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August 28 2010

Infantry

Marauder

Cost: 100 Minerals 50 Gas 2 Supply
Build time: 30 seconds
Required buildings: Barracks with attached tech lab

Upgrades Available

All marine upgrades from Engineering Bay apply to the Marauder.

From Tech Lab:
StimPack upgrade from Tech Lab applies to Marauders

Concussive Shells
Cost: 50 Minerals 50 Gas
Research Time: 60 seconds
Effect: Marauder attacks slow down non-massive enemy units

The Marauder is a Terran infantry unit in StarCraft II. It replaces the firebat from Starcraft and Starcraft: Brood Wars. Instead of purging enemy units through use of a flamethrower, the Maruader lobs grenades into combat that with the Concussive Shell upgrades will slow the speed of enemy units, except massive units. The Marauder can only slow one opponent at a time.

The Marauder is an early support unit, and is particularly effective against early game units. It is useful for slowing down fast melee units like Zerglings with speed boost. Marauders are better off facing mixed (light/armored) enemy forces, but are especially useful against the armored roach. They are also effective against stalkers, immortals and even siege tanks and thors. Marauders excel at destroying buildings quickly, but the Marauder is vulnerable to mass Zealots, Marines, and Zerglings.

Marauders take up double space in a bunker and medvac, and are a key component of the MMM strategy.

Reaper

Cost: 50 Mineral 50 Gas 1 Supply
Build Time: 40 seconds

Required buildings: Barracks with attached tech lab

Upgrades Available

All marine upgrades from Engineering Bay apply to the Reaper.

From Tech Lab

Nitro Packs
Cost: 50 Mineral 50 gas
Research Time: 100 seconds
Effect: Increases movement speed of Reapers.

The Reaper is a fast assault unit perfect for hit-and-run tactics and close-quarters fighting. They are much faster than standard marines and can leap over obstacles with their jump packs. This makes them perfect for harassment maneuvers. Their low damage doesn’t make them very good against siege tanks, roaches or stalkers. They do however do extra damage against light units such as Hellions, Zealots, Zerglings. and workers. With the Nitro Packs upgrade they can outrun Zealots easily and keep out of range of most units while on harassment units.

Most strategies will use this unit to stall your opponent’s economy by quickly moving into your opponent’s base and taking out their workers quickly, while running away at the first sign of trouble. They are also used in maps such as the Steppes of War, to take the high ground away from the reach of standard ground units to defend or harass key points or expansion points.

By using them in a hit-and-run capacity, you can keep an opponent far behind you in resources, and as a result gain an advantage in unit production. Proper use of this unit requires very good micro, as well as macro skills to ensure your unit and production does not fall behind. They do carry C-8 charges with them for damaging buildings and if used properly can be used to very quickly decimate Supply Depots and Pylons, further disrupting production.

This unit may enter Bunkers, and can only attack ground units.

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