StarCraft @ Shiar.nl

Game basics

Quick hints to get started with multiplayer Brood War.

Miners (SCV/Probe/Drone)
2-3 per mineral patch, 3-4 for gas.
Keep building them!
Whenever they are unprotected, they should be attacked.

Terran

As soon as you've got sufficient spare minerals, build a Supply Depot, then Barracks and a Refinery (send 2 more SCVs when it's done).
After that you can build a Factory, which can create the fighting units you want. Whenever you cannot spend all of your money, build more factories.

Vulture
Strong against small units (protoss Zealot, zerg Zerglings, terran Marines).
Very fast, especially with booster upgrade, so good for exploration.
Ideal for harassing enemy miners if you get the chance.
About as powerful as an SCV against larger units, except that it can lay mines for great justice.
Tank
Good against large units and buildings.
After research at the machine shop, can enter siege mode in which they cannot move, but deliver much greater damage at huge range.
Goliath
Versus any air attack, but also a good general purpose unit at ground.
Research range to fend off hit-and-run air attacks more easily.
Science Vessel
No conventional attacks, but has some of the strongest abilites in the game.
Irradiate to get rid of Zerg threats.
Perfect against Lurkers: continuous detection and can kill them with a single cast.
EMP to weaken any Protoss (Archons become completely useless), or prevent abilities (life saver if it can discharge a group of Battle Cruisers).
Matrix to defend strategic units (think Dropship, Ghost).

Strong counters

Zergling
Stimmed Firebat & Medic
Marines (M&M) are usually used as they are good against most zerg units
Vulture
Hydralisk
Goliath, Marines, Tank...
Lurker
Science Vessel's irradiate!
Tank
Ultralisk
Tactics (shoot from behind walls, lay mines, harassing with Science Vessels)
Tanks
Guardian
Goliaths with range upgrade
SV irradiate
Specifically Valkyrie if Mutas are massing
Defiler
Just kill before it does its thing (i.e. Vulture or Science Vessel)
Zealot
Vultures
Dragoon
Tank
High Templar
Evade
Vulture hit'n'run
Dark Templar
Vulture
No problem as long as you can see them, so Comsat and Turrets to spare
Archon
Tanks or anything from range
Vultures do full damage against their pure shields
Science Vessel's EMP!
Carrier
Goliaths with range upgrade
Surprise by cloaked Wraiths
Ghost lockdown
Vulture
Tank, Goliath, air
Tank
Tank (sieged)
Battle Cruiser
Goliath
Tank
Wraith
Goliath
Valkyrie
Valkyrie
Goliath
Battle Cruiser
Battle Cruiser (Yamato gun)
Goliath if possible
Science Vessel support

Protoss

Start with a Pylon (powers buildings in its vicinity). Then just Gateways for ground units. For anything but Zealots, get gas (Assimilator) and a Cybernetics Core.

The Robotics Facility provides Observers for frontline cloak detection, and Shuttles for transport. Both are the best around (constant and cloaked observation, strong and fast transportation), but also the most expensive.

Cannons are nice for general defense (unexpected harassing and detection), but often overrated. Better to have a good offense, so try to spend your money on mobile units.

Zealot
Your meelee unit throughout any game.
Against masses of Zerglings, try to get 1 weapons upgrade at the Forge. Then you will only need 2 hits to kill one instead of 3.
Best against siege tanks (if they can outman them). Research Leg upgrade at the Citadel to close the distance quickly.
Dragoon
General purpose: ranged and anti-air.
Requires the Cybernetics Core, where you also want to upgrade its range eventually.
Very weak against Zerglings.
High Templar
Genocide against small or stacked units, or good as support against large forces.
Eventually required to keep up with Zerg masses. Less critical against other races.
Advanced unit. Needs a lot of research (Psionic Storm), gas, preparation, and close attention to make their great power count.
You'll only need a few of them, and well escorted so they're not destroyed prematurely.
Fallback to conventional firepower (by merging an Archon) if all energy stormed away and zerg forces are still incoming.
Carrier
Good counter against Terran (a wall of Tanks is powerless against air).
Large costs! Very strong once in full force, but a good player will use that money to kill you many times over before that.
Upgrade capacity for twice the damage.

Strong counters

Tank
Zealot
Carrier eventually
Vulture
Dragoon (watch out for mines)
Cannon to defend vulnerable mineral lines
Goliath
Ground units, storm preferrably :)
Wraith
Corsair
Templar Storm (even if hidden)
Dragoon
Valkyrie
Ground support
Battle Cruiser
Carrier, Scout, Dragoon
High Templar for support
Dark Archon ideally (if only they dare)
Zergling
Zealot (weapon upgrade is a great asset)
High Templar storm
Archon
Hydralisk
Surround by Zealots (speed upgrade helps), Dragoon
High Templar storm
Lurker
High Templar and Dragoon (ideally one shot each)
Ultralisk
Reaver with melee in front
Archon
Dark Templar while undetected
Mutalisk
Corsair
Storm or Archon as they tend to stack
Cannons or Dragoons to fend off harassing mutas
Devourer
Carrier
Zealot
Dragoon with good micro
Zealot for larger battles
Templar/Archon
Dragoon
Zealot if you can get close (surround or distract)
Dragoon with High Templar support
High Templar
Evade!
Dark Templar
Dark Templar
Cannon
Any unit near an Observer
Reaver
Dragoons spread out
Reaver + Shuttle
Carrier
Carrier
Corsairs
Dragoons on open terrain
Dark Archon Mind Control

Zerg

The most flexible (and ‛alternative’) race. All units are built at a Hatchery, making it easy to switch tactics. This does not mean your starting Hatchery is enough: Zerg depends on large numbers, so build several.

Unit supply is provided by flying creatures called Overlords. These are also used for detection and transport, so keep them around your units at all times. Send them out for scouting, but watch out not to lose too many of them.

Zergling
Extremely cheap, so have tons of them.
Either great cannon fodder, or very damaging if left alive.
Remains essential during the entire game. With speed upgrades often called Crackling for a reason.
Hydra
Usually does most of the killing (while Zerglings get fragged).
Good for fending off most airborne bullies.
Can mutate into a Lurker, a more advanced ground unit. Has to burrow to attack, but can hit multiple enemies.
Muta
Basic flying unit.
Relatively weak (especially against area attacks as they tend to stack).
Built to harass: can quickly hit weak targets and run before retaliated.
Mutates into Guardian or Devourer for strong specialization against only ground or air respectively.
Scourge
Kamikaze flyer against air.
Most vessels require several impacts. Build lots to counter capital ships.

Strong counters

Zealot
Microed Hydralisk with speed upgrade
Zerglings (claw upgrade ftw)
Lurker
Dragoon
Zergling
High Templar
Just evade and overwhelm
Queen Broodling if they stray
Archon
Hydralisks (with range)
Ultralisk
Reaver
Hydras spread out
Microed Lings
Guardian
Corsair
Devourer
Cannon
Sufficient Zerglings or anything really
Defiler Dark Swarm
Guardian
Marine
Surround by Zerglings (speed and claw upgrades help)
Sunken Colony to defend
Lurker
Defiler's Dark Swarm for great defense
Ultralisk
Firebat
Lurker
Muta
Ultra
Science Vessel
2 Scourges
Tank
Zerglings
Vulture
Hydralisk
Sunken Colony
Ultra
Valkyrie
Hydra
Zergling
Zergling
Mutalisk
Ultralisk (thick armor)
Hydralisk
Zergling
Ultralisk
More/better Ultralisx
Queen (Spawn Broodling)
Mutalisk
Spore Colony for defense
Mutalisk
Scourge (2 or 1 plus support)
Scourge
Spore Colony or Hydralisks
Sufficient Mutalisks
Sunken Colony
Zerglings