Siege tank (StarCraft)

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Siege Tank
Unit
Race	Terran
Armament	80 mm PPG-7 plasma cannon (2) (tank mode)[1] Mjolnir 120 mm Shock Cannon (siege mode)[2]
Production
Minerals	150
Gas	100
Supply	2
Build time	50
Produced at	Factory
Requires	Machine Shop
Hot key	T
Combat
Ground attack	30e (tank mode) 70es (siege mode)
Cooldown	37 (tank mode) 75 (siege mode)
Armor	1
Attack range	7 (tank mode) 12 (siege mode)
Sight range	10

The siege tank provides the terrans with mobile, long range anti-ground firepower. It cannot attack air units.

Contents 1 Strategy 2 Abilities 3 Upgrades 4 References

[edit] Strategy

In tank mode the siege tank is decent against large ground units and in groups, certainly capable of dealing with medium and small units with ease. Arguably, it's still not as efficient as a group of marines, especially if a force is being moved by dropship (which can carry 2 tanks or 8 marines).

The siege tank is most useful in siege mode, fusing a powerful attack with the longest range in the game. In addition to supporting bunkers and defenses, two groups of tanks may carry out a "tank push"; the first group in siege mode covers the second group in tank-mode as they move forward to establish another fire base, from which the second group covers the advance of the first. The tank's siege mode range is greater than its sight range; supporting a tank with spotters is useful.

The Shock Cannon causes splash damage to all units but has a minimum range. Therefore tanks in siege mode need other units to guard it (perhaps even other tanks in siege mode), although these guards might take damage from the shock cannon as well as the enemy. The guards can also screen for the tanks as they withdraw. Transforming between modes takes time, during which the tank is unable to move or attack which leaves it vulnerable to fast units like zealots.

Some players prefer to "wall-in" their siege tanks, by erecting buildings to surround the tank, thereby preventing the enemy from getting closer than the minimum range of the shock cannon.

A missile turret, marine-filled bunker, a siege mode tank cluster may provide defense against ground targets at long and short ranges, and air targets. This is incredibly effective against zerg due to their use of overwhelming numbers. The tactic is not as effective against the protoss, partly since that groups of zealots with the Leg Enhancement upgrades are less likely to be killed before reaching the bunkers which prevents siege tanks from firing due to their minimum range.

[edit] Abilities

Siege Mode
Acquisition Minerals 150 Gas 150 Researched at Machine shop
Notes
Allows siege tank to transform into siege mode. This greatly increases the damage and range of the siege tank's attacks, and gives them splash damage, but prevents the tank from moving. In siege mode, the siege tank has a minimum range it cannot attack within.

[edit] Upgrades

Vehicle Weapons Researched at Armory Hotkey W Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100 175 250 Gas 100 175 250 Required Science facility Science facility Notes +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

Vehicle Plating Researched at Armory Hotkey P Properties Level Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Minerals 100 175 250 Gas 100 175 250 Required Science facility Science facility Notes +1 bonus to armor for goliaths, siege tanks, and vultures.

[edit] References

Terran Units and Structures of StarCraft/Brood War
Infantry	SCV · Marine · Firebat · Ghost • Brood War only • Medic
Ground vehicles	Vulture · Goliath · Siege tank
Air units	Wraith · Dropship · Science vessel · Battlecruiser • Brood War only • Valkyrie
Basic buildings	Command center (ComSat station · Nuclear silo) · Supply depot · Engineering bay · Barracks · Refinery · Missile turret · Academy · Bunker
Advanced buildings	Factory (Machine shop) · Armory · Starport (Control tower) · Science facility (Physics lab · Covert ops)
Other	Nuclear missile · Spider mine