Starcraft 2: Top 5 Campaign Tech Upgrades

Well, I'm about half done with the Starcraft 2 campaign on Brutal, but seeing as how I already beat it once before (on Hard), I'm going to list the top 5 tech upgrades (in no particular order) you should acquire in the game. This list will have entries from the Armory and from the Laboratory.

Also, this is only my opinion. You may disagree with this in part or even completely, but in either case I will know that you have read it, and that is appreciated. :)

So, let's begin! :D

Upgrades: Marauder

Effect: The Marauder's missiles now slow down their target and anyone immediately adjacent to the target.

Acquired by: Purchase in the Armory

I start out this list with perhaps the best early-game investment you can make. Marauders are godly against armored opponents. If you're playing at Brutal difficulty, you'll need to get Marauders ASAP, and then get this. Concussive Shells are actually the second upgrade I get during the campaign (the first one being the Combat Shields for Marines as a life boost of nearly 25% is serious business). Once you have this upgrade, you can do such devious things like put a Marauder in every Bunker you set up for the slow down bonus and reduce most groups of opponents to nothing. There's a reason why triple M (Marines, Marauders, Medivacs) are so feared even in online play. ;)

Besides, you'll need the breathing room at Brutal. Speedlings (Zerglings with Metabolic Boost) are almost stupidly fast and will swarm your armies if given half a chance. This is the equalizer. ;)

Bunkers are so awesome that I'm going to take all three of the upgrades that I acquire for them and mention them in this section (and will act as if this is only one upgrade. :P).

I recommend you get each upgrade as soon as possible, in the following order:

Projectile Accelerator

Effect: Bunkers give units inside of them an additional +1 Range (so Bunkers now give +2 Range to all garrisoned units).

Acquired by: Purchase in the Armory

As you check out the Armory, you'll notice that the Bunker has two upgrades. You may be wondering why I'm not going for Neosteel Bunkers first and the answer is: There's not much use for them early. An expanded Bunker would've done wonders in Zero Hour, but the game is so evil that you don't even have access to the Armory before that mission. For the first few missions, they're not really needed. This upgrade, however, improves the efficiency of your garrisoned units by increasing their reach. All the better so your Marauders can slow down their victims from a longer distance. :D

Neosteel Bunker

Effect: The Bunker now has 2 additional unit slots (Marauders take up 2 slots each, for the record. Reapers do too, but only in the campaign).

Acquired by: Purchase in the Armory

As I mentioned above, there's not much use for this in the first few missions. However, this is a pretty good upgrade that I recommend you get by the time you go to Meinhoff. The infested Terran waves will press your defenses dearly, even if you have Neosteel Bunkers, so I don't want to imagine what'll happen if you don't have them. :P

Reinforced Bunkers

Effect: Bunkers gain an extra 150 life.

Acquired by: 5 Zerg Research Points in the Laboratory

Your Bunkers get a boost in the first tier of the Zerg research tree as well. The other option is the Shrike Turret which, frankly, is a joke. A Shrike Turret on top of your Bunker is roughly the same thing as having an extra Marine inside. That seems good until you realize how quickly your defenses can fall in Brutal difficulty. After that, I believe that it's a shut-out. I'd rather have 6 Marines in a 550 life Bunker than 7 Marines in a 400 life Bunker, but your mileage may vary on this one. ;)

Upgrades: Siege Tank

Effect: Damage done to allied units due to Siege Tanks in Siege Mode is quartered (reduced to 1/4).

Acquired by: Purchase in the Armory

This is one of my favorite upgrades since it's so darn useful. The usual Terran defensive set-up is some variation of Supply Depots in front of Bunkers in front of Siege Tanks. If you don't have this upgrade, your Tanks are bound to end up helping out your opponents as they cleave through your damaged structures. By lowering the friendly fire to a minimum, you maximize the damage your defensive emplacements can inflict on the enemy. No brainer for me. :)

The other Armory upgrade for Siege Tanks (Maelstrom Rounds) is nice, but not a must-get. If you find yourself having some extra credits that you don't know what to spend them on, then I'd get it.

Replaces: Tech Lab, Reactor

Effect: An add-on that combines the functionality of the Tech Lab with the double unit production of the Reactor.

Building Cost: 75 Minerals, 50 Gas

Acquired by: 25 Protoss Research Points in the Laboratory

This add-on is ridiculously useful. The ability to make 2 of any type of unit at the same time is arguably the best bonus in the entire game. Imagine how broken the online metagame would be if these were allowed in league games? ;P

I'll even go so far as to recommend that you do the Zeratul missions ASAP so that you're only a few points away from getting this gem by the time you're done with them (I'm 4 points away in my Brutal playthrough and still have roughly half of the campaign to go. :D ).

Their counterpart at the top tier is Orbital Strike, which is little more than a novelty. Perhaps if the drop ship affected more than just the Barracks Units, but as it stands, it's garbage compared to the almighty Tech Reactor.

Effect: At the cost of energy, take over an opposing Zerg unit permanently. Drones and heroic Zerg units (*cough*Kerrigan*cough*) are unaffected.

Building Cost: 150 Minerals, 100 Gas

Acquired by: 25 Zerg Research Points in the Laboratory.

My final upgrade is a dose of Blizzard nastiness. You see, what you get at the top tier of the Zerg research tree should be based on your strategy in the final mission of the campaign. If you want to take on the air units in the final mission, then this building will do wonders. However, if you leave the Nydus Worms intact for the final mission, then your defenses may be better served by having Psi Disrupters around your Bunkers.

This upgrade, more so than the others I mention in this guide, is a toss-up. If you're good at micromanagement, then you may vastly prefer this building as compared to the Psi Disrupters which have the effect of slowing down Zerg units in its radius.

So, there you have it: The top 5 campaign tech upgrades in the Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty campaign. There are definitely more upgrades that are useful in the game, but these are my favorite five (well four plus three Bunker upgrades, but who's counting, eh? :P).

Honorable Mentions

Fire Suppresion System: Terran buildings no longer burn themselves into the ground once they're in the red? Yes, please!

Permanent Cloaking for Ghosts/Spectres: Not having to worry about your energy running down while cloaked is a godsend.

Planetary Fortress: A 1500 HP, 7 range, 40 damage defensive emplacement that costs 550 minerals and 150 gas and also gives 10 supply. I don't think I have to explain why it's cool. It does prohibit you from researching Perdition Turrets though.

Until the next time, take care and have fun! ;)

-Winterfate