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虫族 vs 神族 · Three-hatch hydralisk

Zerg vs Protoss

More bases than Protoss can hold, hydralisks and lurkers to make them pay for each one

虫族 神族

Checklist: do this

  1. Twelve hatchery, eleven pool, three hatcheries by 3:30; drones on every larva while the scout says it is safe.
  2. Two or three sunken colonies at the natural at 4:00 against the zealot and corsair openings.
  3. Hydralisk den by 5:00; muscular augments and grooved spines before the first big fight.
  4. Spore colonies and hydralisks answer corsairs; an evolution chamber at 6:00 for carapace.
  5. Fourth base at 7:30 behind lurkers; sunkens and lurkers at the third, hydralisks between bases.
  6. Hive by 10:00: defilers against the +1 zealot-archon-templar army; cracklings under swarm.
  7. Drones to sixty on four bases, overlords spread for vision, scourge for shuttles and corsairs.
  8. 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.

If you remember one sentenceThree hatcheries and drones, hydralisks with speed and range to stop the first push, a fourth base behind lurkers, and hive tech before Protoss has its third.

The build

  1. Supply9 Time1:00 Overlord Overlord The second overlord goes to their natural to watch the nexus timing.
  2. Supply12 Time1:50 Hatchery at the natural Hatchery at the natural The economic opening; safe against everything but a two-gate.
  3. Supply11 Time2:10 Spawning Pool Spawning Pool Zerglings by 3:00 for the first zealots.
  4. Supply13 Time2:40 Extractor Extractor Lair and hydralisk upgrades need gas early.
  5. Supply15 Time3:20 Third Hatchery Third Hatchery Three hatcheries of larvae; at the third base if the scout allows.
  6. Supply18 Time4:00 Two Sunken Colonies at the natural Two Sunken Colonies at the natural Zealots and corsair-zealot openings break an open natural.
  7. Supply20 Time4:10 Lair Lair Overlord speed and the hydralisk upgrades' prerequisite for lurkers.
  8. Supply24 Time5:00 Hydralisk Den Hydralisk Den Speed and range hydralisks are the mid game.
  9. Supply30 Time5:30 Second Extractor, Evolution Chamber Second Extractor, Evolution Chamber Carapace +1 and spore colonies against corsairs.
  10. Supply40 Time6:30 Hydralisks in numbers, Muscular Augments Hydralisks in numbers, Muscular Augments Twelve hydralisks with speed hold the first push.
  11. Supply50 Time7:30 Fourth Hatchery and fourth base Fourth Hatchery and fourth base The base Protoss cannot afford to let you have.
  12. Supply60 Time8:30 Lurker Aspect, Grooved Spines Lurker Aspect, Grooved Spines Lurkers hold the third; range hydralisks fight dragoons.
  13. Supply80 Time10:00 Hive Hive Defilers, adrenal glands, ultralisks.
  14. Supply90 Time11:30 Defiler Mound, Consume, Plague Defiler Mound, Consume, Plague Swarm makes zealots and archons fight zerglings on your terms.

Research, in this order

  1. Metabolic Boost
    Metabolic Boost at the Spawning Pool

    Fast zerglings kill probes, surround zealots and catch templar.

  2. Muscular Augments
    Muscular Augments at the Hydralisk Den

    Hydralisk speed; they retreat from storms and chase reavers.

  3. Grooved Spines
    Grooved Spines at the Hydralisk Den

    Hydralisk range; they trade with dragoons and shoot corsairs.

  4. Carapace +1
    Carapace +1 at the Evolution Chamber

    Zealot and dragoon damage drops a step; get it before the first fight.

  5. Pneumatized Carapace
    Pneumatized Carapace at the Lair

    Overlords must outrun corsairs.

  6. Lurker Aspect
    Lurker Aspect at the Hydralisk Den

    Lurkers hold bases against zealots and dragoons without an observer.

  7. Consume, then Plague
    Consume, then Plague at the Defiler Mound

    Plague on templar and archons; swarm on the front.

  8. Adrenal Glands
    Adrenal Glands at the Spawning Pool

    Cracklings under swarm eat gateway armies.

The army, stage by stage

  1. Opening

    ZerglingZergling

    Four to six zerglings, then drones; sunkens do the early defence.

  2. Mid game

    HydraliskHydraliskZerglingZergling

    Twelve to twenty hydralisks with speed and range, lings to flank.

  3. Third base

    HydraliskHydraliskLurkerLurkerZerglingZerglingScourgeScourge

    Lurkers hold; scourge for shuttles and corsairs.

  4. Hive

    DefilerDefilerZerglingZerglingUltraliskUltraliskHydraliskHydralisk

    Plague the templar, swarm the front, cracklings and ultralisks under it.

If you scout…

Two gateways before a nexus, zealots at 2:45

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)

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)

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)

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

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 haveYou answer with
ZealotsZealotsSunkens early, hydralisks with range, cracklings under swarm

Zealots cannot reach ranged units that kite; sunkens hold the natural.

DragoonsDragoonsHydralisks with range and carapace, lurkers

Upgraded hydralisks trade evenly; lurkers beat dragoons without an observer.

CorsairsCorsairsSpore colonies, hydralisks, scourge in pairs

Corsairs die to spores and hydralisk fire; scourge trade one for one.

ReaversReaversFast hydralisks, scourge on the shuttle, spread drones

A reaver on the ground dies to hydralisks; in the air it dies with its shuttle.

High TemplarHigh TemplarSpread units, fast zerglings, plague

Storm needs a clump; zerglings reach templar first.

ArchonsArchonsHydralisks 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.