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==Known Dropships== |
==Known Dropships== |
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Revision as of 01:50, 26 June 2010
- For the StarCraft II multiplayer unit, see medivac dropship. For other meanings of the term, see Dropship (disambiguation)
- Ardo Melnikov(src)
The Quantradyne APOD-33 dropship is a terran aerospace transport.
Overview
Originally designed by the Terran Confederacy,[1] the Quantradyne APOD-33 dropship[2] is a heavily armored tactical transport equipped for both atmospheric and deep space flight.[3]
Early experiments to arm dropships (including ordnance packages for an air-to-ground role)[4] were abandoned in favor of maximizing payload capacity.[3] By 2480, the modern dropship was in use.[1]
The Colonial Fleet was known for maintaining high standards for its dropship pilots, the PEB (Preferred Experience Base) requiring an applicant to possess a combat pilot certification and hot-zone certification before being allowed access to a dropship.[5] Such pilots can operate alone, although a nav/comm. console is set behind the pilot's seat.[6]
Dropships are designed to carry anything from troops to siege tanks in both safety and speed.[1] Landings are usually carried out conventionally, the dropship's single aft ramp and twin plasma engines allowing easy deployment, the engines shift their angles to allow this.[2] However, soldiers can also rappel down using ropes.[7]
APOD-33 dropships are equipped with extraction fields[2] and maglev lines[8] in case the terrain is too difficult to land on.
Despite these abilities, dropships possess a number of shortcomings. They are difficult to maneuver and are prone to mechanical failures[7] and aren't exactly the most comfortable transport craft, the interior's temperatures usually uncomfortably hot, even more so during re-entry. Cooling units are installed to offset this along with air scrubbers. Restraining bars are present for the transport of passengers and overhead racks for the transport of equipment and/or belongings. The dropship's power bus is also compatible with the CMC-300 combat suit. A user can 'jack in' to the power bus and view the dropship's surroundings via a sensor system, the image being transferred to the suit's HUD.[2] Ammunition packs and stimulant dispensers are also featured.[1]
Dropships are frequently attatched to capital ships such as troopships[9] and battlecruisers.[6]
Game Unit
StarCraft
Dropships are too slow to outrun aerial hunters like mutalisks, Scouts, and Wraiths. If destroyed any units being carried are lost as well. While it has 8 slots like the shuttle and evolved overlord, the power of StimPacked infantry means a dropship can carry substantial firepower. Compared to its zerg and protoss counterparts (overlord and shuttle), the dropship has a faster speed than the overlord despite having a poor acceleration and is less fragile than the shuttle but slower.
A fleet of dropships is often used to offload units directly on top of or near an enemy base. These "drops" are a key strategy for many terran players.
Upgrades
- +1 armor to Wraith, dropship, battlecruiser, science vessel, Valkyrie per level.
Acquisition | ||||||||||||||
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Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
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Quotations
StarCraft: Ghost
StarCraft: Ghost concept art depicts "assault dropships". The terrans also used the Grizzly as an (armed) transport.[10]
StarCraft II
The dropship used to be very similar to the StarCraft I version. It has been given a healing ability, transforming it into the medivac dropship; thus, the dropship can no longer be built in StarCraft II.[11]
The dropship touched down to unload units,[12] behavior that was previously seen in the original StarCraft alpha, but not the final edition.[13]
There is a one second delay between every dropped unit.[14]
Blizzard was toying with the possibility of returning the dropship and making the medivac dropship an available upgrade in June 2008.[15]
Another dropship to feature within the game is the Hercules dropship, which is used to transport thors.[16]
Known Dropships
- Main article: List of terran dropships
Known Dropship Pilots
- Captain Julian Byrne
- Captain Tegis Marz
- Captain Morrow
- Graham O'Brien
- Black Morgan
Trivia
The dropship's design, pilot personality, and unit quotations are heavily modelled or borrowed from the one found in movie Aliens.
References
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