The Terran Viking is one of the most powerful air superiority units in the game. It is also one of the more dynamic weapons in the human army’s arsenal, due to the fact that it can transform between ground and air mobility. Individually, there is not much special about the unit, but its relative affordability coupled with the fact that you produce two at a time out of a single Starport means that Terran can quite easily use it to achieve air dominance.
Vital Statistics
Cost: 150 minerals, 75 gas, 2 supplies
Requires: Starport
Abilities: Transfer between air and ground mobility.
Build time: 42seconds
Speed: 2.25 as mech, 2.75 in the air
Hit points: 125
Armour type: Mechanical, armoured
Damage and in air: 20 +4 vs. armoured units
Damage on ground: 12
Range: 6 (ground), 9 (air)
How to use it
The Viking is unique in that it can transform between ground and air
There are a variety of different ways to use Vikings which will largely depend on your opponent’s race.
Against Zerg
Early Vikings can wreak havoc against Zerg, as a small group can fly around the map sniping Overlords. This can hurt the Zerg player’s map visibility, as well as slow their unit production as Overlords are Zerg’s supply units.
They can also be good at fending off Mutalisks, which can often be a Zerg player’s game winning unit. Vikings are similarly priced to Mutalisks, have slightly more hit points, and do significantly more damage. They also have much longer range, although they are nowhere near as fast. Also, try to spread your Vikings out when engaging Mutalisks, as they do chain damage.
They are far weaker on the ground than in the air, although they do have the advantage of being able to lift off, effectively escaping Banelings and Zerglings which can decimate Vikings if given the chance.
Apart from maintaining air dominance and limiting Zerg supply, they can also be used to harass Zerg expansions, which typically occur very early on. If you drop your Vikings behind a Zerg’s mineral supplies, you can make short work of their production line. This tactic also applies to the other races.
Against Protoss
Marauders, Marines and Medivacs are extremely strong against Protoss, although the Protoss Colossus can decimate infantry. The Viking is a superb counter to the Colossus thanks to its mobility and range. Colossus is unique in that it is a ground unit that can be engaged with air attacks. Taking them out with your Vikings can give your ground units a lot more space to operate. Marauders, Marines, Medivacs, Vikings and Ghosts (to neutralise the High-Templar’s Psi Storm) can effectively take out most Protoss unit combinations if played properly.
Terran vs. Terran
Vikings can play an important role in Terran mirror matches. Firstly, combined with a Raven they are considered a hard-counter to Banshees, which makes them good to keep around your mineral lines. They can also be very good at taking out Battlecruisers, thanks to their superior range and mobility. It is possible to ‘kite’ Battlecruisers with Vikings, by flying them in to attack quickly before flying back out before the Battlecruisers can retaliate.
They also make good harassing units, and their mobility and versatility makes them particularly good at scouting out and preventing expansions. While Command Centre’s can escape Banshees by lifting off, the same does not apply against Vikings who can also take off.
Finally, as well as countering Banshees, Vikings can also take out Medivacs. Well placed Vikings can intercept incoming Medivac drops, as well as sniping Medivacs supporting ground infantry, giving your own ground infantry an upper hand.
The fact that they can counter these two Terran ninja strategies makes Vikings a very handy unit to keep around in mirror matches.
What to do against Vikings
Vikings are dangerous units, but they, like all units in StarCraft II, are not without their flaws.
Any ground unit which can attack air as well as ground will do well against Vikings, taking advantage of the transition period which the Viking must undergo to drop to ground and defend itself. By the time your enemy’s Vikings are on the ground, you will have done them significant damage with a group of Marines, Hydralisks or Stalkers, who will continue attacking them after they have transitioned. Stalkers with Blink will be able to pursue Vikings as they try to escape, making them a very effective counter.
When on the ground, Vikings can be vulnerable to many ground units, so that is when you want to hit them. Therefore, smart players will attempt to force these flying units to engage them on terra firma, instead of trying to take the battle to them in the air where they can be extremely effective in large numbers.
The Viking rush can be a viable strategy to knock players off guard early on
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