STARCRAFT: BROOD WAR

Written by: Greg Retson.  aka. zerg master!

How to be a master at the _ZERG_

After playing SC for almost a year now, I would have to call myself an expert
with the zerg race. In my opinion, the zerg is the best race in the original
and in SC, BW.  There abilities and almost spontaneous regeneration makes
them my race of choice.  After looking at the starcraft and BW FAQs  in this
great site, I noticed a missing, very important part of this game: the zerg
special abilities.  Not only will I tell you the zerg special abilities, but
I will also show you some of the tactics that I came up with to win almost
every game you play on Battle.net.

Why I like the zerg....
When I first got SC, I started using the terren race first.  They seemed the
easiest to learn and the most fun.  But when I used terren on multiplayer, I
would always get spanked; by zergs!!! This was mostly the result of me being
a newbie, but the zerg also have some unique characteristics that make them
my most used, and, I think, is the most Deadly race on SC.

Version 1.4  Added a General Zerg Strategy

Version 1.3  Added more General and Advanced Zerg Strategies

Version 1.2  Fixed Spelling errors and added more General Zerg Strategies

Version 1.1  I fixed some wrong information and added more General Zerg
Strategies.

Version 1.0

If anyone wants to drop me an e-mail, I'd be more then welcome to answer you.
 If you need help with the game or just want to chat of Starcraft, e-mail me
at Bulkypalo@aol.com and I'd be glad to here from you.  Other Zerg strategies
are always welcome!





General Characteristics of the ZERG
Just like the SC strategy books say "the zerg is entirely biological, even
the buildings are alive" the zerg is especially susceptible to the irradiate
of the Science Vessel.  But being biological can work to your advantage.  I
will show you why.....

Note: I usually play SC on battle.net so most of my strategies are geared
towards a multiplayer battle, but most of these tips can also be used on
single-player games as well.


General tips for the ZERG
Here are some very General tips for using the zerg to your full
advantage......
-Build lots and lots of hatcheries, notice that is my #1 tip because it is
probably the most important.  I have found in the vicinity of about 20 will
do you nicely, but more is always better.  This can be a little tough in the
beginning of the game when you have a limited amount of resources.  There are
a couple of things you can do......
-First off, just concentrate and gathering resources and hopefully you can
get help from an ally if you are attacked.
-Before the game starts, set a "no rush" time so at least you have a safe
time period when you can just gather resources and get ready to morph a bunch
of hatcheries.
-After you gathered a fair amount of resources, (within 7-10 minutes of the
game starting) build 3 hatcheries and a hydra den. That way you are
relatively safe from attacks.
-You can always set up a line of defense with your sunken colonies.  If you
have enough, they should take care of your enemies in an early attack.  But
make sure you have a overlord in the vicinity.

 This characteristic of morphing the larvae into fighting units is one of the
zergs most valuable trait. Do you want to attack your enemy?  Get all you
units you can, then attack.  As your units die, keep making new ones.  And
keep making new ones as you send waves and waves of your units at the enemy
base. You can do this until you demolish the enemy's base or run out of
minerals.  (this tactic WILL NOT usually work if your opponent is terren and
they set up a blockade of siege tanks, I will tell YOU how to demolish their
blockade of tanks, with the QUEEN).   This could also be useful if you are
attacked.  If your enemy attacks your base, make sure you have at least a
healthy number of hydras, then create many units that would counter those
that attack you. This could easily be done if you go to your group of
hatcheries and double click on a larvae, this selects about 12 larvae for you
to morph to whatever you want.  Note: always upgrade your hatcheries to
lairs, the larvae production and Hit points increase.

-Another just as important strategy, just like the other 2 races,  have a
great deal of drones gathering resources.  In your base, you should make it
look real busy with a whole bunch of mineral and gas gathering drones.  You
should have about 5 gas extractors and 3 drones on each one.  And roughly
about 25 drones gathering minerals if you want moderate minerals being
gathered.  I usually have around 30-40.  This is fantastic for long, resource
depleting games.  This strategy is mainly for multiplayer games where fast
resource gathering is essential to win the game.  Notice that the above
strategy will not work without a whole bunch of resources.  So this strategy
is as important if not more important than the one above.

-The Zerg overlord is like a terren storage building, the more OL you have,
the more units you can have. Until you reach 200,(thats your maximum # of
units you can have at one time) but you will notice that you can make more
and continue to make more overlords.  In fact, you can make as many as you
want.  How can this be helpful?  Well, there are a few ways that a great
number of OL can really help you.  For the obvious, the OL are detectors, so
put many of them around your base and also just around the map for early
detection on a attack or an enemy expansion.  Also they are good to take with
you when you attack.  To do this, select and OL and then right click it on a
your unit you want it to follow.  This is VERY important because you can get
spanked by some cloaked units before you even know what hit you.  A less
obvious reason for a great number of OL is.......use them for "shields".
Don't know that I mean? I'll explain.  Since you can create as many OL as you
want... Why not use that to you advantage.  When you attack with your air or
ground units. Send about 25  OL ahead of your units... So while your enemy is
busy attacking your OL, your other units are busy attacking your enemy.  So
your enemy is wasting attack on your defenseless and "useless" OL. Does this
sound familiar?  Think protoss?? Think High Templar??? Think
hallucination?????  This tactic doesn't work as effectively as the high
templar hallucination but you just gotta work with what you've got.  Also, If
you are playing a multiplier and your allies are attacking with expensive air
units. (carriers, guardians, battlecruisers) help him out a little, send your
extra OL to follow your ally's units to block some of the enemy fire.  You
can do this by selecting the desired OL, and then right-clicking on your
ally's unit you want it to follow.

-Use your burrowing ability.  SC players underestimate this ability.  Its not
just for the lunkers, but also the other ground units. Here are some of the
good places to place your burrowed units.  Put a burrowed zergling next to
some resources, this makes you enemy unable to build anything where your
burrowed unit is.  Even if they have detection and kill your burrowed unit,
you now know where they are expanding.
Put a burrowed zergling way in front of the opening to your base,  this will
alert you when you will be attacked.
Put a burrowed zergling anywhere in the map,  it can't hurt you, and since
the lings are so cheap, it really won't make a big difference if you lose
them.

-The ZERG sunken colony is a Very good anti-ground defense. I believe each
hit on the enemy is 40!!!! In comparison, the protoss cannon is only 20.  But
the sunken colony is only anti-ground, It has no air attack.  I would suggest
putting a whole lotta sunken colonies at your base entrance and placing a
bunch of devourers as well as some OL for detection.  This set up is almost
unstoppable.  (notice I said "almost")

-Upgrade, Upgrade, Upgrade, (let that word sink in a little)  UPGRADE,  it is
sooooo important.  It could mean the difference between life and death.  Not
only should you upgrade your attack and shields, but your hydras speed and
attack range.  VERY important.  A group of upgraded hydras, (or mutas) for
that matter, can spank just about anything in their path.  If you are someone
who loves to create a whole bunch of one unit and attack. (i don't recommend
it unless absolutely
necessary) then create a hoard of fully upgraded hydras and attack, if you
didn't' kill your enemy, you caused some serious damage and your next waves
of hydras should finish them off.
-What do you think is the best unit against the high priced battlecruiser or
carrier? If you said the Devourer, you were close, they are very good for
air-to-air combat.  But you were wrong.  Scourge,  let me repeat.  SCOURGE
are  your unit for the battlecruiser or carrier.  Usually a group of 8 can
take out a carrier pretty fast.  If the protoss player does not have any
scouts to defend this carriers, you can rest assured that your enemy wont
have his carriers much longer.  I found the best way to go about doing this
is separate your scourge into groups of 8.  Hotkey them.  (press control and
#1-9 at the same time) and then whenever you need them.  Just press the
number you designated for them (1-9) and then right click on a specific
carrier.  You need to designate a specific carrier otherwise the scourge
might just kill an interceptor.

-Do you wanna decimate your enemy's base fast, cheap, and easily?  Use mobs
and mobs of fully upgraded zerglings and watch those babies fly.  Good lord,
if you send enough and your enemy does not have a solid, and i mean solid
ground defense, they he is as good as dead.  Because each ling counts as 1/2
of a unit, you can create so many of them that no matter what kind of air
units your enemy has, there would be no way to stop your bloodthristy
zerglings

-Because you overlords have the ability to act like a transport, USE THEM.
Many zerg players forgot that the OL are transports and never use them as
such.  To make them especially dangerous, use them on island maps.  Get your
guardians to take out your enemy's anti-air defense and then while they are
busy taking care of your guardians, send your pre-load OL with the hydras
over to your enemy's base.  Hopefully everything would go as planned and you
get some pretty significant damage done to your enemy.  This attack could be
especially potent if your enemy doesn't have any ground troops.  Since they
are on an island, its very possible.

-Even though the Zerg are the best race in my mind, they do have some useless
units.  For example, The Ultralisk.  Now some zerg players may like these
large fighters, but to me, they are  waste of money and take up too many
units. (each one counts like 6 units, hydras only count for 1) And if your
Ultras are attacked by air, you are dead.  If you want a good fast ground
unit, use the zergling.  Since each 2 count as 1 unit you could make a vast
number of them and your enemy would have a real tough time dealing with all
your lings.

-When you attack with guardians, most zerg players attack in one big group,
it could be all right, but if your enemy is smart, he can use storm or plague
on them.  Not to mention the air to air combat that could be the end to your
guardians.  Instead, attack your enemy's base with two groups on opposite
sides.  This confuses them because they don't know which side to send their
units.  And then, if you can also get your allies to also attack, you just
might have yourself a victory.

-When you attack your enemy's base with Mutas (the flying one) and your enemy
has anti-air defense set up all around their base, do not use your
attack-move (holding "A" while you left click) just use your move command and
fly over the air defense and into the heart of your enemies base.  You
shouldn't lose too many Mutas and get some good shots against your enemy.
This strategy cannot be used with Guardians, they are too slow, BUT, if you
get a good number of Mutas through your enemy's lines and are not met with
much other ground resistance, transform the Mutas unto Guardians and
Devourers, and you got yourself a serious wrecking crew. Also, if you go
after your enemy's the resources gatherers. Then not only do you cripple
their main base, but you cut off all resources coming in.  Then, if you go
for the full frontal attack, or send more mutas, its almost like taking candy
from a baby.

This strategy was given to me by the experienced player,  ZIWCZI:     when
you play island games, don't bother with air d and be more concern with base
d..... (well thats IMOP).... because since its island.... they are bound to
have a huge air fleet going to kick the living crap out of you and for zergs,
dropped will be done so don't bother since they fly right past.... and then
when if you concentrate on air d, you got no base d when they come, also the
best with zergs if just to make tons and tons of scourges and patrol


This strategy (warning??) was sent in by, Duo (The Great Destroyer)
to all you people who use all hydras, 4 templars could take them out by the
hundreds and tanks with bunkers shred them like paper.
You protoss who make lots of Dragoons, they are ripped apart by fully
upgraded zerglings and cost about ¬ as much. (They deal explosive damage so
lings take at about 3 hits each. I think 2 zerglings could kill 1 dragoon)

ZERG Special abilities, explained, and Very good tips for beating anyone!
I have noticed the using the special abilities of any of the races are "old
school" just about nobody uses them. Except for the high templar's storm
ability, the special abilities are being used less and less.  I find that
suprising because I find that the ZERG special abilities not only help you a
whole bunch, but can win the game for you.  Most SC players on battle.net
just make massive forces of one kind of unit, for example, the Dragoon. And
then attack.  Then I laugh in their faces when I put "ensnare" on the
attacking units and  "plague" all of them.  Then I am able to easily kill off
the survivors.

QUEEN
-Early in the game, as soon as you get a queen, scout out your enemies'
bases.  This is very important, if the other player is NOT zerg, parasite a
high priced unit, if the other player is ZERG, parasite a drone gathering
minerals.  The purpose of the parasite is obvious, or so it seems. But why
parasite a drone? You ask?  This parasited drone could come in to play later
if that enemy ZERG player is careless and does not guard their main hatchery.
 Later in the game, as you climb the tech tree, build a nydus canal in your
base and put the opening in your enemy's base, right next to their first
hatchery where you parasited their drone.  If you are lucky, the enemy won't
spot your nydus canal being built and you are free to send your units through
your nydus canal opening in your base and come out automatically to you
enemy's base.  This could be especially deadly if they are attacking you when
you put your canal in their base.  Not only is this strategy useful, but I
have also won many games with it.  Also, if you or one of your allies is
attacking a zerg player, quickly nydus over to your enemy's base.  They will
usually be to preoccupied with you or your allies attacking their base that
it will go unnoticed until it is too late.  Because it is possible for you to
Nydus over to your enemy's base, they can do the same thing to you.  To
prevent that, put sunken colonies all around your creep.  Just one sunken
will prevent your enemy from building a Nydus around it so you don't need to
go overboard with so many of the sunkens.
Note:  Hydras I have found, are usually the best unit for traveling through
the nydus.

-The Queen also has other uses as well, I found the "ensnare" ability is
especially useful in many situations.  What happens when you are attacked by
a half a dozen enemy carriers?  Use ensnare and then send a group of scourge
at them. What happens when you are being spanked by a group of scouts?
Ensnare them and set Hydras in their direction.  Being attacked by a whole
bunch of cloaked wraiths? Ensnare them and now you and your other units can
see and