Phoenix

"We are the wings of justice!"

- A Phoenix pilot

The Phoenix is a protoss air unit in StarCraft II.

Overview
In use by 2502, the Phoenix is a deadly spacecraft that is rapidly replacing the older Scouts and Corsairs in the role of fighter for the protoss. Highly maneuverable, the Phoenix is able to outmaneuver almost any foe.

Phoenix patrols are a common sight on the outer rim of protoss territory, where they sweep deep space for alien threats. The twin ion blaster armament of a Phoenix is highly suited to air-to-air combat and is proficient at strafing ground targets. When confronted by more dangerous enemies, a Phoenix pilot can unleash a short-lived gravity beam by overloading the ship’s warp field through its inertial drive. The beam can immobilize an opponent for a few precious seconds.

Sophisticated and lethal as the Phoenix may be, all too often a patrol squadron will find itself heavily outnumbered by zerg or terran enemies. To overcome this weakness, phoenix pilots have developed a dangerous counter-ploy. A phoenix pilot can unleash a short-lived storm of destruction by overloading its warp field through the ship's ion blasters. The area-effect discharge is devastating and can destroy a large number of enemies at once, but it comes at a price: in the aftermath the phoenix is left temporarily powerless and crippled. Wary foes have learned to flee a phoenix overload and return moments later to destroy the helpless craft. In turn phoenix pilots have begun to use staggered discharges to catch their enemies in a web of destruction. These desperate tactics are frowned upon by protoss commanders, but have become tacitly accepted as a necessity.

Game Unit
In-game, the phoenix lacks a ground attack, but rather makes up for this with its graviton beam. The phoenix can move and attack simultaneously which, combined with its high speed, makes it great for harrassing fleeing forces. This also make the phoenix effective as an economy raider, using the graviton beam on worker units.

The phoenix is very good at destroying light air units, such as mutalisks. It is also an effective counter unit for vikings, banshees, and void rays. However, it is weak against strongly-armored units such as the battlecruiser, carrier, and corruptor. The phoenix is ineffective against the units it counters when outnumbered. However, it can makes up for this with its fast speed.

The phoenix banks when it turns.

Strategies
The Phoenix can lift anti-air units like the queen with the Graviton Beam ability rendering them vulnerable and helpless against void rays or other Phoenix.

When grouped with void rays, the two ships complement each others' weaknesses and become a formidable fleet, with void rays firing at heavily-armored targets and ground targets while Phoenixes fire at poorly-armored targets.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft II Phoenix Quotations

Known Phoenix Pilots

 * Admiral Urun

Videos
Phoenix Montage