Battlecruiser (StarCraft)

The battlecruiser is the major terran air unit.

The Behemoth-class battlecruiser has a staggering 500 hit points; no other standard game unit tops this margin. The devastating ATA/ATS laser batteries can inflict 25 base points of normal damage to air or ground targets. It is important to note that the terran battlecruiser is the only non-hero unit in the game able to withstand a nuclear strike (as nukes do 500 damage, it will survive with HP equal to its armor rating). It is also notable to state that (in groups) the battlecruiser is the only capital ship class unit that the zerg scourge does not kill with ease (the battlecruiser's base damage can kill a scourge in one shot). With the Yamato Gun, it can one-shot most defenses and units.

There are several effective counters against battlecruisers: terran players can utilize massed Goliaths or the Lockdown ability of their ghost units in order to quickly neutralize a battlecruiser fleet. Abilities such as Psionic Storm, Feedback, and Plague are also devastating against battlecruiser fleets, especially those not escorted by science vessels capable of casting EMP Shockwave against enemy spell-casters. Protoss scout fighters can also swarm a battlecruiser in groups or with support, their missiles stronger than laser batteries of the battlecruiser. Wraith squads are also capable of wasting battlecruiser fleets rather quickly due to their heavy damage, especially if cloaked. Devourers are useful counters with its corrosive acid but are vulnerable to the Yamato Cannon. The slow speed of the battlecruiser also makes it difficult to disengage if a battle makes a turn for the worst, or to extract a damaged ship for repair.