Hercules
Terran Heavy Tactical Dropship
The Hercules-class dropship was a terran heavy airlift vehicle, a Raynor's Raiders combat variant of a commercial cargo transport with a reinforced superstructure derived from zerg biology, capable of carrying far more troops and vehicles than a standard dropship.
The Hercules-class dropship was a terran tactical-airlift aerospace vehicle, a combat conversion of the Hercules-class commercial cargo transport developed by Raynor's Raiders. Built around a reinforced superstructure derived from research into zerg biology, the Hercules offered a far larger carrying capacity and faster unloading than a standard dropship, making it suited to moving heavy formations of troops and vehicles in a single lift. (StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty)
Design and capabilities#
The Hercules-class dropship was a Raynor's Raiders variant of the Hercules-class commercial cargo transport. Its reinforced superstructure was based on Egon Stetmann's research into zerg biology, and the craft was built for a large carrying capacity and fast unloading. The Hercules was equipped with survival pods, so that the units it carried could survive the dropship's destruction by ejecting to the ground, though emergency egress by pod typically caused injuries. Its capacity was large enough to transport several thors at once. (StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty)
Service#
By 2505, Hercules-class dropships were in use by the Terran Dominion. By 2506, they were also fielded by the Moebius Corps. The dropship's heavy-lift role made it valuable for relocating large or hard-to-move formations quickly, and it carried the name of Hercules, the Roman-Greek demigod renowned for his strength, an apt label for a craft built to haul the heaviest machines the terrans could muster. (StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm; StarCraft II: Legacy of the Void)
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Hercules-class dropship?
- The Hercules-class dropship was a terran heavy tactical-airlift vehicle, a combat conversion of the Hercules-class commercial cargo transport developed by Raynor's Raiders. It offered a far larger carrying capacity and faster unloading than a standard dropship, making it suited to moving heavy formations of troops and vehicles in a single lift.
- Who developed the Hercules dropship?
- The Hercules-class dropship was developed by Raynor's Raiders as a variant of the Hercules-class commercial cargo transport. Its reinforced superstructure was based on Egon Stetmann's research into zerg biology.
- How do survival pods work on the Hercules dropship?
- The Hercules was equipped with survival pods so that the units it carried could survive the dropship's destruction by ejecting to the ground. Emergency egress by pod typically caused injuries.
- How much can the Hercules dropship carry?
- The Hercules was built for a large carrying capacity and fast unloading, with capacity large enough to transport several thors at once. Its heavy-lift role made it valuable for relocating large or hard-to-move formations quickly.
- Who used the Hercules dropship?
- By 2505, Hercules-class dropships were in use by the Terran Dominion. By 2506, they were also fielded by the Moebius Corps.
Sources
- GameStarCraft II: Wings of Liberty, Blizzard Entertainment, 2010
- GameStarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm, Blizzard Entertainment, 2013
- GameStarCraft II: Legacy of the Void, Blizzard Entertainment, 2015
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
Followed from this entry
Dropship
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Egon Stetmann
Egon Stetmann was the chief science advisor of Raynor's Raiders, a brilliant and eccentric young scientist who fled the Terran Dominion after sabotaging a cyborg program. Years stranded on Bel'Shir under terrazine exposure unhinged his mind and led him to build the Mecha Swarm.
Moebius Corps
Moebius Corps was the military arm of the Moebius Foundation. After the death of Emil Narud and the rise of Amon, its soldiers were enslaved by the hybrid and turned into mindless thralls who waged a crusade to destroy all life in the sector.
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Terran Dominion
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Terran
The terrans are the descendants of a failed 23rd century colony mission from Earth, a young and highly factionalized species with latent psionic potential. Despite endless wars among themselves and with their alien neighbors, they stand as one of the three dominant species of the galaxy.
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Every Terran Unit in StarCraft and StarCraft II, Explained
Every terran unit from StarCraft, Brood War and the three StarCraft II campaigns, sorted into infantry, vehicles and starships. Each entry covers who built it, what it was for and which games it appears in.
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