Brood

A Zerg Brood (or Brood) is a formation of the Zerg Swarm.

Broods act under the authority of a Zerg Cerebrate, and each one of them has a particular function and characteristics best suited for its duties. Though little is known of the Broods, and their Cerebrates, Terran explorers have managed to learn about them and named each one after beasts of Earth's mythology.

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The Zerg Broods can vary widely in terms of size and function. Each brood has a primary directive, which is the Brood's purpose for existing. The Cerebrate of the Brood is usually engineered to carry out this directive, and so its personality and combat strategies reflect this. Some broods specialize in creating ground units, others specialize in fleets, and some broods specalize in pure force of number. The Brood speciality is sometimes difficult to tell.

Broods vary widely in size as well. While many smaller broods total only around 5,000 of certain strains of Zerg, the more major Broods can number several million of all strains. The strains of Zerg contained in a Brood can vary widely as well, depending on the Brood's purpose. Smaller broods contain only basic strains of Zerglings, Hydralisks, and Mutalisks while larger broods produce more uncommon strains such as the Defiler.

The Command Wing
The Broods in the Command wing have various responsibilities ranging from protecting the Overmind to searching out new species for possible induction into the swarm. These Broods usually are not engaged in front line combat unless absolutely necessary.

Tiamat Brood
The Tiamat brood is the most important and the most powerful brood of The Swarm. Its role is to protect the Zerg Overmind itself. The Tiamat is specialized in tactical space combat and rarely fields any ground creatures. The Tiamat Brood is infamous for breeding specialized Zerg, such as the the Hunter Killers. It was also one of the two Broods trusted enough to guard the first Overmind on Aiur.

Baelrog Brood
The Baelrog Brood consists of the most fearsome of all Zerg warriors. Ravenous and bloodthirsty to the extreme, the Baelrog Brood is often called upon by Gorn to sow terror and confusion among enemy ranks. The Brood manages to make even other Zerg uncomfortable, as it is not only known for its savage battle tactics, but also for its voracious cannibalism. The Baelrog are bred and trained to attack without hesitation, mercy or self-consideration.

Baelrog was destroyed when its Cerebrate, Gorn, was slain on Aiur by Zeratul.

Fenris Brood
The Fenris Brood's role is to systematically hunt down and eliminate opponents of the Zerg Swarm. The creatures of this brood are known for their formidable tracking skills and their deadly efficiency. One of the brood's main tasks is to find new races suitable for assimilation into the Zerg Swarm; once such a species has been identified by the Fenris Brood, it will be hunted down until it is either assimilated or eradicated.

The Attack Wing
The Attack Wing of the extended Zerg Swarm has one mission: The conquest and occupation of worlds. The Broods of this wing are often the first ones seen by enemies of the Swarm, and their task is to completely crush all resistance in their path. The primary broods of the attack wing are some of the largest in the entire swarm.

Garm Brood
Led by the cunning Cerebrate Zasz, the Garm Brood is part of the Zerg Swarm's main attack wing, along with numerically far superior Jormungand and Surtur broods. The brood makes up for its relatively small numbers by employing guerrilla tactics, including surprise attacks and frequent raids. It is known both for its extreme ferocity and the speed at which it attacks. This brood was destroyed after the death of Zasz on Char.

Jormungand Brood
The Jormungand Brood is The Swarm's main support force, and one of the most numerous. Its commanding Cerebrate, Araq, relies on brute force and numeric superiority to overrun opponents to the Zerg.

The Jormungand Brood captured Sarah Kerrigan, and a sub-Brood was created from some of its members to serve her. This Brood's Cerebrate is the player's character in the original StarCraft game and possibly later.

Surtur Brood
The millions-strong Surtur brood, under the control of Cerebrate Kagg, is sent forth by the Zerg Overmind when the Jormungand is unable to break enemy ranks alone. This brood is described as so destructive it is kept as reserve if possible. This brood appeared in the original StarCraft storyline in the Terran mission Norad II. The broods is named after Surt, the fire giant in norse mythology who would destroy everything at the end of time, it is appropriate considering that that is what this brood will do once released.  Surtur Brood

Other Broods have appeared in StarCraft, but their histories are mostly unknown.