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August 28 2010

Marine

Tier: 1
Trained at: Barracks
Attacks: Ranged against ground and air
Cost: 50 minerals 1 supply
Build time: 25 seconds

Upgrades Available
From Tech Lab attached to barracks

Combat Shield
Cost: 100 Minerals 100 Gas
Research time: 110 seconds
Effect: Increases the hit points of marines by 10.
After obtaining this upgrade, the marine model changes to show a shield attached to the left arm.

StimPack
Cost: 100 Minerals 100 Gas
Research time: 140 seconds
Effect: Enables infantry to attack and move more quickly
This is an on use effect that lasts 12 seconds on the marine, and upon usage subtracts 10 hit points from the marine unit.

From Engineering bay

Infantry Weapons
Level 1
Cost 100 Minerals 100 Gas
Research time 160 seconds

Level 2
cost 175 minerals 175 Gas
Research time 190 seconds
Requires Armory advanced building

Level 3
Cost 250 Minerals 250 Gas
Research time 220 seconds
Requires Armory advanced building

Effect per level:
+1 base damage for marines

Infantry Armor
Level 1
Cost: 100 Minerals 100 Gas
Research time 160 seconds

Level 2
Cost: 175 Minerals 175 Gas
Research Time 190 seconds
Requires Armory advanced building

Level 3
Cost: 250 Mineral 250 Gas
Research Time 220 seconds
Requires Armory advanced building

Effect per level:
+1 to armor for marines

The marine is the most basic unit of the Terran army. It can be obtained very early on and is the most versatile of all the races starting base units as it can attack both land and air. Both Zerglings and Zealots lack ranged and can be easily destroyed by a conscious Terran player’s marine units.  The unit offers the best in balance between offense and defense. A lone marine unit can be unimpressive. However when combined with many more of its own, it can quickly grow into a fast and effective threat.

The marine unit can reinforce bunkers for defensive positioning within a base, or can be loaded into a Medvac unit for rapid deployment. The marine is truly the front line fighter of the Terran army, and should be used as such.

Marines excel against Protoss immortals, given their vulnerability to low-damage units but are very weak against large area effect damage such as Banelings or a high templar’s psionic storm. The marine unit is the center point of the MMM strategy in multi player combat, which is extremely useful against the Protoss Zealot/ Stalker push, and Zerg roach armies. This unit can see you well into your mid-game with upgrades like StimPack and Combat Shield, but cannot hold it’s own against higher tier units in later stages of the game. The unit excels most with good micro skills, and effective maneuvering to push opponents into a crossfire can make this a truly deadly unit.

Screenshots

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