Medic

"Prepped and ready"

- Terran Medic

The Medic is a Terran unit that can heal friendly biological ground units. Medics first appeared in StarCraft: Brood War.

Overview
Historically Marine forces suffered high casualties, but retained their strength through aggressive recruitment practices. However, as conflict escalated to include the Protoss and Zerg Marine losses became prohibitive. The United Earth Directorate pacification fleet reintroduced the concept of front line units with organic combat medics back into the Koprulu Sector. Recruitment for medics drew in mostly women.

Medics use nano-conveyed anaesthetic and attenuated lasers to treat wounded on the battlefield returning wounded soldiers to the fight. In more extreme cases surgery can be performed on site to remove foreign bodies or alien contagions. This is especially important against opponents like the Zerg who relied heavily on biological warfare. In all, it was found that Medics were able to extend the combat lives of troops to over nine seconds.

As with Marines, Medics are issued Combat Armor. The most visible differences were the large arm-mounted shield and packs containing medical tools and other equipment strapped to the forearms. Medics are "armed" with the A-13 Flash Grenade Launcher. While able to provide illumination, it is frequently used offensively to blind enemy units.

The colonial Terrans quickly incorporated combat medics into their formations, adopting doctrine and equipment similar to their UED counterparts.

StarCraft
Medics radically improve the performance of Marines and Firebats by allowing the liberal use of stim packs. For Marines in groups smaller than 12, it is best to use them at a 2:1 ratio (one Medic for every two Marines). For Marines in groups larger than 12, ratios of 3 or 4:1 would be sufficient. So mixed, Marines can take on more powerful units such as Zealots and Dragoons. In large numbers, they can even take on isolated groups of Battlecruisers and Carriers.

Medics has no physical attack and must be protected in combat. They are very vulnerable to Dark Archons, as their combination of low hit points and high energy makes them very vulnerable to Feedback. (They're also a prime target for Mind Control as they can heal Protoss infantry units.)

Abilities

 * Heal
 * Starting ability.
 * Energy Cost: 1 for every 2 HP healed.
 * Range: 2
 * The Medic will automatically heal any friendly biological ground units nearby.
 * Restoration
 * Cost: 100 0 100
 * Energy Cost: 50
 * Researched at: Academy
 * Removes most effects from enemy abilities from a friendly unit.
 * Optical Flare
 * Cost:100 0 100
 * Researched at: Academy
 * Energy Cost: 75
 * Reduces the sight of an enemy unit to 1 matrix and disables the unit's detection ability. Blindness may be 'healed' by a Medic's Restoration ability.

Upgrades

 * Infantry Armor
 * Caduceus Reactor
 * Cost: 150 0 150
 * Upgraded at: Academy
 * Increases maximum Medic energy by 50.

Quotations

 * See: StarCraft Quotations

StarCraft II
The Medic returns in StarCraft II, accessible to Koprulu Sector Terran factions such as the Terran Dominion. Its abilities are largely the same, although its grenade launcher ability has been changed to reveal an area rather than blind a target unit. Medics are produced from a Barracks with an attached Tech Lab.