Cheat Sheet

Pick a matchup above, click a card, or press 1/2/3.

vs Protoss

Overpool → 3 hatch → gas → Lair → speed → Spire → 5 hatch → Mutas ×5 → Hydras + speed/+1 → Overlord speed → range → Lurkers (optional) → 45 drones + 4th → late Hive

vs Terran

12 Hatch → 11 Pool → 13 Hatch → gas → Lair → speed → Sunken → Spire → Mutas ×7–9 → Lurkers → 3rd → Ultralisk

vs Zerg

12 Pool → expansion → ling speed → Lair → Spire → Mutas + Scourges → win the ling fight with arcs

Quick reference

Situation	What to do
Scouting	1st overlord → opponent's natural; drone → their main
Saturation	1 drone per mineral patch; ~12 drones/base before army
Start hydras	~30 drones (ZvP), or when Hydralisk Den + 5 hatch are up
Late-game signal	~45 drones → 4th base → Hive (Defilers, Cracklings)
Ling vs Zealot	4 lings per zealot
Mutas one-shot	5 mutas kill a Probe; 7 kill an SCV

Never forget

Never sit on 3 larvas (wastes production).
Opponent red on minimap (Shift+Tab).
After you defend a push → drone.
Made a mistake → fall back to logic (minerals piling up? spend on a hatchery).

Keys: 1 Protoss · 2 Terran · 3 Zerg · 4 Micro · 5 Basics · 6 Numbers · 7 Cheese · 0 Cheat Sheet · ←/→ cycle · [/] track step

ZvP — vs Protoss

Default: 3 Hatch → 5 Hatch Hydra → Overlord speed → Hydra upgrades → late Hive (Lurkers optional)

Survive early with Overpool, take 3 bases, get to Hydras, and don't rush Hive. Overlord speed is what keeps you alive against Corsairs.

Also a separate build, not a replacement: 2-base 5-hatch Hydra — Nagnar's ZvP beginner guide (same timer, Follow, and sounds; Hydras/Lurkers instead of Mutas).

Build order

1:32 = clock time · 9 = supply · 9/9 = blocked · @ = trigger · @50% midway / @100% done · grey = milestone · click a step or [ ] to track

0:549/9Overlord
1:179Spawning Pool — the Overpool (~1:17)
1:209Drone ×3 after the pool
2:032nd baseOne drone → Hatchery (2) at natural (~2:03; the other scouts)
2:37@100% PoolZerglings ×4 (2 pairs) — you don't know what's coming; WolFix makes 2–6 here depending on pressure
2:573rd baseHatchery (3) (~2:57)
3:00~2:50–3:20Extractor (~2:50–3:20, ~250 gas target)
3:3517/17Overlord (2nd, ~3:25–4:50)
3:55@100 gasLair (~3:55, completes ~5:05)
4:20@100 gasLing speed (Metabolic Boost, ~4:20)
4:5525/25Overlord (3rd, ~4:51–6:00)
5:08@100% LairSpire (~5:08)
5:555 basesHatchery (4) ~5:30, Hatchery (5) by ~5:55
6:00@100% SpireMutalisks ×5 (one-shot a Probe). Early Stargate/Corsair → Scourges ×2–4 instead — often the whole Spire spend, with no Mutas at all
6:30~30 dronesHydralisk Den + Evolution Chamber + 2nd Extractor (~6:00–6:30) — your baseline
7:00@100% Hydra DenSaturate → Hydras + Muscular Augments (speed) + Zerg Missile Attacks +1 (~6:30–7:00)
7:50Overlord speedPneumatized Carapace (~7:20–10:15) — standard step, keeps overlords alive vs Corsairs
8:30Hydra rangeGrooved Spines (~8:00–9:45) — range comes after speed/+1, not with them
9:30Missile +2Zerg Missile Attacks +2 (~9:15–11:00)
10:00OptionalLurker Aspect (~9:10–11:45, optional) — Lurkers if Protoss is ground-heavy. Sunkens are defensive only, not a default wall
15:30~45 drones4th base → Queen's Nest → Hive (late; Defilers, Cracklings, Plague after, Ultralisk optional)

Replay evidence (Vs_P, 8 games): Lurker Aspect in only 3 of 7 macro games; no Sunkens in normal macro games; Queen's Nest only at 15:30+, no Hive in any replay; gas before 3rd Hatch in 3 games; 5 Hatcheries at 5:32–6:22.

Timings

precise supply numbers — same build

Begin Hydras: 25 drones on minerals + 6 on gas (~42 supply).
3rd Extractor: ~54–60 supply.
Overlord speed: ~7:20–10:15. Missile +2: ~9:15–11:00.
4th base: ~110 supply (≈ 45 drones). Lurkers are optional and later, not a 110-supply checkpoint.
Rough benchmark: 80–85 supply @ 9 min.

Key rules

4 lings per Zealot. After ~10 lings, react to his move-outs instead.
Corsair response: Spire → fight with Mutas/Scourges, then transition to Hydras. Protect overlords (Hydras/Spores).
Overlord speed is standard: Pneumatized Carapace ~7:20–10:15, not just a Dark Templar reaction — keep an overlord at each base.
Storm: dodge as a priority, kill High Templars whenever possible. Out-macro him so it doesn't matter.

Scouting reads

You see	Means	Do
Double scout	Forge → cannon rush	Check natural, 2 lings
No gas / Nexus first	Macro game	3rd hatch, drone hard
Early Stargate	Corsair rush	Scourges first (often no Mutas), hide overlords, get Overlord speed
Gateway + Zealots	Zealot pressure	4 lings per Zealot + speed
No gateway at ramp	Proxy 2-Gate	4+ lings, sunken, counter probe

Engagement tips

Focus High Templars first, then dodge storms (move clumps aside).
Killing the Forge (upgrades) is high value.
After a failed Protoss push, drone immediately.

Defense

Threat	Response
Early Zealots	4 lings per zealot; get ling speed
Cannon rush	Overpool already beats it — scout it, make lings, don't panic
Corsair	Scourges/Mutas from Spire; Overlord speed + protect overlords (Hydras/Spores)
Dark Templars	Overlord speed (standard ~7:20–10:15) + overlord at each base; Hydras nearby

Key numbers

4 lings / Zealot · 5 Mutas one-shot Probe · 30 drones → Hydras · 45 drones → late Hive · gas ≈ 2:50–3:20

Practice — singleplayer drill

Setup: singleplayer vs AI. The point isn't winning, it's the clock — there's no opponent pressure, so any mistake is yours alone and easy to spot. Put Just the build on your second monitor with the timer running, Follow on, Sound on. The clips call each step so you don't have to look away from the game.
Checkpoints — pass is hitting each within about 10 seconds: Overlord 0:54, Pool 1:17, natural 2:03, 3rd Hatch 2:57, Extractor 3:00, Lair 3:55, Ling speed 4:20, Spire 5:08, five hatcheries by 5:55, Mutas ×5 at 6:00, Den + Evo + 2nd gas at 6:30, Hydras + speed + Missile +1 at 7:00.
Stages — don't run the whole thing until each stage passes. Stage 1, opening only: reset at Spire (5:08) and drill until the opening is automatic. Stage 2, economy: run to Mutas (6:00) — the pass mark is five hatcheries by 5:55. Stage 3, full build: run to Hydras (7:00) — the pass mark is the whole 6:30 bundle together plus Hydras at 7:00.
Mistakes to watch — any Sunken in practice is a failed rep: there's nothing to defend, and one Sunken cost the 5th Hatchery about 50 seconds in a real game (four of them cost the whole build in another). If the 5th Hatchery lands past ~6:00, check the replay for what the minerals went to instead. If the Den is on time but the Evo is late, the 6:30 checkpoint still fails — Den, Evo, and 2nd gas go down together. And if you supply-block, check which Overlord was late: 2nd ~3:35, 3rd ~4:55.

ZvT — vs Terran

Default: 12 Hatch → 3 Hatch Muta → Hydra/Lurker → Ultralisk

Expand first, get Mutas out, then Hydra/Lurker — and don't fight the marine/medic push until Hydra speed and range are both done.

Build order

1:32 = clock time · 9 = supply · 9/9 = blocked · @ = trigger · @50% midway / @100% done · grey = milestone · click a step or [ ] to track

0:549/9Overlord
1:4212Hatchery — skip the pool, natural first
2:0011Spawning Pool
2:4413Drones to 13, then Hatchery (three-hatch build)
2:5011/12Extractor (main) — gather ASAP
3:35OverlordOverlord (2nd, ~3:20–3:49)
3:45@100 gasLair — completes ~4:50
4:15SunkensSunken ×1 standard; ×3 vs marine push (2 can be busted, 3 can't with 2 medics); keep adding more vs pressure
4:25~222nd Extractor at the natural (~4:25)
4:35OverlordOverlord (3rd, ~4:22–4:47)
4:55@100% LairSpire
5:00Ling speedMetabolic Boost — flexible (~5:00–7:45)
6:10@100% SpireMutalisks ×7 (one-shot SCV), ×9 for comfort
6:30~50Hydralisk Den + Evolution Chamber (~6:30)
7:00LurkersLurker Aspect + Missile +1 (~7:00)
7:204th hatch4th Hatchery (~7:20)
8:40Hydra speedMuscular Augments (~8:40)
9:50Hydra rangeGrooved Spines (~9:50) — engage the M&M push after this
10:003rd gas3rd base + 3rd gas (~9:00–10:15)
11:30Queen's NestQueen's Nest → Hive (Queen's Nest ~11:30, Hive ~13:00+)
12:00Missile +2Zerg Missile Attacks +2 (~11:00–12:40)
13:30@100% HiveUltralisk with Carapace (armor) upgrades — late game → Defilers/Cracklings/Guardians

Timings

clock timings from real games (cwal.gg)

Opening: 1:42 12 Hatch → 2:00 11 Pool → 2:44 13 Hatch → 2:50 gas.
2nd gas 4:25 · Lair 4:50 · Spire 4:55.
Spire past ~300 HP (~@50%): bank larvae to morph your Mutas (7–9) at once.
Hydra Den 6:30 + Evolution Chamber 6:40 (drop them together) · Lurker Aspect + Missile +1 ~7:00 · 4th Hatch 7:20.
Hydra speed 8:40 · Hydra range 9:50 — engage the M&M push only after both finish.
Ling speed is flexible (5:00–7:45) — Lair/Spire/Hydra tech comes first.
3rd gas ~9:30 · Queen's Nest ~11:30, Hive ~13:00+ · Missile +2 ~11:00–12:40.

Key rules

Spire ASAP — Mutas are your scout, defense, and harass in one.
You're gas-starved vs Terran. Rich on minerals + zero gas → throw hatcheries everywhere (trade minerals for gas).
Mutas > Goliaths (Goliath 20 dmg → Mutas take 10). Lurkers are not great vs mech; use Hydras/Mutas.
Turret math: turrets do 20 but Mutas take 10. Not afraid of single turrets — fly in to scout. But turrets (7 range) stop free pokes. Kill lone turrets.
Counter-attack: Terran units are slow — when he pushes one base, hit his main/natural instead.
8-rax → 1-1-1: don't over-drone and don't rush Hive — go Lurkers + Hydra upgrades first, start Hive only after you win the first fight.
vs 1-1-1 (mech): ~5 Mutas is enough (they 2-shot Vultures) — then drone more.
Overlord speed (Pneumatized Carapace) is situational, not standard — it appeared late in 2 of 11 vsTerran games (9:57, 16:12).
Before you attack a turtled Terran, check three things: (1) Defiler Mound is up with Dark Swarm and Plague ready — no Mound, no attack into siege; (2) you're not fighting sieged Tanks head-on or up a ramp — flank, or catch him moving; (3) you're ahead on bases — if not, expand and deny his expansions instead of ramming.
A lurker contain buys an expansion, not an army kill. Once you've expanded behind it, you don't also have to kill him — keep the contain, or break only with Defilers.

Scouting reads

You see	Means	Do
No wall + CC first	Won't attack early	Skip early sunken, expand
No gas	1-rax FE / CC	Macro, take 3rd
Wall + fast gas	Tech or marine push	Sunken(s)
Bunker going up	Marine/SCV rush	3 sunkens + lings
Floating factory	Mech	Mutas/Hydras, snipe tanks
Gas, no barracks at ramp	8-rax (forward rax)	Bunker's coming — he'll supply-block

Engagement tips

Use move-command micro to snipe Medics and SCVs.
Make sure your lurkers can hit his tank — if you must reposition lurkers mid-fight you've usually lost.
Use lings to kill turrets and give vision.
Kill the tanks first. No tanks + no vessels = Marines are useless vs Lurkers.
Win the fight keeping Lurkers alive — then you only remake cheap Hydras, not expensive Lurkers.

Defense

Threat	Response
Marine/SCV rush	3 sunkens (2 can be busted with 2 medics)
8-rax / 2-rax	3 hatch lets you drop a sunken for free; lings to scout
Fast vulture/tank push	Hydras + lings; snipe the tank

Key numbers

7 Mutas one-shot SCV (9 for comfort) · turrets/Goliaths deal 10 to Mutas

Late game

Hive choice: Defilers if he has few tanks, Ultralisks if he has lots of tanks.
Defiler phase (optional): run Lurkers + Defilers before the Ultra switch — Consume → Dark Swarm to attack, Plague to melt his army. (Same Defiler plan as ZvP.)
+1 attack lets Lurkers 2-shot Marines.
Save 7–8 Mutas into the mid game — they cover your base vs dropships.
Drop defense: one Lurker + Sunken in your main stops a single dropship.
Stack Lurkers (patrol-burrow on top of each other) + lings → hard to Irradiate.
Mass tanks + few vessels → finish with 6–8 Guardians (they melt tanks).

ZvZ — vs Zerg

Default: 12 Pool

Win the ling fight with good arcs, get to Mutas and Scourges, and don't over-drone in the mirror.

Build order

1:32 = clock time · 9 = supply · 9/9 = blocked · @ = trigger · @50% midway / @100% done · grey = milestone · click a step or [ ] to track

1:3212Spawning Pool (middle opening — beats 9-pool, loses to 12-hatch)
1:44~12Extractor — gas right after the pool
2:11~11Hatchery at the natural (~2:11) — vs 9-pool, skip/delay this and make a Sunken instead
2:40@100 gasLing speed (pull 1 drone off gas; aligns minerals/gas)
4:08@100 gasLair (~4:08)
4:30@100% LairSpire (~4:30)
5:30@100% SpireMutas + Scourges — the mid-game goal (~5:30); most vsZerg games are decided by lings before this point

Units: drones, lings, scourges, mutas. Buildings: pool, spire, lair, sunken, spore colony, evo chamber. That's basically it.

Rock–paper–scissors

9 Pool beats greedy hatch-first · 12 Pool beats 9 Pool (more econ) but loses to 12 Hatch · 12 Hatch beats 12 Pool but dies to 9 Pool.
Rule: staying defensive in a mirror never dies — better ling arc + reinforcements arrive sooner (you fight at home).

Key rules

Don't drone-scout in ZvZ — it's costly and unneeded; scout with a single ling instead.
Send your overlord to the very corner (ZvZ-specific).
Overlord speed (Pneumatized Carapace) is situational, not standard — it appeared late in 2 of 8 vsZerg games (4:53, 6:42).
In the mirror, don't over-drone — 1–2 more drones than him, then pure lings (or a sunken).
Mine gas with 2 drones (pull the 3rd off) so minerals/gas align.

Scouting reads

You see	Means	Do
Overlord sees hatch w/ HP	12 Hatch (greedy)	Pressure, deny drones
Drone arrives to morph hatch	12 Pool	Mirror; play the arcs
Lings pass ramp early	9 Pool rush	Save larvae, 2 drones, sunken

Ling-vs-ling micro (the deciding skill)

Goal: more of your lings attack, fewer of his attack, at once.
When his lings attack a building they form a line — surround it with an arc (outer arc) so more of yours hit fewer of his.
Spread-in-a-line beats clumped-up. These fights snowball fast (10v10 → 6v0).
Hold-position trap: opponents dart in to bait you off hold. Keep lings on hold.

Muta vs Scourge

Scourges are extremely cost-effective (25m/75g kills a 100/100 Muta) — you must micro.
Use patrol or move-command (see Micro tab). Keep Mutas moving so they don't lose momentum.
Can't Muta-micro? You can't really play ZvZ — it's the skill gate.

Defending a 9-pool with 12-pool

Save larvas for lings; pull 2 drones (drone hits hurt — drones have 35 HP).
Attack the sunken before it morphs (0 armor / 400 HP); morphed = −100 HP but +2 armor (lings 5 dmg → 3).

Mutalisk Micro

The 3 commands — the single most important Zerg skill.

Which command when

Not facing the enemy → Patrol or Move-command (Hold won't fire).
Facing, want to spread damage across Marines → Hold.
Need to kill one specific unit → Move-command.

Command	What it does	Use it for
Hold position `H`	Mutas shoot facing targets; damage spreads across units	Killing clumps of Marines (spread damage; +1 attack = 4 shots/kill)
Patrol `P`	Mutas shoot without facing (they "swing" while flying past); focuses one target	Quick swings past units; hitting Scourges while escaping; backshots
Move + click `M`	Force Mutas to attack a specific unit not auto-prioritized	Sniping Medics, High Templars, SCVs, Probes — the most powerful technique

Hold = face enemy → H → instantly move away. Spreads Muta's 9-dmg (with bounce).
Patrol = fly by → P. Turn-and-shoot without stopping — the pro "quick swing."
Move command = M, left-click (move), then right-click target. All Mutas focus that one unit. Works on all flying/hovering units. Highest skill, highest value.
vs Scourges: fly away → Patrol ahead to turn-and-shoot; or (expert) Move-command onto the scourge + instantly move away to bug their AI.
Muta vs Muta: click each enemy Muta to find the damaged ones, then Shift-right-click them in order — kill his hurt Mutas first so you trade up (his 6 vs your 5 → you win).
Stacking / Magic Box: select an Overlord (or larva) with the Mutas to keep them stacked.

Basics & Philosophy

Universal Zerg fundamentals that apply every game.

You don't need to be perfect. You need a logical, structured plan.
Zerg is the most forgiving race — the larva mechanic means if you forget something, you can spend the larvas later without losing production time.

Don't memorize exact supply numbers (except the first ~30 sec). Memorize the order of buildings.
When you make a mistake (e.g. late gas), fall back to logic: minerals piling up? spend on a hatchery.
Stick to one build per matchup and grind it — switching destroys muscle memory.

Opening habits (every game)

Split workers to different patches first, then build the 6th drone (send workers first so the egg doesn't bug pathing).
Larva rule: never sit at 3 larvas — the next won't start until you spend one. Keep ≤2.
Colors: press Shift+Tab so your opponent is red, you're teal. Every game.
Hotkeys/cameras: hatcheries 4,5,6…; cameras F2/F3/F4 for natural, third, choke.
Build drones from hotkeys, not mouse clicks.
Overlord timing: make your overlord ~2–3 supply before the supply block.
Drone routing: when unsure, send extra drones to your main (most mineral patches).

Recommended hotkey changes

Scourge S → A · Overlord O → E · Burrow U → R
All speed upgrades on one key (E) — Ling/Hydra/Ultra speed
Everything on the left side of the keyboard (exceptions: Ultralisk U, Nydus N)
Never let an Overlord upgrade share a key with a unit.

To learn a hotkey: hover the mouse over the button, press its key, repeat until it sticks.

Saturation (the #1 macro concept)

1 drone per mineral patch is the efficient baseline; extra drones give diminishing returns but are still worth it.
Split drones across more bases instead of over-saturating one (3+3 mines faster than 6 on one patch).
Benchmark: ~12 drones/base before army (check by box-selecting your line).

Scouting

1st overlord → opponent's natural (see their expansion sooner).
Drone → their main (see gas, tech, wall).
Keep one overlord at each base later (vs Dark Templars / drops).

Key Numbers & Defense

Benchmarks, defense responses, and common mistakes.

Benchmarks

Item	Value
Saturation baseline	1 drone / mineral patch
Drones before army	~12 / base
Start Hydras (ZvP)	~30 drones
Late game (Hive)	~45 drones + 4th base
Lings per Zealot	4
Mutas to one-shot Probe	5 (45 dmg)
Mutas to one-shot SCV	7 (63 dmg)
Gas timing vs Protoss	~2:50 / ~250 gas
Marine HP / Muta hits	40 HP → 4 hits with +1 attack
Turret vs Muta	20 dmg → Mutas take 10
Goliath vs Muta	20 dmg → Mutas take 10
Sunken	unmorphed 0 armor/400 HP; morphed −100 HP but +2 armor
Supply rule	If Zerg matches their supply, Zerg is favored
+1 Carapace vs Corsair	Mutas take less — better than +1 attack vs Corsairs
2 groups of Hydras	Safe to take another base

Defense quick reference

Threat	Response
Early Zealots ZvP	4 lings per zealot; get ling speed
Cannon rush ZvP	Overpool already beats it — scout it, make lings, don't panic
Corsair ZvP	Scourges/Mutas from Spire; protect overlords (Hydras/Spores)
Dark Templars ZvP	Overlord speed + overlord at each base; Hydras nearby
Marine/SCV rush ZvT	3 sunkens (2 can be busted with 2 medics)
8-rax / 2-rax ZvT	3 hatch lets you drop a sunken for free; lings to scout
Fast vulture/tank push ZvT	Hydras + lings; snipe the tank
9-pool rush ZvZ	save larvas, pull 2 drones, sunken before it morphs
Muta harass ZvZ	learn the micro (Micro tab); kill lone turrets

Common mistakes

Sitting on 3 larvas (wasting production).
Not sending workers to separate patches at start.
Accidental overlord upgrade (unbound keys).
Late gas vs Protoss (lose overlords to Corsair) or vs Terran (delayed Mutas).
Over-making lings vs a cannon/forge opening (2 lings is enough).
Forgetting ling speed (slow lings are useless).
Not droning after you successfully defend a push.

Cheese & Early Aggression

How to survive the dirty openings on the way up the ladder.

Cannon rush ZvP

Signal: a double scout (2 early probes) means Forge → cannons are coming.
Overpool already beats it — scout your natural/main and don't panic.
His cannon has to start before your lings hatch to be on time. If it's late, run straight to his base and do damage.
Just 2 lings vs a lone forge/cannon — don't over-make lings.
Cannons can't defend gateways — once you're in, punish his production.

Proxy 2 Gate ZvP

Signal: no gateway at his ramp (probe scout) or early Zealots.
With Overpool, always make 4 lings to be safe (2 is not enough).
4 lings per Zealot; 8 lings smash 2 Zealots.
Drop a Sunken in your main → you're safe; send 4+ lings to his base to force two-front micro.
Kill his pylon → he can't produce → the game's over.
Hatchery-first (12 Hatch) is actually best vs proxy 2-Gate (creep + larvae for lings).

Bunker / Marine-SCV rush ZvT

3 sunkens (2 can be busted with 2 medics).
Lings to kill the SCVs and deny the bunker going up.

Early pool rush ZvZ

9-pool or earlier (4/5-pool) — the defense is the same.

Save larvae for lings; pull 2 drones (drone hits hurt — 35 HP).
Attack the sunken before it morphs (0 armor / 400 HP).
Wait for ling speed before engaging — don't gamble the 6v6 ling fight.