Carrier


 * For the terran troop carrier, see Mammoth-class carrier.

The carrier is a protoss heavy air unit.

Overview
Carriers are large, heavily armored and shielded warships that form the core of the protoss fleet, serving as command centers for fleet commanders. Although carriers lack weapon batteries or other armaments of any kind, their ability to unleash swarms of computer controlled interceptors makes them devastating in ship to ship battle. In addition, the carrier's hangers can house Scout fighters and even Arbiters.

Carriers are capable of making jumps through warp space and can operate in both atmospheric and deep space conditions. When not on the bridge, a carrier commander is entitled to his/her own quarters.

"Super Carriers"

 * Main article: Super carrier

StarCraft
The carrier is less durable and slightly faster than the battlecruiser, however it accelerates much faster. Forcibly recalling its interceptors and releasing them again may extend interceptor life and save resources since interceptors are automatically repaired upon returning. Interceptors self-destruct if their parent carrier is destroyed. If a carrier is disabled (for example, through Lockdown), its child interceptors will return to the carrier and only resume attacking once the carrier becomes active again.

The enemy may choose to attack the carrier rather than its interceptors. Using terrain such as water and cliffs may limit the ability of ground targets to engage the carrier directly.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft I Carrier Quotations

StarCraft II
The carrier was originally replaced by the tempest during the development of StarCraft II but was brought back due to "an emotional connection with the original unit." Although it keeps the structural design of the tempest, the 'light' color scheme has been maintained.

Abilities

 * Manufacture Interceptors

Development
The Carrier used to have the ability to produce Escorts. This ability has been removed in the latest builds of StarCraft II.


 * Manufacture Escorts
 * Carriers may manufacture up to four Escorts.
 * Strike Fighter Escorts cost resources (and about one second) to build and last only 45 seconds, but add a decent amount of firepower to a Carriers attack. A Carrier can have a maximum of 4 Escorts. Escorts are given attack orders to focus-fire on whatever the Carrier is attacking and they can be destroyed independently of the Carrier or each other. The cost for these Escorts will be significant enough to where players will not want to just have the max number all of the time, as that would bleed one's economy needlessly. Thus, players will have to pick and choose their battles in where they want the full force of the protoss fleet present.

StarCraft: The Board Game
Carriers are featured as unit pieces in StarCraft: The Board Game.

Known Carriers

 * Gantrithor
 * Qel'Ha
 * Tempest (not to be confused with the Tempest unit).

Known Carrier Classes

 * Fleet Carrier
 * Super Carrier