Sandbox / Star Craft Alternate

In the Char decade since the end of Feral Guards Conflict, the Garm Swarm has been controlling most of the known Koprulu sector territories, being uncontested in it's position as the most powerful Zerg faction at this part of the galaxy.
All of that changed four Char days ago, when a large fleet of unknown alien vessels, not organic in nature, emerged from warp-space and decimated all primary hive clusters on Zerg world of Chau'Sara. No survivors were reported.

The Overmind, suspecting that next target of alien ships will be Mar'Sara, has sent you - one of his youngest Cerebrates - to intervene. It will be up to you to prepare small Brood of this world to protect themselves, as well as the entire Swarm, from the mysterious enemy.''

What if the Zerg Swarm was scattered, divided between factions and loyalties? What if the Protoss were ruthless conquerors, seeking to expand their Empire with force of arms? What if Terrans set out to protect the galaxy from the Protoss threat? A total race-swap of the original six episodes, featuring new playable races, advanced AI, custom voice acting and a parody storyline.

Back in the year of 2013, mapmaker StratosTygo released a campaign called StarCraft Alternate. It's main theme was swappng all three races of StarCraft story-wise, while keeping general storyline and original missions themselves mostly the same. It covered all three Classic campaigns - Rebel Yell, Overmind and The Fall, but didn't touch any part of the Expansion.

The Brood War Alternate project covered by this page, once started as just an "add expansion campaigns to the SCA" plan, is up to both improving all aspects of what is already done and expanding the story further, into Episodes 4 to 6 and, some day, beyond.

'StarCraft Alternate, or Brood War Alternate' is a Game Mod for StarCraft: Brood War, authored by UEDCommander, which is set in an alternate universe where the Zerg take the role of the Terrasn, the Protoss the role of the Zerg, and the Terrans the role of the Protoss.

The mod can be downloaded here.

Warning: Spoilers for the base StarCraft game ahead.

Note: Page currently under construction.

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Tropes found in this mod include:

• Adaptational Heroism: On the Terran side, there's Arcturus Mengsk (Tassadar stand-in), Alexei Stukov (Zeratul stand-in), Carolina Davis (Artanis stand-in), and Gerard DuGalle (Raszagal stand-in) brainwashing aside.
  • Downplayed with the Zerg (as the Terran stand-in), given the varied alignments canon Terrans already have, but Draliska's Brood is certainly a case of this.
• Adaptational Relationship Overhaul: With all the characters shuffled around into different roles, this is inevitable for everyone.
  • Compared to the romantic undertones Raynor and Kerrigan had in canon, Draliska and Duran's relationship was more mentor- or brother-like and were already acquainted.
  Duran: It has been a long time since I last saw you, Draliska. I remember how small you were when I rescued you from the Feral Guard years ago. How are you today?
  Draliska: ...Good to see you too, Duran. Would be even better if you did not bring that up every time we meet.
• Adaptational Villainy: On the Protoss side, there's Fenix (Zasz stand-in), Tassadar (Daggoth stand-in), and Raszagal (Infested Duran stand-in). Downplayed with Infested Kerrigan (Mengsk stand-in), given she was firmly in this territory already (before StarCraft II), and zigzagged with Infested Duran (Kerrigan stand-in), who upon being converted into Templar Duran uses the Zeratul portrait, who in turn doesn't appear in this campaign.
• Adaptational Wimp: Unlike in canon, Kerrigan in this timeline doesn't see battle personally, since she takes the narrative role of Mengsk, who doesn't participate in battle, either. During her flight from the Primal Zerg after they take over Tarkossia, she doesn't even have a "Behemoth", riding an Yggdrasil (Overlord Hero Unit) instead.

• All There in the Manual: A separate video covers the backstory of this Alternate Universe.
• All Your Base Are Belong to Us: The Protoss invasion of Tarsonis, and the Zerus Packs bringing the Protoss under their control in their analogue for "To Chain The Beast".
• The Alliance: Subverted with the Daelaam Alliance under Templar Duran. Given how he amassed it, it's more like The Empire in structure. Ironically, there was also a New Protoss Empire that stands in for the New Overmind in the original.
• An Offer You Can't Refuse: Unlike canon!Mengsk's offer to the Magistrate, this Kerrigan spells out this trope to the player Cerebrate that accepting her assistance against the Protoss comes with the pretext of joining her faction.

• Being Evil Sucks:
• Brutal Bonus Level: Much like its counterpart in the main game, is this. And this time, you have no Dark Archons to stem your losses.

• Choose a Handicap: Much like its counterpart in the main game, the Zerg mission before the assault on Tarkossia tasks you with destroying either or . However, the player isn't given time to destroy both, so they're more or less being asked whether they'd rather let Kerrigan start the next mission with a

• Civil War vs. Armageddon:
  • In the Zerg campaign, Kerrigan's Kukulkan Brood are fighting the Overmind's forces due to backstory-related reasons as the Koprulu Sector is being overrun by the Protoss, who are themselves being targeted by the Terran, who are heedless of Zerg casualties. Of course, then Kerrigan starts using stolen research from stolen Mind Sacs to lure Protoss against the Overmind using a special Mind Node and things get really messy.
  • During the Terran campaign, Mengsk is under attack from the Confederacy for allying with the fascist UED, even though the Protoss are a considerably bigger threat. In the final level (the destruction of the Xel'Naga Worldship), they finally approve of Mengsk's actions (although as Draliska dryly notes, they don't send any actual help).

• Cyborg: Raynor gets some cybernetic legs after being recovered from a previous mission that almost ended with him dead, as a parallel to Fenix from the main game. Thus he's stuck operating a Vulture, though his final scene before Duran kills him has him in a Battlecruiser

• Dark Is Evil: The Dark templar units we see in this AU are this, since they're Templar Duran (Infested Kerrigan stand-in), Raszagal (Duran stand-in), and those who work under her.

• Death by Adaptation: Dehaka (Stukov stand-in), in the hands of Raszagal.
  • Fenix, by way of being the stand-in for Zasz. And unlike canon, not enough of his body is recovered to return as a Dragoon.

• Dragon with an Agenda: Raszagal, being the stand-in for Duran.

• Escort Mission:
  • Unlike canon Teran 4, Zerg 4 includes a worker unit you need to escort to retrieve the MacGuffin. Thankfully for you, this drone has a total of 400 HP in order to survive, and can even be used to Draw Aggro from enemy Hydralisks.

• Heinz Hybrid: Duran was an Infested Terran who was captured by the Protoss and converted into one of their own, giving him trace qualities of all three races.

• Hufflepuff House: The Feral Guard get very little screen time until the Kel-Morian Combine analogue, where it's elaborated that it is from them where Draliska became able to think for himself, and that Raynor fought on that planet before during the Guild Wars that wiped out the Kel-Morian Combine in this timeline.

• I Regret Nothing
  Kerrigan: Duran, you treacherous scum! We had an agreement!
  Duran: Yes, yes, well, sorry for ruining it for you. Well, on second thought, I'm not sorry at all. After everything you've done in an attempt to trick me, manipulate me into serving your goals, it is only fitting you get the same thing in return. How poetic.

• Ironic Echo:
  Duran: (after attacking a Hallucinated Mengsk) A phantom? A novel trick, do you truly fear me so much as to turn tail and run? Reveal yourself, coward!
  Mengsk: Until you learn to stop being so utterly predictable I have no reason to face you at all. Your arrogance is your own worst enemy, Templar.
  (several missions later)
  Duran: Honestly, did you truly think that after all you have done against the Empire, that I would simply forgive it all and bleat for help like a scared lamb? Such overconfidence, or maybe even arrogance? Such a thing is quite unbecoming of you, you know.
  Raynor: Took those words straight out of Mengsk's mouth, huh?
  Duran: He had the point. Now then, Terran, are you ready to learn about the afterlife first-handily?

• Irony: Given who stands in for who, some scenarios tend to be this.
  • In canon, Kerrigan is abandoned by Mengsk to the Zerg, and Duran abandons her in the final mission. In this AU, Kerrigan abandons Duran to the Protoss.
  • In canon, Duran was secretly infested when he worked with the UED. In here, Raszagal was secretly not infested when she joined the Zerus packs, who wouldn't know that Protoss cannot be infested by the Zerg.
  • In canon, Raszagal gets kidnapped by Duran (on Kerrigan's behalf). In here, it's she who does the kidnapping of DuGalle (on Duran's behalf).

• La Résistance: The Kukulkan Brood before it becomes the Infinity Swarm. Then there's Draliska's Brood after that, and Mengsk's forces with the UED Agents and Stukov.
• Living Ship: When not on land, Zasz and Draliska have Behemoths on which they inhabit as Zerg Hero air units (which take the form of a Guardian and Devourer respectively).

• Killed Offscreen: The Overmind (Confederacy stand-in), and Tassadar (Daggoth stand-in).

• Names to Run Away from Really Fast: While not referenced in dialogue at any point unless you poke at Raszagal repeatedly after she leaves the Zerus Packs behind, Duran has given himself the moniker Lord of Fire after his conversion into Protoss.
• Nicknaming the Enemy/Reporting Names: Before they're properly identified, the enemy Protoss units fought in the early Zerg missions are called by different names, like Strange Creature for the Zealot, Something Heavy for the Dragoon, Unknown Flyer for the Scout, and Strange Structure for all Protoss Buildings (and the Stasis Cell)
• Noodle Incident: We're given no explanation as to how and why Draliska has allied himself with Mengsk by the time Duke's forces meet up to arrest the captain.

• Pyrrhic Victory: The Xel'Naga Worldship has been destroyed, but Mengsk has sacrificed himself to do it, the remaining Protoss on the ground are still on a rampage throughout Tarsonis, Duran is taking over, and the Zerus Packs have arrived to collect everyone's essence.

• Obstructive Bureaucrat:

• Original Character: Draliska the Hunter Killer, who is the Raynor stand-in, given there are not many named independent Zerg to draw from.

• Outside-Context Problem: The Zerg never expected Zerus (the Zerg homeworld) to dispatch their Packs to try and take over the Korpulu sector.

• Ramming Always Works:

• Reasonable Authority Figure: Downplayed, but Duke is this compared to Aldaris in the original. When Mengsk wants to look for Stukov, Duke tries to get the Commander to not follow, arrest Mengsk, and he'll let the transgressions of his troops slide, compared to the Judicator's immediate condemnation. In addition, during the coup in Braxis, Duke keeps trying to reason with Stukov and Davis regarding Duran rather than taunt them like Aldaris does to the Nerazim.

• Separate, but Identical: Played with: Visually, the Primal Zerg are for the most part identical to the Overmind's Zerg aside from being a green Palette Swap, but they have some distinct differences. For starters, none of their structures need Creep to be placed, and their Spore Cannons can fire on ground.

• Skewed Priorities: The First Families believe that arresting Mengsk takes more precedence over repelling the Protoss.
  Mengsk: Edmund? Captain? How did the both of you get here? I figured we were dead.
  Duke: Captain Arcturus Mengsk, we're here to arrest you and your officers, and bring ya'll back to Tarsonis for trial on charges of desertion and treason.
  Mengsk: Arrest me? You spend all this time an resources to arrest me?!
  Draliska: Amusing. This sounds exactly like what happened to me as well.

• Verbal Tic: Draliska gets one in the word "Amusing."