• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 00:02
CET 06:02
KST 14:02
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview12Rongyi Cup S3 - Preview & Info3herO wins SC2 All-Star Invitational14SC2 All-Star Invitational: Tournament Preview5RSL Revival - 2025 Season Finals Preview8
Community News
Weekly Cups (Jan 26-Feb 1): herO, Clem, ByuN, Classic win2RSL Season 4 announced for March-April6Weekly Cups (Jan 19-25): Bunny, Trigger, MaxPax win3Weekly Cups (Jan 12-18): herO, MaxPax, Solar win0BSL Season 2025 - Full Overview and Conclusion8
StarCraft 2
General
StarCraft 2 Not at the Esports World Cup 2026 Weekly Cups (Jan 26-Feb 1): herO, Clem, ByuN, Classic win HomeStory Cup 28 - Info & Preview Weekly Cups (Jan 19-25): Bunny, Trigger, MaxPax win Oliveira Would Have Returned If EWC Continued
Tourneys
PIG STY FESTIVAL 7.0! (19 Feb - 1 Mar) HomeStory Cup 28 StarCraft Evolution League (SC Evo Biweekly) RSL Season 4 announced for March-April $21,000 Rongyi Cup Season 3 announced (Jan 22-Feb 7)
Strategy
Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps
[A] Starcraft Sound Mod
External Content
Mutation # 511 Temple of Rebirth The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 510 Safety Violation Mutation # 509 Doomsday Report
Brood War
General
[ASL21] Potential Map Candidates Can someone share very abbreviated BW cliffnotes? Liquipedia.net NEEDS editors for Brood War BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion
Tourneys
Azhi's Colosseum - Season 2 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Small VOD Thread 2.0 [BSL21] Non-Korean Championship - Starts Jan 10
Strategy
Zealot bombing is no longer popular? Simple Questions, Simple Answers Current Meta Soma's 9 hatch build from ASL Game 2
Other Games
General Games
Battle Aces/David Kim RTS Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Beyond All Reason
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
Mafia Game Mode Feedback/Ideas Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread The Games Industry And ATVI Canadian Politics Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
The herO Fan Club! The IdrA Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
[Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Play, Watch, Drink: Esports …
TrAiDoS
My 2025 Magic: The Gathering…
DARKING
Life Update and thoughts.
FuDDx
How do archons sleep?
8882
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1845 users

[D] Terran - when to go for Orbital Command?

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
StarcraftMan
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada507 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-27 03:18:17
March 27 2010 03:09 GMT
#1
Couldn't find a good discussion for this in the strategy forum after a search so I'm starting a new discussion on this.

As a Terran player, in general against all races, when should one go for an Orbital Command to maximize resource intake? Specifically, the Orbital Command gives you a mule which will boost your mineral income in the long run. But going for an Orbital Command earlier - at say the 13/14 scv mark - leaves you with less scvs that you could use to get gas, etc.

(Edit: Stripped a nonsensical comment by me)

Anyways, here are the questions:

1) When do the top platinum Terran players go for their Orbital Commands? Specifically, after how many SCVs produced should one go for an Orbital Command?

2) Should you get an Orbital Command before your first refinery? Or should you build a refinery before an Orbital Command?

PS. I understand there are race specific strategies to consider, but I'm considering a general case for this discussion
YPang
Profile Blog Joined April 2007
United States4024 Posts
March 27 2010 03:12 GMT
#2
i get it right after rax.
sMi.Gladstone | BW: B high| SC2: gold T_T
Rice
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
United States1332 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-27 03:17:18
March 27 2010 03:16 GMT
#3
I'm assuming that most decent Terran builds will go for a barracks before an Orbital Command to prevent early rushes but if you have a good reason why you should get an Orbital Command before a barracks, feel free to explain!


well the main strategical reason you go for a barracks before an orbital command is because having a barracks is a prerequisite of building an orbital command.


edit: you should pretty much always build your orbital command right when your barracks finishes, I cant really think of any reason not to.
Freedom will be defended at the cost of civil liberties.
Matrijs
Profile Joined May 2009
United States147 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-27 03:17:18
March 27 2010 03:17 GMT
#4
On March 27 2010 12:09 StarcraftMan wrote:
I'm assuming that most decent Terran builds will go for a barracks before an Orbital Command to prevent early rushes but if you have a good reason why you should get an Orbital Command before a barracks, feel free to explain!


Orbital Command requires that you have a barracks. That's a good reason.

EDIT: beaten : /
StarcraftMan
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada507 Posts
March 27 2010 03:19 GMT
#5
On March 27 2010 12:16 Rice wrote:
Show nested quote +
I'm assuming that most decent Terran builds will go for a barracks before an Orbital Command to prevent early rushes but if you have a good reason why you should get an Orbital Command before a barracks, feel free to explain!


well the main strategical reason you go for a barracks before an orbital command is because having a barracks is a prerequisite of building an orbital command.


edit: you should pretty much always build your orbital command right when your barracks finishes, I cant really think of any reason not to.


My bad, lol.

But should you get an Orbital Command before getting a refinery?
CursOr
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
United States6335 Posts
March 27 2010 03:20 GMT
#6
I let that last SCV finish, but I go to Orbital on the next time the CC is available to train. Every time, every MU... its worth it, even at say 15 supply.
CJ forever (-_-(-_-(-_-(-_-)-_-)-_-)-_-)
Rice
Profile Blog Joined July 2007
United States1332 Posts
March 27 2010 03:22 GMT
#7
On March 27 2010 12:19 StarcraftMan wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 27 2010 12:16 Rice wrote:
I'm assuming that most decent Terran builds will go for a barracks before an Orbital Command to prevent early rushes but if you have a good reason why you should get an Orbital Command before a barracks, feel free to explain!


well the main strategical reason you go for a barracks before an orbital command is because having a barracks is a prerequisite of building an orbital command.


edit: you should pretty much always build your orbital command right when your barracks finishes, I cant really think of any reason not to.


My bad, lol.

But should you get an Orbital Command before getting a refinery?


yes, orbital command pays for itself in like 15 seconds, iirc.
Freedom will be defended at the cost of civil liberties.
Angra
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States2652 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-27 03:25:57
March 27 2010 03:24 GMT
#8
You can build a refinery after barracks (on 13 or sometimes 14) and still have enough money for an orbital command once the rax finishes. If you have constant SCV production it syncs up really nicely with the last SCV finishing just as the rax finishes so you can start the orbital command right then.

And yeah unless they're doing some super early cheese rush it's almost always a good idea to get the orbital command as soon as your barracks finishes because it pays for itself incredibly fast and then gives you a huge boost in economy, so you want it as early as possible.
StarcraftMan
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada507 Posts
March 27 2010 03:29 GMT
#9
On March 27 2010 12:22 Rice wrote:
yes, orbital command pays for itself in like 15 seconds, iirc.


15 sec? That's a bit fast for the return on the investment. Does anybody have the numbers for this?

Specifically, the time it takes you to build an orbital command, how many minerals/scvs could you have produced in that time period?
StarcraftMan
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada507 Posts
March 27 2010 03:32 GMT
#10
On March 27 2010 12:24 Angra wrote:
You can build a refinery after barracks (on 13 or sometimes 14) and still have enough money for an orbital command once the rax finishes. If you have constant SCV production it syncs up really nicely with the last SCV finishing just as the rax finishes so you can start the orbital command right then.



Nice. Do you have a good link to a video example on YoutTube for this example?
imBLIND
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States2626 Posts
March 27 2010 03:47 GMT
#11
On March 27 2010 12:32 StarcraftMan wrote:
Show nested quote +
On March 27 2010 12:24 Angra wrote:
You can build a refinery after barracks (on 13 or sometimes 14) and still have enough money for an orbital command once the rax finishes. If you have constant SCV production it syncs up really nicely with the last SCV finishing just as the rax finishes so you can start the orbital command right then.



Nice. Do you have a good link to a video example on YoutTube for this example?


It's easier to try it out in game or in an unranked game.
im deaf
Silent12ill
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
United States358 Posts
March 27 2010 03:59 GMT
#12
On March 27 2010 12:16 Rice wrote:
edit: you should pretty much always build your orbital command right when your barracks finishes, I cant really think of any reason not to.


I agree but disagree against protoss 1 gate core. I'm trying to figure out why im able to
so well and what to look out for that will stop it but I find it best(still talking about mid and long
run) to right after my rax if i scout 1 gate core from protoss I immediately drop a CC in my nat
then orbital then drop a bunker and fill with rines. By they time they have any kind of early force
I have plenty of marine muraders from 3 rax picking off unit from my cliff. Oh big thing there is
if its a map like LT where I can have units on my cliff back up my bunker I drop to defend nat.

http://www.sc2rc.com/index.php/replay/show/431

StarcraftMan
Profile Blog Joined January 2010
Canada507 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-28 07:40:37
March 28 2010 07:34 GMT
#13
Ok, I was on LZ's channel chatting up with other players, and I got a good build order. Let me know if you have any comments/feedback on this order:

10 - Supply Depot
11 - Rax (or 11ish)
13 - Refinery
15 - OC
CakeOrI)eath
Profile Blog Joined September 2009
United States327 Posts
March 28 2010 07:44 GMT
#14
On March 28 2010 16:34 StarcraftMan wrote:
Ok, I was on LZ's channel chatting up with other players, and I got a good build order. Let me know if you have any comments/feedback on this order:

10 - Supply Depot
11 - Rax (or 11ish)
13 - Refinery
15 - OC


I do exactly this but I have my own subtle tweak. The first supply depot finishes at about ~90 minerals so the scv that built it just stands there waiting for the 150 to build the rax. I fix this by scouting with this scv. At 100 minerals I send an scv from my mineral line to where I want to build the rax and on most maps it gets there right at 150.
Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
Kantutan
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Canada1319 Posts
March 28 2010 07:58 GMT
#15
from the very start I've always done

9 supply
11 rax
12 refinery
14 OC

worked for me thus far
BentoBox
Profile Joined November 2009
Canada303 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-28 10:44:05
March 28 2010 08:07 GMT
#16
I pull a 10 rax, 12 ref, 13 orb by cutting a probe or two... so I can get my first siege tank (w/ upgrade) by 25 or so~
Only dead fish swim with the stream
kickinhead
Profile Joined December 2008
Switzerland2069 Posts
March 28 2010 08:13 GMT
#17
as soon as possible!

The longer u have occ, the more mins you'll get from it. on most maps I'd go for it right after rax.
https://soundcloud.com/thesamplethief
mianmian
Profile Joined March 2010
Canada11 Posts
March 29 2010 16:15 GMT
#18
Lately I've been going

9 rax
10 depot
11 OC/refinery

I can crank out 1-2 marines while the Orbital Command is building then tech lab right away. The main issue I guess with this BO is that while you can pull ahead/stay even on minerals you have less gas then an OC at 14 because you don't have enough SCVs to double gas.
JTPROG
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States254 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-03-29 20:09:36
March 29 2010 20:09 GMT
#19
There are two popular openings:

first will give you slightly better econ
second will give you faster tech

10 depot
11 rax
12 gas
14 OC
14 rine

..or..

9 rax
10 gas
11OC
11depot
11rine
inflowgaming.net
bt-scubasteve
Profile Joined March 2010
United States13 Posts
March 30 2010 03:26 GMT
#20
I can stress this enough to my friends, OC is amazing*. Get it right after rax, whatever the timing is, get it asap. Unless you beat your opponent with wizards and hobbits, you need minerals.

*see the income gained from one mule(270~300minerals)
Plat 1v1, plat 2v2, d+iccup
1 2 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
PiGosaur Cup
01:00
#67
PiGStarcraft592
SteadfastSC116
CranKy Ducklings113
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
PiGStarcraft592
RuFF_SC2 208
ProTech133
SteadfastSC 116
Temp0 68
StarCraft: Brood War
Dewaltoss 185
ZergMaN 98
Shuttle 73
Sea.KH 48
Hyuk 44
Noble 37
Bale 17
Icarus 9
Dota 2
monkeys_forever399
LuMiX1
League of Legends
C9.Mang0460
Super Smash Bros
hungrybox470
Other Games
summit1g7530
Maynarde245
Mew2King24
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick838
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 16 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH238
• Hupsaiya 79
• practicex 4
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• masondota21106
League of Legends
• Scarra1756
• Stunt361
Upcoming Events
WardiTV Invitational
6h 58m
Replay Cast
18h 58m
The PondCast
1d 4h
WardiTV Invitational
1d 6h
Replay Cast
1d 18h
RongYI Cup
3 days
herO vs Maru
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
4 days
Replay Cast
5 days
Wardi Open
5 days
Monday Night Weeklies
5 days
[ Show More ]
Sparkling Tuna Cup
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-02-02
HSC XXVIII
Underdog Cup #3

Ongoing

CSL 2025 WINTER (S19)
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 1
Acropolis #4 - TS4
Rongyi Cup S3
Nations Cup 2026
IEM Kraków 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter 2026
BLAST Bounty Winter Qual
eXTREMESLAND 2025
SL Budapest Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 8

Upcoming

Escore Tournament S1: W7
Escore Tournament S1: W8
Acropolis #4
IPSL Spring 2026
HSC XXIX
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Bellum Gens Elite Stara Zagora 2026
RSL Revival: Season 4
LiuLi Cup: 2025 Grand Finals
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 1
BLAST Open Spring 2026
ESL Pro League Season 23
ESL Pro League Season 23
PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.