StarCraft: Brood War Commentary - 5 - Terran Campaign - Iron Fist
Commentary Index
---
Index:
Prologue
XT-01. First Strike
XT-02. The Dylarian Shipyards
XT-03. Ruins of Tarsonis
XT-04. Assault on Korhal
XT-05a. Emperor's Fall (Ground Zero)
XT-05b. Emperor's Fall (Birds of War)
XT-06. Emperor's Flight
XT-07. Patriot's Blood
XT-08. To Chain the Beast
****
Comment: The term iron fist is comparable to that of a knight's gauntlet and it has long been a term for dictatorship and of the use of force. So I suspect it originated in medieval times, though I've also heard that the phrase originates from The Lord of the Rings ("We will drive the machine of war with the sword and the spear and the iron fist of the orc."). It's a neat way of summarising the UEDs approach to the conflict in the Koprulu sector - they use direct military force with little compassion. Other than hiring Duran (Which ultimately is a bad move anyway), they do not use diplomacy in any form.
The UED is very similar to the Federation in Starship Troopers, or to give its full name, the "United Citizen Federation". What parallels are there?
Just look at the symbols for a start:
UCF:
UED:
Both have facist policies - the UCF execute criminals and allow corporal punishment, the UED is happy to publically execute Mengsk. Both have aggressive, pro-war attitude towards alien species and both use excessive amounts of propaganda to promote their values and to recruit people. There may be more parallels as I must confess I'm one of the majority who enjoyed the first movie but I've not read any of the books.
It's clear that Blizzard set up the UED with inspiration from the Federation, least of all to simply add more conflict to the StarCraft universe. It would, needless to say, be boring if the UED arrived and weren't antagonistic. The UED is the big bad invader that causes the other factions to band together, however briefly. In my loose theory that the Koprulu sector is akin to colonial America, the UED can be seen as European invaders, particularly the British Empire who sent their own 'expeditionary force' in the American Revolution, just like how the UED sends their own to claim the Terran worlds. I suppose it also helps that DuGalle and Stukov have French and Russian personalities.
The United Powers League were the imposing government of Earth, as detailed in the original StarCraft manual. It's worth noting that the UPL had facist tenets, like the Federation, long before the events in Brood War - creating a world-wide police state, banning religion, forcing English as the sole language and so on.
Even the original Terran colonists in the Koprulu sector were prisoners who were launched into space by the UPL to 'clean' Earth's gene-pool in a horrific form of eugenics (Wikipedia link). This is something that Adolf Hitler and other dictators have taken to the natural extreme - people dubbed as genetically poor or unworthy would be exterminated. While the UED observed their fellow humans, it was once they discovered aliens that everything changed. They reorganised themselves as the United Earth Directorate, with a more aggressive, military approach.
Maybe Blizzard set them up to be similar to the Federation right from the start, or maybe in the original SC manual they were simply a horrific world government (Like in many sci-fi stories, ala Brave New World or 1984) and by the time of Brood War they adapted them so.
Now the UED has sent an expeditionary fleet to claim the entire sector, to take control of the Dominion and to use the zerg to pacify the Protoss. Naturally the campaign title matches this approach.
The introduction movie fleshes out the main UED figures - Gerard DuGalle and Alexei Stukov. I commented on the Brood War introduction early in this series, but now seems like the best time to study the characters properly.
DuGalle is likely named after one of the most important French men of recent history, Charles de Gaulle.
He fought in World War 1, then during the second World War lead one "one of the few successful armoured counter-attacks during the 1940 Fall of France" and at the end of the war he became a major French politician. There's even an airport named after him.
Meanwhile the StarCraft Wikia suggests a different source:
"Gerard DuGalle shares similarities with Gerard Duval, a French soldier in the World War I novel All Quiet on the Western Front. The death by Luger pistol may be a reference to his death by the German soldier Paul Bäumer. Duval left behind a letter to his wife and family before he was killed."
I really don't know which it could be - it could be one and the other happens to be a coincidence, or perhaps Blizzard decided on a Frenchman, then did some research before settling on the name by deriving from both. The surname 'DuGalle' itself is probably descended from Gaul, the Roman word for the inhabitants of ancient France and Belgium. Incidentally, there are several theories for the etmology of 'France', the most pleasant being that the name of the Franks means 'free men'.
It's also worth noting that there is likely inspiration from one of the most famous French leaders of all time, Napolean Bonaparte.
Then we have Stukov. He is also likely named after a famous soldier, Georgy Zhukov, who is one of the most commemorated Russian soldiers of recent times. He "played an important role in leading the Red Army through much of Eastern Europe to liberate the Soviet Union and other nations from the Axis Powers' occupation and conquer Germany's capital, Berlin. He is the most decorated general in the history of both Russia and the Soviet Union."
So if both DuGalle and Stukov are named after military leaders of France and Russia during WW2, countries that fought against the tyranny of Nazi Germany, then it seems somewhat ironic that they're actually leaders in the facist UED.
The uniforms of DuGalle and Stukov are interesting too.
My Russian friend Rommel says that Stukov's uniform is similar to Russian ones in the early 20th century, before the formation of the Soviet Union, particularly Aleksandr Kolchak:
Meanwhile, the lower part is apparently similar to certain cossack uniforms and was worn by high-ranking officers of Tsar-era Russia.
Compare with the uniforms in Starship Troopers:
The intelligence officers of which were inspired by SS officers in Nazi Germany:
Anyway, let's move on to the campaign itself.
---
PROLOGUE :
Since the conflict began in the Koprulu
sector, the ruling council of the United Earth
Directorate has closely monitored its wayward
Terran colonies. Having witnessed the steady
advancement of the Zerg infestation and the
maneuverings of the Protoss throughout the
Colonies, the ruling council has finally agreed
to take control over the war-torn sector.
Learning that a new Zerg Overmind has
manifested itself upon the planet Char, the
UED has sent its greatest Admiral, Gerard
DuGalle, to capture the creature. As Captain
of the UED fleet under DuGalle, your objective
will be to storm the Terran Dominion and
depose of its dictator, Emperor Mengsk I.
Comment: The usual set up for a campaign, but we get to learn all of the facts about the UED's intentions right from the start. They effectively want to take over the sector and wipe out or control all of the factions there. Judging by the subsequent events, it is within their power, but it doesn't last.
This time the player character is a captain, which (by usual military ranking) is higher than the lieutenant position they held in the other Terran campaigns (Both 'Rebel Yell' and the demo campaign 'Loomings').
XT-01. "FIRST STRIKE"
UED Flagship Aleksander, High Orbit over the
planet Braxis; Outlying Dominion stronghold
Comment: I've heard several theories over the name 'Alexsander'. Originally I assumed it was a reference to Alexander the Great, one of the most famous military conquerers of all time, possibly a demonstration of the UED's arrogance in their military strength, however I no longer believe this is the case.
Rommel suggests that it is most likely a nod to the Russian version of the name, as the language doesn't have the letter 'X'. As mentioned earlier, there's the pre-Soviet Union military figure Aleksandr Kolchak. There are also the Tsars (Monarchs) Alexander II and Alexander III. The first was killed in a terrorist attack (Perhaps a similarity to Duran assassinating Stukov) and the second was a long-ruling figure in Russia.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy the enemy command
center
Adjutant :
Adjutant online. Good morning,
Captain. Our long voyage from Earth
is over, and we are holding a
stationary position near the borders
of Dominion space. I trust that the
effects from your long cold sleep
have worn off by now. If not, the
Med Officer can provide you with
additional CryoStim supplements.
Admial DuGalle has issued a
proclamation to the entire fleet via
transmat. I'll patch it through to you
now.
Comment: Many player's notice that the UED share the same technology as their Koprulu fellows, from the adjutant advisor (seen here) to the units in battle. There have been theories that the UED subtly released tech to the Confederacy, or stole it from the sector themselves, but ultimately it's just for convenience - Blizzard weren't willing to remake an entire race for the sake of it and you can hardly blame them, given the work that would have been involved for little payback.
(Incidentally, I did once read in an interview that Blizzard focussed on adding new units to enhance the current races as that's apparently what players wanted - they would have gone with a new race if people wanted it. Where are these polls anyway?)
It is a shame and hopefully with easier 3D technology, similar things won't happen in the future with StarCraft 2 - in fact, WarCraft 3 had a few examples of modified races, like the Fel orcs and the Naga.
DuGalle :
Attention! Defenders of the United
Earth Directorate, this is Admiral
DuGalle. You were all briefed before
we left Earth, so you know that we
have come here to conquer this
sector in the name of Humanity.
Should any of you have second
thoughts about performing your
assigned duties, be reminded that if
we fail in our mission here, not one
of us will be going home. We stand
or fall together in this forsaken
wasteland!
Serve the Directorate. Serve
Humanity. All other priorities are
secondary to victory! DuGalle out.
Comment: This is a quick way of introducing DuGalle in the context of the campaign and showing what's happening.
I suppose the player gets to feel like a regular, run-of-the-mill soldier for the time being (Something I miss in some games - like the original TIE Fighter where the player is just a regular pilot for a long time), as from the next mission onwards they're on direct briefing terms with DuGalle and Stukov.
While you'd expect any decent leader to make a speech at the beginning of a major military campaign, there's definitely a hint of the UED's attitude and even propaganda here. There's the half-true threat that everyone will die if they don't perform their duties, while "Serve the Directorate. Serve Humanity. All other priorities are secondary to victory!" is almost like a motto to drill into people's heads. They are soldiers anyway, I suppose...
Adjutant :
Transmat completed. Receiving
incoming transmission:
Stukov :
Good morning, Captain. I am Vice
Admiral Stukov, tactical advisor to
Admiral DuGalle. I see you've already
reviewed his proclamation. I'm sure
it doesn't cover anything you
weren't already familiar with. Once
you get to know the Admiral, I'm
sure you'll find that he's actually
quite personable.
At any rate, Captain, I do have
orders for you. As we are about to
begin our invasion of the Dominion,
we will need access to their
primary datanet and weapons
diagnostics. To this end, you are to
assault the outlying planet of Braxis,
and take control of its capital city
of Boralis. You are to deploy your
forces within two standard hours.
The Admiral expects perfect
results, Captain. Stukov out.
Comment: I'm not sure if it's ever shown when exactly this level takes place - it could be before or after the previous Protoss level where Artanis and co. break through the UED barracade.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
MARINE
Ah, crap! This landing site doesn't have any gas!
Guess we better start looking for another geyser.
Comment: In the mission this is a way of subtly 'coercing' the player to explore (They need gas to build a decent army - though I bet someone has attempted to do the mission otherwise) and bump into meeting Duran.
*** Meeting with Duran ***
DURAN
Captain, I am Lieutenant Samir Duran of the Confederate
Resistance Forces. I've been monitoring your attack against the
Dominion, and I'd like to offer you my services and skills in return
for amnesty.
Comment: Duran is immediately up-front and straight forward about who he is and what he wants, oddly enough from what we later see of him.
STUKOV
Intriguing. Lieutenant, you have absolutely no ideas as to who we
are or what we have come here to do. Why do you wish to side
with us?
Comment: It's almost as if Duran already knows! In fact, anyone who has played the campaign knows that he does. I'm unsure whether Duran really founded his resistance group for a period of time before this event, for all we know they could be mercenaries (Like those we see in Dark Origin) who he hired to 'play the part'.
DURAN
Because my men and I have sworn to fight against the Dominion
and its Emperor. Seeing as how your forces have been laying
into this Dominion base, I figured we were on the same side.
STUKOV
I see. How exactly do you propose to be of service to us,
Lieutenant?
DURAN
Well, I possess intimate knowledge of the surrounding area. I can
show you an alternate route that leads to the rear of the main
Dominion base.
Comment: It seems a bit much that Duran expected this if he really is conspiring to infiltrate the UED - being on the right planet at the right time, knowing that this base would be targeted, but it's simple enough to pretend that he did have the skill to do so, at least for the convenience of the plot.
STUKOV
Very well, Lieutenant. Consider yourself and your men the first
colonial conscripts of the United Earth Directorate. Captain, see
that the Lieutenant is given our full cooperation. We shall see if
he's worth the effort.
Comment: 'Conscripts' suggests they're forced into work, as opposed to being free agents, but perhaps that's how the UED operate.
The UED aren't at least completely absolute in their judgements, they're willing to hire the local population to defeat the Dominion if they're available, or perhaps, again, it's for the sake of the plot.
ADDITIONAL MISSION OBJECTIVE:
Duran must survive.
*** Destroy the enemy Command Center ***
DURAN
Mission successful, Admiral.
STUKOV
Excellent, Lieutenant. This planet's primary defenses are now
crippled. Our Tac Teams can now begin to decode the
Dominion's security datalink.
Mission End.
---
XT-02. "THE DYLARIAN SHIPYARDS"
UED Flagship Aleksander, holding perimeter
orbit over the Dylarian Shipyards, outlying
Dominion trade center
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Steal battlecruisers
- Defeat the Dominion strike force
Adjutant :
Receiving incoming transmission.
DuGalle :
Captain, Vice Admiral Stukov has
informed me of your flawless sortie
upon Braxis. I must commend you
for beginning our campaign with
such a decisive victory. Our Tac
Teams have decrypted the
Dominion's datalink and have gained
access to Mengsk's most guarded
files. However, our work is not yet
complete.
We have ascertained the location of
the Dylarian shipyards. These
shipyards, serving as a fueling and
repair station for the Dominion,
house a number of functional
Battlecruisers in dry-dock. To
assure that our domination of this
sector remains uncontested, you are
to assault the shipyards and liberate
as many of these capital ships as
possible.
Comment: I suppose the last mission was a good way of the player proving themselves to DuGalle. Besides being a neat mission, I suppose this shows that the UED are ready to bulk up their forces by stealing from the Dominion.
Duran :
Gentlemen, I recommend that you
launch this attack using the utmost
caution. Dominion Command can
typically reinforce its outlying bases
within sixteen standard hours. You
should expect some sort of reprisal
from Emperor Mengsk shortly.
DuGalle :
Ah, the turncoat. I suggest that you
pay keen attention to rank when
you address the Captain and myself,
Lieutenant Duran. Is that
understood?
Comment: I think Gunnery Sergeant Hartman put it best in regards to the subject of military formality:
"From now on you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and the last word out of your filthy sewers will be "Sir". Do you maggots understand that?"
Duran :
Of course, Admiral.
Stukov :
Heh heh. You're beginning to show
your age, Gerard. Give the boy
some credit. He just tipped us off
to a preeminent attack.
DuGalle :
However useful he may prove to be,
Alexei, he will always be a traitor in
my eyes. And you know that I
cannot abide a traitor.
Comment: Betrayal is certainly one of the themes in Brood War and DuGalle is quick to show his hatred for all traitors.
I'm reminded of a quote from the rebel leader Miguel in one of my favourite games, Jagged Alliance 2. He dislikes one of the hireable characters as they once worked for the game's antagonist, Queen Deidranna, and Miguel says something like "I do not like Iggy. I feel that a traitor can never be trusted."
It's a simple point - once someone has betrayed, they can't go back. Not only will their original source of loyalty presumably hate them but their new one should, with good reason, be suspicious of them. It's the fact that they can consider betraying someone and then actually do it, so they're surely capable of doing it again.
Stukov :
Only too well, Gerard. Captain, when
you are ready, you may commence
with the operation. Once you have
commandeered the enemy's
battlecruisers, be prepared to repel
the Dominion reinforcements when
they arrive.
Comment: 'Only tool well, Gerard.' - I imagine the UED executes traitors or anyone who won't carry out their orders.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
STUKOV
Once your forces have landed, Captain, you'll need to escort our
pilots to the battlecruisers themselves. They will be able to
commandeer the ships and turn them over to our control.
*** After the first squad landed ***
MEDIC
All right, troops, listen up! Each squad will have a Medic assigned
to it to patch up the wounded. But that doesn't mean you can get
careless! Stay frosty and get the job done!
Comment: Introduction of the new medic unit.
*** After the third squad landed ***
GHOST
Sir, the nuke silos are secured. We've got four nukes on
standby, awaiting your orders.
*** After the forth (last) squad landed ***
MARINE
Heads up, we got company!
SIEGE TANK
We gotta shake this lockdown pronto!
Medic! Restore us!
*** Finished acquiring Battlecruisers from all docks ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, we are tracking a large fleet of Dominion ships
in your vicinity.
DUGALLE
Ahh, this must be the reinforcements that Lieutenant
Duran warned us about. Captain, prepare our newly
acquired fleet to battle the intruders!
*** Finished preparing the Battleruisers (or just 50 seconds later...) ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, we are being hailed by the Dominion flagship,
Norad III.
Comment: So our old pal Duke is back again, with another build of Norad. It's also the actual flagship of the Dominion now, so it must be the best they have available.
DUKE
Well, now. I don't know which militia you are all from,
but I advise ya' to back down... NOW! I'm General
Edmund Duke of the Dominion armada. And in the
name of Emperor Mengsk, I order you to surrender your
forces immediately and unconditionally.
Comment: It's almost comical. Duke naturally expects the perpetrators to be local militia cheekily stealing ships, not a highly-organised, professional military from Earth.
STUKOV
Ah, General Duke. I expected your forces to arrive sooner.
You should know that we represent not one of your rag-tag
peasant Militias, but the combined might of the United Earth
Directorate.
DUKE
Earth Directorate? You mean to tell me you've come all
the way out here from Earth?
Comment: He can't believe it, and who can blame him? It took a very long time (even with the sci-fi technology of the StarCraft universe) for the UED forces to arrive and after all that they're purely intent on conquering the sector. Maybe, like arguably how any right-wing dictatorship clamps down on dissent, the UED are paranoid of an alien threat to Earth.
STUKOV
That is correct, General. We're here to take control over
this sector and its occupants for the betterment of mankind.
DUKE
Over my dead body. I don't care where yer' from, son.
No one pushes around the Terran Dominion on my watch!
All units, fire at will!
Comment: Duke is on his usual aggressive and reckless behaviour (Like attacking the Protoss forces on Char in the original Protoss campaign) and it's another notch on his series of defeats. Blizzard could have used a Battlecruiser portrait as a generic character here, but at least this way the player gets some payback on Duke after the events of Rebel Yell.
Mission End.
XT-03. "RUINS OF TARSONIS"
UED Flagship Aleksander, low orbit over the
planet Tarsonis; former capitol world of the
Terran Confederacy
Comment: The last time we heard of Tarsonis, it was invaded by billions of zerg (courtesy of Mengsk) and the Confederacy was destroyed. The Protoss engaged the zerg in direct combat, but later withdrew. The world was at least spared from being burnt like Chau and Mar Sara.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Bring Duran to the Psi Disrupter
- Duran must survive
Adjutant :
Captain, the Dominion shipyards have
been destroyed, and it seems that
General Duke has withdrawn his
forces from this quadrant. We have
impressed most of the remaining
Dylarian defense forces into the
fleet and stand ready to move to
the next phase of our invasion.
Comment: I'm not sure whether that's "impressed" in the sense of the Dylarians being awestruck by the UED or as in 'pressed into service' (Press gangs were groups of sailors who would forcibly recruit people into naval service, using a sack and a club). I presume it's the former...
Stukov :
We've just received word from our
research team that they've
uncovered some kind of hidden
weapons relay upon the planet
Tarsonis. They report that it's
called a Psi Disrupter, and that its
purpose is somehow connected with
the Zerg.
Duran :
Admiral, during the Zerg invasion of
these colonies, the Confederacy had
manufactured a number of portable
machines called Psi Emitters which
had the uncanny ability to lure Zerg
to their signals. It was rumored
that they had created a specialized
emitter that could disrupt the
Zerg's communications, but Emperor
Mengsk was never able to find it.
It appears that this Psi Disrupter is
the machine he was looking for. I
must humbly suggest to you,
Admiral, that the Disrupter be
destroyed as quickly as possible. If it
should fall into the hands of the
Dominion we could face some very
serious problems.
Comment: The psi emitters return later in the campaign (Which I always thought was neat as plot devices go) so it makes sense to remind players of them here.
Duran certainly knows a lot about psi emitters and the disruptor, but it's feasible given his (alleged) status as an officer in the Confederacy. Why the disruptor was never actually used, I have no idea.
Meanwhile, based on what we know about Duran's secret long-term goals, it's unsurprising that he wants the device destroyed - he likely doesn't want anyone controlling the zerg other than Kerrigan since he knows how to manipulate her.
NOTE: The name of the device seems to change between 'Disrupter' and 'Disruptor'. I'm going with the latter even though the transcribed script does not.
DuGalle :
Hmm. A prudent call, Lieutenant. I
am inclined to agree.
Comment: Even if the UED acquire the Overmind, the threat of the Dominion being able to remove control of the zerg would be significant...
Stukov :
But Admiral, this device could insure
our victory over the Zerg! It is
foolhardy to discard such an
advantage!
Comment: ... While Stukov argues that in the hands of the UED it would be very useful indeed.
Duran :
Surely, Vice Admiral, you don't doubt
the tenacity of your own fleet?
Your Directorate forces will
devastate the Zerg without the
need for such a device.
Comment: Stukov's profile mentions him as being sceptical over the use of non-conventional means (i.e. the zerg), which is what we saw in his discussion with DuGalle in the introduction movie, so it's odd for him to be interested in using the Psi Disruptor and not agree with Duran about doubting the power of his forces.
Stukov :
Listen here, Lieutenant, I've had just
about enough of your-
DuGalle :
This conversation is over, Alexei.
Given the true nature of our
mission to enslave the Overmind, we
could hardly stand to have Mengsk
control a device of this magnitude.
This Psi Disrupter must be
destroyed in order to safeguard our
mission. Ensign, set your course for
Tarsonis.
Comment: It's not like it would be hard to capture the device instead of destroying it, but then the UED would have to divert resources to guarding it and draw up contingencies should Mengsk's forces somehow capture it.
This is the first instance of Stukov and DuGalle falling out and a hint of things to come. DuGalle has gone from distrusting Duran to fully taking on his advice, for fear of endangering his mission.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
DROPSHIP
Go ahead, HQ.
DUGALLE
Lieutenant Duran, since you have shown such
concern for this device's inherent danger, I charge you
with finding the Disrupter and securing it. We will commence
with its destruction once we've cleared the area.
ADJUTANT
Captain, our sensors are tracking Zerg signals in every
direction. It appears that our intelligence was correct.
DURAN
Admiral, if we focus on destroying all of the hives in this
area, we may able to neutralize these Zerg without
too much trouble.
NEW MISSION OBJECTIVES:
- Destroy Zerg hives to disable
Zerg broods
- Bring Duran to the Psi Disrupter after
Zerg hives are destroyed
- Duran must survive
*** Destroying the first Hive ***
DURAN
Just as I thought. This brood can't operate without
it's primary hive cluster.
Comment: Despite Tarsonis being invaded by billions of zerg, it appears there are no cerebrates there which matches up to the above. Kerrigan later has her base of operations on Tarsonis.
*** Destroying all Hives ***
DURAN
Captain, we've located the Psi Disrupter. Shall we plant the
explosives on it?
GHOST
Lieutenant Duran, we're here to relieve you. We've
come with orders from Admiral Stukov himself to facilitate
the Disrupter's disassembly.
DURAN
Very well. Take it away. Captain, I'll be returning to the
command ship presently.
Comment: Intrigue!
Given his pressing desire to have the disruptor destroyed completely, it's a little surprising that Duran isn't annoyed by the ghost's arrival. Perhaps he knows that it would be pressing his luck, or he suspects Stukov's forces will fully disassemble the device and leave it at that.
Mission End.
XT-04. "ASSAULT ON KORHAL"
UED Flagship Aleksander, low orbit over the
planet Korhal; Dominion throne-world
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy the enemy physics labs
-OR-
- Destroy the enemy nuclear silos
DuGalle :
Captain, once again your leadership
has set a fine example to the rest
of my officers. Vice Admiral Stukov
has informed me that the Psi
Disrupter has been accounted for,
so we can now proceed with the
next phase of our operation. The
time has come to begin our primary
invasion of the Dominion
Throne-world of Korhal. Alexei, fill
the Captain in on the current
situation.
Comment: DuGalle trusts Stukov that the disrupter has been disposed of.
'Throne-world' seems so pretentious, although it's not surprising that Mengsk has used his homeworld, since it was his original base of support and hasn't been touched by the current conflict. Yet.
Stukov :
As you may know from your
research, Captain, Korhal was a
hotbed of anti-Confederate
sentiment for years. The
Confederacy hoped to contain
Korhal's civil unrest by decimating it
and its population with a massive
nuclear barrage. Though the
radiation levels on the planet are at
an all time low, its surface is now
nothing more than a smoldering desert.
Duran :
The catch, Admiral, is that because
this world has already been
devastated by nuclear fire, Mengsk
has no compunction against using
Nukes on us. We have detected a
large cluster of missile silos on the
outskirts of Augustgrad. If those
silos were destroyed, we believe
that Mengsk would lose his core
nuclear capabilities.
Stukov :
We also face a different obstacle,
Captain. Intelligence has informed us
that Mengsk employs multiple
battlecruisers for his planetary
defense. It is possible to nulify
these battlecruisers by taking out
strategic physics labs. Without
these labs, Mengsk will be unable to
power-up his ships' weapons
systems.
DuGalle :
Though we know how to compensate
for Mengsk's defenses, we don't
have enough time to follow through
on them both. Therefore, Captain,
you must choose to either counter
his nuclear capabilities or his
battlecruisers. Once you've taken
care of this operation, we can begin
to plan our final assault against
Augustgrad.
Comment: Campaigns in Blizzard games are usually linear - there are no branching paths in the mission structure in WarCraft 1, WarCraft 2, StarCraft or (if memory serves) WarCraft 3. The later did at least have sub-quests that weren't necessary but would aid the player, while the player also effectively controlled the level advancement of the heroes.
It's easy to see why few RTS games have branching paths - most have a focus on a single narrative, which goes straight from beginning to end without needing to diverge. The ending is set up for continuation in the greater story or to what the designer's intended. I'm sure that most players only go through campaigns once anyway, while technically it means additional work for the developer, such as script, maps, testing, files and so on. Within the industry, where time is always a huge factor, features often don't survive during cutbacks if they're too much effort for too little payback.
That said, it's really a shame that most RTS games don't have major choices for the player - RPG-FPS games like Deus Ex have many branching areas and parts that players have to explore to find (Like a whole secret laboratory underneath Hell's Kitchen in New York city), while adventure games such as Fahrenheit and the recent Heavy Rain have choices that ripple throughout the game, even affecting which characters live and the ending.
For RTS games, Dark Omen is a good example that springs to mind, with some actual consequences for the player's actions. For example, at one point you are tasked to reinforce a tower from undead attack, while the Emperor asks you to escort his cousin, a countess, to a town that's on the way to it. You are attacked en-route by undead forces who are targeting the countess and afterwards you get the option to stay in the town to ensure protection for the royal lady. If you decline and move on to the tower, you get to defend it from the top of its hill, but the countess gets kidnapped and the Emperor is naturally annoyed. If you stay, you have to fight an additional battle, the Emperor is thankful for his cousin's protection, but the undead seize the tower and you have to reclaim it, fighting your way up the hill which is a considerable disadvantage.
Incidentally, the Emperor's attitude is only a few different lines of speech, while the countess gets kidnapped either way - protecting the town only delays it. This drives on the subsequent plot to rescue her from a vampire lord, but at least the player had to make a judgement and suffer the consequences. It's a case of being damned either way - the answers to hard choices aren't always clear, but that's exactly what real military officers and commanders frequently have to face.
So that's one way developers can design multiple paths through a campaign and maintain the story at the same time. It's effectively what Blizzard did here - you get to choose what to disable and thus what you get attacked by in the subsequent level, with the UED invasion of Korhal continuing.
Mission Start:
*** Destroying the Physics Labs ***
STUKOV
Superbly done, Captain. Mengsk's battlecruisers are
now effectively powerless. He won't be able to use
them against us when we assault his palace.
- OR -
*** Destroying the Nuclear Silos ***
STUKOV
Well done, Captain. We don't need to worry about
nukes when we siege Mengsk's palace.
Mission End.
XT-05a. "EMPEROR'S FALL (GROUND ZERO)"
UED command center, near the outskirts of
Augustgrad; capital city of Korhal
Comment: Ground zero being the term for the epicentre of an explosion, though it applies to the likes of disasters and epidemics too.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy Mengsk's Command Center
Adjutant :
Captain, Admiral DuGalle has ordered
a final tactical meeting before the
siege of Augustgrad commences. I'll
patch you through to his war room.
DuGalle :
Ah, Captain, we've been expecting
you. As you may have guessed, we
are coordinating our final attack
plans. You should know, that even
though Mengsk cannot reinforce his
numbers, his standing forces are
substantial. Augustgrad is easily the
most heavily fortified city in all of
Dominion space. And remember that
Mengsk is an accomplished tactician
so you had best be wary of any
counter attacks he may attempt.
Stukov :
Also, despite the fact that we have
crippled his fleet of battlecruisers,
we suspect that Mengsk will unload
his nuclear silos whenever the
opportunity presents itself. Keep
security tight at all of your bases,
and watch out for enemy Ghosts.
DuGalle :
That should cover it, Captain. Be
careful and good luck. By the day's
end, the Terran Dominion will be
nothing more than a bad memory.
Mission Start:
*** Destroy Mengsk's Command Center ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, I'm tracking the Dominion flagship, Norad III, in low orbit.
Emperor Mengsk may be attempting an escape. Recieving
incoming transmission.
MENGSK
This is Emperor Mengsk of the Terran Dominion. I wish to parlay
with your Executive Officer at once!
Comment: Oooh, Mengsk and DuGalle are going to have a battle of words! Get some popcorn, this is going to be good...
DUGALLE
So, the elusive Arcturus Mengsk at last. I was hoping to speak
with you before we finished our business here. I am Admiral Gerard
DuGalle, and I must commend you, Sir, for holding back our
advance for as long as you have. You are indeed a worthy
opponent.
Comment: DuGalle is certainly a gentleman. There are many instances of this throughout history, of enemy generals having a mutual respect for one another.
MENGSK
My thanks to you, Sir. But you must know that your victory here
means little to me. It might have taken me awhile, but I did over-
throw the Confederacy. I'll overthrow your rule as well.
Comment: Mengsk did in fact spend years taking down the Confederacy (with a little help from billions of zerg and the betrayal of his second-in-command...) but he did get there eventually - he taunts DuGalle that he can do it again.
DUGALLE
That seems unlikely, Sir, seeing as how you'll be publicly executed
along with the rest of your ranking officers.
Comment: This shows a lot about the UEDs ethics, simply put.
It's interesting, actually - I suppose it could be said that life is more important out in the Koprulu sector, there are far more threats that could wipe out all of the human worlds. Criminals are drugged and controlled to serve as marines, not executed. Meanwhile Earth is extremely overpopulated, hence the exile of the prisoners on their arks.
Or maybe not, perhaps DuGalle wants to just completely remove Mengsk from power by ending his life.
MENGSK
You wouldn't dare!
DUGALLE
Hah! The man who crowns himself 'Emperor' speaks to me of
daring? You have far outlived your reputation citizen Mengsk.
Captain, prepare to take the Emperor into custody.
Comment: As short as the conversation is, DuGalle quickly puts Mengsk down verbally.
RAYNOR
You'll have to postpone those plans, gentlemen.
ADJUTANT
Sir, the rebel command ship, Hyperion, has just entered our
sensor range. It is accompanied by a small Protoss fleet.
Comment: Raynor still has friends among the Protoss, or at least Fenix, hence he has support from them here. He wouldn't be able to pull it off without their technology, that's for sure. I wonder if Blizzard planned this back in the original campaign when the two became friends?
DUGALLE
What? Who are these intruders!
MENGSK
Jim Raynor... What the hell are you doing here?!
RAYNOR
I'm pullin' your ass out've the fire, Arcturus. So shut up and sit
tight. Make no mistake about it; we've got us a serious score to
settle, but right now a mutual acquaintance of ours wants you
alive. Prepare you ships for dimensional recall.
Comment: Naturally, Raynor is referring to Kerrigan. He knows the stakes are high, this is the man who ruined his life but he's letting it pass - for now. If the title of 'Wings of Liberty' is any indication for the first StarCraft campaign, he finally gets to do something about Mengsk's dominion.
DUGALLE
This is intolerable! They're escaping right out from under us! Track
them! Track them!
Mission End.
XT-05b. "EMPEROR'S FALL (BIRDS OF WAR)"
UED command center, near the outskirts of
Augustgrad; capital city of Korhal
Comment: That's almost a Star Trek reference there, Birds of Prey being a make of Romulan and Klingon vessels.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy Mengsk's Command Center
Adjutant :
Captain, Admiral DuGalle has ordered
a final tactical meeting before the
siege of Augustgrad commences. I'll
patch you through to his war room.
DuGalle :
Ah, Captain, we've been expecting
you. As you may have guessed, we
are coordinating our final attack
plans. You should know, that even
though Mengsk cannot reinforce his
numbers, his standing forces are
substantial. Augustgrad is easily the
most heavily fortified city in all of
Dominion space. And remember that
Mengsk is an accomplished tactician
so you had best be wary of any
counter attacks he may attempt.
Comment: Naturally, this level is almost identical to the last one in the main dialog, aside from the following. I'm going to leave the script in for reference, so feel free to skip down a few pages.
Stukov :
And, Captain, remember that
although we disables Mengsk's
nuclear capabilities, he still
commands a large number of
Battlecruisers. We suspect that he
will use these ships against us at
every turn. Be on your guard,
Captain. Show this 'Emperor' what
the UED thinks of his rule.
Mission Start:
*** Destroy Mengsk's Command Center ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, I'm tracking the Dominion flagship, Norad III, in low orbit.
Emperor Mengsk may be attempting an escape. Recieving
incoming transmission.
MENGSK
This is Emperor Mengsk of the Terran Dominion. I wish to parlay
with your Executive Officer at once!
DUGALLE
So, the elusive Arcturus Mengsk at last. I was hoping to speak
with you before we finished our business here. I am Admiral Gerard
DuGalle, and I must commend you, Sir, for holding back our
advance for as long as you have. You are indeed a worthy
opponent.
MENGSK
My thanks to you, Sir. But you must know that your victory here
means little to me. It might have taken me awhile, but I did over-
throw the Confederacy. I'll overthrow your rule as well.
DUGALLE
That seems unlikely, Sir, seeing as how you'll publicly executed
along with the rest of your ranking officers.
MENGSK
You wouldn't dare!
DUGALLE
Hah! The man who crowns himself 'Emperor' speaks to me of
daring? You have far outlived your reputation 'citizen' Mengsk.
Captain, prepare to take the Emperor into custody.
RAYNOR
You'll have to postpone those plans, gentlemen.
ADJUTANT
Sir, the rebel command ship, Hyperion, has just entered our
sensor range. It is accompanied by a small Protoss fleet.
DUGALLE
What? Who are these intruders!
MENGSK
Jim Raynor... What the hell are you doing here?!
RAYNOR
I'm pullin' your ass out've the fire, Arcturus. So shut up and sit
tight. Make no mistake about it; we've got us a serious score to
settle, but right now a mutual acquaintance of ours wants you
alive. Prepare you ships for dimensional recall.
DUGALLE
This is intolerable! They're escaping right out from under us! Track
them! Track them!
Mission End.
XT-06. "EMPEROR'S FLIGHT"
UED flagship, Aleksander, en route to the
planet Aiur
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy Raynor's command center
Adjutant :
Captain, we have tracked the
fugitives Mengsk and Raynor to the
devastated Protoss homeworld of
Aiur. Apparently, these two have
taken shelter within a fortified
Protoss encampment that lies at
the base of a fully functional warp
gate...
DuGalle :
I don't understand this. Why would
the Protoss harbor these men?
Comment: I suppose if there's one thing the UED don't know, it's that of Raynor's Raiders and their friendship with the Protoss. Perhaps they don't even know what exactly transpired on Aiur other than that the Overmind was destroyed.
Stukov :
I have no idea, Gerard, but the
Protoss aren't our only problem. Our
sensors have identified multiple
Zerg broods surrounding the
Protoss base. Presently, the broods
seem to be passive, but there's no
telling what might set them off.
Should the broods attack, we'd be
hard pressed to hold them at bay.
DuGalle :
I see. It is a risk we'll need to take.
Mengsk represents a considerable
threat to our agenda and must be
eliminated. Captain, you will focus
your attack against the rebel
command center in the middle of
the Protoss encampment. That
must be where Mengsk and Raynor
are hiding. We will deploy our own
Valkyrie frigates and tighten up our
air defenses. Vice Admiral Stukov
and Lieutenant Duran will provide
cover for your forces, and insure
that no external threats interfere
with your mission.
Comment: Mengsk is the figurehead of the Dominion, so with him still alive and active then it's likely the remaining Dominion forces will resist the UED. They need to remove him so they can focus on capturing the new Overmind and use it to defeat the Protoss.
I've also just realised that the levels in this campaign are following something I said in my original commentary in Rebel Yell - Terrans always end up fighting Terrans. We have more in-fighting here, with only a few levels in the campaign featuring the player fighting zerg and this one with the UED against the Protoss.
Mission Start:
*** A while after establishing a base ***
STUKOV
Captain, the warp gate at the center of the
Protoss encampment has been activated!
Our sensors show that the gate's energies
are inciting the Zerg to attack. Be prepared
for anything, Captain.
Comment: I like the slight tension this brings to the mission - who knows what could come out of the portal?
*** After destroying Raynor's Command Center ***
STUKOV
Good work, Captain. The command center is
destroyed, but it looks like Mengsk and Raynor
will try to escape through the warp gate. Make
ready to move in and intercept their vessel before...
Wait, I've just picked up multiple Zerg signals coming
in from the northeast. That's Duran's position, but he
seems to have moved his forces out of place!
Lieutenant Duran, this is Stukov! Come in! I'm tracking
a massive Zerg swarm in your quadrant! Respond, damnit!
DURAN
That is strange, Vice Admiral. My scanners don't
show any Zerg at all. Maybe you have a technical
problem with your equipment?
STUKOV
Lieutenant, if these Zerg get through, we'll never
be able to capture Mengsk! I'm giving you a direct
order to return to your position and reinforce my troops!
DURAN
Oh, I'm sorry sir, but it seems your signal's... fading
out. I couldn't... make out that last part. I'll try to...
reestablish contact later.
Comment: He's completely lying, but there's no easy way of proving it. Presuming that the radio technology used is similar to present times, but that's a simple convenience for the sake of the plot.
STUKOV
Duran! Captain, your position will be overrun
by superior Zerg numbers within fifteen minutes.
I suggest you retreat back to the fleet immediately.
Inform Admiral DuGalle that I have a personal matter
to take care of...
Comment: Stukov has realised that Duran is a traitor of some sort. He doesn't spare time to accuse him (he doesn't have much evidence) or explain things to DuGalle, he just knows that Duran is harming their plans.
Duran had an objective of destroying the Psi Disruptor and sabotaging their efforts to capture Mengsk. Why he didn't do so in the last level I don't know, unless he did interfere by letting Raynor know. That's rampant speculation, of course, and the sensible answer is likely that Blizzard are once more creating drama regardless.
Mission End.
XT-07. "PATRIOT'S BLOOD"
UED flagship, Aleksander, holding perimeter
orbit over the planet Braxis
Comment: "The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's Tree." - Thomas Campbell.
That's all I can find of the phrase. The title is good in being daunting, that the player is killing a war hero from their own faction.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Find and kill Admiral Stukov
- Duran must survive
Adjutant :
Admiral, the fugitive Mengsk and
Raynor escaped through the warp
gate due to the intervention of the
Zerg. But shortly before our forces
were overrun, Vice Admiral Stukov
took control of a large contingent of
troops and came here to the planet
Braxis.
Comment: Perhaps Stukov is paranoid that other officers may be traitors? This also explains the forces that you encounter in the mission.
DuGalle :
Why would he abandon the battle on
Aiur?
Why has he come back to Braxis?
Duran :
I mean no offense, Admiral. But
perhaps Stukov's loyalties are not as
strong as you once believed.
Comment: It's a fair comment, but Duran has effectively done a lot to instigate mistrust between the two UED leaders.
DuGalle :
Because you are young and foolish,
Lieutenant, I will pardon that insult.
Alexei and I have been friends since
long before you were born.
However, he must be found. If
Stukov is here, he will account for
his actions.
Comment: As it is, DuGalle trusts that Stukov had some reason for doing what he did, but he doesn't know why yet.
Adjutant :
Admiral, our sensors have detected
a fully functional Psi Disrupter on
the planet's surface directly below
our position. It would appear that
the Vice Admiral did not destroy
the Psi Disrupter on Tarsonis as
was ordered.
DuGalle :
What? Impossible!
Duran :
I warned you Admiral! Stukov
has betrayed you! He's reconstructed
the Psi Disrupter in order to
sabotage your mission in this sector!
DuGalle :
I can't believe it. Yet the evidence
is incontrovertible. Alexei, what have
you done?
Perhaps you've been right all along,
Lieutenant. On my authority, enter
the Psi Disrupter... and... deal with
the Vice Admiral appropriately...
Comment: DuGalle clearly can't believe it. Stukov has not carried out a direct order, but DuGalle assumes, on Duran's insistence, that it's sabotage and treachery.
Why Stukov couldn't just message the Admiral about it, I don't know, maybe he had to get the disruptor operational first or - again - it's for the sake of drama.
Duran :
Of course, Admiral.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
MARINE
Lieutenant, hang tight for a sec' while we clear the entrance
MARINE
They've locked the door. Set the bomb!
Comment: As installation levels go, this is a fun one, with plenty of awesome little effects (spider mines are used to create the bomb explosion) and things to kill and do.
*** After breaking through the entrance and killing the guards ***
ADJUTANT
Unauthorized entry detected.
MARINE
We're in. This room's clear!
MARINE
Medic!
*** Enter the lab near entrance ***
CIVILIAN
What's up?
MARINE
Where's Stukov?
CIVILIAN
Don't tell those traitors anything Harry!
MARINE
Wax'em boys!
CIVILIAN
Help!
*** Enter room near Goliath repair bay computer ***
CIVILIAN
I'm outta here!
*** Access Goliath repair bay computer ***
MARINE
Another computer. Says "Hit any key?"
Well... well... which ones the "any key"?
Comment: Badoom tisch. I think it's a computing joke, made famous by Homer Simpson (This is the only clip I can find of it - watch out for the music after the quote).
Or maybe human stupidity came up with it first.
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
ADJUTANT
Goliath repair bay located in sector 4.
MARINE
If we can get over there we might be able to hi-jack those Goliaths.
*** Encounter enemy Firebat ***
FIREBAT
Need a light?
*** Stupid Marine trying to access computer to locate Stukov ***
MARINE
Uh, how do you work this damn thing?
MARINE
Computer... Locate Admiral Stukov.
ADJUTANT
Access code denied.
MARINE
I hate computers.
*** Trying to acces security camera computer to locate Stukov ***
ADJUTANT
Access code denied.
CIVILIAN
Hey! Who's messing with the computers? Oh.
MARINE
Gimme the damn access codes before I blow an
aggression inhibitor!
CIVILIAN
I ain't tell'n you nothing!
CIVILIAN
Wait! I'll tell you. It's ... "Farnham."!
Comment: Diablo reference ahoy! As any Blizzard fan will tell you, Farnham is name of the the mad drunk in the village of Tristram.
ADJUTANT
Access code accepted.
MARINE
Thanks...
MARINE
Uh... oops... heh
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
ADJUTANT
Vice Admiral Stukov detected in Sector 8.
*** Enter Goliath repair bay ***
MARINE
Hey boys we could sure use those Goliaths.
Get over there and commandeer them.
*** Encounter a civilian & SCV in the repair bay ***
MARINE
Hey you! Get over here with that SCV and
repair our Goliaths.
CIVILIAN
Don't shoot! I'll do it!
*** Encounter enemy Firebat ***
FIREBAT
Fire it up.
*** Trying to enter Sector 8 without Duran ***
MARINE
We'll need Duran to open this door.
*** Succesfully enter Sector 8 with Duran ***
DURAN
Vice Admiral Stukov, I am here under orders to terminate your
command.
STUKOV
Lieutenant Duran. I'm not surprised. We both know exactly what it
is that you're here to terminate. Get on with it.
DURAN
Say goodnight, Stukov.
STUKOV
To hell with y- !
DUGALLE
Lieutenant Duran, report your situation immediately!
STUKOV
Gerard... old friend. You do indeed have a traitor in your midst... but it's
not me. Duran. He has been playing us both from the start... He
convinced you to destroy the Psi Disrupter... even though it was our best
chance at defeating the Zerg. And then, on Aiur, ...he allowed the Zerg
to overrun us even as we had the fugitives in our grasp. I came here...
to activate the one hope we have of defeating them... And you killed me
for it. Heh, heh... Duran is your enemy Gerard. I suspect... that he may
even be infested as well... Use the Disrupter, Gerard... Finish our
operation... Let my death have at least some meaning.
Comment: It's a long death speech but it's necessary to drive home the tragedy of what's happened.
There's the obvious plot hole that Terran medics can regenerate damage to a human body, but, hey, drama. Or maybe it's a fatal wound and there's just no time.
Without Mengsk captured, the UED could not subdue the Dominion so easily.
Without the Psi Disruptor, the UED would possibly struggle to defeat the zerg and capture the Overmind.
Both are the critical objectives for the UED expeditionary force and Duran almost caused both to happen. Mengsk has been deposed but is still free, while the disruptor was almost destroyed (and will again be threatened with destruction in several moments).
DUGALLE
Alexei! No! What have I done? What have I done? Computer,
where the hell is Lieutenant Duran?
ADJUTANT
The Lieutenant no longer registers on my sensors, Admiral. He
appears to have vanished.
DUGALLE
No.
*** A moment later ***
ADJUTANT
Self destruct sequence initiated.
ADJUTANT
Sir, the Disrupter's power core has jus been set to overload. In
order to prevent meltdown, you will need to reach the manual
override terminal and shut the reactor core down.
Comment: This reminds me of the Soviet nuclear reactor level in the original Command and Conquer: Red Alert, where the player has to prevent the meltdown of the facility.
DUGALLE
It must have been Duran. You men served the Vice Admiral loyally.
I ask that you continue to serve his memory by keeping this
Disrupter in one piece! Now get going and find that override
terminal!
NEW MISSION OBJECTIVE:
- Get to the override terminal before time runs out.
*** Access computer to locate override terminal ***
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
Override Terminal Located in sector 12.
*** At the start on the way to the override terminal ***
ADJUTANT
Outer installation walls have been breached. Tracking multiple
Zerg signals throughout the Psi Disrupter's interior.
Comment: A leaving present from Duran, signalling his connection to the zerg.
MARINE
What the hell? How did Zerg get in here? Captain we may have
a huge infestation problem.
DUGALLE
This proves that Duran's working with the Zerg! Captain, don't let
a single Zerg stand in your way. We need this Disrupter now more
than ever!
*** Access security camera computer showing numerous Zerglings ***
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
MARINES
Oh man! How the hell are we going to get by all them zerglings?
*** Encounter friendly Medics ***
MEDIC
Prepped and ready.
*** Encounter trapped Ultralisks ***
MARINE
Heh, check that out. They're trapped.
*** Entering room with Ultralisks ***
MARINE
Damn, door's locked.
MARINE
Lookout!
*** Entering room with defensive turrets ***
MARINE
Sir, it looks like this corridor has been lined with defensive
autoguns. If we can lure the Zerg in here, they'll be cut to
shreds!
*** After killing numerous Zerglings with the turrets ***
MARINE
hehe... I love the smell of toasted zerglin's in the morning.
*** Encounter Zerg swarm ***
MARINE
We gotta move.
*** Enter room with torn bodies ***
MARINE
Ugh, oh man... poor Johnny.
Comment: 'Johnny?! Johnny! JOOOOOOOOOOOOHNY!' - I'm reminded of Principle Seymour's flashback in the Simpsons (WHICH I CAN'T FIND IN ENGLISH ANYWHERE), but I'm sure that is in turn based on a cliche from Vietnam and other war movies. It seems that whenever soldiers were killed off, they had the common name of Johnny I guess.
*** Encounter another Zerg swarm ***
MARINE
Medic!
*** Reach the Override Terminal ***
ADJUTANT
Reactor Core shutdown sequence initiated.
DUGALLE
Good work, Captain. I want this Psi Disrupter kept on full power
around the clock. I'll leave a garrison here to protect it as well.
Prepare the fleet to move out. We are going to the planet Char
to claim that cursed Overmind!
And may heaven help Duran for what he has done this day.
Comment: DuGalle has at least accepted the truth and is doing his best to make up for his mistake.
Mission End.
XT-08. "TO CHAIN THE BEAST"
UED flagship, Aleksander, low orbit over the
planet Char
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Bring a medic to each of the
beacons surrounding the Overmind
- Kill Zerg cerebrates to weaken
the Overmind's defenses
Adjutant :
Captain, with the Psi Disrupter's
signal hampering the Zergs'
communications to one another, the
Swarms over Char have scattered
in disarray, allowing the fleet to
penetrate to the planet's surface.
However, there is still a
considerable number of defenders
nestled around the fledgling
Overmind.
DuGalle :
Alexei was right. The Disrupter is
the key to victory here. If I had
destroyed the machine as Duran
suggested we would never have
made it this far... Nevertheless, the
time is upon us, Captain, to do what
we came here for. We will claim
the Overmind in the name of
Humanity!
Adjutant :
Be advised, Captain: our sensors
have identified three cerebrates
who constitute the core of the
Overmind's defenses. Each
cerebrate's distinct capabilities are
still unknown, so proceed with
extreme caution.
DuGalle :
Launch your forces and let not a
Zerg survive! Once you have
reached the Overmind and crushed
its defenders, you are to send in
specially trained medics who will
pacify the creature with potent
Neurostim drugs. Only then will our
victory be assured.
And Captain, remember that Duran
is still out there somewhere. I'd
venture a guess that his treachery
has only just begun. Be careful and
good luck. I am sure that this will be
our finest hour.
Comment: I'm sure Winston Churchill wasn't the only leader to use "finest hour" as a phrase, but his speech where he says it was certainly the most memorable instance.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
MARINE
Sir, these sunken colonies aren't being effected by
anything we hit 'em with. I'll bet there's one of those
cerebrate critters pumpin' 'em full of energy nearby.
*** Torrasque the powerful Ultralisk arise (and when reincarnated) ***
(Tortured roar!)
*** Kill Torrasque the first time ***
MARINE
Sir, we've just had a whole cargo-ship full of whoop-ass
dumped on us! We ran into a new strain of ultralisk and it
took a lot o' pepper to bring it down. To top it all off, our
recon squad reports that the critter's been reincarnated
by nearby cerebrate and is on its way back for more!
*** Kill the Cerebrate who control the sunken colonies (red) ***
Comment: This is a great way of mixing things up a bit, giving significant threats to the player and forcing them to adapt.
MARINE
Sir, this cerebrate's been whacked! We shouldn't have
anymore trouble with those sunken colonies!
*** Kill the Cerebrate who control Torrasque (brown) ***
MARINE
Sir, we've eighty-sixed this cerebrate! We shouldn't run
up against any smacked-up ultralisks anytime soon!
*** Reach the perimeter around the Overmind ***
GHOST
Captain, we've reached the perimeter of the Overmind's
nesting area. We can launch the Med Team at any time, Sir.
*** Bring 4 Medics to the beacons surrounding the Overmind ***
GHOST
Captain, the medics are in place and are administering
the Neurostim treatments to the Overmind.
*** A moment later ***
DURAN
Uh, excuse me Admiral. But I'd like to introduce someone to
you...
DUGALLE
Duran? You son of a bitch, what's the meaning of this?
KERRIGAN
Admiral DuGalle. I've heard a lot about you.
DUGALLE
Who the... What the hell are you?
Comment: While Duran seems to be infested on the inside alone, Kerrigan is thoroughly mutated and changed, so it's no surprise that DuGalle is aghast. I'm surprised DuGalle hasn't heard of her, given the UED's intelligence on Mengsk and the zerg.
KERRIGAN
I am Kerrigan. The Zerg you've killed here and the Overmind
which you've come to collect... are mine. As is our mutual
friend Lieutenant Duran. You seem Admiral... there are a number
of groups on this sector who feel that your involvement here
causes certain complications. My associates and I intend to
make sure that your reign is short lived.
DUGALLE
You may find that difficult, you abomination, seeing as how I
possess the means to disrupt your control of the Zerg.
KERRIGAN
Ah, you're reffering to your vaunted Psi Disrupter. It won't last
you forever, Admiral. Sooner or later, I'll destroy it. Then I'll
show you what the Zerg are really capable of.
Oh, and by the way, Admiral: Your friend Stukov was twice
the man you are. I'm glad you saved me the trouble of having
to kill him...
Comment: And so the campaign ends, setting up the zerg campaign, which focuses on Kerrigan's attempts to take down the UED - and pretty much everyone else.
The Psi Disruptor does cause Kerrigan major problems when it's directed on Tarsonis, so she is 'talking tough' to DuGalle, but it does seem inevitable that consistent attacks will eventually destroy it.
As for her comment on Stukov, I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe it's a reference to Stukov's daring ability to go against his superior in setting up the Psi Disruptor.
Stukov does later reappear in the StarCraft universe in the form of Resurrection IV.
Apparently the level is canon so we'll likely see references to it in StarCraft 2 at some point.
Mission End.
Comment: The following UED victory cinematic is an awesome reference to Starship Troopers, full of bravado and lies (Apparently Stukov was killed in the final assault on the Overmind). The UED now control the Overmind and are partly on their way to completing their mission, but as Kerrigan has said, there are numerous factions (Herself, Raynor, Mengsk and some of the Protoss) who are rallying against them
The scene is set for Kerrigan's ascension.
---
Index:
Prologue
XT-01. First Strike
XT-02. The Dylarian Shipyards
XT-03. Ruins of Tarsonis
XT-04. Assault on Korhal
XT-05a. Emperor's Fall (Ground Zero)
XT-05b. Emperor's Fall (Birds of War)
XT-06. Emperor's Flight
XT-07. Patriot's Blood
XT-08. To Chain the Beast
****
Comment: The term iron fist is comparable to that of a knight's gauntlet and it has long been a term for dictatorship and of the use of force. So I suspect it originated in medieval times, though I've also heard that the phrase originates from The Lord of the Rings ("We will drive the machine of war with the sword and the spear and the iron fist of the orc."). It's a neat way of summarising the UEDs approach to the conflict in the Koprulu sector - they use direct military force with little compassion. Other than hiring Duran (Which ultimately is a bad move anyway), they do not use diplomacy in any form.
The UED is very similar to the Federation in Starship Troopers, or to give its full name, the "United Citizen Federation". What parallels are there?
Just look at the symbols for a start:
UCF:
UED:
Both have facist policies - the UCF execute criminals and allow corporal punishment, the UED is happy to publically execute Mengsk. Both have aggressive, pro-war attitude towards alien species and both use excessive amounts of propaganda to promote their values and to recruit people. There may be more parallels as I must confess I'm one of the majority who enjoyed the first movie but I've not read any of the books.
It's clear that Blizzard set up the UED with inspiration from the Federation, least of all to simply add more conflict to the StarCraft universe. It would, needless to say, be boring if the UED arrived and weren't antagonistic. The UED is the big bad invader that causes the other factions to band together, however briefly. In my loose theory that the Koprulu sector is akin to colonial America, the UED can be seen as European invaders, particularly the British Empire who sent their own 'expeditionary force' in the American Revolution, just like how the UED sends their own to claim the Terran worlds. I suppose it also helps that DuGalle and Stukov have French and Russian personalities.
The United Powers League were the imposing government of Earth, as detailed in the original StarCraft manual. It's worth noting that the UPL had facist tenets, like the Federation, long before the events in Brood War - creating a world-wide police state, banning religion, forcing English as the sole language and so on.
Even the original Terran colonists in the Koprulu sector were prisoners who were launched into space by the UPL to 'clean' Earth's gene-pool in a horrific form of eugenics (Wikipedia link). This is something that Adolf Hitler and other dictators have taken to the natural extreme - people dubbed as genetically poor or unworthy would be exterminated. While the UED observed their fellow humans, it was once they discovered aliens that everything changed. They reorganised themselves as the United Earth Directorate, with a more aggressive, military approach.
Maybe Blizzard set them up to be similar to the Federation right from the start, or maybe in the original SC manual they were simply a horrific world government (Like in many sci-fi stories, ala Brave New World or 1984) and by the time of Brood War they adapted them so.
Now the UED has sent an expeditionary fleet to claim the entire sector, to take control of the Dominion and to use the zerg to pacify the Protoss. Naturally the campaign title matches this approach.
The introduction movie fleshes out the main UED figures - Gerard DuGalle and Alexei Stukov. I commented on the Brood War introduction early in this series, but now seems like the best time to study the characters properly.
DuGalle is likely named after one of the most important French men of recent history, Charles de Gaulle.
He fought in World War 1, then during the second World War lead one "one of the few successful armoured counter-attacks during the 1940 Fall of France" and at the end of the war he became a major French politician. There's even an airport named after him.
Meanwhile the StarCraft Wikia suggests a different source:
"Gerard DuGalle shares similarities with Gerard Duval, a French soldier in the World War I novel All Quiet on the Western Front. The death by Luger pistol may be a reference to his death by the German soldier Paul Bäumer. Duval left behind a letter to his wife and family before he was killed."
I really don't know which it could be - it could be one and the other happens to be a coincidence, or perhaps Blizzard decided on a Frenchman, then did some research before settling on the name by deriving from both. The surname 'DuGalle' itself is probably descended from Gaul, the Roman word for the inhabitants of ancient France and Belgium. Incidentally, there are several theories for the etmology of 'France', the most pleasant being that the name of the Franks means 'free men'.
It's also worth noting that there is likely inspiration from one of the most famous French leaders of all time, Napolean Bonaparte.
Then we have Stukov. He is also likely named after a famous soldier, Georgy Zhukov, who is one of the most commemorated Russian soldiers of recent times. He "played an important role in leading the Red Army through much of Eastern Europe to liberate the Soviet Union and other nations from the Axis Powers' occupation and conquer Germany's capital, Berlin. He is the most decorated general in the history of both Russia and the Soviet Union."
So if both DuGalle and Stukov are named after military leaders of France and Russia during WW2, countries that fought against the tyranny of Nazi Germany, then it seems somewhat ironic that they're actually leaders in the facist UED.
The uniforms of DuGalle and Stukov are interesting too.
My Russian friend Rommel says that Stukov's uniform is similar to Russian ones in the early 20th century, before the formation of the Soviet Union, particularly Aleksandr Kolchak:
Meanwhile, the lower part is apparently similar to certain cossack uniforms and was worn by high-ranking officers of Tsar-era Russia.
Compare with the uniforms in Starship Troopers:
The intelligence officers of which were inspired by SS officers in Nazi Germany:
Anyway, let's move on to the campaign itself.
---
PROLOGUE :
Since the conflict began in the Koprulu
sector, the ruling council of the United Earth
Directorate has closely monitored its wayward
Terran colonies. Having witnessed the steady
advancement of the Zerg infestation and the
maneuverings of the Protoss throughout the
Colonies, the ruling council has finally agreed
to take control over the war-torn sector.
Learning that a new Zerg Overmind has
manifested itself upon the planet Char, the
UED has sent its greatest Admiral, Gerard
DuGalle, to capture the creature. As Captain
of the UED fleet under DuGalle, your objective
will be to storm the Terran Dominion and
depose of its dictator, Emperor Mengsk I.
Comment: The usual set up for a campaign, but we get to learn all of the facts about the UED's intentions right from the start. They effectively want to take over the sector and wipe out or control all of the factions there. Judging by the subsequent events, it is within their power, but it doesn't last.
This time the player character is a captain, which (by usual military ranking) is higher than the lieutenant position they held in the other Terran campaigns (Both 'Rebel Yell' and the demo campaign 'Loomings').
XT-01. "FIRST STRIKE"
UED Flagship Aleksander, High Orbit over the
planet Braxis; Outlying Dominion stronghold
Comment: I've heard several theories over the name 'Alexsander'. Originally I assumed it was a reference to Alexander the Great, one of the most famous military conquerers of all time, possibly a demonstration of the UED's arrogance in their military strength, however I no longer believe this is the case.
Rommel suggests that it is most likely a nod to the Russian version of the name, as the language doesn't have the letter 'X'. As mentioned earlier, there's the pre-Soviet Union military figure Aleksandr Kolchak. There are also the Tsars (Monarchs) Alexander II and Alexander III. The first was killed in a terrorist attack (Perhaps a similarity to Duran assassinating Stukov) and the second was a long-ruling figure in Russia.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy the enemy command
center
Adjutant :
Adjutant online. Good morning,
Captain. Our long voyage from Earth
is over, and we are holding a
stationary position near the borders
of Dominion space. I trust that the
effects from your long cold sleep
have worn off by now. If not, the
Med Officer can provide you with
additional CryoStim supplements.
Admial DuGalle has issued a
proclamation to the entire fleet via
transmat. I'll patch it through to you
now.
Comment: Many player's notice that the UED share the same technology as their Koprulu fellows, from the adjutant advisor (seen here) to the units in battle. There have been theories that the UED subtly released tech to the Confederacy, or stole it from the sector themselves, but ultimately it's just for convenience - Blizzard weren't willing to remake an entire race for the sake of it and you can hardly blame them, given the work that would have been involved for little payback.
(Incidentally, I did once read in an interview that Blizzard focussed on adding new units to enhance the current races as that's apparently what players wanted - they would have gone with a new race if people wanted it. Where are these polls anyway?)
It is a shame and hopefully with easier 3D technology, similar things won't happen in the future with StarCraft 2 - in fact, WarCraft 3 had a few examples of modified races, like the Fel orcs and the Naga.
DuGalle :
Attention! Defenders of the United
Earth Directorate, this is Admiral
DuGalle. You were all briefed before
we left Earth, so you know that we
have come here to conquer this
sector in the name of Humanity.
Should any of you have second
thoughts about performing your
assigned duties, be reminded that if
we fail in our mission here, not one
of us will be going home. We stand
or fall together in this forsaken
wasteland!
Serve the Directorate. Serve
Humanity. All other priorities are
secondary to victory! DuGalle out.
Comment: This is a quick way of introducing DuGalle in the context of the campaign and showing what's happening.
I suppose the player gets to feel like a regular, run-of-the-mill soldier for the time being (Something I miss in some games - like the original TIE Fighter where the player is just a regular pilot for a long time), as from the next mission onwards they're on direct briefing terms with DuGalle and Stukov.
While you'd expect any decent leader to make a speech at the beginning of a major military campaign, there's definitely a hint of the UED's attitude and even propaganda here. There's the half-true threat that everyone will die if they don't perform their duties, while "Serve the Directorate. Serve Humanity. All other priorities are secondary to victory!" is almost like a motto to drill into people's heads. They are soldiers anyway, I suppose...
Adjutant :
Transmat completed. Receiving
incoming transmission:
Stukov :
Good morning, Captain. I am Vice
Admiral Stukov, tactical advisor to
Admiral DuGalle. I see you've already
reviewed his proclamation. I'm sure
it doesn't cover anything you
weren't already familiar with. Once
you get to know the Admiral, I'm
sure you'll find that he's actually
quite personable.
At any rate, Captain, I do have
orders for you. As we are about to
begin our invasion of the Dominion,
we will need access to their
primary datanet and weapons
diagnostics. To this end, you are to
assault the outlying planet of Braxis,
and take control of its capital city
of Boralis. You are to deploy your
forces within two standard hours.
The Admiral expects perfect
results, Captain. Stukov out.
Comment: I'm not sure if it's ever shown when exactly this level takes place - it could be before or after the previous Protoss level where Artanis and co. break through the UED barracade.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
MARINE
Ah, crap! This landing site doesn't have any gas!
Guess we better start looking for another geyser.
Comment: In the mission this is a way of subtly 'coercing' the player to explore (They need gas to build a decent army - though I bet someone has attempted to do the mission otherwise) and bump into meeting Duran.
*** Meeting with Duran ***
DURAN
Captain, I am Lieutenant Samir Duran of the Confederate
Resistance Forces. I've been monitoring your attack against the
Dominion, and I'd like to offer you my services and skills in return
for amnesty.
Comment: Duran is immediately up-front and straight forward about who he is and what he wants, oddly enough from what we later see of him.
STUKOV
Intriguing. Lieutenant, you have absolutely no ideas as to who we
are or what we have come here to do. Why do you wish to side
with us?
Comment: It's almost as if Duran already knows! In fact, anyone who has played the campaign knows that he does. I'm unsure whether Duran really founded his resistance group for a period of time before this event, for all we know they could be mercenaries (Like those we see in Dark Origin) who he hired to 'play the part'.
DURAN
Because my men and I have sworn to fight against the Dominion
and its Emperor. Seeing as how your forces have been laying
into this Dominion base, I figured we were on the same side.
STUKOV
I see. How exactly do you propose to be of service to us,
Lieutenant?
DURAN
Well, I possess intimate knowledge of the surrounding area. I can
show you an alternate route that leads to the rear of the main
Dominion base.
Comment: It seems a bit much that Duran expected this if he really is conspiring to infiltrate the UED - being on the right planet at the right time, knowing that this base would be targeted, but it's simple enough to pretend that he did have the skill to do so, at least for the convenience of the plot.
STUKOV
Very well, Lieutenant. Consider yourself and your men the first
colonial conscripts of the United Earth Directorate. Captain, see
that the Lieutenant is given our full cooperation. We shall see if
he's worth the effort.
Comment: 'Conscripts' suggests they're forced into work, as opposed to being free agents, but perhaps that's how the UED operate.
The UED aren't at least completely absolute in their judgements, they're willing to hire the local population to defeat the Dominion if they're available, or perhaps, again, it's for the sake of the plot.
ADDITIONAL MISSION OBJECTIVE:
Duran must survive.
*** Destroy the enemy Command Center ***
DURAN
Mission successful, Admiral.
STUKOV
Excellent, Lieutenant. This planet's primary defenses are now
crippled. Our Tac Teams can now begin to decode the
Dominion's security datalink.
Mission End.
---
XT-02. "THE DYLARIAN SHIPYARDS"
UED Flagship Aleksander, holding perimeter
orbit over the Dylarian Shipyards, outlying
Dominion trade center
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Steal battlecruisers
- Defeat the Dominion strike force
Adjutant :
Receiving incoming transmission.
DuGalle :
Captain, Vice Admiral Stukov has
informed me of your flawless sortie
upon Braxis. I must commend you
for beginning our campaign with
such a decisive victory. Our Tac
Teams have decrypted the
Dominion's datalink and have gained
access to Mengsk's most guarded
files. However, our work is not yet
complete.
We have ascertained the location of
the Dylarian shipyards. These
shipyards, serving as a fueling and
repair station for the Dominion,
house a number of functional
Battlecruisers in dry-dock. To
assure that our domination of this
sector remains uncontested, you are
to assault the shipyards and liberate
as many of these capital ships as
possible.
Comment: I suppose the last mission was a good way of the player proving themselves to DuGalle. Besides being a neat mission, I suppose this shows that the UED are ready to bulk up their forces by stealing from the Dominion.
Duran :
Gentlemen, I recommend that you
launch this attack using the utmost
caution. Dominion Command can
typically reinforce its outlying bases
within sixteen standard hours. You
should expect some sort of reprisal
from Emperor Mengsk shortly.
DuGalle :
Ah, the turncoat. I suggest that you
pay keen attention to rank when
you address the Captain and myself,
Lieutenant Duran. Is that
understood?
Comment: I think Gunnery Sergeant Hartman put it best in regards to the subject of military formality:
"From now on you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and the last word out of your filthy sewers will be "Sir". Do you maggots understand that?"
Duran :
Of course, Admiral.
Stukov :
Heh heh. You're beginning to show
your age, Gerard. Give the boy
some credit. He just tipped us off
to a preeminent attack.
DuGalle :
However useful he may prove to be,
Alexei, he will always be a traitor in
my eyes. And you know that I
cannot abide a traitor.
Comment: Betrayal is certainly one of the themes in Brood War and DuGalle is quick to show his hatred for all traitors.
I'm reminded of a quote from the rebel leader Miguel in one of my favourite games, Jagged Alliance 2. He dislikes one of the hireable characters as they once worked for the game's antagonist, Queen Deidranna, and Miguel says something like "I do not like Iggy. I feel that a traitor can never be trusted."
It's a simple point - once someone has betrayed, they can't go back. Not only will their original source of loyalty presumably hate them but their new one should, with good reason, be suspicious of them. It's the fact that they can consider betraying someone and then actually do it, so they're surely capable of doing it again.
Stukov :
Only too well, Gerard. Captain, when
you are ready, you may commence
with the operation. Once you have
commandeered the enemy's
battlecruisers, be prepared to repel
the Dominion reinforcements when
they arrive.
Comment: 'Only tool well, Gerard.' - I imagine the UED executes traitors or anyone who won't carry out their orders.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
STUKOV
Once your forces have landed, Captain, you'll need to escort our
pilots to the battlecruisers themselves. They will be able to
commandeer the ships and turn them over to our control.
*** After the first squad landed ***
MEDIC
All right, troops, listen up! Each squad will have a Medic assigned
to it to patch up the wounded. But that doesn't mean you can get
careless! Stay frosty and get the job done!
Comment: Introduction of the new medic unit.
*** After the third squad landed ***
GHOST
Sir, the nuke silos are secured. We've got four nukes on
standby, awaiting your orders.
*** After the forth (last) squad landed ***
MARINE
Heads up, we got company!
SIEGE TANK
We gotta shake this lockdown pronto!
Medic! Restore us!
*** Finished acquiring Battlecruisers from all docks ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, we are tracking a large fleet of Dominion ships
in your vicinity.
DUGALLE
Ahh, this must be the reinforcements that Lieutenant
Duran warned us about. Captain, prepare our newly
acquired fleet to battle the intruders!
*** Finished preparing the Battleruisers (or just 50 seconds later...) ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, we are being hailed by the Dominion flagship,
Norad III.
Comment: So our old pal Duke is back again, with another build of Norad. It's also the actual flagship of the Dominion now, so it must be the best they have available.
DUKE
Well, now. I don't know which militia you are all from,
but I advise ya' to back down... NOW! I'm General
Edmund Duke of the Dominion armada. And in the
name of Emperor Mengsk, I order you to surrender your
forces immediately and unconditionally.
Comment: It's almost comical. Duke naturally expects the perpetrators to be local militia cheekily stealing ships, not a highly-organised, professional military from Earth.
STUKOV
Ah, General Duke. I expected your forces to arrive sooner.
You should know that we represent not one of your rag-tag
peasant Militias, but the combined might of the United Earth
Directorate.
DUKE
Earth Directorate? You mean to tell me you've come all
the way out here from Earth?
Comment: He can't believe it, and who can blame him? It took a very long time (even with the sci-fi technology of the StarCraft universe) for the UED forces to arrive and after all that they're purely intent on conquering the sector. Maybe, like arguably how any right-wing dictatorship clamps down on dissent, the UED are paranoid of an alien threat to Earth.
STUKOV
That is correct, General. We're here to take control over
this sector and its occupants for the betterment of mankind.
DUKE
Over my dead body. I don't care where yer' from, son.
No one pushes around the Terran Dominion on my watch!
All units, fire at will!
Comment: Duke is on his usual aggressive and reckless behaviour (Like attacking the Protoss forces on Char in the original Protoss campaign) and it's another notch on his series of defeats. Blizzard could have used a Battlecruiser portrait as a generic character here, but at least this way the player gets some payback on Duke after the events of Rebel Yell.
Mission End.
XT-03. "RUINS OF TARSONIS"
UED Flagship Aleksander, low orbit over the
planet Tarsonis; former capitol world of the
Terran Confederacy
Comment: The last time we heard of Tarsonis, it was invaded by billions of zerg (courtesy of Mengsk) and the Confederacy was destroyed. The Protoss engaged the zerg in direct combat, but later withdrew. The world was at least spared from being burnt like Chau and Mar Sara.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Bring Duran to the Psi Disrupter
- Duran must survive
Adjutant :
Captain, the Dominion shipyards have
been destroyed, and it seems that
General Duke has withdrawn his
forces from this quadrant. We have
impressed most of the remaining
Dylarian defense forces into the
fleet and stand ready to move to
the next phase of our invasion.
Comment: I'm not sure whether that's "impressed" in the sense of the Dylarians being awestruck by the UED or as in 'pressed into service' (Press gangs were groups of sailors who would forcibly recruit people into naval service, using a sack and a club). I presume it's the former...
Stukov :
We've just received word from our
research team that they've
uncovered some kind of hidden
weapons relay upon the planet
Tarsonis. They report that it's
called a Psi Disrupter, and that its
purpose is somehow connected with
the Zerg.
Duran :
Admiral, during the Zerg invasion of
these colonies, the Confederacy had
manufactured a number of portable
machines called Psi Emitters which
had the uncanny ability to lure Zerg
to their signals. It was rumored
that they had created a specialized
emitter that could disrupt the
Zerg's communications, but Emperor
Mengsk was never able to find it.
It appears that this Psi Disrupter is
the machine he was looking for. I
must humbly suggest to you,
Admiral, that the Disrupter be
destroyed as quickly as possible. If it
should fall into the hands of the
Dominion we could face some very
serious problems.
Comment: The psi emitters return later in the campaign (Which I always thought was neat as plot devices go) so it makes sense to remind players of them here.
Duran certainly knows a lot about psi emitters and the disruptor, but it's feasible given his (alleged) status as an officer in the Confederacy. Why the disruptor was never actually used, I have no idea.
Meanwhile, based on what we know about Duran's secret long-term goals, it's unsurprising that he wants the device destroyed - he likely doesn't want anyone controlling the zerg other than Kerrigan since he knows how to manipulate her.
NOTE: The name of the device seems to change between 'Disrupter' and 'Disruptor'. I'm going with the latter even though the transcribed script does not.
DuGalle :
Hmm. A prudent call, Lieutenant. I
am inclined to agree.
Comment: Even if the UED acquire the Overmind, the threat of the Dominion being able to remove control of the zerg would be significant...
Stukov :
But Admiral, this device could insure
our victory over the Zerg! It is
foolhardy to discard such an
advantage!
Comment: ... While Stukov argues that in the hands of the UED it would be very useful indeed.
Duran :
Surely, Vice Admiral, you don't doubt
the tenacity of your own fleet?
Your Directorate forces will
devastate the Zerg without the
need for such a device.
Comment: Stukov's profile mentions him as being sceptical over the use of non-conventional means (i.e. the zerg), which is what we saw in his discussion with DuGalle in the introduction movie, so it's odd for him to be interested in using the Psi Disruptor and not agree with Duran about doubting the power of his forces.
Stukov :
Listen here, Lieutenant, I've had just
about enough of your-
DuGalle :
This conversation is over, Alexei.
Given the true nature of our
mission to enslave the Overmind, we
could hardly stand to have Mengsk
control a device of this magnitude.
This Psi Disrupter must be
destroyed in order to safeguard our
mission. Ensign, set your course for
Tarsonis.
Comment: It's not like it would be hard to capture the device instead of destroying it, but then the UED would have to divert resources to guarding it and draw up contingencies should Mengsk's forces somehow capture it.
This is the first instance of Stukov and DuGalle falling out and a hint of things to come. DuGalle has gone from distrusting Duran to fully taking on his advice, for fear of endangering his mission.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
DROPSHIP
Go ahead, HQ.
DUGALLE
Lieutenant Duran, since you have shown such
concern for this device's inherent danger, I charge you
with finding the Disrupter and securing it. We will commence
with its destruction once we've cleared the area.
ADJUTANT
Captain, our sensors are tracking Zerg signals in every
direction. It appears that our intelligence was correct.
DURAN
Admiral, if we focus on destroying all of the hives in this
area, we may able to neutralize these Zerg without
too much trouble.
NEW MISSION OBJECTIVES:
- Destroy Zerg hives to disable
Zerg broods
- Bring Duran to the Psi Disrupter after
Zerg hives are destroyed
- Duran must survive
*** Destroying the first Hive ***
DURAN
Just as I thought. This brood can't operate without
it's primary hive cluster.
Comment: Despite Tarsonis being invaded by billions of zerg, it appears there are no cerebrates there which matches up to the above. Kerrigan later has her base of operations on Tarsonis.
*** Destroying all Hives ***
DURAN
Captain, we've located the Psi Disrupter. Shall we plant the
explosives on it?
GHOST
Lieutenant Duran, we're here to relieve you. We've
come with orders from Admiral Stukov himself to facilitate
the Disrupter's disassembly.
DURAN
Very well. Take it away. Captain, I'll be returning to the
command ship presently.
Comment: Intrigue!
Given his pressing desire to have the disruptor destroyed completely, it's a little surprising that Duran isn't annoyed by the ghost's arrival. Perhaps he knows that it would be pressing his luck, or he suspects Stukov's forces will fully disassemble the device and leave it at that.
Mission End.
XT-04. "ASSAULT ON KORHAL"
UED Flagship Aleksander, low orbit over the
planet Korhal; Dominion throne-world
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy the enemy physics labs
-OR-
- Destroy the enemy nuclear silos
DuGalle :
Captain, once again your leadership
has set a fine example to the rest
of my officers. Vice Admiral Stukov
has informed me that the Psi
Disrupter has been accounted for,
so we can now proceed with the
next phase of our operation. The
time has come to begin our primary
invasion of the Dominion
Throne-world of Korhal. Alexei, fill
the Captain in on the current
situation.
Comment: DuGalle trusts Stukov that the disrupter has been disposed of.
'Throne-world' seems so pretentious, although it's not surprising that Mengsk has used his homeworld, since it was his original base of support and hasn't been touched by the current conflict. Yet.
Stukov :
As you may know from your
research, Captain, Korhal was a
hotbed of anti-Confederate
sentiment for years. The
Confederacy hoped to contain
Korhal's civil unrest by decimating it
and its population with a massive
nuclear barrage. Though the
radiation levels on the planet are at
an all time low, its surface is now
nothing more than a smoldering desert.
Duran :
The catch, Admiral, is that because
this world has already been
devastated by nuclear fire, Mengsk
has no compunction against using
Nukes on us. We have detected a
large cluster of missile silos on the
outskirts of Augustgrad. If those
silos were destroyed, we believe
that Mengsk would lose his core
nuclear capabilities.
Stukov :
We also face a different obstacle,
Captain. Intelligence has informed us
that Mengsk employs multiple
battlecruisers for his planetary
defense. It is possible to nulify
these battlecruisers by taking out
strategic physics labs. Without
these labs, Mengsk will be unable to
power-up his ships' weapons
systems.
DuGalle :
Though we know how to compensate
for Mengsk's defenses, we don't
have enough time to follow through
on them both. Therefore, Captain,
you must choose to either counter
his nuclear capabilities or his
battlecruisers. Once you've taken
care of this operation, we can begin
to plan our final assault against
Augustgrad.
Comment: Campaigns in Blizzard games are usually linear - there are no branching paths in the mission structure in WarCraft 1, WarCraft 2, StarCraft or (if memory serves) WarCraft 3. The later did at least have sub-quests that weren't necessary but would aid the player, while the player also effectively controlled the level advancement of the heroes.
It's easy to see why few RTS games have branching paths - most have a focus on a single narrative, which goes straight from beginning to end without needing to diverge. The ending is set up for continuation in the greater story or to what the designer's intended. I'm sure that most players only go through campaigns once anyway, while technically it means additional work for the developer, such as script, maps, testing, files and so on. Within the industry, where time is always a huge factor, features often don't survive during cutbacks if they're too much effort for too little payback.
That said, it's really a shame that most RTS games don't have major choices for the player - RPG-FPS games like Deus Ex have many branching areas and parts that players have to explore to find (Like a whole secret laboratory underneath Hell's Kitchen in New York city), while adventure games such as Fahrenheit and the recent Heavy Rain have choices that ripple throughout the game, even affecting which characters live and the ending.
For RTS games, Dark Omen is a good example that springs to mind, with some actual consequences for the player's actions. For example, at one point you are tasked to reinforce a tower from undead attack, while the Emperor asks you to escort his cousin, a countess, to a town that's on the way to it. You are attacked en-route by undead forces who are targeting the countess and afterwards you get the option to stay in the town to ensure protection for the royal lady. If you decline and move on to the tower, you get to defend it from the top of its hill, but the countess gets kidnapped and the Emperor is naturally annoyed. If you stay, you have to fight an additional battle, the Emperor is thankful for his cousin's protection, but the undead seize the tower and you have to reclaim it, fighting your way up the hill which is a considerable disadvantage.
Incidentally, the Emperor's attitude is only a few different lines of speech, while the countess gets kidnapped either way - protecting the town only delays it. This drives on the subsequent plot to rescue her from a vampire lord, but at least the player had to make a judgement and suffer the consequences. It's a case of being damned either way - the answers to hard choices aren't always clear, but that's exactly what real military officers and commanders frequently have to face.
So that's one way developers can design multiple paths through a campaign and maintain the story at the same time. It's effectively what Blizzard did here - you get to choose what to disable and thus what you get attacked by in the subsequent level, with the UED invasion of Korhal continuing.
Mission Start:
*** Destroying the Physics Labs ***
STUKOV
Superbly done, Captain. Mengsk's battlecruisers are
now effectively powerless. He won't be able to use
them against us when we assault his palace.
- OR -
*** Destroying the Nuclear Silos ***
STUKOV
Well done, Captain. We don't need to worry about
nukes when we siege Mengsk's palace.
Mission End.
XT-05a. "EMPEROR'S FALL (GROUND ZERO)"
UED command center, near the outskirts of
Augustgrad; capital city of Korhal
Comment: Ground zero being the term for the epicentre of an explosion, though it applies to the likes of disasters and epidemics too.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy Mengsk's Command Center
Adjutant :
Captain, Admiral DuGalle has ordered
a final tactical meeting before the
siege of Augustgrad commences. I'll
patch you through to his war room.
DuGalle :
Ah, Captain, we've been expecting
you. As you may have guessed, we
are coordinating our final attack
plans. You should know, that even
though Mengsk cannot reinforce his
numbers, his standing forces are
substantial. Augustgrad is easily the
most heavily fortified city in all of
Dominion space. And remember that
Mengsk is an accomplished tactician
so you had best be wary of any
counter attacks he may attempt.
Stukov :
Also, despite the fact that we have
crippled his fleet of battlecruisers,
we suspect that Mengsk will unload
his nuclear silos whenever the
opportunity presents itself. Keep
security tight at all of your bases,
and watch out for enemy Ghosts.
DuGalle :
That should cover it, Captain. Be
careful and good luck. By the day's
end, the Terran Dominion will be
nothing more than a bad memory.
Mission Start:
*** Destroy Mengsk's Command Center ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, I'm tracking the Dominion flagship, Norad III, in low orbit.
Emperor Mengsk may be attempting an escape. Recieving
incoming transmission.
MENGSK
This is Emperor Mengsk of the Terran Dominion. I wish to parlay
with your Executive Officer at once!
Comment: Oooh, Mengsk and DuGalle are going to have a battle of words! Get some popcorn, this is going to be good...
DUGALLE
So, the elusive Arcturus Mengsk at last. I was hoping to speak
with you before we finished our business here. I am Admiral Gerard
DuGalle, and I must commend you, Sir, for holding back our
advance for as long as you have. You are indeed a worthy
opponent.
Comment: DuGalle is certainly a gentleman. There are many instances of this throughout history, of enemy generals having a mutual respect for one another.
MENGSK
My thanks to you, Sir. But you must know that your victory here
means little to me. It might have taken me awhile, but I did over-
throw the Confederacy. I'll overthrow your rule as well.
Comment: Mengsk did in fact spend years taking down the Confederacy (with a little help from billions of zerg and the betrayal of his second-in-command...) but he did get there eventually - he taunts DuGalle that he can do it again.
DUGALLE
That seems unlikely, Sir, seeing as how you'll be publicly executed
along with the rest of your ranking officers.
Comment: This shows a lot about the UEDs ethics, simply put.
It's interesting, actually - I suppose it could be said that life is more important out in the Koprulu sector, there are far more threats that could wipe out all of the human worlds. Criminals are drugged and controlled to serve as marines, not executed. Meanwhile Earth is extremely overpopulated, hence the exile of the prisoners on their arks.
Or maybe not, perhaps DuGalle wants to just completely remove Mengsk from power by ending his life.
MENGSK
You wouldn't dare!
DUGALLE
Hah! The man who crowns himself 'Emperor' speaks to me of
daring? You have far outlived your reputation citizen Mengsk.
Captain, prepare to take the Emperor into custody.
Comment: As short as the conversation is, DuGalle quickly puts Mengsk down verbally.
RAYNOR
You'll have to postpone those plans, gentlemen.
ADJUTANT
Sir, the rebel command ship, Hyperion, has just entered our
sensor range. It is accompanied by a small Protoss fleet.
Comment: Raynor still has friends among the Protoss, or at least Fenix, hence he has support from them here. He wouldn't be able to pull it off without their technology, that's for sure. I wonder if Blizzard planned this back in the original campaign when the two became friends?
DUGALLE
What? Who are these intruders!
MENGSK
Jim Raynor... What the hell are you doing here?!
RAYNOR
I'm pullin' your ass out've the fire, Arcturus. So shut up and sit
tight. Make no mistake about it; we've got us a serious score to
settle, but right now a mutual acquaintance of ours wants you
alive. Prepare you ships for dimensional recall.
Comment: Naturally, Raynor is referring to Kerrigan. He knows the stakes are high, this is the man who ruined his life but he's letting it pass - for now. If the title of 'Wings of Liberty' is any indication for the first StarCraft campaign, he finally gets to do something about Mengsk's dominion.
DUGALLE
This is intolerable! They're escaping right out from under us! Track
them! Track them!
Mission End.
XT-05b. "EMPEROR'S FALL (BIRDS OF WAR)"
UED command center, near the outskirts of
Augustgrad; capital city of Korhal
Comment: That's almost a Star Trek reference there, Birds of Prey being a make of Romulan and Klingon vessels.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy Mengsk's Command Center
Adjutant :
Captain, Admiral DuGalle has ordered
a final tactical meeting before the
siege of Augustgrad commences. I'll
patch you through to his war room.
DuGalle :
Ah, Captain, we've been expecting
you. As you may have guessed, we
are coordinating our final attack
plans. You should know, that even
though Mengsk cannot reinforce his
numbers, his standing forces are
substantial. Augustgrad is easily the
most heavily fortified city in all of
Dominion space. And remember that
Mengsk is an accomplished tactician
so you had best be wary of any
counter attacks he may attempt.
Comment: Naturally, this level is almost identical to the last one in the main dialog, aside from the following. I'm going to leave the script in for reference, so feel free to skip down a few pages.
Stukov :
And, Captain, remember that
although we disables Mengsk's
nuclear capabilities, he still
commands a large number of
Battlecruisers. We suspect that he
will use these ships against us at
every turn. Be on your guard,
Captain. Show this 'Emperor' what
the UED thinks of his rule.
Mission Start:
*** Destroy Mengsk's Command Center ***
ADJUTANT
Captain, I'm tracking the Dominion flagship, Norad III, in low orbit.
Emperor Mengsk may be attempting an escape. Recieving
incoming transmission.
MENGSK
This is Emperor Mengsk of the Terran Dominion. I wish to parlay
with your Executive Officer at once!
DUGALLE
So, the elusive Arcturus Mengsk at last. I was hoping to speak
with you before we finished our business here. I am Admiral Gerard
DuGalle, and I must commend you, Sir, for holding back our
advance for as long as you have. You are indeed a worthy
opponent.
MENGSK
My thanks to you, Sir. But you must know that your victory here
means little to me. It might have taken me awhile, but I did over-
throw the Confederacy. I'll overthrow your rule as well.
DUGALLE
That seems unlikely, Sir, seeing as how you'll publicly executed
along with the rest of your ranking officers.
MENGSK
You wouldn't dare!
DUGALLE
Hah! The man who crowns himself 'Emperor' speaks to me of
daring? You have far outlived your reputation 'citizen' Mengsk.
Captain, prepare to take the Emperor into custody.
RAYNOR
You'll have to postpone those plans, gentlemen.
ADJUTANT
Sir, the rebel command ship, Hyperion, has just entered our
sensor range. It is accompanied by a small Protoss fleet.
DUGALLE
What? Who are these intruders!
MENGSK
Jim Raynor... What the hell are you doing here?!
RAYNOR
I'm pullin' your ass out've the fire, Arcturus. So shut up and sit
tight. Make no mistake about it; we've got us a serious score to
settle, but right now a mutual acquaintance of ours wants you
alive. Prepare you ships for dimensional recall.
DUGALLE
This is intolerable! They're escaping right out from under us! Track
them! Track them!
Mission End.
XT-06. "EMPEROR'S FLIGHT"
UED flagship, Aleksander, en route to the
planet Aiur
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Destroy Raynor's command center
Adjutant :
Captain, we have tracked the
fugitives Mengsk and Raynor to the
devastated Protoss homeworld of
Aiur. Apparently, these two have
taken shelter within a fortified
Protoss encampment that lies at
the base of a fully functional warp
gate...
DuGalle :
I don't understand this. Why would
the Protoss harbor these men?
Comment: I suppose if there's one thing the UED don't know, it's that of Raynor's Raiders and their friendship with the Protoss. Perhaps they don't even know what exactly transpired on Aiur other than that the Overmind was destroyed.
Stukov :
I have no idea, Gerard, but the
Protoss aren't our only problem. Our
sensors have identified multiple
Zerg broods surrounding the
Protoss base. Presently, the broods
seem to be passive, but there's no
telling what might set them off.
Should the broods attack, we'd be
hard pressed to hold them at bay.
DuGalle :
I see. It is a risk we'll need to take.
Mengsk represents a considerable
threat to our agenda and must be
eliminated. Captain, you will focus
your attack against the rebel
command center in the middle of
the Protoss encampment. That
must be where Mengsk and Raynor
are hiding. We will deploy our own
Valkyrie frigates and tighten up our
air defenses. Vice Admiral Stukov
and Lieutenant Duran will provide
cover for your forces, and insure
that no external threats interfere
with your mission.
Comment: Mengsk is the figurehead of the Dominion, so with him still alive and active then it's likely the remaining Dominion forces will resist the UED. They need to remove him so they can focus on capturing the new Overmind and use it to defeat the Protoss.
I've also just realised that the levels in this campaign are following something I said in my original commentary in Rebel Yell - Terrans always end up fighting Terrans. We have more in-fighting here, with only a few levels in the campaign featuring the player fighting zerg and this one with the UED against the Protoss.
Mission Start:
*** A while after establishing a base ***
STUKOV
Captain, the warp gate at the center of the
Protoss encampment has been activated!
Our sensors show that the gate's energies
are inciting the Zerg to attack. Be prepared
for anything, Captain.
Comment: I like the slight tension this brings to the mission - who knows what could come out of the portal?
*** After destroying Raynor's Command Center ***
STUKOV
Good work, Captain. The command center is
destroyed, but it looks like Mengsk and Raynor
will try to escape through the warp gate. Make
ready to move in and intercept their vessel before...
Wait, I've just picked up multiple Zerg signals coming
in from the northeast. That's Duran's position, but he
seems to have moved his forces out of place!
Lieutenant Duran, this is Stukov! Come in! I'm tracking
a massive Zerg swarm in your quadrant! Respond, damnit!
DURAN
That is strange, Vice Admiral. My scanners don't
show any Zerg at all. Maybe you have a technical
problem with your equipment?
STUKOV
Lieutenant, if these Zerg get through, we'll never
be able to capture Mengsk! I'm giving you a direct
order to return to your position and reinforce my troops!
DURAN
Oh, I'm sorry sir, but it seems your signal's... fading
out. I couldn't... make out that last part. I'll try to...
reestablish contact later.
Comment: He's completely lying, but there's no easy way of proving it. Presuming that the radio technology used is similar to present times, but that's a simple convenience for the sake of the plot.
STUKOV
Duran! Captain, your position will be overrun
by superior Zerg numbers within fifteen minutes.
I suggest you retreat back to the fleet immediately.
Inform Admiral DuGalle that I have a personal matter
to take care of...
Comment: Stukov has realised that Duran is a traitor of some sort. He doesn't spare time to accuse him (he doesn't have much evidence) or explain things to DuGalle, he just knows that Duran is harming their plans.
Duran had an objective of destroying the Psi Disruptor and sabotaging their efforts to capture Mengsk. Why he didn't do so in the last level I don't know, unless he did interfere by letting Raynor know. That's rampant speculation, of course, and the sensible answer is likely that Blizzard are once more creating drama regardless.
Mission End.
XT-07. "PATRIOT'S BLOOD"
UED flagship, Aleksander, holding perimeter
orbit over the planet Braxis
Comment: "The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's Tree." - Thomas Campbell.
That's all I can find of the phrase. The title is good in being daunting, that the player is killing a war hero from their own faction.
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Find and kill Admiral Stukov
- Duran must survive
Adjutant :
Admiral, the fugitive Mengsk and
Raynor escaped through the warp
gate due to the intervention of the
Zerg. But shortly before our forces
were overrun, Vice Admiral Stukov
took control of a large contingent of
troops and came here to the planet
Braxis.
Comment: Perhaps Stukov is paranoid that other officers may be traitors? This also explains the forces that you encounter in the mission.
DuGalle :
Why would he abandon the battle on
Aiur?
Why has he come back to Braxis?
Duran :
I mean no offense, Admiral. But
perhaps Stukov's loyalties are not as
strong as you once believed.
Comment: It's a fair comment, but Duran has effectively done a lot to instigate mistrust between the two UED leaders.
DuGalle :
Because you are young and foolish,
Lieutenant, I will pardon that insult.
Alexei and I have been friends since
long before you were born.
However, he must be found. If
Stukov is here, he will account for
his actions.
Comment: As it is, DuGalle trusts that Stukov had some reason for doing what he did, but he doesn't know why yet.
Adjutant :
Admiral, our sensors have detected
a fully functional Psi Disrupter on
the planet's surface directly below
our position. It would appear that
the Vice Admiral did not destroy
the Psi Disrupter on Tarsonis as
was ordered.
DuGalle :
What? Impossible!
Duran :
I warned you Admiral! Stukov
has betrayed you! He's reconstructed
the Psi Disrupter in order to
sabotage your mission in this sector!
DuGalle :
I can't believe it. Yet the evidence
is incontrovertible. Alexei, what have
you done?
Perhaps you've been right all along,
Lieutenant. On my authority, enter
the Psi Disrupter... and... deal with
the Vice Admiral appropriately...
Comment: DuGalle clearly can't believe it. Stukov has not carried out a direct order, but DuGalle assumes, on Duran's insistence, that it's sabotage and treachery.
Why Stukov couldn't just message the Admiral about it, I don't know, maybe he had to get the disruptor operational first or - again - it's for the sake of drama.
Duran :
Of course, Admiral.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
MARINE
Lieutenant, hang tight for a sec' while we clear the entrance
MARINE
They've locked the door. Set the bomb!
Comment: As installation levels go, this is a fun one, with plenty of awesome little effects (spider mines are used to create the bomb explosion) and things to kill and do.
*** After breaking through the entrance and killing the guards ***
ADJUTANT
Unauthorized entry detected.
MARINE
We're in. This room's clear!
MARINE
Medic!
*** Enter the lab near entrance ***
CIVILIAN
What's up?
MARINE
Where's Stukov?
CIVILIAN
Don't tell those traitors anything Harry!
MARINE
Wax'em boys!
CIVILIAN
Help!
*** Enter room near Goliath repair bay computer ***
CIVILIAN
I'm outta here!
*** Access Goliath repair bay computer ***
MARINE
Another computer. Says "Hit any key?"
Well... well... which ones the "any key"?
Comment: Badoom tisch. I think it's a computing joke, made famous by Homer Simpson (This is the only clip I can find of it - watch out for the music after the quote).
Or maybe human stupidity came up with it first.
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
ADJUTANT
Goliath repair bay located in sector 4.
MARINE
If we can get over there we might be able to hi-jack those Goliaths.
*** Encounter enemy Firebat ***
FIREBAT
Need a light?
*** Stupid Marine trying to access computer to locate Stukov ***
MARINE
Uh, how do you work this damn thing?
MARINE
Computer... Locate Admiral Stukov.
ADJUTANT
Access code denied.
MARINE
I hate computers.
*** Trying to acces security camera computer to locate Stukov ***
ADJUTANT
Access code denied.
CIVILIAN
Hey! Who's messing with the computers? Oh.
MARINE
Gimme the damn access codes before I blow an
aggression inhibitor!
CIVILIAN
I ain't tell'n you nothing!
CIVILIAN
Wait! I'll tell you. It's ... "Farnham."!
Comment: Diablo reference ahoy! As any Blizzard fan will tell you, Farnham is name of the the mad drunk in the village of Tristram.
ADJUTANT
Access code accepted.
MARINE
Thanks...
MARINE
Uh... oops... heh
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
ADJUTANT
Vice Admiral Stukov detected in Sector 8.
*** Enter Goliath repair bay ***
MARINE
Hey boys we could sure use those Goliaths.
Get over there and commandeer them.
*** Encounter a civilian & SCV in the repair bay ***
MARINE
Hey you! Get over here with that SCV and
repair our Goliaths.
CIVILIAN
Don't shoot! I'll do it!
*** Encounter enemy Firebat ***
FIREBAT
Fire it up.
*** Trying to enter Sector 8 without Duran ***
MARINE
We'll need Duran to open this door.
*** Succesfully enter Sector 8 with Duran ***
DURAN
Vice Admiral Stukov, I am here under orders to terminate your
command.
STUKOV
Lieutenant Duran. I'm not surprised. We both know exactly what it
is that you're here to terminate. Get on with it.
DURAN
Say goodnight, Stukov.
STUKOV
To hell with y-
DUGALLE
Lieutenant Duran, report your situation immediately!
STUKOV
Gerard... old friend. You do indeed have a traitor in your midst... but it's
not me. Duran. He has been playing us both from the start... He
convinced you to destroy the Psi Disrupter... even though it was our best
chance at defeating the Zerg. And then, on Aiur, ...he allowed the Zerg
to overrun us even as we had the fugitives in our grasp. I came here...
to activate the one hope we have of defeating them... And you killed me
for it. Heh, heh... Duran is your enemy Gerard. I suspect... that he may
even be infested as well... Use the Disrupter, Gerard... Finish our
operation... Let my death have at least some meaning.
Comment: It's a long death speech but it's necessary to drive home the tragedy of what's happened.
There's the obvious plot hole that Terran medics can regenerate damage to a human body, but, hey, drama. Or maybe it's a fatal wound and there's just no time.
Without Mengsk captured, the UED could not subdue the Dominion so easily.
Without the Psi Disruptor, the UED would possibly struggle to defeat the zerg and capture the Overmind.
Both are the critical objectives for the UED expeditionary force and Duran almost caused both to happen. Mengsk has been deposed but is still free, while the disruptor was almost destroyed (and will again be threatened with destruction in several moments).
DUGALLE
Alexei! No! What have I done? What have I done? Computer,
where the hell is Lieutenant Duran?
ADJUTANT
The Lieutenant no longer registers on my sensors, Admiral. He
appears to have vanished.
DUGALLE
No.
*** A moment later ***
ADJUTANT
Self destruct sequence initiated.
ADJUTANT
Sir, the Disrupter's power core has jus been set to overload. In
order to prevent meltdown, you will need to reach the manual
override terminal and shut the reactor core down.
Comment: This reminds me of the Soviet nuclear reactor level in the original Command and Conquer: Red Alert, where the player has to prevent the meltdown of the facility.
DUGALLE
It must have been Duran. You men served the Vice Admiral loyally.
I ask that you continue to serve his memory by keeping this
Disrupter in one piece! Now get going and find that override
terminal!
NEW MISSION OBJECTIVE:
- Get to the override terminal before time runs out.
*** Access computer to locate override terminal ***
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
Override Terminal Located in sector 12.
*** At the start on the way to the override terminal ***
ADJUTANT
Outer installation walls have been breached. Tracking multiple
Zerg signals throughout the Psi Disrupter's interior.
Comment: A leaving present from Duran, signalling his connection to the zerg.
MARINE
What the hell? How did Zerg get in here? Captain we may have
a huge infestation problem.
DUGALLE
This proves that Duran's working with the Zerg! Captain, don't let
a single Zerg stand in your way. We need this Disrupter now more
than ever!
*** Access security camera computer showing numerous Zerglings ***
ADJUTANT
Security cameras activated.
MARINES
Oh man! How the hell are we going to get by all them zerglings?
*** Encounter friendly Medics ***
MEDIC
Prepped and ready.
*** Encounter trapped Ultralisks ***
MARINE
Heh, check that out. They're trapped.
*** Entering room with Ultralisks ***
MARINE
Damn, door's locked.
MARINE
Lookout!
*** Entering room with defensive turrets ***
MARINE
Sir, it looks like this corridor has been lined with defensive
autoguns. If we can lure the Zerg in here, they'll be cut to
shreds!
*** After killing numerous Zerglings with the turrets ***
MARINE
hehe... I love the smell of toasted zerglin's in the morning.
*** Encounter Zerg swarm ***
MARINE
We gotta move.
*** Enter room with torn bodies ***
MARINE
Ugh, oh man... poor Johnny.
Comment: 'Johnny?! Johnny! JOOOOOOOOOOOOHNY!' - I'm reminded of Principle Seymour's flashback in the Simpsons (WHICH I CAN'T FIND IN ENGLISH ANYWHERE), but I'm sure that is in turn based on a cliche from Vietnam and other war movies. It seems that whenever soldiers were killed off, they had the common name of Johnny I guess.
*** Encounter another Zerg swarm ***
MARINE
Medic!
*** Reach the Override Terminal ***
ADJUTANT
Reactor Core shutdown sequence initiated.
DUGALLE
Good work, Captain. I want this Psi Disrupter kept on full power
around the clock. I'll leave a garrison here to protect it as well.
Prepare the fleet to move out. We are going to the planet Char
to claim that cursed Overmind!
And may heaven help Duran for what he has done this day.
Comment: DuGalle has at least accepted the truth and is doing his best to make up for his mistake.
Mission End.
XT-08. "TO CHAIN THE BEAST"
UED flagship, Aleksander, low orbit over the
planet Char
Mission Briefing
Objectives :
- Bring a medic to each of the
beacons surrounding the Overmind
- Kill Zerg cerebrates to weaken
the Overmind's defenses
Adjutant :
Captain, with the Psi Disrupter's
signal hampering the Zergs'
communications to one another, the
Swarms over Char have scattered
in disarray, allowing the fleet to
penetrate to the planet's surface.
However, there is still a
considerable number of defenders
nestled around the fledgling
Overmind.
DuGalle :
Alexei was right. The Disrupter is
the key to victory here. If I had
destroyed the machine as Duran
suggested we would never have
made it this far... Nevertheless, the
time is upon us, Captain, to do what
we came here for. We will claim
the Overmind in the name of
Humanity!
Adjutant :
Be advised, Captain: our sensors
have identified three cerebrates
who constitute the core of the
Overmind's defenses. Each
cerebrate's distinct capabilities are
still unknown, so proceed with
extreme caution.
DuGalle :
Launch your forces and let not a
Zerg survive! Once you have
reached the Overmind and crushed
its defenders, you are to send in
specially trained medics who will
pacify the creature with potent
Neurostim drugs. Only then will our
victory be assured.
And Captain, remember that Duran
is still out there somewhere. I'd
venture a guess that his treachery
has only just begun. Be careful and
good luck. I am sure that this will be
our finest hour.
Comment: I'm sure Winston Churchill wasn't the only leader to use "finest hour" as a phrase, but his speech where he says it was certainly the most memorable instance.
Mission Start:
*** Beginning of the mission ***
MARINE
Sir, these sunken colonies aren't being effected by
anything we hit 'em with. I'll bet there's one of those
cerebrate critters pumpin' 'em full of energy nearby.
*** Torrasque the powerful Ultralisk arise (and when reincarnated) ***
(Tortured roar!)
*** Kill Torrasque the first time ***
MARINE
Sir, we've just had a whole cargo-ship full of whoop-ass
dumped on us! We ran into a new strain of ultralisk and it
took a lot o' pepper to bring it down. To top it all off, our
recon squad reports that the critter's been reincarnated
by nearby cerebrate and is on its way back for more!
*** Kill the Cerebrate who control the sunken colonies (red) ***
Comment: This is a great way of mixing things up a bit, giving significant threats to the player and forcing them to adapt.
MARINE
Sir, this cerebrate's been whacked! We shouldn't have
anymore trouble with those sunken colonies!
*** Kill the Cerebrate who control Torrasque (brown) ***
MARINE
Sir, we've eighty-sixed this cerebrate! We shouldn't run
up against any smacked-up ultralisks anytime soon!
*** Reach the perimeter around the Overmind ***
GHOST
Captain, we've reached the perimeter of the Overmind's
nesting area. We can launch the Med Team at any time, Sir.
*** Bring 4 Medics to the beacons surrounding the Overmind ***
GHOST
Captain, the medics are in place and are administering
the Neurostim treatments to the Overmind.
*** A moment later ***
DURAN
Uh, excuse me Admiral. But I'd like to introduce someone to
you...
DUGALLE
Duran? You son of a bitch, what's the meaning of this?
KERRIGAN
Admiral DuGalle. I've heard a lot about you.
DUGALLE
Who the... What the hell are you?
Comment: While Duran seems to be infested on the inside alone, Kerrigan is thoroughly mutated and changed, so it's no surprise that DuGalle is aghast. I'm surprised DuGalle hasn't heard of her, given the UED's intelligence on Mengsk and the zerg.
KERRIGAN
I am Kerrigan. The Zerg you've killed here and the Overmind
which you've come to collect... are mine. As is our mutual
friend Lieutenant Duran. You seem Admiral... there are a number
of groups on this sector who feel that your involvement here
causes certain complications. My associates and I intend to
make sure that your reign is short lived.
DUGALLE
You may find that difficult, you abomination, seeing as how I
possess the means to disrupt your control of the Zerg.
KERRIGAN
Ah, you're reffering to your vaunted Psi Disrupter. It won't last
you forever, Admiral. Sooner or later, I'll destroy it. Then I'll
show you what the Zerg are really capable of.
Oh, and by the way, Admiral: Your friend Stukov was twice
the man you are. I'm glad you saved me the trouble of having
to kill him...
Comment: And so the campaign ends, setting up the zerg campaign, which focuses on Kerrigan's attempts to take down the UED - and pretty much everyone else.
The Psi Disruptor does cause Kerrigan major problems when it's directed on Tarsonis, so she is 'talking tough' to DuGalle, but it does seem inevitable that consistent attacks will eventually destroy it.
As for her comment on Stukov, I'm not sure what to make of it. Maybe it's a reference to Stukov's daring ability to go against his superior in setting up the Psi Disruptor.
Stukov does later reappear in the StarCraft universe in the form of Resurrection IV.
Apparently the level is canon so we'll likely see references to it in StarCraft 2 at some point.
Mission End.
Comment: The following UED victory cinematic is an awesome reference to Starship Troopers, full of bravado and lies (Apparently Stukov was killed in the final assault on the Overmind). The UED now control the Overmind and are partly on their way to completing their mission, but as Kerrigan has said, there are numerous factions (Herself, Raynor, Mengsk and some of the Protoss) who are rallying against them
The scene is set for Kerrigan's ascension.
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