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.  


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 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).   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.  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.  

-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.  

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.
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 attack the cloaked wraiths.  Are you being attacked by a hoard of 
Dragoons, or any other ground unit? Ensnare and then attack with guardians or 
whatever you have.  The possibilities are endless.  Because Ensnare will slow 
done any unit, you can therefore use it on any enemy unit.  As you can see, 
this "ensnare" is very valuable.

DEFILER 
Most zerg players ignore this unit because it has no direct attack.  Not only 
is that stupid because this unit can win the game for you but you can really 
see if you or anyone else is an inexperienced zerg player if you don't use 
this very valuable unit.

-Because it has no direct, you have to use the Defiler in a different way.  I 
have found dark-swarm is especially useful.  Are you being attacked by a 
group of carriers?  Use dark swarm on your spore colonies or hydras.  This 
makes them untouchable under that cloud so they can attack the carriers and 
the carriers cannot attack them.  And you thought carriers were so powerful?  
IN fact, I found they are the most retarded unit in the protoss race.  I even 
enjoy when they attack my base because I usually (if I am prepared) end up 
killing most of them with ease.  They are so easy to kill its a wonder 
protoss players still use them or zerg players are killed by them.  Dark 
swarm also has its uses when you are attacked my ground forces.  Dark Swarm 
your sunken colonies so it confuses the enemy and you are able to get some 
deadly shots on your enemy's ground force.  Dark swarm not only covers your 
units for an attack, but also your allied and enemy units so be careful where 
you use it.

-Another, even more rarely used ability of the Defiler is the "plague" 
ability.  Like the Dark swarm, this  can turn the tide in battle very 
quickly.  The Plague effect lasts for a short time but can be devastating in 
their effects.  It can be used on enemy units (ground or air) and enemy 
buildings.  What happens when you are attacked by a group of carriers 
(carriers again)? Ensnare them with your queen and plague them with your 
Defiler, It won't kill them but their hit points will go down significantly.  
If you plague a protoss it won't touch their shields but go directly to their 
hit points.  Plague is VERY useful if a whole group of enemy units are 
attacking you in one big bunch.  That way the Plague effects just about 
everything.


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