RTS References

I was reading the Print & Play Codex Extras notes (pondering getting everything in digital form out of sheer impatience waiting for the physical form), and read this little note –

Died laughing. Well I mean, yes, but it was tough. The RTS references are super subtle :wink:

Big Game Hunters indeed. I literally spent years of my young adult life in BGH.

By my count the Vortoss Conclave (cough) alone have Zealots, Reavers, Void Rays, Carriers, Arbiters, Collossi, Immortals, some sort of functional approximation of warp gates, Archons, Point Defense Drones, and a couple things that want be some flavor of dark templar. Did I miss anything?

Holy smokes.

Black has a whole bunch of war3 stuff, too, and I saw a Firebat and a Steam Tank go by in Red. No zerg unless you count a couple things that could maybe possibly be ultralisks, but I can see how they wouldn’t fit thematically anywhere, really. Red seems to have them in spirit, I think.

Anyway. That’s all awesomeness. Just thought I’d share that I was amused and impressed. :slight_smile:

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Not an RTS reference, but Terras Q is clearly a Tarrasque from D&D, even in name. I had to have it pointed out to me, and had one of those facepalm moments when I realized that I hadn’t made the connection myself.

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I know! My husband pointed that one out to me and I was like, “How did I not see that…?” I was counting that as one of the maybe sorta ultralisks? This guy really looks like he wants to be one. Tarrasque or Ultra, either way – which is not too weird since Ultras are a reference to the Tarrasque in the first place.

It’s hard to detangle things when they’re just generic myth and legend and is referenced in multiple games, right? Like, are the water elementals and griffins from the Warcraft universe? I mean, maybe, the summon on the water elemental is kind of . . . reminiscent . . . of the wacraft games, but there’s nothing special in the art that makes me think they’re specifically that, unlike the reavers or abominations which are in “holy crap how is that even legal??” territory.

My husband also pointed out that River Montoya is (probably?) River Tam and Inigo Montoya, which makes sense to me, but I didn’t catch that one either. But which makes her awesomer.

Drakk is clearly named after me. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

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not only RTS, this game just has way too many fun references.
there is straight up Iron Man and Revolver Ocelot in bashing.

with Vortoss, i can’t help but think of Vorlon Protoss. Vorlons were the high tech aliens from Babylon 5.

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I was pleased to see a reference to Blood Bowl in a map card :slight_smile:
Also the Disease’s Tech III may be a refence to Warhammer’s Nurgle’s champions :slight_smile:

Torrasque | StarCraft Wiki | Fandom from the original Starcraft 1 campaign. also seen in Brood War and SC2.

Yeah, a lot of Black units are from Undead in War 3. Abominations and Gargoyles. Crypt Crawler = Crypt Fiend. Corpse Catapult = Meat Wagon. Death and Decay was a Death Knight spell from Warcraft 2, Lich ultimate in War3. Dark Pact on the Death Knight in War3. Sacrificed a Unit for HP though.

Faerie Dragon = Faerie Dragon

Earthquake was the Far Seer’s Ultimate.

A lot of purple is Protoss as mentioned obviously.

Eggship looks like a Goblin Zepplin to me.

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This isn’t RTS either, but I just noticed that Jade Fox makes ninjas fly. Which is so perfect. :slight_smile:

I will admit the whole “Card Time Strategy” subtitle didn’t click in my mind until I actually got the box, and was like “OHHHH!!! RTS, CTS…”

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