UED Invasion

Lore & Background

The UED invasion was driven by the discovery of alien life in the Koprulu Sector. The United Earth Directorate, Earth's international governing body, dispatched an expeditionary force to secure the sector and prevent aliens from finding Earth. Their strategic plan involved toppling Arcturus Mengsk's Terran Dominion. Early in the campaign, the player assumes the role of a UED adjutant/commander reporting to DuGalle and Stukov.

The fleet discovered a 'psi disrupter' on Braxis, a device capable of disrupting Zerg communications. While Duran convinced Admiral DuGalle to destroy it, Stukov's forces intervened at the last moment to preserve the device. The conflict shifted when the UED tracked Mengsk and Jim Raynor to Char, where they attempted to capture the Zerg Overmind. There, Duran's betrayal began to surface, and Stukov grew suspicious of his actions.

Stukov realized Duran was undermining the UED, but the Zerg were not formally allied with the Dominion or Protoss—Kerrigan manipulated all sides to her advantage. While Stukov took a contingent to reconstruct the psi disrupter on Braxis, DuGalle, unaware of these intentions, became convinced Stukov was a traitor. The player then assisted Duran in hunting down Stukov inside the psi disrupter. Before dying, Stukov revealed to DuGalle that Duran was the true enemy, leading Duran to flee after his sabotage attempt was foiled.

Reader's Guide

The UED invasion campaign spans three distinct phases involving strategic maneuvering across multiple planets. It begins with the player acting as a UED captain under Admiral Gerard DuGalle and Vice-Admiral Alexei Stukov. The primary objective is to overthrow Arcturus Mengsk's Terran Dominion. Early missions involve securing the psi disrupter on Tarsonis; players must ensure Duran does not destroy it, though he may attempt to do so before being relieved by Stukov's forces.

As the campaign progresses, the player tracks enemy forces to Korhal IV and then Aiur. A critical turning point occurs when Samir Duran deliberately mispositions UED forces, allowing Zerg interference that causes the loss of Raynor and Mengsk. Players must navigate the internal conflict between DuGalle and Stukov, eventually helping Duran hunt down Stukov on Braxis. The climax involves using the reconstructed psi disrupter to assault Char and capture the new Overmind.

The final phase shifts perspective as Kerrigan turns against the UED. Players must defend against a combined assault from Raynor, Mengsk, and Fenix after they destroy the psi disrupter. The campaign concludes with a massive Zerg assault on Korhal, where Kerrigan betrays her former allies to eliminate UED forces completely.

Did You Know?

• The UED invasion began approximately two years after the conclusion of the original StarCraft game, not merely several months.
• Samir Duran, a mysterious psionic ghost espionage agent, secretly worked to undermine the UED from within by manipulating both human and Zerg forces.