MAD - (n) Acronym for Mutual Assured Destruction; Cold War doctrine whereby any attack by one side is met with an equally destructive attack by the opposing force, thus assuring the obliteration of both sides should nuclear war break out.

UED Intelligence Agency Briefing #102 Encryption Level Beta-5 (Classified Material)

On the Apparent Adoption of MAD Protocols by the Protoss Enclaves Confronting the Zerg Invasion of Koprulu Sector, Planet Tau Cygni-4 (nicknamed Sherwood Forest by local Terran communities).

To Whom It May Concern: Enclosed in this brief is evidence that the Protoss enclaves surviving on Tau Cygni-4 have adopted a policy of Mutual Assured Destruction towards the Zerg infestation that has invaded their colony planet. Although SpyCams were knocked out by the Psionic energy stored in Protoss Khaydarin Crystals (see UEDIA Briefing #43, Encrypted Zeta-1 Ultra Classified), we had several agents on-station during a recent battle and were able to get valuable intel out of the system for analysis here. This battle involved a single Protoss enclave at the South border of the area in question, and a single Zerg growth point located at a resource node due East from the area's center. There were significant resource nodes located at the West, Northwest, North, and Northeast borders, with less significant nodes located near the center itself, along the Southeast and Southwest borders, and between the larger East/Northeast and West/Northwest border nodes. Our agents were camped nearer the Protoss enclave, and so information on the Zerg infestation was sketchy at first.

The Protoss warped in numerous probes and began a rapid military buildup. A scout probe found the Zerg infestation at due East, and discovered that it was in the midst of mutating a second hatchery. Only drones were present, however, and a spawning pool was just starting on the Zerg creep. The first 2 zealots brought in from Aiur through the 2 gateways that had just finished warping were immediately sent out to rid Tau Cygni-4 of the infestation. As they closed on the Zerg base, a cadre of zerglings, 6 in number, were spotted running due West. The zealots continued on, finding no defenses but a single creep colony that had just begun mutating. It was assumed that the zerglings did not see the zealots, because they did not appear at the Protoss enclave immediately. We assumed they continued to scout the western border. At the Zerg growth point, the 2 zealots had managed to destroy the sunken colony that the creep colony mutated into, but fell to 6 more zerglings. The enclave attempted to keep up the pressure, and sent 3 more zealots into battle. They killed approximately 75% of the Zerg drones before being destroyed themselves by the drones and newly hatched zergling reinforcements.

The Protoss apparently decided now was a good time to expand their enclave to include the West resource node. The Zerg must have had a zergling scout nearby, however, because just as a pylon had warped in and 2 cannons were starting (a Protoss Forge was seen warping in during the second zealot squad's attack), 2 cadres of zerglings came racing into the base and destroyed one cannon. The other cannon and the nexus were both recalled to Aiur before they could be warped in. The enclave sent a pair of zealots to the Zerg growth point and found a second Hatchery, extractor, and a Hatchery mutating to a Lair. Zergling defenders and sunken colonies prevented the zealots from doing any damage, but they managed to escape and were subsequently used to scout the other resource nodes. At the enclave's main base in the South, they warped in a Citadel of Adun and Templar Archives, along with a Stargate. We noticed 5 cannons - 2 on either side of the mining probes, presumably to stop Mutalisk or Lurker attacks; and 1 each on both sides of the gateway/stargate cluster and one in front near the top of the base, accompanied by a shield battery. Many of the military units were rallying to that area of the base.

The Zerg Cerebrate had decided against Mutalisks, at least for the moment. A Hydralisk Den was noticed as the first scouting Corsair flew in for a look. It managed to destroy one overlord and damage several others before several Hydralisks drove it off. The lack of military force present was not lost on the Protoss commanders, though. They assumed the Zerg growth had spread. It is at this point that the MAD doctrine was instituted.

The Protoss commander must have assumed that allowing the Zerg more resource control than he had would be bad for his health. Having called forth several Dark Templar and a few High Templar, he sent Dark Templar scouts out to find new Zerg growths. The Dark Templar were in luck, in that no Overlords were present at the new growth, which had produced a Hatchery and several drones but nothing else yet. The Dark Templar leveled the new growth without casualties.

While the Zerg Cerebrate was distracted, the Protoss commander also built a secondary base at the Northeast resource node. Although separated by a large part of the landmass, we assumed that the commander hoped for the chance to reinforce this base before it was found. In hindsight, this assumption proved to be correct. By the time the single guard zergling was destroyed, the base was well-established. The Zerg Cerebrate attempted to retaliate, and massed a large group of zerglings in the center of the disputed area. Before he could use them, however, an observer from the just-completed observatory spotted them and 2 Dark Templar slaughtered the entire group - 18 in all.

The fighting entered a new phase at this point. The Protoss had at his disposal reavers, templar, zealots, and corsairs. The Zerg had approximately 24 hydralisks and numerous zerglings, which were transportable by overlords or via Nydus canals (see UEDIA Briefing #8, "Zerg Mobility", encryption level Beta-1 Highly Classified). The Protoss had 2 resource nodes under the enclave's control, while the Zerg had established a second growth point at the due West node, bringing its total to 2 as well.

MAD doctrine took over. Each side attempted to expand their control over the various resource nodes. However, when the Protoss enclave had gained a foothold in a new base, the Zerg Cerebrate would obliterate it with masses of Hydralisks and Zerglings. When the Zerg attempted to create a new Hatchery, reavers or mixed templars would destroy it. Corsairs attacked rogue overlords, but scourge would occasionally be seen self-destructing against the corsairs. For every expansion attempt destroyed by the Protoss, an expansion attempt was destroyed by the Zerg. Meanwhile, both sides were draining their resources rapidly.

After about 4 attempts by each side to expand, the war entered its final phase. The Zerg had at least for the moment held an expansion at the North resource node, although twice lost all mining drones to Psionic storms from Shuttled High Templar. Using its newfound resources, the Cerebrate grew enormous numbers of zerglings. The Protoss enclave had lost many units, but still had Vespene gas coming in and so had continued calling in High templar, and had several other units of mass destruction present (reavers, Dark Templar). The Protoss shuttles were kept busy, as the Zerg had reinforced its zerglings with Zerg Queens and was doing hit-and-run raids against High Templar when it could.

A cat-and-mouse game was created, with Queens trying to hit exposed Templar while trying to avoid the few corsairs remaining to the Protoss enclave's air force. Two massive zergling attacks came, of 24-30 zerglings each. In both cases, they were repelled by strategically placed cannons and numerous Psionic storms. The Zerglings, being under control of other Zerg forms and not having much intelligence of their own (see UED Science Directorate Briefing #1, not classified), will automatically stop to attack a cannon placement if not manually directed by the Cerebrate. With a single cannon at the top of the enclave, and two more just beyond it, the zerglings kept stopping to destroy the cannons, while Psionic Storm would rip through their numbers with ease.

The first attack failed, but left the High Templar drained of energy. It was then that we saw the rare sight of High Templar merging into the Psionic beings we've dubbed Archons. When the next attack wave came, a single nearby cannon had been rebuilt, while the archons remained near the shield battery. Again it was a massacre - the zerglings never stood a chance as the archons constantly recharged their shields.

Despite these zergling attacks, the Protoss commander refused to stay on the defensive. He dropped 2 reavers, 1 High Templar, and 2 Dark Templar on the Zerg Cerebrate's North Hatchery. With 3 more zealots coming in from the opposite side of the base and a single corsair harassing the overlords, the Hydralisk defenders were split in 2 forces and crushed. Some were loaded up into overlords and evacuated, or evacuated through a Nydus canal before it was destroyed. The attack's goal succeeded, however, as the Growth was destroyed completely.

Thus, at this point, both sides were low on resources in spite of the numerous resources available in the terrain still. Each side tried one more expansion attempt. Both were eventually destroyed, but not before some well needed mineral wealth trickled in to both sides.

The Protoss enclave called in the big guns - 2 Carriers with full 8 interceptor loads. Complemented with 2 High templar in a shuttle and 2 corsairs. The Protoss finally moved against the primary Zerg growth - site of 3 Hatcheries and a Hive, not to mention all biotechnological structures for this Cerebrate.

About 24 hydralisks were defending and doing a good job stopping the interceptors. It took a combined attack to get them. The carriers moved in and while the hydralisks were attacking the interceptors, a high templar was landed and a Psionic storm wiped out 9 of the defenders in a single burst. One carrier had actually taken damage, but both were flown back with the Templar/shuttle and shields recharged. The assault began again.

This time the Zerg evacuated its hydralisks once more, to its last growth point between its primary base and the Protoss secondary base. The Protoss was going to move on to attack when it looked like there may not be enough resources to rebuild lost interceptors. Long distance mining was used to get just enough mineral wealth to rebuild the lost fighters. The Zerg made one last-ditch attempt to create a new Hatchery at the Northwest resource node. However, even as the carriers were destroying the eastern border's growth, the northwestern one was discovered by the same 2 Dark Templar that had been scouting during most of the fight. The Zerg Cerebrate suicided the drone that had been producing the Hatchery, and relinquished this part of Tau Cygni-4 to the Protoss enclave.

UEDIA Final Analysis: MAD is a viable alternative for the embattled Protoss. Although casualty rates were extremely high, the enclave emerged victorious. Other Protoss enclaves on Tau Cygni-4 should be made aware of the use of the MAD doctrine, in spite of the costs of such a victory. Furthermore, all UED colonies should be made aware of the Protoss' willingness to use such methods, and UED military leaders should begin preparing countermeasures to MAD protocols in the event of renewed conflicts with the various Protoss factions.

End of Briefing