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Buildings in StarCraft serve several purposes. Most of them are used to produce units, others to research upgrades, or to provide static defences. Most importantly, they allow you to climb up the technology tree, allowing the construction of more buildings and units.

Here is a list of Terran buildings. Terran building can be built anywhere on the map unlike the Zerg and Protoss who's buildings are limited to certain spaces, and some Terran buildings can even lift off and fly.

Note: Cost will be referred to as X/Y. X is the amount of minerals needed, while Y is the amount of gas.

Command Center[edit]

Terran Command Center
Starcraft Terran Command Center.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 400/0
Time to build 75
Hotkey BC
Unit builds
  • SCV
Available Tech
Stats info
Hit Points 1500
Armor 1

The Command Center (CC) is the Terran's primary building. It produces the worker SCVs, and is where gathered resources are dropped off. The Command Center also has the ability to lift off and move to a new location. This is useful in that you can build a Command Center for a nearby expansion somewhere safe in your main base, and then fly it to its new location (however you'll leave any extensions you've built behind). Two add-ons can be built: the Comsat Station and the Nuclear Silo. In addition, Command Centers give +10 supply.

Abilities:

Name Description Energy Range Hotkey
Lift off The building can lift off from the ground into the air. When airborne, buildings are able to move and land somewhere else but cannot produce units or research upgrades and cannot carry add-ons with them. None Anywhere L

Comsat Station[edit]

Terran Comsat Station
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 50/50
Time to build 25
Hotkey C
Requirements
Stats info
Hit Points 500
Armor 1

The Comsat Station (Scanner) is an add-on for the Command Center. It can only be constructed once the Academy has been built. When it has enough energy, you can use the Comsat Station's Scanner Sweep ability to reveal any portion of the map and all units (including cloaked and burrowed ones) for a short time (~15 seconds). This is the perfect recon tool, since it's the only detector that cannot be detected itself. Comsats can be "hotkeyed" so a cloaked unit can be revealed in the heat of battle and killed before causing too much trouble.

Abilities:

Name Description Energy Range Hotkey
Scanner Sweep Reveals an area of a targeted section of a map for a short time. It also functions as detection. 50 Anywhere C

Nuclear Silo[edit]

Terran Nuclear Silo
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 100/100
Time to build 50
Hotkey N
Unit builds
  • Nuke
Requirements
Stats info
Hit Points 600
Armor 1

The Nuclear Silo is the other add-on for the Command Center. Nukes are built here so that Ghosts can fire them. It comes at a fair high cost of 200 minerals and vespene gas each and also takes up 8 supply. Only one nuclear missile can be ready at a time, so being able to fire off multiple nukes requires multiple Command Centers to be built. To use the nuke, you'll need a Ghost to target the Nuke's landing spot. Nukes are of only limited use: if the Ghost targeting the Nuke dies before it has found its target, there is no effect and you don't get your Nuke back.

Choosing one of the two add-ons will mean that the other cannot be built unless if the Command Center is lifted off and built one in another place.

Supply Depot[edit]

Terran Supply Depot
Starcraft Terran Depot.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 100/0
Time to build 25
Hotkey BS
Stats info
Hit Points 500
Armor 1

Supply Depots are the Terran supply buildings which enables new units to be created. A supply depot generates 8 supply. The building can also be used for wall-in strategies.

Refinery[edit]

Terran Refinery
Starcraft Terran Refinery.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 100/0
Time to build 25
Hotkey BR
Stats info
Hit Points 750
Armor 1

The Refinery can only be built on a Vespene Geyser. It costs 100 minerals, but it's a nearly a necessity for building anything beyond Marines and SCVs. All air units require Vespene. Vespene Gas is also required to repair terran buildings and mechanical units (only SCV's have the repair ability).

Once built, SCVs can enter the Refinery and bring back the valuable Gas. However, only one SCV can enter a Geyser at a time, effectively limiting the speed at which Gas is accumulated (depending on how far the Geyser is from a Command Center, once a certain point is past, the same amount of Gas will come in no matter how many SCVs you put on it because the SCVs will just be lined up outside the Refinery waiting to go in). Usually, about 3-4 SCVs can harvest from a Geyser efficiently.

Barracks[edit]

Terran Barracks
Starcraft Terran Barracks.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 150/0
Time to build 50
Hotkey BB
Unit builds
  • Marine
  • Firebat
  • Ghost
  • Medic
Requirements
Available Tech
Stats info
Hit Points 1000
Armor 1

The Barracks (Rax) is the first structure you can build that produces offensive units. It produces infantry units: Marines, Firebats and Ghosts. If you're playing the expansion pack Brood War it can also produce Medics. Barracks can lift off and move across the map. It's also commonly used to wall-in along with Supply Depots. Its low cost compared to other Terran building that can lift off, big size and hit points makes it somewhat useful for scouting and covering units so that enemy units can't target them.

Abilities:

Name Description Energy Range Hotkey
Lift off The building can lift off from the ground into the air. When airborne, buildings are able to move and land somewhere else but cannot produce units or research upgrades and cannot carry add-ons with them. None Anywhere L

Bunker[edit]

Terran Bunker
Starcraft Terran Bunker.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 100/0
Time to build 19
Hotkey BU
Requirements
Stats info
Hit Points 350
Armor 1

The Bunker is a defensive structure that cannot attack enemies unless filled with at least one to four infantry units that can attack. SCVs can also be put in it but won't attack, as does the Medic who can't heal nearby infantry units when inside. It grants protection from damage to infantry units until the structure is destroyed. Have a SCV or two on standby so that they can repair the Bunker's health when it takes damage.

Marines gain +1 range in their attack when inside and it's common to have four Marines in the bunker for effective ground and air defense. Firebats in bunkers meanwhile are effective against Zerglings and Zealots. Pair bunkers with Siege Tanks and Missile Turrets and you'll have an ideally effective defense line.

Academy[edit]

Terran Academy
SC Terran Academy.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 150/0
Time to build 50
Hotkey BA
Requirements
Available Tech
  • Firebat
  • Medic
  • Ghost
Stats info
Hit Points 600
Armor 1

The Academy is a research structure that offers infantry upgrades. In Brood War it also offers a variety of upgrades for the Medic. The Academy is a prerequisite for training Medics, Firebats, and Ghosts.

Upgrades:

Name Description Cost Time Hotkey
Stim Pack Marine and Firebat gain the Stim Pack ability. 100/100 50 T
U-238 Shells Increases Marine's attack range by +1. 150/150 63 U
Restoration Medic gains the Restoration ability. Brood War only. 100/100 50 R
Optical Flare Medic gains the Optical Flare ability. Brood War only. 100/100 76 F
Caduceus Reactor Increases a Medic's starting energy to 62 and increases the maximum energy to 250. Brood War only. 150/150 105 D

Engineering Bay[edit]

Terran Engineering Bay
Starcraft Terran Eng Bay.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 125/0
Time to build 75
Hotkey BE
Requirements
Stats info
Hit Points 850
Armor 1

The Engineering Bay (E-bay) is a research structure that provides weapon and armor upgrades for infantry units. It is also a requirement before you can build Missile Turrets, an anti-air structure.

Abilities:

Name Description Energy Range Hotkey
Lift off The building can lift off from the ground into the air. When airborne, buildings are able to move and land somewhere else but cannot produce units or research upgrades and cannot carry add-ons with them. None Anywhere L

Upgrades:

Name Description Requirements Cost Time Hotkey
Infantry Weapons 1/2/3 Increases Marine and Ghost's attack damage by +1 per level and Firebat's attack damage by +2 per level. Science Facility (levels 2-3) [100/175/250]/[100/175/250] [168/188/208] W
Infantry Armor 1/2/3 Increases SCV, Marine, Firebat, Medic, and Ghost's armor by +1 per level. Science Facility (levels 2-3) [100/175/250]/[100/175/250] [168/188/208] A

Missile Turret[edit]

Terran Missle Turret
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 75/0
Time to build 19
Hotkey BT
Requirements
Stats info
Hit Points 200
Armor 0
Damage

Air: 20

Range 7
Cooldown 15
Sight Range 11
Detection Range 7

The Missile Turret (Turret) is a ground-to-air defensive structure, attacking any air unit in sight. They discourage opponents from dropping their units off in your base; for example, it's much easier to kill an Overlord and the Ultralisks inside it than to kill the Ultralisks after they've been dropped. They also are "detectors", which reveal other players' Cloaked units. In addition to building Turrets to detect cloaked attacks before they reach a base, it is usually worthwhile to construct Turrets inside the base to prevent cloaked units from hiding as well. Due to their low cost, good damage output against air units, and being able to be repaired by SCVs, they make for considerable use for any matchup. It is important to note, however, that Turrets are vulnerable to ground attacks, since they can only attack air units. They are also easily countered by Guardians, Corsairs with Disruption Web, and Cloaked Ghosts that can launch Nukes away from a safe distance from your Turrets and Siege Tanks depending on where they are placed.

Where you place your Missile Turrets is important. Placing them near the mineral lines helps them back off against worker harassing units such as Wraiths, Mutalisks, and Shuttles with Reavers loaded. Against units that can drop units in, place as many of them on the edge of your base so that they can't safely drop their units in. Though it's not likely that you will prevent offensive drops from the enemy, destroying as many of them as you can will make them lose their unit mobility and you might get lucky in destroying one carrying many units or tough units. Also place Turrets near important entryways to your base as you want to be sure to leave no space open for invisible enemies to infiltrate either.

Factory[edit]

Terran Factory
Starcraft Terran Factory.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 200/100
Time to build 50
Hotkey VF
Unit builds
  • Vulture
  • Siege Tank
  • Goliath
Requirements
Available Tech
Stats info
Hit Points 1250
Armor 1

The Factory produces Terran mechanical units: the Siege Tank, as well as Vultures and Goliaths. The Machine Shop is an add-on in order to allow the creation of Siege Tanks as well as upgrades for mech units. The Factory can lift off, but it will leave the Machine Shop behind but it can also still connect to other idle Machine Shops.

Abilities:

Name Description Energy Range Hotkey
Lift off The building can lift off from the ground into the air. When airborne, buildings are able to move and land somewhere else but cannot produce units or research upgrades and cannot carry add-ons with them. None Anywhere L

Machine Shop[edit]

Terran Machine Shop
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 50/50
Time to build 25
Hotkey C
Requirements
Available Tech
  • Siege Tank
Stats info
Hit Points 750
Armor 1

The Machine Shop add-on provides upgrades to units produced in the Factory. It is required to build Siege Tanks. It can research the Siege Mode upgrade, as well as Spider Mines ability and a speed upgrade for Vultures, and in Brood War, an upgrade that extends the range of the Goliath's anti-air missiles.

Upgrades:

Name Description Cost Time Hotkey
Ion Thrusters Increases the Vulture's move speed. 100/100 63 I
Spider Mines Vulture gains the Spider Mine ability. 100/100 50 M
Siege Tech Siege Tank gains the Siege Mode ability. 150/150 50 S
Charon Boosters Increases the Goliath's air attack range by +3 and changes how the missile firing looks. Brood War only. 100/100 84 C

Armory[edit]

Terran Armory
Starcraft Terran Armory.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 100/50
Time to build 50
Hotkey V → A
Requirements
Available Tech
  • Goliath
  • Valkyrie
Stats info
Hit Points 750
Armor 1

The Armory provides weapon and armor upgrades for vehicles produced from the Factory and Starport--up to three levels for each. It also allows for the production of Goliaths from the Factory and, in Brood War, Valkyries from the Starport.

Upgrades:

Name Description Requirements Cost Time Hotkey
Vehicle Weapons 1/2/3 Increases Goliath's ground attack damage by +1 per level and air attack damage by +3 per level, Vulture's attack damage by +2 per level, and Siege Tank in Tank mode's attack damage by +3 per level and Siege Mode's attack damage by +5 per level. Science Facility (levels 2-3) [100/175/250]/[100/175/250] [168/188/208] W
Vehicle Plating 1/2/3 Increases Vulture, Siege Tank, and Goliath's armor by +1 per level. Science Facility (levels 2-3) [100/175/250]/[100/175/250] [168/188/208] P
Ship Weapons 1/2/3 Increases Wraith's ground attack damage by +1 per level and air attack damage by +2 per level, Valkyrie's attack damage by +3 per level, and Battlecruiser's attack damage by +3 per level. Science Facility (levels 2-3) [100/175/250]/[100/175/250] [168/188/208] S
Ship Plating 1/2/3 Increases Wraith, Dropship, Valkyrie, Science Vessel, and Battlecruiser's armor by +1 per level Science Facility (levels 2-3) [150/225/300]/[150/225/300] [168/188/208] H

Starport[edit]

Terran Starport
Starcraft Terran Starport.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 150/100
Time to build 44
Hotkey VS
Unit builds
  • Wraith
  • Dropship
  • Valkyrie
  • Science Vessel
  • Battlecruiser
Requirements
Available Tech
Stats info
Hit Points 1300
Armor 1

The Starport produces Terran air units: Wraiths, Dropships, Battlecruisers, Science Vessels, and Valkyries in Brood War. It can lift off but in doing so loses any Control Tower expansions it has built.

Abilities:

Name Description Energy Range Hotkey
Lift off The building can lift off from the ground into the air. When airborne, buildings are able to move and land somewhere else but cannot produce units or research upgrades and cannot carry add-ons with them. None Anywhere L

Control Tower[edit]

Terran Control Tower
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 50/50
Time to build 25
Hotkey C
Requirements
Available Tech
  • Dropship
Stats info
Hit Points 500
Armor 1

The Control Tower is required to build Starport's units: Dropship, Science Vessel, and Battlecruiser (the latter two also need a Science Facility and Physics lab add-on built respectively as well). It can research Wraith Cloaking and an energy upgrade which allows Wraiths to remain Cloaked for a longer time.

Upgrades:

Name Description Cost Time Hotkey
Cloaking Field Wraith gains the ability to Cloak. 150/150 63 C
Apollo Reactor Increases Wraith's starting energy to 62 and maximum energy to 250. 200/200 105 A

Science Facility[edit]

Terran Science Facility
Starcraft Terran sci facility.jpg
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 100/150
Time to build 38
Hotkey VI
Requirements
Available Tech
Stats info
Hit Points 850
Armor 1

The Science Facility is the most advanced research structure on the tech tree Terran players can build (aside from its add-ons: Physics lab and Convert Ops, and the Command Center's Nuclear Silo add-on). The Science Facility researches a number of abilities for the Science Vessel, and is required for more advanced weapon and armor upgrades for both infantry at the Engineering Bay, and mechanical and ship units at the Armory. It can lift off, but by doing so it will leave behind any add-on it has connected to it.

Abilities:

Name Description Energy Range Hotkey
Lift off The building can lift off from the ground into the air. When airborne, buildings are able to move and land somewhere else but cannot produce units or research upgrades and cannot carry add-ons with them. None Anywhere L

Upgrades:

Name Description Cost Time Hotkey
EMP Shockwave Science Vessel gains the EMP Shockwave ability. 200/200 76 E
Irradiate Science Vessel gains the Irradiate ability. 200/200 50 I
Titan Reactor Increases Science Vessel's starting energy to 62 and maximum energy to 250. 150/150 105 T

Physics Lab[edit]

Terran Physics Lab
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 50/50
Time to build 25
Hotkey P
Requirements
Available Tech
  • Battlecruiser
Stats info
Hit Points 600
Armor 1

The Physics Lab is an add-on for the Science Facility. It is required to build the Battlecruiser, and to research upgrades for the Battlecruiser. These upgrades are the Yamato Cannon, a very powerful weapon which can kill most units in a single shot, and the Colossus Reactor, which allows a Battlecruiser to fire the Yamato Cannon more frequently.

Upgrades:

Name Description Cost Time Hotkey
Yamato Gun Battlecruiser gains the Yamato Cannon ability. 100/100 76 Y
Colossus Reactor Increases Battlecruiser's starting energy to 62 and maximum energy to 250. 150/150 105 C

Covert Ops[edit]

Terran Covert Ops
Building Info
Cost (Minerals/Vespene) 50/50
Time to build 25
Hotkey C
Requirements
Available Tech
Stats info
Hit Points 750
Armor 1

The Covert Ops station allows you to build Ghosts and Nuclear Silos add-ons on Command Centers. It also provides a number of research options for the Ghost. Cloaking allows a Ghost to become invisible for a short time is a good idea when approaching an opponent's base to use Nuclear Missiles. Lockdown is an ability which disables mechanical units, preventing them from attacking or even moving; it is useful to neutralize and destroy approaching air fleets. Also available are Ocular Implants, which increase the Ghost's sight range to maximize scouting/Nuke targeting abilities, and the Mobius Reactor, which allows the Ghost an extra 50 energy capacity so it can remain Cloaked longer.

Upgrades:

Name Description Cost Time Hotkey
Personnel Cloaking Ghost gains the ability to cloak 100/100 50 C
Lockdown Ghost gains the Lockdown ability 200/200 63 L
Ocular Implants Increases Ghost's sight range by +2 and Nuclear launches' range by +2. 100/100 105 O
Moebius Reactor Increases Ghost's starting energy to 62 and maximum energy to 250. 150/150 105 M