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- Raynor's Raiders blurb(src)
The thor is a huge and powerful terran mechanical siege walker. Despite the thor being smaller than the Odin, the thor is still heavily armed and armored, and known to be one of the most heavy and powerful mechanical units in the Dominion Armed Forces.
Overview[]
- Chief Engineer Rory Swann(src)
Named after the Norse god of thunder,[1] the thor is a class of siege-walker.[2] Those in service during the Second Great War were more maneuverable than the Odin incarnation.[3] Pilots of thors were referred to as "controllers."[1]
Design[]
- Technical specifications(src)
The thor looms over infantry
Heavy composite neosteel-ceramic armor protects the thor. The plates are modular and can be replaced easily if damaged, or exchanged for thicker versions depending on battlefield conditions. Designed to defeat high-explosive armor piercing rounds, as well as disrupt the searing beams of energy-based weapons, the thor's plating offers unparalleled protection to the pilot and the mech's internal systems. Its innermost layer has a heat-resistant kinetic mesh that prevents damage from shrapnel, slugs, or even sheared armor fragments.[4] ATVX has also developed an "immortality protocol," allowing a thor to repair itself in the field as long as its hull remains intact.[2]
Thor angles
The thor's cockpit is pressurized and protected by a military-grade steelglass canopy, as well as thick layers of composite neosteel-ceramic armor. At its center lies the pilot's seat, which helps prevent operator injuries through powerful inertial dampeners and a foam-padded six-point harness. Multiple gauges and screens monitor the mech's systems, and the main holographic display projects computer-generated imagery of the terrain. Were this screen to fail, the steelglass canopy has a fully integrated heads-up-display, a navigation screen, and a basic targeting system.[4]
Improving the Thor has become somewhat of an informal competition amongst Terran Dominion engineers. The Dominion's top brass is content to allow this trend to continue, as it results in more powerful siege walkers. Meanwhile, improvements in neosteel plating and innumerable upgrades made the thors of the Dominion Special Forces a signature achievement in weapons engineering. The Knights of Tyrador designed a thor variant with plutonium coating that deflected projectiles under a certain energy threshold, which also made them look good in parades.[5]
The Defenders of Man experimented with utilizing cloaking devices on thors in Davis's compound.[6]
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This article or section contains information derived from Co-op Missions, and should not be considered part of the official StarCraft storyline.
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Moebius Corps also experimented on giving stealth capabilities to thors.[7]
System[]
(src)
A thor under construction
The thor is equipped with different types of heavy weapons,[8] and has enough artillery to take down an entire enemy army by itself.[5] It is armed with four "Thor's Hammer" particle accelerators (two are fired from each arm). Originally, four 250mm strike cannons resided on its back,[8] but these have since been replaced by Punisher[4] cannons. These fire 250mm anti-aircraft shells fitted with advanced electronics to minimize wasted shots. Their depleted uranium cores allow them to punch through the plating of heavily armored aerial targets, causing serious damage. Each shell is individually chambered by a basic auto-loading mechanism that simplifies maintenance and repairs. The cannons' rate of fire is capped to avoid malfunctions and to extend the service life of the ordnance. Bypassing the limit is not recommended, as the cannons may melt or explode.[4]
The thor
For aerial opponents, the thor is equipped with Javelin missile launchers.[8] These are located on both sides of the steelglass canopy, and fire four small, IFF fragmentation warheads that can rip through multiple, lightly armored aerial targets on a single salvo. Due to the missiles small size, the thor can carry a large payload, ensuring it will be fully prepared to deal with groups of flying bogeys even in drawn-out engagements.[4]
The thor can be optionally outfitted with 330mm barrage cannons that emulate the Odin's Barrage capability, available for purchase in Swann's Armory.[2]
History[]
Thor schematics
The thor stemmed from the Terran Dominion Thor Project, a program that resulted in the creation of the Odin.[8] When the thor made its public debut, military analysts were stunned, and embedded UNN reporters described it as "a huge bipedal war machine armed with a dorsal artillery that wouldn't be out of place on a battleship."[9] Thors were being used in the field by 2502.[10][1]
During the Second Great War, the Terran Dominion utilized the thor in defending areas such as New Folsom Prison.[11]
The Odin, a particularly powerful prototype, was developed by 2503.[12][13] A Protectorate shadowguard stole intelligence on the Odin, which was later taken to Valhalla.[12]
After years of fervent exploration, the Umojan Protectorate finally came up with its answer to the thor. Its impressiveness is only matched by the number of Umojan symbols it sports.[5]
Criminal Acquisitions[]
A mercenary thor
Mira's Marauders long sought a thor of their own, but construction routines regularly set them back.[5]
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This article or section contains information from the optional Rebellion Missions in StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty.
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Chief Engineer Rory Swann reverse-engineered a schematic of the thor from examining the Odin prototype.[3] He refined a design that had millions of credits of R&D poured into it. His efforts focused on making it cheaper.[14] The Raiders received their first thors during the attack on the UNN Studios.[3] At the time, he stated that his design still needed some work on the chassis, but had some ideas for upgrades and variants. While still unavoidably expensive for Raynor's Raiders to produce, Swann considered the addition to their arsenal to be worth it.[15]
Game Unit[]
The thor can be transported by the Hercules dropship and medivac dropships. One thor fills up the medivac's entire capacity, transforming into a cube-like shape and hanging from underneath.
As of Heart of the Swarm, the thor can switch between Javelin missiles (which destroy light air units) and Punisher cannons (which are single-target attacks designed to take on powerful air units).
A thor's primary role is to act as the spearhead: a big tough unit that can push past an artillery barrage or fortified positions or push into an enemy base and lead marines into battle.
Its other primary role is to defend allied units from air attacks with its powerful anti-air weaponry. It works well against light air units like mutalisks, but the attack is not as effective against heavily armored air units such as battlecruisers. The thor is one of the only terran units that can withstand a single nuclear missile strike besides battlecruisers. Thors and Vikings is an unstoppable combo against any air power, thors focusing down on light air targets while Vikings destroy armored tougher targets.
The thor is countered by range, mobility, and certain anti-armor units. It doesn't deal splash damage to ground units, therefore, it cannot effectively deal with massed units such as marines, zerglings, and zealots. Thors should also avoid marauders, void rays and immortals due to their bonus damage against armored targets.
A popular strategy with the unit is the "thor harass" (sometimes called "thorship"), similar to the reaver harass of StarCraft. It involves pairing the thor with a medivac dropship, combining the thor's power and the mobility of the latter.
Some features that existed on the thor in previous builds led to a concern that its role was overlapping with that of the siege tank. Unlike the siege tank, the thor is an assault unit rather than a siege unit. Its ground attack has much less range than a siege tank's 180 mm cannon, so it is exposed to enemy fire while attacking.[16]
More recently in Legacy of the Void, the Thor's anti-air role has become more pronounced as its Javelin missiles devastate Mutalisks, and its 250mm Punisher Cannons have been reworked into an alternate anti-air attack with sufficient range and damage to destroy Brood Lords, Carriers, and Tempests. Note that the Thor defaults to its Javelin Missiles and must be ordered to switch to the Punisher Cannons in order to use them. In addition, the AI behavior of the Thor was modified so that it prioritizes air targets over ground targets unless given a direct attack order. This allows the unit to excel in its anti-massive-flyer role.
Thors, Vikings and siege tanks can become an unstoppable combo using long range to destroy anything that opposes them. Against Zerg in particular, a late-game Thor composition fears only the Abduct and Neural Parasite special abilities of the Viper and Infestor, respectively. Perhaps the greatest and most deadly enemy of the Thor, however, is a small gap it cannot fit through or a ramp it must climb single-file.
Versus[]
Upgrades and Abilities[]
Activates the Thor's 250mm Punisher Cannons, which strike a single air target for 35 damage.
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Arms the Thor's Javelin missile launchers, which deal splash damage to nearby air units and additional damage to Light units.
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- +1 damage for cyclones
- +1 base damage and +1 bonus damage for hellions
- +2 damage for hellbats
- +2 base damage and +1 bonus damage for siege tanks (tank mode)
- +4 base damage and +1 bonus damage for siege tanks (siege mode)
- +3 ground damageļ¼+1/+3 air base damage and +1 bonus damage for thors (AoE/single-target)
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Increases the armor of terran vehicles and spacecraft.
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Wings of Liberty[]
The thor can be unlocked after playing the mission "Media Blitz." It can be upgraded with Immortality Protocol to revive itself after being defeated for a gas cost, as well as the 330mm Cannon to stun and deal heavy damage to targets in an area.[3]
Upgrades and Abilities[]
The thor attacks an enemy ground unit or structure using the cannons on its back. The target unit is stunned for the duration and takes 500 damage. The thor cannot move or attack when using the ability.
This ability was removed in Heart of The Swarm.
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- +1 damage for cyclones
- +1 base damage and +1 bonus damage for hellions
- +2 damage for hellbats
- +2 base damage and +1 bonus damage for siege tanks (tank mode)
- +4 base damage and +1 bonus damage for siege tanks (siege mode)
- +3 ground damageļ¼+1/+3 air base damage and +1 bonus damage for thors (AoE/single-target)
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Increases the armor of terran vehicles
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Level 2
Level 3
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 Immortality Protocol A "destroyed" thor becomes a structure with 400 hit points and 1 armor. The structure may be restored into a functional thor if not destroyed. The restored thor returns with the structure's remaining hit points.
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Upgrade's thor's strike cannons to deal 500 splash damage over a large area. Stuns targets in center of blast.
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Attack upgrades improve attack cooldown of affected units by 5% per level. These self-replicating ultra capacitors reduce the reload time of weapons and systems. Now each of the weapon upgrades at the armory and engineering bay increases attack speed by 5% in addition to increasing damage.
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 Vanadium Plating Armor upgrades increase health of affected units by 5% per level.[17] We have created a new lightweight alloy called vanadium. Vanadium diffuses weapon impacts much more efficiently than traditional armor plating, and it better preserves the life of our units. Now each of the armor upgrades in the armory and engineering bay increases unit life by 5% in addition to increasing armor.
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Damaged mechanical units recover hit points when out of combat, at a rate of 0.6015 each second.[18]
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Increase starting energy of all units by 100. Increase maximum energy of all units by 100.[18]
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Co-op Missions[]
Thors are exclusive to Swann in Co-op Missions, unlocked once he reaches Level 6.[19]
Tychus can call down the elite thor progenitor, the Odin, into battle for a limited time.[20]
Mengsk has access to an elite Royal Guard thor named the Blackhammer, which specializes at destroying air units and protecting allies around it.[21]
Upgrades and Abilities[]
Allows thors to use the 330mm Cannons ability, stunning all units in a small area and dealing 500 damage in a larger area over time.
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Allows destroyed thors to be rebuilt in the field when destroyed. The wreckage of the units can be attacked and destroyed.
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All vehicles and ships regenerate health over time at a rate of 2 health per second.
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Passive
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All vehicles and ships gain +1 attack range.
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Increases the life of Swann's SCV's, vehicles and starships by 20%.
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Increases the attack damage of terran vehicles and spacecraft.
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Passive
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Level 2
Level 3
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Increases the armor of terran vehicles and spacecraft.
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Passive
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Quotations[]
Thor conceptual stages
Development[]
Known Thor Pilots[]
Known Thor Variants[]
- Blackhammer
- Odin (prototype)
Notes[]
Collector's Edition Thor
- Walter Simonson is a comic book writer and artist who famously worked on the Marvel Comics title The Mighty Thor. It appears the Simonson Munitions Factory was named after him.[22] Simonson is also one of the authors of the World of Warcraft comic series.
- The unit portrait resembles Chris Metzen, Blizzard's vice president of creative direction, who has used the alias "Thundergod", and "Lemmy" Kilmister. In line with the Thor's Germanic origin, as seen in Engine of Destruction, its voice has a thick Arnold Schwarzenegger accent and quotes many lines from his films, along with references to heavy metal. He also wears a Thor's hammer pendant around the neck along with a tauren marine T-shirt and its headband bears the logo from the Mercenaries 2: World In Flames video game.
Thor pet in World of Warcraft
- A new version of thor, named the "Super Thor," appears instead of the standard version in the Collector's Edition of StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. It is identical in terms of gameplay. The Collector's Edition also offers a mini-thor pet for World of Warcraft that is capable of flight.[23] The "Super Thor" was reused in Heart of the Swarm for the Blackhammer.
- In the game files the thor can be found dancing. He seems to be an expert at "doing the Robot."
- In Norse mythology, Thor is the son of Odin. This is reflected in the StarCraft lore where the thor is derived from the Odin prototype, and is a smaller version of the Odin.
- The thor appeared as a minion in early builds of Heroes of the Storm.[24]
- The thor, within the scope of Wings of Liberty, is supposed to have been developed by Swann.[14] This contradicts Thundergod, and Wings of Liberty.[1][11] Blizzard has acknowledged the error as the result of two internal teams working on the same piece of lore.[14]
- Amon's thors inflict more damage than Swann's in Co-op Missions.
Images[]
- Skins
- Portraits
References[]
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