03-20-2004, 03:27 PM
I'm not the best Zerg player in the world, but I'm learning.
Okay, chances are that you're getting rushed early with Zerg. The key to warding off Zealot rushes, M&Ms, Zergling rushes, whatever, is the same - Fast Lurkers.
6pool (Which means building a Spawning Pool with your sixth morphed Drone), the Overlord, Extractor, two (Or three, if your resources are available) Sunkens, Hydralisk Den, Upgrade to Lair, build second Hatch. Research Lurker, manufacture three Hydras (While researching), then morph them into Lurkers. While morphing, three more Hydras, then place the Lurkers around your Hatchery. By now, you should be getting rushed.
Works pretty well, and as long as you keep pumping Lurkers (No more than a dozen on base defence), you should be pretty tight. Find any available chokepoints and burrow three Lurkers there, and then get a small hotkeyed force of Hydras and Zerglings a small distance outside the base. Not only can you backstab any massed forces (Buahahahaah!) But Terrans will use Siege Tanks and Protoss will use Reavers when they see you using Lurker defence.
If the map is open, and there are no chokepoints, keep a loose perimiter of Hydras and Zergling buried outside your base, and a tight overlapping network of Lurkers and Sunken Colonies.
Zerg benefit faster from early expansion than any other race. More Hive Clusters equate to more Larvae being spawned which means more units. Every base should have two or three Hatcheries, and expansions can be mutually supportive from the moment you get your first Hive and Nydus Canals. If an expansion comes under attack, pull the Drones out via Canal (Keep Canals near the supply line rather than the front line) and put them to work elsewhere.
When scouting for expansions, use Zerglings. Burrow one at each expansion (Amongst the minerals, not where the player will be forced to put his resource center, because a big red square in the middle of a legit building point is a clue.), so you can tell if any expansions have been claimed by other players. Later, substitute the Zerglings at unclaimed expansions with Lurkers, since this is almost guaranteed to destroy the building worker and the young building before they have a chance. Your opponent will dedicate resources to flushing out the Lurkers from expansions, you'll still be gathering, in the end you'll have an edge and know where your enemies are moving too, and if you decide to claim the expansion for yourself you'll also have a small defensive unit at each expansion too.
Mutalisks, Guardians, or Devourers? I'd say Mutas, myself. They can swarm bases in moments, and if you attack with three dozen Mutas you could then switch six or so into Devourers (In preperation for an air retaliation) or Guardians (To raze the base) while the remaining Mutas cover their morph. Leave Guardians at razed bases and morph new ones, since they move much slower than your other forces.
And, when all else fails, swarm the buggers with as many Hydras and Cracklings As you can. Five full squads of fully-upgraded Zerglings, and three squads of Hydras is a pretty scary sight :)
Okay, chances are that you're getting rushed early with Zerg. The key to warding off Zealot rushes, M&Ms, Zergling rushes, whatever, is the same - Fast Lurkers.
6pool (Which means building a Spawning Pool with your sixth morphed Drone), the Overlord, Extractor, two (Or three, if your resources are available) Sunkens, Hydralisk Den, Upgrade to Lair, build second Hatch. Research Lurker, manufacture three Hydras (While researching), then morph them into Lurkers. While morphing, three more Hydras, then place the Lurkers around your Hatchery. By now, you should be getting rushed.
Works pretty well, and as long as you keep pumping Lurkers (No more than a dozen on base defence), you should be pretty tight. Find any available chokepoints and burrow three Lurkers there, and then get a small hotkeyed force of Hydras and Zerglings a small distance outside the base. Not only can you backstab any massed forces (Buahahahaah!) But Terrans will use Siege Tanks and Protoss will use Reavers when they see you using Lurker defence.
If the map is open, and there are no chokepoints, keep a loose perimiter of Hydras and Zergling buried outside your base, and a tight overlapping network of Lurkers and Sunken Colonies.
Zerg benefit faster from early expansion than any other race. More Hive Clusters equate to more Larvae being spawned which means more units. Every base should have two or three Hatcheries, and expansions can be mutually supportive from the moment you get your first Hive and Nydus Canals. If an expansion comes under attack, pull the Drones out via Canal (Keep Canals near the supply line rather than the front line) and put them to work elsewhere.
When scouting for expansions, use Zerglings. Burrow one at each expansion (Amongst the minerals, not where the player will be forced to put his resource center, because a big red square in the middle of a legit building point is a clue.), so you can tell if any expansions have been claimed by other players. Later, substitute the Zerglings at unclaimed expansions with Lurkers, since this is almost guaranteed to destroy the building worker and the young building before they have a chance. Your opponent will dedicate resources to flushing out the Lurkers from expansions, you'll still be gathering, in the end you'll have an edge and know where your enemies are moving too, and if you decide to claim the expansion for yourself you'll also have a small defensive unit at each expansion too.
Mutalisks, Guardians, or Devourers? I'd say Mutas, myself. They can swarm bases in moments, and if you attack with three dozen Mutas you could then switch six or so into Devourers (In preperation for an air retaliation) or Guardians (To raze the base) while the remaining Mutas cover their morph. Leave Guardians at razed bases and morph new ones, since they move much slower than your other forces.
And, when all else fails, swarm the buggers with as many Hydras and Cracklings As you can. Five full squads of fully-upgraded Zerglings, and three squads of Hydras is a pretty scary sight :)
When in mortal danger,
When beset by doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout.
BattleTag: Schrau#2386
When beset by doubt,
Run in little circles,
Wave your arms and shout.
BattleTag: Schrau#2386