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{{Cleanup|date=September 2007}} | {{Cleanup|date=September 2007}} | ||
{{Header Nav|game=StarCraft}} | {{Header Nav|game=StarCraft}} | ||
==Hallucinating units== | ==Hallucinating units== | ||
Hallucination (hotkey L) creates two duplicates of the target unit which do no damage. | Hallucination (hotkey L) creates two duplicates of the target unit which do no damage. | ||
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* Hallucination forces an enemy to divert focused fire either upon fake units or spreading out the firepower. | * Hallucination forces an enemy to divert focused fire either upon fake units or spreading out the firepower. | ||
* Fresh duplicates can be created from other hallucinations. | * Fresh duplicates can be created from other hallucinations. | ||
* Hallucinations do not produce | * Hallucinations do not produce anything and do not cast spells, which make hallucinated Reavers, Carriers, and spellcasters very poor and easily identifiable imitations. | ||
* New ones appear out of nowhere, and players may be able to keep track of them. | * New ones appear out of nowhere, and players may be able to keep track of them. | ||
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* Hallucinated Arbiters can be defeated with a well-placed Stasis Field. | * Hallucinated Arbiters can be defeated with a well-placed Stasis Field. | ||
* Beware accidentally using this spell on an Interceptor instead of the Carrier. | * Beware accidentally using this spell on an Interceptor instead of the Carrier. | ||
==Reaver dropping== | ==Reaver dropping== | ||
This requires a substantial investment in tech, up to the Robotics Facility and Robotics Support Bay, which can't realistically be done without dividing one's focus on more standard base defense; but once prepared, if the enemy has not developed comprehensive defenses, can still wreak havoc, even with a small-scale expedition. | This requires a substantial investment in tech, up to the Robotics Facility and Robotics Support Bay, which can't realistically be done without dividing one's focus on more standard base defense; but once prepared, if the enemy has not developed comprehensive defenses, can still wreak havoc, even with a small-scale expedition. At least one shuttle and typically one or two reavers are produced; as soon as the reavers are ready, scarab production is begun, the reavers are set on a control group and loaded into the shuttle(s). A safe route has preferably been scouted out, along which the shuttles are flown, away from the attention of any enemy forces, around to the back of an enemy base; the reavers are then dropped on the enemy base, typically beginning near the production pile, behind the minerals or even between the minerals and base, directly among the resource gatherers. Additional scarab production is begun as soon as the reavers are out. The reavers fire their scarabs at the resource gatherers, which are typically tightly congregated and particularly vulnerable to the scarabs' splash damage. A dramatic number of the resource gatherers can be wiped out in a surprisingly short time in this manner, crippling the enemy's economy. The inexperienced often have their defensive forces heavily concentrated in a forward position in anticipation of a land attack, although this becomes less typical as the game advances. The enemy then tries to summon the defending combat units back from the forward position to the production pile area. Even then, however, it is often surprisingly effective to load the reavers back onto their shuttles (giving the command to the reaver control group, rather than the shuttle, for a speedier upload), fly the shuttle to the opposite rear corner of the base, and unload them again; any ground units that have been gathered toward the reavers' original location have to traverse the typically very densely packed central base to approach the reavers again. Because of the reaver's significant investment, it is also often worthwhile to pack up the reavers and fly them off in retreat if they sustain significant damage, rather than let them fight to the death, then use them again a bit later when their shields have restored. | ||
At least one shuttle and typically one or two reavers are produced; as soon as the reavers are ready, scarab production is begun, the reavers are set on a control group and loaded into the shuttle(s). A safe route has preferably been scouted out, along which the shuttles are flown, away from the attention of any enemy forces, around to the back of an enemy base; the reavers are then dropped on the enemy base, typically beginning near the production pile, behind the minerals or even between the minerals and base, directly among the resource gatherers. Additional scarab production is begun as soon as the reavers are out. The reavers fire their scarabs at the resource gatherers, which are typically tightly congregated and particularly vulnerable to the scarabs' splash damage. A dramatic number of the resource gatherers can be wiped out in a surprisingly short time in this manner, crippling the enemy's economy. | |||
The inexperienced often have their defensive forces heavily concentrated in a forward position in anticipation of a land attack, although this becomes less typical as the game advances. The enemy then tries to summon the defending combat units back from the forward position to the production pile area. Even then, however, it is often surprisingly effective to load the reavers back onto their shuttles (giving the command to the reaver control group, rather than the shuttle, for a speedier upload), fly the shuttle to the opposite rear corner of the base, and unload them again; any ground units that have been gathered toward the reavers' original location have to traverse the typically very densely packed central base to approach the reavers again. Because of the reaver's significant investment, it is also often worthwhile to pack up the reavers and fly them off in retreat if they sustain significant damage, rather than let them fight to the death, then use them again a bit later when their shields have restored. | |||
===Reaver Drop=== | ===Reaver Drop=== | ||
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The reaver drop was popularized in tournament games in 1998 by the player known on Battle.net as Zileas, then an underclassman at MIT, whose quickness with coordinating the reavers and shuttles were described as "like a shuttle that fires scarabs". This technique effectively prevented many ground-attack units from engaging the reaver, since it could drop, shoot and load back into the shuttle before they could counter-attack. The developers of Starcraft, in a later patch, responded to this by introducing a short delay to prevent the reaver from opening fire as soon as it hit the ground. | The reaver drop was popularized in tournament games in 1998 by the player known on Battle.net as Zileas, then an underclassman at MIT, whose quickness with coordinating the reavers and shuttles were described as "like a shuttle that fires scarabs". This technique effectively prevented many ground-attack units from engaging the reaver, since it could drop, shoot and load back into the shuttle before they could counter-attack. The developers of Starcraft, in a later patch, responded to this by introducing a short delay to prevent the reaver from opening fire as soon as it hit the ground. | ||
===Reaver Recall=== | ===Reaver Recall=== | ||
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* 17/25 – 2 Zealots | * 17/25 – 2 Zealots | ||
If zerg went fast expo, that expo is as good as dead since this build is basically 9/10 gate on steroids. Make sure that you take some | If zerg went fast expo, that expo is as good as dead since this build is basically 9/10 gate on steroids. Make sure that you take some drones with the scout and zealot and harass plenty. If zerg went 9-pool, then this build dies. If things get hairy hold position at his ramp until reinforcements arrive. This is an all-out rush, and if it fails the game is just about lost for you. | ||
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From here you can add a gate and start massing goons (for ground maps), or you can continue up the robo or stargate trees on air/hybrid games. On non-ground, robo is preferred and is good for random. Stargate is exclusive for zerg. | From here you can add a gate and start massing goons (for ground maps), or you can continue up the robo or stargate trees on air/hybrid games. On non-ground, robo is preferred and is good for random. Stargate is exclusive for zerg. | ||
<sup>1</sup>Against zerg a second zealot is better. If you are going to do a furnace (pvt strategy for fast | <sup>1</sup>Against zerg a second zealot is better. If you are going to do a furnace (pvt strategy for fast backdoor drops) start a robo right away. | ||
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====Protoss Tech Build 3==== | ====Protoss Tech Build 3==== | ||
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<sup>4</sup>Gateway goes here followed by assimilator and pylon if you made a 2nd cannon. | <sup>4</sup>Gateway goes here followed by assimilator and pylon if you made a 2nd cannon. | ||
==Defense== | ==Defense== | ||
===Photon Cannons=== | ===Photon Cannons=== | ||
A common mistake among amateurs is to rely too heavily on Photon Cannons, placing too many of them close together in "cannon farms" or concentrating them in bottlenecks of anticipated attacks. The opponent can easily counter this by investing in air forces that can bypass the cannon farms, or by developing an antidote to the cannons such as Guardians. Either way, the heavy investment in stationary artillery is neutralized, and the enemy's superior investment in mobile units is likely to pay off. Also, as enemy units receive upgrades, the effectiveness of cannons degrade over time. Cannons should either be in tight clusters so that they can defend each other, or scattered to maximize their ability to detect cloaked units. Another common mistake is to power a group of many Photon Cannons with only one Pylon, which allows the enemy to simply destroy the Pylon powering the Photon Cannons before they have time to cause substantial damage to the attacking force. Even a simple cluster of a few Pylons or a number of overlapping Pylon fields is enough to solve this problem. Experienced players often use pylons or other buildings to prevent melee units from properly attacking their Photon Cannons | A common mistake among amateurs is to rely too heavily on Photon Cannons, placing too many of them close together in "cannon farms" or concentrating them in bottlenecks of anticipated attacks. The opponent can easily counter this by investing in air forces that can bypass the cannon farms, or by developing an antidote to the cannons such as Guardians. Either way, the heavy investment in stationary artillery is neutralized, and the enemy's superior investment in mobile units is likely to pay off. Also, as enemy units receive upgrades, the effectiveness of cannons degrade over time. Cannons should either be in tight clusters so that they can defend each other, or scattered to maximize their ability to detect cloaked units. Another common mistake is to power a group of many Photon Cannons with only one Pylon, which allows the enemy to simply destroy the Pylon powering the Photon Cannons before they have time to cause substantial damage to the attacking force. Even a simple cluster of a few Pylons or a number of overlapping Pylon fields is enough to solve this problem. Experienced players often use pylons or other buildings to prevent melee units from properly attacking their Photon Cannons. | ||
===High Templar=== | ===High Templar=== | ||
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===Carriers=== | ===Carriers=== | ||
Carriers are expensive units with both extreme strengths and weaknesses. Though their firepower is not overly impressive compared to their cost, they are able to fight efficiently in large packs. Seeing as most good counters to Carrier armadas are ground based, their aerial mobility makes them excellent for hit-and-run tactics. They also are invaluable in controlling isles - parts of the map separated by water or other terrain limited to air units - because it is difficult to muster large ground forces to defend such areas. | Carriers are expensive units with both extreme strengths and weaknesses. Though their firepower is not overly impressive compared to their cost, they are able to fight efficiently in large packs. Seeing as most good counters to Carrier armadas are ground based, their aerial mobility makes them excellent for hit-and-run tactics. They also are invaluable in controlling isles - parts of the map separated by water or other terrain limited to air units - because it is difficult to muster large ground forces to defend such areas. Tightly packed Carriers are extremely suspectible to the Zerg Defiler's Plague spell, which leaves them with nearly no hitpoints. | ||
Tightly packed Carriers are extremely | |||
==Teching== | ==Teching== | ||
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The templar tree has two uses- templar and speedlots. However, if this is early game, you can only choose one. (The leg enhancement upgrade is 150 gas and the archives is 200) The templar would be used to counter zerglings (dts, archons, and storm), hydralisks (storm), or mutalisk (storm or archons) for zerg. Evidently, storm is a must have against zerg. Against terran, this tree would be used to rush templar if they have no detection, but aside for anti- m&m, no other use. For protoss, there is not much use, unless going for a templar drop. | The templar tree has two uses- templar and speedlots. However, if this is early game, you can only choose one. (The leg enhancement upgrade is 150 gas and the archives is 200) The templar would be used to counter zerglings (dts, archons, and storm), hydralisks (storm), or mutalisk (storm or archons) for zerg. Evidently, storm is a must have against zerg. Against terran, this tree would be used to rush templar if they have no detection, but aside for anti- m&m, no other use. For protoss, there is not much use, unless going for a templar drop. | ||
The robotics tree has three units for three uses, shuttle, observer, and reaver. Shuttles are used for drops, such as the reaver drop. Reavers are used in drops, or for bypassing defenses. Observes are for cloak detection and spying. VS zerg, shuttles are used for drops, but reavers are excellent sunken colony killers with the damage upgrade. They kill hydralisk in one scarab, and kill even masses of zerglings. Vs Terran, shuttles are used to counter tanks. Zealot bombs and reaver bombs are used to great effectiveness against tanks. Observers can make wraiths almost useless, and they can spot ghosts trying to spot for nukes. Vs protoss, reavers can be very effective in terms of stopping charges and blowing through shields and photon cannons. In general, use | The robotics tree has three units for three uses, shuttle, observer, and reaver. Shuttles are used for drops, such as the reaver drop. Reavers are used in drops, or for bypassing defenses. Observes are for cloak detection and spying. VS zerg, shuttles are used for drops, but reavers are excellent sunken colony killers with the damage upgrade. They kill hydralisk in one scarab, and kill even masses of zerglings. Vs Terran, shuttles are used to counter tanks. Zealot bombs and reaver bombs are used to great effectiveness against tanks. Observers can make wraiths almost useless, and they can spot ghosts trying to spot for nukes. Vs protoss, reavers can be very effective in terms of stopping charges and blowing through shields and photon cannons. In general, use ths tree for taking an island expo.e.g the shuttle. | ||
The stargate tree is for air units, like corsairs and carriers. The stargate tree is, obviously, for getting combat air units. Against zerg, unless going overlord hunting, there really isn't much use. Against terran, however, it is important. Both the initial craft, scout and corsair, can be very effective against siege tank drops. Corsairs cast disruption web, while the scout destroys the tanks. Keep in mind that a smart tank commander would build missile turrets or bring marines/goliaths, so use the web and dragoons. | The stargate tree is for air units, like corsairs and carriers. The stargate tree is, obviously, for getting combat air units. Against zerg, unless going overlord hunting, there really isn't much use. Against terran, however, it is important. Both the initial craft, scout and corsair, can be very effective against siege tank drops. Corsairs cast disruption web, while the scout destroys the tanks. Keep in mind that a smart tank commander would build missile turrets or bring marines/goliaths, so use the web and dragoons. | ||