Race:
Terran Role:
Resource Collector Built From:
Command Center Supply:
1 Cost:
50 Build Time:
Health:
Attack:
Description
SCVs, short for Space Construction Vehicles, are the workhorses of the Terran force
and the units you will be relying on to do all your dirty construction work. As with other worker units, SCVs are in charge of building construction and the gathering of resources. The ability that sets the Terran worker apart is that it is able to repair other friendly mechanical units and structures as well, compensating for the Terran's lack of health regeneration or energy shields.
The SCV stands in the middle ground in terms of building efficiency as it constructs buildings in the conventional manner, from the ground up. This means that the SCV needs to remain physically attached to the building it is constructing, as it works its construction tools to finish up the structure. While building, an SCV is thus vulnerable to harass, and much damage can be done by killing off building SCVs as that not only sets the Terran back on economy, but also slows down their construction.
To compensate for this unique weakness, the SCV is heavily armored at 60 health, compared to 40 health Drones and 20 shield/20 health Probes. This helps make building SCVs less vulnerable to harass from the enemy's scouting worker unit, which is a popular trick that is often pulled against Terran players.
Strategy
The SCV's bulkier build can often be exploited in the early game, where every unit matters, including the workers. Equipped with damage-dealing Fusion Cutters, and having a noticeable health advantage over other workers, the SCV is often conscripted into early attacks as an extra body to take hits and dish them out as well. A player adept at micro can often use SCVs as an effective shield for their Marine attack force, blocking off enemy melee while allowing the Marines to attack with impunity. It is also not unusual to see SCVs accompanying columns of Terran metal in an early containment push, as they provide the critical repair work needed to edge over the opponent.
SCV rush: An extreme display of confidence (or desperation) would be when the Terran pulls nearly
all of his SCVs, along with a very fast Marine rush in an all-in attack, relying on micromanagement and the bulk of the extra SCVs to end the game early. Once again, the SCVs will primarily be used to shield Marines from enemy melee (both Zerg and Protoss need gas for their ranged units), as well as provide an added edge of firepower against the weaker Probes and Drones. Pulling all your SCVs is obviously an all-or-nothing gamble, and if the attack fails the Terran is ready to scoop. Due to the extreme risk, this is generally only used when the Terran is very confident of his micro, when the Terran scouts a very greedy expansion build (and is very confident of his micro), or when the Terran is looking to humiliate his opponent.
Bunker rush: The SCV's bulk and ability to build anywhere can also be taken advantage of in another form of early attack, using the Terran bunker. Terran is able to access the bunker the same time they Marines, and a loaded Bunker backed up with SCV repair is often an impenetrable barrier in the early game against Zerg opponents. An early Barracks, fast Marine build can hence be accompanied by some SCVs that can quickly slap down a Bunker at the Zerg expansion (usually taken very early), which can then be filled by the early Marines and then supported with SCV repair, denying Zerg the expansion and putting them very behind economically.
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