Hit Points: 200 Size: Large Supply: 2 Cost: 100 225 Build Time: 80 Trained at: Starport Requires: Factory, Starport, Science Facility.

Energy: 200 (Upgrade to 250) Ground Attack: None Air Attack: None Sight: 10 Armor: 1 (Upgrade to +3) Production Hot key: V

Many Colonies have placed Explorer Platforms at surgical points throughout the galaxy to further study anomalous phenomena, and the Corps' own Epsilon Squadron uses them extensively along Confederate borders for surveillance and study. Recently, as alien forces have begun to infringe upon Colonial space, Explorer Vessels and crew have been recalled to help with the research and production of new military weapons systems and technologies, as well as providing electronic warfare and combat support.

Upgrade Ship Plating Level 1: 150 150 Level 2: 225 225 Level 3: 300 300

Researching all of the Ship Armor upgrades will increase armor by +3 (+1 per upgrade)

Research Titan Reactor 150 150 (+50 Science Vessel energy)

This upgrade increases the top energy limit to 250. This is a must have when using the Science Vessel's abilities.

Defensive Matrix. Unit: Science Vessel Cost: 100

Gives 250 pt non-regenerating shield to target unit. After about 30 seconds, the effect wears off even if the shields haven't run out of HP. Place Defensive Matrix on your units to allow them to survive longer in battle. They do not make your units into super units but they allow them to take much more damage than normal. Consider the Defensive Matrix as adding an extra 250 hit points to a unit. The Defensive Matrix wears off fairly quickly so activate it right before a battle. Activate a Defensive Matrix on Dropships, Science Vessels and even Ghosts spotting for Nukes. During battles, use Defensive Matrix on the more important units can be highly effective. If you're having trouble making it into island defenses, use Defensive Matrix on Dropships and send them in to land. 250 more hit points can give the Dropship enough time to safely unload all of its cargo. Use Defensive Matrix on Battlecruisers and Siege Tanks to allow them to survive longer in battle. You can also use it on Wraiths and Battlecruisers going in to attack the towers. (Yamato would be better) Other situations where Defensive Matrix comes in handy include Capture the flag games. Use it on your SCVs and steal the flag.

Research EMP Shockwave - 200 200 Cost: 100

The Science Vessel can fire an EMP missile. This missile has a fairly short range an affects an area. Upon impact, the shields of any units (Protoss) are dispersed bringing them to 0. The energy of any unit caught within the EMP blast is also set to 0. This ability is primarily an anti-Protoss weapon. It is most effective against Archons. Archons have 350 shields but only 10 hit points. When EMP is used on Archons, they are reduced to 10 hit point warriors. EMP can be used on Protoss buildings as well to make them easier to destroy. Key targets include Photon Cannons (Making them easier to destroy) as well as Shield Batteries (Canceling both its shields and energy) and Pylons powering key buildings. EMP works wonders on the Protoss armies reducing their power tremendously. A skilled Protoss player will run from the battle once hit with EMP to recharge at Shield Batteries rather than continuing on with the attack. If you come across a tightly packed group of Magic users such as Battlecruisers, Templars, Wraiths, Ghosts, and so on you can use EMP to reset their energy slowing down their magic use.

Research Irradiate - 200 200 Cost: 75

Target unit becomes radioactive for 30 seconds. All air and ground units within 2 matrices of affected unit receive up to 250 hit points of damage including the affected unit itself. You can target any unit but only organic units will receive damage. You cannot use Irradiate on buildings. Activating multiple Irradiates on the same unit causes no additional damage. But overlapping Irradiations will cause more damage to a particular unit if they are near enough to each other. This ability is particularly effective against grouped ground troops such as Terran Infantry units, all Zerg units, Zealots and more. Irradiate is primarily an anti-Zerg weapon but it can work on collections of Marines, Firebats and Zealots. Use it on tightly packs of Mutalisks and Guardians especially. Players will have an incredibly difficult time separating the Irradiated unit from the other units before the damage has been done. Irradiate can quickly make short work of groups of Guardians and Mutalisks in tight packs. Use Irradiate on units not affected by it such as Siege Tanks, Dropships, Goliaths, then run them into the enemy. If the enemy uses Melee units like Zealots, Zerglings, and so on to attack the Irradiated unit they will be damaged when they try to attack that unit. Use Irradiate on a Siege Tank. This will get Zerglings that are attacking the Siege Tank. This won't cause the enemy significant damage, and may not even allow the Tank to survive, but it will damage the enemy units somewhat. It's kind of funny too. You can also just use Irradiate on their units instead of yours. But is that as funny? Irradiate also does wonders on Ultralisks. It will cause a little over 200 hit points of damage to the Ultralisk. Use Irradiate on Zerg Overlords to put the Zerg behind in Supply. Defensive Matrix does not prevent Irradiate but it can slow the process down. Try using both Irradiate and Defensive Matrix on an Overlord. It looks pretty neat. Irradiating a Dropship causes no damage to the Dropship or the units inside. If you Irradiate Terran Infantry units, and place them in a Dropship, that unit will die and other Infantry units in the Dropship will also receive damage. The same is the case with Bunkers. Use The Medic's Restoration ability to remove Irradiate. The Following units are affected by Irradiate: Terrans: SCV and Barracks troops (Marine, Firebat, Ghost, Medic) Protoss: Zealot, Dark Templar, and High Templar Zerg: All Zerg units. An interesting strategy is to use Irradiate on units immune to it while moving them near enemy units to damage them. Try this with flyers then fly over enemy units and mining operations. Although this may not be very effective it's certainly original and unexpected.

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