History VideoGame / StarCraftIINovaCovertOps

* FantasticRacism: The Defenders of Man, according to WordOfGod, intend to eradicate both the Zerg and the Protoss. This is the reason why they want to overthrow Emperor Valerian Mengsk--his diplomatic stance towards alien races is putting humanity at threat. While this has yet to be shown in the actual [=DLC=], they do clearly show signs of this, considering their choice of name and the fact they are [[spoiler:trying to frame the Zerg as the real threat]].

** Nova also reminded Valerian that [[spoiler: General Davis was loyal to his family, and ''not'' to him personally. Through this, it is implied that Davis was a beneficiary of the corruption within the Dominion under Arcturus's reign, and that she and others like her will fight to resist Valerian, whose reforms would almost certainly meant the end of easy money/power for them.]]

* YouCantGoHomeAgain: Though Nova'll have to revisit what's left of it in third mission.

* PacifistRun: There is an achievement for finishing third mission without killing any Defenders of Man. Zerg are fair game, though, and you can stun Defenders so that the Zerg kill them instead.

* OhCrap: MissionControl for the second level panics at every new wave of attackers.

* YouNukeEm: The third mission gives Nova free access to the Dominion's nuclear arsenal.

* {{Cliffhanger}}: Blizzard promised that each mission pack (consisting of 3 missions) will end with one. The first pack ends with Nova [[spoiler: realizing that a Psi Emitter is luring zerg to a civilian world, as the estimated casualty count keeps rising]]. The second ends with [[spoiler: Valerian abdicating as emperor]].

''[=StarCraft=] II: Nova Covert Ops'' is a [=DLC=] campaign for ''VideoGame/StarCraftII'', made up of 9 playable missions. The first pack of 3 missions has been released on 29 March 2016, along with Patch 3.2.

** [[spoiler: Alarak and the Tal'darim return after leaving in Legacy of the Void's epilogue, and offer to help Nova against the Defenders]].

* {{Cliffhanger}}: Blizzard promised that each mission pack (consisting of 3 missions) will end with one. The first pack ends with Nova [[spoiler: realizing that a Psi Emitter is luring zerg to a civilian world, as the estimated casualty count keeps rising]].

* GenerationXerox: The strategist(s) for the Defenders is/are trying to invoke this. [[spoiler: Besides trying to portray Valerian as an Emperor who neglects the fringe worlds (like Arcturus), by framing Nova, there is definitely the hope that Valerian would purge the Ghost corps, just like Arcturus when Kerrigan went rogue.]]

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: None of rescued the Ghosts are mentioned after the first mission.
* WouldNotShootACivilian: Averted, while Nova says to watch out for civilians there are no consequences for blowing up civilian vehicles with grenades.

* ClearMyName: Nova has to do so as she's suspected of treason against the Dominion. At least, a certain admiral still trusts her. Valerian will also give Nova one chance to prove herself.

** [[spoiler: Alarak and the Tal'darim return after leaving in Legacy of the Void's epilogue.]]

* ActionBomb: Spider mines are back, only this time they are deployed by reapers or siege tanks.

** ''Siege tanks'' can be equipped with jump jets in the third mission. While they do have a fairly lengthy cooldown, it does allow players to get their tanks to high ground easily.

* FantasticRacism: The Defenders of Man, according to WordOfGod, intend to eradicate both the Zerg and the Protoss. While this has yet to be shown in the actual [=DLC=], they do clearly show signs of this, considering their choice of name and the fact they are [[spoiler:trying to frame the Zerg as the real threat]].

* ArmorIsUseless: The Defender troopers wear armor that much less bulky that the standard Marine combat suit, but have the same stats.
* AngstWhatAngst: If you let Delta and Pierce get killed (or don't rescue them), Nova shakes it off with a "They didn't make it".

* BlindedByTheLight: Starting from the second mission, Nova can choose flashbangs as her thrown weapon.

* BossBattle: The first mission ends with it

** HighSpeedBattle

* TheBusCameBack: The Defilers return to the ranks of the Swarm after being absent for all of StarCraft II and failing to return with the many units that returned in Legacy of the Void.
* CastFromHitPoints: Inverted with the new Super Stim Packs which [[HealThyself heal units]] along with increasing movement and attack speed, though this is likely to balance the distinct lack of medics. The new stim packs operate more like a SuperSerum than anything else.

* QualityOverQuantity: There is an achievement for finishing first stage of the third mission without exceeding 35 supply[[note]]To put things into perspective: your starting forces of nine [[WorkerUnit SCVs]], four marines, two marauders and a siege tank cost 20 supply[[/note]]

* ShoutOut: See the full [=StarCraft=] page [[ShoutOut/StarCraft here]]

* ArtificialStupidity: Enemies will panic and cower if Nova kills someone next to them... but stay in the sme place.

* RegenratingShieldStaticHealth: If Nova is detected, her invisibility returns after a short (but very dangerous) while. Her health, however, regenerates slowly.

* {{Cliffhanger}}: Blizzard promised that each mission pack (consisting of 3 missions) will end with one. The first pack ends with Nova [[spoiler: realizing that a Psi Emitter is luring zerg to a civilian world]].

** SharpenedToASingleAtom: It's called [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin monomolecular blade]]

** Reapers still have them

* MookHorrorShow: Dialogues between the Defenders of Man's mooks during infiltration missions make it very clear they are ''[[OhCrap panicking]]'' the moment they realize a Ghost is running around in their base murdering them one by one.

** OneHitPolykill: A single shot can kill a dozen of zerglings.

* WhatHappenedToTheMouse: None of rescued Ghosts are ever mentioned again.

* DownloadableContent: Nova Covert Ops consists of three DLCs.

* VillainWithGoodPublicity: Invoked by the Defenders of Man, who [[spolier: use psi emitters to secretly create crises, then resolve them in BigDamnHeroes moments.]]

* UnexpectedGameplayChange: The first mission itself - the first half is a StealthBasedMission where you have to sneak around and take out enemies without being detected ala VideoGame/MetalGear, and the second is suddenly an UnexpectedShmupLevel where you not only have to shoot enemy vehicles out of the way, but also avoid civilian traffic, complete with an end-level boss. Thankfully, the game returns to its [=RTS=] roots when you get to the following mission, only to revert back to StealthBasedMission on the second half of the third mission of the campaign.

As the name suggests, the story focuses on Nova, the Dominion Ghost seen in ''Wings Of Liberty''. Having found herself framed with treason, and with her memories distorted, Nova must find out what happened to her and her team on their last mission (before her memories got screwed up), and who set her up. Along the way, she gets entangled with the Defenders of Man, an anti-Dominion group.

* BossBattle: How first mission ends with it
** CrosshairAware: You can see where boss is aiming its MacrossMissileMassacre.

* CollapsingLair: Defenders of Man are willing to blow up their own base to stop Nova from escaping.

* DarkIsNotEvil: Covert Ops crew use gray and black color scheme not because they are bad guys, but because [[LawOfChromaticSuperiority they are an]] EliteArmy.

* UnexpectedGameplayChange: The first mission itself - the first half is a StealthBasedMission where you have to sneak around and take out enemies without being detected ala VideoGame/MetalGear, and the second is suddenly an UnexpectedShmupLevel where you not only have to shoot enemy vehicles out of the way, but also avoid civilian traffic, complete with an end-level boss. Thankfully, the game returns to its [=RTS=] roots when you get to the following mission.

* BossBattle: How first mission ends.

* PacifistRun: There is an achievement for finishing third mission without killing any Defenders of Man. Zerg are fair game, though.