimately the same DPS. Its role as a support walker is enhanced greatly by the Multi-Lock Weapons System upgrade, allowing it to target and attack ground and air units simultaneously and greatly boosting its effectiveness when facing a varied enemy force. Once the viking is acquired the goliath's usefulness decreases greatly, as the viking's upgrades also allow it the advantage of splash damage against air units.
Goliaths are strong against vikings (air mode), battlecruisers, void rays, carriers, overlords, corruptors, and brood lords. They are also competent against colossus, as well as some lightweight ground units such as zerglings and marines. They are weak, however, against marauders, siege tanks, thors, diamondbacks, zealots, stalkers, immortals, hydralisks, and ultralisks, while not being very effective against banshees and mutalisks.
Upgrades
- +1 damage for cyclones
- +1 base damage and +1 bonus damage for hellions
- +2 damage for hellbats
- +2 base damage and +1 bonus damage for siege tanks (tank mode)
- +4 base damage and +1 bonus damage for siege tanks (siege mode)
- +3 ground damage，+1/+3 air base damage and +1 bonus damage for thors (AoE/single-target)
| Acquisition | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
Increases the armor of terran vehicles
| Acquisition | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
|
Attack upgrades improve attack cooldown of affected units by 5% per level.
These self-replicating ultra capacitors reduce the reload time of weapons and systems. Now each of the weapon upgrades at the armory and engineering bay increases attack speed by 5% in addition to increasing damage.
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Armor upgrades increase health of affected units by 5% per level.[25]
We have created a new lightweight alloy called vanadium. Vanadium diffuses weapon impacts much more efficiently than traditional armor plating, and it better preserves the life of our units. Now each of the armor upgrades in the armory and engineering bay increases unit life by 5% in addition to increasing armor.
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
|
 Multi-Lock Weapons System Allows goliaths to attack air and ground units simultaneously.
|
 Ares-Class Targeting System Goliaths gain +3 missile range and +1 cannon range.
|
Damaged mechanical units recover hit points when out of combat, at a rate of 0.6015 each second.[27]
Our ship and vehicle hulls are now made from a material called Regenerative Bio-Steel. This material uses internal nanobots to slowly repair any damage the hull sustains. While this regeneration process is much slower than conventional SCV repairs, it can be the difference between life and death if no SCVs are available.
| Campaign Acquisition | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Known Goliath Pilots
A goliath pilot
- "The Commander"
- Lieutenant Tsuname
- Gunnery Sergeant Farley
- Sergeant Wynn
- Alan Schezar
- Breg Shaw
- Skullder Unit 001 pilot
Goliath Variants
The Cerberus Goliath
- Cerberus Goliath
- Defense Robot
- Flyswatter
- "Iron Golem" Goliath
- New Dresdin Elite Guard
- Skullder series
- Spartan Company goliaths
- War Goliath
Notes
Goliath skins in StarCraft II.
The goliath quotes several lines used by the ED 209, a robotic antagonist in the RoboCop series, such as "MilSpeck ED-209 online".
The goliath portrait in StarCraft II is based on Brian Sousa.[28]
The StarCraft II unit randomly takes on one of five possible appearances (see image to the right.)
References
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