0
FAQ Version 1.03
by John Miaso
http://www.bigfoot.com/~phoenix.reborn
phoenix.reborn@bigfoot.com
There are two files to this FAQ, The Races, and Strategy. This file covers the
strategy.
-----------------------------
i. Revision History
ii. Introduction
iii. Where you can find this FAQ
iv. Important Notice about CD-keys
v. Notice
1. A few things to know
2. Damage
2.1. Lowered hit rates
3. Terran Strategy
3.1. Marines and Firebats
3.2. Ghosts
3.3. Vultures, Siege Tanks, and Goliaths
3.4. Wraiths
3.5. Science Vessels
3.6. Battlecruisers
3.7. Bunkers, Missile Turrets, and Comsats
4. Zerg Strategy
4.1. Zerglings and Hydralisks
4.2. Mutalisks and Scourges
4.3. Queens, Ultralisks, and Defilers
4.4. Infested Terrans
4.5. Spore and Sunken Colonies
5. Protoss Strategy
5.1. Zealots and Dragoons
5.2. High Templars and Reavers
5.3. Archons and Observers
5.4. Scouts and Carriers
5.5. Arbiters
5.6. Pylons, Photon Cannons, and Shield Batteries
6. Some Brood War comments
-----------------------------
i. Revision History
1.03 -- Included Brood War info, heavy editing on strategy (some of it was
just crap)
1.02 -- Changed info according to the StarCraft 1.04 patch, added another
contributing website.
1.01 -- Added notice about CD-keys, removed ICQ# (I'm never on anymore),
changed e-mail address and web page URL.
Also corrected a few spelling errors and specified damage types for
units and buildings.
Changed info according the the StarCraft 1.03 patch.
1.00 -- First Draft.
Note: Look for Brood War, the expansion set for StarCraft, information soon.
-----------------------------
ii. Introduction
Welcome. This section of the FAQ contains some multiplayer strategies that I
have come across when playing on battle.net. Thanks for reading, and enjoy.
-----------------------------
iii. Important Notice about CD-Keys
I have received a few e-mails over the past few days from people asking me to
provide them with my CD-key. I'll save you the trouble of writing if you want
to ask me. I will not give out my CD-key to anyone, because it is my access to
battle.net. If anyone else uses that CD-key, I can't get on when my CD-key is
already being used. If I give out my CD-key to one person, it will get all the
way around the Internet to everyone in a blink of an eye. Then I will not be
able to access battle.net. So, don't even bother writing me, because I won't
give it out. Buy the game. It's well worth it, and it's cheap now.
-----------------------------
iv. Notice
In this section, I would like to hear any and all criticsm, suggestions,
corrections, etc. This is all my opinion, and it could all be wrong, or it
could all right. Some of the things here are fact, others are just my opinion.
I encourage you to try any strategy I might have written here before actually
using it in a serious game. Basically, I don't want complaints of people losing
ladder points over some strategy I gave them. Also, if you have a strategy you
would like to include here, send it to me through ICQ or e-mail, and I will
gladly post it and give you credit for it.
Also, if you wish to post either of these files on your webpage, please let me
know. I do this to prevent anyone from plagiarizing my work, and also so I can
compile a list of sites where you can find this FAQ.
1. A few things to know
I've found that there are two major keys to this game. The first is to know
what your opponent is doing and produce units to counter what he is doing. The
second is to operate at top efficiency, meaning that you should not have
stockpiles of Crystals and Gas around. You can't do anything with Crystals and
Gas, you can do things with units.
2. Damage
There are three types of damage and three sizes of units in StarCraft. These
interact with each other in strange ways. In case you're wondering, this table
came from the StarCraft Readme, and the file included with Brood War describing
the units.
Terran
Unit Size Ground Damage Air Damage
SCV Small Normal --
Marine Small Normal Normal
Firebat Small Concussive* --
Ghost Small Concussive Concussive
Medic Small -- --
Vulture Medium Concussive --
Siege Tank Large Explosive --
(in Siege Mode) Large Explosive* --
Goliath Large Normal Explosive
Wraith Large Normal Explosive
Dropship Large -- --
Science Vessel Large -- --
Battlecruiser Large Normal Normal
Valkyrie Frigate Large -- Explosive*
Missile Turret Large -- Explosive
Zerg
Unit Size Ground Damage Air Damage
Larva Small -- --
Drone Small Normal --
Zergling Small Normal --
Overlord Large -- --
Hydralisk Medium Explosive Explosive
Lurker Large Normal --
Mutalisk Small Normal Normal
Guardian Large Normal --
Devourer Large -- Normal
Scourge Small -- Normal
Queen Medium -- --
Broodling Small Normal --
Ultralisk Large Normal --
Defiler Medium -- --
Infested Terran Small Normal* --
Spore Colony Large -- Normal
Sunken Colony Large Explosive --
Protoss
Unit Size Ground Damage Air Damage
Probe Small Normal --
Zealot Small Normal --
Dragoon Large Explosive Explosive
High Templar Small -- --
Dark Templar Small Normal --
Archon Large Normal* Normal*
Shuttle Large -- --
Reaver Large Normal* --
Observer Small -- --
Scout Large Normal Explosive
Carrier Large -- --
Interceptor Small Normal Normal
Arbiter Large Explosive Explosive
Corsair Medium
Photon Cannon Large Normal Normal
Damage:
Normal damage does 100% damage to all units.
Concussive damage does 50% damage to Medium units and 25% damage to Large units.
Explosive damage does 50% damage to Small units and 75% damage to Medium units.
Protoss Shields take 100% damage from all types of damage.
2.1 Lowered hit rates
Any unit behind a tree has a 70% chance of being hit as opposed to a full 100%
when out in the open. A unit that is on higher ground has a 70% chance of being
hit by a unit on lower ground.
3. Terran Strategy
One of the major things about the Terrans is that most of their units have long
range attack. This gives them a bit of an advantage over the melee Zerg units
(Zergling, Ultralisk) and the Protoss Zealot, but then they have problems
against Siege Tanks. Also, all of the Terran units may be repaired, and all of
the buildings may be repaired. These are the first things you want to think
about when playing the Terrans.
3.1. Marines and Firebats
These units both have the Stim Pack ability, which is incredibly good now
because of Medics. Firebats are to only be used against small units, and they
work very well against Zerglings and Zealots. The only exception to this rule
is if you want to take out the shields of a Protoss unit, so they also work very
well versus both Archons.
Once you get U-238, Stim Pack Tech, and one or two infantry upgrades, you can
have a very good strike force in 10 or 12 Marines. With Medics, Marines can
last a very long time and kill off a lot of enemy units. Very cost-efficient.
I would suggest at least a 3:1 ratio of Marines to Medics.
3.2. Ghosts
Ghosts do deliver nuclear strikes, but they also are rather good support units.
They have a longer range than Marines, but they also do concussive damage, so
only attack what is necessary. You'd be surprised how far they go against
Mutalisks.
Lockdown is very nice if you are playing against other Terrans or Protoss, but
it is useless against Zerg. You will probably need the Ocular Implants for a
nuclear strikes, and you will definitely need Cloaking. These are wonderful
support units, and can turn the tide of a battle with Lockdown. Just be
watchful, when you are up against Terran, for Medics with Restoration.
3.3. Vultures, Siege Tanks and Goliaths
Vultures are really your choice to make or not; it's a matter of preference. I
don't personally like them since they can't attack air and don't do a great deal
of damage on the ground. They are nice for defense, especially with the Spider
Mines. They can be quite useful against small units, but what I really like
about them is once you develop Ion Thrusters, you can run by defenses and get
right at the peon line. They are also good hit-and-run vehicles, but that's not
my style, so that's why I don't use them too often.
Siege Tanks, while they can't attack air, do enough damage on the ground to earn
a spot in any army. You should research Siege Mode in a Machine Shop
as soon as you start using them. They are an excellent defense vehicle (70 base
damage, and you don't need to move when you're behind Bunkers), and are also
perfect for taking out stationary base defenses. Just make sure to give them
protection against air, with Goliaths, Wraiths or Valkyries.
Goliaths do have a better air attack than ground attack, but they are still a
good ground strike unit. They are cheaper than Siege Tanks, and seem to be an
extremely good complement for Vultures and Siege Tanks. However, air defense is
their major purpose.
3.4. Wraiths
Because of their Cloaking ability, Wraiths are very deadly stealth weapons. If
your opponent doesn't have a Detector in a certain part of his base, you can
probably sneak around and destroy SCVs, Drones, or Probes, which will slow down
greatly any economy. They are also probably the only air unit that can last
against units that have an air attack, because of cloaking. Be careful, though.
Many good players either have a Comsat Station hotkeyed, or brings an Overlord
or Observer with their forces. Their air attack is also better than their
ground attack, so large groups of these (especially when cloaked) can annihilate
enemy air units.
3.5. Science Vessels
Besides being a mobile Detector, the Science Vessel has an ability designed for
Protoss and Zerg. An EMP Shockwave will reduce any Protoss shields to zero (as
well as any stored energy), reducing either Archon to nothing. Irradiate is
usable against any Zerg unit, and an Irradiate in the middle of a Zerg swarm
will destroy it from the inside out. Also, keep in mind that EMP Shockwave can
be used against plenty of things, anything that has stored energy. This can
nullify a cloak on a Wraith, prevent a Yamato Cannon from a Battlecruiser, etc.
3.6. Battlecruisers
If you can afford them, Battlecruisers are rather nice. They do a nice amount
of damage (and normal, too) with their lasers, and a shot from a Yamato Cannon
can do quite a bit. It's also another way to destroy base defenses (I can't
count the number of Missile Turrets I've destroyed with my Battlecruisers). Do
be careful around Terrans, however; Battlecruisers are a ripe target for a
Lockdown.
3.7. Bunkers, Missile Turrets, and Comsats
It's your call as to what to put in Bunkers. Firebats have short range, but are
effective against an early rush (not against Terran, though). Marines are in
between, and probably are better than Firebats to put in here. It depends on
what your opponent is planning on. In many games, many Protoss players put up 3
or 4 Gateways and just crank out Zealots. If this happens, then you will
probably want a Firebat or two in each your Bunkers. But it's hard to say what
is better, Marines get damage off, but when the Zealots or Zerglings get close,
the Firebats fry them. As for Bunker placement, I suggest you keep them close
to your other buildings or good players will run right by them (especially with
Zealots, who can take enough damage to run by your Bunkers).
It depends on your map, but you should have Missile Turrets around your base
anyway. However, Carriers, Guardians and Battlecruisers can take these out
easy, so don't rely on just Missile Turrets. They are very neccessary against
Terrans, however. The fact that they are cloak detectors will protect you
against nuclear strikes and Wraith attacks.
You should definitely hotkey your Comsats. Use something that's easy to
remember and won't get used by another one of your groups. Since they are
detectors, they are useful when you are getting hit my some cloaked Wraiths.
4. Zerg Strategy
Remember that all Zerg units and structures do regenerate, however, it is a slow
process, so don't rely on it. Also, remember that the major cloak detection for
the Zerg is mobile, so if you are planning to use Overlords as mobile cloak
detection, research the Pneumatized Carapace so your attacks won't be slowed. I
personally like the Zerg because of their ease of use. Everything is produced
at Hatchery or Lair or Hive, and the buildings are created to make different
units. This is basically what you should keep in mind when you play the Zerg.
4.1. Zerglings and Hydralisks
Zerglings work best in large swarms. Large swarms are not difficult to produce,
as they cost 50 Crystals for 2 Zerglings. They don't do a great deal of damage,
and they can't attack from a distance either. If you get Metabolic Boost and
Adrenal Glands quickly, you can have very effective Zerglings. What you have to
worry about is Bunkers and air units, and that's where Hydralisks come in.
Hydralisks are a lot tougher and stronger than Zerglings, and also have a ranged
attack. Their evolutions (Muscular Augments and Grooved Spines) should be
evolved from the start. With a few upgrades, Hydralisks can be very formidable
in groups.
4.2. Mutalisks, Guardians, and Scourges
The Zerg Mutalisk is probably the weakest air unit of the three races. For
example, the Wraith has cloaking, and both the Wraith and the Scout have
stronger air attacks. Mutalisks are considered small units, so they take half
damage from most other air units. Scouts still do beat them, however. I
suggest that you watch out for Wraiths and Scouts, and escort your Mutalisks
with either Scourges and Hydralisks.
Guardians are the Zerg's method of easily taking out base defenses. Guardians
have an extremely long-ranged attack that can beat out Missile Turrets, Bunkers,
Photon Cannons and Spore Colonies. However, the Guardian has no air attack,
leaving it very vulnerable to an air assault. Again, you will need escort here.
Since the Zerg are rather weak in air-to-air, the Scourge was developed to
balance the air war. A Scourge may be sacrificed to deal 110 damage to any air
unit. 3 or 4 of these could take out a Carrier, and 5 could destroy a
Battlecruiser. They are rather cheap, and a very good investment. You have to
be careful, however, because they only have 25 HP and a Battlecruiser can
usually destroy one in one shot.
4.3. Queens, Ultralisks, and Defilers
Queens have a few useful purposes. The Parasite is probably the Zerg's best way
to scout out an enemy base. Parasiting a transport vessel, Science Vessel, or
Observer is very good because those will often stick near a base or expansion.
The Spawn Broodlings can work on all Zerg units, and up to Siege Tanks and
Dragoons on Terrans and Protoss. Ensnare can be used to reveal cloaked units,
and seriously slow down the movement of units (works nice versus melee units).
In Free For All multiplayer games or team games where you are allied with a
Terran, make sure you take advantage of the Infested Terran.
Ultralisks are the most expensive Zerg unit, but they have more HP than any
other ground unit. Their attack is quite strong, and they can take quite a few
hits before falling. If you use them with a Dark Swarm on base defenses, you
can do very well. Keep in mind that they can't attack air, so
have some Hydralisks or Mutalisks around.
Defilers have two very useful abilities. Dark Swarm is not used very well by
some Zerg players. What it does is nullify any ranged attack inside it (think
that it's so foggy you can't see). Dark Swarm, in combination with short-range
units like Zerglings or Ultralisks, is a very good effect. Plague reduces the HP
of units while ignoring shields and energy, and reveals cloaked units. Plague
does not kill, but it does reduce the HP to below 10. This is obviously very
good on Protoss units, for it reduces their HP, which they can't recharge.
4.4. Infested Terrans
There isn't much strategy to how you use these units. These are the only Zerg
units that can be queued, and they don't cost a whole lot of resources. They
are eaten up by long-range attack (and therefore Terrans), so you have to create
a diversion or something to get some through. Either that, or you can sneak a
few in a base with an Overlord (a very nice tactic). 3 or 4 could take out a
Command Center or Nexus.
4.5. Spore and Sunken Colonies
Spore Colonies are useful because they are cloak detectors, but you also have
Overlords for that task. Spores don't do as much as Photon Cannons, but they
can do more than Missile Turrets against small units. If you are using them for
air defense, build a lot. If for detection, use sparingly.
Sunken Colonies have become much better after patch 1.04. It has a faster
attack for 40 damage now. They still do explosive damage, but are even cheaper
and definitely worth it.
5. Protoss Strategy
The Protoss are probably one of the more difficult races to become good at.
Their units are very expensive compared to the other two races, but they also
are better than the other two races' units. Rememeber that there are three key
things to Protoss base defense: Photon Cannons, High Templars, and Observers.
And, of course, all Protoss shields recharge on their own, and this process may
be also done quickly with a Shield Battery.
5.1. Zealots and Dragoons
The Zealot is a lot stronger than a Marine or Zergling, and that would
probably make sense because the Zealot costs a lot more. The Zealot does a fair
bit of damage, can take a lot of damage, and can be upgraded to move quickly.
It can't attack air, so it will need escort.
Dragoons have become a better unit now, but are still only good for base
defense, in my opinion. They also do serve as a decent escort unit, especially
if you are only up against Scouts or Wraiths. They also don't take much more
damage than a Zealot does, but they do cost a bit more.
5.2. High Templars and Reavers
The High Templar is an excellent base defense unit. Psionic Storm is almost a
perfect way to repel a large attack. It will seriously hurt units that are slow
and have a ranged attack. Also, Hallucination is fun to use on large units like
Carriers or Arbiters. It is especially good on Arbiters to buy yourself some
extra time for a cloaked attack while your opponent figures out which Arbiter is
the real one.
The Reaver is a very powerful unit. Its Scarabs will level any ground units in
a matter of moments, and it is excellent for destroying bases. With a fast
Shuttle or a quick Recall from an Arbiter, you can easily deposit some Reavers
into a base and unleash some strong power.
5.3. Archons and Observers
Archons are definitely strong. I often just make two High Templar to make them.
They have a normal, splash attack that can damage air and ground for quite a
bit. They also accelerate faster now. Very nice units to complement any
attack.
The Observer has many purposes. You should always have an Observer accompany an
attack force in case some cloaked units decide to show up. Also, an Observer is
an almost perfect way to scout what your enemy is doing, and since it is
cloaked, you can stick a few at possible expansion points and not let your enemy
expand. Observers are also very small, stealthy units, so they are very
difficult to find.
5.4. Scouts and Carriers
Scouts are extremely powerful anti-air units. Their ground attack leaves
something to be desired, but their air attack is extremely good. Scouts can go
up against some Battlecruisers, Carriers, or other air units and do quite a bit
of damage. These are probably the best air support escort that you can get in
StarCraft, and they should be produced to defend against air.
Carriers are also very good air units. It can stay out of the range of base
defenses and launch Interceptors at them. It can also deal a fair bit of damage
to both air and ground units (as long as the Carrier has many Interceptors
built), and several Interceptors can cause a lot of confusion.
Make sure you develop the now-cheaper extra Interceptor ability at a Fleet
Beacon, as this increases a Carrier's power by much.
5.5. Arbiters
The Arbiter has several, very useful abilities. The cloaking field around it is
an excellent way to launch an attack, as the Arbiter will be the first target,
so the other units can become uncloaked. With a Hallucination, you can even buy
yourself some more time while your opponent tries to figure out which one is
real. The Arbiter can also warp in some support very easily (though Recall is
costly in energy). You could also sneak an Arbiter into a base and warp in a
bunch of Reavers or Archons or other powerful units. Also, when they are
Recalled, they are deposited right under the Arbiter, so they become cloaked.
The Stasis Field can effectively stop an attack while your shields recharge, or,
if you're lucky, it can split an attack up in two, and you can obviously handle
half of the units better than the full amount.
5.6. Pylons, Photon Cannons, and Shield Batteries
There isn't much to Pylon placement, it's really just common sense. However,
your opponent can easily disable a building that is powered by only one Pylon
just by destroying the pylon, so have at least two Pylons powering your more
critical buildings. Also, you definitely want many Pylons on your Photon
Cannons.
Photon Cannons are very useful, as they are detectors, and they attack both
ground and air. I suggest you place quite a few of these around your bases,
especially around areas that your defending units can't access easily. I've
seen several Photon Cannons littered all about a base, and it took a long time
to bring that base down. Also, the Protoss are the only race who cheaply and
easily can set up base defenses around enemy bases. The Zerg need Creep, and
the Terrans have a lot of trouble putting a Missile Turret and a full Bunker by
a base. The Protoss are very sneaky in this regard, and it can hurt.
I don't really use Shield Batteries, and that may be why I'm not a very good
Protoss player. I haven't really found a good purpose for them. A good use for
them that I have found is recharging Archons, for Shields are their primary HP.
I can't use them in an attack, because my Shield Batteries are usually by my
base. Also, you might want to stick a Shield Battery by some units that you are
using to defend your base. Since Protoss Shields take full damage from all
attacks, they fall easily, so a Shield Battery could make the difference in an
attack.
6. Some Brood War Comments
The new units for the Terrans are quite useful. Medics combined with Marines at
a good ratio like 2:1 can kill just about everything with very few losses.
Restoration can remove everything but Stasis Field, so they are exceptional in
this regard as well. Optic Flare is better in theory than in practice, but if
you can blind all of your opponent's attackers, you will have a tremendous
advantage. It's also annoying too.
Valkyries seem to only work well in large numbers, and against units with little
armor. They do so little damage that they are only really useful versus
Mutalisks, Guardians, Scouts, Corsairs, and Wraiths. Battlecruisers and
Carriers have too much armor now. Make sure you get weapons upgraded here.
The Zerg units are probably the least popular. I only ever use Lurkers for base
defense, but if you can get some in a base without cloak detection, you will
destroy it. Don't underestimate them, however; they can do a tremendous amount
of damage.
The Devourer is more like an addition to a Mutalisk force. They do a lot of
damage, but their attack is so slow that the only thing that matters is their
Acid Spores, which slow down an enemy's firing rate and lessens their armor.
Unless in large numbers, they are not for anti-air.
The Protoss units have probably received the most attention. Dark Templar now
cause every player to get quick cloak detection, and Dark Archons are great at
making a battle that seems impossible to win result in victory for you. You can
indeed Mind Control an SCV or Drone and build that race completely up (my
favorite is Medics for Templar and Zealots), but a lot of opponents won't let
this happen, as their peon line is already well defended.
The Corsair has two great purposes, one is their attack and the second is
Disruption Web. They attack quickly for 5 (base) explosive damage that has
splash, making them as almost as useful for anti-air as Valkyries. The
Disruption Web nullifies ground attacks, so a group of Corsairs and Scouts could
penetrate many, many enemy bases.
by John Miaso
http://www.bigfoot.com/~phoenix.reborn
phoenix.reborn@bigfoot.com
There are two files to this FAQ, The Races, and Strategy. This file covers the
strategy.
-----------------------------
i. Revision History
ii. Introduction
iii. Where you can find this FAQ
iv. Important Notice about CD-keys
v. Notice
1. A few things to know
2. Damage
2.1. Lowered hit rates
3. Terran Strategy
3.1. Marines and Firebats
3.2. Ghosts
3.3. Vultures, Siege Tanks, and Goliaths
3.4. Wraiths
3.5. Science Vessels
3.6. Battlecruisers
3.7. Bunkers, Missile Turrets, and Comsats
4. Zerg Strategy
4.1. Zerglings and Hydralisks
4.2. Mutalisks and Scourges
4.3. Queens, Ultralisks, and Defilers
4.4. Infested Terrans
4.5. Spore and Sunken Colonies
5. Protoss Strategy
5.1. Zealots and Dragoons
5.2. High Templars and Reavers
5.3. Archons and Observers
5.4. Scouts and Carriers
5.5. Arbiters
5.6. Pylons, Photon Cannons, and Shield Batteries
6. Some Brood War comments
-----------------------------
i. Revision History
1.03 -- Included Brood War info, heavy editing on strategy (some of it was
just crap)
1.02 -- Changed info according to the StarCraft 1.04 patch, added another
contributing website.
1.01 -- Added notice about CD-keys, removed ICQ# (I'm never on anymore),
changed e-mail address and web page URL.
Also corrected a few spelling errors and specified damage types for
units and buildings.
Changed info according the the StarCraft 1.03 patch.
1.00 -- First Draft.
Note: Look for Brood War, the expansion set for StarCraft, information soon.
-----------------------------
ii. Introduction
Welcome. This section of the FAQ contains some multiplayer strategies that I
have come across when playing on battle.net. Thanks for reading, and enjoy.
-----------------------------
iii. Important Notice about CD-Keys
I have received a few e-mails over the past few days from people asking me to
provide them with my CD-key. I'll save you the trouble of writing if you want
to ask me. I will not give out my CD-key to anyone, because it is my access to
battle.net. If anyone else uses that CD-key, I can't get on when my CD-key is
already being used. If I give out my CD-key to one person, it will get all the
way around the Internet to everyone in a blink of an eye. Then I will not be
able to access battle.net. So, don't even bother writing me, because I won't
give it out. Buy the game. It's well worth it, and it's cheap now.
-----------------------------
iv. Notice
In this section, I would like to hear any and all criticsm, suggestions,
corrections, etc. This is all my opinion, and it could all be wrong, or it
could all right. Some of the things here are fact, others are just my opinion.
I encourage you to try any strategy I might have written here before actually
using it in a serious game. Basically, I don't want complaints of people losing
ladder points over some strategy I gave them. Also, if you have a strategy you
would like to include here, send it to me through ICQ or e-mail, and I will
gladly post it and give you credit for it.
Also, if you wish to post either of these files on your webpage, please let me
know. I do this to prevent anyone from plagiarizing my work, and also so I can
compile a list of sites where you can find this FAQ.
1. A few things to know
I've found that there are two major keys to this game. The first is to know
what your opponent is doing and produce units to counter what he is doing. The
second is to operate at top efficiency, meaning that you should not have
stockpiles of Crystals and Gas around. You can't do anything with Crystals and
Gas, you can do things with units.
2. Damage
There are three types of damage and three sizes of units in StarCraft. These
interact with each other in strange ways. In case you're wondering, this table
came from the StarCraft Readme, and the file included with Brood War describing
the units.
Terran
Unit Size Ground Damage Air Damage
SCV Small Normal --
Marine Small Normal Normal
Firebat Small Concussive* --
Ghost Small Concussive Concussive
Medic Small -- --
Vulture Medium Concussive --
Siege Tank Large Explosive --
(in Siege Mode) Large Explosive* --
Goliath Large Normal Explosive
Wraith Large Normal Explosive
Dropship Large -- --
Science Vessel Large -- --
Battlecruiser Large Normal Normal
Valkyrie Frigate Large -- Explosive*
Missile Turret Large -- Explosive
Zerg
Unit Size Ground Damage Air Damage
Larva Small -- --
Drone Small Normal --
Zergling Small Normal --
Overlord Large -- --
Hydralisk Medium Explosive Explosive
Lurker Large Normal --
Mutalisk Small Normal Normal
Guardian Large Normal --
Devourer Large -- Normal
Scourge Small -- Normal
Queen Medium -- --
Broodling Small Normal --
Ultralisk Large Normal --
Defiler Medium -- --
Infested Terran Small Normal* --
Spore Colony Large -- Normal
Sunken Colony Large Explosive --
Protoss
Unit Size Ground Damage Air Damage
Probe Small Normal --
Zealot Small Normal --
Dragoon Large Explosive Explosive
High Templar Small -- --
Dark Templar Small Normal --
Archon Large Normal* Normal*
Shuttle Large -- --
Reaver Large Normal* --
Observer Small -- --
Scout Large Normal Explosive
Carrier Large -- --
Interceptor Small Normal Normal
Arbiter Large Explosive Explosive
Corsair Medium
Photon Cannon Large Normal Normal
Damage:
Normal damage does 100% damage to all units.
Concussive damage does 50% damage to Medium units and 25% damage to Large units.
Explosive damage does 50% damage to Small units and 75% damage to Medium units.
Protoss Shields take 100% damage from all types of damage.
2.1 Lowered hit rates
Any unit behind a tree has a 70% chance of being hit as opposed to a full 100%
when out in the open. A unit that is on higher ground has a 70% chance of being
hit by a unit on lower ground.
3. Terran Strategy
One of the major things about the Terrans is that most of their units have long
range attack. This gives them a bit of an advantage over the melee Zerg units
(Zergling, Ultralisk) and the Protoss Zealot, but then they have problems
against Siege Tanks. Also, all of the Terran units may be repaired, and all of
the buildings may be repaired. These are the first things you want to think
about when playing the Terrans.
3.1. Marines and Firebats
These units both have the Stim Pack ability, which is incredibly good now
because of Medics. Firebats are to only be used against small units, and they
work very well against Zerglings and Zealots. The only exception to this rule
is if you want to take out the shields of a Protoss unit, so they also work very
well versus both Archons.
Once you get U-238, Stim Pack Tech, and one or two infantry upgrades, you can
have a very good strike force in 10 or 12 Marines. With Medics, Marines can
last a very long time and kill off a lot of enemy units. Very cost-efficient.
I would suggest at least a 3:1 ratio of Marines to Medics.
3.2. Ghosts
Ghosts do deliver nuclear strikes, but they also are rather good support units.
They have a longer range than Marines, but they also do concussive damage, so
only attack what is necessary. You'd be surprised how far they go against
Mutalisks.
Lockdown is very nice if you are playing against other Terrans or Protoss, but
it is useless against Zerg. You will probably need the Ocular Implants for a
nuclear strikes, and you will definitely need Cloaking. These are wonderful
support units, and can turn the tide of a battle with Lockdown. Just be
watchful, when you are up against Terran, for Medics with Restoration.
3.3. Vultures, Siege Tanks and Goliaths
Vultures are really your choice to make or not; it's a matter of preference. I
don't personally like them since they can't attack air and don't do a great deal
of damage on the ground. They are nice for defense, especially with the Spider
Mines. They can be quite useful against small units, but what I really like
about them is once you develop Ion Thrusters, you can run by defenses and get
right at the peon line. They are also good hit-and-run vehicles, but that's not
my style, so that's why I don't use them too often.
Siege Tanks, while they can't attack air, do enough damage on the ground to earn
a spot in any army. You should research Siege Mode in a Machine Shop
as soon as you start using them. They are an excellent defense vehicle (70 base
damage, and you don't need to move when you're behind Bunkers), and are also
perfect for taking out stationary base defenses. Just make sure to give them
protection against air, with Goliaths, Wraiths or Valkyries.
Goliaths do have a better air attack than ground attack, but they are still a
good ground strike unit. They are cheaper than Siege Tanks, and seem to be an
extremely good complement for Vultures and Siege Tanks. However, air defense is
their major purpose.
3.4. Wraiths
Because of their Cloaking ability, Wraiths are very deadly stealth weapons. If
your opponent doesn't have a Detector in a certain part of his base, you can
probably sneak around and destroy SCVs, Drones, or Probes, which will slow down
greatly any economy. They are also probably the only air unit that can last
against units that have an air attack, because of cloaking. Be careful, though.
Many good players either have a Comsat Station hotkeyed, or brings an Overlord
or Observer with their forces. Their air attack is also better than their
ground attack, so large groups of these (especially when cloaked) can annihilate
enemy air units.
3.5. Science Vessels
Besides being a mobile Detector, the Science Vessel has an ability designed for
Protoss and Zerg. An EMP Shockwave will reduce any Protoss shields to zero (as
well as any stored energy), reducing either Archon to nothing. Irradiate is
usable against any Zerg unit, and an Irradiate in the middle of a Zerg swarm
will destroy it from the inside out. Also, keep in mind that EMP Shockwave can
be used against plenty of things, anything that has stored energy. This can
nullify a cloak on a Wraith, prevent a Yamato Cannon from a Battlecruiser, etc.
3.6. Battlecruisers
If you can afford them, Battlecruisers are rather nice. They do a nice amount
of damage (and normal, too) with their lasers, and a shot from a Yamato Cannon
can do quite a bit. It's also another way to destroy base defenses (I can't
count the number of Missile Turrets I've destroyed with my Battlecruisers). Do
be careful around Terrans, however; Battlecruisers are a ripe target for a
Lockdown.
3.7. Bunkers, Missile Turrets, and Comsats
It's your call as to what to put in Bunkers. Firebats have short range, but are
effective against an early rush (not against Terran, though). Marines are in
between, and probably are better than Firebats to put in here. It depends on
what your opponent is planning on. In many games, many Protoss players put up 3
or 4 Gateways and just crank out Zealots. If this happens, then you will
probably want a Firebat or two in each your Bunkers. But it's hard to say what
is better, Marines get damage off, but when the Zealots or Zerglings get close,
the Firebats fry them. As for Bunker placement, I suggest you keep them close
to your other buildings or good players will run right by them (especially with
Zealots, who can take enough damage to run by your Bunkers).
It depends on your map, but you should have Missile Turrets around your base
anyway. However, Carriers, Guardians and Battlecruisers can take these out
easy, so don't rely on just Missile Turrets. They are very neccessary against
Terrans, however. The fact that they are cloak detectors will protect you
against nuclear strikes and Wraith attacks.
You should definitely hotkey your Comsats. Use something that's easy to
remember and won't get used by another one of your groups. Since they are
detectors, they are useful when you are getting hit my some cloaked Wraiths.
4. Zerg Strategy
Remember that all Zerg units and structures do regenerate, however, it is a slow
process, so don't rely on it. Also, remember that the major cloak detection for
the Zerg is mobile, so if you are planning to use Overlords as mobile cloak
detection, research the Pneumatized Carapace so your attacks won't be slowed. I
personally like the Zerg because of their ease of use. Everything is produced
at Hatchery or Lair or Hive, and the buildings are created to make different
units. This is basically what you should keep in mind when you play the Zerg.
4.1. Zerglings and Hydralisks
Zerglings work best in large swarms. Large swarms are not difficult to produce,
as they cost 50 Crystals for 2 Zerglings. They don't do a great deal of damage,
and they can't attack from a distance either. If you get Metabolic Boost and
Adrenal Glands quickly, you can have very effective Zerglings. What you have to
worry about is Bunkers and air units, and that's where Hydralisks come in.
Hydralisks are a lot tougher and stronger than Zerglings, and also have a ranged
attack. Their evolutions (Muscular Augments and Grooved Spines) should be
evolved from the start. With a few upgrades, Hydralisks can be very formidable
in groups.
4.2. Mutalisks, Guardians, and Scourges
The Zerg Mutalisk is probably the weakest air unit of the three races. For
example, the Wraith has cloaking, and both the Wraith and the Scout have
stronger air attacks. Mutalisks are considered small units, so they take half
damage from most other air units. Scouts still do beat them, however. I
suggest that you watch out for Wraiths and Scouts, and escort your Mutalisks
with either Scourges and Hydralisks.
Guardians are the Zerg's method of easily taking out base defenses. Guardians
have an extremely long-ranged attack that can beat out Missile Turrets, Bunkers,
Photon Cannons and Spore Colonies. However, the Guardian has no air attack,
leaving it very vulnerable to an air assault. Again, you will need escort here.
Since the Zerg are rather weak in air-to-air, the Scourge was developed to
balance the air war. A Scourge may be sacrificed to deal 110 damage to any air
unit. 3 or 4 of these could take out a Carrier, and 5 could destroy a
Battlecruiser. They are rather cheap, and a very good investment. You have to
be careful, however, because they only have 25 HP and a Battlecruiser can
usually destroy one in one shot.
4.3. Queens, Ultralisks, and Defilers
Queens have a few useful purposes. The Parasite is probably the Zerg's best way
to scout out an enemy base. Parasiting a transport vessel, Science Vessel, or
Observer is very good because those will often stick near a base or expansion.
The Spawn Broodlings can work on all Zerg units, and up to Siege Tanks and
Dragoons on Terrans and Protoss. Ensnare can be used to reveal cloaked units,
and seriously slow down the movement of units (works nice versus melee units).
In Free For All multiplayer games or team games where you are allied with a
Terran, make sure you take advantage of the Infested Terran.
Ultralisks are the most expensive Zerg unit, but they have more HP than any
other ground unit. Their attack is quite strong, and they can take quite a few
hits before falling. If you use them with a Dark Swarm on base defenses, you
can do very well. Keep in mind that they can't attack air, so
have some Hydralisks or Mutalisks around.
Defilers have two very useful abilities. Dark Swarm is not used very well by
some Zerg players. What it does is nullify any ranged attack inside it (think
that it's so foggy you can't see). Dark Swarm, in combination with short-range
units like Zerglings or Ultralisks, is a very good effect. Plague reduces the HP
of units while ignoring shields and energy, and reveals cloaked units. Plague
does not kill, but it does reduce the HP to below 10. This is obviously very
good on Protoss units, for it reduces their HP, which they can't recharge.
4.4. Infested Terrans
There isn't much strategy to how you use these units. These are the only Zerg
units that can be queued, and they don't cost a whole lot of resources. They
are eaten up by long-range attack (and therefore Terrans), so you have to create
a diversion or something to get some through. Either that, or you can sneak a
few in a base with an Overlord (a very nice tactic). 3 or 4 could take out a
Command Center or Nexus.
4.5. Spore and Sunken Colonies
Spore Colonies are useful because they are cloak detectors, but you also have
Overlords for that task. Spores don't do as much as Photon Cannons, but they
can do more than Missile Turrets against small units. If you are using them for
air defense, build a lot. If for detection, use sparingly.
Sunken Colonies have become much better after patch 1.04. It has a faster
attack for 40 damage now. They still do explosive damage, but are even cheaper
and definitely worth it.
5. Protoss Strategy
The Protoss are probably one of the more difficult races to become good at.
Their units are very expensive compared to the other two races, but they also
are better than the other two races' units. Rememeber that there are three key
things to Protoss base defense: Photon Cannons, High Templars, and Observers.
And, of course, all Protoss shields recharge on their own, and this process may
be also done quickly with a Shield Battery.
5.1. Zealots and Dragoons
The Zealot is a lot stronger than a Marine or Zergling, and that would
probably make sense because the Zealot costs a lot more. The Zealot does a fair
bit of damage, can take a lot of damage, and can be upgraded to move quickly.
It can't attack air, so it will need escort.
Dragoons have become a better unit now, but are still only good for base
defense, in my opinion. They also do serve as a decent escort unit, especially
if you are only up against Scouts or Wraiths. They also don't take much more
damage than a Zealot does, but they do cost a bit more.
5.2. High Templars and Reavers
The High Templar is an excellent base defense unit. Psionic Storm is almost a
perfect way to repel a large attack. It will seriously hurt units that are slow
and have a ranged attack. Also, Hallucination is fun to use on large units like
Carriers or Arbiters. It is especially good on Arbiters to buy yourself some
extra time for a cloaked attack while your opponent figures out which Arbiter is
the real one.
The Reaver is a very powerful unit. Its Scarabs will level any ground units in
a matter of moments, and it is excellent for destroying bases. With a fast
Shuttle or a quick Recall from an Arbiter, you can easily deposit some Reavers
into a base and unleash some strong power.
5.3. Archons and Observers
Archons are definitely strong. I often just make two High Templar to make them.
They have a normal, splash attack that can damage air and ground for quite a
bit. They also accelerate faster now. Very nice units to complement any
attack.
The Observer has many purposes. You should always have an Observer accompany an
attack force in case some cloaked units decide to show up. Also, an Observer is
an almost perfect way to scout what your enemy is doing, and since it is
cloaked, you can stick a few at possible expansion points and not let your enemy
expand. Observers are also very small, stealthy units, so they are very
difficult to find.
5.4. Scouts and Carriers
Scouts are extremely powerful anti-air units. Their ground attack leaves
something to be desired, but their air attack is extremely good. Scouts can go
up against some Battlecruisers, Carriers, or other air units and do quite a bit
of damage. These are probably the best air support escort that you can get in
StarCraft, and they should be produced to defend against air.
Carriers are also very good air units. It can stay out of the range of base
defenses and launch Interceptors at them. It can also deal a fair bit of damage
to both air and ground units (as long as the Carrier has many Interceptors
built), and several Interceptors can cause a lot of confusion.
Make sure you develop the now-cheaper extra Interceptor ability at a Fleet
Beacon, as this increases a Carrier's power by much.
5.5. Arbiters
The Arbiter has several, very useful abilities. The cloaking field around it is
an excellent way to launch an attack, as the Arbiter will be the first target,
so the other units can become uncloaked. With a Hallucination, you can even buy
yourself some more time while your opponent tries to figure out which one is
real. The Arbiter can also warp in some support very easily (though Recall is
costly in energy). You could also sneak an Arbiter into a base and warp in a
bunch of Reavers or Archons or other powerful units. Also, when they are
Recalled, they are deposited right under the Arbiter, so they become cloaked.
The Stasis Field can effectively stop an attack while your shields recharge, or,
if you're lucky, it can split an attack up in two, and you can obviously handle
half of the units better than the full amount.
5.6. Pylons, Photon Cannons, and Shield Batteries
There isn't much to Pylon placement, it's really just common sense. However,
your opponent can easily disable a building that is powered by only one Pylon
just by destroying the pylon, so have at least two Pylons powering your more
critical buildings. Also, you definitely want many Pylons on your Photon
Cannons.
Photon Cannons are very useful, as they are detectors, and they attack both
ground and air. I suggest you place quite a few of these around your bases,
especially around areas that your defending units can't access easily. I've
seen several Photon Cannons littered all about a base, and it took a long time
to bring that base down. Also, the Protoss are the only race who cheaply and
easily can set up base defenses around enemy bases. The Zerg need Creep, and
the Terrans have a lot of trouble putting a Missile Turret and a full Bunker by
a base. The Protoss are very sneaky in this regard, and it can hurt.
I don't really use Shield Batteries, and that may be why I'm not a very good
Protoss player. I haven't really found a good purpose for them. A good use for
them that I have found is recharging Archons, for Shields are their primary HP.
I can't use them in an attack, because my Shield Batteries are usually by my
base. Also, you might want to stick a Shield Battery by some units that you are
using to defend your base. Since Protoss Shields take full damage from all
attacks, they fall easily, so a Shield Battery could make the difference in an
attack.
6. Some Brood War Comments
The new units for the Terrans are quite useful. Medics combined with Marines at
a good ratio like 2:1 can kill just about everything with very few losses.
Restoration can remove everything but Stasis Field, so they are exceptional in
this regard as well. Optic Flare is better in theory than in practice, but if
you can blind all of your opponent's attackers, you will have a tremendous
advantage. It's also annoying too.
Valkyries seem to only work well in large numbers, and against units with little
armor. They do so little damage that they are only really useful versus
Mutalisks, Guardians, Scouts, Corsairs, and Wraiths. Battlecruisers and
Carriers have too much armor now. Make sure you get weapons upgraded here.
The Zerg units are probably the least popular. I only ever use Lurkers for base
defense, but if you can get some in a base without cloak detection, you will
destroy it. Don't underestimate them, however; they can do a tremendous amount
of damage.
The Devourer is more like an addition to a Mutalisk force. They do a lot of
damage, but their attack is so slow that the only thing that matters is their
Acid Spores, which slow down an enemy's firing rate and lessens their armor.
Unless in large numbers, they are not for anti-air.
The Protoss units have probably received the most attention. Dark Templar now
cause every player to get quick cloak detection, and Dark Archons are great at
making a battle that seems impossible to win result in victory for you. You can
indeed Mind Control an SCV or Drone and build that race completely up (my
favorite is Medics for Templar and Zealots), but a lot of opponents won't let
this happen, as their peon line is already well defended.
The Corsair has two great purposes, one is their attack and the second is
Disruption Web. They attack quickly for 5 (base) explosive damage that has
splash, making them as almost as useful for anti-air as Valkyries. The
Disruption Web nullifies ground attacks, so a group of Corsairs and Scouts could
penetrate many, many enemy bases.