Queen (StarCraft)

The queen is a zerg support unit.

Overview
The queen the Arachnis brood-keeper. It possessed numerous tentacles, a sinuous head, and a stretched skin membrane. As with the overlords, queens were subordinated to the cerebrates to help administrate the Swarm. Queens usually stayed near the hives where they oversaw maturing zerg and drone activities.

On the battlefield, one of the queen's primary functions was to implant parasites in its enemies. Able to be launched from a distance, a tiny, remora-like parasite attached itself to the target, 'bonding' with it should the target be organic. The parasite allowed higher zerg strains to see whatever the target sees and at the time of its use in the Koprulu Sector, could not be removed without killing its host. The parasite could also provide a link for the zerg to "talk" to the host. With the arrival of the United Earth Directorate in the Koprulu Sector however and the introduction of nano-conveyed anesthetic and attenuated laser technology they brought with them, the parasites could be safely removed if detected. The queen could also infest other creatures, causing them to expire and broodlings to emerge from them.

It took time for the queen to produce these creatures, though the rate of reproduction was able to be increased through the use of gamete meiosis. In the meantime, the queen was able to spray its victims with a thick mucus, slowing them down drastically before dissolving. Most feared of the queen's abilities however, was its ability to produce parasitic bio-toxins. Once released onto a structure (usually a terran command center), these toxins quickly infested the facility, bringing the structure and those inside it under the control of the zerg. The only safeguard against this ability was that the structure had to be in a state of disrepair before the toxins can be deployed.

Post-Brood War
Following the Brood War, a small number of older queens continued to exist.

Game Unit
A queen has no normal attack and uses its speed to escape danger. The queen may be a nuisance raider using Spawn Broodling against high-value units like s and ultralisks.

Special Queen Strains

 * Carpenter's Hand Maiden
 * Empress Queen
 * Eschutriarch
 * Matriarch
 * Siren