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Starcraft 2 Zerg strategy. Starcraft II Strategy and Tactics

Reflections on the game.

When I first started playing regular StarCraft on the ladder, I didn't really like playing against Terrans. Actually, I just hated these matches because I always lost. But this is a common complaint from the average player. If opponents of equal strength play different races, then the balance of the game very much depends on the skill level of both partners. Low or mid-level players find the match against Terran very difficult and often wonder: "What the @#$%! What were Blizzard thinking when they made the forces so unequal?" But if you meet higher-class players, the game turns out to be much more equal and sometimes you just get pleasure from seeing how accurately the capabilities of the sides are balanced. Each race has so many effective responses to any enemy move that the game turns out to be very rich in possibilities and varied. And although I like how this match is balanced better in regular StarCraft, because there the Zerg has a larger choice of different strategies (because of Medics you always have to make Lurkers), still in Brood War game Zerg vs Terran is very interesting. However, due to the large differences between these games, I will only be reviewing Brood War in this article. (Note: You know what? If you're tired of my rambling, skip it and read the strategies below).

Just like in chess, in Starcraft there are many different initial moves. And, unfortunately, Zerg “plays black” - in the early game, Terran holds the initiative, and you have to think about how to react to his actions. Terran can start the game in many ways:

install an early Bunker;
make a rush with Marines from 3 Barracks;
rush with Marines and Medics from 2 Barracks,
choose a tank rush with the support of 2 Barracks;
attack with Marines and Medics from 2 Barracks with the support of Scientific Vessels;
make Marines and Medics in 1 Barracks and reinforce them with early Tanks;
go to the Fighters at 1st Barracks;
prepare an early landing of Marines and Medics at 2 Barracks;
prepare a landing of Tanks at the 1st Barracks.

You need to survive the attack planned by the Terran, and then force him to lock himself in his own base. Since Terran has a completely abnormally strong defense, many opponents, even without your pressure, will of their own free will sit at their base and strengthen it - and that’s all you need! If the Terran tries to stick his head outside the base, destroy his forces, and in the meantime seize control of the map. The ability to mount a reliable defense is a powerful psychological factor, an eternal temptation for Terrans, to which many succumb. You must take this into account and use it, although, of course, strong Terran players also know about this and do not sit in impregnable fortresses.

Development order.

When starting a game against Terran, I almost always use the following build order. There are only two exceptions: either if I find that the enemy has a very early Barracks (which indicates an early Bunker), or if the enemy base is very close (for example, the 12 and 3 o'clock positions on the Lost Temple).
9 Drones
Overlord (9/9)
2 Drones (11/17)

Immediately send one Drone to build a Hatchery in the narrow entrance to the expansion through which the road to your base leads (to the Lost Temple), do not build this Hatchery on the mountain at the entrance to your base (10/17)
2 Drones (12/17)
Of these 2 Drones, one collects minerals, and the second gets the honorable right to build a Spawning Pool (11/17)
3 Drones (14/17)

The third of these Drones makes a Hatchery in the nearest expansion, unless it is the same narrow passage where you built the second Hatchery - in which case you can build the third one wherever you wish (13/17)

When the Pool is ready, make 8 Zerglings (4 Larvae - 3 from the first Hatchery and 1 from the second one you just completed)

Instead, if you are absolutely sure that the enemy will not rush, make 3 Drones and 2 Zerglings for reconnaissance.

From this point on, the further development order depends on what your opponent does.

After the third Hatchery, I usually start producing gas at both bases and make a Lair when I have accumulated 100 gas. Usually I spend the next 200 gas on researching Zergling acceleration and Burrow, and then building a Hydralisk den. For Overlords, I open transport first, and then acceleration. After surviving the initial Terran actions, I usually open Lurkers, and when I have 6 Lurkers, I build 3 Evolution Chambers and research upgrades (for Hydralisks and Lurkers it is very important to have +1 attack, but +2 and +3 are not necessary to open). Then I blockade the enemy base with Lurkers and Zerglings and harass him with sabotage (for example, landing Lurkers on a mountain next to his expansion), while in the meantime I occupy the map and continue to explore improvements. Once both major Overlord upgrades are done, I immediately move on to the Hive and, in about half of my games, start building the Spear at the same time. The Spear and Hive are ready around the same time, then I can make Guardians or Defilers instead to take advantage of the Cloud. I'm now making a lot of Zerglings that have all the upgrades unlocked and may be starting to explore upgrades for the Ultralisks. Zerglings and Ultralisks are a scary late game force against Terran. Even if you don't make Guardians, the Spear is still useful - you need Skurges to shoot down Science ships. Sometimes you can make multiple Queens to have a great weapon like the Web. In the late game, Zerg has many different options and you can choose whichever one you like best. The biggest danger for you is Scientific vessels in large numbers. Radiation is a very nasty spell, and Defense Matrix has many uses. Terran also has a lot of options, but they are mostly good in the mid game. In the late game, Terran mostly makes Science Vessels, Marines, and Tanks, and while this combination is very flexible, it is also very consistent in most games, so you don't have to specifically adapt to something unknown. But the Terran constantly has to adapt, because the Zerg has a million strategies. Late game you control and direct, if, of course, you have expansions. Just try not to spoil your game with excessive self-confidence, and you will be fine ;).

Against early Bunker

The early game is the main stage on the way to your final victory. Be careful not to lose Hatchery to an early Marine rush. The price of losing Hatchery is usually a quick "gg", because against Terran it is very difficult to correct the mistakes made. However, there are a few key signs that indicate an early rush. With small numbers on both sides, Zerglings are stronger than Marines, so in the early game Terran needs a Bunker to make Marines effective. Therefore, if you see a Terran building a Bunker (usually near your second Hatchery), you can assume that he will send Marines to that Bunker. If the Marines don't show up, it means either you have a very cunning enemy, or you're dealing with a newbie who needs to be punished for stupidly wasting resources (on Battlenet it's usually the latter, on Kali it's always the latter).

Usually your 8 Zerglings will show up just in time to save you from the threat of an early Bunker. However, sometimes the Zerglings are late and you need to remove several Drones from work in order to use them to kill the SKV building the Bunker. If there are several SKVs there or the Bunker appears unusually early, you will have to send 10-12 Drones into battle to kill the Marines before they get into the Bunker. Fight with Drones to buy time until the Zergling heroes appear on the scene and save everyone. Another option is to simply cancel the second Hatchery and start building a new one at the main base. I almost always fight with Drones to kill two birds with one stone - to preserve early expansion that is important for production and to show Terran who’s boss. It is very useful to let your opponent know that you are not afraid of cheap tricks.

If you destroy the Bunker and the Marines run back to their base, chase them with the Zerglings and try to kill a few of these junkie freaks. If he still manages to destroy your Hatchery, you should quickly build a new one at the main base and, perhaps, make a Sanken there as well. In this case, the enemy will either create his own expansion or attack your main base. A sign of the first is the absence of attacks. You can recognize signs of the second even with modest levels of mental development. These are Bunkers, these are new Barracks from which Marines jump out and run to your base, these are Tanks, Turrets, etc. If your Terran is peaceful and focuses on the economy, choose for yourself how to continue the game (I recommend Lurkers or Mutalisks). If he is aggressive, there is probably something wrong with his life and he is taking it out on you for some of his failures. Well, take the advice from my Rules of Engagement (this is a separate strategic guide).

[Here I would like to emphasize that my articles are not one-way streets. The Zerg vs Terran strategy is also a guide for Terran vs Zerg because it shows the best Terran moves and the Zerg's possible counter moves).

Against a rush by Marines from 3 Barracks.

Ah, this rush from 3 Barracks! What a rarity! If your opponent doesn't already know that Marines without Medics and Stimpak aren't particularly good against Sunkens, teach him that. When repelling this attack, you can either move on to gas production (to speed up and bury Zerglings), or live without gas for now, but make more Sankens (for example, 4). I myself am a supporter of saving money on Sankens, so I extract gas and discover improvements for Zerglings. I build 2 Sankens and bury 12-18 Zerglings within Marine shot range of the Sankens. Since the enemy is attacking from 3 Barracks, he has no money for the Academy, which means there will be no Locator. For those who are lazy to think for themselves, I explain: he will not be able to detect your ambush. Now the trap is ready and while the Marines are randomly firing at the Sankens, the Zerglings jump out and solve all the issues. His opening gambit failed and you now have the advantage. You have expansion and you don’t have to worry about new attacks until he makes a Locator, because now you’re putting pressure on him psychologically. He will be afraid to attack and go on the defensive. If you're playing with a very good Terran, this failure won't really upset his game, but even he won't attack again until he builds the Locator. From now on, your best bet is Zerglings and Lurkers, because he has invested most of his money in infantry production, which means he needs units that hit them well.

Against a rush by Marines and Medics from 2 Barracks.

A typical start to a Terran game in BV is to rush with Marines and Medics, because this is one of the strongest openings for a Terran. This strategy has two options: first 1 Barracks, then gas, then 2 Barracks; or first 2 Barracks, then gas. When I play Terran myself, I prefer to delay technology development, because I find building 2 Barracks before gas is more profitable. If the Terran starts with 2 Barracks, then he can be aggressive earlier and does not allow the Zerg to get too greedy. The main disadvantage of rushing with Marines and Medics is that the attack starts later than in the strategy with an early Bunker (because you need gas for the Medics first), so the Zerg does not need defense at the very beginning and can only deal with the economy.

If reconnaissance shows that the enemy is preparing Marines with Medics (in the Barracks-Gas-Barracks option), then you don’t have to worry about defense and make only Drones. After some (reasonable) time, place 2-3 Creep Colonies, but do not turn them into Sunkens until you see that he has led troops to attack. When the enemy comes at you, choose to either place more Sanken or make more Zerglings. If you have 18-24 Zerglings, that's enough to fend off any Terran infantry attack with 2 Flametroopers or less.

If reconnaissance shows that the enemy has chosen another option (Barracks - Barracks - Gas), you need to make a minimal defense. For example, 8 Zerglings and 1 Sanken can almost always fight off whatever forces he might have in an early attack (before Medics). In the worst case scenario, you will need 8 Zerglings and 2 Sanken. And beyond this you can build only Drones. When he has Medics, either use the mentioned trick of burying Zerglings in front of 3-4 Sankens, or make 4-5 Sankens and several Zerglings. This protects against almost any rush by Marines and Medics. When his attack fails (or if he stands in front of your Sankens without attacking), the Terran will almost always move to the Tanks and block your base in the meantime. This means you have a little more time to strengthen your economy, but very soon you will need combat technologies. Choose for yourself between Mutalisks and Lurkers; personally, I trust Lurkers more. When the enemy has Tanks, he will begin to put pressure on you, pushing Tanks with the support of infantry. Now you can no longer wait and must make your move. Look for specific advice in the "Breaking the Terran Blockade" section.

Against a rush from 2 Barracks with Tanks.

Some Terrans still do this. They build Marines in 2 Barracks and Tanks. They are usually quite aggressive with early Marines and don't allow you to skimp on defense. Then they quickly bring up the Tanks and shoot the Sankens from afar. If you don't have Lurkers, Mutalisks, or a ton of speeded-up Zerglings (or burrow, which always helps out Zergs a lot), then celebrating your victory will have to wait until future games. If you fall into this trap, read the section on breaking the Terran blockade. However, if you do not forget about reconnaissance and think about the future in advance - what your enemy is going to do, it is quite possible to repel such an attack.

When your intelligence shows that the Terran is preparing an attack from 2 Barracks with Tanks, you need to decide whether you will have the necessary high technologies in time. If not, you need to have a lot of Zerglings. Keep 24 Zerglings (or so) in the middle of the map and hit the Terran while his forces are still on the march. Or, this is also possible, when he withdraws troops from his base, send the Zerglings there. Maybe you'll win right away. Since he almost always plays without Academy in this opening, he almost certainly doesn't have Flamethrowers, which are the main threat to Zerglings. If for some reason you can't counterattack, bury your Zerglings either lined up in the middle of the map where the Marines are most likely to pass, or in a group in the place where the Tanks and Marines are most likely to line up to bombard your base. When the enemy is above you, dig up the Zerglings and kill them all (even better if you attack them on one side with Hydralisks, Mutalisks or Lurkers, which distract the Marines and absorb their shots while the Zerglings do the dirty work). This tactic is also suitable against Marines and Medics rushes, but the results there are not so beautiful, because the Terran may have Flamethrowers.

Don't feel pushed to the wall by these Terran tactics - the game is on normal and you have many options. You can build Zerglings alone, or Hydralisks with Zerglings, or Mutalisks with Zerglings, or Lurkers with Zerglings - it all works very well. Just don’t go to extremes: on the one hand, don’t show excessive greed when developing the economy, on the other hand, don’t show excessive cowardice, that is, don’t build too many Sankens. To repel such an attack, you do not need stationary defenses, but mobile forces - as with any early appearance of Tanks.

Against a rush of Marines and Medics from 2 Barracks with Scientific Vessels.

Another fairly common Terran strategy is to develop the technology straight into Science Vessels without tanks. Radiation is good against Lurkers, and Marines and Medics are good against everything else. Unfortunately, Radiation does not kill Lurker instantly, so this Terran strategy is not ideal. Remember I said that because of the Medics you always have to do Lurkers (you read everything I wrote, right???). So, the Terran is also not free to choose - because of the Lurkers, he has to make Tanks. Lurker kills infantry with only 2 hits, and Radiation does not have time to kill Lurker during this time. To repel such a Terran attack, use the standard combination of Zerglings and Lurkers, as when rushing Marines with Medics from 2 Barracks. The difference is small.

Against a rush of Marines and Medics from 1st Barracks with Tanks.

I don’t advise anyone to use this tactic as a Terran, but I have seen Terrans who use it. The Terran quickly builds an Academy and a Factory, apparently in hopes of establishing a very early blockade. This works well against the greedy Zerg. However, if you do not forget about reconnaissance (without it, you simply will not know what awaits you), such an attack is quite easy to repel. Terran usually has about 8 Marines, 4 Medics, 2 Flamethrowers, 2 SKVs and 1-2 Tanks. To defeat such forces, 24 Zerglings should be enough for you. Either bury them and counterattack his base (just beware of the Flamethrowers that may remain there), or just attack his troops with all your strength before he builds Bunkers and Turrets near your base. In general, if you are not too greedy, you have nothing to fear from this strategy. (Note: In this particular strategy, don't do Sankens other than the 1-2 you should have already done. To fight off this attack, you need mobile forces).

Against the rush by Fighters at 1st Barracks.

This tactic occurs in about 1 game out of 10. The Terran creates a minimal defense and rushes straight towards the Fighters, hoping to punish you for your greed with an air strike. If your intelligence discovers this, start extracting gas now and make a Hydralisk den as soon as possible. You don't want to lose all the Overlords, as happened to me several times ;).

If you want, you can gather a large force of Zerglings and attack his base so that he will have to pay for accelerated technological development. You may be able to inflict some damage on him. Or you can just build Hydralisks and eliminate the threat of air strike. Most likely, his attack will be followed by a landing party - be prepared. He can land Marines on your main base or expansion, or put Tanks on a mountain. Reconnaissance is, as always, crucial, but it is especially difficult here because of the fighters. For this reason, this seemingly supernaturally stupid strategy sometimes turns out to be attractive. The enemy holds the initiative both in the early game and in the middle, and you are forced to respond to his moves. If you guess correctly what it does, great, then you have an advantage. If you don't guess and don't prepare for his possible actions - then gg. I can’t give you detailed advice for all situations, but after you drive off the Fighters, place a Sanken at the main base and in the expansion and keep 12 accelerated Zerglings and 4 Hydralisks at the ready while you move to the Lair. You need the lair to unlock acceleration and transportation for the Overlords.

In most cases, the Terran will land Tanks on the mountain and, unfortunately, you will not yet be ready to repel such an attack. All you can do is build a Sanken near the mountain to slow down his attack (although sometimes the enemy plays carelessly and lands in your Sanken's range...if this happens, you will immediately gain an advantage). Sanken will delay the enemy for about 30 seconds - during this time, each Drone collects an average of 18 minerals. We multiply 18 by the number of Drones and subtract 175 (the lost profit from the Drone that Sanken built and therefore did not collect minerals is close to zero - if Sanken had not existed, this Drone and his comrades would have been killed by the Tank). We get a net gain even in minerals, not to mention the Larvae that appear during this time, and perhaps you will even have time to discover technologies that will allow you to repel this attack. Even if it turns out that your Sanken did not pay off in terms of money, the last two advantages cover the loss.

If you lose a Hatchery in an expansion, when you have the necessary technologies, kill the Tank and Bunker that the enemy will most likely build in your expansion, and retake the expansion. However, this time do not build Sankens, because the enemy switches to attacking with Marines and Medics with Tanks. Look at the circumstances as to how you play next, because your actions will depend on what the enemy is doing and what he has. If you don't lose the Hatchery when the threat is over, return the Drones to their resource extraction duties and continue as normal.

Against a rush with a landing of Marines and Medics from 2 Barracks.

Sometimes Terran does a standard rush with Marines and Medics. Meanwhile, he himself is preparing Landing Ships to fly around your Sankens from above and land at the main base. If he does this, he will take you by surprise and destroy your rear. However, with the help of intelligence, you can control the situation. If you find that the enemy is preparing a landing, do not build many Sunkens and watch where their Landing Ships are heading. In this scenario, it is very important to have mobile forces and at least 1 Sanken at the main base. If you're good at scouting, this strategy isn't too bad, but if you weren't expecting it, things will be bad. One of the advantages of this strategy is that the enemy can simply cheat in order to force you to spend money on Sankens. Although I've never seen this in practice, it's conceivable that a cunning Terran would deliberately show you his Dropship (i.e., let your Overlord fly near his base without killing him, and allow him to spot the Dropship heading towards your base) . Thus, he will force you to build at least 1 Sanken at the main base and send Zerglings there, but in fact his main forces will attack you from the front. The landing ship can be empty, or maybe with troops, but do not land them until your Zerglings run back to the expansion, repelling the attack from that side. Then he can, for example, kill your Drones and brag about his victory for a long time in the chat. (That's how they usually do it on Battlenet, and that's what they always do in Cali. But really, he's earned bragging rights.)

If you stay alive, the Terran can move on to whatever technologies he wants, and if his landing party is even partially successful, you'll see those technologies in action within minutes. If you have Lurkers, he will have to make Tanks, but he does not need to make any more forced moves, because the Marines and Medics fight off the Mutalisks. By the way, if you force him to make Tanks as Lurkers, and there is already a Landing Ship, then expect the Tanks to land on the mountain. Tips on how to beat this off are in many places in this article.

Against landing with Tanks at 1st Barracks.

This strategy must be played against in the same way as against Fighters with 1 Barracks. In fact, these two strategies usually lead into each other. Yes, perhaps these two attacks have so much in common that they should be combined into one section. But now I'm lazy. Maybe in the next update I'll combine them. Yes, that's the only difference. You won't need the Hydralisks as quickly, but you'll need the Lair sooner.

Breaking the Terran blockade.

You may be thinking: "#$% break through this @#$%^& blockade." Every Zerg who has had to break through a Terran blockade and suffered setbacks has come to this exact conclusion at some point. For those of you who remain with this opinion, I give some advice.

The main thing is to follow one of the Rules of Combat: attack from all sides. When a Terran is blocking you, you cannot attack only from the front, you definitely need to attack from the rear too. If you suspect that the Terran is going to block you, you need to either use Burrow and set up an ambush, or break through until the Terran defensive line is completed, or prepare an assault force, land half of your forces on the other side and simultaneously attack the blockade line from the front and rear . For example, if you reach Lurkers, plant 2 of 6 Lurkers and 2/3 Zerglings outside your base. Arrange your units so that on the way back to their base they run up to the blockade line from different directions, and when you are ready, attack. Send Lurkers first, and Zerglings right behind. Then they will come running to the battlefield at about the same time. Maybe the Lurkers will come in a second early and get a few shots, but the Marines will immediately switch to the Zerglings because the Lurkers aren't buried and aren't attacking yet. Bury the Lurkers, you'll like the results. To do this, you usually need 20 or more Zerglings and 4 or more Lurkers, but this, of course, depends on the strength that the enemy has.

Another option, if his Tanks are not advancing, but are only blocking you, you can land all your forces outside the base and send them to the middle of the map, where they will intercept reinforcements going to the blockade line. Now the enemy knows that you have broken the blockade and thinks that you are going to attack his expansion or main base. He can simply lift the blockade and send his forces to attack and destroy your army. In this case, you can either break through to your base to connect with the forces that will be built there during this time, or still destroy its expansion, or do both ^^. If he still continues to block your base, try to cause as much damage to his base as possible. If he repels you from his base, keep the remnants of the army in the center of the map to cut his forces into two parts. When you have enough troops, break the blockade from both sides, as described in the previous paragraph (you will probably have to land more troops to strengthen the army in the center, because it will suffer losses when storming its base).

Zerg vs Terran after debut.

When will you get over it early game(after all, you will survive it, right? You feel like a father after reading my article, right?), you will have an advantage. Terran's starting strategies are mostly designed to win with a direct attack or weaken you so much that you can no longer muster enough strength to win. Unless your opponent is one of the great Terran players who attacks constantly, then after the first attack you will have enough time to develop the economy. By the time he gets ready to attack again, you won't have much trouble whatever he comes with. Just continue on the technological path you started. Common paths: Lurkers/Zerglings to Ultralisks/Zerglings (this one is my favorite); from Lurkers/Zerglings to Guardians/Zerglings; from Mutalisks/Zerglings to Guardians/Zerglings; Lurkers/Zerglings to Defilers/Lurkers/Zerglings. Choose any road that seems suitable to you. (Guardians are suitable if there are few Scientific ships, Ultralisks - if there are many scientific vessels, Defilers - if there are few Tanks).

Since by this time you control the map, occupy two more expansions on the mainland and one of the islands. At each expansion, make a dozen Drones, then 1-2 Sankens and Lurkers to protect against landings. After debut, Terran rarely lands on the mountains, because you have a lot of technologies that allow such landing to kill, so don't worry about it. During this time, the Terran will prepare his further actions - either he will go for a second big assault, or make a deceptive assault, and he himself will set up a blockade and also take expansion, or somehow combine these possibilities. Now most of the battles will take place in the middle of the map. If you find yourself in a blockade, read the previous section, and if the enemy has taken expansion, continue reading this one.

The second assault on Terran is not as terrible as the first; with the forces and technologies you have accumulated, it will be easier to repel it. This is usually just a greed check to see if you have tried to grab more than you can protect. A good Terran will not attack you at all, but will try to block you in order to take expansion himself. Or, another option, he will occupy the nearest expansion and dig in at his two bases so that they cannot be approached. When a Terran gets a second base, he can muster a VERY large force, so be careful. Although you now determine the course of the war, a good Terran will always take advantage of your mistakes. And since Terran is perfectly suited to exploit Zerg mistakes, remember the main thing: don’t be greedy (although being a little greedy is a necessary quality for any good Zerg;). After the expansion, the Terran will quickly gain strength and will soon be ready to leave the fortress and enter the open field. When he does, you better be prepared. The truth is, most likely, you won't be in it, so here are some tips for you on how to delay the next Terran attack...

You need to buy time for your expansions to start generating income. To do this, it is best to distract the Terran. A great way to do this is to plant Lurkers near his workers or on a mountain near his expansion. He will have to struggle to get rid of them, and you may even cause him serious damage. Another good way- land your entire army with him, so that he will have to forget about everything and run with all his might to his base and deal with your landing party. Most Terrans will completely expose their expansion in this situation (hint: send 12 Zerglings and a couple of Lurkers there), but most good Terrans will anticipate this and leave some defense. To prevent Terran reinforcements from coming to the base too quickly, assign a special special mission to the Overlords carrying the Lurkers hotkey and keep them separate from the rest of the Overlords. Land the Lurkers on the mountain and bury them so that the infantry running under the mountain will die. Do not place them directly along the edge of the mountain, but place them in an arc, at some distance from the edge. Then the enemy cannot do without Tanks or Radiation to kill the Lurkers. Meanwhile, his main base will perish. You won’t destroy an excellent Terran with such an attack, and it’s unlikely that he will lose much strength, but you will gain a lot of time until he gets ready to make a foray outside the base again. Another way to buy time is to land a small force (for example, 12 Hydralisks, 12 Zerglings and a few Lurkers) and start destroying his means of production (Barracks, Factories, Spaceports, etc.). He will have to send at least part of the army to repel the attack. If you do this often, it will really irritate the Terran and he might even put a permanent garrison there so that you can never land troops again (this is good for you, not bad, because he will waste resources on a stationary defense, and you will also gain time).

Now it's time to spend your expansion gains and build in mass quantities the units you've chosen to use in the late game. Since you've been upgrading since late opening, you should now have something like +2/+2. Soon you will have Ultralisks with 4 or 5 armor, or 8 Guardians, or Defilers. If you did not forget about reconnaissance and did not allow the enemy to occupy expansion areas, he will soon write to you GG.

Zerg tactics against Terran.

So far I have talked about the strategic issues of this match. Now I turn to the specifics of the tactics that you can use against the Terran. My favorite tactic is to ambush buried Zerglings. All that is required is to bury 24 Zerglings lined up in the middle of the map, where the Marines will have to pass, and when he is above you, dig up. The Marines won't have a range advantage because the Zerglings will jump right into their midst. Instead of a general battle between squads, there will be a fight in which individual Marines fight individual Zerglings. And with a small number of sides, Zerglings win such duels. You can take out 14 Marines and 6 Medics with your 24 Zerglings, and sometimes you'll still have 12 of them left. You can also bury Zerglings in the area where Marines and Tanks need to stop to bombard your base, and then dig out when they start positioning for a siege.

Another tactic is raids and retreats by accelerated Overlords with landing forces. You land troops and cause some damage to Terran. When his Marines and Tanks run to the rescue of their own, load back onto the Overlords and fly to the enemy expansion. There you disembark again, etc. You can divide the forces in half: send half to the main base, and half to the expansion. You will damage the enemy, delay his attack and not lose many Hydralisks. This is one of the best ways, to delay the Terran attack, and if you retreat in time, then the losses will be minimal. It is very cost-effective, and in the meantime, your Drones are hardworkingly collecting minerals, helping the common cause as best they can. It’s especially nice to use such tactics against a Terran who “knows everything in advance”... Hmm, there are a lot of them on the ladder. His troops will run back to the base to repel the landing, even before you land. So you don't even have to actually land - he will delay his attack himself, and time is on the Zerg's side.

A good tactic is to hit groups of Marines with Tanks with the help of Lurkers and Zerglings. Send the Lurkers to run to the flank of the Terran army, and while they are running, attack with the Zerglings. The Marines will start shooting at the Lurkers, then switch to the Zerglings. The Lurkers are on the side and do not block the way for the Zerglings, and the Zerglings do not allow the Terran to escape from the attack of the Lurkers, neither forward nor backward. Running Lurkers from the side is also advantageous because you don’t need to place them in a line for greater efficiency - they will line up in that way while they are running. If the Terran player takes control and orders the Marines to shoot the Lurkers, the Zerglings will eat them alive.

The last tactic that I remember now (if I remember again, I’ll add it when updating) is intended for landing in a situation where the Terran does not yet have Tanks (for example, if he is trying to take expansion early, having only Marines and Medics). Very often there will be a mountain next to these M&Ms. You need 6-8 Lurkers and Zerglings. Plant 2-4 Lurkers on the hill, another 2 Lurkers somewhere near his mountain, and keep 2 Lurkers and Zerglings ready for the assault. Bury 2-4 Lurkers on the mountain and they will start hitting the infantry below... Then send 2 Lurkers (not the ones near the hill) to the infantry that is forced to retreat and bury them. And immediately send 2 Lurkers, who were next to the hill, to run up the hill, and bury it so that the infantry retreating to the hill does not reach there. Finish off the rest with Zerglings. No more M&M, no more expansion.

Who is Tsunami?
Real name: Robert Avery
Residence: UPenn, Philadelphia, PA
Place of birth: NJ, USA
Age: 18

Game achievements:

Highest StarCraft Rank - 1703 (ladder season 5)
Highest Brood War Rank - 1516 (Ladder Season 6)
Beat almost everyone who is considered a good player
Declared StarCraft World Champion at Macworld Expo NY 99
And most importantly, I am respected by some of those whom I respect.

Lifetime Achievements: I don't know... Maybe getting into college or doing well in school? Oh yes, my girlfriend is my greatest achievement ^^.

How to spend your free time: Computer games, video games, tennis, billiards, skittles, hanging out with friends and, of course, my BEAUTY friend =).

StarCraft 2 - Game Strategies and Tactics

Instead of a preface:
While reading the discussion thread for the game, I more than once came across questions like “How do they make units so quickly?”, “I’m constantly losing!” etc.
But all this happens due to a simple lack of knowledge or desire to read forums on tactics and strategies in StarCraft 2. But, personally, I have not found a single comprehensive comprehensive Russian-language article.

If you are a beginner and crave interesting and fast-paced online battles, then this topic is for you!
Here I will publish the most effective, simple (and difficult) to understand materials on the tactics and strategy of the game StarCraft 2.
And remember that it is important not only to quickly hit the keys, but also to think with your head

Cheese - game tactics (so-called surprises)

Since these tactics are “not for everyone,” I will not describe them in detail. The author and nicknames from the teamliquid.net forum are also indicated in brackets.

Cheeses for Zergs

ZvZ "6pool spine" rush

6 Pool
7 Drone
8 Drone
6 dogs + while the dogs are being produced, we move forward with one drone (since it moves much slower)

We move out with the second drone a little later after we reach the enemy’s base, then we make a Creeping Buddy and protect it with dogs, distracting the enemy in every possible way and gaining time for construction. If you had a ride - gg

ZvP "7 pool econ" -(Ephemerality)

7 Pool
8 Drone
9 Drone
6 dogs

This is a more cost-effective build than the previous one, but the time difference is minimal.

ZvP "baneling timing attack" (purerythem)

13 Gas
13 Poole
Getting Drones up to the 15 limit
Queen, learning speed for dogs

When the study of the speed of lings is half completed, we build a building for banelings.
We move towards the opponent as soon as the study is completed.
The Baneling Nest and the speed upgrade will run out at about the same time and by then you will have enough gas to make 8 banelings. Then the matter remains small

Cheeses for Terrans

TvX "Super Fast Banshees" (ShadowDrgn)

10 Gas
10 Barracks
11 Storage
11 Factory
We continue to build the SCV and make one marine to prevent intelligence of your evil plans
15 Spaceport
16 Laboratory (at the barracks or the factory - it doesn’t matter, we’ll fly to it later by Spaceport)
16 Storage
16 Banshee

Next, I think it’s clear what to do.

TvX "3-rax cheese" (all-in)

9 Barracks
9 KSM, we don’t make them any further, 10 is enough.
10 Storage
We make a collection point for barracks on the ramp. Next we make ONLY Marines
11 Barracks
13 Barracks
16 Storage

Then we move forward with 6 Marines and try to win.

TvP/TvT "scrap station planetary fortress rush"

7 Gas, three workers for it
7 Engineering station
After accumulating 150 minerals and gas, we load 5 workers into the room. center and together with the two remaining workers we fly/drive to the opponent’s base. Do not forget that you will need a little more gas for further repairs of the Planetary Fortress.
Upgrade to a planetary fortress and extract minerals from enemy crystals
If workers are attacked, we load them into a room. center.
True, I think the downside is that if the enemy is Terran, he can fly away, for example, to gold minerals and then punish you very, very painfully.

TvP Superfast Thors on maps for 1v1

6 KSM
7 KSM
8 Gas + 3 workers for production after construction
8 KSM
9 KSM
9/10 Barracks at the base + sending one KSM to build a proxy Factory
10 Factory + set a collection point at the opponent’s base
10 On-base storage
10 Armory at the Broxie Factory
10 Laboratory
10 Thor + save 100 minerals and 50 gas for repairs, about 100 and 50 for repairs.

The strength of this build is that it looks completely standard (since the Plant is made by a proxy) and intelligence does not notice the cheese. But how fun it is to disperse enemies who are not expecting anything...

TvT "fast reaper" (BlasiuS)

6/7/8 Barracks
6/7/8 Gas, 3 xcm for production after construction
@ After completing the barracks, we will add a laboratory
@ After building the laboratory, we build the Reaper
10 Storage
@ As soon as 100 minerals accumulate, we modify the com. center in the light.

TvT "7 rax", for 2x2 maps (mrk)

7- Proxy Barak and KSM, we send to the opponent’s base
8 - KSM
9 - Storage and Marine, how the Barracks will be built

We send a worker to the opponent and in every possible way prevent him from developing calmly. Then we send two more KSMs and Marines. The main task is to force other people’s workers to break away from mining minerals.
After that, you can switch to Banshee or go all-in with 4 Barracks.

Tactics of playing for the Prostosss

All the diagrams and tips below are designed for initial general knowledge of the mechanics of the game, and all terms will be described at the bottom of the post.

I would like to say that the Protoss are not the easiest race to start playing StarCraft. They rely not on the size of their army, but on technology, so all their units are expensive and slow to build.
Because of these same reasons, many players lose to early Zerg rushes in the first minutes of the game

But closer to the topic.
The basis of any game is the so-called Build Orders - construction orders. Following them, you will usually develop in the right direction from the very first minutes of the game. And as practice shows, it is often BOs that become the key to success in 90% of the game with inexperienced players who are trying to develop quickly and are running into a significant lack of resources

Usually, each race has its own CP and, accordingly, its own tactics in the game. Therefore, I will consider the most effective, in my opinion, BOs for each matchup.
So, let's go.

General tactics/tips for playing Protoss

Many different BOs are, of course, good, but you don’t always need to strictly follow a certain tactic.
StarCraft is primarily a game of exploration.
Thus, two types of games can be distinguished: playing from the opponent and imposing your own game. This is very important to understand, since often, due to too late reconnaissance, you can lose very quickly, simply without noticing, say, a proxy rush.

But at the initial stages of the game, there are so-called “openings” and “openings” of the game, from which you can already go into some kind of tactics, based on the actions of the opponent.

I will give 3 different openings, which I (and others) consider the most relevant:

"9 Pylon 12 Gateway"

At the moment it is standard for opening the game, as it gives a good economy and at the same time a fairly early Gateway, which allows you to defend against most early attacks.

The build is divided into two: with fast gas (to enter early technologies) and late gas.

BO with late gas:

9 Pylon
10 As soon as the Pylon is completed, use Time Warp on the Nexus
12 Gate, use Time Warp on the Nexus and send one probe for reconnaissance
14 Assimilator
16 Pylon
(17 Cybernetic Core)

BO with early gas:

9 Pylon
10 As soon as the pylon is completed, use Time Warp on the Nexus
13Assimilator and Time Warp on the Nexus (as soon as 25 units of energy have accumulated)
16 Pylon
(17 Cybernetic Core)

"9 Pylon 13 Gateway"

13 Gate is the most cost-effective build, allowing you to boost the economy in the initial stages, but, at the same time, depriving you of a significant amount of army and quick access to technology.

9 Pylon
10 Time Warp on the Nexus
13 Gate, we send a probe for reconnaissance
15 Assimilator
16 Pylon

Thus, the construction of the Gate will end at approximately 2:50 of game time (at maximum speed).

Notes:

The BO describes only the first use of the Time Warp, but it is assumed that when energy accumulates in the Nexus
All buildings should be built close to the Nexus, as this will produce the most minerals
The cybernetic core is usually called after the construction of the Gate.

"1 Gate Core"

This build is also a standard opening, as it protects against most initial rushes and all-ins and allows you to move on to a stable mid-game.

The main goal of the build is to unlock the potential of the Warp Gate and early technologies. At the same time, it is important not to die at the initial stage of the game and not allow reconnaissance.
The build also has different options, for example "9 Pylon, Zealot at the Beginning"

9 Pylon
11 Time Warp on the Nexus
12 Gate, we send a probe for reconnaissance
14 Assimilator
15 Pylon
16 Zealot
The construction of the Gate will end around the 18th limit, we will immediately build the Cybernetic Core

Other BO options:

This build has many variations depending on your goal. 9 Pylon - 12 Gate allows you to focus on sample production, while 10 Pylon - 10 Gate allows you to start early pressure on the enemy and early technologies, but stop producing samples in large quantities.
It must be said that 9 Pylon - 12 Gates allow you to repel early attacks and provide a good economy.

In PvZ and PvP matchups, summoning an early Zealot depends on scouting. If you think that you can build a Sentry before the enemy attacks, then it’s worth waiting.

In PvT, you generally shouldn't order a Zealot until you find yourself using dangerous tactics or Barracks without labs. Therefore, it is easier to use Time Warp to summon a Stalker to prevent the Thugs from harassing you.

Notes:

In PvZ and PvP, creating a wall on the ramp with Gate, Core and one Zealot can help in containing early attacks.
In PvT, creating a wall is not so effective, since Terrans at the very beginning have units with ranged attacks, and if they destroy the pylon, then this will be a big disadvantage for you at the beginning of the game.
is destroyed by early pressure, you are at a significant disadvantage.

Usually the second Gate is called at limit 22, unless you go to a fast Robotics Factory/Star Gate.

If reconnaissance shows an early attack by the enemy, then use Time Warp to speed up the production of a Sentinel, which can use the Force Field to hold back any attacks except those of the Cutthroats. And if you discover two very early Gates, then it makes sense to call the second Gate yourself and prepare for defense.

Usually, this build then goes into “3 Warpgate rush”, “2 Gate Robotics” or any combination with 3 producing buildings. You can also go into 4 buildings producing units and go all-in.
the builds described above will be discussed later

PvZ - Protoss vs Zerg

"1 Gateway Stargate"(1 Stargate - it doesn't sound very good, so we'll write it in English).

Basic BO:

9 we build workers Pylon (Pylon)
10 Use Time Warp (Chrono Boost) on the Nexus as soon as the construction of the pylon is completed
12 we build a Gateway, a Probe, which was used to lay the gate, and we go for reconnaissance
13 Use Time Warp (Chrono Boost) on the Nexus (Nexus)
14 we build the Assimilator, after completion of construction we send three Probes to extract gas
15 building a pylon
16 Call the Zealot, If reconnaissance shows an early pool (Pool)(<13), то сохраняем Искривление Времени на этого зилота
19 we build the second Assimilator, after completion of construction we send three Probes to extract gas
18 we are building a Cybernetic Core.
21 Summon Zealot
23 we are building a Pylon
Immediately after completing the construction of the Core, call the Sentry
If reconnaissance shows that the enemy is going to the Roaches, then based on the number of cockroaches we place 1-2 guns (after having built a Forge for them).
After the enemy reconnaissance (Overlord) leaves or you drive it away, we install the Stargate and begin to accumulate Time Warp (energy from the Nexus).
31 Call the first Void Ray and use Time Warp.
34 Call the second Void Ray and use Time Warp.

Comments about the build:

It is advisable to place the Pylon, Core and Gate as a wall on the ramp (descent from your base), leaving 1-2 “cells” between them. After building the zealot, you can place it in this opening to prevent the zerg from passing through the dogs. 2 zealots can quite hold off an early rush. If you see that the zealot is about to be killed, do not be afraid and let the working dogs go after the remains.

Remember that early detection of the Star Gate cannot be allowed. The entire strategy rests on the effect of surprise. As soon as you arrive at the zerg base with “hot water bottles”, “warm up” them on the buildings located on the edges of the base. Afterwards, with due attention, you will be able to cause enormous damage to the enemy’s economy, and if he did not have time to enter Hydralisks or Mutu, then victory is yours. 1 hot water bottle kills the queen. Accordingly, two will be killed by two queens, one will probably be shot down. The main thing is to have time to “warm up” the heating pads and have time to cause as much damage as possible.

Depends on what your opponent will do. Remember that StarCraft is an exploration game. For example, if you oversleep the exit to the cockroaches - gg

If intelligence shows that at someone else's base:

1 or 2 Incubators (Hatchery) and a clear exit to cockroaches: build more cannons and sentries to repel a counter-attack by cockroaches. We don’t stop the production of hot water bottles, it’s possible that you will finish it off with them (usually this happens if you didn’t sniff out a way out in early hot water bottles in time).
1 or 2 Incubators and exit to Zerglings: Build more Gates and Zealots, let's continue building warmers.
1 Incubator and exit to Mutaliskov: Build another Star Gate, stop building the hot water bottles and switch to the Phoenixes. It may be worth taking an expansion, since the enemy will not be able to counter with zerglings.
2 Incubators and exit to Mutaliskov: aBuild another Star Gate, stop building the hot water bottles and switch to the Phoenixes. It makes sense to build another Gate and deliver a crushing blow with the Zealots before the enemy has time to change tactics.
1 or 2 Incubators and access to Hydraliskov: switch to the exit to the Templars, take an expansion.

"3 Gate Robo"timing attack

Basic BO:

9 Pylon
10 Time Warp on the Nexus after the construction of the Pylon
12 Gate, traffic jam to Reconnaissance
13 Time Warp on the Nexus
14 Assimilator, three samples for production after construction
15 Pylon
16 Zealot, if reconnaissance showed an early pool(<13), то сохраняем Искривление Времени на этого зилота.
18 Cybernetic Core
21 Zealot
23 Hourly
24 Exploring the Warp Gate
24 Zealot
25 Pylon
25 Assimilator
27 Robotics Facility
28 Gate
32 Observer
33 Pylon
35 Immortal
39 Gate

Note to experts: the article below is intended primarily for StarCrafters from the lower leagues, which means that, firstly, the text focuses on things that are obvious to experienced gamers, and secondly, the debut proposed for Zerg beginners is unlikely to work when playing in “diamond” and higher, but at the same time is able to clearly show what exactly and why needs to be done against the Terrans in order to achieve victory, and also serves as a good “preparation”, which over time can be improved to an acceptable competitive build through mutalisks in TVZ.

That is, three huts to the elevator and other things should not be offered. Early.

It's time to take a closer look at our bronze matchups that we find ourselves in whenever we hit the Find Match button. We've already given brief overviews of all three races, and I admit they lack depth. I hope that the next few articles will clarify things a little for my Bronze League brothers and sisters.

As beginners, we must understand that we need to stick to properly timed tactics, but we cannot only think about time and forget about everything else. First of all, we must understand what the purpose of the tactics we choose is, and only then think about timing (and use it). Well, enough chatting, let's look for a match!

Great, we clicked “find a match” and found ourselves in a Zerg versus Terran battle. Let's pause for a second to refresh our memory of what we have to face...

It is necessary to anticipate the fencing, that is, early reconnaissance is MANDATORY
We will face an enemy whose defenses are very strong
Hellions

Flexible
We need to build expansions
Spreading slime can save the game

GL HF

Let's start with my favorite (currently) tactic - 2-base mutes. To be honest, there are still some flaws in my version that need to be fixed, but at this level everything seems to work fine. First things first, build the first worker and send him to scout as soon as he hatches, and send the first warden to the natural.

After this, our goal is to increase the supply of resources to 12 and at the same time drop the birth pool and extractor. While they are being built, we continue to create workers. As soon as the opportunity arises, take the building to create a queen and send three workers to extract gas. As soon as the opportunity arises, build a second building for gas production, you will need it very soon.

At this point, your worker should already have found the enemy base. The enemy has most likely already fenced off (let's hope you won't be late), now we need to find out how many barracks he is building and whether he is producing gas. If you see a lot of barracks and especially if you can see that the enemy is building reactors, you should expect a bunch of Marines.

If we see all this, then we need to build zerglings and prepare to use them as protection. If the enemy hasn't built a bunch of barracks yet, then we have a little time to breathe, but we need to be prepared for hellions or some other type of attack. Accept that your worker will be killed, try to use it as much as possible to better understand what your Terran opponent is going to do.

Get ready: your first big tactical decision is coming. At the moment when the production reaches 15-20 (but not later than 25, although this is already quite late), turn your incubator into a lair and as soon as you can (and best of all at the same moment) start building your second incubator. If you wish, build 3 or 4 squads of zerglings and send them in pairs to the Xel'Naga tower.

You also need to take care of installing a breeding ground for cockroaches. For muta tactics you need to build expansions and you need to extract gas, that's a fact. If you're going to build some cockroaches to bolster your defenses, you'll need gas.

My main concern will be what kind of buildings I will see in the Terran main. If there are a lot of barracks there, I will focus on ordering zerglings (it would be good to research increasing the speed of zerglings as well), and also try to build a spire as soon as possible. If there are no barracks, then we should assume that there will be a lot of hellions, then I will focus on the cockroaches and again build the spire.

Another option (though not the best) is to build Lashers instead of Roaches or Zerglings. They will never hurt, but you shouldn’t count on these buildings as your main defensive force.
Let's start building zerglings. They are multi-functional (once you have a baneling nest, which will definitely appear, sooner rather than later). I prefer to build one or two zerglings for every three to four workers.

Remember, you need to build the maximum number of workers, fill the base to the maximum. Muts require a lot of resources. At the very beginning of the construction of the zerglings, our main has already mutated into a lair and is collecting resources in order to capture a natural, which will give us both of the necessary gas deposits.

Wait, what about our Overseers?

Yeah, you noticed that I didn't mention when to build or what to do with the overseers. I prefer to build no more than two of them at a time (for now) when the resource storage is almost full. You may ask: why? Wardens take FOREVER to build, and you don't want to run out of resources after building more than you need. If you build just before your storage space runs out, you'll have more resources left to spend on building other units/buildings.

So, what we had to think about was what to do with the guards. DO NOT COLLECT THEM TOGETHER OR PUT THEM IN A CORNER! Think about it, if your enemy finds them, he will have the ability to block you very quickly. Overseers move slowly and are therefore vulnerable to attacks.

What to do with them? I like to cause trouble for my opponent, I like to send the guards as far as possible and start pouring slime. For what? Your opponent cannot build anything on the slime!

This will give you an idea of when and where they are building new bases. Having said that, the first thing to remember is that your overseer will be attacked/killed when your opponent is ready to put up an additional base (consider this a built-in bell). As soon as you hear "Our units are under attack", build an overseer to replace the one you lose.

Let's go, go, go!

Let's get back into the game! We have already captured our natural resource, we are extracting gas, building a spire, the zerglings are on alert... What's next? We need to start distracting the enemy from the game, that is, harassing him. As soon as the spire is ready, we begin to build the mute.

Zergling production has slowed down (perhaps one egg with zerglings for two with muts, but still building workers), but now we have mutalisks. Let's send them in to disrupt the Terran's resource supply line. You won't have enough units to turn this attack into a full-fledged push, you just need to stop him from getting his income and, if possible, destroy a resource storage (or two), but don't get greedy! Try to save as many of your muts as possible. There is no point in sacrificing these units if there is no such need.

Something to remember when you begin your attack: you are opening yourself up to the enemy. He will know that you have air power. If he hasn't already scouted you out and figured out what your tactics are, now he'll definitely understand it! Be prepared to repel a blow from him. Now is a good time to start building a cockroach breeding ground (if you don't already have one, upgrade if you do!) and even a baneling nest.

Once you have these two buildings, you should be prepared to expand to a third base as resources become scarce in the main. Take some workers out of the main and send them to build the next incubator and both extractors. Also start building the Infestation Pit and (once you finish it) the Hive.

Where do we go after this?

So we got to the point where we were lucky and we planned everything right. We inflicted damage on the enemy and also withstood his attacks. If we wait a little longer, we will have to fight a strong defensive unit. Let's try and end it, okay?

First, let's look at the composition of our army. We have Zerglings (with the ability to turn them into Banelings), Roaches, and Muts (and a few Banes if you're expecting your opponent to build a spaceport). Now turn some (probably half) of your zerglings into banelings.

Also make sure that their attacking buildings are active, you need to quickly break through the enemy wall. When your banelings hatch, be ready to build more zerglings and send them to the enemy base. Remember, Zerglings are cheap and quick to build. Their strongest advantage is their numbers; you can quickly attack the enemy and outnumber them.
Well, here I can assume that we will win. We thought about what we could and should expect from the enemy, and also about what we could build to be ready for his attacks. I admit, this plan is not ideal, but this way you can deal with the Terrans. We know that the Terran is a defensive enemy, and allowing him to dig in is to greatly strengthen him. You need to use the Zerg's speed and flexibility to find your opponent's weaknesses and turn them against them.

I hope you found these tips helpful. As always, if you have any questions or comments, feel free to post them here or email me. And now - march in step!

What is a build?
A build (or Build Order) in StarCraft 2 is a specific order of actions (building and creating units) that you use at the beginning of the game to implement a specific strategy. For example, you can destroy the enemy in the first few minutes of the game, completely forgetting about the economy (rush with 6 zerglings) or, on the contrary, develop the economy in preparation for battles in the middle stage of the game (First Hive).

What are the benefits of StarCraft 2 builds?
- Time. By using a clear construction order, you save precious seconds and use resources as efficiently as possible;
- Strategy. As we wrote above, using a build makes it possible to fully implement your chosen strategy for the game;
- Intelligence. If you know exactly what you'll do next, you have more time to figure out what your opponent is planning to do.

What are the disadvantages of builds?
- Lack of versatility. There is no build in StarCraft that would allow you to protect yourself from absolutely any enemy action. There are maximally approximate ones that cover most possible attacks, but there is not and never will be a completely universal one. Therefore, intelligence plays a vital role.
- Weak adaptability. If you are not a professional player, then it will take you a lot of time to adjust the build you are using to the actions of your opponent.

How to read Build Order?
Almost all StarCraft 2 build orders are written as a “Number - Action” combination, for example:
6 - Birth Pool
7 - 6 zerglings
The number on the left side characterizes the number of units of supply consumed (you can see it in the upper right corner of the screen during the game).
The right side indicates the action you must take. For a beginner, this, of course, does not mean anything, but after playing at least a few games for each race, you will quickly understand what we are talking about. In our article under:
6 - Birth Pool
will be meant
"When you use 6 supply units, create a Birth Pool."

Please note that all builds skip the creation of workers as a matter of course. In other words, you have to make workers almost constantly. For example, the above build should look more expanded like this:
6 - Birth Pool
5 - Drone
6 - Drone
7 - 6 zerglings

Why is it important to know the basic builds of other races?
It's very simple, you must know what your opponent can do and how to defend against him. Just by the order and type of buildings, you can understand what awaits you in the next few minutes.

Basic Protoss Builds and Startegies in StarCraft 2

1.Four gates.
This build is basic for any Protoss. It can be used in most game scenarios and gives you the easiest counter-action path. This build is strong against almost any start of the game, with the exception of 6 pools, and is neutral against mass marines and marauders.
9 - Pylon;
10 - 2 samples (created with acceleration by Nexus);

13 - 2 samples;
13 - First Assimilator (after creation, immediately 3 samples);
16 - Second pylon;
16 - Zealot (if you are playing against a zerg), if not, wait until the stalker;
18 - Cybernetic core (after construction, immediately begin developing the “Warp Gate” under acceleration);

19/20 - Stalker (Terran or Protoss)/Zealot (Zealot);
22 - Second gate;

24/25 - Third pylon;
26 - The Warp Gate research ends. Transform your gate into a warp gate and build pylons 4 and 5. Now you will use 1 pylon per 1 troop call (4 units * 2 supplies = 8 supplies), so plan the construction of pylons in advance.
26+ - Summon the first set of troops, for example a sentry, a zealot, 2 stalkers. Don't get carried away with the sentries, two is the optimal number.

After the second troop call, you should have about 42-45 supply units (10 - 12 troop units). Take a sample and move through the map. Create a pylon near the enemy base. Send your troops there. Summon a third wave near your base and send it to join the army. If you are confident in your abilities, launch an attack. No - wait for the 4th wave to call to the newly built pylon and attack.

2.Early dark templars
This game strategy is initially completely symmetrical to the 4 gates, but the main attacking force changes. The build using Dark Templars is very effective against all races, but success is very dependent on whether the enemy has detectors. Additionally, it can be very effective as a defensive strategy against Terrans, as a few Dark Templars will take out a lot of Marines/Marauders (but then you have to sacrifice a surprise attack).
9 - Pylon;
10 - 2 samples (acceleration);
12 - Gate (at 150 minerals);
12 - 2 samples (acceleration);
13 - First assimilator (3 samples immediately);
16 - Second pylon;
16- Zealot (if you play against zerg), if not - stalker;
18 - Cybernetic core (after construction, immediately begin developing the “Warp Gate” under acceleration);
18/19 - Second assimilator (2 samples);
20 - Twilight Council;
20 - Stalker (Terran or Protoss)/Zealot (Zerg);
22 - Second gate;
23 - Third and fourth gates;
24/25 - Third pylon;
25/26 -Dark Sanctuary;
26 - research on the Warp Gate ends. Transform your gate into a warp gate and build 4 pylons. Summon the first set: a sentry, a zealot and 2 stalkers. You now have the basis to defend the base while the dark sanctuary is not yet ready;
34 - Create a set of 4 Dark Templars. You can leave one at the base for additional protection, and send the rest to destroy the enemy base. If he doesn't have detectors, enjoy an easy victory.

3.Attack with photon cannons
This technique is considered very dirty, and if everything goes well, your opponent will simply be beside himself with anger. Very good against Terrans and Protoss, but often difficult to execute against Zerg due to their slime. This strategy in StarCraft 2 will only be successful if your opponent is not strong in reconnaissance.
9 - Pylon, on your ramp (narrow passage in front of the base). Send your sample to the enemy base, to some secret place;
10 - 2 samples (at acceleration);
12 - Forge (at your base);
12 - 2 acceleration tests;
15/16 - Place a pylon on the enemy's base, out of sight or on a low ground (note that the pylon's range does not depend on hills);
16/17 - Place another pylon on your ramp to tightly seal the exit from the base;
17/18 - Cannon on the enemy base (if you placed the pylon on a low ground, then the cannon must be placed directly on the enemy base);
*18/19 - Cannon at your base (if you want to stop the enemy’s early attack);
19/20 - Install 2 cannons at the same time at the enemy base. Make sure they are within range of the first cannon so it can protect them;
20/21 - Place another cannon and a pylon behind it (preferably near the two previous cannons);
22/23 and beyond - more guns, plus a couple at your base;
23+ - most likely a win.

4.Attack with void emitters
This StarCraft 2 build is quite popular due to its ease of execution and exceptional effectiveness against zerg and protoss. This strategy is quite ineffective against Terrans, as it is quickly repelled with the help of 3-4 Marines.
9 - Pylon;
10 - 2 samples (at acceleration);
12 - Gate (at 150 minerals);
12 - 2 samples (at acceleration);
13 - First assimilator (3 samples at once);
14/15 - Second assimilator (2-3 samples);
16 - Second pylon;
16 - Stalker (Terran or Protoss)/zealot (Zerg);
18- Cybernite Core (after construction, start researching the warp gate, but do not speed it up);
20 - Stargate;
22 - Second pylon (Void emitters require 3 supply units, so do not forget to place the pylons in time);
23/24 - Void Emitter No. 1 (on acceleration) - attack if you have good microcontrol);
23/24 - Transform the gate;
27/28 - Void Emitter No. 2 (accelerated). It's time to attack;
29/30 - Gate 2 and, if you can afford it, Gate 3
30 - Gate 4. After this field, you can start building for the middle stage of the game. Unless, of course, the enemy somehow miraculously survived the attack from the void emitters.

Basic Terran builds and strategies in StarCraft 2:

Build 1/1/1
This build order is the most versatile and allows the player to choose from the maximum number of options and strategies for the game. The name 1-1-1 comes from the main buildings that are built in this build: a barracks, a factory and a spaceport.
The order itself looks like this:
10 - Storage 1;
12 - Processing plant 1;
13 - Barracks;
16 - Factory;

16 - Marine;
17 - Storage 2;
17 - “Reactor” extension to the barracks;
18 - Refinery 2 if you are going to develop invisibility;
19 - Hellion;
22 - Spaceport;
22 - Storage 3
23 - Technical laboratory (either in the Factory or in the Spaceport);
23 - Marine or hellion;
26/28 - Banshee or medivac;

Now that the build order has been completed, you can use almost any type of attack and defense - depending on the intelligence data carried out during construction.

Mech build order:
Mech (short for "mechanic") is a very popular strategy in StarCraft 2, effective against all races. It allows the use of siege tanks, thors, hellions, marines and/or air units.
10- Storage 1;
12 - Barracks;
13 - Processing plant 1;
15- Marine;
16 - Factory;
16 - Improvement "Tracking station";
17 - Processing plant 2;
18 - Storage 2;
19 - Factory 2

This StarCraft 2 build is written for those cases if you want to immediately produce mechanical units, for example, for early pushing with tanks. In further development, you can build a third factory (against the Zerg) or a spaceport (against the Terran and Protoss) - it all depends on whether you want to gain control over the airspace.

MMM timing push
This is a modification of the general MMM strategy (marines, marauders, medivacs), which has only one goal - at the 8th minute, with the help of 2 medivacs, arrange a drop of 8 marines and 4 marauders directly into the enemy base.
10 - Storage 1;
11 - Barracks 1;
13 - Processing plant;
15 - Improvement "Tracking Station";
15 - Marines (up to 3);
16 - Storage 2;
19 - Factory;
22 - Barracks (2);
23 - Processing plant 2;
23 - Storage 2;
23 - “Laboratory” extension to the barracks;
24- Spaceport;
- reactor at the factory;
- constant production of marauders and marines;
- develop “Stimulants”;
After construction of 100% Spaceport:
- install the reactor;
- create 2 medivacs.

After that, all that remains is to make a drop.

Zerg Strategies in StarCraft 2

6 pool
This StarCraft 2 build is without a doubt the most popular gimmick in the entire game. However, it is effective only against low and medium level players; at higher levels of play, using this build is pure defeat.
6 - Birth Pool
5 - Drone
6- As soon as the pool is completed - 3 pairs of zerglings;
Next larva 1 is another pair of zerglings and from one worker create an extractor (make room for the zerglings);
Next larva 2 is another pair of zerglings;
Next larva 3 is another pair of zerglings, cancel the extractor;
11 - Overseer;
11 - Continue building zerglings and destroying the enemy.

Hatchery First
This build allows the Zerg to create the most efficient economy, but will require high gaming and unit creation skills. This build order is rather defensive and is intended for the middle stage of the game with a significant economic advantage over the opponent.
9 - Overseer;
9 - Drone scout to the enemy base;
15 - Beehive at the second deposit;
15 - Birth pool;
15- Extractor;
17 - Overseer;
Upon completion of the birth pool construction, create 2 queens and 4 zerglings, develop “Accelerated Metabolism”
21 - Baneling nest
23 - Overseer

Are you sitting and wondering how to play as the zerg? Which building should you build first? Are you thinking about how many dogs to build? Then this is the place for you. I will tell you as briefly as possible about the initial game for the zerg, so that you know the base and can bend, and not destroy the keyboard after each GG check, this is familiar to us all :)

Basic opening for Zerg

In this article I will not delve into the jungle of Zerg builds, but will tell you about basic development that will allow you to reach 3 bases and create a good economy. This build is convenient and allows you to access any technology.

How to start playing as the Zerg

12 drones 1 overlord 1 incubator

The basic Zerg opening looks like this:

We're saving up 100 units minerals and build overs
To 17 limit builds drones
On 17 limit building a pool
+ hut + gas
As soon as ready pool order a queen + 6 lings
How is the first one ready? queen order a second one
How ready hut we're ordering another queen
As soon as ready gas order speed lingam in the pool
On 36 limit we go to protective technologies or Roachi or Beilings, respectively, we build or Roachvaren or Bailingnest
On 44 limit we are building a 3rd hut
On 50 limit building a Lair + Evolution
+ 2 gas

Throughout the implementation of the entire basic build, do not forget to build workers(drones).

Further development is at your discretion. In general, further development will depend on the enemy’s build.

What is important to remember when playing as the Zerg StarCraft 2 LOTV

Creep (aka slime): creep affects the speed of zerg movement, so pull the creep (queens do this with the help of tumors) as wide as possible from the base so that the units are mobile and you can control neighboring bases, quickly transferring units to defense.

Intelligence: without intelligence you cannot beat a strong opponent, and often you cannot even beat the computer. Information is our everything, if there is no information, we don’t know which units to attack and vice versa, we know the information - we know how to counter the enemy.

Practice: you can know all the builds of the game for the zerg and other all races, but using them extremely rarely they will not bring results, as a result of this we remember the rule We don’t teach 1000 builds, but we teach one build a thousand times. By practicing a build until it becomes automatic, new ideas for developing the game automatically open up, so bring the standards to automaticity and don’t grab at clever builds for professionals.

That's all for now, in the following articles I will tell you how to play as the Zerg in StarCraft 2 using other builds. Finally, a video with the implementation of the build described above.