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The Terran Dominion - Units and Structures

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STARCRAFT
  Race Overview
    Terran Units
    Terran Structures
      Basic
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    Zerg
    Protoss
  General Strategies
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  Contents

Go to GameSpot's Guide to Broodwar

SCV

Strengths:
Inexpensive; can repair buildings and mechanical units; can construct buildings
Weaknesses:
Easily destroyed; virtually defenseless; must construct alone
The Terran Space Construction Vehicle (SCV) is ungainly and uncomfortable, but it is nonetheless the backbone of the Terran war machine. This flimsy unit will maintain your economy by means of its ability to efficiently gather minerals and Vespene Gas as well as construct new buildings and repair damaged ones. Keep your SCVs well protected; you're going to need a steady flow of incoming resources to succeed, and your SCVs are the only units capable of completing this task. They can be ordered to fight back in a pinch, but don't expect satisfying results.

Hit Points/Size 60/small
Time to Build 20
Cost (minerals/Vespene Gas/supply) 50/0/1
Weapon/Strength Fusion Cutter/5, +0 per upgrade
Armor/Strength Infantry Armor/0, +1 per upgrade
Special Options Repair

Plan to have two SCVs mining each mineral patch early in any battle. In most cases, any more than four SCVs working a Vespene Geyser will be a waste, since only one SCV can be in a Refinery at any given time.

While SCVs must construct buildings alone, they can collectively repair both buildings and mechanical combat units, including fliers, to expedite the process. Repairs, unfortunately, are not free, though the cost of repairing a unit or building, even one on the brink of destruction, is considerably less than producing a new unit from scratch. Don't hesitate to throw several SCVs at a damaged unit or structure to repair it as quickly as possible. An SCV (or groups of them) can be ordered to repair several buildings or units in succession by selecting the SCV, holding the shift key, and right-clicking on the damaged targets.

Send SCVs into battle behind your primary fighting forces. They can repair your damaged vehicles during battle and can even construct Bunkers or Missile Turrets in the middle of a combat zone.