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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

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

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