- The Dominion Special Forces are the Terran Dominion's elite covert ops branch.
- They field exclusive hardware like the Moirai-class battlecruiser and upgraded thors and liberators.
- Their structures feature stealth engineering, advanced AI, and quad-power fusion cores.
- Emperor Valerian Mengsk personally expanded their funding and organizational reforms.
- Their skins appeared in StarCraft II War Chests (BlizzCon 2017, Katowice 2019).
Dominion Special Forces: Who They Are
The Dominion Special Forces are an elite branch of the armed forces of the Terran Dominion, devoted to covert ops missions and specialist assignments. They are brought in to make the best of bad situations—often deploying into fights where they are heavily outnumbered—so they are outfitted with some of the best technology the Dominion has to offer, alongside some of its greatest soldiers and hardware. Emperor Valerian Mengsk himself oversaw vast research grants and organizational reforms that shaped the modern force. For the full lore record, see the Dominion Special Forces entry on the StarCraft Wiki.
Video Highlights:
- A Special Forces captain rallies marines to seize a refinery objective against Zerg resistance
- Reinforcement dropships arrive with two squads and a black ops element
- Siege tanks and a hot landing zone turn the operation into a desperate firefight
- A taste of the force's "never a dull moment" reputation in the field
The Special Forces sit within the Dominion Armed Forces alongside divisions like the Dominion Fleet, the Dominion Marine Corps, and the various named squadrons (Alpha, Delta, Nova, and more). What sets them apart is their mandate: they handle the missions nobody else can, with gear nobody else gets.
The Special Forces are distinct from the Covert Ops Crew and the Ghost Program, though they frequently collaborate on black ops assignments. Nova's units in Nova Covert Ops largely use Special Forces-style skins.
Arsenal: Exclusive Vehicles and Units
The Special Forces arsenal is built around quality over quantity. Because they routinely fight outnumbered, every platform is modified for specific environments and missions.
| Unit | Standard Version | Special Forces Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Battlecruiser | Behemoth-class standard hull | Moirai-class exclusive battlecruiser |
| Thor | Standard neosteel plating | Complex neosteel plating advancements |
| Liberator | Basic armor layout | Upgraded neosteel plating variants |
| Cyclone | Stock configuration | Environment/mission-specific modifications |
| Hellion | Stock configuration | Environment/mission-specific modifications |
| Raven | Standard sensors | Upgraded sensors—reputedly can hear a Kel-Morian miner whispering two kilometers underground |
The Special Forces ravens are described as the pride of the force. While the "whispering miner" claim is battlefield folklore, it reflects how far their sensor packages outclass standard Dominion issue.
Moirai-Class Battlecruiser
- Exclusive hull to the Special Forces
- Fielded via quad-power fusion cores
- Symbol of elite naval assets
Neosteel Platforms
- Thors and liberators with advanced plating
- Post-End War design breakthroughs
- Derived from recovered xel'naga construct remnants
Modified Hover Units
- Cyclones and hellions tuned per environment
- Mission-specific loadouts
- Flexibility for covert deployments
Structures and Defensive Technology
Their high-tech buildings have been engineered for stealth, durability, and performance under the most extreme conditions—something the force needs when operating deep behind enemy lines.
| Structure | Special Forces Feature | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Missile Turret | Enhanced firepower | Improved targeting over stock turrets |
| Engineering Bay | Advanced AI integration | Smarter upgrades and support |
| Reactor / Tech Lab | Pilfered protoss nanotech | Post-End War upgrades |
| Fusion Core | 4x power output | Required to field Moirai battlecruisers |
| Planetary Fortress | Advanced cannons | Anchors drilled 3x deeper to absorb recoil |
| Orbital Command | Advanced reconnaissance | Ground troops are grateful for the overwatch |
| Sensor Tower | Ultra-high sensitivity | Once detected a large moth, triggering the destruction of a Mar Sara trading post |
The moth incident on Mar Sara forced the Dominion to scale back sensor tower sensitivity. Even elite hardware can be too sensitive for its own good.
History and Post-War Developments
The Dominion Special Forces' timeline is marked by hard lessons and high-tech recoveries.
| Period | Event | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-End War | A covert operation suffered heavy losses | Medivac dropships approved for more assignments |
| End War aftermath | Recovery of xel'naga construct remnants | Major advancements in neosteel design |
| Post-End War | Pilfered allied protoss nanotech | Tech labs upgraded with alien systems |
Covert Operation Gone Wrong
A Special Forces covert op resulted in considerable casualties, exposing the force's lack of sustained medical evacuation support in denied zones.
Command Reform
Leadership approved expanded use of medivac dropships across a greater number of assignments, reducing casualty rates on subsequent ops.
End War Recovery Missions
After the End War, Special Forces teams recovered xel'naga construct remnants from battlefields, feeding the data into Dominion R&D.
Protoss Nanotech Acquisition
The force pilfered allied protoss nanotech and integrated it into their tech labs, further widening their technological edge.
By the current era, the Dominion Special Forces field some of the most advanced offensive and defensive platforms in the Koprulu Sector—all funded under Valerian Mengsk's research grants.
Skins in StarCraft II and How to Get Them
The Dominion Special Forces exist in-game as cosmetic skins rather than a playable faction. Their visual identity has been distributed through War Chest events and specific commanders.
| Source | Year | Content |
|---|---|---|
| BlizzCon 2017 War Chest | 2017 | First Special Forces unit skins; several portraits drawn from the Covert Ops Crew |
| Katowice 2019 War Chest | 2019 | Special Forces building skins |
| Nova Covert Ops / Co-op Missions | Ongoing | Nova's units largely use Special Forces skins; liberator, battlecruiser, siege tank, hellion, hellbat, and ghost use similar appearances |
| Han and Horner (Co-op) | Ongoing | Special Forces skins for Deimos vikings, Theia ravens, and Sovereign battlecruisers before upgrades |
War Chest skin availability is tied to event windows. If a War Chest has closed, check the StarCraft II in-game collection for potential later re-release options.
Special Forces Collector's Checklist:
- Unlock BlizzCon 2017 War Chest unit skins
- Obtain Katowice 2019 War Chest building skins
- Play Nova Covert Ops to see Special Forces units in action
- Try Han and Horner in Co-op for pre-upgrade Special Forces vehicles
FAQ
Q: What are the Dominion Special Forces in StarCraft?
They are an elite branch of the Terran Dominion's armed forces focused on covert ops and specialist assignments. Because they often fight outnumbered, they receive some of the best technology in the Dominion, including the exclusive Moirai-class battlecruiser.
Q: Can you play as the Dominion Special Forces in StarCraft II?
Not as a separate faction. They appear as cosmetic skins obtained through the BlizzCon 2017 and Katowice 2019 War Chests, and through commanders like Nova and Han and Horner in Co-op Missions.
Q: What makes Special Forces structures different?
Their buildings are engineered for stealth, durability, and extreme conditions. Highlights include fusion cores four times as powerful as standard models, planetary fortresses with anchors drilled three times deeper, and engineering bays with advanced AI.
Q: Who funded the Dominion Special Forces upgrades?
Emperor Valerian Mengsk personally oversaw vast research grants and organizational reforms. Post-End War recovery of xel'naga remnants and protoss nanotech further accelerated their technological edge.