Table of Contents

1. Introduction

Terran vs Zerg (TvZ) has always been a match-up famed for its insane mechanical requirements and back-and-forth macro game play. Playing a biological ( Marine, Medivac, Marauder) composition as Terran against Zerg has always had a unique dynamic, where the Terran is consistently trying to keep the Zerg player on a manageable economy and away from higher tech units. This has become more difficult with the recent playstyle of Zergling — Baneling — Hydralisk which Zergs use for its mid game strength, allowing an easier transition to the late game than Mutalisk-focused compositions of old.

Terran players have always had a large variety of ways in which they can slow down the Zerg economy early in the game such as aggressive attacks or run-bys, but one method popularized in Wings of Liberty by Bomber was the Fast 3 Command Center play, where having the fast three bases allows for strong SCV production to keep up with the Zerg. This guide is based on uThermal’s recent variation of this which sees him using a slightly different follow-up to the cookie cutter 3CC builds we see.

This build order will initially assume you are going against the very common Ling-Bane-Hydra composition and will talk about adjustments for other compositions in a later section.

2. Build Order

As with all of our build orders, constant worker production is assumed unless mentioned otherwise and so all builds are based on supply count timings. Rough in-game timer points have been added at points of the build.

Start with a standard Reaper Expand:

14 — Build Supply Depot Command Center

— Build 16 — Build Barracks

— Build 16 — Build Refinery

— Build 17 — Worker scout (uThermal does NOT worker scout when doing this build as an optimization. We recommend scouting as it will minimise the amount of improvisation when an attack hits. You are looking to scout Hatchery in a later section).

— Worker scout (uThermal does NOT worker scout when doing this build as an optimization. We recommend scouting as it will minimise the amount of improvisation when an attack hits. You are looking to scout in a later section). 19 — Upgrade Command Center Orbital Command

— Upgrade 19 — Recruit Reaper

— Recruit 20 — Build another Command Center

Continuation of the 3CC Build:

20 — Build Supply Depot

— Build 21 — Recruit Reaper scouting section).

— Recruit scouting section). 24 — Build Factory

— Build 26 — Build Command Center

— Build 26 — Build Reactor Barracks

— Build 26 — Build Refinery

— Build 27 — Upgrade to Orbital Command Command Center

— Upgrade to 29 — Factory Reactor Barracks

— 30 — Build Starport Barracks

— Build 30 — Build Tech Lab Barracks Tech Lab

— Build 43 — Upgrade the third Command Center Orbital Command

— Upgrade the third 46 — Recruit Viking

— Recruit 46 — Research Cloaking Field

— Research 51 — Build Tech Lab Barracks

— Build 54 — Build another Supply Depot

— Build another 56 — Build Tech Lab

— Build At this point you should be 4:30 into the game, with 36 SCV Hellion Viking

58 — Move Factory Reactor Barracks

— Move At 4:45 lift Third Command Center Banshee

64 — Build 2x Engineering Bay

— Build 2x 64 — Build 2x Refinery

— Build 2x At 5:30 after your Banshee Starport Reactor Factory Barracks Barracks Reactor Tech Lab Factory Tech Lab Starport Reactor SCV

You will be producing Marine Siege Tank Medivac

Significant additions from this point:

When your minerals allow for it, add your Barracks Reactor

Remember to add your Armory

As you add the Armory Factory Siege Tank

Add Combat Shield Stimpack

As +2/+2 starts you will add a fourth Command Center Medivac later. After this you add Barracks

3. Scouting & Adjustments

3.1. Initial Worker Scout

As talked about in the build order, uThermal typically chooses not to SCV scout at 17 with this build. For the purposes of learning and to help create an understanding for what is happening in the game as well as to prepare for attacks more easily, we advise to use this initial scout. One reason uThermal does not scout is because this build uses a double Reaper opening, which is somewhat uncommon in modern TvZ.

The second Reaper means that it does not matter if the first reaper goes across the map to scout even if it is a Spawning Pool first build order, because the second Reaper will be available in good time to come out and shut down any Zerglings which try to run around the map and slow down the Command Center, a common move by Zerg players who open Spawning Pool first.

The initial SCV scout can still help, firstly with being aware of the possibility of early Zerglings (the last thing you want is to suddenly find yourself panicked because 6 lings arrived at your Natural and you have a few seconds until your Reaper is out!) A Hatchery first will finish at 2:05, meaning anything later should leave you wary of those pesky lings. You should check for the gas as well – Metabolic Boost will finish 80 seconds after the Zerg has 100 gas, which will give you a rough timing of possible Zergling-flood builds (which your Hellion follow-up will deal with as long as the Hellions are not caught off-guard.)

3.2. Reaper Scout

Early gas can also suggest Roach pushes, which will be confirmed by your Reaper scout. With this double Reaper opening you should always have information on what the Zerg is trying to do. You will be able to see Roaches coming out of the base and across the map while trying to delay creep at the front. You can also sacrifice a Reaper into the main base for further information, specifically to see a faster Lair (3 minutes or earlier) and hence to prepare for a fast Spire or Nydus Network attack.

In general this Build Order is fairly safe against early aggression which involves Roaches. Most importantly you should be aiming to get the Banshee out ASAP (instead of the Viking) when a Roach attack is coming as well as building a Cyclone or a Siege Tank (depending on the speed of the Roach Rush) instead of Hellions. You can also add a Bunker to help buy time for your units to lower the Roach count before they begin to run rampant in your mineral lines.

The final scout you are looking for with the Reapers will be the third hatchery. In general with 2 Reapers it should be difficult for the Zerg to take a third Hatchery before Metabolic Boost finishes at ~3:30 with a standard Hatch-Gas-Pool build order, as your Reapers can deny the Drone from making its way to the location of the third to build the Hatchery. The later the Hatchery the more important it will be to keep tabs on what the Zerg is doing instead inside of their base, as it could very easily be a build up towards an all-in instead.

3.3. Compositional Adjustments

Beyond the early game adjustments in case of aggression, there are some composition-focused adjustments based on the units the Zerg is using through the mid-game. The initial build order discussed building Marine- Medivac- Siege Tank, assuming it was a Zergling — Baneling — Hydralisk composition. The Siege Tank count is very important against a composition like this, or one which makes use of Roaches as the Siege Tanks will act as the spine of the Terran army, their heavy splash damage being a major way to deal with the swarm-like nature of Hydralisk and Roach armies.

If Roaches do come into play, you can add an extra Tech Lab to one of the Barracks #4/#5 and start Marauder production instead of just focusing on Marines from the Barracks. The Marauders do bonus damage to Roaches and can also split ahead of your army to tank Baneling damage. One thing to be careful of here, however, is that Ravagers do not have an armored tag, meaning if it is mostly Ravagers, you would probably be better with the Marines.

Mutalisks are the other major tech choice that is commonly seen in a mid-game Zerg army, even if they are not as popular as they used to be. Against Mutalisks you will want to move away from Siege Tank production as they are immobile and hence easily picked off. Widow Mines are the general go-to here, and when you add a second Factory later, you can also add a Thor or two to your army, which will make it even more difficult for the Zerg to engage.

4. How to use Your Units

As you are building up your strong economy with the three Command Centers, it is important to use all of your units correctly to ensure you are in as good a position as possible. This build is a fairly unique 3CC build, which allows you to harass while building up your economy rather than other 3CC builds which focus on a faster marine-based follow-up and no attacks for multiple minutes.

4.1. Hellions

uThermal tends not to use his initial Hellions across the map to poke or run by, instead leaving them at home. This has the positives of being able to deal with a large number of Zerglings easily and not having to worry so much about multi-tasking with the Hellions, however, it does mean that they will not be on the map to help against creep spread, which can get out of hand if you don’t control it with the Reapers. Keeping the Hellions means that when you attack with +1/+1 you can use them in the engagement as Hellbats.

4.2. Viking

The Viking is plain and simple as it is there to shut down Overlords on the map which denies scouting as well as general map vision for drops. Each map has common locations to rally your Viking around based on where the Overlords usually hang around (think where you would usually send your Medivac drops!) Even if you don’t find Overlords, you gain information on where you can send drops without being scouted.

4.3. Banshee

While you only make a single Banshee, it is still a great addition to the build because of the general map control it gives you. Especially as you are looking to keep your Hellions at home, the Banshee gives you some further chances to scout around the bases. It forces Spore Crawlers and should at least find a few Drones from the sides of a base here and there. Get the Banshee onto the map as soon as you can because it will help to spot aggression and the sooner it is on the map the sooner you are picking away at drones.

4.4. +1/+1 Timing

One of the important features of TvZ is that you can never just sit back and macro forever or the Zerg will get ahead. You need to force out units and slow down creep spread as much as possible. While this build allows you to keep up for longer without truly moving out on the map, there comes a point where it just makes sense to.

At around 7 minutes you will have your first Medivacs, a couple of Siege Tanks and a good chunk of Marines (plus the Hellions from earlier). Together this set of units can get a lot of damage done; most importantly it will punish any Zerg who is trying to be too greedy by investing in research and higher tech units (e.g. if they are looking for a fast Hive). At the very least you will force out more mid-game units, which the Zerg would like to ideally skip.

By having the Siege Tanks in the back-line to target fire some Banelings and the Hellbats in front to be able to tank some of the damage you should be able to trade efficiently against any Ling-Bane based composition, while your double Siege Tank production and more really begins to kick in at home so you can continue the aggression beyond this first attack (or build up towards a +2/+2 timing). If things do begin to get a bit scary, you also still have the Medivacs to evacuate some of your army and to threaten a drop with if you need to buy time. Do be careful of Roach-based compositions, which are naturally slightly better at dealing with early attacks like this.

Using this attack to clean out creep, pressure a fourth base and to force units and combined with your strong economy you are now in a prime position to play out the macro game.

5. Conclusion

This is a great build order to have in your arsenal to crack out against a Zerg. As someone who personally struggles sometimes with the usual TvZ builds where you have to be attacking from early in the game while continuing to macro, this build gives you a bit more time to get comfortable in the game first, while also keeping you safe and secure from early attacks.

It’s a unique take on a classic way to play bio-focused TvZ, building up early game with light harassment and then going into the typical Terran pressure once Medivacs get onto the field, even if they are later than usual.

6. Changelog

15 Feb. 2018: Added our second build order: TvZ uThermals Fast 3 Command Center Variation.

+ show all entries

- show only first 2 entries