Baneling

The baneling is an explosive zerg strain, evolved from the zergling.

Overview
Banelings are created from zerglings following a brief chrysalis phase. In the new form, the zergling's claws shrivel and become withered, and a swollen sac filled with volatile chemicals grows out of its back. When a baneling gets close enough to an enemy, it triggers a reaction within its volatile chemical payload, causing the creature to explode with a shower of searing acid. The explosion destroys the baneling but also inflicts terrible damage to its enemies, highly effective against both structures and ground forces. In fact, a clutch of them is capable of wiping out a group of vehicles and infantry in the blink of an eye. The banelings' lethality is further enhanced by the zerg predilection for burrowing. An apparently safe area can soon turn into a deathtrap as these monstrosities erupt beneath their foes, giving enemies virtually no time to react.

Due to their bloated nature, banelings are barely able to walk. They have been observed to tuck into a ball and roll.

History
Banelings were first observed during the Siege of Cask in 2503. Its defenders held out against the zerg long enough so that it came to pass that only minor breeds such as zerglings continued to be spawned to be sent into battle. However, s drove the development of a new strain, via zerglings incorporating native mold into themselves. These new banelings were thus sent against Cask, their spray of acid destroying its defenses and eradicating the terrans present.

During the same year, when other terrans encountered the baneling for the first time they thought it was a mutation of a previously unknown genus rather than a morph of the zergling. The baneling was duly added to the list of threats and scientists began an effort to develop chemical rounds to detonate banelings prematurely.

Game Unit
Banelings are relatively small units that slowly move around the battlefield and kill opponents with a low-damage suicide attack.

Banelings do not roll unless they have their speed upgrade.

It is strong against s, s, and s. It is weak against thors, stalkers, and roaches. Siege tank (StarCraft II)s are also very effective against banelings while in Siege Mode. High templar with psi storm can also obliterate tightly packed baneling groups, while the sentry can use Force Field to prevent the banelings from getting into melee range.

Due to not having an armor type, banelings will not take bonus damage from virtually any unit.

Attacks
Banelings are strong against melee units and weak buildings such as bunkers, supply depots, and photon cannons but are weak against ranged weapons due to their low hit points. They are designed to counter s, s, and un-upgraded s.

Groups of banelings do not attack individual targets with overkill, they will only detonate as many of themselves as needed to destroy one target before moving on to the next (or waiting for new orders). When assaulting multiple targets banelings can transition from a just-slain target to a still living one in a fraction of a second.

The baneling's splash attack does not injure friendly units. It does full damage within the splash radius.

If a baneling is killed, it explodes, dealing splash damage around it.

Banelings won't accidentally target buildings when ordered to attack units.

A burrowed baneling can have unburrow set to autocast, giving it an attack ability similar to that of a spider mine.

Heart of the Swarm
In the campaign of Heart of the Swarm, roaches can choose one of the following upgrades for each mission:


 * Corrosive Acid: Increase damage to primary target by 100%
 * Regenerative Acid: Heals nearby friendly units and structure
 * Rupture: Increase splash damage area by 50%.

Banelings may be evolved into either splitters or hunters after completing the required evolution mission.

Strategies
Banelings are a powerful economy-raiding force; by using overlords to transport them into an enemy base, they can quickly devastate the workers. However, a planetary fortress is well suited to destroy the banelings. Use of raiding is recommended even until late game.

Banelings should be mixed with zerglings when facing ranged opponents because they become difficult to focus fire; even one baneling escaping the fire can destroy a mass of ranged units.

Banelings have low hit points so are best used in ambushes. They can burrow, attacking like mines, but can also attack from other hidden areas, such as behind trees, to accomplish the ambush.

Banelings are very useful against marines and zealots, even into the late game, and generally dominate units such as zerglings in combat, but zerglings can come out ahead with micro. Banelings can be defeated by marines equipped with stimpacks or defended by marauders.

As they do splash damage, banelings are effective against cloaked units. For instance, a group of dark templar attacking a hatchery can be eliminated by banelings that target the hatchery itself, or by commanding the baneling to explode on the spot.

A baneling/roach combo can be very powerful against terrans. The roaches will soak incoming damage, making it easier for the banelings to reach their targets.

A baneling levitated by Anti-Gravity explodes when destroyed, dealing damage to air units. This can open up new tactics in team games. .

Development
As of April 2008, banelings have been increased in size from previous builds to make it easier to focus fire on them. In addition their splash radius was increased. The supply cost was higher.

One dilemma with the baneling throughout the development process was the display of team color. Since the explosive ability of the baneling yields green corrosive acid the predominant body color was green and completely overshadowing the small areas that were team colored. Identifying multiple zerg player ownership of banelings was problematic. Later an attempt was made to have the glowing bubbles on the baneling completely team color and even adjusting the explosion color to match various team colors used by players. This quickly made multiplayer look like a ridiculous Jackson Pollock painting whenever multi-colored banelings were seen exploding at the same time. After other various adjustments, such as just the front two bubbles being team colored, the decision was made to fade the team color along the body, with the forward bubbles being pure team color and the large rear bubble remaining green.

Heart of the Swarm
At BlizzCon 2011, banelings had the ability to move while burrowed. This research was available when the player produces a hive. It cost 150 minerals and 150 vespene.

Special Baneling Strains

 * Gorgeling (cut content)
 * Hunter
 * Kaboomer
 * Splitter
 * Splitter

Trivia
"There ain’t no party like my Baneling’s tea party! Hey! Ho!"

- Daxxarri


 * In a poll conducted by Blizzard Entertainment, banelings were voted as throwing "the best parties in the Koprulu Sector."


 * The baneling is often nicknamed "bling" in online culture.


 * Banelings by HuskyStarcraft and KurtHugoSchneider, a video game related parody of Baby by Justin Bieber.