EPTThe information below was made during heart of the swarm beta, 90% of this guide still works at high levels and therefore I decided to put it in a spoiler instead of scrap it.
+ Show Spoiler +
>.> I put this in the wrong section! It's 2 am I'm sorry is there a way to delete this or move it down to the heart of the swarm section? Completely my mistake!
What is this guide for?
+ Show Spoiler +
Introduction: + Show Spoiler +
References:+ Show Spoiler +
General build order (2 variations depending on your style, both have near same timings however 1 allows more macro and safe play while the other is more aggressive.)
Safe opening:+ Show Spoiler +
9 Supply depot
12 barracks
15-16 1 marine, Orbital command
17-18 Expand
17-18 Supply depo
19-20 2 Refineries
24 bunker
26 Factory / tech lab on barracks
27 factory / Reactor on barracks
29 3rd refinery
Begin producing 1 siege tank, 2 widow mines and marines.
First extra 100 gas get siege mode.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/XahDF.jpg)
At 8:00 You should push out with 2 widow mines, 4 marines 1 scv 1 siege tank with siege mode on the way. Rally units to the attack and pressure the enemy with a small contain. The build deviates from here.
The only thing that stays universal is that I drop an engineering bay at the 8:30-9:00 minute mark and start producing 1 missile turret at a time incase of mutalisk play or future drops.
Aggressive opening:
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/I5n33.jpg)
Notice that the aggressive opening actually pushes out 20 seconds later because of the reaper harass, don't use this opening if you are not comfortable or confident in your reaper abilities.
Produce widow mines / marines / siege tanks until your push at 8:20 where you should have 2 siege tanks 1 widow mine 4 marines 1 scv. After you push start a reactor on the barracks so you can swap them out later. Rally units to the attack and pressure the enemy with a small contain. The build deviates from here.
Some things to note. If you go for the safe opening you can get your armory later on for the drilling claws upgrade as you will have more widow mines to spread out. When you go the aggressive opening you want to get the armory faster so you can re position easier.
Universal Rules:
+ Show Spoiler +
Follow ups, What do I scout for?
+ Show Spoiler +
It's a ground fight what now?
+ Show Spoiler +
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Cd3EY.jpg)
From here on you want to still take your expansion and place 1 siege tank and 2 widow mines near your third to help hold aggression. It's best to place it near a turret or an access point so you can see the attack coming early on. I went for the access point on this map.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/5KhkI.jpg)
These types of controls help stop overseers and vipers from coming in, combine this with +1 range on missile turrets a few siege tanks and widow mines and suddenly you are looking very very contained. If you look at the map you can see I'm attacking his third while holding the entire middle with 5-6 turrets, 5 siege tanks 12 widow mines. If he moves I won't only know, I'll have some form of a resistance.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/QnIWk.jpg)
An important thing to note is that you can't just have your whole army controlling the map, you need a squad that can not only push sections but help defend others. You have to decide where it's best used.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/SLPlP.jpg)
Rally units coming out of the factory together and near the contains however not too far from your base so you can defend in many situations. The farther you are from your reinforcements the easier it is to break you, however the closer you are the more you have to struggle to recover ground as he just pushed past your reinforcements. Keep an even distance between you are containing, your factories and where your units are sent to.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/1Itxv.jpg)
Using your barracks to make tech labs at any place you aren't planning on expanding is great to see if the zerg does. It's also great to use it on the zergs expansions so you can see the timings.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/3HJmH.jpg)
A great example of map control, widow mine on expansions, randomly placed around map to provide vision and block access paths, missile turrets with tanks mines and 2 watch towers in middle, vikings accompanying and expanding in opposite directions to force the zerg to choose a side to attack while the other prospers.
Specific things to remember against specific compositions.
Hydra / Roach / Viper
+ Show Spoiler +
Baneling / zergling / Roach
+ Show Spoiler +
Swarm host + Anything
+ Show Spoiler +
Ultralisk + Anything
+ Show Spoiler +
Hydralisk heavy
+ Show Spoiler +
Oh no an air fight what do I do?!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/xwJ52.jpg)
Make sure to have proper turret / widow mine placement this is very very important against mutalisk play. For defensive purposes I would go with something like this. 2 in your mineral line and 1 near the farthest gas. This gives your gas some protection and allows your scvs to easily repair the missile turrets so you can mine for longer.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/nw5Ga.jpg)
You can see that I have the edges protected, a few missile turrets and 1 in my factory line just in case he decides to run through. Your production facilities are the most important thing.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/eZIy1.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/p8ioy.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/17u3u.jpg)
Throw around some random widow mines just in case he accidentally flies over them, if he does awesome! If he doesn't well you know where he isn't.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/bpbTA.jpg)
Finally for your defense you want to make sure you make your 4th command center safe so keep it near your middle base. You're usually there so you can go west or east depending on where he attacks. Make sure you have at least 1 thor to accompany the mines and draw fire and make sure the mines are ready to move out!
Air specific compositions
heavy mutalisk play
+ Show Spoiler +
Heavy broodlord play
+ Show Spoiler +
Replays:
+ Show Spoiler +
Additional replays.
http://drop.sc/285093
http://drop.sc/285094
http://drop.sc/285095
VOD:
+ Show Spoiler +
What is this guide for?
+ Show Spoiler +
This guide shows a few ways to proper utilize the widow mine and mech control against zerg in heart of the swarm. It shows a very aggressive play style that focuses heavily on positioning. You do not need a lot of APM to do this strategy. After playing 5-7 hours a day every day since the beta came out I have been trying to find mech work really well. We went through some changes through a few patches however over the last 2-3 weeks this has been my most effective strategy against zerg. It works even if they know the strategy is coming and it's pretty solid all around.
Introduction: + Show Spoiler +
I am HTOMario, I play a lot of heart of the swarm after a long break from WOL and wanted to share with you all what I enjoyed as a Terran player strategy wise against zerg. I know bio works really well however I have always loved the positional fights that come with mech. In this guide I use a lot of widow mines, turrets and siege tanks for control of ground and sky. I'll try to help you learn how to control it, when to control it and where to control it.
References:+ Show Spoiler +
I have starcraft experience since 1998-2000 area, I was at a C To B level on ICCUP later on in the years. ON WOL beta I was top 84 as Dragonfury and managed 2 seasons as grandmaster when it was released. After I joined HTO I paid for a name change and lost the record to show it and HTO died so I decided to take a break. Now I'm Grandmaster in HOTS every re set so far and face a lot of high end people like Dragon, TSLHyun and so forth.
General build order (2 variations depending on your style, both have near same timings however 1 allows more macro and safe play while the other is more aggressive.)
Safe opening:+ Show Spoiler +
9 Supply depot
12 barracks
15-16 1 marine, Orbital command
17-18 Expand
17-18 Supply depo
19-20 2 Refineries
24 bunker
26 Factory / tech lab on barracks
27 factory / Reactor on barracks
29 3rd refinery
Begin producing 1 siege tank, 2 widow mines and marines.
First extra 100 gas get siege mode.
At 8:00 You should push out with 2 widow mines, 4 marines 1 scv 1 siege tank with siege mode on the way. Rally units to the attack and pressure the enemy with a small contain. The build deviates from here.
The only thing that stays universal is that I drop an engineering bay at the 8:30-9:00 minute mark and start producing 1 missile turret at a time incase of mutalisk play or future drops.
Aggressive opening:
+ Show Spoiler +
9 Supply depot
12 barracks
13 refinery
15-16 Orbital command, tech lab.
17 supply depo
start producing reapers you want a maximum of 2-3 total into marines. Feel free to use your scouting scv to drop a bunker to get him to pull drones early or have a haven for your reapers. Usually I put this in the front, occasionally in the back. It helps prevent creep if you keep them in the front.
20 supply depo / second refinery
21 Command center
23 Factory
24 bunker
27 second factory
12 barracks
13 refinery
15-16 Orbital command, tech lab.
17 supply depo
start producing reapers you want a maximum of 2-3 total into marines. Feel free to use your scouting scv to drop a bunker to get him to pull drones early or have a haven for your reapers. Usually I put this in the front, occasionally in the back. It helps prevent creep if you keep them in the front.
20 supply depo / second refinery
21 Command center
23 Factory
24 bunker
27 second factory
Notice that the aggressive opening actually pushes out 20 seconds later because of the reaper harass, don't use this opening if you are not comfortable or confident in your reaper abilities.
Produce widow mines / marines / siege tanks until your push at 8:20 where you should have 2 siege tanks 1 widow mine 4 marines 1 scv. After you push start a reactor on the barracks so you can swap them out later. Rally units to the attack and pressure the enemy with a small contain. The build deviates from here.
Some things to note. If you go for the safe opening you can get your armory later on for the drilling claws upgrade as you will have more widow mines to spread out. When you go the aggressive opening you want to get the armory faster so you can re position easier.
Universal Rules:
+ Show Spoiler +
+During the push you want to expand to get the extra 2 gas. I usually secure the third with 2 widow mines a siege tank and a 1-3 missile turrets depending on the need for it.
+Your third and fourth base SHOULD be a planetary fortress as it makes it easier to keep them. Minerals really isn't the issue the gas is the hardest part.
+I also add in 2 factories after I have started a third base.
+After 4 factories you should get at minimum 1 starport to start producing vikings to kill overseers.
+On 4 bases you want 6-8 factories with an even number of reactors / tech labs.
+Once you smell broodlords or you scan near the 16 minute mark you should be working towards 3 starports with reactor.
+When I start +3 attack I add in a second armory to throw in vehicle weapons and air attack.
+Your third and fourth base SHOULD be a planetary fortress as it makes it easier to keep them. Minerals really isn't the issue the gas is the hardest part.
+I also add in 2 factories after I have started a third base.
+After 4 factories you should get at minimum 1 starport to start producing vikings to kill overseers.
+On 4 bases you want 6-8 factories with an even number of reactors / tech labs.
+Once you smell broodlords or you scan near the 16 minute mark you should be working towards 3 starports with reactor.
+When I start +3 attack I add in a second armory to throw in vehicle weapons and air attack.
Follow ups, What do I scout for?
+ Show Spoiler +
In your push you want to see what the zerg player is going for, you will nearly always find out what is going on with the push above because he has to use those units to defend. If you don't and for some reason your army gets crushed immediately scan the main as you have probably scouted out most of the natural in your aggression. You're looking for tech structures, not how much gas he has but tech structures as you want to know if it's going to be a ground or air fight.
It's a ground fight what now?
+ Show Spoiler +
Positioning positioning! Control the map and defend like a mad man. How do you position properly you may ask? I'll show you. Start producing widow mines / siege tanks and vikings. You want your engineering bay at the 9 minute mark and position your tanks properly with missile turrets and widow mines near them. This helps keep zerg at max range when any engagement is going. Your aim here is to control space and make sure you can take a 4th base as you really need the gass for it.
From here on you want to still take your expansion and place 1 siege tank and 2 widow mines near your third to help hold aggression. It's best to place it near a turret or an access point so you can see the attack coming early on. I went for the access point on this map.
These types of controls help stop overseers and vipers from coming in, combine this with +1 range on missile turrets a few siege tanks and widow mines and suddenly you are looking very very contained. If you look at the map you can see I'm attacking his third while holding the entire middle with 5-6 turrets, 5 siege tanks 12 widow mines. If he moves I won't only know, I'll have some form of a resistance.
An important thing to note is that you can't just have your whole army controlling the map, you need a squad that can not only push sections but help defend others. You have to decide where it's best used.
Rally units coming out of the factory together and near the contains however not too far from your base so you can defend in many situations. The farther you are from your reinforcements the easier it is to break you, however the closer you are the more you have to struggle to recover ground as he just pushed past your reinforcements. Keep an even distance between you are containing, your factories and where your units are sent to.
Using your barracks to make tech labs at any place you aren't planning on expanding is great to see if the zerg does. It's also great to use it on the zergs expansions so you can see the timings.
A great example of map control, widow mine on expansions, randomly placed around map to provide vision and block access paths, missile turrets with tanks mines and 2 watch towers in middle, vikings accompanying and expanding in opposite directions to force the zerg to choose a side to attack while the other prospers.
Specific things to remember against specific compositions.
Hydra / Roach / Viper
+ Show Spoiler +
Be sure to always make sure your units are spread as far as they can with missile turret fillers. This helps the zerg take the most amount of damage for the fewest resource cost to you. It also helps prevent vipers from gassing your tanks constantly. I like to space widow mines here in between siege tanks and a turrets near as many mines as I can. Throwing in a random PDD (point defense drone, raven unit) helps massively against hydralisks.
Baneling / zergling / Roach
+ Show Spoiler +
You also need to be spread out here however instead of all missile turrets you can throw in a command center that you are going to use later or supply depo's to help create a barrier between you and the zerglings. Splitting up widow mines is more important then siege tanks here so they don't all fire on a pack of zerglings that's going to die in 1 hit anyway.
Swarm host + Anything
+ Show Spoiler +
At an early stage of swarm host a small amount of units can easily hold them with a bunker repair. However once there are a critical mass of them you MUST have siege tanks to hold them off cost efficiently. And do not engage swarm hosts if you aren't making progress towards them. A great to do is flank them AFTER they have spawned their locusts in a different direction. This allows you to drop widow mines fast on them with a scan on the swarm hosts and nuke them all to death. Banshee's are a great throw in here too!
Ultralisk + Anything
+ Show Spoiler +
Make sure to favor more thors depending on how many ultralisks he has. If he goes Ultralisk / Zergling go hellbat / thor / widow mine. If he goes ultralisk / roach go Thor / Siege tank / Widow mine. The roach or ling question is a huge factor on if you go more hellbats or siege tanks to help hold off the utralisks.
Hydralisk heavy
+ Show Spoiler +
The more hydralisks you see the more you want to invest in ravens for point defense drones. Doing this will not only allow you to be more cost efficient but it will allow you to build a raven count to help stop corrupters shots and blow up ultralisks or broodlords.
Oh no an air fight what do I do?!
Make sure to have proper turret / widow mine placement this is very very important against mutalisk play. For defensive purposes I would go with something like this. 2 in your mineral line and 1 near the farthest gas. This gives your gas some protection and allows your scvs to easily repair the missile turrets so you can mine for longer.
You can see that I have the edges protected, a few missile turrets and 1 in my factory line just in case he decides to run through. Your production facilities are the most important thing.
Throw around some random widow mines just in case he accidentally flies over them, if he does awesome! If he doesn't well you know where he isn't.
Finally for your defense you want to make sure you make your 4th command center safe so keep it near your middle base. You're usually there so you can go west or east depending on where he attacks. Make sure you have at least 1 thor to accompany the mines and draw fire and make sure the mines are ready to move out!
Air specific compositions
heavy mutalisk play
+ Show Spoiler +
Here you want 3-4 siege tanks at most, get lots of thors and nearly double the amount of widow mines if you can. This will heavily stop any type of zerglings / mutalisk / baneling play. It's actually I think a soft counter if you can survive the aggression.
Heavy broodlord play
+ Show Spoiler +
Make sure you pump out a lot of viking thor widow mine. Your viking and thor can draw great fire while your widow mine now gets auto targetted less by blizzards ui can just run under the broodlords or corruptors and plant. This gives you massive AOE damage if positioned / scouted right.
Replays:
+ Show Spoiler +
VS Muta
http://drop.sc/284525
VS Roach / Ling / Baneling
http://drop.sc/284526
VS Heavy swarm host
http://drop.sc/284527
http://drop.sc/284525
VS Roach / Ling / Baneling
http://drop.sc/284526
VS Heavy swarm host
http://drop.sc/284527
Additional replays.
http://drop.sc/285093
http://drop.sc/285094
http://drop.sc/285095
VOD:
+ Show Spoiler +
http://www.twitch.tv/htomario/b/348077797
4:29:00 The first zerg game starts.
4:29:00 The first zerg game starts.
