- A goliath pilot(src)
The goliath combat walker[1] is a terran one-man all-terrain combat walker primarily used to support marine forces.
Overview
Design
A personalized goliath
Goliaths are constructed out of a neosteel frame.[2] Their armor renders them quite resilient to fragmentation grenades and even small arms fire, though their cockpits are vulnerable to missiles.[3] Their fronts are protected by a plexishield.[4] Twin speakers are equipped on the walker and it can be equipped with external audio pickups.[5] Goliath squadrons are able to utilize biometric readouts of their fellow pilots.[6]
A goliath supporting infantry
Few terran mechs are considered to be as versatile as the goliath.[7] With reverse-jointed legs,[3] the twelve-foot tall[8][5] goliath features all-terrain maneuverability.[9]
To control a goliath, the pilot straps themselves into a "cradle" which enables the goliath to mimic their movements by passing instructions through the onboard computer, a process which takes practice to get used to. Some commands (such as moving the arms up and down) can be uttered by voice.[5] Designed for maneuverability in tight quarters,[6] the goliath's excellent maneuverability gives it tactical advantages in open terrain, but its versatility gives it an edge even in chaotic urban environments.[10] In order to function in low gravity or on malfunctioning space platforms, goliaths are outfitted with gravity accelerators that allow them utilize artificial gravity.[11] Should goliaths be knocked down, the walkers had systems to help it get back upright.[6]
Armament
A UED goliath
The goliath features a computer-based heavy weapons system.[9] It possesses multi-lock targeting abilities, and its Ares-class locator system allows for increased firing range.[10] It is equally adept at providing both ground level and anti-air support.[9] Goliath armament consists of twin anti-armor 30mm smoothbore autocannons on the arms[9][1] which fire explosive shells[3][12] and Hellfire-AA scatter missiles.[9] As such, while goliaths are primarily used against aerial targets, they still pose a great threat to infantry.[3] Goliaths were further upgraded with the arrival of the United Earth Directorate in the Koprulu Sector. With improved propulsion technologies via Charon Boosters and upgrades to existing targeting system software, the goliath's range via its Hellfire missiles was increased dramatically.[13]
UED goliaths featured a single large autocannon attached to the lower torso and missile racks on the "shoulders."[14] This design was later adopted by the Dominion.[15] Many goliaths were equipped with three guns, one on each arm and one between the "legs."[16][17] By the Second Great War, another variant existed with two additional guns mounted coaxially with the main cannon.[18] The autocannons can be replaced with shovel-hands to allow a pilot to (dis)embark while in the field.[5]
History
In battle against the protoss
Few units are as closely associated with terran military might as the goliath.[10] The walker was originally manufactured by LarsCorp Technologies for the Kel-Morian Combine, intended for an infantry support role, especially in urban environments.[9] The Combine was using it by 2480,[3] and was respected by the Terran Confederacy for its versatile mix of ground-level lethality and anti-air support.
The walker became widespread throughout the Koprulu sector when the blueprints were stolen by corporate spies and sold to Confederate interests.[9] The Confederacy produced their own goliaths en masse, and was using the walker in combat by 2485, at the Battle of Noranda Glacier on Onuru Sigma, which began the Guild Wars.[3] Confederate goliaths were placed in the Confederate Armored Vehicle Corps, pilots requiring a PEB (Preferred Experience Base) of six months combat experience to be trained in their use.[19] Not that goliaths were entirely confined to a single corps however, being found within many Confederate units and often attached to mechanized infantry.[20] As such, goliaths became well known throughout the Koprulu sector.[9]
Goliaths during the Brood War
After the fall of Antiga Prime in the opening months of the Great War, the Terran Confederacy devoted resources to a new generation of upgraded goliaths, and stored their plans in a technical hub under G-2275's moon. This hub was raided by the Sons of Korhal, who stole the plans and incorporated the designs into their arsenal.[8] During the Brood War, the United Earth Directorate deployed their own advanced line of goliaths against the forces of the sector.[13]
A goliath after the Brood War
Unfortunately for the goliath, the Brood War revealed critical weaknesses in terran anti-air capability. Wraith combat fighters and Valkyrie missile frigates proved to be an unwieldy combination against agile zerg airborne organisms, while ground-based anti-air support from the goliath was too limited in its mobility: all too often airborne attackers would simply move out of the goliath's range and find less well-defended targets to destroy. As such, terran technicians developed the Viking as the solution to this lack of flexibility.[21]
The Dominion Armed Forces and LarsCorp retained goliaths for a period after the Brood War.[22][23] By the Second Great War, the Dominion had mainly replaced them with vikings[24] and the thor, but goliaths continue to see active duty within the Dominion.[10] Goliaths were retained by Raynor's Raiders as well.[18]
An Umojan goliath
In spite of largely being replaced, the Dominion continued to field goliaths through the Second Great War and End War, and they continued to be a regular support walker for marine squadrons well into 2511.[6] They are similarly retained by the Umojan Protectorate.[25]
Game Unit
StarCraft
- For StarCraft gameplay information see: Goliath (StarCraft).
- For StarCraft in-game quotations see: StarCraft Goliath Quotations.
StarCraft: Ghost
- For StarCraft: Ghost in-game quotations see: StarCraft Ghost Goliath Quotations.
Nova faces down a goliath
Goliaths were set to appear in StarCraft: Ghost. Nova could pilot them.[26]
StarCraft II
- For StarCraft II gameplay information see: Goliath (StarCraft II).
- For StarCraft II in-game quotations see: StarCraft II Goliath Quotations.
Heroes of the Storm
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The following section contains information from Heroes of the Storm and is not canon to StarCraft continuity
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Goliaths as they appear in Heroes of the Storm
Goliaths appear as mercenary units on the Braxis Holdout and Warhead Junction maps in Heroes of the Storm. They use the elite goliath model of the Spartan Company and Bulwark Company. They fall into the game's "bruiser" category, and on Braxis Holdout, are infested until being defeated, after which they will return to their normal form. They are supported by a raven.
A goliath skin is available for D.Va.[27]
Known Goliath Pilots
A goliath pilot
- "The Commander"
- Lieutenant Philo Tigue
- Lieutenant Tsuname
- Gunnery Sergeant Farley
- Sergeant Wynn
- Corporal Song
- Alan Schezar
- Breg Shaw
- "Goliath One"
- "Goliath Two"
- "Goliath Three"
- "Goliath Four"
- "Goliath Five"
- Skullder Unit 001 pilot
Goliath Specialists
A goliath
Specialist Units
Individual
- Cerberus Goliath
- Defense Robot
- Flyswatter I
- "Iron Golem" Goliath
- Skullder series
- Strike goliath
- War Goliath
Notes
Goliath skins in StarCraft II
- Goliath is a figure in the Bible, known for his great height and strength.
- The goliath quotes several lines used by the ED 209, a robotic antagonist in the RoboCop series, such as "MilSpeck ED-209 online."
- On the Battle.net webpage for the unit, Goliaths are described as having 20mm autocannons as opposed to 30mm as described in the StarCraft manual.[28]
- The goliath portrait in StarCraft II is based on Brian Sousa.[29]
- The StarCraft II unit randomly takes on one of five possible appearances (see image to the right). During development of Wings of Liberty alternate skins were planned for other units, but the idea was cut due to multiplayer load times, making the goliath one of the few units to retain them.[30] Alternative skins would be later revisited as an idea and added gradually through the game's lifespan.
References
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