[apoc81]

I play Terran exclusively, and my early game build order doest change. It allows me to build up some minerals and gas, and givves me the ability to sneak at my opponents base to see what kind of troops they are massing, so I can effectively counter them.

9/11- Supply Depot
12/19- Barracks
13-19 Refinery
15-19- Supply Depot then Orbital command.

From there, i'll always build a second Barracks with a reactor (my first gets a tech lab) and start pumping out Marines, so I can replenish ground losses quickly, and use the barracks with the Tech Lab to get out a few reapers, which are perfect for harrassing worker lines of all races, slowing down their resource gathering in the early game. This tactic can really cripple your opponent.

If im playing against Zerg, and they are going ground, i'll get some factories up and running, and get a line of Hellions (with their upgrade-very important) to protect my upcoming expansion from mass Zergling attacks.

If I see they are going air instead, I use one factory and make a few thors to protect my base, with barracks protecting my choke points, then get a couple of starports up, and start pumping out Vikings and Battle Cruisers, which will make short work of Zerg air forces (especially with the BC weapon Upgrade).

Protoss is a little trickier. IF they go ground, its not bad. A MMM strategy (Marines, Marauders, Medivacs) with stimpacks can make short work of most of the Protoss ground units (except for colossus, which a few Siege Tanks can take down quite easily).

But if protoss is massing air units, especially Carriers, things can get tricky. Battle Cruisers, Vikings and thors can hold a defensive line against them, but the cost is enormous and hurts production of every other type of ground unit, and the slow build times make it very hard. So if there are carriers, the only ground troops I make are marines with stimpacks, while I put up bunkers, turetts, and scanners (for cloaked enemies), with a few Thors, and then get air units coming out of at least 3 starports. This requires me to build at least 2 expansions to keep up with the mineral and gas costs, defending them with bunkers full of marines. I load up turrets around the expansions, and turn them into planetary fortresses, so that they can defend themselves. On a map with islands, this becomes much, much easier because I can build the command center at my base, load it with SCV's, and lift off and send it to the island expansion, where i'll get a second base up and running as quickly as I can, pumping out defensive units to protect the expansion. This is much easier than defending an expansion that isnt on an island, and gives an advantage, with 2 more starports and 2 barracks on the island, pumping out even more troops, vikings, and cruisers.

So what are your strategies for your favourite race? Post them up, and tell us how you deal with other races!

[apoc81]

I see nobody cares, but i'll add another strategy I found (stole from the official forums) to decimate Protoss air units.

Marines, Medivacs, and stimpacks. Seriously, I was amazed to find its not only effective, but completely OP. 32 marines(a full squad) with Stimpacks and 4 Medivacs can easily take down a full squad of protoss air units. Its actually funny how easy it is. If you can get 2 full squads up, keep one at your base to defend, and immediately send one into their base. Within 60 seconds, he's going to surrender because he will have nothing to counter your attack, and no way to get through your defenses.

The only caveat is if he has mass cannons at his base, then you should take 2 or 3 siege tanks with you, throw them into siege mode, and let them destroy his cannone while your marines decimate any air forces he has at his base.

If he's attacking your base at the same time, hit your hotkey for your second squat, press 'A' which is the attack move hotkey, and click near the ground of where his air force is, and its GG. He has no chance.

but dont forget to hit 'T', which is your stimpack hotkey. It makes all the difference in the world.

This post has been edited by apoc81: 21 August 2010 - 03:17 PM

[Hideki]

I have lost all faith in SC2, Terran dominate the top ladders with a few protoss. They can mass tier 1 units 40 minutes into a game and win. Diamond level zerg players who are beating other diamond level zerg players and protoss players are losing to gold level terran. I really don't enjoy playing SC2 anymore.

But wow, I just completely derailed your thread, sorry about that! so here is my zerg build order for fast speedlings, great for 2s and 3s.

double extractor trick* to 12/10 drones
build Pool and extractor
build drones to 16 count
start researching ling speed
build two spine crawlers (if you're playing a toss you'll probably have some lots coming soon)
Build overlord
start building lings

If the game goes in to mid/late game simply get roaches/hydras and outmacro the opponent

* The extractor trick is when you build an extractor to reduce your supply count by 1, queue a drone to build, and then cancel the extractor to get the drone that you used to build it back. So double extractor trick is simply doing that but you're building two extractors and queueing two drones

This post has been edited by Hideki: 21 August 2010 - 09:27 PM

[apoc81]

The good news is, Blizzard is addressing your concerns and will be buffing the zerg and protoss to put them on equal footing with the Terran.

[Gyli]

Opening:

12 Drone Scout
14 Gas
14 Pool
15 Overlord
22 Hatchery

Cross Position/Fast Expand

14 Hatchery
14 Pool

Of course if I do a 3v3 or 4v4 I do a 6 Pool Zergling rush to take someone out early.

[Ironfungus]

Best Strategy I've Seen So Far

[apoc81]

Lol, she's playing terran, and calling them protoss.

'I only got a beta key because I gave Bobby Kotick a blowjob at the applebees I work at'. CLASSIC!

'They all look the same, like minorities'

OMG, that vid cracked me up. The Christ Ship!

This post has been edited by apoc81: 22 August 2010 - 06:03 PM

[Ironfungus]

LOL, pretty much win.

[C_u_l_e_x]

Ironfungus, on 22 August 2010 - 05:23 PM, said:

Best Strategy I've Seen So Far

Easily one of the funniest videos I've ever seen.

[ShadowArchangel]

That's hilarious. I also play Zerg but I'm practicing my opening builds, they are very weak right now and I feel sad =( I'm getting owned by rushing players and that shoudn't be happening! D=