Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg Strategy

I find the Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg match-up to be the most straight-forward match-up in the game and I personally look forward to it.

There are a few primary things to understand when it comes to Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg strategy.

First off, whoever controls the map will win the game. Period. Zerg are very resource intensive and very few units are "hard counters" to other Zerg units, making the Zerg versus Zerg match-up come down to resources.

Here are some ways to control the map:

Expand Aggressively

Versus other Zerg players, a fast expansion can be effective but is also very risky, as outlined in the Starcraft 2 Zerg Strategy section. This allows you to pick up a quick expansion without putting yourself at risk.

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Here are a few strategies to get more expansions:

- Expand whenever you have more than 1000 minerals, even if you don't end up harvesting at that expansion. Sometimes as Zerg I will have 60-70 Drones and do not need anymore to take up my supply count. At this point, I will still build and defend other expansions and use them to solely harvest gas.

If you want to do well as Zerg, you cannot let minerals pile up. If no expansions are available and you have that many resources, throw down an extra Hatchery so you can train more units.

When my main base runs out of minerals, I will send these units off to these new expansions. Note that if you are taking up an expansion and defending it, your enemy is not harvesting it!

- Use automated defensive structures:

Zerg players tend to have too many minerals and not enough gas. Put your extra minerals to work by building Spine and Spore Crawlers at all of your expansions. This will prevent Zergling or Mutalisk hit and runs.

Using automated defensive structures is a key Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg strategy.

Prevent Enemy Expansions

Hit and run, plain and simple. A pack of 18 Speedlings can easily swoop in, kill all harvesters and do damage to the Hatchery before the enemy is able to respond. It doesn't matter if the Zerglings die in the process.

For maximum effect, attack multiple Hatcheries at the same time with Zergling packs. You can also use Mutalisks for the hit and run since they are so fast, especially if the person has Spine Crawlers. Avoid Spore Crawlers with your Mutalisks and stick to Zerglings.

Using Zerglings and Mutalisks to kill Drones is a cornerstone Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg Strategy.

Unit Counters and General Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg Strategy

Defending the Early Expansion

When your enemy sees you take an early expansion, there are two common responses to this. Sometimes, your enemy will mirror you and take his natural expansion.

In other cases they will try to mass produce Zerglings and rush you while you are weak. Good scouting is important here. If your enemy is massing Zerglings, build Roaches and defend the choke point. Also, build 1 Spine Crawler at each Hatchery to prevent a Zergling rush by.

If the Zerglings run by a pack of Roaches, they will often take heavy losses in the process and the Spine Crawler and Queen can hold them off until the Roaches get back in position.

If the enemy gets Zerglings, get Roaches. A few Roaches and a Queen can easily defend against Zergling packs. You can then go on the offensive with your Roaches and take out a Zergling masser.

Roaches are a key Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg unit and can help you defend and early expansion with ease.

In Defense of the Roach

The Roach should be at the heart of all Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg battles.

Many players do not like Roaches after the change to a 2 supply count. However, I am under the impression that Roaches are still a fantastic unit. For 75 minerals and 25 vespene gas, you can get a unit which does great damage (16 per attack) and has great health (125).

Roaches counter Zerglings right from the start. With the Speed upgrade, they also dominate Hydralisks and are cheaper.

As a result, in most Zerg vs Zerg match-ups, you will want to get Roaches.

Common Zerg Combos

Most Zerg players aren't used to playing good Zerg players in a 1v1. As a result, they tend to stick to the two basic Zerg combinations:

Speedling / Mutalisk: This is the most popular Zerg combo. Players here will mass Zerglings early all while teching quickly to Lair. They will use the Zerglings to apply early pressure and try to prevent you from getting anti-air. After all, if they get air first, Zerg don't get anti-air until getting a Lair.

How to Counter Speedling / Mutalisk Rush

This is not just a common Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg strategy but a common Zerg strategy all around. However, it is easily stopped by producing more efficient units.

Stick to your guns and keep the early expansion. Use Roaches to fend off Zergling pressure. Build a Spine Crawler at each Hatchery to deal with speed-upgraded Zerglings.

Tech to a Lair with decent speed (still need to beef up your expansion's harvesters). Build a Spore Crawler or two at each base to prevent the enemy from finishing you off with 3-4 Mutalisks (common). If the enemy does not take an early expansion, he won't have enough gas to get more than a few Mutalisks early.

Mass Hydralisks and a few Roaches (Roaches deal with and tank the Zerglings). Go in with a group of 18 Hydralisks and 6 Roaches for an easy win. Keep the Roaches in front to protect your Hydralisks from Zerglings, Queens, and Spine Crawlers.

The enemy will not be able to keep up with your production rate because Hydralisks are effective versus Mutalisks but are cheaper. You also have a leg up for having an early expansion and that will start to pay off here.

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Mass Hydralisk: Hydralisks are viable against most Zerg combos and not particularly weak versus any Zerg unit. This makes massing them easy and effective.

Enemies using this approach will often expand early and aggressively as well. This is not a problem as long as you mirror their expansion rate. In this situation, the counter is the same: Roaches AND Hydralisks.

Make sure you get the speed upgrade for Roaches and the range upgrade for the Hydralisks. This will help you keep them oriented in battle.

Conclusion

Make sure you expand at least as much as your enemy (preferably more); do not fall behind in economy. Harass their expansions and defend yours. And don't neglect the Roach when it comes to Starcraft 2 Zerg vs Zerg battles! 

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