Here's a thought: thor+medivac cost equals BC cost. BC has higher live+armor --- Thorvac has more range, damage power & healing for the support units (SCVs+rines) BC has Weapon refit(300 dmg to anything, range 10) --- Thor has 250 mm cannons (500 to all ground, range 7) Now, here is my concern: I have to get way deep in the tech tree to get the BC. I have to wait 90 seconds to have a BC, 60 to get a thor. Thorvac moves with 2.5 speed, BC with 1.8. Why would I use a BC? The only thing I can see them worthy is against capital air units with their Yamato guns, but that's late game. And you have to wait 90 seconds + to get the energy up to 125, which is quite a long time.
...if you can't micro? A medivac will keep the thor out of range of a BC forever(10>6). Of course, it will take forever to kill a BC with a thor...
You're right if you just want to compare them into a head-to-head encounter. The question is... in a TvT match will you use BC against you opponent rather than Thors? By watching the most used Terran build orders, do you see the BC fit in? I haven't seen any Battlecruiser at high level games lately and I'm watching mostly terran matchups.
think about all the ground units that can attack air, BC's own them, the only thing that can really beat a lot of BCs is a lot of vikings and corruptors. which is annoying cuz vikings and corruptors don't attack ground, thus not winning you the game. i swear to god, you should slap yourself and quit this game, if you even think about telling me: "Duuurrrr you can land the vikings, and then they can shoot ground".
You might be right. However, I would land my vikings to use them as meat-shields to protect my thors from ground attack. :daydreaming: Following question: If BC's are so darn good, why don't I see them in high level play, while Thors are never missing from a mech army?
Barracks and factories are readily available, while you don't make multiple starports with tech labs by default. So you need to invest more to have adequate production. Its similar to drastic tech switches for T or P - sure you can do it but you'll be behind by what you spent on tech and production up until then.
its because its hard to tech to BCs while handling and dealing pressure. the way its done, is you must transition into it slowly. For example, you may get MMM to start, and start pumping out a BC here and there, use it cautiously in order to not lose it, you continue like this until you have a fleet of battlecruisers. Once you have stablelized you can continue to drop more starports in order to continue mass production of BCs. think about defending against Master/GrandMasters/Pros pressure while dishing out 400/300 resources into a unit that cant be used alone and takes an eternity to make.
The way I see it, this is another argument not to use BCs in your army composition. At the time you must do a push to make a difference, they will be too few and by the time you'll have enough, the opponent will be prepared and have all the counters ready for it. Less to say that most counters against BCs are units that would be beneficial in any army composition against terran(templars/void rays for protoss, infestors/corruptors for zerg, vikings for terran). The protoss will use the templars for storm against the mostly MM you have when they are done with feedback on BCs. Or, if the energy is low, they will morph into archons. The zerg will use the natural transition to broodlords from their corruptors to mop up everything on the ground. Any attempt to get near the broodlords with your marines, will be fungaled. The terran will keep the sky clear and get vision with the remaining vikings while they push with their tanks/thors combo, which will outnumber the tanks on your side (you've spent most of your gas on BCs, remember?). In conclusion, battlecruisers are a no-no for me.
The only way I see it being useful, is simply mixing it with your army, they can draw aggro since their range is so short and they can tank a lot of damage, while your ground army does the main DPS.