Starcraft 2 Reaper Rush

The Reaper is a new Terran unit in Starcraft 2. This particular unit has a few traits that have made it infamous for its rushing ability. The Starcraft 2 Reaper rush is a very effective tactic for the following reasons:

• Reapers can jump up and down cliffs
• Reapers are very fast
• Reapers do bonus damage to light units

For these reasons, the Starcraft 2 Reaper rush involves building an early Reaper (or four), jumping up the back of the enemy's base, picking off all his harvesters, then running away. You can repeat this process as often as necessary to cripple the enemy's supply line.

Below, I have listed the build order for performing the perfect Starcraft 2 Reaper rush, along with how to use each type of rush most effectively.

Click Here for Shokz #1 Starcraft 2 Strategy Guide

Proxy Starcraft 2 Reaper Rush

Note: This build has since been patched. I no longer recommend using the Reaper other than for scouting in 1v1s. Open with a standard Terran build order and produce a single Reaper or two just to scout out your opponent and maybe take out a few harvesters. However, now it is no longer viable to rush with Reapers in 1v1.

The patch made it so that Reapers take longer to build, you have to build a supply depot before getting a Barracks, and you have to build a Factory before researching Nitro Packs. Additionally, Roaches got a range buff. Due to this, Reaper rushing is not a viable strategy against any even remotely decent player. And no, the Reaper + Medivac build does not work vs Zerg; the player only needs a few Roaches and that simply is a no-go.

Despite the recent patches that nerfed the Reaper, there is still some seriously cheesy Reaper play that works in 2v2 matches (and probably bigger games as well). You simply deal with the fact that you have to build a Supply Depot first and just allow the slight delay to push you back.

However, you need to have a Zerg partner to make this work, and it works best against Protoss and (sometimes) Zerg players (Zerg can be hit and miss due to Overlord scouting). You also need to be a pretty solid microer yourself. It's not a serious build, is pretty easy to learn, and is quite effective even post-patches in 2v2. Here is the build order:

- Build 1 SCV at the start of the game, then save up money.

- 7/11 Supply Count: Build a Supply Depot at your base as soon as you have the resources. Build it right in your mineral line if you can so the SCVs do not have to move very far.

- 7/11 Supply Count: While the SCV is building the Supply Depot, pull off another SCV and send it towards the opponents base.

- 7/11 Supply Count: Build your Barracks when the SCV gets to the enemy's base (hide it away from the ramp).

- 7/11 Supply Count: Build a Refinery. When it finishes, have 3 SCVs harvest at it.

- 7/11 Supply Count: Barracks finishes, attach Tech Lab

- 7/11 Supply Count: Start training your first Reaper

- 8/11 Supply Count: Build an Orbital Command

- 8/11 Supply Count: Send your first Reaper in, start building a second.

Now, at the same time, your Zerg ally should use go for the cheesy 6-pool. Go right for a Spawning Pool and then pump out 6-8 Zerglings and rally them towards the players base you want to hit.

Ideally, your first Reaper and the Zerglings will all arrive at the same time. What you want to do during this confusion time is to sneak your SCV into the enemy's base and start building a bunker just behind his mineral line.

This puts the enemy player you are attacking in an unusual situation. The enemy will have to choose between the Bunker, the Zerglings, or your Reaper - either way it is a very bad situation and only the best players will be able to hold it off.

This works best on 2v2 maps where players either have a wide ramp, or even better do not have a shared ramp at all. This way it will take so long for the ally to reinforce that you can easily take out the other player's offensive units and harvesters before the other team can respond. I mean really, how can you hope to defend 1-2 Reapers and 6-8 Zerglings at just a few minutes into the game? As long as your micro is good it is impossible. Zerglings can easily take out any anti-Reaper units and kite around harvesters, or easily burn down units that might try to focus the Bunker.

If you get the Bunker completely finished the game is over. If you manage to demolish his supply lines but are not able to build the Bunker, keep pushing with Reapers and start to build up your base while slowing your enemy's advancement. Use your Orbital Command to drop a bunch of MULEs to stimulate your economy.

Once you take out one player completely, you can easily fall back and macro up to take out the remaining ally. A 2v1 is easy, even with the delayed start you will have from opening up with such an all-in build. Be sure to use your Reapers and Zerglings to pressure the remaining ally while you build up at home.

Delayed Reaper Rush

This is my preferred method of performing the Reaper Rush in 1v1 play. It is a very simple strategy. Start off with a traditional build order consisting of:

- 10/11 Supply Count: Supply Depot

- 12/19 Supply Count: Barracks

- 13/19 Supply Count: Refinery

- 15/19 Supply Count: Tech Lab

- 15/19 Supply Count: Orbital Command

From here, build another Barracks and a Factory. Make sure you wall yourself in as to not let any scouts inside your base.

Now, at your first Barracks, quietly produce Reapers and hide them off in the corner of your base. Do not let your enemy see your Reapers. Make him think you are just teching up by grabbing a Factory.

You do not want your enemy to see your Reapers or they will be completely worthless. Also, be sure to pick up the speed upgrade as soon as your Factory finishes.

Once you build 4-6 Reapers (there is no rush, make sure you are still building up your base), send them in. Make sure to sneak around the outskirts of the map and jump up into the enemy's base. It does not matter if this rush is delayed or late. Make sure to slide them up the back and prevent your enemy from seeing these until the last second.

Now, at this point, your enemy should have enough units to easily defeat your Reapers. However, he is likely keeping them near the front of his base. Hop up the back wall and move right for the mineral line. Focus on all his Probes/SCVs/Drones. Do not waste a single shot on a normal unit.

Four Reapers easily kill a single Drone or Probe in 1 attack from each one. You can wipe out a dozen Probes within a few seconds. If you are playing in the Platinum league or below, you can often wipe out nearly every harvester before they are able to respond.

If you take out 6 Drones/Probes/SCVs, you did good. In a late game, you can often snipe 5-6 Probes at the main base, then hop down to an expansion and snipe Probes there. You can continue to jump between expansions and the main base with Reapers and cause tons of damage, all while continuing to tech and build regular units at your base.

The goal of this delayed rush is to slow down your enemy while you continue to build units, expand, or tech up. It is a great technique and I use it frequently in games of Starcraft 2.

Reapers make an effective vespene gas dump for Terran players going for a typical MMM build. Marines, Marauders, and expanding requires a lot of minerals, so you can dump off a bit of your spare gas on a few Reapers and inflict a lot of damage.

This really isn't my "go-to" strategy, but it's great when you are playing a series of games against the opponent so they do not get too comfortable with any single strategy. It is great to do when you sense the opponent is really macroing hard, as producing a handful of Reapers is not a big mineral investment and will not seriously effect your ability to macro up as well.

Note: This is not my recommended Reaper usage versus Zerg players. I have written a separate article on the 5-Rax Reaper build which you can read about in the Starcraft 2 Mass Reaper section.

Are you still struggling to get into the Diamond League?

If you answer the above question with a yes, then I urge you to pick up the Shokz Starcraft 2 Mastery Guide.

This routinely updated advanced guide contains strategies for ALL the races, an advanced 1v1 guide, a 2v2 guide with powerful strategies for Terran, Zerg, and Protoss players that will have your opponents begging for mercy. Click here to get it now!