StarCraft: Retribution

Retribution, an authorized expansion pack to StarCraft: Brood War, was published in 1998 by WizardWorks Software, independently from Blizzard Entertainment, and authorized by Blizzard as an expansion pack.

Retribution works within the limits of the current StarCraft game engine, and does not add any explicitly new content to the game, although it does contain over 120 new multiplayer maps, and a large single-player campaign.

Campaign
Retribution contains new single player missions in the form of plot-centered campaigns for each of the 3 races (protoss, terran and zerg). Several new heroes were also added to the game, complete with custom voice-acting. Like in the original StarCraft, these heroes are only accessible during certain single-player missions. Also included is new music and sound effects to further enhance the single-player experience.

An ancient artifact called the Argus Stone has been found on the terran world of Aridas. All three races converge upon the planet in order to acquire the artifact, as it is believed that whoever controls the stone will be able to control the universe.

The campaign is set after the creation of the Terran Dominion but before the death of the first Overmind.

The Legacy of Kharadun
The Legacy of Kharadun is the name of the protoss campaign. Judicator Kizrath and an Executor seek the Argus Stone on Aridas.

The gateway to Taledon
Kizrath detected ruins which bore signs of being from Taledon. However, the Aridian forces were investigating the area, so Kizrath ordered the protoss to attack.

The heat of battle
The protoss encountered a battle being fought between the Aridians and zerg forces. Kizrath located a cave in which the zerg cerebrate was believed to be located, as well as a maintenance duct leading to the heart of the terran infrastructure.


 * If the player reaches the cave to the north, they play the next mission, the "Zerg Cave". If the player sends their forces to the installation to the south, they head to the next mission, "Retribution".

The Zerg Cave
A small protoss force braved the cave. They were accompanied by probes and could construct a base within. However, the cave's height prevented the summoning of aerial units. They had orders to attack the Cerebrate, which Kizrath believed would temporarily halt zerg expansion.

A number of terran forces and structures were scattered throughout the cave.


 * These terrans will offer an alliance with the Executor. Their forces would then fight alongside the protoss.

The Cerebrate was defeated.

Retribution
Kizrath gave orders to repel terrans which were raiding the protoss research outpost.

The protoss forces retook a damaged protoss outpost, then attacked the terrans, which consisted of the Aridian support forces and the Science Corps. Their bases were established among ancient ruins that the protoss wished to explore. Both terran bases were destroyed.

Where Heroes are Made
Kizrath's forces weren't the only protoss forces on Aridas. The other forces were unable to prevent terrans from slipping reinforcements between Kizrath's forces and the Argus Stone. The large terran forces were crushed.

The Aridian Reserves
Kizrath's observers detected a terran supply station orbiting Aridas. It supplied reinforcements and other supplies to terrans on the surface. Kizrath ordered a strike on the station, which was successful.

The Last Defenders Fall
Kizrath ordered a strike on the final Aridian stronghold barring the pathway to Taledon. The strike was successful.

Taledon
Kizrath was sure that he had reached Taledon, and that the Argus Stone lay within a temple at its heart. He personally led the protoss forces against the elite terran cadre defending the temple. The protoss forces destroyed the temple, enabling Kizrath to pick up the Argus Stone in his ship.

The Triumphal March
Kizrath ordered the Executor to carve a path through the zerg to a rendezvous point. Here, escorts would take him and the Stone to Aiur.

At the rendezvous point, a large number of carriers arrived, accompanied by an Escort Leader. These forces assisted in the annihilation of the zerg bases. However, Kizrath was then contacted by the Escort. Its commander told him that the tactical value of the Argus Stone was seen as minimal. Kizrath and the Stone would be stranded on Aridas. Instead, his escort would be commandeered to help continue the protoss war against the zerg. Kizrath was told to continue delving into the truth behind the Stone.

Strongarm
Strongarm is the name of the terran campaign. Dominion scientist Jenson Archimedes oversaw an effort to collect the stone, hoping to use it as a powerful weapon. His forces were separate from the Aridian forces.

On the Field of Battle
Archimedes wished to transport himself and a number of his scientists to a set of Aridian ruins. However, protoss and zerg forces were engaged in combat with each other, so he needed assistance from a battalion of troops.

The Fragile Alliance
A zerg cerebrate used xel'naga technology found in ruins on Aridas to take control of a small protoss tribe. Archimedes ordered the commander to either help him capture the Cerebrate or destroy it, which could break the alliance. During the battle, the zerg forces were defeated.

Cramped Quarters and Slaughter at Station 12

 * If the player helped Archimedes capture the Cerebrate, they then play Cramped Quarters. If the Cerebrate was slain, then the player plays Slaughter at Station 12.

Cramped Quarters
Archimedes complained that the Aridians were unhappy at the continued existence of the cerebrate. The research center where it was being kept in stasis fell under attack by the zerg, who wished to free it. The Dominion forces pushed the zerg back.

Slaughter at Station 12
Zerg broods were overwhelming the terran defenses across Aridas, including Science Station 12. The base had entered a state of emergency lockdown, locking the doors. These could be opened by scientists. A number of security devices were scattered throughout the installation.

Shortly after the Dominion task force entered the station, the zerg broke in as well.


 * The zerg break into the inner doors if these are approached.

The Protoss Staging Platform
The protoss used a space station as a staging ground for their attacks. The Aridians attacked it with nukes from the ground, to no avail.

The Dominion was successful in defeating the protoss.

The Outback
Zerg swarms overran an outpost in a desolate area of Aridas. Archimedes ordered the region to fall back under terran control, in order to prevent the zerg from relocating to more vital locations.

The local outpost had been holding the zerg off for five days after running out of resources. However, there was an unoccupied resource node nearby which the outpost had discovered. The Dominion forces smashed the zerg.

Cornucopia
The protoss had located a dense vein of crystals which the Aridians had previously used to supply their troops. A Dominion regiment was sent to establish a base and defeat the protoss.

In the Depths of Hell
Archimedes' ship explored a large cavern beneath an excavation site when it was surrounded by the zerg. It was heavily guarded by scourges. Archimedes believed the zerg were deciding on his fate. He was able to contact the Dominion commander and request a rescue.

On the Trail of the Stone
Archimedes located the Argus Stone, which was in the hands of the protoss. They fled to a set of ruins which was filled with protoss reinforcements. The Dominion defeated them but couldn't retrieve the Stone.

In the Presence of the Stone
The protoss had warped in a temple from Aiur, designed to focus the energies of the Argus Stone. The Dominion attacked, destroying the temple. This caused explosions to kill nearby protoss forces. Archimedes was able to maneuver his ship over the ruins and retrieve the Stone.

Dynamic Evolution
Dynamic Evolution is the name of the zerg campaign. Zargil of the Sennith Brood and other zerg cerebrates lead a campaign to collect the stones for themselves, in order to create a "Supreme Being".

Cutting off the exits
Zargil explained to a young cerebrate the power of the Argus Stone. Zargil knew the artifact was being held by Jenson Archimedes and ordered the new brood to destroy the battlecruiser escort for his Science Corps.

The assault was successful.

Ascension
Archimedes maneuvered through the terran bases, eluding the zerg's grasp. Zargil decided that seizing his comrades and extracting information from them would help them find Archimedes.

The zerg captured a science facility and brought it back to their base, where a defiler would extract the information. The terrans launched a massive assault when the science facility was captured, but the zerg fended it off.

Undercover
A zerg hive and numerous zerg forces were defeated by the Dominion and the protoss. The two enemy factions were now fighting each other. The zerg were able to retake the hive, but during the battle the terrans and protoss allied with each other. The zerg, however, were successful in their assault.

Battlefield Aridas
The protoss had defeated the zerg forces in a strategic region. The cerebrate in charge of those forces had been removed. The young cerebrate was ordered to assault these forces. During the battle, the new brood discovered terran forces also attacking the protoss. The zerg defeated the protoss forces.

Beginning of the End
Zargil located a terran troop and research base. One of their command centers held the precise location of the Argus Stone. The new Brood was ordered to infest the command center. The operation was a success.

Battle of Three Armies
The desperate terrans allied with the protoss, hoping to keep the zerg out of a cavern leading to the Argus Stone. The zerg punched through, however.

Guardians of the Stone
Zargil informed the young cerebrate that the terrans had betrayed the protoss and continued to hold the Argus Stone within their installation. Another brood had already assaulted the installation but failed, leaving Thakras and the remnant of his brood trapped within.

Zargil provided the cerebrate with infested terrans who had knowledge of the interior of the installation, such as passwords.

Inside, the zerg encountered protoss who had been captured by the terrans. All three forces fought each other.

In addition, the terrans conducted scientific experiments on the captured zerg, such as a genetic transducer which could transform mutalisks into guardians. (The experiment was a failure, however.)

Thakras was freed, and his Plague power was used against the ghosts guarding the Stone. The zerg retrieved it.

The Alliance
The zerg attempted to escort the Stone to Char, but the protoss and terrans united their forces and created a convoy heading to Char. They hoped to intercept the Stone.

The zerg took over a terran barge in the convoy and eliminated the enemy forces.

Terran Intrusion
The Overmind gained possession of the Stone. However, a small band of terrans landed on Char. The zerg crushed them.

Calm Before the Storm
The protoss also attempted an attack. Their forces were also defeated.

The Battle of Char
Zargil informed the young cerebrate that the Supreme Being was approaching maturity within a chrysalis. It had to be protected from the attackers.

Xel'naga lore predicted that a catastrophic war would precede the birth of the legendary being, and only one race would emerge triumphant.

A united terran and protoss offensive attacked the chrysalis' location. They were defeated.

Transcript
Lord of Ascension. 2009-04-20. Retribution. StarCraft Legacy. Accessed 2009-05-08.

Current status
Blizzard Entertainment authorized Retribution as an expansion pack.

By 2003 it was very difficult to obtain a copy of Retribution. Almost no original copies of this game exist, due to an early cancellation in production and a low purchase rate. While the expansion pack was authorized by Blizzard Entertainment, they offer no comment on availablity or technical support.