StarCraft: The New Swarm

A New Beginning

Set X years after the carnage that took place during the Brood War, the Queen of Blades has kept herself rebuilding the Swarms—an army that she had mostly lost in the ensuing battle for defense against the powers that be; comprised of the two separate Terran forces led by Mengsk and DuGalle as well as the powerful Protoss unit as spearheaded by Artanis.

Outside of the clutches of the Overmind that once governed all Zergs, including herself, the Zerg Queen exercised full autonomy and focused all her efforts on creating Broodmothers who would play a direct subservient role to her orders. But the task of rebuilding an immense army of Zerg was no single effort. In aid of the Queen of Blades is 4bathur, the last of the Cerebrates and former lieutenant and commander of the Swarms, who, borne from being spared from an otherwise doomed fate, swore perpetual servitude to the emblematic queen of the Zergs.

(Cutscene showing Kerrigan, in the form of the Queen of Blades, summoning a Broodmother.)

"Rise my Broodmother and heed my commands!"

*A Broodmother hatches from its shell letting out a magnified scream, showing a sign of life*

However, the Queen of Blades is not just steadfast in recreating the massive horde she had lost from the great battle; she is also pursuing something else... Something that had been plaguing her thought since during and after the events of the Brood War—an answer to a puzzle involving the disappearance of Samir Duran, which prompted her investigations.

Pondering the findings of her research, the Zerg Queen develops a suspicion. But what it is exactly, the Zerg overlord herself is perplexed about which renders her doubts yet to take form. Indeed, there is a growing sense of unease that grows inside her.

(Flashes back during the final events of StarCraft at Char)

Aboard a fleet so powerful and vast, among countless others, Arcturus Mengsk, the self-proclaimed emperor of the Terran Dominion, commanded an attack at Char—the land and original birthplace of the Zergs. But there is something more peculiar to this battle that Mengsk has brought into the foray—something that seemingly ascertains a sense of victory... Yet, with triumph seemingly at hand, the Terran emperor was inevitably emboldened.

(Cutscene showing Mengsk in his most confident state, alone in a large room, and subsequently, laughing)

"So, it has come to this, at last!"  Mengsk laughing maniacally.

Alone and cocksure of his disposition in the ensuing combat, Mengsk laughs frenzied, causing waves to reverberate across a large hall.

While each ship in his fleet may be equipped with what is conventional, he knows he holds an advantage that would be key in winning the war against the menacing Zergs and distinctly lies elsewhere—the "anti-Zerg" weapon system.

(Highlight the "anti-Zerg" weapon from various angles and demonstrate the capability of the weapon upon use)

Named after its proven capability of eradicating any Zerg upon contact, the weapon system aptly called the "anti-Zerg" is an arsenal designed to be feared among the swarms; that is if only these beings are capable of such feelings. But, alas, Zergs are merely pawns to the Overmind—or, much like in the case of the Zerg Queen, to their acting leader—and are, in all likelihood, impervious to pains, much to be intrepid. Worse, they are only given to violence and destruction without even the hint of what is both—notions apprehensive to the other races but never fathomable to the Zergs, making them extremely dangerous.

(Cutscene showing the Terrans building an "anti-Zerg" weapon installation while subsequently displaying an incoming attack from the swarm, eventually destroying the "anti-Zerg" being built)

But such weaponry, although human by means in the way of schematics, was never a Terran Dominion by creation. Rather, it is that of one of the other guilds—specifically the Umojan Protectorate, whose "allegiance" by way of its leader, Jorgensen, rendered the Dominion having an upper hand against an otherwise dreadful and rapidly growing enemy. Yet, is this truly an alliance between factions of varying capability—of unequal footing—or is there something sinister in this event that the eyes of the public simply cannot see?

(Cutscene depicting an established alliance between the Terran Dominion and the Umojan Protectorate via the display of their unique flags, with Mengsk and Jorgensen shaking hands in front of a large audience that is in loud, collective cheer)

However, powerful the "anti-Zerg" may be, having its firepower as an advantage does come at a relative cost—building this massive weaponry requires a lot of time and resources, and its construction phase oftentimes renders it vulnerable to sudden attacks. Yet, worse still, render it unfinished. Nevertheless, even in its completed state, the "anti-Zerg" is woefully a glass cannon—a weapon so powerful, yet so fragile, at the same time—such that it demands ardent protection from hostiles, lest it breaks beyond useful.

(Cutscene showing the Terran Dominion forces attacking the Zergs, much to their efficient elimination, after displaying the power of the "anti-Zerg" weapon system)

Having seen first-hand the deaths of her creations in large swathes using a weapon that seriously threatens her existence, the Queen of Blades had a wake-up call against playing safe. In her desire for continued existence and wanting disclosure about the mystery that is taking place, the Zerg Queen finally decided to face her enemies by bringing the fight to them... one leader at a time.

(Cutscene showing a Broodmother having freshly hatched from its incubation during the Terran and Protoss attack at Char)

Woken up from its slumber, a new Broodmother was hatched from its shell, only to learn that the battlefield is its home. The Terrans and the Protoss had been ceaseless and ruthless in their attacks, left and right, that piles and piles of Zergs were literally in view at every horizon. The sight shook the Broodmother to its core and let out a loud shriek, borne out of intense anger. If there is indeed one thing that this particular Broodmother had learned primarily, it is that of the feeling of "wrath" against the beings it deemed as its "oppressor."

(Cutscene displaying the "massacre" of the Zergs at Char in multiple, varying angles, and the Broodmother screaming)

Without the Overmind to give it direction, the Broodmother is essentially a child in an adult Zerg's body; but one that could learn as fast as it adapts, outpacing that of humans many times fold. To a human, a Broodmother is simply a military genius after birth, able to learn the many maneuvers of combat that, in essence, grant it better survivability after every engagement.

(Initial campaign giving the player the tutorial about the game's controls; essentially the Broodmother's early but snappy learning stage)

Despite being a "hatchling," the Broodmother easily learned the ways of war with each subsequent successful skirmish against the invading Terran and Protoss forces, thanks primarily to the swarm which acted as its overextending arm that brought destruction to whatever it touches and, at times, especially when most urgent, an almost impenetrable shield from harm.

With a voluminous army under its command, the Broodmother-led swarm is a force to be reckoned with—practically strong in many respects of offense as well as robust in the many facets of defense. No group of Terrans, no matter how formidable, would be wise to confront the "purple army" to a fight, especially one so far led by an experienced Broodmother. Only Terrans who are desperate in defense would boldly face a Broodmother in battle, but never provoke it to a conflict, which would only prove to be hardly—or, in the worst-case scenario, impossibly—won.