T-280 space construction vehicle

"Have you ever dreamt of exploring distant planets and then working overtime there for minimum wage? Well, your dreams have been answered, pardner! It just so happens that the Dominion has a use for your undying loyalty and pathetic fear of the battlefield frontlines."

The T-280 space construction vehicle (or SCV) is a type of terran general-purpose engineering vehicle.

Overview
The T-280 SCV is used to construct and maintain everything from remote outposts to space platforms as well as harvest resources. They are used by both military and civilian interests throughout the Koprulu Sector for their versatility and reliability. During the reign of the Terran Confederacy, volunteering to pilot an SCV appeared to be an alternative to military service. The PEB (Preferred Experience Base) was hostile environment engineering, with combat experience a plus.

The T-280 model became prominent for its performance during the construction of Tarsonis' space platforms. It was widely adopted and became a staple in terran engineering by 2489. and is used for general resconstruction efforts. The T-280 stands just over twelve feet tall. It is equipped with fusion cutters and plasma welders.

Within a few months of the end of the Brood War, a new SCV model had been introduced, albiet still retaining T-280 designation. It features improved motivators, allowing smoother operations.

StarCraft
The SCV is the terran worker unit. SCVs count as a biological and mechanical unit; they can be healed by medics and other SCVs, but are also vulnerable to a wider range of spells.

The SCV has more hit points than the drone and probe, which may be useful when repelling early game rushes. An SCV may defeat a basic zergling if the SCV attacks first. This also makes SCVs less vulnerable to raids than their counterparts, since they take more hits to defeat.

The construction of a terran building may be interrupted by destroying the SCV assigned to build it, since the SCV remains heavily exposed during the process. Nevertheless, another SCV can be commanded to finish the building by right-clicking on the incomplete building with an SCV selected.

SCVs may support operations beyond the base by repairing buildings and mechanical units, and constructing fortifications in the field. SCVs working in concert may accelerate repairs but this costs additional resources. SCVs may repair the buildings and units of allied and enemy terran factions alike. Unlike medics, which can heal allied protoss and zerg units, SCVs may only repair terran units and structures.

SCVs have the ability to carry campaign items such as psi-emitters or data disks.

The three workers have equal speed, but the SCV has the slowest acceleration.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft SCV Quotations

StarCraft: Ghost


Judging by screenshots the SCV appears in StarCraft: Ghost.

StarCraft II
The SCV reappears in StarCraft II.

Five SCVs can be held at a time in a command center or planetary fortress (upgraded to ten with Neosteel Frame).

SCVs can patrol, a very useful ability considering they can auto-cast repair. While multiple SCVs are able to simultaneously repair a unit/structure, only one SCV can construct a structure at a time due to reasons of balance. SCVs may repair any allied unit that is considered "mechanical" regardless if it is terran or protoss, but they can only repair terran structures.

Wings of Liberty
In StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, SCVs appear from the second mission, "The Outlaws", Raynor's Raiders already having access to them.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft II SCV Quotations

Known SCV Pilots

 * Sergeant Marcus Jans
 * Engineer Jim Smith
 * Pard
 * Pfaff
 * Corbin Phash (formerly)
 * Rieff

Variants

 * Specimen Collection Vehicle