Alternative Concepts in Zerg vs Protoss on
Air Map
Generally, I believe that the advantage of Zerg over Protoss lies not in
the short time in which great amounts of units can be produced, nor in the
possibility to expand to different spots simultaneously, but rather in the
easy climb up the tech tree. If a Protoss player has 15 Gateways in mid-game,
you know what he will build: Zealots, Dragoons, Templars, Archons - 2 spell-casters,
all 6 being groundunits. If a Zerg player has all buildings he can build,
there is no telling what he'll go for next. This is why the primary goal
in battle of any Zerg, should, IMO, be to destroy as much as he loses (if
measured in resources). If you manage to annihilate the opponent's army and
loose your own in the process, you've gained an advantage. You'll be able
to make a totally different army for the next battle, knowing exactly what
he'll build. Reading this will not teach you exact steps you have to follow;
the reader will not find any build orders if that's what he's looking for,
but it might help him realize just what he's doing when he decides to build
more of a specific unit type. That is the purpose of this strat.
"Fashion" among Protoss players these days dictates them to play very aggressive
against Zerg on island maps. Some of them tech to Corsairs first, then attepmt
to drop and then expand. This makes sense: going Corsairs that early is likely
to kill a Zerg going early Mutalisk and will at least delay any other build.
If that doesn't work, they attempt to cripple the opponents economy.
Against this build there's no point in going early for air units, since Mutae
get ripped apart so easily by Corsairs and Devourers by Scouts. What I recommend
is going for a Hydra-drop (I wouldn't recommend dropping Lurkers since Cannons
are easy to get, as are Observers if he tried to drop). I won't give an exact
build order for this, as I make mine up while I play, but I will give a few
bits of advice: upgrading two Hatcheries to Lairs at the same time will get
you the two upgrades needed for transportation much earlier; building Sunken
Colonies near your mineral line will help against drops (some players even
build them IN their mineral line, which, if done right, has the potential
to block Scarabs from getting to the targeted Drones), and you should also
get a few Spore Colonies, maybe positioned so that they form a triangle in
which to place Overlords (so that any air unit attacking the Overlords will
get hit by at least 2 Spore Colonies at a time). By doing a Hydra drop, you
will achieve two very important goals:
0. You will have transporting capability, which means that you'll be able
to expand without restrains, whenever you want (during your first attack
is usually the safest moment).
1. In most cases, the Protoss player will stop building Corsairs. When he
sees 16 Hydras being dropped on his base, the last thing he'll think of is
to try to make more Corsairs. This is very important for what you'll do later
on.
Note that destroying your opponent is not the goal at this point; if you
get lucky, good for you, but don't count on it. Now you have one or two expansion(s)
going and more than enough resources to make another. What next? Now you
will use the advantage I mentioned earlier: you will add two buildings and
get acces to another branch of the tech tree. Put down a Great Spire and
a Queen's Nest. The Nest will finish sooner. Before you upgrade a Lair you
should build 3 Queens and research Ensnare. Afterwards, Hive, Mutae and so
on.
-- Zerg air > Protoss air --
OK, that should've gotten people's attention. "What kind of nut believes
something like that"? I do! But that's because when I hear Zerg "air", I
don't think of Mutae and Guardians, I think of Scourge, Queens and Devourers.
A Zerg player can always kill off a Protoss fleet with his own (if he starts
building it soon enough and if he uses EVERY air unit he can get). Earlier
on I said that it's very important for the Protoss to stop building Corsairs.
At this point of the game (when you've gotten Air Power), he will most likely
be dropping like mad on your expansions while you'll be massing. When you
attack (Mutae and Devourers infront, Queens close behind, Guardians third,
and, if you suspect Carriers, a small fleet of Scourge somewhere close),
the outcome of the battle will most likely be clear, once you cast Ensnare
and his units have "Corrosive Acid (6)". (It might be usefull to set a shortcut-key
for one of the Queens; using Ensnare to its fullest potential will not be
a problem since your opponent's units will most likely stack upon each other.
One interesting thing to see is how the Protoss will ignore your attacking
units and immediatly hunt for the Queens; be prepared to use this to your
advantage by running the Queens around, getting more free hits). If his Air
Force is down, you have map control and can kill off his expansions or go
directly for his main.
-- The Alternative --
Of course, not everything has to happen as I described it. What will you
do if he didn't stop building air units? What if he went Carriers instead
of trying to drop on expansions? This is when you get a second opportunity
to use your race's advantage: you upgrade Adrenal Glands and Metabolic Boost
and drop 64+ Zerglings on his base (which, BTW help Scourge a lot against
Carriers, because they have a much better chance to reach their target).
If he already has Arbiters (not likely), you have options: cast ensnare and
ignore the cloaking, sacrifice 12 Scourge to make sure the Arbiter gets killed,
or sacrifice a few units by ignoring enemy fire and killing it first. Dropping
Zerglings is an option even if he didn't build air units, but somehow manages
to block your attacks some other way.
-- Bottom line --
The point I was trying to make is that you can afford a lot on an island
map. While a Protoss player might be able to force you to go for specific
units on a land map, by attacking with say 48+ Zealots, the roles change
on island maps, since almost any of the units he might come up with could
become useless if you decide to change to components of your army. Instead
of trying five times to drop, and losing great amounts of Hydrae to Storm,
you can surprise the opponent by doing something totally different, faster
than he could adapt.
-GeLaar
-- Starcraft
Millenium - http://www.scmillenium.com
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Zerg: The Two Schools
of Thought
After a long lapse in strategy writing, I’ve decided to return. This time,
I come forth with an analysis of the two unique Zerg strategies, which have
been the cause of great controversy and ultimately have everyone asking:
“Which is better?”
In case you have no clue what I’m talking about, most Zerg players tend to
follow one of two builds. The first is known as the Muta-Ling build, where
a player attempts to pressure his opponent with masses of upgraded Zerglings,
and then adds to the chaos by supplementing his forces with swarms of Mutalisks.
The second is known as the Hydra-Lurk build, where a player techs quickly
and masses an army of Hydralisks and then attempts to overrun his opponent’s
forces with well placed strikes by Lurkers.
Hopefully, this strategy will provide some insight for Zerg players and answer
any questions that you may have concerning the pros and cons of each build.
I do not believe that any one build is ultimately “better,” although in certain
circumstances, one build may prove to be more effective than the other at
getting a job done. Also, it depends on your playing style, and what works
for you. For example, I prefer the Hydra-Lurk build, while ~!Freak!~ likes
to go with the Muta-Ling build. If I attempt the Muta-Ling build, I usually
screw it up, and if ~!Freak!~ uses the Hydra-Lurk method, he’ll screw up
too. However, we are both good Zerg players... But our playing styles are
very different and trying to follow a different strategy just won’t “feel
right” for us.
Without further delay, I bring you Zerg’s two schools of thought.
~!FREAK!~’s Method: MUTA-LING
The Muta-Ling strategy is considered “old school.” It has been used since
the earliest days of StarCraft, taking advantage of Zerg’s most efficient
units: The Zergling and the Mutalisk. Just as a historical note, the Muta-Ling
strategy was thought to have originated somewhere in Korea (where people
flock to internet cafes just to play StarCraft). This is how the story goes...
One day, at an internet cafe in Seoul, one gosu StarCraft player was approached
by two newbies. One of them cried out “Sensai, I keep getting rushed by Zerglings!
They swarm over my defenses and there is nothing I can do to stop them!”
The gosu nodded, and told him to make more anti-ground troops such as Firebats
and Zealots.
The other newbie cried out “Sensai, I keep getting rushed by Mutalisks! They
swarm over my defenses and there is nothing I can do to stop them!” The gosu
nodded, and told him to make more anti-air units such as Marines and Dragoons.
The two newbies ran off with their advice, confident that they would soon
see the day when they were no longer called chobu (don’t you love how I spice
this up with Korean?).
Suddenly, the gosu StarCraft player made a stunning connection in his head.
Zerglings and Mutalisks were the most common ways for a newbie to get screwed!
Something must be remarkable about those units. Furthermore, if a player
can successfully defend against one of those units, who is to say that he
is prepared to stop the other unit? Indeed, someone going anti-ground will
be screwed by Mutalisks, and someone going anti-air will be screwed by Zerglings!
So why not use both units for a killer combo? The Muta-Ling strategy was
born.
THE BUILD:
Players start out by going 9/9 Drones. They then create an Overlord, but
while this is spawning, they use the Extractor trick (build an Extractor,
then build a Drone, then cancel the Extractor to get your Drone back, so
you have 10/9 control). After the Overlord is complete, they build between
1 and 3 more Drones, and then they build their 2nd Hatchery. They will then
build 1 or 2 more Drones, and then build their Spawning Pool. They then build
3 or 4 more Drones and then build their Extractor, this time permenantly.
They build another Overlord. They now start pumping out Zerglings continuously,
and also put 4 Drones mining gas. They upgrade Zergling speed. They then
morph a Hatchery into a Lair. They continue to build more and more Zerglings
and will constantly test their opponent’s defenses. If the defenses are weak,
they will try a full-force Zergling assault. If the defenses are strong,
they will keep their opponent on his toes and mass the Zerglings outside
his base for consistant harassment. Zerg will now build a Spire and perhaps
more Drones to rack up some more cash. The first wave of Mutalisks is usually
around 5 in number (for a Mutalisk rush) but some player prefer to wait instead
and mass at least 8 before attacking, so when they finally do slam into the
enemy base, their opponent is totally surprised and it is too late to salvage
the game.
ANALYSIS:
This strategy is a classic and yet very difficult to hold off if you are
not expecting it. However, most experienced players will recognize the signs
of a Muta-Ling build... The initial wave of Zerglings, followed by a brief
and uneasy quiet, and then the swarm of Mutalisks. The hardest part about
defending against this strategy is being able to hold off the Zerglings while
at the same time, preparing for the Mutalisks to come. If at any point the
Zerg player senses your anti-ground defenses have slacked off, he may switch
his efforts entirely to Zerglings.
Economically, the Muta-Ling build is relatively easy to pull off. Zerglings
are cheap and only require minerals, and so anytime there is a shortage of
gas, the Mutalisks will be put on hold while the Zergling production takes
advantage of any surpluse minerals. The problem with the Muta-Ling build
is that it offers little time for the player conducting it to expand. Most
players doing the Muta-Ling strategy don’t get their 3rd Hatchery until after
they get their first wave of Mutalisks. In my opinion, the Muta-Ling build
is a highly sophisticated rush, and like all rushes, there is usually a slight
compromise in cash flow. However, like all builds, there are variations.
Experienced Zerg players use the Muta-Ling strategy really as a containment
(to get their opponent on the defensive against Mutas and Zerglings) while
they expand unchallenged across the map. It is against those types of players
that makes defeating the Muta-Ling build extemely difficult. Things get even
worse once a Muta-Ling player establishes map control, because then he techs
to “Cracklings” (Zerglings with full upgrades, including adrenaline glands)
and also Guardians.
The Muta-Ling seems to work well against all races, although it is particularly
effective against the Protoss and the Zerg. If a Terran masses Marines and
has a well defended choke/ramp, then the Muta-Ling will not work. However,
if the Terran goes Heavy Metal, he will be vulnerable to mass Zerglings (taking
out Tanks) and Mutalisks (assuming he has few or no Goliaths). Against the
Protoss, it does a good job keeping Zealots and Dragoons at bay with the
Zerglings, and the Mutalisks can deliver a crushing blow behind enemy lines
where it hurts the most; the economy. However, be weary of the Protoss that
goes High Templars, Archons, and Corsairs... That is the ultimate counter
to the Muta-Ling. Against Zerg, it works well against someone who is going
entirely Zerglings or entirely Hydralisks. They will be thrown off balance
by your Muta-Ling combo, and although they may be prepared against one threat,
they will fall to the other. Perhaps the best counter to the Muta-Ling is
the Muta-Ling itself! Like they say, fight fire with fire. Zerglings counter
Zerglings, and Mutalisks counter Mutalisks. I have seen these sort of battles
before, and it isn’t pretty. Often, someone will be trashing a guy’s base
with Mutalisks while the other guy, who went full Zerglings, attacks his
enemy, ultimately making it a race of who can kill the other guy’s buildings
faster. However, the likely winner is the guy who can get the most Mutalisks
the quickest. Scourge is also a favorable option to help achieve air superiority.
Raptor’s Method: Hydra-Lurk
The Hydra-Lurk is considered “new school,” even though it has been around
since the earliest days of Broodwars. However, the reason it is called “new
school” is because it is the most recent in a world of Zerg strategical theory.
Many Zerg players have wondered “Is it possible to beat the infamous Muta-Ling
strategy without going Muta-Ling yourself? Is there a different strategy
altogether, that can still achieve dominence over players conducting the
Muta-Ling?”
And this is where the Hydra-Lurk came in. Nobody knows exactly who invented
this build, but while the Muta-Ling is thought to be invented by Koreans,
the Hydra-Lurk is thought to be invented by Americans... Go USA! Of course,
certain people referred to only as “Canuks” have contested this and think
that yes, it did originate in North America, but the actual country of orgin
is Canada. So now Canada wants to share the gold with us for credit of the
Hydra-Lurk. Stupid Canadians, when will you ever learn?
In theory, the Hydra-Lurk should be superb. Hydralisks are cheaper than Mutas
and can be massed in such amounts to render a Mutalisk attack suicide. Lurkers
are the ultimate “anti-Zergling” and just a couple at a choke point or a
ramp will render Zergling attacks suicide as well. In a match between myself
and Staind100, my two Lurkers and less than a dozen Hydralisks at my ramp
held off 6 Mutalisks and approximately 70 Zerglings. Yes, you read that correctly.
Each Lurker had over 30 kills. The reason for this is that Staind100, who
played a rather classical Muta-Ling build, did not upgrade Overlord speed
until late in the game, which meant that he didn’t have any Overlords to
offer detection over the scene of the battle. People who play Muta-Ling expect
to charge in with the Zerglings and the Mutalisks without any need for additional
support units such as Overlords. When you force a Muta-Ling player to halt
his offensive to research Overlord speed, you really screwed them, because
the whole idea behind the Muta-Ling attack is SPEED and keeping an opponent
on their toes.
THE BUILD:
Ironically, the Hydra-Lurk starts out identical to the Muta-Ling build. A
player will go 9/9 Drones, making an Overlord, and may or may not choose
to use the Extractor trick. He makes more Drones, and builds a Hatchery and
then a Spawning pool. A number of Zerg players argue that the Spawning pool
should be built before the Hatchery to prevent early rushes and to also attack
an opponent trying to power or early expand, but I believe that the difference
is marginal. Usually Drones can be used to fend off early rushes of 6 Zerglings.
Also, for you to get a quick 6 Zerglings to attack an enemy is rather pointless,
because they too can use their worker units for defense and a 9-pool rush
is a rather late rush anyway. Anyway, they mine gas a quickly build a Hydralisk
den. During this period, defense can be provided in the form of Zerglings
or a couple of Sunken Colonies. I believe that all Zerg should make Zerglings
early in the game (especially against another Zerg), unless you made two
sunkens at your ramp and are playing in a “Lurker-Drop” style (which is discussed
in my “Lurker Drop” strategy). This “Lurker-Drop” strategy works well against
Protoss and Terran (I have beaten countless people using the Lurker-Drop
and I account it for the majority of all my victories), but it doesn’t seem
to be as effective against Zerg (unless you can use the Lurker Drop before
they get Mutas, in which case your Lurkers will own their Zerglings and Drones).
Against a Zerg going Hydralisks, you can just forget about a Lurker-Drop
all together. Anyway, I’m spinning off topic, so back to the build. Players
using the Hydra-Lurk need to get additonal hatcheries ASAP (they usually
get their third in no time at all, followed shortly by a fourth and fifth).
They pump Hydras as quickly as possible, and if they survive the initial
wave of Zerglings, they are usually in good shape. Hydralisk speed is VITAL
because the most annoying thing in the world is chasing around Mutalisks
on hit-and-run missions with Hydralisks that are slow (Just ask Starcraft_L0rd_,
he actually gave up in a Zerg v Zerg game against me when he found his Hydras
couldn’t run fast enough to stop my Mutas). In fact, Hydralisk speed should
be researched at about the same time as you are upgrading your Hatchery to
a Lair. Once the Lair is done, your Hydralisk speed should be done too, and
then you go right for the Lurker upgrade. Yes, Hydralisk range is important,
but more important against a Muta-Ling player is the speed. Against another
Zerg going Hydra-Lurk, I would agree that the range should be upgraded first
(against other Hydras and Lurkers). In middle to late game, a Hydra-Lurk
player should consider Queens (ensnare is awesome against Zerglings and Mutalisks,
especially to prevent pesky Mutalisks from escaping a hit-and-run attack)
and also Scourge. In case you didn’t know, I’m a big fan of Scourge. Scourge
works great against Zerg because you set them over your mineral line to prevent
air attacks, and for a more offensive note, they waste ensnared Mutalisks.
Thus, you can go “Mutalisk hunting.” Bring your Queen and your Scourge, ensnare
the Mutas, and then take them out with the Scourge. This is a great way to
also prevent Mutalisk hit-and-run raids. Scourge are also useful to destroy
enemy Overlords (and waste their supply points) and against a Zerg without
Hydras or Spore Colonies, this can be a nightmare for your opponent. In the
late game, a Hydra-Lurk player should expect those speed upgraded Overlords
to be escorting enemy formations in order to detect Lurkers. Here again you
can use Scourge to take out your enemy’s detectors and leave your Lurkers
unchallenged (and render his Zerglings useless). Also, if a Muta-Ling player
tries to use Queens and their broodling ability against your Lurkers, your
Scourge will prove useful once again.
ANALYSIS:
Here is an interesting thing I should point out. While in the beginning of
the game, a Muta-Ling player will have their Mutalisks attack at one point
(let’s say the mineral line) while their Zerglings attack at the front, and
this will try to split your Hydralisk formations. However, once you have
Lurkers, a Muta-Ling player will be unable to do this. Charging Zerglings
past Lurkers is suicide, and so Mutalisks will have to be brought on the
same front as the Zerglings to target and assasinate the Lurkers before the
wave of Zerglings can move in. This shows you just how important it is to
get those Lurkers ready as quickly as possible. The best thing is, you only
need a few Lurkers to hold off tons of Zerglings. Then you can concentrate
the rest of your production on Hydralisks and even Scourge. Remember, if
a Zerg goes Guardians, your best bet is Scourge (imagine, taking out a Guardian
worth 150 minerals and 200 gas with two Scourge, a total cost of 25 minerals
and 75 gas...).
The simple fact is that once a Hydra-Lurk player gets a decent amount of
Hydralisks and Lurkers to hold off the first few waves of Mutas and Zerglings
of a Muta-Ling player, he will probably end up winning. Another important
thing I haven’t discussed yet is a Hydra-Lurk player trying to expand. In
the early game, it is very tough because of the Zergling attacks. Not just
that, this will also force you to divide your Hydras once your enemy gets
Mutalisks. Of course, if you get Lurkers, the problem is solved, but you
usually can’t wait that long to expand. This is where the Muta-Ling containment
issue becomes a big factor, because of the Muta-Ling map control advantage
in the early game. There are two things you can do though... The first is
an early expansion, supported by Sunken Colonies (just make sure it is an
expansion that they can’t just run by it and straight into your main base).
The second is to go Zerglings in the beginning of the game, and then slowly
transition to your Hydra-Lurk production.
Against other races, the Hydra-Lurk build does relatively well. Although
Hydras sometimes cannot compete against Marines, Medics, and Tanks, Lurkers
will give you that extra edge. Personally, I find that against Terran, the
better strategy would be the Ling-Lurk (but that is a discussion for another
time). You can also try the Lurker Drop. Against Protoss, you may have some
issues against High Templar, which really waste Hydras and Lurkers. The good
news is that you won’t have much of a problem against Zealots and Reavers.
However, here again you should consider the Ling-Lurk, because Lings tend
to do better against Psi Storm and they trash Dragoons, while Lurkers can
provide that extra “anti-Zealot” edge. I’d also like to bring up the issue
of burrowing. Burrow is a GREAT ability that I find undervalued and rarely
used anymore. I discuss it in great detail in my strategy “Zerg Ambushes,”
but let me just briefly bring up some points. First of all, it is AWESOME
against Terran, which do not get a consistent mobile detector until late
in the game. Terran players rely upon Comsat as soon as they see the first
few spikes of a Lurker come up, but when you have burrowed Zerglings or Hydralisks,
there is no warning. One thing you might want to consider with the Hydra-Lurk
is putting burrowed Hydras in your main. When the Mutalisks come by, seeing
an undefended main base, you surprise them by unburrowing your force of Hydras
and blasting the Mutalisks out of the sky.
CONCLUSION:
I really hoped you enjoyed this strategy. I haven’t written a strategy in
quite a long time, and I found it quite a pleasure to write again. I’d like
to thank all the people I mentioned in this strategy, and if you’re still
pissed off, it’s too bad because there is nothing you can do about it. I
took personal interest in this strategy, and it was seriously bugging me
in the back of my mind at school, especially after ~!FREAK!~ and I got into
a big Zerg v Zerg argument. Also, I’d like to say that there is no real answer
to which build is better. Trust me, if we knew, we’d all use that build and
ditch the other one. Each build is unique in its own way... The Muta-Ling
is great for establishing early game dominence, but the Hydra-Lurk gives
you an almost invincible force in midgame. I guess it just depends on your
playing style and which one suits you best. As a final note, I’d like to
throw out this analogy: Starcraft is really like a game of chess. In the
beginning, each player has a few builds or “opening” memorized, and they
will react to each other in a way that will ultimately determine the course
of the rest of the game. In the mid game, the actual action and battles take
place as each player jockeys for a better position and attempts to maximize
force advantages in preperation for the end game. In the end game, there
are few resources nodes left (or you could say few “pieces” left), and a
player will try and use what he has left for a final drive against his enemy.
If someone is at an obvious disadvantage, he will try and turtle to the best
of his ability to try and force a “stalemate.”
Thanks for your time. Hopefully you got something out of this strategy. I
know I did... I at least got your attention! :)
-Raptor
-- Starcraft
Millenium - http://www.scmillenium.com
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On May 1st, 2001, Blackberry and I played a match against the notorious 13th|_egion
and the dastardly Noblehelium, both of whom are regarded as highly skilled
players (hey I dunno what you guys are thinking, but ALL of our SCL writers
are top quality people, so there ain’t no such thing as a “bad strategist”).
The map was Dire Straights. The races were Zerg for Leej and I, and Protoss
for Noblehelium and Blackberry. I was thinking that it would be a sure loss...
I’ve played Noble before, and observed many of his games, and all of the
times I was impressed at his gosu skills with toss on island games. Leej
was also a formidable player, who is known to usually mass Hydras. He doesn’t
like to take risks and usually plays it “by-the-book,” and while this may
not always be the way to play Zerg, it certainly makes him one of the best
Terran players I’ve ever seen. Blackberry is an all-rounded player. He can
play every race, and can conduct every known build order with extreme effeciency.
You never know what he’s going to do, but whatever he does go with, he always
makes it hurt. I regard myself as the “middle” guy of the strategy section.
I’m limited to playing Zerg (sorry but my tron and toss just suck) and my
early game isn’t the best in the world, but I’m usually able to pose a decent
threat (especially in ally games) and I’ve got some tricks up my sleeves.
I admit to taking risks (often stupid ones too) and yet they often pay off
more than not. I DO NOT like to do things “by-the-book” and I always like
to do exactly what isn’t expected by my adversaries.
Anyways, the match gets going, with BB and I to the South, and Noble and
Leej to the North. The usual scouting with overlords takes place, and we
verify each others’ races (Raptor is Zerg?? What a surprise!). My build order
is the following:
I get a second Overlord, then an extractor (all the while pumping drones),
then a Spawning Pool (and even more drones), a second hatchery, the upgrade
to Lair, and a Hydralisk Den. I like to lay down 2 or 3 sunkens just in case
I get an early drop, and I also put up at least one spore colony later on
(anti-corsair).
Now, this is what is expected: Zerg will try and muta rush and Toss will
try and get air-superiority with Corsairs. Now, why would you go and get
mutas when you know that Toss will be expecting them with either Corsairs
or some other form of defense? I really don’t know. Mutalisks are great and
all, but I compare them to the Terran Vulture: great for skirmishes and wasting
worker units, but pathetic when it comes to direct assaults. If Toss does
either of the following: Archons, Corsairs, Cannons, Dragoons, or High Templar
with storm, Mutalisks WILL BE SCREWED!!! And it is more than likely that
Protoss will do exactly that. So don’t be an idiot and go Mutas when a Toss
player is ready for exactly such an attack.
What did I do instead? Well let’s analyze the situation (darn it you’ve read
the title already, haven’t you?). Toss is likely to go Sairs. Zerg is likely
to go Mutas. Zerg depends on Overlords for supply points. Toss will usually
try and reaver drop. Oh yeah, and let’s not forget... WE ARE PLAYING ON AN
ISLAND MAP!
Scourge time! Now then, I don’t want this to become a battlereport, but you
can see why I’ve developed such a tactic. Establishing air-superiority is
essential in island maps. That who controls the air controls the expansions.
This is very similar to controlling the sea in Warcraft-2. You can also compare
it to the U.S. and Iraq in the Gulf War. Anyways, I set out to establish
air-superiority and establish “no-fly-zones” around their islands.
One of the key things is to get Scourge before Protoss gets Corsairs. You’ve
got to get the air-power first. If you have Scourge waiting, you can pop
each Corsair as it pops out. This will force Toss to do the following:
1- Make cannons or goons to defend Corsairs coming out of Stargates
2- Mass their Corsairs before bringing them out from their defensive perimeter.
Basically, you undermine the complete reason why they get Corsairs! They
can no longer prevent you from spying on their base (Scourge are cheap and
fast and are great recon units, though they lack visual range). Meanwhile,
they are stuck inside their base waiting to get enough Sairs to break your
blockade, while you are expanding at will! Of course, you should need to
get enough Scourge to make this effective. Watch the sides in case he tries
to slip out a shuttle, and get your Scourge on a systematic patrol until
you have a large number of them.
Well, that establishes air superiorty, but you’re playing an Island map and
the object is to kill them... What do you use as your primary assault force?
Hydras... Upgrade them as much as you can. Not only will these serve as your
attack, but they will also provide an equal defense. Yeah, good luck trying
to land shuttles on an island surrounded by Scourge and and covered with
Hydras...
Take advantage of the air superiority to expand like crazy. Grab every island
you can! Build 3 sunkens beside each hatch, and dump at least 8 Hydras there
too. Meanwhile, you’ve also got your Scourge coverage... An attempt to land
troops would be suicide. Now, remember I said that mutas are a retarded idea?
After you get a lot of money from your mass expansions, this is where you
can break that rule. Massed mutas are good. However, don’t get me wrong here...
8 Mutalisks are not considered “mass Mutas.” No, I’m talking about over 30
at a time, when you’ve got the raw cash to support them and you can afford
losses. Mass your Mutas and tech to guards to finish off those well defended
positions that a Hydra drop can’t handle.
Now then, what is the role of Scourge in the middle to late game? Eventually,
your Scourge will suffer one of the following:
1- Toss gives up at Sairs, thinking that it’s hopeless to break the Scourge
network. This will allow your Scourge absolute freedom across the map.
2- Toss powers on Sairs, making your Scourge relatively useless against them.
This is what a good Toss player will do, but then again, you should start
getting some Devourers and Queens with Ensare to counter the mass Sairs.
Sairs are great against Carriers, great against transports, and are basically
great interdiction units. Stop transports in their tracks by destroying them
instantaneously. Also, did you know that Hydras are 75 ore, 25 gas, and Scourge
are 25 ore, 75 gas? This makes the perfect combination!!! A ZERG CANNOT GO
WRONG WITH SCOURGE AND MASS HYDRAS (with drops) ON ISLAND MAPS!
There is one exception however. Notice I never described the use of Scourge
against Terran. The reason is this: Terran only needs to get cloaked Wraiths
to screw up your Scourge network badly. Sure, you can try and get Overlords,
but then you’ll have to position them all across the map and this doesn’t
usually work. Don’t go Scourge against Terran...
Well let’s summarize our main points here: Scourge are great against Toss.
Scourge are great against Zerg. Scourge can own early attempts at Corsairs
and Mutas. Scourge prevent enemy expansions. Scourge prevent enemy invasions.
Scourge provide a view of the whole map if positioned correctly. Scourge
can be used offensively on enemy Overlords to wipe out their supply points
(and slow down production). Scourge, when used together with queens (and
ensnare) can be used to demolish large amounts of air units. Scourge are
perfect for destroying lone science vessels.Scourge rule island maps!!!
Here are some last minute tactics for using Scourge... Spread them out, so
that you have 3 to 6 per every screen. Don’t cluster them (Corsairs will
kill them easier, and you will need many more Scourge to get the same map
coverage) and yet don’t spread them too thin (1 Scourge isn’t going to do
much good). I usually have 2 Scourge groups of 12 positioned near the enemy
base. When my perimeter Scourge start going “BOOM” I’m alerted to the potential
“outbreak.” I’ll have 12 or more Scourge vectored in on the “bandits” before
the transports (or whatever they may be) get very far.
Well, that’s about it... Scourge are cheap and fast to make large numbers
of them so there is no reason why you shouldn’t use them. Scourge can get
around anywhere on the map quickly to respond to enemy air units, and your
Hydras (with Nydus Canal) should also be able to provide quick response to
any invasion as well. Oh, wait a second... You guys want to know that happened
with that match against NobleHelium and Leej? Sure thing! =)
I quickly got Scourge, and zipped over to Noblehelium’s base. He saw the
Scourge, and was scared to the point that he figured he wouldn’t go Corsairs.
Exactly what I wanted!! Meanwhile, Leej went mass Hydras... I can’t get in
to pop his Ovies, but that’s no big deal... Leej can’t get out with transports
to make use of his Hydras! I quickly grab 2 expansions, and BB does the same.
Noblehelium uses a speed upgraded shuttle to zip over to BB. Although my
Scourge saw it (nothing went unnoticed once I had my Scourge network), they
were a little too slow in getting to the shuttle (I had the Scourge court-marshalled
and then forced them to suicide into the Shuttle as it returned home). The
Shuttle did some limited damage to Blackberry, but my ally was able to hold
out fine. Noble then tried to send in a few more Shuttles. Leej also tried
to attack, and did succeed in getting some lings and Hydras out, but I saw
the Overlords going to Blackberry, and BB positioned his Reavers and Goons
carefully and he wasted the attack. By now, I was getting more and more Scourge
(about 100) and neither Noble or Leej was going to slip past me again. I
destroyed a few Shuttles on route before Noble finally learned that charging
his shuttles was suicide. And yet, he never went Corsairs...
Leej makes a desperate attempt to expand, slamming down 30 Hydras on an island
(with the loss of a few Overlords on the way) and determined not to lose
his expansion. Noblehelium is now desperate for money too, and so they end
up sharing the expansion. Think about it; I have two expansions, BB has two
expansions, and Leej and Noble are SHARING an expansion. Leej then realizes
the very bad situation, and charges 6 Overlords at one of my expansions.
3 Overlords die on the way. 3 of them make it to “partially” unload. All
of his Hydras were killed by my Hydras and my sunkens, with little loss to
me (would you believe I DID NOT LOSE A SINGLE BUILDING THE ENTIRE GAME?).
Meanwhile, I vector in some Scourge at his Overlords returning home... Not
a single Overlord made it back! The situation is desperate for them and I
take my opportunity to attack. I send two waves of Hydras at Leej’s main
base. The first one has limited success before being killed by Leej’s Hydras
and Lings, but the second one finishes him off and razes the main base. Leej
gives up. Noblehelium is now the only one left. He has a tightly defended
main base and an expansion. However, there was no way he was going to hold
off both me and Blackberry. Blackberry slammed in multiple Reaver drops,
and I made a dozen Guardians, and the game was over. What was the critical
factor that made us win? Denying them expansions. What denied them expansions?
Our air-superiority. What provided us with air-superiority? SCOURGE.
-Raptor
-- Starcraft
Millenium - http://www.scmillenium.com
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Particularly with the Zerg, I find that Terrans, and many times Protoss too,
are easily wasted by well timed ambushes. It is well known that Zerg can
have the first "invisable" units, once they research burrowing. Lurkers soon
also join the fray, making attacks come from out of no where and totally
terrorize an enemy force.
However, there are a few suggestions I have for the "perfect" ambush:
1. Have Zerglings burrowed in front of your base, usually between
8 and 16. This is usually good recon. To prevent the threat of large Terran
Siege forces, you should have more burrowed.
2. Have single Zerglings burrowed ALL around the map, particularly
at expansions. You should always be watching every move of your opponent,
and you should never be surprised. Zerg are suppossed to surprise the enemy!
3. It is excellent to burrow Hydralisks at strategic plateaus...
once a force passes below, they can be unburrowed and rain death from above.
4. LURKERS! These guys are awesome. However, many players make
the common mistake of letting them attack at will. Instead, you should have
a few Zerglings positioned in front of the Lurkers, to alert you of an on
coming attack force. Immediatly, select all of your Lurkers and keep clicking
"s." This will stop them from attacking. Once the force is ON TOP of your
Lurkers, let go of the "s" key and watch the total mayhem! Rather than killing
a Marine or two if you let them attack at will, now you can fry the bulk
of their force, whether it is tanks or dragoons... Indeed, NEVER let Lurkers
attack at will against Terran forces. They will just scan the area with their
com-sat station and fry you with siege tanks.
5. Infested Terrans are excellent, if you manage to infest a
command center. They are relatively cheap, and yet extremely effective, especially
against the Protoss. Usually, a group of 4 infested terrans should be positioned
at a given location. Zerglings should also be mixed in. Once the force passes
over you, unburrow the Zerglings FIRST. Then, once the forces are occupied
roasting your little Zerglings, unburrow the infested terrans. Watch as your
opponent loses his army in a massive explosion...
6. I find that most ambushes with the Zerg are most effective
against the Terrans. Terrans don't get a mobile detector until late in the
game, where the Science Vessel can be lethal against your forces. DON'T WAIT
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN! Utilize your early advantages, and spread terror through
out the Terran forces!
Many times, I'll burrow a few units right beside a Terran base, and I'll
monitor everything that they do. With the Protoss, it is more difficult though
not impossible. Until they get Observers, you can ambush them all you want.
Beware of Dark Templar though!!! If they detect your burrowed forces with
an observer, you won't even know it when those invisible warriors trash your
whole burrowed force!!!
-Raptor
-- Starcraft
Millenium - http://www.scmillenium.com
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In the same tradition as the Bunker Rush, this is a short, simple, and deadly
strategy that only works 40% of the time. Obviously, this is only possible
against another zerg player.
Build: (Numbers refer to the drone that should be used to morph with)
7 - Scout Opponent
8 - Spawning Pool
Scout early and hide drone until needed. Build early Spawning Pool and send
6 Zerglings towards the enemy base. At the same time, build a Creep Colony
followed by the Sunken Colony upgrade. A lot of times, your opponent will
attack your Creep Colony before it can morph, for this reason, use the Zerglings
to defend it until it is done morphing. Keep Zerglings coming to the base
for backup and most likely you will have one the game.
Strategist's Note: This strategy is, in fact, underhanded and is just about
as bad as a 6-pooler. I use it very infrequently myself, and I advise for
those who are reading this to do the same.
-Phobos
-- Starcraft
Millenium - http://www.scmillenium.com
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