This video discusses burrowed banelings, and how they can be used cost efficiently. In my opinion, burrowed banelings are extremely underused, but have so much potential. Whether it's taking out your opponent army, or their economy, they can help you in almost every game. Burrowed banelings do extra damage against light units, so you'll want to try and hit those. Banelings do a lot of damage against most units though, if they are clumped up.
I go over tactics mainly for ZvT, however, they are also very good in other matchups.
The burrow upgrade only costs 100 minerals, and 100 gas, and is an essential upgrade to get in all games, which is why I don't bring that into consideration.
You have to be constantly checking your mini-map, there's nothing worse than realizing what you missed out on.
Basic Techniques
In the video I show that I spawned in the bottom right position on Tal'darim Alter, and my opponent the bottom left. His attack would come straight from the left side, and over the xel'naga tower. It is very important to strategically place your banelings, where they will maximize damage.
They can also be used to deal a TON of economic damage. Burrow a fair amount (5-7) or banelings at your opponents third, and wait until he has it secured. Wait until he has it fully saturated, or just did a large mule drop. If you see him building spores, cannons, or a missle turret, then you'll want to explode them before that goes up.
Advanced techniques The mutalisk bait is a personal favourite of mine. Set up a burrowed trap, and let fly some mutas into your opponents army. Don't be afraid to lose a few, you want your opponent to fall for this trap. Now while your mutas are flying away, his marines will follow, trying to pick some off. Explode your banelings when the marines have maximum surface area.
ZvP Although banelings arent that common in the early game, they can be used then. They hold off two base all ins very effectively because if you get a nice hit off on their sentries, the threat of forcefields is eliminated. In the late game, they are useful for the same reason. However, they can also be used vs. high templar for the same reason.
ZvZ You probably won't be able to get them out early enough to deal with zerglings, but if you go mutas, your opponent will probably go hydras. Burrowed banelings are great against hydras because they are a light unit.
If you want to spread a larger group of blings out to this can take-up quite some APM. I just patrol the blings across the path where I want them, which causes them to split up and divide nicely. Then I select them all, hit stop and burrow, which is a cool trick if you want 20 blings to burrow with reasonable distance from each other, without requiring too much APM.
Or you can send send a pack of lings along the line of where you want the blings, and hold down the bling button while they are moving, then select the blings on completion and burrow them. This also spreads-out the blings quite well.
I'm a bad player though, maybe these are standard techniques...
Banelings! I've have been wanting to burrow them in my opponents future 3rd more often, but never think to do it.
Something to be said, bane lings are probably the most supply efficient unit in the game when they make contact. For the cost of 1 roach you can make a baneling, and at 1/4 the supply cost making your armies much more efficient if you're good at making contact and bating force fields vs toss.
Banelings are awesome in that ling/baneling marine/tank dance that happens in ZvT
Here's Leenock burrowing some banelings as he pulls his zerglings/banelings back. Some people say that good terrans will see it, but then they still have to scan (and 2 banelings for a scan is worth it) or it will successfully hold them back for a bit. This is in the worst case, in the best you kill all of their marines and win...
I'm a diamond zerg player and I use burrowed banes vs. Terran and zerg. They are extremely effective. However, I burrow them differently when I'm trying to do damage at the mineral line.
I burrow banes at the opponents third, I usually burrow them behind the mineral line. That way, it can damage buildings and is harder to scout.
I have a trick related to this. I type "burrowed baneling is good" whenever I actually DON'T get burrowed banelings. Around 10min mark + timing is recommended for ZvT. Then, my Terran opponent almost always scans everywhere he goes. Just reminding him of the possibility of burrowed baneling strategy at the right time wastes his energy for MULEs. Just simple words can cause paranoia. Since I do this when I don't get burrow research, it is basically free. All you need is like 30APM or so to type those words once.
I have not seen anyone else does this, and I wonder why when this works so well for free. You of course can't use this in tournaments, but on ladder vs strangers every match, this works so nicely. Maybe up in high master or GM, your opponent scan anyways or you play vs same player multiple times, so this might not work.
Even if your opponent knows that someone who reveals his hand is unlikely to be using the strategy he mentioned, the doubt itself is good enough reason for him to scan just in case.
Ah, I do love me some banelings, especially when they are burrowed. And I have made an effort to research burrow in every single game I play these days, which is something I rarely ever use to do. I have found it very beneficial, and strongly recommend it to fellow Zergs.
On July 10 2012 09:08 Orek wrote: I have a trick related to this. I type "burrowed baneling is good" whenever I actually DON'T get burrowed banelings. Around 10min mark + timing is recommended for ZvT. Then, my Terran opponent almost always scans everywhere he goes. Just reminding him of the possibility of burrowed baneling strategy at the right time wastes his energy for MULEs. Just simple words can cause paranoia. Since I do this when I don't get burrow research, it is basically free. All you need is like 30APM or so to type those words once.
I have not seen anyone else does this, and I wonder why when this works so well for free. You of course can't use this in tournaments, but on ladder vs strangers every match, this works so nicely. Maybe up in high master or GM, your opponent scan anyways or you play vs same player multiple times, so this might not work.
Even if your opponent knows that someone who reveals his hand is unlikely to be using the strategy he mentioned, the doubt itself is good enough reason for him to scan just in case.
Word is power people underestimate.
Ah yes, people often underestimate the power of the "mental" game in SC2, especially in ladder.
I've always tried to incorporate Banelings into my late game ZvT army, but for some reason, tend to forget them, despite just how good they can be in those large scale engagements. Burrowing Banes at the opponent's future expansions is immensely useful, considering that a few (2-3) can basically kill every SCV at the base for the cheap cost of 150/75. So yes, Banelings are underutilized despite their overall usefulness in the late game ZvT I feel.
Another strat I like to do is burrow 2 banes as I'm pulling my army back. Regardless if the Terran sees it or not he will be forced to scan or risk running his marines into it. Although I'm low masters I seldom get off a good baneling mine against Terran since they will scan just about every chokepoint they are about to go over regardless if creep is present or not.
I think an added side effect of terrans constantly scanning is that they end up using orbitals as their 3rd and sometimes even 4th base which makes ling runbys much more effective.
Not a fan of burrow banelings against Toss. They always have an observer.
With the introduction of burrow moving banelings in HotS, baneling mines will be a lot more prevalent...
On July 10 2012 12:36 dynwar7 wrote: SO what can Terrans do to coutner other than having to get Ravens just for this purpose?
Other than scan of couese
Turrets can help at third bases, but as far as army goes you'll either have to attack at a different angle than what might seem common. Adding a raven is obviously much better than to be constantly scanning, and not to mention auto turrets are actually really good.
On July 10 2012 12:51 S2Glow wrote: Tyler , can you do a more informative guide about baneling ? i am very sure people will be very appreciative , i want to learn from it too! haha
Make sure to subscribe, I plan on making many more guides, for all races. I'm glad you enjoyed it! <3
Hah, I love that idea of just typing 'burrowed banelings are good'. Is that sort of thing allowed in tournaments? I would love to hear stephano say that against someone like thorzaine xD
On July 10 2012 12:51 S2Glow wrote: Tyler , can you do a more informative guide about baneling ? i am very sure people will be very appreciative , i want to learn from it too! haha
Make sure to subscribe, I plan on making many more guides, for all races. I'm glad you enjoyed it! <3
haha of course i enjoy it because is not in the current meta game yet therefore i gonna use it and make variation! hehe
On July 10 2012 12:04 sagefreke wrote: Another strat I like to do is burrow 2 banes as I'm pulling my army back. Regardless if the Terran sees it or not he will be forced to scan or risk running his marines into it. Although I'm low masters I seldom get off a good baneling mine against Terran since they will scan just about every chokepoint they are about to go over regardless if creep is present or not.
I think an added side effect of terrans constantly scanning is that they end up using orbitals as their 3rd and sometimes even 4th base which makes ling runbys much more effective.
Not a fan of burrow banelings against Toss. They always have an observer.
With the introduction of burrow moving banelings in HotS, baneling mines will be a lot more prevalent...
Just so you know... Burrow movement banelings have been removed from HotS. EDIT: I am pretty sure of this anyway... IIRC it was IdrA who said this in a recent Inside the Game.
EPT
