This post has not been edited by the GamesBeat staff. Opinions by GamesBeat community writers do not necessarily reflect those of the staff.
Editor's note: I've been playing the Starcraft 2 beta for about a month now, and although I've cemented my position in the gold league, I still have a few lessons to learn. Luckily, Rich has prepared a list of anti-cheese strategies which should help any noob under attack. My advice: pump out Mutalisks like your life depended on it. -Omar
Cheese [cheez] – noun:
- The curd of milk separated from the whey and prepared in many ways as a food.
- Informal. Early Starcraft tactics that involve the abandonment of resource efficiency in the pursuit of an effective surprise attack.
Starcraft 2's multiplayer brings out the best and worst in people. If you’ve played the beta (or any other Blizzard real-time strategy game), the predictability of decade-old veterans might shock you. Considering the space between the launch of Starcraft 2 and its predecessor, it would be safe to assume that things have changed. Unfortunately, competitors still employ the same annoying tactics.
If you're new to the scene and plan to dive into Starcraft 2 this July, keep one thing in mind: People are jerks.
Yes, I made a sweeping generalization that seems uncalled for, but facts are facts. You'll feel much better if you keep my adage in the back of your mind. In fact, you’ll probably anticipate cheap, cheesy moves that only exist to anger you. Allow me to quickly break down the most important things for those of you without a beta key.
Strategic harassment
If you played Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, you already know what I’m talking about. Early-game harassment is back in a big way. As a noob to the scene, I learned first hand. The Terran army received sweet units, called Reapers (pictured right), whose primary purpose is to kill your workers and drive you completely insane.
See those radical jetpacks? They allow Reapers to quickly leap into your base and back out again. Be ready for it.
Zerg will rush you
Don’t take it personally — it’s just what they do. Be ready for a rush of Zerglings or Roaches if you're facing a Zerg opponent.
Don't panic when your foe enters your base with a handful of early units. Just turn your workers against the enemy. That’s right. In the early game your workers can go toe-to-toe reasonably well with a small batch of Zerglings. Try to kite the 'lings as much as possible, especially if you have ranged units available. If they surround your workers, they're toast.
Tower rush improved — now with cannons and bunkers!
An enemy worker lurks in your base. Naturally, you think he’s just scouting. You’re wrong. Remember what I told you: People are jerks. That worker will start building fortifications as soon as you stop working. Once those buildings are up, you'll be pinned faster than Tiger Woods can apologize. If you see any workers, you’re in good shape. If you didn’t, be prepared for a frustrating fight.
Should your opponent play Protoss, aim for the pylons. Terran rivals will use Space Construction Vehicles to build bunkers — take 'em all down. Fighting Zerg? Well, let’s just say they have a spiffy underground network now. When you see creep in your base, brace yourself.
Air units will destroy your main building
Whether you have a nexus, hatchery, or command center, be ready for cheese. Use scout units to survey the map and keep an eye on your opponent, because the moment you lapse, you'll be knee-deep in air units — the Protoss Void Rays (my personal favorite) are particularly adept at base destruction. Players will often cheese their way to an aerial armada if you give them enough idle time, so don't.
Get familiar
Before you do anything, be sure to poke around with the computer. Currently, the beta’s A.I. has one difficulty setting: very easy. This mode should give you more than enough elbow room to try out build orders, learn about tech trees, and read tool tips.
I hope my harrowing and painful experiences have helped those of you who are new to the franchise. If you hunger for more information, be sure to peruse the Starcraft 2 forums for tips, tricks, and more detailed strategies.
I'm off to construct additional pylons.