Nuclear missile

The nuclear missile, or nuke, is a terran weapon of mass destruction, fired from a structure, vehicle, or starship. The modern version must be guided to its destination by a ghost.^[1]

History[]

Nuclear weapons were first developed by humans during the 20th century on Earth. Following the Long Sleep, the Koprulu Sector colonials redeveloped these weapons. They were deployed during the Guild Wars.^[2]

In 2491,^[3] the Terran Confederacy bombarded Korhal IV with one thousand Apocalypse-class nuclear missiles to suppress the rebellion of Korhal. Life on the world was devastated and millions killed.^[1] However Arcturus Mengsk, the rebel leader, was off world at the time and proceeded to rebuild the movement.^[4]

As a political consequence, the destruction of Korhal forced the Confederates to limit themselves to tactical weapons. Battlefield targeting was provided by ghosts to prevent outside tampering to the missile guidance systems.^[1] The scenario used to train ghosts to direct nukes is the extremely lifelike holo-projection simulation, Scenario A11-X93, more commonly known as Nukes Away.^[5]

The cataclysm removed the inhibitions the remaining Korhalians had on using their own arsenal.^[6]

By 2501, Dominion ghosts were directing much smaller Apocalypse-class nuclear missiles as tactical weapons.^[7] Some battlecruisers were outfitted with ten-kiloton tactical warheads for ship-to-ship combat and ground bombardments.^[8]

Game Ability[]

StarCraft[]

In StarCraft, nukes are built within a nuclear silo, an add-on to the command center. Each Nuclear missile takes up 8 supply.

The dot indicating the point on which the nuclear missile is about to fall can be hidden by various methods. The easiest way is to place an air unit over the point so that the dot is effectively hidden. When fighting against the zerg, targeting a missile on a bleeding zerg structure will also disguise the dot as some of the blood from the structure, and it will be impossible to distinguish the dot. Another easy alternative is to use firebats, whose flames can actually hide the dot as long as both the missile and the firebat are targeting the same structure. In certain cases, targeting a mineral field may also allow for making the dot difficult to see.

StarCraft: Ghost[]

This article or section contains information about StarCraft: Ghost, which has been declared non-canon. Elements may be taken as 'flavor lore' however. The content may be significantly out of date. Please do not add speculation to this article, and remember to cite a published source for details.

In StarCraft: Ghost, nuclear strikes could be called down by Nova.^[9] Tactical nuke launchers also existed in the game.^[10]

StarCraft II[]

Versus[]

In StarCraft II, nuclear missiles are once again directed by ghosts. Unlike in the original StarCraft, nuclear missiles do not take up supply.

Abilities

Wings of Liberty[]

In the Wings of Liberty single-player campaign they may also be called down by spectres. They are built in and launched from the ghost academy (with ghosts) or shadow ops (with spectres), and require a factory. Though the nuke's target is still shown as a small red dot to enemies, to the player and allies a large red target with cross hairs shows the nuke's target, with the cross hairs growing closer together as the targeting of the nuke completes. The size of the target approximates the area of effect of the nuke, giving the player and allies a clear area to evacuate from.

The nukes launched by Gabriel Tosh during "Breakout", and Nova during "Ghost of a Chance", deal 700 base damage and an additional 500 against structures, and land faster than nukes launched by ghosts or spectres.^[11][12] During "Engine of Destruction", the Odin carries a nuke,^[13] but this ability is not available when the Odin is controlled in "Media Blitz."^[14]

Abilities

Nova Covert Ops[]

In Nova Covert Ops, nukes are automatically built by the ghost academy without any cost and can be used by Nova.^[15]

Co-op Missions[]

Nuclear missiles appear in the "Missile Command" mutator in Co-op Missions as a 100 health unit that will be launched toward the player's base.^[16] The mutator "Going Nuclear" also launches random Versus-style nuclear missiles across the map the players have to dodge.

Nukes launched by Nova in Co-op Missions will do 600 damage and will not hurt friendlies.^[17]

Han and Horner gain a nuclear blast as part of their Space Station Reallocation ability at Level 14, which detonates when the station expires or is destroyed.^[18]

With the upgrade "Big Red Button," Tychus can call down an Odin that can launch a nuclear missile that deals 1000 damage in a large area. This can only be used once per Odin calldown.^[19]

At Level 10, Arcturus Mengsk can use Nuclear Annihilation, bombarding an area with tactical missiles before finishing off the target with a nuclear missile.^[19]

Abilities

Achievements[]

Nuclear Launch Detected
Points	10
Criteria	Kill 15 enemy units with a single Nuke in an Unranked or Ranked game.
Notes
If the player uses the same ghost to drop more nukes he can earn the "Unbreakable!" achievement.
Edit

Love the Bomb
Points	10
Criteria	Kill a total of 50 units with Nuclear Strikes in the "Breakout" mission on Normal difficulty.
Notes
Likely a reference to the full title of the film Dr. Strangelove, "How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb."
Edit

The Nuclear Optiom
Points	10
Criteria	Destroy 75 enemy zerg units and structures with nuclear strikes in the "Flashpoint" mission.
Edit

One Shot, One Opportunity
Points	10
Criteria	Destroy 50 enemy Zerg units with a single nuclear strike in the "Flashpoint" mission on Normal difficulty.
Notes
A reference to the rap song "Lose Yourself" by the artist Eminem.
Edit

Heroes of the Storm[]

Nuclear missiles are collected by players in the Warhead Junction map of Heroes of the Storm. They can be launched at the enemy team's fortifications.^[20]

Nova possessed a nuclear strike ability in Heroes of the Storm.^[21] The Odin, as piloted by Tychus Findlay in the game, now possesses this ability.^[22]

Notes[]

• The blast effect of the missile in StarCraft consists of only four colors.^[23]

• There is a humorous message that reads "Take it!" on the side of the nuclear missile in StarCraft II.^[24]

• According to Bob Fitch, the ghost's ability to target and guide nuclear missiles was based off the smart missile scene from the 1994 film Clear and Present Danger.^[25]

• A nuclear missile's mushroom cloud is available as a trophy top for trophies earned in season 2 of StarCraft II's automated tournaments.

References[]

Terran Units and Structures of StarCraft/Brood War v • e

Infantry SCV Marine Firebat Medic (BW) Ghost Ground vehicles Vulture Goliath Siege tank Air units Wraith Dropship Valkyrie (BW) Science vessel Battlecruiser 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 Scrapped units Cargo ship Merc biker Mercenary gunship Raider Spysat Scrapped buildings Cantina Dry docks Power station Repair bay Star base

Terran Units and Structures of StarCraft II v • e

Versus Units and Structures Infantry SCV Marine Reaper Marauder Ghost Terrestrial Vehicles MULE Hellion Hellbat (HotS) Siege tank Cyclone (LotV) Thor Widow mine (HotS) Aerospace Vessels Viking Medivac dropship Banshee Raven Battlecruiser Liberator (LotV) Spawned Units MULE Drop pod Nuclear missile Basic Buildings Command center Refinery Supply depot Barracks Engineering bay Automated Defenses Auto-turret Missile turret Point defense drone Repair drone (LotV, removed) Support Buildings Orbital command Planetary fortress Sensor tower Bunker Add-ons Tech lab Reactor Advanced Buildings Ghost academy Factory Armory Starport Fusion core Campaign and Co-op Missions Units and Structures Mercenaries Devil Dogs Hammer Securities Siege Breakers Spartan Company War Pigs Hel's Angels Dusk Wings Jackson's Revenge Dominion Elite Guard Sons of Korhal Prometheus Company Death Head Aegis Guard Field Response Theta Emperor's Shadow Outback Hunter Bulwark Company Shock Division Blackhammer Sky Fury Squadron Night Wolves Winged Nightmare Pride of Augustgrad Valor of Vardona Infantry Dominion laborer Dominion trooper Assault Flame Rocket Elite marine Firebat HERC Marauder commando Medic Rebel Spectre Spec ops ghost Trooper Terrestrial Vehicles Armored personnel carrier Diamondback Goliath Heavy siege tank Hellion/Hellbat ranger Militarized transport Predator Sensor drone Strike goliath Vulture Warhound Aerospace Vessels Asteria wraith Assault galleon Assault drone Covert banshee Deimos viking Griffon Hercules dropship Imperial intercessor Imperial witness Raid liberator Raven Type-II Science vessel Harvester Special ops dropship Sonar drone Sovereign battlecruiser Strike fighter Tac fighter Theia raven Valkyrie Wraith Spawned units A.R.E.S. Bio-mechanical repair drone Mag mine Revitalizer Sabotage drone Basic Buildings Automated refinery Enlistment center Fixers' safehouse Gunslinger's hideout Muscle armory Advanced Buildings Dominion starport HERC compound Medivac platform Merc compound Merc starport Royal academy Shadow ops Add-ons Tech reactor Support Buildings Laser drill Earthsplitter ordnance Hive mind emulator Psi disrupter Nuclear silo Strike fighter platform Supply bunker Automated defenses Devastation turret Gas turret Gun turret Flame turret Ordnance tower Perdition turret Railgun turret Sentry gun Shrike turret Spider mine Cerberus mine Warhound turret Canceled Terran Units and Structures of StarCraft II v • e Scrapped Removed Units Anti-air walker Block B Bulwark D-8 charges Genetic knight Guardian Gundam HERC Hercules tank Incinerator Laser drill tank Mine drone Missile launcher Nomad Pillager Predator Prison infantry guard Quantradyne APOD-33 dropship Raider Ranger Red Adder Scavenger Scout Shredder Super crane Targeting drone Valkyrie Zeus battle tank Zeus lander Removed Buildings Drop pod facility Gun platform Listening post Munitions depot Radar tower Star base

List of Terran Weapon Systems v • e

Antiques Blunderbuss Double-barreled shotgun Luger Musket Close quarters Balisong Blazefire gunblade Combat knife Monomolecular blade Psyblade Stunner Titanium claws Pistols Blaster C-7 C-150 Flak pistol FWG5 iPistol Laser pistol P30 P100 P180 P220 P500 P1000 Pulse pistol Repeating pistol Revolver Colt Single Action Army Koprulu Special Vendetta revolver Scythe pistols P-38 P-45 P-55 Slugthrower Spike pistol TX2 T10 T20 Z50 Rifles AGR-14 AGR-17 AGR-28 B-2 LMG BOSUN FN50 BOSUN FN92 C-10 C-10b C-14 C-20A C-141 AC CK-27 rifle Chain rifle E-9 Ferromag SMG Gauss rifle Heavy gauss rifle HEV rifle Needle gun Phase disruptor Plasma gun Plasma rifle Squad automatic weapon Tesla rifle Other personal Anti-protoss weapon Chain gun E-11 lockdown device Gauss cannon H1 flash welder Hellfire shotgun Micro-spike Spider Submachine gun Torrent SR-8 shotgun Wrist cannon Machine guns 12 mm gauss cannon 30mm smoothborne autocannon Automated chain gun Gatling cannon LB-10 Gatling minigun Turrets Auto-turret Devastation turret Flame turret Gas turret Missile turret Renegade missile turret P52 auto-turret Perdition turret Railgun turret Sentry gun Shrike turret Warhound turret Ordnance Flamethrowers Brimstone C-140 CPO Firestorm Hellfire Infernal Napalm burninator Perdition Grenade launchers A-13 flash grenade launcher AGG-12 grenade launcher AGP-2 "Thumper" Cannister grenade launcher Quad K12 "Punisher" K13 "Rattler" T-200 modular assault cannon The Mediator Missiles/Rockets Bazooka Rocket launcher Hailstorm launcher Tactical nuke launcher Other Boulder-blaster Defender cannon DPF Earthsplitter ordnance Maelstrom round Mortar Peace Keeper Grenades BE3 Displacement EMP Flash Fragmentation Gas Hellfire Incendiary Infernal Irradiation Molotov cocktail Lockdown Pulse Punisher Concussive Shredder Charges B2-C D-6 D-8 D-9 G-4 G7 KD8 LD9 Nuclear Seismic Satchel Mines Black widow Cerberus Firefly Heuristic Hopper Mag Mantis Proximity Shape-charge Spider Widow Missiles and rockets Anti-armor missile Backlash rocket Blunt force gun Claw missile Cluster Buster Cyclone missile Erudition missile Executioner missile Gemini missile H.A.L.O. cluster rocket Haywire missile Hellfire missile Hurricane missile Javelin missile Lanzer torpedo Lexington rocket Longbolt missile Manticore missile Missile Napalm rocket Nemesis missile pod Nuclear missile Apocalypse-class Point defense missile Polariton torpedo Ripwave missile SA-55 Thunderbolt missile Scrambler missile Screecher missile Sentinel missile Seeker missile Hunter-seeker missile Shredder missile Splitter missile Tactical missile Sovereign tactical missile Typhoon blaster Typhoon missile W.I.L.D. missile Zethus rocket Missile batteries ATVX missile pod Devastator ATA Array Hellstorm battery J23 missile launcher Shockwave missile battery T82 missile pod Other ordnance 120mm cannon 250mm strike cannon 330mm barrage cannon Armageddon cannon Amphion laser ATA/ATS laser battery ATX laser battery Blackhammer particle beam Burst laser Concord cannon Concussive shell Drakken laser drill Drakken pulse cannon E-gorb Eviscerator rail gun Hellsworn 30mm flak cannon [PH] combat laser Ibiks cannon Ion cannon Mercer-class doomsday device Particle cannon PPG-7 plasma cannon Punisher cannon RGX Perferator Shock cannon Tar bomb T800 cannon Thor's Hammer Thunderbolt rail gun Tower cannon Vulcan blaster Yamato cannon Mini yamato gun Stetmato cannon