The Nydus Worms - Theories, Conjecture, Guesswork

I didn't count very carefully but it seems that the nydus worms each spat out around 5 waves of 4 lings each. Someone with more patience can varify this.

The limit does indeed suggest unit transport rather than nydus canal. If it works like a nydus canal, a Zerg would have little need to make up to three at the same place. Of course it could still just all be scripts, but for a nydus canal the worms seemed rather tough. The four stalkers fired 5 waves of shots plus two additional shots, they didn't take down the worm. Later on when the zealots and colossi took down the other two, seemed like it took some good damage for the worms to go down as well.

Initially I wanted to believe this was an all terrain nydus canal, but evidence would suggest otherwise. Assuming for a moment that nydus worms are indeed unit transports, this then begs the question of whether this will be the only form of unit transport for the Zerg. Many other questions arise as well. Does the overlord lose the ability to transport units, or is it even making a return to SC2? Is Zerg limited to a ground based transport only, while other races still have air based transports? Will concealed movement make up for this difference? Will it be able to cross terrain?

Thinking these things over makes me believe more and more that nydus worms are additional specialized transports for providing Zerg a form of concealed movement that Zerg has always lacked. This could be what I have always wished for as a Zerg player.

 

The overlord are likely to remain because story-wise, the zerg need to overlords to dictate control over the individual units. So the supply unit will still be overlord.

I'm not quite certain if they'll remain as the transport unit. but the nydus worm does appear to be be a transport unit like the pverlord rather than teleport (nydus canal). The underground transport would fit the description of the zerg as ambush and skirmishing others.

 

Everyone cross fingers with me?

We're finally getting a spec of light shed on Zerg.

 

The Overlord should still be a transport unit, even if the Nydus Worm takes that role. I mean, the Overlord's slow and weak, so if you want to take the risk of using it as a transport, then it's your decision.

 

I too believe that the overlord will return as the Zerg air transport. And I think it will be unlikely that nydus worms can cross terrain after some consideration.

It's a little more than choosing nydus worm over overlord simply cuz overlord is weaker however. Even if nydus worms could cross terrain, again unlikely, an air transport still has better movement options such as flying to islands or moving directly over impassible terrain such as mineral patches or buildings. Overlords are also cheap enough to send extras along with main transport(s) as decoys to draw enemy fire. For the price of two drones each, it's a bargain to ensure drop success. I think nydus worms will be central to new Zerg cloaked assault tactics, while ovies will be the general air drop goodness.

But I think overlord's "unload all" command should be upgraded over other races's transports, so that it unloads all carried units simultaneously. Zerg is dependant on swarming in numbers, each indivisual unit is weak. But other races have good single drop options such as tanks and reavers. Good micro of one-two popping tanks/reavers in and out just to fire single shots at a time, while staying aboard transports during attack cooldown to avoid enemy ground fire is a good strat, but Zerg has never had such options. I think a one-shot ovie unload would be great for Zerg while still not too overpowering.

Based on nydus worms, it appears that the unit per transport limit has been increased(at least for Zerg), if this is true, ovie transport limit could be lowered slightly, or stay the same as SC1 to balance things out if needed.

 

Maybe its like when terran makes a nuke. " Nuclear Launch Detected " For the worm it could be " Worm Detected " or something.

- ZiiDriX Was Here! -

 

welcome to the forums ZiiDriX hope to see you active

 

Thank you, will do my best

B2T!

 

I think of the Nydus Worm as a unit that can burrow into the ground, and choose to pop up at any space, anytime. But, can they move after they've popped up from the ground?

 

The pop up and dig back in is probably a cooldown ability.
Having to build some every assault would suck ferociously.

Phase Cannons (Not Photon) will be a nice defensive counter for this.
One pops into your base and lets out its roar, distract incoming Zerg with a few Zealots while Phase Cannons shift over to cover the spot.

 

Nydus worms are going to make for some interesting tactics, though i do believe they will have the ability to move over unpassable terrain, due to the high amount included in Starcraft in the first place, look at Warcraft 3, not much of the terrain is unpassable, so IF a creature like that were in Warcraft, it wouldnt pass unpassable terrain, because its a balance act, though, i believe worms should go through Caverns (jumping over to other side) i dont believe they should go through killing/undistructable type terrain such as LAVA or METAL, though on platform maps, this would need to change to moving through light metal but not heavy metal, since it would be unfair to decomission a unit due to map tileset......

 

I'm going to guess that you have to be able to not only have explored but also see the are you want to pop up in.

 

Like you gotta have a unit close to the place you pop up?

 

I don't think that would be necessary. If The Worm is simply transport-type unit that can move while burrowed under any type of land (no water/lava/space void ), why would you need to have another unit in pop-out place?

If (and that's yet another IF in an already long list) Nydus Worm could be detected and attacked while burrowed, I don't believe any other condition would have to be fulfilled in order to pop it out - it simply wouldn't be overpowered.

And answering to one of the previous posts about metal in space platforms - if mere zerglings could dig into steel compound, why much stronger creature wouldn't be able to do the same (Dune anyone)?

Heh, I'd love to see ability to pop out and eat enemy unit . Poof, and "Hey Bob, where did that siege tank go??"

 

it'll be a great way to lever you opponent. just like in fastest map: if you borrow lots or lurkers and zerglings at the entrance to their base, when they bring their army to attack, spring up, destroy them. these will effectively turn the tide of battle in seconds

 

Think its only for Lings or for the rest to?.. Only ground units ofc

 

I think there has to be some limitation otherwise everyone would just pop them up in the middle of the enemy base and that would ruin the game. Another thing we'll have to wait and see.

 

They will probably be visible to Detectors AND will probably move slow too.

 

See my previous post; if things are going to be the way I think they will, you wouldn't be able to "pop it out" inside enemy base, because worm would be killed by base defences before it would get inside..

 

Exacly, so you wont just spawn 10 worms and´send them in.