Ultimate Starcraft 2 blog

Protoss Strategy :3 Gate Robo: Colossus

2011-01-14T00:13:00.000-08:00

Build Order

(9) Pylon
(12) Gateway
(14) Assimilator
(16) Pylon
(17) Cybernetics Core
(19) Assimilator
(22) Warp Gate Research
(27) Robotics Facility
(31) Gateway
(34) Robotics Bay
(35) Gateway
(47) Thermal Lance

General Idea

You will be trying to get your first Colossus out fairly quickly. In doing so you become vulnerable to a 4 gate or 3 gate Immortal push. A good way to deal with this is to simply get a few Sentry’s to hold off an early push at your ramp. Once you have 2-3 Colossus you will be in a very strong position once you push out against a mainly Gateway army.

Notes

Aside from using Sentry’s to block your ramp from a push, going relativly Zealot heavy will allow you to more easily defend against and early push with Gateway units and Immortals. Although strong vs. Stalkers, Immortals do not do so well vs. Zealots.
Be sure to get an Observer early on once your Robotics Facility is up, you need to see what your opponent plans on doing and when they push out.
Once you have your first Colossus coming your next priority should be to get the Thermal Lance upgrade, the extra range will really give you the advantage over an opponent who doesn’t have it for their Colossus.

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Ling Roach Hydra: Map Control

2011-01-03T23:20:00.000-08:00

Build Order

(14) Spawning Pool
(15) Hatchery
(18) Roach Warren
(17) Queen
(19) Extractor
(36) Metabolic Boost
(40) Lair
(40) Evolution Chamber
(42) Hydralisk Den
Note: Build orders should never stay static and are subject to change based on what your opponent is doing. Remember, this is a RTS: use your brain, be adaptable, profit.

General Idea

If your Protoss (or any for that matter) opponent is playing defensively, take full advantage of the fact that they are boxing themselves in and use this opportunity to gain map control and expand. Expansions coupled with creep spreading, overlord scouting, and routing your forces to the center of the map put you in the position of control. Using the vision gained from overlords and creep you can be fully prepared for when he eventually pushes out.

Notes

Rather then taking the hit and delaying your expansion too long due to cannons at your natural, so long as its reasonable instead try move to your third natural expansion and drop a Hatchery there. Realize in doing this you are clearly going to be more susceptible to losing your expansion. In this game our Zerg player was reasonably certain that no early pressure was coming (because he saw a wall off that indicated the Protoss player was going for a fast expansion) and so that made expanding further away less threatening.
Void Rays can be threatening if you don’t have enough anti air to fend them off, luckily however Queens do fairly well against them. If you expect Void Rays you at the least want to make an additional Queen or two, you can take further precautions by getting an Evolution Chamber so you can make Spore Crawlers as well.
Due to creep spreading you will be able to see your opponent pushing out. This allows you to get your units into a position that will be beneficial for you (primarily open areas). Try not to fight in tight spaces as Zerg wants to get a surround on their opponent rather then a head on battle.

Terran Strategy: Hellion Into Thor: Mutalisk Defense

2010-12-19T00:09:00.000-08:00

Build Order

(10) Supply Depot
(12) Barracks
(13) Refinery
(16) Orbital Command
(18) Factory
(20) Refinery
(21) Tech Lab – Barracks
(25) Infernal Pre-igniter
(26) Tech Lab – Barracks
(36) Command Center
(43) Armory
(43) Barracks
(43) Barracks
Note: Build orders should never stay static and are subject to change based on what your opponent is doing. Remember, this is a RTS: use your brain, be adaptable, profit.

General Idea

It is difficult as Terran to go with a heavy Marine Marauder build alone, due to the threat of Speedlings and Banelings. If you like to play with Marine Marauder your best bet is to supplement your army by adding in additional units. Opening up with hellions forces your opponent to get either Roaches or Spine Crawlers, and as such less Zerglings. The switch to Thors happens because many Zerg players transition into Mutalisks during the mid game.

Notes

The Hellions where not as effective as we would like them to be, this was due to our Zerg opponent having a good defensive positioning on his Queen and Spine crawler, in most cases you should be able to circumvent these and at least do damage at the natural expansion.
Getting an expansion around the same time you move out with your Hellions is playing under the assumption that you are going to do some damage and as such will be able to expand without having to worry too much about pressure from your opponent. If, like in this video, the Hellion harass doesn’t go as planned, be sure you have plenty of vision (Grab Zel Naga Towers) to see an attack coming so that you have time to prepare.
Spread out your first two Thors to protect both your main and natural from fly by Mutalisk harrassment. Also be sure to have some Marines with your Thors as well, this helps cut back on the effectiveness of a Zerg player “Magic Boxing” against you.

Zerg Strategy:Ling Roach Muta: Proper Scouting

2010-12-11T03:46:00.000-08:00

Build Order

(15) Spawning Pool
(15) Extractor
(16) Queen
(19) Hatchery
(22) Metabolic Boost
(23) Queen
(30) Roach Warren
(46) Lair
(60) Spire
Note: Build orders should never stay static and are subject to change based on what your opponent is doing. Remember, this is a RTS: use your brain, be adaptable, profit.

General Idea

The Speedling Mutalisk build is very strong, however Terran players have started to adapt and are regularly opening with Hellions in order to deal with early Speedlings and hurt our economy. As a response to that you are going to want to get some Roaches early game, this will also protect you from any sort of an early Marine push. From there you want to transition into Speedling Muta simply because it is such a solid build that allows you to harass and contain a Terran opponent.

Notes

Fast expanding has become almost a requirement for many Zerg players, the added economy benefit is great but one of the primary reasons for fast expanding is that extra larva.
When scouting your opponents base the important thing to be looking for aside from what buildings are down, are what attachments are on what buildings. If you don’t know already here is what you can expect in the following scenarios:
Reactor – Factory: Hellions are on the way
Tech Lab – Factory: Many options: Hellions with infernal pre-igniter, Siege Tanks, Thors (look for Armory for the Thor)
Tech Lab – Starport: Expect Banshees in your base shortly
When engaging Thors with Mutalisks you need to be sure to spread them out. Remember Thors do lots of splash damage, so when your Mutalisks are clumped together they take significantly more damage.

Download link
http://www.sc2win.com/starcraft-2-replays/tvz-zvt/kas-vs-nerchio-1/

Protoss Strategy: 3 Gate Robo: Econ Heavy

2010-12-11T03:18:00.000-08:00

Build Order

(9) Pylon
(12) Gateway
(15) Assimilator
(18) Cybernetics Core
(20) Assimilator
(22) Warp Gate Research
(24) Robotics Facility
(28) Gateway
(32) Gateway
(34) Nexus
(45) Robotics Bay
Note: Build orders should never stay static and are subject to change based on what your opponent is doing. Remember, this is a RTS: use your brain, be adaptable, profit.

General Idea

You are going to attempt to get up a fast expansion and work on your economy (producing probes) while making just enough to defend yourself. In order to do this properly you will need to scout and be sure you are prepared for any possible early pressure from your opponent. Sentries can be a godsend early on and protect you from an early Marine Marauder push from your opponent.

Notes:

Scouting is king, always, remember that. Depending on what you scout and what your expecting to see your decisions in the game will be drastically different. In scouting that the Terran player was not in a position to push out early, we are able to safely get up our expansion.
If you see banshees you are going to want to make sure you have some Stalkers near by to protect your mineral line. Having an observer near your base as well is a good idea, if cloak goes down you are going to need your observer.
Siege tanks can ruin your day, your best bet when tanks are outside of your base is is to pull back with your forces, then try to catch them off guard and un-sieged.

Download link

http://www.sc2win.com/starcraft-2-replays/tvp-pvt/whitera-vs-tarson-1-2/

Proxy Marauder Rush

2010-11-28T16:53:00.000-08:00

(9) Barracks
(10) Refinery
(11) Tech Lab
(12) Marauder
(16) Marauder
(18) Concussive Shell Research

- Send two SCV's up to assist Marauders and attempt to build a Bunker in opponents base
- Keep producing additional Marauders to keep up the pressure
- Start building Barracks, an additional Refinery, Orbital Command in your base to prepare for transition

NOTE: Build orders should never stay static and are subject to change based on what your opponent is doing!
Remember this is an RTS: use your brain, be adaptable, profit.

Terran Strategy: Battlecruiser Rush

2010-11-26T23:26:00.000-08:00

(10) Supply Depot
(12) Barracks
(13) Refinery
(16) Orbital Command
(16) Refinery
(21) Factory
(29) Starport
(37) Fusion Core

- Hide your tech (Starport / Fusion Core), this is vital to the success of this early Battlecruiser push

- While working up to Battlecruiser production, continuously make Marauders and Hellions to defend against
an early rush and to assist with Battlecruiser push

- You are susceptible to an early rush and fast Void Rays, stay on top of your scouting. If a rush is
coming, build a bunker or two at your ramp. If Void Rays, halt Marauder production to get Marines and
Vikings from your Starport

4 Gate 1 Gas: Mimicking

2010-11-26T20:30:00.000-08:00

(9) Pylon
(14) Gateway
(15) Assimilator
(20) Cybernetics Core
(23) Gateway
(24) Warp Gate Research
(28) Gateway
(28) Gateway

In this strategy only one assimilator is used, this means that you will have three extra probes harvesting minerals.This is all about building an army fast. NOTE:Its not likely that youll be able to afford sentries, But you can get Stalkers and Zealots. First send a prob into your opponents base to build a pylon and see what hes doing and mimick him, this means they cant over power you. then after you build an army warp into there base and destroy him.

Zerg Strategy: Triple Hatch Speedling

2010-11-26T17:04:00.000-08:00

(15) Hatchery
(16) Spawning Pool
(18) Extractor
(21) Hatchery
(20) Metabolic Boost

This involves using three hatcheries, and continuously creating zerglings and destroying your opponents base early in the game. The metabolic is KEY in this strategy.

This works well against Terran and Protoss

Terran Strategy: MMM: Early Marauder Aggression

2010-11-26T15:12:00.000-08:00

(10) Supply Depot
(12) Barracks
(13) Refinery
(16) Orbital Command
(17) Tech Lab - Barracks
(20) Concussive Shell
(20) Barracks
(28) Refinery
(28) Reactor - Barracks
(31) Stim Pack
(37) Factory
(45) Reactor - Factory
(45) Starport

Build two supply depots at the entrance to your base then block off the entrance with a barracks then start producing marines. While you were doing this you should have harvested enough minerals to create a refinery, gather enough vespene to create an orbital command. After the orbital command is built add a tech lab to your barracks and start producing marauders and researching concussive shells. Build one more Barracks, then build an extra refinery to increase your vespene collection. After you have gathered enough vespene add a reactor to your second barracks, the begin training marines. TIP:Keep training scvs. Make sure your still training marauders. Research stim packs. Start building a factory, then once completed add a reactor. Finally build a starport,then start producing medivacs. Then use at least 3 medivacs 5 marauders and your choice of marines and attack your opponents base.

This works well against Protoss