Pros: Each hatchery can create 3 units at a time, Hydralisks are extremely versatile and cheap, Overlords do not take up any space and cost 0 control, always has plenty of transports thanks to overlords, has the toughest defence strucutres, most units only cost 0.5-2 control unlike both terran and protoss which tend to be higher, Best race for pressuring(constant attacks), best detection due to the number of overlords, has the most annoying spells in the game.
Cons: Zerg units are overall weak in comparison, Overlords are extremely vulnerable to air support units, no ground seige weapon(must wait for guardian), no unit has an attack power over 31(exluding suicide units), Drones are the weakest worker, slowest at expanding, cannot take control of more than 120 units making huge attacks difficult to co-ordinate with zerglings and hydralisks.
Costs: 50 minerals
Supply: 1
Hp: 40
Damage: 5 normal(cannot be upgraded)
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Small
Transport slots: 8 is max
Anaylsis: Drones are the core of the Zerg army. Without drones you cannot construct any buildings or gather any reasources to fuel your army. Drones are different from SCVs and probes for the fact that they are the weakest worker. The SCV is the strongest and can take out a drone easily. Probes though are statistically the same have shields which will allow them to survive longer. The drone only has burrow and hp regeneration to help them. They also build differently. You must sacrifice a drone in order to make a building. An SCV will build a building and be ready after the building is complete while a probe can build mutiple structures at a time and go back to work. Also in order to create a building there must be creep, only the hatchery is excluded. If you don't have enough creep you must build another hatchery of creep colony but the creep colony requires creep itself and the hatchery is expensive. In times of peril drones can burrow as I mentioned earlier and can be used to you advantage if your opponent doesn't bring detectors. However when found they are as good as dead. Never use your drones to fight and drones are usually never seen along with battle units like scvs and probes. The reason is that the drone lacks any special ability and cannot make structures without creep. SCVs can repair and create turrets and bunkers, probes can build plyons and cannons, drones...cannot do anything to help. All in all its a weaker worker but the ability to create 3 at a time per hatchery balances this out.
Reasearch:
Burrow: This makes the drone able to hide in the ground making it invisble without a detector. This is given to all Zerg ground units except the Ultralisk.
Tatics to beat Drones:
All: Any fighting ground unit can destroy the drone no problem.
Zergling
Costs: 50 minerals
Supply: 1(Its really 0.5 but 2 Zerglings are created at a time)
Hp: 35
Damage: 5 normal (+1 per upgrade)
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Small
Transport slots: 8 is max
Anaylsis: This is the Zergs most basic fighting unit. It is the weakest in terms of hp but the second zergling makes 4 zerglings for every 2 marines and 1 zealot. The zergling also has one of the fastest cool down rates in the game. The Zergling however is very vunerable despite its large numbers. Certain units spell doom for zergling raids. The zergling also lacks the ability to fight off air units unlike the marine. The Zergling's strength is based on its fast cool down rate and high numbers. Its weakness lies in its melee attacks and its low hp. Zerglings are useful for taking out seige tanks since they are cheap, fast and can attack very fast. Overall the Zergling is a useful unit espeically in the beginning. It losses its effectivness later in the game being used to destroy buildings, workers and tanks.
Upgrades:
Metabolic Boost: If you want your zerglings to be useful against weapons like seige tanks be sure your upgrade this immediately. You must have zerglings in order to make this effetive.
Adrenal Glands: This upgrade decreases the cool down rate for the zergling. This should be upgraded to make the zergling an effective unit later in the game.
Tatics to beat Zerglings:
Terran:
-Marines are the first defence against zerglings. Alone marines are weak, in numbers they are devestate zerglings. Bunkers increase their lifespan reducing zerglings into a pile of blood.
-If you see excessive use of zerglings switch from marine to firebat. Firebats are the ultimate zergling weapon. With a medic zerglings cannot beat a firebat, bunkers make it worse for the poor zergling.
-Vultures are excellent zergling killers and their mines work well on zerglings as well
-All air units can defeat zerglings with impunity
Zerg:
-Lurkers are excellent zergling killers. They must be detected in order to be found and they only take 2 attacks to kill a zergling. Since the lurker can hit mutiple units this means mutiple zerglings can go down in an alarming rate.
-Zerglings are good zergling killers it just depends on which has the better upgrades and numbers
-Hydralisks will work depending on upgrades and numbers. However zerglings have an easy time killing hydralisks as well. Hydralisk must use range in order to beat zerglings
-All air units can defeat zerglings with impunity
Protoss:
-Zealots are good zergling killers. Once upgraded they can take on zerglings easier.
-Dark Templar are good at taking out zerglings just watch for overlords
-High Templars can cast psionic storm usually killing masses of zerglings
-Archons are good zergling killers due to their high damage and splash damage
-Reavers can fight melee units making them a good choice in destroy zerglings in the masses
-All air units can defeat zerglings with impunity
Overlord
Costs: 100 minerals
Supply: 0
Hp: 200
Damage: N/A
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Large
Anaylsis: This is the zerg's transport/supply depot/detector. This one unit does a lot of things for the zerg. The fact that its an air unit and it is the gives control to other units makes it take up no space at all which is good when you need lots of hatcheries. It is also a detector which means it should be scattered all around your base this way Nukes, Wraiths, Dark Templar and Lurkers will be foiled easily. As a transport you usually need a lot to do a successful drop. With the Zerg you need more units and the fact overlords take up 0 supplies unlike its counterparts which take 2 each the Overlord is the toughest and cheapest of its counterparts. However the Overlord is the slowest requiring upgrades in order to transport and to move faster. The Overlord with its usefulness also has its weakness. Since it does a lot of important things there are units that can take out many at a time like aur support units(corsairs and valkyries). These units can take out plenty of overlords causing supply damage at a rapid rate, losing of detectors and loss of transport. Its slow speed even upgraded cannot escape these faster support units making it as good as dead. Protect your Overlords! If you don't have a very good air defense, you will find yourself rebuilding overlords and losing them constantly. Without Overlords you cannot build a decent sized army. I once defeated a Zerg player who had a force that was weak against valkyries and found himself with a maximum sized army of 10 zerglings since his drones were taking up much of his supply. Course he called me a hacker, but you should expect something like this when you only have mutalisks and zerglings with 3 hydralisks. To get owned by valkyries is more sadder than getting owned by workers, since Valkyries cannot win a game!
Tatics to beat Overlords:
Terran:
-All ground units that can fire on air units can easily defeat overlords
-Most air units can easily go overlord hunting except Battlecruisers
-Valkyries are the best Overlord killer
Zerg:
-Hydralisks are excellent Overlord killers
-Mutalisks can use speed to kill overlords
-Devourers are effective enough to kill overlords
Protoss:
-Dragoons and Archons are very effective at taking out overlords
-Scouts and Corairs are excellent Overlords hunters
Hydralisk
Costs: 75 minerals 25 gas
Supply: 1
Hp: 80
Damage: 10 explosive (+1 per upgrade)
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Medium
Transport slots: 4 is max
Anaylsis: This is the Zerg's most versatile unit. The Hydralisk is useful for every single thing from offensive roles to defensive roles. You will rarely see them in small numbers for a zerg player with very few hydralisk usually is a poor zerg player. The Hydralisk is versatile for the fact it can fire at both ground units and air units. Since it deals explosive damage it will do less damage to smaller units however since it only takes 1 supply, Hydralisk in numbers are very easy to produce. Hydralisk build time also is rather quick. This unit is almost the best unit in the entire game. Due to the fact it can face behemoth units (Battlecruisers, Carriers) while facing small units with huge numbers to back themselves up. Its rather low cost also makes it a easy to pump out in enormous numbers. Usually the backbone of any Zerg ground force. It works very well working with most ground units. Hydralisks however are one of the zerg's slower units however since it has a speed upgrade it will not matter too much. The Hydralisk even with all of its advantages can morph into a lurker in Broodwars.
Upgrades:
Tatics to beat hydralisks:
Terran:
-Marines with Medics are the Terran solution to Hydralisk. Take advantage of the Hydralisk low damage against marines and have the medic make sure the marine stays alive. With stim packs the marine will have the advantage. Marines in bunkers also stops Hydralisk attacks easily especially with SCVs repairing them
-Seige tanks in seige mode is very effective against hydralisks. Take advantage of the Hydralisk's slower speed and the tank will be able to take it out without worries.
-Wraiths with cloak can take out hydralisks pretty easily, however overlord detection will make your wraiths suffer horribly.
-Battlecruisers in large numbers can destroy large numbers of Hydralisks, but be warned of the spells that the Hydralisk can take advantage of.
-Irradiate Hydralisks in packs, Hydralisks die fast to irradiate
Protoss:
-Zealots are very powerful against Hydralisks when they are small in number, however when Hydralisks are in a large group, your zealots will not even make it towards the Hydralisks.
-High Templars are very powerful against Hydralisks, use psionic storm, many hydra packs walk in a line causing massive damage to mass hydralisk armies
-Dark Templars can easily kill Hydralisks that lack Overlord detection.
-Dark Archon Maelstorm will stop packs of hydralisks making it easier for you zealots to reach the hydralisks
-Corsair distruption web will force the Hydralisks to move or die
-Reavers are much stronger against Hydralisks than Zerglings, take be glad Hydralisks have a longer cool down.
Zerg:
-Zerglings are powerful against Hydralisks, but a group can slaughter them like marines do, use dark swarm to keep your zerglings alive.
-Hydralisks are effective against themselves, depending on the upgrades, numbers and spells you use will determine the outcome.
-Lurkers are extremely powerful against Hydralisks, since Hydralisks groups walk in lines a lurker can damage mutiple Hydralisks at a time.
-Guardians with using their longer range can defeat Hydralisks, however if the Hydralisks can fight back, your Guardians will start having trouble.
-Queens can ensnare Hydralisks making their cool down longer
-Defilers using dark swarm will help your lurkers, zerglings and ultralisks take out hydralisks without taking any damage.
Mutalisks
Costs: 100 minerals and 100 gas
Supply: 2
Hp: 120
Damage: 9 normal (+1 per upgrade)
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Small
Anaylsis: This is the Zerg's basic flyer, compared to the Terrans and Protoss, the Zerg mutalisk looks very weak. The most damage a mutalisk can ever do is 12, however their shots ricochet the 2nd shot does 3 damage while the last one does 1 damage. The Mutalisk's slower cool down rate also can cause problems when facing anti-air units. There is one good thing about the Mutalisk compared to the other air units. Its small size will reduce the amount of damage coming from explosive damage units. A Mutalisk can defeat turrets easier than a Wraith and Mutalisks are very fast when moving accross the map. In a non-broodwar game the Mutalisk is your only air unit capable of dealing damage to air units. In Broodwars the Mutalisk can get help from the Devourer. As much as you think mutalisks are weak, if you have an air army you will need some in your air force since Devourers fire very slowly and the mutalisk is the only unit capable of taking the acid spore bonus very well. A mutalisk will have the option of changing into a Guardian or a Devourer. If you have an air force Guardians are obviously needed, however if you face very weak air competition you may not need many Devourers.
Tatics to beat Mutalisks:
Terrans:
-Marines with medics or in bunkers can destroy mutalisks with ease, add the stim packs and mutalisks are easily destroyed at a fast and cheap rate.
-Ghosts in bunkers can snipe mutalisks and deal full damage, with some marines the mutalisks are easily defeated.
-Goliaths, they will not be able to deal as much damage against mutalisks however their range is invaluable in defeating mutalisks. They are also cheaper in terms of cost and deal 16 damage fully upgraded.
-Science Vessels irradiating mutalisks can help destroy groups, since Mutalisks bunch up.
-Defense Matrix on your units will make Mutalisk attacks fairly useless.
-Valkyries can cause serious damage to mutalisk packs in low numbers. Mutalisks stand no chance against these light air killers.
-Battlecruisers can defeat mutalisks with some ease since their high armour rating.
Protoss:
-Psionic Storm is once again the most useful spell
-Dragoons will work but are not as effective
-Photons will deal full damage to mutalisks
-Corsairs are very effective fighting Mutalisks
-Scouts are powerful against mutalisks despite the 1/2 damage
Zerg:
-Hydralisks will work against mutalisks with range upgrades
-Mutalisks are effective against other mutalisks the outcome is again determined by, upgrades, numbers
-Defiler Dark swarm will make mutalisks ineffective against your hydralisks
-Ensnare will get the best of the mutalisk since mutalisks have a short range
Scourge
Costs: 25 minerals and 75 gas
Supply: 0.5
Hp: 25
Damage: 110 normal
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Small
Anaylsis: The Zerg's suicidal air unit. A very useful unit if used properly and a wasteful unit if used poorly. This unit is tricky to use effectively mainly since once it hits, its done. If you hit a wraith, a wraith that can return to base and get repaired makes the sacrifice of the scourge useless. Scourges however do have a good effect on expensive air units, Battlecruisers, Carriers, Arbiters, Valkyries and Devourers. It is also useless against ground units which will probably kill it if spotted. Another discouraging feature of scourges is the price of 75 gas, while seems cheap when built in masses, your gas goes down very fast. Your mineral gathering is always faster than gas mining. Heres a chart of how many scourges are required to bring down any air unit. I didn't add any tatics to fight them since, either kill them or don't. Ground are most effective and most spells don't work well enough to use against scourges. Best spell here is Hallucination.
1 Scourge:
-Scourge
-Observer
2 Scourges:
-Wraith
-Mutalisk
-Overlord
-Corsair
-Guardian
-Dropship
-Shuttle
-Valkyrie
-Science Vessel
3 Scourges:
-Devourer
4 Scourges:
-Arbiter
5 Scourges:
-Carrier
6 Scourges:
-Battlecruiser (it will kill one before they reach it)
Queen
Costs: 100 minerals and 150 gas
Supply: 2
Hp: 120
Damage: N/A
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Large
Analysis: This is the Zerg's air spellcaster and it is the most annoying unit of the whole game. It is the only unit with an instant kill spell however it works for some units not all. It has two other annoying spells to use against you. Both computer players and human players use this unit very annoyingly which is its whole purpose. Parasite is given right at the start, a very nasty technique to use, if you use parasites on your enemy workers, you will be able to see much of your enemy's weaknesses and some of their base. On opposing units, you can see when an attack will come sometimes without your enemy knowing. Terrans can get rid of the parasite but both Protoss and Zerg cannot they must kill the unit to get rid of it or have an allied medic help them. Spawn Broodlings is the game's only instant kill spell. Best target for spawn broodlings are expensive and powerful ground targets. Works best against Terran since Seige tanks are affected and the broodlings that come out will hurt any tanks they're near due to tank splash damage. The mightly Zerg Ultralisk is affected aswell. Ensnare is the least used of the queen's spells but useful nonetheless. It makes retreating units not much of an option and increase cool down time. The last feature of the queen is to infest a command center. Only used on a half damaged command center, this will allow you to make infested terrans which normally you won't get.
Research:
Parasite
Cost: Free
-Annoying spell that allows you to see what your enemy unit can see, the better the sight range the more effective parasite is.
Spawn Broodling
Cost: 150 minerals and 150 gas
-Instant kill spell useful on most ground units. Best targets: Seige tanks, High Templars(only protoss unit that poses a threat that can have this spell be casted on) and Ultralisk
Ensnare
Cost: 100 minerals and 100 gas
-Spell to slow down units, slowing movement and cool down rate, the anti-stim pack
Tatics to beat queens:
Terran:
-Marines and Goliaths can hurt queens easily
-Wraiths can cloak and defeat Queens without them knowing
-Science Vessels can irradiate queens and eliminate the nuisance
-Valkyries will work very well against Queens
Protoss:
-Archons are not affected by spawn broodlings but be careful of ensnare
-Corsairs are chew up queens
-Scouts have the speed and power to also chew up queens
-Dark Archons with feed back can kill them or send them retreating
Zerg:
-Mutalisks can chase queens
-Scourges can be used to eliminate to nuisances
-Hydralisks are too cheap have spawn broodings used on
Ultralisk
Costs: 200 minerals and 200 gas
Supply: 4
Hp: 400
Damage: 20 normal(+3 per upgrade)
Armour: 1 (+1 per upgrade) (+2 for Chintinous Plating)
Unit type: Large
Transport slots: 2 is max
Analysis: The Ultralisk is the largest and most tougest unit you can build as the Zerg. It has the highest hp rating for a ground unit making it very tough to kill. However the Ultralisk has a attack of 20, maximum of 29 and a melee attack plus is ineffective against air units. A very expensive unit with a damage that would discourage people from making it. However the Ultralisk does have a purpose in the Zerg army. As you know, the highest hp unit for the Zerg on the ground is the Lurker at a 125 hp, normal Starcraft its the defiler and hydralisk at 80 hp. These values are quite low compared to the Protoss and Terran. The Ultralisk is basically a big meat shield for your low hp zerg units. Its 400 hp damage can take mutiple hits without it going down, with its Brood wars upgrades it can take even more damage and move faster. Ultralisks are excellent at shielding the very weak zerglings and they attract more attention then your other more common units. If used effectively your army can be unstoppable.
Upgrades:
Chintinous Plating:
150 minerals and 150 gas
-This upgrade gives the Ultralisk more armour than it normally could have, a must have if you are building ultralisk
Anabolic Synthesis:
200 minerals and 200 gas
-This upgrade allows your Ultralisk move faster than normal. Immediate upgrade if you use ultralisks
Tatics to beat Ultralisks:
Terran:
-Your infantry are useless, including your bunkers
-Seige tanks do the most damage to the behemoths, be sure to have something blocking the Ultralisk's way to the seige tank since its over if the Ultralisk gets to the tanks
-Spider mines come really handy either as a distraction or killing Ultralisks.
-Science Vessels with Defense Matrix can use it on Seige tanks that unfortunately couldn't kill the ultralisk or a goliath blocking the ultralisk to your tanks
-Wraiths and Battlecruisers can attack with impunity
Protoss:
-Zealots can hold down Ultralisks very well
-Dragoons with support can hit Ultralisks for good damage
-Dark Templars are great if the Ultralisk has no detection
-Reavers can destroy Ultralisks in 4 shots
-Scouts and Carriers can hit them with impunity
-Dark Archon mind control can turn this annoying meat shield into your meat shield
-Maelstorm can hit the Ultralisk and allow you hit it mutiple times without it reacting
-Corsiars with Distruption web can stop Ultralisks for a short while
-Arbiters can stasis field ultralisks and making them as an obstacle rather than a help
Zerg:
-Zerglings can score mutiple hits on ultralisks and only take 2 hits before they die
-Hydralisks can hurt ultralisks for full damage
-Lurkers are excellent at wiping out ultralisks especially without Overlord support
-Defiler plaguing an ultralisk can reduce its hp drastically
-Mutalisks and Guardians can attack with impunity
-Queen spawn broodlings work best
Guardian
Costs: 50 minerals and 100 gas and 1 mutalisk
Supply: 2
Hp: 150
Damage: 20 normal (+2 per upgrade)
Armour: 1 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Large
Analysis: The closest thing the Zerg has for a seige weapon. Its range is impressive but nothing close to the Seige tank, it also lacks the power of the seige weapons. The Guardian is also expensive for a seige weapon compared to Seige tanks. Its biggest advantage is that its in the air and annoying small units won't be too much of a bother. It is also not affected by powerful ground units that can only hit ground and has a decent cool down rate. Its biggest weakness is that it cannot hit air units and is very slow when it comes to retreating. A guardian army without air support is one that can be easily wasted it also comes very late in the Zerg tech tree. In Starcraft there was no anti-air ground unit that rivals the Guardian in range making short work of any ground unit. In Brood Wars the upgraded Goliath gives the Guardian a lot of trouble.
Tatics to beat Guardians:
Terrans:
-You are lucky to have the goliath in brood wars with its charon boosters, its the only unit that can fight back the guardian on the ground and deals more damage than the guardian.
-Irradiate works well against Guardians since they pack up like all air units.
-Wraiths and Battlecruisers easily clean Guardians off the map.
-Blind works on Guardians since they require their range to be effective
Protoss:
-Psionic storm has enough range to hit guardians, since they are too slow the full effects of psionic storm will be used on Guardians
-Scouts, Corsairs and Carriers can defeat Guardians with ease
Zerg:
-Dark swarm will buy time for your ground forces
-Mutalisks and Devourers work very against Guardians
-Ensnaring Guardians will make it impossible for them run
Defiler
Costs: 50 minerals and 150 gas
Supply: 2
Hp: 80
Damage: N/A
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Large
Transport slots: 4 is max
Analysis: This is the Zerg's most useful spellcaster. Many players do not know how to use this spellcaster effectively enough. It contains some of the most useful spells in the whole game. Add the fact it can consume for energy, makes it able to perform more spells frequently. One problem with the Defiler is that you cannot use it except in late games due to it being at the bottom of the tech tree. The cost of the defiler is quite pricy in the gas department. Defilers also have low hp making them frail. However if your good with them, you can make cap ship players cry. A cap ship player hates Defilers to death if they know what the Defiler is capable of.
Research:
Dark Swarm
Cost: Free
-This spell allows you cover your ground units under a cloud making all missile attacks against your units in the cloud miss. Only spells, splash damage units and melee units can do damage to units under the cloud. Very useful against cap ships or any ranged unit for that matter except seige tanks and reavers
Plague
Cost: 150 minerals and 150 gas
-This spell is another very powerful spell, not as useful as dark swarm overall but very effective nonetheless. Protoss cannot recover any damage done by this spell. It is capable of dealing nearly 300 hp damage to any unit. Very powerful against capital ships that need their high hp to survive, yet another effective anti-cap ship spell, Battlecruisers can recover this while Carriers cannot. It is also a good lure weapon, since any unit that gets the plague will try to attack the defiler this its good for helping with traps. A defense can get crippled with the effects of plague especially photon cannons.
Consume
Cost: 100 minerals and 100 gas
-Seems counter productive to kill your own units to gain some energy but this spell is very useful if you use Dark swarm and plague very frequently which you will. To have an endless supply of energy you only need zerglings thus you can kill you zerglings to regain energy faster. You cannot consume an enemy unit sorry.
Broodlings
Costs: 150 energy
Supply: 0
Hp: 30
Damage: 4 normal (+1 per upgrade)
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Small
Transport slots: 8 is max
Analysis: Not much analysis on these units other than they come out of a unit that you used spawn broodlings on. As fighters they really suck, the spell is useful for instantly killing units, the broodlings themselves are worthless, they cannot beat up an scv. What's the point with broodlings coming out since they are just going die anyway right? Yes thats true but when you spawn broodling on a few seige tanks bunched up, the tanks will shoot the broodling and cause damage on each other. So basically broodlings can only be effective on tanks. Worthless otherwise
Infested Terrans
Costs: 100 minerals and 50 gas
Supply: 1
Hp: 60
Damage: 500 normal
Armour: 0 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Small
Transport slots: 8 is max
Analysis: You can only receive this unit when you infest a command center. Its the scourge of the ground. Is it worth the trouble getting these units? Yes and no. Its worth it to use infested terrans when your enemy likes to bunch up things, thats where the 500 damage comes handy, however its also worthless when you enemy spreads things out and makes good use of ranged and air units. Melee unit users also fall victim to infested terran attacks. One interesting note, the attack command fails to work with the Infested Terran thus requiring you to patrol them in order to attack. A macromanagement Zerg player will not like infested terrans, a micromanagement player will find them useful. The most effective use for infested terrans is dropping them into undefended bases heavily damaging buildings or blowing up workers.
Tatics to defeat Infested Terrans:
Terrans:
-Marines in bunkers work well against infested terrans
-Vultures work very well against infested terrans
-Seige tanks can hit infested terrans from afar
-Air units with ground attacks can attack infested terrans with impunity
Protoss:
-Dark templars work if there isn't any detectors nearby
-Photon cannons can kill infested terrans easily
-Hallucinations can waste infested terran's suicide for nothing
-Air units with ground attacks can attack infested terrans with impunity
Zerg:
-Zerglings can work since they are cheap and expendable just make sure not too many die to a single infested terran
-Hydralisks in groups can defeat infested terrans easily, just make sure none survive
-Lurkers can kill infested terrans easily as long as they remain hidden
-Air units with ground attacks can attack infested terrans with impunity
Lurker
Costs: 50 minerals and 75 gas and 1 Hydralisk
Supply: 2
Hp: 125
Damage: 20 normal(+2 per upgrade)
Armour: 1 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Large
Transport slots: 2 is max
Analysis: The evolved form of the Hydralisk, this unit is useful for destroying masses of enemies, the weaker they are the easier they go down to this unit, it unfortunately loses its air attack. One of the most useful units for the Zerg. Also one of the more defensive units for the zerg. Its interesting in the fact it needs to burrow to attack, don't worry it knows burrow even if you didn't research it, however Lurkers burrow slower so they are vulnerable when burrowing. The Lurker is most vulnerable on the move or on land in other words. Many people will have about 8 lurkers defending their most vulnerable choke point, lurkers sort of work like seiged seige tanks in the fact they remain immobile when attacking. For the Seige tank this isn't much of a problem, for the lurker its a problem since if they get attacked by seige tanks they will need to unburrow thus making themselves even more vulnerable. Strongest unit for killing masses of units since its spike shoots in a line, anything caught in the line takes 20 damage allowing 2 lurkers to massacre many marines. Melee units are advised to avoid fighting this unit. The effects of Dark swarm do not affect it either making very dangerous. Ironic lurkers are best against their own race.
Tatics to beat lurkers:
Terrans:
-Missile turrets, Com sat and Science Vessels are a must.
-Bunkers work well against lurkers that move in too close.
-Seige tanks can kill these creatures in 2 shots and also out range them.
-Spread out Goliaths work well.
-Vulture spider mines are really nasty to lurkers.
-Irradiate can kill lurkers easily.
-Wraiths and Battlecruisers can kill lurkers no problem.
Protoss:
-Observers and Photon cannons are required.
-Psionic storm is pure evil to lurkers especially if you burrowed them together.
-Archons are quite useful in defeating lurkers.
-Dark Templars can kill lurkers as long as you can detect and they can't.
-Disruption web causes problems for lurkers that need to move out in order to attack again.
-Scouts and Carriers can kill lurkers no problem.
Zerg:
-Overlords are a must otherwise your ground army is screwed.
-Ultralisks can absorb lots of damage from lurkers.
-Queens can use spawn broodlings.
-Mutalisks and Guardians can kill lurkesr no problem.
Devourer
Costs: 150 minerals and 50 gas and 1 Mutalisk
Supply: 2
Hp: 250
Damage: 25 normal(+2 per upgrade)
Armour: 2 (+1 per upgrade)
Unit type: Large
Analysis: This is the Zerg's new supporting air unit. Its very powerful against other support air units and cap ships. This beast also deals almost 3 times as the mutalisk can and yet splash acid spores on enemy units. It has the second highest hp for a Zerg unit and moves very fast for a unit with this much hp. Which means if you attack 3 wraiths crowed together with 1 Devourer, 1 wraith will take the damage and get an acid spore, the other 2 will receive acid spores but take no damage. Acid spores also reveal cloaked units which means even without an overlord these units can be revealed as long as they have an acid spore. They also weaken the unit allowing your other units dealing more damage than normal useful for mutalisks that can deal a lot of damage to acid spored units. Last thing acid spores do is slow down cool down rates thus making cap ships all the more weaker, especially battlecruisers. The biggest con of the Devourer is the really slow cool down time. This will allow many units to get hits off of this beast before it can attack again. It also lacks any ground attack like Valkyries and Corsairs.
Tatics to beat Devourers:
Terran:
-Bunkers, Missile turrets will keep them away
-Goliaths are mean to Devourers dealing heavy damage
-Wraiths that don't get revealed can make short work of Devourers
-Science Vessels using Irradiate can kill a Devourer
Protoss:
-Dragoons can fend off Devourers
-Cannons will keep Devourers away
-Psionic Storm is very useful against Devourers who crowd together
-Archons can deal quite a lot of damage to Devourers
-Scouts can deal heavy enough damage to Devourers to survive
Zerg:
-Hydralisks are once again effective against Devourers
-Other Devourers once again the outcome depends on the numbers, upgrades and spells used
-Ensnaring Devourers will make their cool down even slower
-Plague will make Devourers easier to kill
-Spore Colonies can keep Devourers away.