Excal's Guide for Brood War Newbies

 

Terran: vs Terran | vs Protoss | vs Zerg
Protoss: vs Terran | vs Protoss | vs Zerg
Zerg: vs Terran | vs Protoss | vs Zerg

 

Overview

Brood War is the most strategic and balanced RTS in the history of gaming. The core elements of Brood War are micromanagement (the ability to increase the cost-effectiveness of a single unit or group of units), macromanagement (exhibiting efficient spending, production, tech, and resource control), and reconnaissance. I can say without hyperbole that 95% of the game's outcome is dependant on your ability to scout (recon). If an opponent secretly techs or secretly expands somewhere and you do not realize it, that can be your downfall. Learn to scout effectively and adapt to the strategy which you've scouted.

Terran vs. Terran

For many players and observers, TvT is the most hated matchup. Players find it difficult and tedious to play, and observers find it boring. In any case, it is the most strategic and territorial matchup. All high-level TvT strategies begin with a 9-depot, 11-rax, 12-refinery, 100-gas Factory build. You will employ and encounter the following strategies:

Four-Goliath Drop (4-gol drop)
After your first Factory is completed, build a Starport and Armory, then a second Factory once you get 100 gas. Once your Starport completes, add a Control Tower. Get four Goliaths and quickly drop on your opponent's base. This strategy is beaten by 2-factory Tank and of course, another Goliath build.

Two-Factory Tank (2-fact Tank)
Build a second Factory at 100 gas and an addon for your first Factory (and second when it completes). Build a Tank and research Siege Mode, and continually pump Tanks. Build an Engineering Bay and begin Tank/Turret containment at the enemy main. This strategy is sometimes beaten by 2-port Wraith.

Two-Starport Wraith (2-port Wraith)
After your first Factory completes, build two Starports and begin pumping Wraiths. Use these Wraiths to harass your opponent and force him to begin massing anti-air. This is a micro-intensive strategy since Wraiths are very fast, do little ground damage, and die in only 6 hits to Missile Turrets or Goliath Hellfire missiles. Wraiths do well for containment and slow the enemy's Tank/Turret push. They can also deny drop attempts and help reinforce any cliff control you may have over an enemy expansion. This strategy is beaten by a Goliath build or sometimes a 1-fact expand.

One-Factory Expand (1-fact expand or 1-fact CC)
When you get 400 minerals after you begin your Factory, build a Command Center. Here you have an option to go for any tech you choose, but be warned because your opponent will have stronger production if he chose any of the previous builds. This build forces you to remain defensive for a while, but the early economy boost is usually worth it. Usually you will want heavy Tank/Turret for quick sturdy defense. This strategy is sometimes beaten by 2-port Wraith or a 4-gol drop.

3-Factory Vult (3-fact Vult)
Build two Factories as soon as you are able, with addons for both. Quickly research Vult speed and Mines and begin pumping Vultures. Build a third Factory when gas permits. This strategy is not advisable when the opponent has walled in, or on fairly closed maps with lots of cliff coverage. You want to lay lots of mines and make it a complete hassle for the opponent to push out of his own main, or simply overwhelm him and head right for the peon line if possible. This is a relatively unexpected strategy and works best early-on against a player going standard Tank/Turret. This strategy is beaten by a Goliath build.

2-Factory Goliath Expand (2-fact gol fast exp)
Build a Depot after your first Factory, then a second Factory and Armory. Build 2 Goliaths, another Depot, then 2 more Goliaths. At this point, make a Command Center. You may want to start a couple of Tanks at this point for ground strength. If your opponent has a Starport, or you suspect one might show up soon, build an Engineering Bay and construct a few Turrets. Add a Starport a short while later. This build is roughly equal to a Four-Goliath Drop and will get destroyed by Two-Factory Tank, but is exceptionally strong against Two-Starport Wraith.

Terran vs. Protoss

Terran vs Protoss is another fairly territorial matchup. In many maps, whoever takes control of the center wins. This is because it's easy to send out strikes anywhere on the map while limiting your opponent's mobility. All high-level TvP strategies stem from 9-depot, 11-rax, 12-refinery, 100-gas Factory. Block off your choke by creating a wall-in comprised of one or two depots (depending on chokepoint size) and a Barracks. Ensure your Barracks is always placed below your Depot, since this seals off the chokepoint completely. Chances are before your first Factory completes, a Dragoon will be dispatched to harass your wall-in. This is no big deal and can usually be ignored until the Depot gets down to 50% life, at which point you will want to repair. Dragoons typically flee when your first Tank greets them, or die otherwise.

2-Factory Tank (2-fact Tank)
This is the most basic TvP strategy. Simply tech directly to Tanks and research Siege Mode immediately. Your goal here is to just pump Tanks and push out when you have a substantial number. From there on it's a Tank/Turret push, adding Vults into the mix a little later on. This strategy can utterly destroy a Protoss player who gets too greedy with expanding early. The catch is that this strategy loses effectiveness the slower your push goes, and can be shut down quickly if your push is too aggressive.

1-Factory Expand (1-fact expand or 1-fact CC)
This strategy gives you a nice economy boost, but keeps you sequestered in your main for a while. Once you get 400 minerals after your first Tank is produced, build a Command Center. Typically Protoss players will double-expand against this. Sometimes this can be used in conjunction with a 2-Tank drop which can potentially eliminate one of the Protoss player's expansions, provided the map allows you to drop somewhere where your Tanks can fire with impunity (such as a natural on Lost Temple) and also provided the Protoss player has no cliff protection. This build can be significantly hindered by a DT drop.

2-Factory Expand (2-fact expand or 2-fact CC)
Build a second Factory when you get another 100 gas, then expand when you get 400 minerals after your first Tank is produced. Many Terran players swear by this strategy. It provides a nice balance of power and economy. Protoss players that double-expand against this build will find themselves overrun quickly. This strategy has no major counters, but can be significantly hindered by a DT drop.

3-Factory Vult (3-fact Vult)
Build a second Factory at 100 gas, produce addons for both, and tech Vult speed and mines. Add a third Factory when gas allows. Make sure you keep up with Depot production, since this build forces you to build Depots much faster than normal. This build is very risky and difficult to pull off, since you will mostly be facing Dragoons early game. Unorthodox and just plain silly builds such as 2-gate Zeal or a DT rush will get trampled by this build. Small numbers of Dragoons can be beaten by well-placed Mines combined with Vult surrounding, but larger numbers will dismantle you. Basically, you are set far behind if you are unable to get into the opponent's main and cause substantial Probe casualties. This build is beaten by 2-gate Goon.

Bamboo Terran (Gundam Rush)
This is the hardest strategy to pull off. It requires very good micro, macro, and reflexes. It's called Bamboo because, like bamboo, it bends but does not break (you can do a lot of damage with just a few units). Your build consists of two Factories, an addon for one, and an Engineering Bay shortly before the second Factory is completed. Once the Machine Shop addon completes, build a Tank and research Mines first. Begin training Marines until you have four. Produce Vults from the second Factory. Once you have one Tank, four Marines, and two Vults, bring two or three SCVs and move out. Aggressively push toward your opponent's choke and set up containment directly at his front door. Research Siege Mode immediately after Mine research is finished, and rally Tanks and Vults to your containment. Some players prefer to float their Barracks over as a Tank spotter. Lay Mines, build Turrets, and a Bunker for your four Marines. Protoss players that discover you are attempting this strategy will either tech straight to DTs or pump mass amounts of Dragoons. If your Turrets are too late, you will have issues with DTs. If you are too slow in pushing, you will get taken down by mass Dragoons. This build can be threatened by a DT/Reaver drop while your push is happening.

2-Tank Drop
Build a Starport and Machine Shop addon right after your Factory is completed. Research Siege Mode and build Tanks, then a Control Tower addon when the Starport completes. Get a Dropship and fast-drop 2 Tanks directly at the enemy mineral line. Ignore enemy units and target Probes. Your goal here is to take out as many Probes as possible to set back his economy, which will throw him on the defensive and allow you to expand safely, set up containment, or gain center control. The key is secrecy - if your Tanks do little or no damage you will find yourself in trouble. This strategy is strong against Goon Containment and is beaten by any conservative Protoss build.

Terran vs. Zerg

Terran vs Zerg is heavily dependant on the Terran player's ability to micro. If you have poor unit control, there is a good chance you will have difficulty with this matchup. Most builds begin with a 2-rax opener followed by an Academy. Eventually this Marimedic force is bolstered by Tanks and Science Vessels. The key to TvZ is to not let the Zerg dominate the map. Many Zerg players will mass expand, or attempt to create a large number of secret expansions. Once these expansions are developed it can mean doom for a Terran player, since you will soon have units overwhelming you from all sides. Keep the Zerg confined, take out expansions as they pop up, and keep good unit control and you will win.

Fast Infantry Drop (fast 7/1 drop)
This build is easiest to do on a map where you can completely wall in, such that Zerglings can't get through into your main. This leaves you free to tech up to a quick Starport with Control Tower addon. While your Starport is building, start an Academy, then a second Barracks after that. Once that Academy finishes, research Stim and get a Medic. Get a Dropship as soon as possible, then load it with 7 Marines and 1 Medic and drop straight to the Zerg base. You want constant harassment so that it disrupts your opponent's economy and keeps him on the defensive. This build is very strong against a Lurker build, but fairly weak against a Muta/ling build.

3-Barracks Infantry with Fast +1 Weapons (3-rax +1 infantry)
Build 2 Barracks, a Refinery, Academy, Engineering Bay, then add a third Barracks. Begin research on Level 1 Infantry Weapons as soon as possible. This build relies on massive numbers of infantry to overwhelm your opponent. Essentially what you hope to do with this is "out-Zerg" the Zerg. Get Medics and Stim when gas permits. This build is very strong against Muta/ling and above-average against a Lurker build (though that is heavily dependant on micro).

Fast Science Vessels (fast SV) Reactionary
Fast Vessels is usually a follow-up strategy to the fast infantry drop or Wraith rush. You can really start pumping Vessels with Irradiate if your opening drop or Wraith rush scouted a Spire, or you can just use one or two Vessels if you've scouted a Hydralisk Den, using more Tanks instead.

2-Starport Wraith rush (2-port Wraith)
This build is very micro-intensive and can throw players into horrendous spending problems. Tech directly to Starport, and add a second Starport at the same time. Once these are complete, build two Wraiths. From here, you can either continue pumping Wraiths and research Cloak, or change-up to Dropships or Science Vessels. What you want to do here is take out as many Overlords as possible. This forces the Zerg player to replenish his supply of Overlords and limits his production while you are massing units. This build is strong against a Spire build and occasionally a Lurker build, but loses effectiveness once Mutas or Hydras start appearing. Lesser-skilled Zerg players will crack under the pressure caused by a Wraith rush.

Protoss vs. Terran

PvT is all about map control. You will face mostly Tank/Mine/Turret pushes in the center of the map, and if you cede control of the center the results could be disastrous. Flanking with speed Zealots, using Psionic Storm, and adding ranged Dragoons for support fire are all crucial to breaking or slowing a Tank push. Mass expand while the Terran is struggling to take the center. Build a couple of Cannons near your expansions to fend off Vult raids. The slower his push goes, the better your chance at locking the victory with a surprise Carrier force or massive ground attack. Your build starts with an 8-pylon, 10-gate, 12-assimilator.

1-Gateway Cybernetics Core (1-gate core)
This is the most flexible opening with a number of possible paths:

Double-Expand Reactionary
If you scout a 1-factory expand, you can safely double-expand. This improves your map control. Terran players who are slow to push out and exploit their quick expansion can find themselves overrun by relatively fast Carriers.

Protoss vs. Protoss

PvP is the most varied of the mirror matchups, and tends to be very micro-intensive. A key thing to note is that you should never recklessly mass expand in PvP. Almost all of your economy should be focused on producing units and production structures. Only expand after you have won a critical battle - this is called "earning an expansion." In all of these builds, you will eventually want Observers so you aren't thrown off by enemy DTs. All PvP builds stem from an 8-pylon. PvP is somewhat of an exception to the rule of "always produce more workers" because you won't really need more than twenty-something Probes until you expand. Since you will expand relatively late compared to the other matchups, this money that would otherwise be spent on Probes can be invested in more units and Pylons. If you are producing non-stop Probes while your opponent is instead spending those resources on units, you will undoubtedly find yourself outnumbered.

2-Gateway Zealot (2-gate Zeal)
Depending on start locations and your opponent's micro, this can be a very strong opening. In most cases, when facing a 2-gate zeal opening from your opponent, you will need to add a second gateway of your own to match him. You will want to gradually transition into pure Dragoons, but you must possess the micro necessary for Dragoons to beat Zealots (hit and run). This is usually a 10-gate 11-gate build.

3-Gateway Dragoon (3-gate goon)
This build just revolves around mass mass Dragoons from a 10-gate 12-assimilator or 10-gate 12-gate 14-assimilator start. It is a good option for when your opponent has less-than-stellar Reaver or Templar micro. This can be beaten by Goon/reaver in tandem with flanking with speed Zealots.

Fast Reaver Drop
This is an all-out rush to Reavers on 10-gate 12-assimilator. If your opponent isn't expecting it, this can cause massive economic damage. It is important to note that when controlling Reavers, you target Probes rather than combat units. A strong Dragoon defense will stop this build, or it can sometimes be prevented by 2-gate Zeal. If you suspect your opponent is going Reavers, keep Dragoons by your Nexus.

Dragoons and Reavers (Goon/reav)
Goon/reaver is one of the more standard PvP strategies. It has no real weaknesses, and its success all depends on your ability to micro your Reavers and Shuttles as well as your ability to make decisions regarding whether or not you should use your Reaver offensively or defensively. If your opponent is systematically focus-firing on your Reavers, pick them up in Shuttles and place them behind your Dragoons. However, if he is retreating or sending in Zeals to absorb Dragoon hits, you may want your Reavers on the front lines or off to the side. The effectiveness of this strategy is roughly equal to Goon/templar.

Dragoons with Psionic Storm (Goon/temp)
Dragoons are fairly mobile, but they are big and clunky. Psionic Storm takes advantage of this. Cast it on large clumps of Dragoons where they can't easily maneuver out of it. Meanwhile, your Dragoons are getting free hits. This forces your opponent on the defensive. This is more of an anti-ranged build, and is beaten by Dragoons with Zealot flanking.

DT Rush
Rushing to 2-gate DTs can throw some opponents off-guard. You want to hit them before they have Observers (or in some cases, Cannons). Many players tech to Observers first then start going Goon/Reaver just to nullify this strategy. This is a hard 1-gate tech to Templar Archives, with a second Gateway added in once you have a spare 150 minerals. This build is beaten by Dragoons and Observers or a ramp block with a Cannon behind it.

Carriers Reactionary
There may come a time when your opponent is just too powerful on the ground. Maybe he has too many Reavers and your Dragoons can't get close anymore. Carrier tech can be a good surprise option. Remember that Carriers are a large investment and can be beaten relatively easily once scouted. In most cases, going Carriers is a do-or-die move. This strategy can be beaten by 3-gate Goon or, more easily, Goon/templar.

Protoss vs. Zerg

PvZ is somewhat of an uphill battle unless the Protoss is able to firmly take control. Things get dicey once the Zerg reaches Hive tech, so obviously you will have to prevent that from happening. This matchup is a steady balance of micro and macro. In most games it is difficult, if not impossible, to with without Psionic Storm, so that will be your best friend in PvZ. There is little you can do to stop the Zerg from mass expanding, but attempt to slow his economy by doing so anyway, while maintaining expansions yourself. Begin with an 8-pylon.

2-Gateway Zealot (2-gate Zeal)
This is a quick Zealot rush using a 9-gate 10-gate build. Quickly rally your two Gateways to the enemy main and use your scout probe combined with your rallied Zealots to wreak early economic damage. This will be a battle of micro for a while, as your Zealot numbers and his Zergling numbers increase. Typically you will not be able to actually finish him off with this build, but you can potentially cause a substantial economic setback. You will eventually be forced out by superior numbers of Zerglings, or a Zergling/Sunken combination. Use this build against a 12-hatch 11-pool opening for best results.

Fast Corsair with Level 1 Ground Weapons (1-gate sair +1 Zeal)
Tech straight to Stargate and get a Forge after your first or second Gateway. This build enables you to deal some nice damage against a 3-hatch speedling build. You are essentially double-punishing him by taking out his Overlords as well as his lings. Your Zerg opponent will be so set back by this that he will be forced to rebuild, leaving you free to tech up or overwhelm him. This build fares relatively poorly against 3-hatch hydra or Muta/ling, but does fairly well against Lurker/ling.

Fast Corsair to DT (sair/DT)
This is a very difficult build to pull off. Tech straight to Stargate, then build a Citadel and tech towards Templar. In theory it sounds easy. Corsairs kill Overlords leaving DTs to roam free. However, DTs are fragile, and you need to ensure there are no Overlords in the area when you move your DTs in. Once detected, your DTs will not last long. This works fairly well at any stage of the game, particularly as a counter to Ultra/ling. Hydra/Lurk can beat this strategy. Beware of Spore Colonies.

Fast Templar Archives
This is a straightforward build, just tech straight to Templar Archives, protecting your choke with Zealots on Hold Position. If you have scouted a Hydra Den, research Psi Storm. If you have scouted a Spire, or have no knowledge of his tech, get an Archon. This build can be stopped by 3-hatch speedling if you are unable to hold your chokepoint.

Early Expand
Risky but potentially very powerful, early expanding PvZ requires a Forge first. Build a couple of Cannons to cover your expand as well as your choke, and place structures in such a way that lings take a long route to reach your choke so Cannons get free hits. Build a Nexus at your natural after the Forge. Ensure your choke is blocked with Zealots on Hold Position or Probes so Zerglings can't just run past the Cannons and into your main. This build can be beaten early by 3-hatch speedling or 3-hatch hydra.

Zerg vs. Terran

Mutalisks and Zerglings (muta/ling or mutal)

Lurkers and Zerglings (lurk/ling)

Zerg vs. Protoss

Mutalisks and Zerglings (muta/ling or mutal)

Lurkers and Zerglings (lurk/ling)

Mass Hydralisks (mass hydra)

Zerg vs. Zerg

 

Various players of reputable skill and knowledge have contributed to this guide. Thanks to x[ReaPeR]x, Bill307, Draeger, SillyCat, radar14, collegeBored, FrozenArbiter, Kacas,