Why are DT's more expensive than Stalkers?

[Eligor]

That makes sense, although I like to think the whole 'the commander/Executor/queen pays a lump sum of minerals and gas and a unit appears' thing is just a gameplay mechanic, and the lore is somewhat more complex. Command and Conquer economies make no sense to me.

In reality, they'd have to deal with wages (assuming the protoss have currency), arming and feeding the troops, as someone else said, treating them if they become ill or wounded, et cetera.

In terms of lore, that would probably make the stalker more expensive, actually. A cybernetic mech, capable of teleportation no less, probably costs a lot more to maintain than the ceremonial armour of the dark templar assassins.

However, if we go back to the wages idea, it could be that the dark templar make much more money than the stalkers, given they are basically going on a suicide mission every time they leave the base. They are invisible, but if they get caught, they're screwed. Stalkers on the other hand can teleport out of the action. Less danger.

While we're on the topic, since every mission is a suicide mission for the dark templar assassins, and the protoss are a very religious or ceremonial (in my eye) society, it stands to reason that before each mission, there would be some sort of 'good luck' ritual to send them off, which could be costly in itself.

I don't imagine every mission a Dark Templar goes on to be suicidal, they are like elite covert ops in modern armies, good enough to get in, complete the objective and get out virtually unscathed (not in all cases of course, but they represent the peak of Protoss fighting ability (watch Zeratul taking down four Hydralisks in a matter of seconds) augmented with insane stealth capabilities to boot). Nor are "good-luck ceremonies" in the spirit of the Protoss, they're warriors, which means that dying in battle is a possibility to be accepted matter of factly, regardless of rank, or fighting ability. From a Dark Templar's point of view, the fact that he may not return from this mission, or the next one, or the one after that is quite mundane, an integral part of what he's doing as it is.

The question of Protoss economy is quite an interesting one though (haven't seen it discussed anywhere before). It's certainly different from ours since the structure of their society is much more caste and merit-based. I doubt they have currency at all. The Dark Templar (being a tribal, loosely organized society) definitely get by strictly by trade and personally negotiated agreements and promises, the Khalani probably have a strict code of values for various objects, which doesn't change much if at all. The Protoss don't get paid for fighting, and would probably be offended if offered an employment as mercenaries, since for them the defense of Aiur (and by extent of their race) is a sacred duty. So yes, the minerals and gas you collect when playing as Protoss simply symbolize your technological ability to warp in troops. The relative scarcity of the Dark Templar and their higher cost is purely a gameplay thing (like chess rules), what you see on screen is never a literal translation of the real battlefield where Stalkers are definitely the more high maintenance unit.

[Gifted]

Why does a marauder require vespene gas, but a hellion buggy which shoots out flaming oils require no gas whatsoever?

[KDraconis]

Why, lore-wise, would a DT cost more than a Stalker?

It's their insurance. Since DTs are almost guaranteed to die when warped-in, you have to pay in advance for the life insurance, their salary, etc. to get them to fight. Most of the resources you spend to warp-in DTs are used to outfit them into Stalkers, and the resources you pay when you actually warp-in Stalkers are the resources needed to transport them.

Why does a marauder require vespene gas, but a hellion buggy which shoots out flaming oils require no gas whatsoever?

They run on coal, which is a mined solid (minerals). The combustion is pre-ignited with the gas in the factory. Also, as every Terran knows, no Hellion survives long enough to run out of coal.

[Sheliek]

I don't imagine every mission a Dark Templar goes on to be suicidal, they are like elite covert ops in modern armies, good enough to get in, complete the objective and get out virtually unscathed (not in all cases of course, but they represent the peak of Protoss fighting ability (watch Zeratul taking down four Hydralisks in a matter of seconds) augmented with insane stealth capabilities to boot). Nor are "good-luck ceremonies" in the spirit of the Protoss, they're warriors, which means that dying in battle is a possibility to be accepted matter of factly, regardless of rank, or fighting ability. From a Dark Templar's point of view, the fact that he may not return from this mission, or the next one, or the one after that is quite mundane, an integral part of what he's doing as it is.

The question of Protoss economy is quite an interesting one though (haven't seen it discussed anywhere before). It's certainly different from ours since the structure of their society is much more caste and merit-based. I doubt they have currency at all. The Dark Templar (being a tribal, loosely organized society) definitely get by strictly by trade and personally negotiated agreements and promises, the Khalani probably have a strict code of values for various objects, which doesn't change much if at all. The Protoss don't get paid for fighting, and would probably be offended if offered an employment as mercenaries, since for them the defense of Aiur (and by extent of their race) is a sacred duty. So yes, the minerals and gas you collect when playing as Protoss simply symbolize your technological ability to warp in troops. The relative scarcity of the Dark Templar and their higher cost is purely a gameplay thing (like chess rules), what you see on screen is never a literal translation of the real battlefield where Stalkers are definitely the more high maintenance unit.

When I called them suicide missions, I meant they are, being stealth operatives, likely to go into far more dangerous situations than a front-line conflict.

But I concede the rest of my points.

I also considered the possibility that the cost is not representative of a single unit, but a group of each unit. A stalker is cheaper because the unit represents maybe five of them, while a dark templar i more expensive because it represents twenty-five. More resources to maintain the troops, something like that.

[Eligor]

When I called them suicide missions, I meant they are, being stealth operatives, likely to go into far more dangerous situations than a front-line conflict.

But I concede the rest of my points.

I also considered the possibility that the cost is not representative of a single unit, but a group of each unit. A stalker is cheaper because the unit represents maybe five of them, while a dark templar i more expensive because it represents twenty-five. More resources to maintain the troops, something like that.

That's how I always solved for myself the problem of twelve marines taking down a battlecruiser. Every vehicle or ship is a single unit, every infantry (or Zerg) unit is a squad.

They run on coal, which is a mined solid (minerals). The combustion is pre-ignited with the gas in the factory. Also, as every Terran knows, no Hellion survives long enough to run out of coal.

And the Thor is so slow and so huge because it's really powered by a very sophisticated Vespene steam engine (unfortunately Vespene gas also has psychotropic and hallucinogenic properties, besides making them especially feared on the battlefield it's also the reason why all Thor pilots insist on having powerful multicolour disco lights illuminate their cockpits at all time, they say it helps them keep a grip on reality).

[Norfindel]

Because unit cost is a purely balance mechanic. In lore, i doubt that they even need to harvest anything at the destination, they only need the precise target coordinates, and they open a warp rift to the destination.

[Arkalis]

Because unit cost is a purely balance mechanic. In lore, i doubt that they even need to harvest anything at the destination, they only need the precise target coordinates, and they open a warp rift to the destination.

They need minerals to channel their psionic powers and gas to augment their Psi. It's not that different from Terran economy in fact, Coal and Drugs.

[Norfindel]

They need minerals to channel their psionic powers and gas to augment their Psi. It's not that different from Terran economy in fact, Coal and Drugs.

They're minerals, not Khydarin christals. I doubt they inhale vespene to raise their psi. "Terrazine" does the trick, but that's special.

Do you seriously think that all of the 3 races can build stuff with only 2 materials anyways? It's a game mechanic and a huge simplification. It doesn't really means anything.

War doesn't works like an RTS game. You don't build factories next to the battlefield, so that they're easy to shutdown. You just transport your troops and already-built stuff there, and that's it.

[Mrjiggles]

Im guessing because there like specail troopers that need special training O.o

[Kknewkles]

Because in right hands DT can be much more destructive. And talk about pure DPS too.