This guide outlines what is the most dependable and consistent way to play Zerg versus Terran (a.k.a. ZvT), which is the simplest matchup in the game.
To Win, Have a Plan
A messy, random game makes you lose. You have to have a game plan.
That plan is called a build order.
In ZvT, you can do the same build order every game and get away with it because of the simple interactions between early defensive Zerg units and the Terrans’ early aggressive units.
Standard Opener
This is whats commonly known as the QLASH opening, you will get your third base down before the reaper arrives, so it won’t get blocked.
This build will slightly delay your zergling speed in return for a faster third base. Your zergling speed will finish before the first hellions arrive.
| Milestone | What to Make | Tips/How to Execute |
|---|---|---|
| Supply 13 | Overlord | Send this overlord to your second base to scout for Terran scouting SCV or any potential bunker rushes. |
| Supply 16 | Hatchery | Pull a drone from your mineral line @ ~200 minerals. A hatchery first is safe vs. virtually any build. |
| Supply 18 | Gas | Rally 17th drone from egg |
| Supply 17 | Spawning Pool | Rally 18th drone from egg |
| Saturate Gas through rallying the next 2 building drones and 1 drone from your minerals) | ||
| Supply 20 | 2x Queens 4x Lings | Make 2 queens and 2 sets of lings |
| Gas 60 | Pull 2 drones off of gas. Send 1 of these drones to take your Third base. | |
| Supply 27 | Third Hatchery | For larva and economy |
| Gas 100 | Metabolic Boost | Zergling speed for the hellions |
| Supply 29 | Third Queen | |
| Supply 31 | Overlord | |
| @100% first inject | Make 2 drones and rally into your extractor | This times it out perfectly for 3:30 to have the right amount of gas later |
| Supply 40 | Overlord | |
| Supply 42 | Fourth Queen | At the second base |
| @3:30 Scout | Send overlord into their main base | Look for their building count and what tech they have |
| Supply 44 | Fifth Queen | |
| Supply 46 | Overlord | |
| @Third Hatchery | Sixth Queen |
1-1-1 (1 Barracks, 1 Factory, 1 Starport) Reaction
This build is a good entry into the midgame for terran. This branch of the build order will show you how enter the midgame cleanly. The scouting tells for 1-1-1 are as follows:
If a marine is built after the reaper is done.
If you see 2-4 hellions around 4 min.
The absence of a second factory or barracks, or a third command center.
| Milestone | What to Make | Tips/How to Execute |
|---|---|---|
| @35 drones | Go up to 12-16 lings | Necessary to defend hellions |
| @4:15 | 1 more gas, lair and a baneling nest | This will keep you safe and get you fast baneling speed |
| @4:30 | 1 spore in each base | This goes for vs liberator or banshee |
| Drone Benchmark: 4:30 | 50 drones | |
| @5:00 | 2 Evolution Chambers, 2 more Extractors | For +1 +1 upgrades |
| @5:00 - 6:00 | Scout | If they have more than 8 hellions, its probably mech and you need to drop a roach warren |
| @100% Lair | Overseer scout | To confirm mech or bio |
| @100% Lair | Bane speed, Hydra Den, + 1 Extractor | If you want to go muta add 1 more extractor on top of that |
| @5:30-6:00 | Forth base + Macro hatchery | A macro hatchery is an extra hatchery for larva |
| Drone Benchmark: 5:30-6:00 | 66 drones | Easy to get if the early game was clean enough |
2-1-1 (2 Barracks, 1 Factory, 1 Starport) Reaction
This build will hit with 16 marines and 2 medivacs around 5:00 - 5:15. This branch of the build order will show you how to hold it. The scouting tells for 2-1-1 are as follows:
If there is a reactor on the barracks right after the reaper.
If there are no hellions being produced.
The second barracks is the biggest tell of this build.
If you see 10+ marines it is almost definitely this build.
| Milestone | What to Make | Tips/How to Execute |
|---|---|---|
| @3:45 | Evolution Chamber | For +1 Carapace |
| @100% Evolution Chamber | +1 Carapace | This helps a lot in the followup marine attack |
| @4:15 | 1 more Extractor | Important for teching |
| Drone Benchmark | 50 drones | |
| @after droning | Make 30 zerglings and 2 more queens(total 6 creep queens) | To defend the double medivac drop, hits around 5:00 |
| @5:00 | Lair + Bane Nest | To transition and hold any following pressures |
| 5:00 - 5:30 | Defend 2 medivac drop with 6 queens and 30 lings | Make sure to not run off creep to chase |
| @After the 2 medivac drop | Add 2 more Extractrs and second Evolution Chamber for +1 Melee | |
| Warning | Followup 32 marine drop with +1 | Keep a zergling outside the terrans base to scout for any followups |
Mid Game VS Bio
Checkpoint:
Beat their 1-1 push or defend their double marine drop
Hydralisk
Generally, five gases will support a solid ling bane hydra army. You do not need additional gasses till hive when you get 7 with viper tech and 8 with ultralisk.
| Milestone | What to Make | Tips/How to Execute |
|---|---|---|
| @100% Hydra Den | Get movement speed then range | Movement speed will benefit you slightly more to get first. |
You want to make around 16– Hydras maximum if going the ling bane hydra ultra path to avoid body blocking the melee units. When engaging with ling bane hydra, you want to engage, and back up with your hydras once your ling bane is killed (if it is killed).
Mutalisk
If you are going mutalisk, you should be going for 6 gasses as opposed to the 5 gasses hydra ling bane takes.
| Milestone | What to Make | Tips/How to Execute |
|---|---|---|
| @100 Forth Hatchery | Go up to 7 gasses and 80 drones | To prepare for lategame |
| @100% Spire | +1 Air Attack | Important for large numbers of mutalisk |
| @Spire | Make mutalisk | Get as many as you can while still being able to afford your upgrades |
Late Game vs Bio
Checkpoint: At this point you are either in a commanding position or have just held the 2-2 push, so from here you’ll want to move into the T3 choices that zerg has to offer.
Add the ultralisk or broodlord build to the below for late game vs bio depending on which late game tech you want to play.
| Milestone | What to Make | Tips/How to Execute |
|---|---|---|
| @100% +1/+1 upgrades | Get +2/+2 upgrades | Should be around 7:30 if your 1-1 upgrades were on time |
| @7:30 - 8:00 | Infestation Pit | Go up to 7 gasses if you’re playing with viper, 8 if you’re making ultralisk |
| @Hive | Get Hive upgrades (+3/+3 and adrenal) | Get vipers if your opponent has tanks |
Ultralisk
When going ultralisk, you want maximum around 3-4 just for tanking, since they are very clunky and rarely get more value the more there are.
| Milestone | What to Make | Tips/How to Execute |
|---|---|---|
| @100% Hive | Ultralisk Cavern | |
| @100% Ultralisk Cavern | Ultra armor then speed | You won’t be able to do anything without ultralisk armor so it’s better to get it first |
Ultralisk tips
- You should always have your ultralisk in front so they dont get stuck behind the rest of your army
- Using ultralisk in counterattacks againts planetary fortresses is very useful as they take almost no damage from the cannon and can soak a lot for the lings/banes
- Remember not to get too many ultralisk as they will progressively get worse the more you make.
- Once the terran gets ghosts you will need to get infestors so they dont kill your ultralisk for free.
