I still have less than 20 games under my belt, but like to think that I have read up on the game more than others, and tried to find new ways to use old orders. I'm no StarCraft pro though, far from it. Which is why I need your help

I started writing StarCraft TBG strategy articles on my blog. The following are already complete (with pictures):

• Game Prelude
• Orders & Planning

Maybe they are of interest to one or two among you

I'd be happy about feedback, things I forgot, things worth mentioning as well, and things I got wrong. The following posts will be:

• Protoss
• Zerg
• Terran
• Wrapup (finer points, pulling it all together)

The race posts will definitely include faction-specific things as well, but mostly concentrate on what strains of units make good combinations, with synergies and whatnot, and particularly what tech is worth researching for those units in what situations. I've seen guys concentrate on Battlecruisers and not get Yamato Guns, it was a sorry sight, and one I'd like to avoid looking at in the future.

If you have anything that I should include or change, please post here or a comment on my blog

(Disclaimer: I have no commercial interest in this, my blog doesn't even include ads nor will it ever do so.)

The Protoss post is complete

Is what I write very trivial, or are there one or two new things for you readers as well?

Since I could only play one BW-game yet, there are some nice thoughts in it. If the strategies you offer will work, time will have to show. As yet, I like to read them.

I only got to play 5-6 test games against myself so far as well - some things were strikingly effective (like the combo of Predestined and The Will of the Conclave - the whole stage III event deck dried out in one turn!), others I haven't gotten to try out yet. I'll make more test games in the next days, while preparing and writing the other posts

I didn't expect them to take so long to write by the way, the Protoss post must have been 5 hours in the making

If some of the strategies don't work out so well after all, or there's others that make sense, I can always write new posts (erratas, addendums) later, that's one of the nice things about blogs

I am still waiting on my broodwar expansion. I would like to help your blog, but it will have to wait a while.

Pretty good so far man. I've played the expansion three times so far once with each race. You have the changees in the protoss right, archons have definately been nerfed a bit, and reaver drop is more difficult but still doable.

One thing I have noticed makes a HUGE difference in how I play with the expansion is the special order pool. Being able to execute a special order on the first turn can be rather devastating.

For instance I played a game where I was able to research metabolic boost and exacute a special mobilize on the first turn. It allowed me to deal a crushing blow to my terran neighbor without losing a single unit.

I've also been getting too hung up on trying cool new stuff in the expansion and losing games for it. Only go for new stuff when it makes strategic sense.

Thanks for the feedback I tried to mention the special order pool thing in the orders & planning post (and reworded it a bit now, explicitly referring the special order pool instead of just talking about changes), but I'll say it again in the wrapup then, to make it stand out a bit more

I haven't gotten around to writing the Zerg post yet, other things kept me busy, I guess it won't be online before Sunday.

The Zerg post is up, finally

I'm still doing the finishing touches for the Terran one, but it'll hopefully be finished by tomorrow.

Very nice I'm loving these.

Already commented an error regarding the Zergling combat cards There may be only five that match them, but don't forget there are some minors with combat vaulues between 4 and 6 as well.

I planned to publish the Terran post last week, but had a little snowboarding accident. I guess the wrapup post is gonna take a while, I can barely concentrate, but the Terran post was mostly done before I went snowboarding already.

Anyway, here it is: StarCraft Terran Strategies . Have fun.

Again I'll be happy about any points and additions, I'll take the freedom to add them (or links to them) to the post itself to make the information and hints available as organized as possible. I will write a proper acknowledgement in the wrapup post as well, you guys have been a tremendous help

Dear Haslo,

thanks for the new Terran tactics. :-)

One small remark: Add the Valkyrie to the airbound terran tactics, that gives you 3 more strong and very scary units.

Regards

Shadowsword

Shadowsword said:

Gee, I missed those? Thanks a lot, they're added!

awesome as usual man.

Yep. I doubt strongly that the marine tactic works, but if someone wants to give it try, go ahead and tell me

I don't understand how the weasley retrograde strategy works?

How do you retreat to the planet you didn't moblise from if you don't have a transport going there?

It is usefull when you need to move faster some of your forces to your distant base. Ofc, you need a transport. So, it can be exploited ocasionally and it is rather defensive option.

EDIT: Marine rush can work as well as Zergling rush, but you will surely have some losses. It may be even better if you support your infantry by Ghosts from Covert Operations leadership card.

Sebly said:

That's the catch - you need a transport going there. So either you have one from before, or you dedicate two build orders to first build a base and then a transport (or just one build order if you have Jim Raynor's "Make Do With Little" leadership card in play). That makes it not completely unbalanced, so I think it's a good thing

Stefan said:

Yep. I doubt strongly that the marine tactic works, but if someone wants to give it try, go ahead and tell me

No clue if it does My brother will certainly want to try it when we play the next time, he just loves Marines (and did a marine-only tactic attempt in vanilla SC once, didn't work entirely bad, but that might have been due to the many newbies in the group ) ... but, you'll have to admit that a 11-health marine is a scary thought

I just had to say that i really liked your blog posts, and that now I cant wait to get my hand on BW.

You're awsome!

The weasly retrograde is pretty nasty with some of the stage three leadership cards "the swarm flies" and the protos one that gives you 8 transports.

Yay, I got around to completing the wrapup post . Full collection again, for those jumping right to the end of the thread and because I can't edit the first post:

• Game Prelude with setup and some politics
• Orders and Planning , and maneuvers
• Protoss and their 2 factions
• Zerg and their 2 factions
• Terrans and, who'd have thought, their 3 factions
• Wrapup , loose ends, acknowledgements

Looking forward to your helpful-as-ever comments and constructive criticism

@BlindFaith thanks loads for the very kind words

You showed me so much more depth of this game, when already its a sophisticated game for itself.

I just found your blog through BBG, IMHO it is very well done. I instantly called my wife (whom I convinced to play the Video game a couple of years before the Board game came out and she loved it) and told her about it. She had some troble seeing the possibilities with the board game though and I think your blogs will help her immensely. She is totaly interested again. Thanks.