Starcraft 2 Armory - Unofficial Starcraft 2 Fansite

Protoss Tactical Guide By Knee of justice

Zerg Tactical Guide By MEDAVAS

Also check out the guides by Death-Con 5

strategy advice data archive

[Guide]s Written by DC5!

NOTICE: This is a GUIDE and is expected to be used as such. It is meant to be a helpful tool when looking up strategies associated with certain units, NOT to give a detailed description of each unit's stats. Like an Encyclopedia, dont bother trying to read the entire thing, but instead, use it to investigate certain units individually.

With Beta around the corner, we thought it would be interesting to have a Strategy guide for the different races in SC2. This guide is not meant to replace the official Starcraft 2 Armory Guide, but rather, augment it by providing unit strategies, combos and roles down in one central location. This will help organize discussions when beta comes out as any new strategies and so forth can be posted to this guide so that all may have access to the new ideas and unit combinations being developed in SC2. Perhaps when Beta actually comes out, this may become a sort of Beginners guide to the units, strategies and micro/macro tactics being adopted in SC2.

Mechanics

Add-ons: Terrans have changed the add-on feature since SC1. In SC1 every building Add-on was different. In SC2 the Barracks, Factory, and Starport all have the same two add-ons which are the Reactor and Tech-labs. The Reactor give your building a second build queue, allowing you to train/build two units at once. The second add-on, the Tech-labs, contains upgrades for your units as well as Tech requirements for certain units.



Units that require a tech lab:[li]Marauder[/li] [li]Reaper[/li] [li]Siege Tank[/li] [li]Ghost[/li] [li]Thor[/li] [li]Banshee [/li][li]Raven[/li] [li]Battlecruiser[/li]



Lift-off:Like in SC1 some Terran building can lift-off. When a Terran structure lifts-off that structure becomes a flying unit. This Mechanic allows the Terrans to move important building like the the factory or Command Center to a new location. Also with the new interchangeable add-ons you can have one building construct the add-on for a building still being built.



[8:16-8:35] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsIySPO-mGY#t=08m16s

Terran building that can lift-off: [li]Command center[/li] [li]Orbital Command[/li] [li]Barracks[/li] [li]Factory[/li] [li]Starport[/li]

Command center upgrades:There are two Command center upgrades: Planetary Fortress(PF), and Orbital Command(OC). Each of the upgrades has there own advantages and disadvantages.

Planetary Fortress:A defensive building that is made out of your Command Center. Planetary Fortress can be used to defend supply lines in expansions. Can also allow 5 SCVs to hind inside


Advantages: [li]Splash damage(no friendly fire)[/li] [li]High life(1500)[/li] [li]High damage(40)[/li] [li]High armor(3)[/li]

Disadvantages: [li]Can't change back[/li] [li]Can't lift-off[/li]

Orbital Command: An upgrade of the Command Center that give the building three abilities: Calldown Mule , Calldown Extra Supplies, Scanner Sweep.

Calldown Mules summons a group of resource gathering robots(Mules) that can be dropped into any visible location. Calldown Mules costs 50 energy, and take 6 seconds to cast. Mules can also be used to repair damaged units and structures. The mule can mine about 250 minerals in its life time. The mules only help the economy by allowing you to mine faster, you still are limited by the amount of minerals you have to mine so remember to expand. Muling newer expansion can be useful since you help make them problem before saturation, and help to keep your older patch longer by not muling them.

Mule:


[8:23-8:35] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsIySPO-mGY#t=08m22s

Calldown Extra supplies is an ability that is used on any supply depot augmenting it with 8 more supplies. Calldown Supplies costs 50 energy. Supply increase is permanent.

Scanner Sweep revels a selected area of the map and can detect any stealth units in that area. Scanner Sweep costs 50 energy.

Units

NOTE: Detailed Unit Statistics may be found here:

http://www.sc2armory.com/game/terran


SCV:Worker


Changes from SC1:Auto repair, less HP

Advantages: The SCV can build anywhere and repair any building or mechanical unit like itself. Can bunker into the CC, or PF for protection in an attack and can even be moved with a CC to get early transport to hard to reach(islands or high ground closed off behind destructible rocks) Expansions.
suggested counters:N/A

Disadvantages:Has no regeneration ability of its own. Can be attack while building stopping construction.

suggested countered by:raiding units i.e. reaper

The SCV is the worker unit of the Terran forces. The unit can build anywhere, and repair any building or mechanical unit giving it the roles of builder, resources gather, scout, and mech unit medic. They can load into a Command center to be moved to island expansion to mine not have to use transports. When building a structure can be attacked, and is targeted by attack move offering a easy way to kill building SCVs.


Marine:Basic and flexible combat unit


Changes from SC1:Starts with 5 range, has new upgrade "shield" which adds 15 HP.

Advantages:The marine is the only Basic unit that can hit both air and ground. Cheap and mass-able(50 minerals only). Fast attack speed. Midrange Unit( range 5). Can be produced from Barracks with reactor add-on.

Strong against:Marauder, Immortal, Hydralisk

Disadvantages:the Marine has low HP(45), and does low damage.

Weak against: Siege Tank, and Colossus

The Marine is the basic Terran fighting unit. Cheap and quick to make the Marine even double pump from a barracks with the reactor add-on. Alone the Marine is perhaps the weakest fighting units in a straight fight due to low stats which belie its true strength. With Micro, Terrain, and good numbers the Marine can be a real power on the field, only enhanced by the later upgrades of shields and Stim-packs as well as the appearance of the medivac drop-ships. The Marine can be part of any ground push due to its price and versatility, offering both ground and air damage. The main threats to the Marine come from long range, high damage units( Siege Tanks, and Colossus)or high Armor units(Ultralisk,Battlecruiser). The Marine also have high DPS compound by high numbers.


Reaper:Light base raider


Advantages: Fast, Jump jets allows for cliff jumping, High Damage vs light(18), Fast attack, ranged

Strong against:Workers, Hellion, Zealot, Zergling

Disadvantages:Low HP(50), weak vs. armor due to multiple attacks each with low damage(4 damage 2 attacks), GtG only, long build time

Weak against: Air units, Siege Tank, stalker, Roach

The Reaper is a new unit to the Terran forces. Fast, and strong against light units (like workers), as well as being able to jump up cliffs makes the Reaper an excellent base raider and scout unit. Combine now the Reapers D-8 charges and you have a fearsome unit that can take out any unwanted enemy buildings(5 Range 30 damage). Also due to its speed it can kite most light unit just like the Hellion. The Reapers Also has a movement speed upgrade called nitro pack. The Reapers are main useful in the early game before ranged units, or base defenses come out.

Ghost: Terran elite/Psionic commando


Changes for SC1: Cost increase(25 to 150 Minerals, 75 to 150 gas, supply 1 to 2), HP increase( 45 to 100) Abilities(Snipe, EMP)

Advantages: GtA and GTG, Good vs.light(10 base 10 bonus vs light), can cloak

Strong against: Mutalisks, High Templar

Disadvantages: High costs, can be overwhelmed, detection

Weak against: Detecters, Banshee, Zealot, Zergling

The only thing that the Ghost in SC2 has that is unchanged from SC1 is its cloak. The Ghost HP, cost attack, abilities, and even nuke has changed. Now even with these changes it would seem the core of the what the Ghost is, a cloaked casting unit, has not changed. The Ghosts new abilities EMP, and Snipe both have there uses. The Ghost also does to have to research most of its abilities(only cloak).

EMP is an anti-catser, anti-Protoss, AoE ability it can be used to remove all energy from an enemy caster. EMP Removes 100 shields from any Protoss unit. Now EMP can still wipe out all shields of most Protoss units including the Immortal, but falls short on units like the Archon or Colossus. A Ghost or group of Ghosts using EMP can change the outcome of a battle. EMP also removes passive cloak for 5 seconds. Energy cost 75, range 10, radius 2.

Snipe is an anti-biological unit ability that does 45 damage and passes through the armor of the unit it hit. Snipe can only be used on Biological units but can be use on air and ground units. Snipe disregards the units armor for a constant 45 damage each use making it good for high armor bio units. Snipe costs 25 energy, and no cool-down,range 10.

Nuke has also seen some changes:lower costs, lower damage, no supply need, shorter cast, new build location. Blizzard has been working hard to make nukes useable more easily to encourage their use in higher leavers of play. The nukes damage has changed to doing 300 base with +200 vs buildings and a cast time of 20 seconds.

Marauder: Heavy-Assault unit


Advantages:good HP(125), good damage vs armored(10 damage bonus), has slowing effect with attack(%50 effect), can stim.

Strong against: Thors, Stalkers, Roaches

Disadvantages: GtG only, not good against large numbers of small units

Weak against:Light units(Marines, Zealots , Zerglings), air units

The Marauder is a much loved addition to the Terran army. With the Marauder the Terrans get a powerful infantry "tank" unit. The Marauder's anti-armor makes it a feared unit against Stalkers or Roaches who stand little chance in a stand up fight against them. Combined with the Marauders attacks is a passive slowing effect on any unit hit.

When combined with Marines the Marauder gets a much need AA and a means to keep cheaper units like the Zergling from overwhelming the Marauder. The Marauder can also be combined with the Hellion(BR#1) to also help keep mass unit from overwhelming the marauder. The Marauder can also be healed by the Medivac Drop-ship making the Marauder even harder to kill. The Marauder can also use the Bunker give Terran defenses an anti-armor unit and better range, but the Marauder takes up two spaces compared to the one that the Marine takes up one.

The maruder can also use Stim-paks for an added speed boost making the even more of a treat. The high HP of the Marauder also comes into play when using stims since the have considerable more HP than any other unit using them. Stims take -20 hp when used on Marauders due to this high HP advantage. The stimed Marauder can be a true nightmare to any armored unit.

The passive ability Concussive Shells are also useful for the Marauder. Concussive shells is an upgrade for the Marauder that adds a 50% slowing affect to the unit attack. This can be useful to keep units from closing in as fast or to kite units such as the Zealot.

Hellion:Fast scout/anit-light unit


Advantages: Cheap(100 minerals), Fast, good vs light(14, 24 with Pre-Igniter upgrade), AoE, can be built with the reactor add-on.

Strong against: Zealots, Disruptor, Zerglings

Disadvantages: Easily killed(90HP no base Armor), GtG only

Weak against: Air units, Thors, Stalkers, Roaches

The Hellion is a, fast anti-light, anti-mass. The Hellion's costs and speed are like the vulture(even though 20 minerals more) while its attack is that more of the Firebat. Since it can produced for a factory with a Reactor add-on you can produce two at once. Now when the Reactor is combined with the Hellion's low cost make it a perfect massed mechanical unit.

The hellion is also another fine example of Terran AoE at work, only unlike the Siege Tank you do not have to worry about friendly fire. Due to the Hellion's speed it can rush into bases just like the vulture before it and mess with you opponent's lines. The Hellion can also do hit and run moves to slower unit as well as kite melee units that can't keep up. With the Infernal Pre-Igniter upgrade the Hellion gets an added 10 bonus vs. light units placing its damage at 25 vs. light units with this upgrade.

[5:30-5:59] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YT_0IRNbN14

Siege Tank: Long range artillery


Changes from SC1:Cost(100 to 125 gas, 2 to 3 supply), Damage( SC2 50)

Advantages:High damage in siege mode, high range(7 normal/ 13 siege)

Strong against: Marines, Hydralisk

Disadvantages: GtG only, Needs to research siege mode, in siege mode has minimal range, Siege mode does friendly fire damage, when in siege mode can't move

Weak against: Air units, Immortals, Thors, Zerlings

The siege tank has not changed much since its role in SC1. The Siege Tank is still a long range power house that embodies the Terrans so called "Glass Cannon" tactics. the Tank can still be the hart of any Terran force, but with the added costs of production combined with the new Terran units the tank is no longer a must have in the Terran army. The Tank can be combined to most units to improve the overall ability an of the force this make the Tank an useful and powerful unit on the field.

Most of what applies for Tank pushes in BW still applies in SC2. The Tank is immobile, but make up for it in fire power, and range. When using a Tank heavy build focus on area control. Holding key places to help to give you map control even with a less mobile army. Also the Tank makes good use of terrain such as high ground and chokes. When using Terrain the Tank can be wroth more than the cost to build the unit. Even though this may sound situational you can find that with forethought the situation can be in your favor.

Thor: heavy Assault unit


Advantages:High ground damage(30x2 at range 7), high HP(400), good GtA range(10), high GtA damage (6 damage by 4 attacks with bonus 6 per attack to light)

Strong against: Banshee, stalker Roach

Disadvantages: multiple attacks means less damage against armor, high cost(300 minerals,200 gas, 6 supply)

Weak Against: Marine, Zealot, Zergling

The Thor is a high tier attacking unit that can help hold off both Ground. The Thor's long GtA range helps to keep most air unit from wanting to get closes to this unit and can help guard against air ambushes. The high GtG Attack of the Thor gives it a good power against any ground units and building. The Thor also has a unique transport method were it becomes cube like and is carried underneath the Medivac taking up all the space in the transport. This means you can only transport as many Thors as you have Medivac(how many do you need?).

The Thor is a costly yet powerful unit. They have a high attack, and high HP making them a strong assault unit. Still the high cost means that the loss of a single Thor is keenly felt so careful to make any loss worth while. The Thor's AA is most useful when used against light units such as the Phoenix, or Mutalisk. when used against a armored unit much of the damage is lost. The Thor is also a massive unit meaning it cannot be lifted up by Phoenixes.

The Thor also has an upgraded ability called 250 mm Cannon. The 250 mm can hit a single unit for 500 damage and stun, but while performing the attack is open to attacks. While using the ability the Thor plants itself on the ground and starts the attack which does 500 damage over 6 seconds. The 250 mm is GtG only.

Video:Thor loading onto Dropship

Medivac: Transport and medic unit


Advantages: healing, air

suggested counters: N/A

Disadvantages: Has no attack

suggested countered by: Any AA unit

The medivac Drop-ship is the Terrans new drop ship in SC2 as well as new Medic. The Medivac gives you the units of a Medic and a transport unit in one which allows you to so notable advantages over the separate units in brood war. Now when you are dropping you infantry off at a battle you can provide healing with out the need to pick-up of train an additional unit. The Medivac as a air unit is also better protected than the old medic, with more HP(150). The Medivac can also heal from a range of 5, further keeping it out of harms way. The heal ratio is 3 HP for 1 Energy.

Raven:scout ship


Advantages: Detection, caster unit, air unit

suggested counters: stealth

Disadvantages: No attack

suggested countered by: AA

The raven is the replacement of the Explorer Science Vessel as detector, and spell caster. The Raven has the abilities: Hunter seeker missile, Auto-Turret, and Point Defense Drone.

Seeker Missile is an offensive ability that does 150 damage to the a target and then splash damage to nearby units. SM will follow a single target for 15 Seconds before harmlessly falling to the ground. When a unit is selected with SM that unit is visibly targeted to allow for the controller to micro it away to safety. Energy cost 100, range 6, radius 2.

[6:23-6:30] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsIySPO-mGY#t=06m22s
[7:13-7:31] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsIySPO-mGY#t=07m12s

Auto-turret is as the name suggests a summoned defense unit. Auto-turret does 8 damage at 7 range with fast attacl speed, now take into account its 150 Hp you would see that it is an able unit. the Auto-turret can be use any time you may need an extra attacker to help deal with an enemy force. The Turret can also be used to "wall-off" areas such as the area right in front of a Siege Tank to allow it to get one more shot in before being attacked by melee units.

[8:45-9:05] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BsIySPO-mGY#t=08m44s

Point Defense Drones are a in addition to the Raven. This ability shots down projectiles(Stalkers shots but not Marines attack) within 7 range of the PDD. The unit last for 180 seconds. Unit has 200 energy and uses 10 per missile, and when depleted can regain its Energy back to shot down more projectiles. This ability can completely change the outcome of an engagement byt greatly reducing the damage a force can deal to your units. Works against Marauders, Vikings, Banshees, Battlecruisers, Thors,Missile Turrets, Stalkers, Phoenix, Photon Cannons, Queens, Mutalisks, Corrupters, Hydralisk, Spore Crawlers. Energy cost is 100.

Banshee:Stealth Gunship


Advantages: Cloack, high damage(12x2), air unit, mid range HP(140)

Strong against: any unit that can't hit air

Disadvantages: Can not hit air

Weak against:Any AtA units, Thors, Stalkers, Hydralisks

The Banshee is the replacement of the Wraith in cloaked air to ground harassment. The Banshee can do hit and run into the enemies base just like the Wraith before it. The Banshee can be a threat to any ground unit that are without detection nearby. The Banshee also boost an attack three times the power of the Wraith giving it even better ground unit and economy harassment ability.

The Banshee is a very powerful AtG unit, only helped it cloak upgrade and hurt by its low HP. The unit is also light meaning that Anti-Armorerd attacks are less useful against them. The Banshee also has an attack slide that can be used to keep attacking unit, while not letting them close in.


Viking: Transformation fight/walker


Advantages: Can transform from ground to air, has the ability to attack both air and ground, 4 bonus vs Armored, Long base range AtA(9).

Strong against:Battlecruisers, Carriers

Disadvantages: Can only hit air while in the air and ground while on the ground

Weak against:

The viking is the air to air replacement of the wraith, minus cloak. The Viking is a very useful unit for every thing from raids to to stand up fights with Battlecruisers and carriers. The main advantage of the Viking is its ability to changes from a air unit to a ground unit. This makes it so you can, to a degree, choose your fights. Vikings can also be produced with the reactor upgrade allow them to be produced two at the time. The vikings Air and ground mode also upgrade separately(air upgrades for air mode and ground for ground mode).

The Viking also has the power to fight high tech air units such as the Battlecruiser. The vikings power in the air makes it a feared unit to anything it may face. The Viking start with a range of 9 against air units. On the ground the Viking is much more open to attack but still packs 14 damage at a fast speed, and range 6.

The Viking is an excellent base raider due to being a air unit that can drop down into the base under AA. The Viking can also be aided in these raids by the Reaper or Banshee to increase the effect of the raid. Vikings also work well with Medivac drops, protecting the ships before the drop and then assisting in the drop.

The Viking also has the sliding shot that the Banshee has allowing it to kite air unit, and make the Battlecruiser almost unless against them.


Battlecruiser:Capitol ship

Changes from SC1: add 50 hp, new damage(10 damage at a very fast speed vs Ground, 6 damage at the same fast speed Vs. air)

Advantages: High Damage(AtA 6, AtG 10), high armor(3), High HP(550), Air unit, AtG and AtA.

Strong against: Any unit that can't hit air, Phoenixes, Mutalisks

Disadvantages: high cost (400 minrals, 300 gas, 6 supply),long build time(110 seconds)

suggested counted by: Vikings, Void Rays, Corruptors,

The Terran battlecruiser, the might of the Terran Armada. The Battlecruiser has gone through some big changes sine SC1, such as more HP, and Damage. The Battlecruiser still remains the main contented for most powerful single units, with the cost to match. Now for the main change from SC1

Yamato works differently then it did in SC1. Yamato still does 300 damage but fires faster. Yamato also gets a boost from smart-casting were you can now just keep hitting "Y" and your intend target to allow for mass killings. Yamato is for the when you want to take out powerful enemy units and now even groups of them if you have the Battlecruisers for it.

Strategies and builds the paths to victory!

In this section will be posted any tested builds, strategies, or general plans to win your games as Terran. This section would be divided by race matchup, and/or map played on(still refining the guide).

Match up notes:

TvT
Terran Vs. Terran match ups come down mostly to the use of tanks, and Vikings.

Tanks act as an area control unit, or a unit whom can hold a area of the map with ease. The unit can be used in pushing attack by take certain are at a time. They can be considered immobile and if caught out of position, or out of siege mode can cause painful loses.

In TvT Tanks will often fight other tanks due to their importance in the match up, it is important to remember that the Tank sight range is less than the attack range by one unit of range. This means or Tanks can be hit enemy Tank you do not see, fi you are not careful.

The Viking work as your air control unit. Vikings allow for harassment, air dominance, Tank spotting. The Viking can be a powerful unit in TvT match-up, and the unit that the match-up hinges on.

Thanks to the heavy gas builds in TvT muling becomes less needed.The use of scan on the other hand makes up for this. Te number of cloaked units, combined with the need to plan Tank pushes out ahead(need to make sure you get where you want to siege them).

Looking Good!

Add-ons =/= Add-Ones

Yeah I must have put that in in there with out thinking. Not used to typing so much in one sitting.

But it feels so good when its done!

Yeah it does feel so good. I am just glad I also caught a little mistake in that I forgot to put down any counter for the Marauder. It is a good unit but not that good of a unit.

Or... IS IT??

*insert dramatic chipmunk here*

Looking good so far. If you don't mind may I make a few suggestions to add to the guide.

-a list of the units that can be used with the reactor (Marine, Helion, Medivac, and Viking).

- Mule mechanic

-20 second cooldown on reaper mines and bonus damage to building.

-SCVs have a Auto Repair toggle (I think it is a big dea for terran at least).

edit: This type of guide kind takes a while so it's fine. I'll edit this post or PM you if I find anything new rather than take up another posting space. A building list may be less important compared to possible strategies you could add to the existing unit list. Though, from what I can tell the economy boosts (Mule) seem to be a must-have in a match.

Quote by Nil

Looking good so far. If you don't mind may I make a few suggestions to add to the guide.

-a list of the units that can be used with the reactor ( don't require a tech lab).

- Mule mechanic

-20 second cooldown on reaper mines

Yeah I was planing to add those later since I may add a building list that will accommodate those pieces of information better but am still deciding. It is still a work in progress and will be even into SC2.

I have a very, very dire question. In SC2, how will the damage system for multi hitting units work? Example: The Battle Cruiser vs. Ultralisk. The BC does 8x8. The Ultralisk has 3 armor. Will it be (8x8)-3
or (8-3)x8???

(8-3)x8 so 40 damage to an Ultralisk. You could always use Yamato if you have it.

thanks for this guide, really appreciate this cos i'm a terran player
glad to know terran now has so many badass abilities!!!
and thanks for pointing out the units type like whether or not it is an anti-light unit...!!!

Dang man, that sucks so bad. Doesn't that totally reduce the fearsomeness of the BC? What a bummer. Well, at least I get my 250mm back. *sigh*

Yeah, but 40 damage is still a lot of damage. Remember SC1 it would be 22. Also new additions to the guide:Damage calculation formula, and link to the Armory guide were I got my stats. Will update from time to time.

hehe. i don't think count is the correct term for what a unit is good at. good guide btw.

edit: nevermind it was just a typo

If you want to counter ultralisks, use tanks: ultras die in 6 shots, and with a supporting army, you shouldnt have that much trouble.