General Strategies

[S3Xmagik 0]

All of this is outdated. I may make another thread with updated, correct strategies in the future, until then you can either Xfire or talk to me on Vent if you're looking for some advice on how to improve your 1v1 play.

I will be compiling a list of my basic strategies and the thinking behind them. If you have any suggestions or would like specific help/advice with SC2 then PM me on the forums, add me on Xfire (S3Xmagik), add me on Battle.net (Anteloptics), or ask me in vent (sex..).

NOTE - I will not be posting specific timings beyond the first few minutes of each match-up. Memorizing exact BO's is much less important than establishing some solid macro mechanics. Focus on maintaining good habits:

-Build Workers (You should always have one worker building in your Nexus/CC, it's a bit more complex for zerg, I'll go into that later)

-Watch your supply (Getting supply blocked at the wrong time is an easy way to lose a game that you were winning)

-Spend your money (If you are rich, you are losing. 1000 minerals is useless. 1000 minerals worth of hydras is not)

-Don't queue units (Just build more production buildings, easy enough)

-Expand (I know it's hard to figure out when to do it, but you'll never learn unless you try. One base play can only get you so far)

-Play straight-up (Yes, you can get into Plat pretty easily by 6 pooling every game. You will also learn nothing and suck)

-Don't watch battles (Wait, what? Yeah. That's right. Until you can do all the other steps properly, forget about battle micro)

Work In Progress

PvZ:

Opening:

9 Pylon

12 Gateway (scout with the probe that plants this gateway)

14 Assimilator

16 Pylon

16 Zealot (Skip this zealot if zerg hasn't made a pool yet, Chrono it if you scout an abnormally fast pool)

18 Core (Build on 16 or 17 if you were able to skip the zealot)

-Probe production and Chrono usage are assumed throughout.

-I almost always place my first pylon/gateway/core at the choke so that I can wall off using just one or two zealots. This allows me to easily defeat any silly 6-10 pool cheese from zergs.

-On maps with short rush distances (Incineration Zone, Steppes of War) I often scout after my first pylon instead of after the first gateway. This is also to prevent losing to zergling rushes.

Transition: At this point my play is determined by what I have seen from the zerg.

-If he fast expanded with Hatchery before pool, then I immediately pressure with zealots and add gateways (up to 4) while continuing to reinforce my push with gateway units. This should at least force the zerg to cancel his hatch, even if it doesn't kill him outright. If you force the cancel but do not feel confident pushing the main, then simply pull back and expand yourself.

-If he fast expanded with pool first, then get 4 gateways and pump zealots/sentries/stalkers. My preferred timing is to hit right before the hatch finishes, so the enemy can't set up spines in time. Do NOT suicide your units in this attack, if you cannot break the natural expansion, then simply hold your units outside his choke and make sure he feels pressured. As long as you make the zerg feel that he must pump lings and spine crawlers, you are preventing him from taking advantage of his expansion. Every combat unit that he makes is one less drone for him.

-If he is one-base then he is probably doing something funny. Scout actively and play defensively while expanding. There's not much a zerg can do off of one base, just make sure you aren't surprised by any ridiculous cheese.

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Notes for later-

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PvT - Chrono stalker first to protect from reaper

- 4 gate

- 3 gate robo

- Phoenix build

- Storm

PvP - 1 gate robo

- 4 gate

- zealot / collosus

TvP - Gretorp's opening

- transition into ghost/marine/tank/starport

TvZ - MMM ball

- TLO mixed opening

- Mech (Hellion/thor/tank/viking)

TvT - Cheese, because fuck TvT...

- marine/tank/viking/marauder

- fast banshee

ZvT - FE into muta/ling/baneling

- FE into infestor/ling

-FE into Hydra/infestor/ling/baneling

-Baneling bust

ZvZ - One base ling/baneling all-in

- Muta rush

ZvP - FE into muta/ling

- FE into hydra/ing

[Kai! 3]

You Misspelled PVP

[Tristan. 1053]

Quick question what do the numbers mean next to each unit or building.

Example

9 - Pylons

12 - Gateway

[LinK 0]

like 9 or 12 would mean, at 9 workers/drones/whatever. Build this .

at 12 workers/drones/miners/whatever build gateway.