Checklist: do this
- Twelve hatchery, eleven pool, three hatcheries by 3:30; drones on every larva while the scout says it is safe.
- Two or three sunken colonies at the natural at 4:00 against the zealot and corsair openings.
- Hydralisk den by 5:00; muscular augments and grooved spines before the first big fight.
- Spore colonies and hydralisks answer corsairs; an evolution chamber at 6:00 for carapace.
- Fourth base at 7:30 behind lurkers; sunkens and lurkers at the third, hydralisks between bases.
- Hive by 10:00: defilers against the +1 zealot-archon-templar army; cracklings under swarm.
- Drones to sixty on four bases, overlords spread for vision, scourge for shuttles and corsairs.
- Scout the Protoss tech at 4:00 and 6:00: corsair, reaver, templar or a fast third each need a different fifteen units.
Why it works
Protoss on one base cannot hurt a Zerg with three hatcheries and a few sunkens, and Protoss on two bases must attack before Zerg's economy runs away. So Zerg drones as hard as the scout allows, answers the first Protoss army with hydralisks or lurkers in numbers, and takes a fourth base while Protoss is still deciding. Each Protoss attack must trade badly; each Zerg base must cost them an army to take.
The build
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Supply9
Time1:00
Overlord
The second overlord goes to their natural to watch the nexus timing.
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Supply12
Time1:50
Hatchery at the natural
The economic opening; safe against everything but a two-gate.
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Supply11
Time2:10
Spawning Pool
Zerglings by 3:00 for the first zealots.
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Supply13
Time2:40
Extractor
Lair and hydralisk upgrades need gas early.
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Supply15
Time3:20
Third Hatchery
Three hatcheries of larvae; at the third base if the scout allows.
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Supply18
Time4:00
Two Sunken Colonies at the natural
Zealots and corsair-zealot openings break an open natural.
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Supply20
Time4:10
Lair
Overlord speed and the hydralisk upgrades' prerequisite for lurkers.
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Supply24
Time5:00
Hydralisk Den
Speed and range hydralisks are the mid game.
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Supply30
Time5:30
Second Extractor, Evolution Chamber
Carapace +1 and spore colonies against corsairs.
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Supply40
Time6:30
Hydralisks in numbers, Muscular Augments
Twelve hydralisks with speed hold the first push.
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Supply50
Time7:30
Fourth Hatchery and fourth base
The base Protoss cannot afford to let you have.
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Supply60
Time8:30
Lurker Aspect, Grooved Spines
Lurkers hold the third; range hydralisks fight dragoons.
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Supply80
Time10:00
Hive
Defilers, adrenal glands, ultralisks.
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Supply90
Time11:30
Defiler Mound, Consume, Plague
Swarm makes zealots and archons fight zerglings on your terms.
Research, in this order
Metabolic Boost at the Spawning PoolFast zerglings kill probes, surround zealots and catch templar.
Muscular Augments at the Hydralisk DenHydralisk speed; they retreat from storms and chase reavers.
Grooved Spines at the Hydralisk DenHydralisk range; they trade with dragoons and shoot corsairs.
Carapace +1 at the Evolution ChamberZealot and dragoon damage drops a step; get it before the first fight.
Pneumatized Carapace at the LairOverlords must outrun corsairs.
Lurker Aspect at the Hydralisk DenLurkers hold bases against zealots and dragoons without an observer.
Consume, then Plague at the Defiler MoundPlague on templar and archons; swarm on the front.
Adrenal Glands at the Spawning PoolCracklings under swarm eat gateway armies.
The army, stage by stage
- Opening
ZerglingFour to six zerglings, then drones; sunkens do the early defence.
- Mid game
Hydralisk
ZerglingTwelve to twenty hydralisks with speed and range, lings to flank.
- Third base
Hydralisk
Lurker
Zergling
ScourgeLurkers hold; scourge for shuttles and corsairs.
- Hive
Defiler
Zergling
Ultralisk
HydraliskPlague the templar, swarm the front, cracklings and ultralisks under it.
If you scout…
Two gateways before a nexus, zealots at 2:45
When The drone scout
Do Pool before the third hatchery, six zerglings, two sunkens at the natural, drones after.
Why Early zealots break an open natural; sunkens and lings hold it and the Protoss economy is behind.
A forge and cannons, then a nexus (forge expand)
When 2:30 to 3:30
Do Three hatcheries fast, drones to forty, hydralisks with speed by 6:30, fourth base at 7:30.
Why Forge expand is safe but slow; out-expand it and hold the +1 zealot timing with hydralisks.
A stargate (corsairs)
When 4:30 to 6:00
Do Spore colony at each base, overlords home and sped, hydralisks; scourge only in pairs against lone corsairs.
Why Corsairs kill overlords and scout for a zealot timing; spores and hydralisks make them useless.
A robotics facility (reavers, shuttles)
When 5:00 to 7:00
Do Hydralisks with speed spread out, scourge for the shuttle, sunkens at the mineral lines.
Why A reaver drop kills drones; fast hydralisks kill the reaver on the ground, scourge kill it in the air.
A templar archives
When 6:00 onward
Do Spread hydralisks, keep zerglings for templar, hive sooner for defilers; do not clump.
Why Storm kills clumped hydralisks; fast zerglings kill templar.
Counters
| They have | You answer with |
|---|---|
| Sunkens early, hydralisks with range, cracklings under swarm Zealots cannot reach ranged units that kite; sunkens hold the natural. | |
| Hydralisks with range and carapace, lurkers Upgraded hydralisks trade evenly; lurkers beat dragoons without an observer. | |
| Spore colonies, hydralisks, scourge in pairs Corsairs die to spores and hydralisk fire; scourge trade one for one. | |
| Fast hydralisks, scourge on the shuttle, spread drones A reaver on the ground dies to hydralisks; in the air it dies with its shuttle. | |
| Spread units, fast zerglings, plague Storm needs a clump; zerglings reach templar first. | |
| Hydralisks at range, plague, ultralisks Archons splash zerglings; ranged units and plague wear them down. |
The mistakes that lose this matchup
- Too few drones
The sign Fewer than forty drones at 7:00 with no attack coming.
The fix Drones on every larva; sunkens are the defence, not units.
- No sunkens at the natural
The sign A zealot timing at 5:00 walks in.
The fix Two at 4:00, three against a two-gate.
- Hydralisks without upgrades
The sign Even numbers losing to dragoons.
The fix Speed and range before the first fight; carapace by 7:00.
- Clumping against storm
The sign Ten hydralisks lost to two templar.
The fix Spread, retreat from storms, send zerglings at templar.
- Hive too late
The sign The +1 zealot-archon army walks through hydralisks at 12:00.
The fix Hive by 10:00 and the defiler mound the moment it finishes.
By level
Newcomer
Three hatcheries, drones, two sunkens at the natural at 4:00. Hydralisks with speed and range, in numbers, from 6:00. A fourth base at 7:30. Overlords before the cap. Do not fight in the open until you have twenty hydralisks and carapace.
Learner
The build within thirty seconds; scout at 4:00 and 6:00 and pick from the fork table; lurkers at the third by 8:30; hive by 10:00; drones to sixty. Spread against storm and use scourge on shuttles.
Competitor
Hydralisk micro against storm, lurker positioning that holds a third against +1 zealots, drone counts that stay ahead of a fast third nexus, and the defiler-crackling-ultralisk transition before Protoss has a full upgrade lead.