Add-ons and Versatility
The add-on system has been around since the days of classic Starcraft, and is a feature of the Terrans that all Starcraft players should be well familiar with. Instead of constructing new tech buildings, the Terrans were able to construct add-ons to existing production or tech structures to give that structure new units or technology. The add-ons were also interchangeable, meaning that one could lift off a Factory next to an abandoned Machine Shop add-on, and the Factory would now have Machine Shop technology. However, having one unique add-on to each structure severely limited the use of this feature.
In Starcraft 2, this has all changed. The various unique add-ons have been narrowed down to 2, and they are only available to production structures. The way it works is as follows: the Terran player is able to add either a
Tech Lab or a Reactor to any production structure.
This add-on is constructed in a manner similar to the add-ons of classic Starcraft. When completed, the Tech Lab would allow production of advanced units for that building, as well as open up technology pertaining to that building. The Reactor on the other hand would give the building an extra build queue, which means 2 units could be simultaneously produced from that building. Having the same add-ons for all production structures greatly enhances the versatility of the add-on swapping feature, as there is now a practical use for swapping add-ons around depending on whether one needs more of a type of unit, or advanced units.
Abilities
A key feature that marked the Terrans as the most micro-intensive race of classic Starcraft were the various abilities that Terran forces enjoyed. This feature has been brought over to Starcraft 2 and further built upon. Going through the Terran units, almost all of them have at least one ability that would make a difference in the course of a battle:
In fact, out of the entire host of Terran units, only the
Cobra does not have a confirmed ability, but the Cobra with its attack-on-the-move capabilities is already a micro-heavy unit by itself. With such endless possibilities for micro, Terran players would have to constantly be exploiting their unit's various abilities. Keep in mind that this list only extends to units, and we have not even touched on the abilities of Terran structures, such as the Supply Depot Submerge, Command Center upgrades, or the Starbase energy recharge ability. With such options open, good use of all these abilities would truly be what distinguishes the elite Terran from the ordinary.
