I've been playing a lot more of Multiplayer (because you can't really do much else) recently, and I'm proud to say I've gotten better at it.
There are some things I've picked up along the way, too;
1. The Protoss
I hate the Protoss. If they don't run up and build a little mini-base right outside or, even worse, inside your own, they amass Void Rays.
I'm not sure who you got to do the Protoss, Blizzard, but they only have one strategy.
I'm serious. The only strategy I've seen Protoss players use is "Stalkers and Void Rays", and sometimes it's just "Void Rays".
Zealot Rush? Bah. While effective, most Protoss players don't much care for it. Carrier Swarm? Nope. I can't recall a single match where I saw a Carrier. Colossi? Get out of here. They're big, slow and don't actually do all that much. Plus, they can be targeted by air units last time I checked, meaning they can die very fast.
That leaves Void Rays, which are very nasty. Their damage output is phenomenal, and when grouped they can make your entire base into their little quivering b#@%&.
Fortunately, they are quite fragile, and 8 Marines, un-upgraded, can take one on quite happily without serious losses. Unfortunately, most players don't realise this.
Since most Protoss players go for air you had better do so as well. The most evil combination of races I've faced in a Multiplayer match is Zerg (ground, early rush) and Protoss (air, mid-late annihilation). So your praying at least one of them is incompetent, otherwise you'll prepare for one and get slaughtered by the other.
2. Terran Ghosts
One of my biggest complaints with the Terrans is the Ghost. Not the actual unit, no - that's fine. I'm talking about the voice actor.
In StarCraft, the Ghost's voice was growly without being incomprehensible. It was a cool voice, the kind you tried to imitate while following a group of strangers.
*ahem* Uh, but the Ghost's voice in Starcraft II is clearly someone who's voice is not growly trying to pull off a growly voice, and it sounds terrible.
And it's not like you have to start again from scratch - the Ghost is wearing a helmet (for want of a better word) so there's no fine tuning for the speaking animation needed in the unit portrait.
Actually, the model is also a little weird. Why are his visor and scope colours controlled by the team colours? They shouldn't be - they should have always been green.
3. Zerg
I've gotten used to the Zerg sounds now, Blizzard. I still don't love them, but they don't irritate me as much.
However, one thing that really gets on my nerves about the Zerg is the Brood Lord.
Now, I love the Brood Lord to bits. It's my favourite unit in the entire game. But there are several things wrong with them.
A) they are just out of reach from the wrath of every defence structure - missile turrets, photon cannons and spore whatevers, meaning that the only way you could take them out is with air units, since they can't attack air. Forget ground units; they'll rip them to shreds.
B) they are a tad slow the same way that Santa is a tad imaginary. Any attempt at giving them a fighter escort will end up in you micromanaging them all the way to the enemy base because, and this is guaranteed, the escort will be faster.
C) they take a lot to make. You need a Hive before you can even think about making one, then you need a Greater Spire, and then you need cash to evolve the bloody things from Devourers. I understand that it's kind of the point to make the player work for the super unit, but I'm damn sure a Terran player can get Thors/Battlecruisers faster and a Protoss player can get a Mothership faster, or at least a Carrier.
4. Terran Strategy
Terran is my favourite race to play. The Zerg require someone with a fast, rushing sort of brain and the Protoss take too long and are too expensive for me to properly get my head around.
The 'Marine Swarm' is my favourite tactic. I can't thank you enough for Reactors, Blizzard, because without them I would be useless.
Reactors let you build two Marines at once. Enough Barracks with Reactors and you have a lot of Marines.
Some players don't realise the true potential behind these brave little soldiers. Even un-upgraded, they can still hold off even the toughest of enemies.
I remember one match where a player decided to throw about 10 Battlecruisers at me. He wasn't expecting the intense resistance of my 60 Marines, all firing on one ship at a time. All Battlecruisers down, and at least 20 Marines left. And they weren't fully upgraded either. Nor did they use Stim Packs (drugs are for losers).
I would recommend backing up your Marines with Thors though, especially if you plan on attacking the enemies base. Without Thors, the Marines have a chance of being outgunned by the likes of a group of Ultralisks (which are rare in multiplayer) or a lot of air units. Thors also do more damage verses buildings.
5. Zerg Strategies
First, the Zergling Rush. While it's still a viable strategy, I think Blizzard have nerfed it just a bit.
The Spawning Pool requires 200 minerals, whereas in the original StarCraft, it only needs 150. And the collection rate of those minerals has dropped so you won't be building them as fast.
Still, it's a vicious and "rage quit"-inducing strategy, but it's only truly effective against a slow player.
I don't quite know how the Zerg player does it, but I keep getting shunted with the 'Not enough minerals' message when trying to build my Supply Depot to shut up the 'Not enough supply' message. And when I've built, if I'm lucky, 1 Marine, the bastard already has 6 Zerglings en route to my base.
I would not recommend such a strategy against Protoss. A Zealot can take on 2 Zerglings, and Photon Cannons make quick work of them.
The second strategy I use as often as possible for the Zerg is the Brood Lord rush. Getting them as quickly as possible means my opponent is in for a world of hurt. Slow and unprotected yes, but utterly devastating.
6. Protoss
Void Rays. As quickly and as many as possible.
7. Units you will almost never see in Multiplayer
Ultralisks - they need a Hive to build and Brood Lords are better. Cost quite a bit, too.
Mutalisks - Strangely enough, these guys are pretty rare. (At least, I almost never see them.)
Banelings - Slow and easily slaughtered wholesale. If they could actually get to the enemy in time they would be devastating.
Changelings - Never seen one of these either. Only useful against AI or extremely thick Multiplayer opponents.
Carriers - Who needs 'em when you got Void Rays?
High Templars - I've never seen one. Ever.
Archons - These guys are extremely rare, too.
Raven - A rare sight.
Ghost - I've only ever had one used against me.
Medivac Dropship - As shocking as this may be, I've only ever seen it used twice.
Finally,
8. The Terran Predator.
Originally, Blizzard was going to use a unit called a Predator to replace the Valkyrie from Brood War as an air-to-air fighter, presumably similar to the Protoss Phoenix. However, it was taken out during an early release in favour of the Terran Viking, an air unit that could go from air-to-air fighter and ground-to-ground assault unit.
So, it had an adequate replacement. So who cared?
Well, I care. The Predator looks way too cool to leave out. At least make it a hero unit, there's no need to throw it away.
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