Understanding how to expertly macro as a Zerg is without a doubt one of the most challenging aspects of Starcraft 2. Zerg micro and Zerg macro is considered by most to be the toughest in the game, but also the most worthwhile if you are able to keep with it. The rationale Zerg macro skills is so tough to excel at is because it is so completely different than how the other races macro. With the Terran and Protoss races, your primary economic bottleneck is with resource mining – the quantity of Mineral patches you are able to find and mine. With the Zerg, the biggest constraint is the quantity of Hatcheries.
If you can maintain 3 or more Hatcheries and survive until the later rounds of the game, you should have an easy time overwhelming the opponent. Unlike the Protoss and Terran races, the Zerg create all their units out of one building. This allows them to alter from soldier production to tech development instantly. Use of the Larvae injection in combination with the instant tech switch allows you to spawn a huge amount of units.
Zerg Macro Strategy – Spawn Larva
One important technique that will assist you is to use a timer, program it to ring every forty seconds, and to cast Spawn Larva as soon as it rings. As a Zerg, you need to perfect this mechanic to macro well.
Zerg Macro Tactic – Early Expansion
In comparison to the other species, the Zerg dominate resource generation and unit development. By growing soon you are able to magnify these advantages. Growing early while harassing your opponents will ensure that they are slow to develop their late game troops, which have the potential to do major damage on most Zerg troops. One of the biggest risks of expanding early is leaving yourself open to air attacks, because you are opting for another Hatchery as opposed to a Lair upgrade. This is another reason that this strategy only works while harassing your enemy – you keep him from building an early air attack that you are basically defenseless against. Successful implementation of this strategy will position you to have incredibly strong resource development and soldier development much sooner than usual, which will greatly increase your odds of success.
Zerg Macro – Creep Tumors
One of the main strategies behind being successful is focusing on growing your Creep. Creep enhances the speed of your soldiers and gives you an edge in combat. In addition, since Zerg structures are biological, they require Creep to live. It is important to develop more than one source of Creep while developing your buildings, so if one of your sources is taken out your opponent does not destroy your buildings too. Remember that Creep grows much more quickly with multiple Creep Tumors. While fixing enemy damage, be certain to utilize this strategy of more than one Creep Tumors.
Eric Bator has been practicing Starcraft 2 since the beta release in February 2010. He is a Diamond League player who has perfected his Zerg Scouting Strategy and other Starcraft 2 strategies through his use of this Diamond Gamer In Game Addon.