A while ago I signed up on wtr1be.com as a free Terran coach. Since then I have been contacted by various players and 4 out of 5 players all want to know what they call "General Coaching". Mostly this involves simple build orders and how they work. To simplify this process, I have decided to sum up my knowledge in this collection of builds. The goal is to save me some time and maybe help out some other Terran newcomers .
All strategies in this guide have been used by me sometime in my "carrier" as a Starcraft 2 player. With these builds you will be able to make it at least as far as I have. I don't know how much farther they will go.
For the people that care about my ranks:
http://eu.battle.net/sc2/en/profile/239363/1/Dragony/
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/profile/2620666/1/Dragony/
+ Show Spoiler [General] +
Perfecting your builds
I recommend using one build for each matchup. Starcraft 2 is ONLY about practicing build orders until you reach Daimond and higher. After that it's about even more practice and about knowing how to adapt your build order.
Use Macro builds
All of the builds I provide here are not one-punch easywin strategies. That is intentional. If you are serious about getting better at the game, you should be happy to loose games in order to practice these builds. You probably won't notice anything right away, but in the long run you will get better.
Switching from easy to advanced strategies
The strategies I listed under the "Easy builds" are not necessarily bad builds, but they are easier to execute. The downside is that they are very common strategies that can easily be countered. If you are struggling against players that seem to be perfectly prepared, you will probably want to try the "Advanced builds".
Getting better a Multitasking and Macro
This is something I cannot teach you. I doubt that there is anyone that can teach you these skills. Your APM, Multitasking and Macro will automatically get better the more you play. Starcraft is a game that is all about practice, practice, practice.
Playing on the Ladder
Are you one of those players that don't ladder because you're scared of loosing? Get over it. The ladder is the perfect place to play against people that are exactly your skill level. Unless you have one or more friends at your level to practice with, the ladder is your best tool to find matches.
I recommend using one build for each matchup. Starcraft 2 is ONLY about practicing build orders until you reach Daimond and higher. After that it's about even more practice and about knowing how to adapt your build order.
Use Macro builds
All of the builds I provide here are not one-punch easywin strategies. That is intentional. If you are serious about getting better at the game, you should be happy to loose games in order to practice these builds. You probably won't notice anything right away, but in the long run you will get better.
Switching from easy to advanced strategies
The strategies I listed under the "Easy builds" are not necessarily bad builds, but they are easier to execute. The downside is that they are very common strategies that can easily be countered. If you are struggling against players that seem to be perfectly prepared, you will probably want to try the "Advanced builds".
Getting better a Multitasking and Macro
This is something I cannot teach you. I doubt that there is anyone that can teach you these skills. Your APM, Multitasking and Macro will automatically get better the more you play. Starcraft is a game that is all about practice, practice, practice.
Playing on the Ladder
Are you one of those players that don't ladder because you're scared of loosing? Get over it. The ladder is the perfect place to play against people that are exactly your skill level. Unless you have one or more friends at your level to practice with, the ladder is your best tool to find matches.
+ Show Spoiler [Bronze and Silver] +
If you're in Bronze or Silver you don't have to worry about the different matchups as much. I recommend doing the "TvP - 3rax" build in every matchup (check "Simple builds -> TvP"). Concentrate on not ever getting supply blocked and always building units. Experience shows that if you master the build perfectly, you will be able to beat almost every Bronze or Silver player. The key is practice, practice, practice.
Ways to measure your improvement is to count the number of supply blocks during a game and checking the "Average unspent Resources" row on the Score Screen. Good numbers are 0 supply blocks and about 500 unspent resources for a short game and under about 1000 unspent resources for a long game.
Ways to measure your improvement is to count the number of supply blocks during a game and checking the "Average unspent Resources" row on the Score Screen. Good numbers are 0 supply blocks and about 500 unspent resources for a short game and under about 1000 unspent resources for a long game.
+ Show Spoiler [Simple builds (Platinum and lower)] +
+ Show Spoiler [TvP - 3rax] +
Replay: http://drop.sc/18775 | http://replayfu.com/r/DwL7Rh
The Idea
This build is a really simple build that keeps you safe against 90% of the openings Protoss can throw at you. The general strategy of this build is just to get a ton of units to defend any early attack and/or to pressure your opponent.
Execution
As soon as your stim and concussive shell upgrades have finished, go attack. If you can't get in his base or you can't kill him, keep building units and start an expansion.
Followup
Build more Barracks and make sure you spend your money. Make about 20% Marines and 80% Marauders.
The Idea
This build is a really simple build that keeps you safe against 90% of the openings Protoss can throw at you. The general strategy of this build is just to get a ton of units to defend any early attack and/or to pressure your opponent.
Execution
As soon as your stim and concussive shell upgrades have finished, go attack. If you can't get in his base or you can't kill him, keep building units and start an expansion.
Followup
Build more Barracks and make sure you spend your money. Make about 20% Marines and 80% Marauders.
+ Show Spoiler [TvZ - Reactored Hellion expand] +
Replay: http://drop.sc/18777 | http://replayfu.com/r/jkTdXk
The Idea
This build is centered around getting some Hellions early to defend against Zerglins and roast some drones. With the help of your early expansion you will be able to afford a big army of tanks and marines, giving you an edge over any army the Zerg will build.
Execution
User your early hellions to pressure the Zerg and kill a few drones and Zerglings. Build 6 Hellions total. The less hellions you loose the better, you should have at least 2 Hellions left over after your harassment to defend your expansion against lings in the early game. Be sure to keep up with the production buildings in your base and push out as soon as you have three tanks and one medivac. If it is easier for you, just park your hellions in front of the Zergs base and concentrate on the build order, instead of attacking the Zerg.
Followup
During your attack keep rallying units to your army. During this attack you will start getting enough minerals to either expand again or build 1-2 more units producing buildings. Decide for yourself which one is better suited based on how the game went so far.
The Idea
This build is centered around getting some Hellions early to defend against Zerglins and roast some drones. With the help of your early expansion you will be able to afford a big army of tanks and marines, giving you an edge over any army the Zerg will build.
Execution
User your early hellions to pressure the Zerg and kill a few drones and Zerglings. Build 6 Hellions total. The less hellions you loose the better, you should have at least 2 Hellions left over after your harassment to defend your expansion against lings in the early game. Be sure to keep up with the production buildings in your base and push out as soon as you have three tanks and one medivac. If it is easier for you, just park your hellions in front of the Zergs base and concentrate on the build order, instead of attacking the Zerg.
Followup
During your attack keep rallying units to your army. During this attack you will start getting enough minerals to either expand again or build 1-2 more units producing buildings. Decide for yourself which one is better suited based on how the game went so far.
+ Show Spoiler [TvT - Cloaked banshee] +
Replay: http://drop.sc/18778 | http://replayfu.com/r/pk4f2m
The Idea
Even though you see this build used all the way up to the pro games, it is actually pretty easy to execute. The good thing about this build is that you will automatically win against a player that tries to rush you with siege tanks or similar. As long as you manage to keep your banshee alive you are safe for the first stages of the game. If you are lucky you will even get a freewin if your opponent doesn't get detection in time.
Execution
There is really not much you can do wrong here. Avoid missle turrets and keep in mind that they can detect your banshee, even if they aren't shooting at it. If you can't attack the players mineral line, try shooting down the gases or other buildings that aren't covered by the turrets.
Followup
While you are annoying your opponent with your banshees, be sure to start an expansion. It is only a matter of time before your opponent will have enough detection to deal with your banshees. After the expansion you can start building Tanks out of two factories and dump your minerals into Marines or Hellions.
The Idea
Even though you see this build used all the way up to the pro games, it is actually pretty easy to execute. The good thing about this build is that you will automatically win against a player that tries to rush you with siege tanks or similar. As long as you manage to keep your banshee alive you are safe for the first stages of the game. If you are lucky you will even get a freewin if your opponent doesn't get detection in time.
Execution
There is really not much you can do wrong here. Avoid missle turrets and keep in mind that they can detect your banshee, even if they aren't shooting at it. If you can't attack the players mineral line, try shooting down the gases or other buildings that aren't covered by the turrets.
Followup
While you are annoying your opponent with your banshees, be sure to start an expansion. It is only a matter of time before your opponent will have enough detection to deal with your banshees. After the expansion you can start building Tanks out of two factories and dump your minerals into Marines or Hellions.
+ Show Spoiler [Advanced builds (Platinum and Higher)] +
+ Show Spoiler [TvP - 2rax] +
Replay: http://drop.sc/18782 | http://replayfu.com/r/ZXbtgd
The Idea
In general the idea behind this build is very similar to the 3rax. The difference is that you don't make as big of an army in the beginning and favor getting an early expansion. As of now, this build is pretty much standard in TvP as far as I know.
Execution
For this build to work you will need to master the build order pretty much perfectly up the the point where you get your second marauder. Once your second marauder is done, take three SCVs with you and move directly to your opponents base. The SCVs are NOT for tanking damage, the goal is to build bunkers to create a wall that will protect you from Zealots. Just imagine the bunkers are forcefields. If the player early expanded you can often delay if not even kill the expansion. If the Protoss has not expanded, try peeking up the rank with a marine to see his unit composition. If he has alot of sentries, you will need to prepare for tech (DT / Voidray), if you see lots of gateway units you will need to prepare for a Gateway heavy attack.
Followup
This is a very reaction based build. You will either have to keep up in tech by building a factory and starport, or you will have to keep up in unit count by building an additional Barracks.
The Idea
In general the idea behind this build is very similar to the 3rax. The difference is that you don't make as big of an army in the beginning and favor getting an early expansion. As of now, this build is pretty much standard in TvP as far as I know.
Execution
For this build to work you will need to master the build order pretty much perfectly up the the point where you get your second marauder. Once your second marauder is done, take three SCVs with you and move directly to your opponents base. The SCVs are NOT for tanking damage, the goal is to build bunkers to create a wall that will protect you from Zealots. Just imagine the bunkers are forcefields. If the player early expanded you can often delay if not even kill the expansion. If the Protoss has not expanded, try peeking up the rank with a marine to see his unit composition. If he has alot of sentries, you will need to prepare for tech (DT / Voidray), if you see lots of gateway units you will need to prepare for a Gateway heavy attack.
Followup
This is a very reaction based build. You will either have to keep up in tech by building a factory and starport, or you will have to keep up in unit count by building an additional Barracks.
+ Show Spoiler [TvZ - Drop play] +
Replay: http://drop.sc/18783 | http://replayfu.com/r/qNcK0d
The Idea
This build really punishes greedy Zergs. It has allot of potential to win you a game outright. The difficulty is that you need to master the build order very well to be on time. Also you need to watch for roach rushes, as you will not have enough units to stop them if you don't react. Be sure to scout for roaches with your first hellion.
Execution
This part is really simple. Use the Medivac to elevator your units into the Zergs base (avoiding the Spinecrawler) and kill as much as possible. Meanwhile build an expansion in your base.
Followup
You can followup this early attack with an attack very similar to the one after the Reactored Hellion expand. The biggest difference is that you should push without stim. If your Macro is super good, you will have stim about half done by the time you have three tanks. If you have done decent damage to the Zerg early game it will be alot harder for him to stop an early push without stim, than a later attack with stim.
The Idea
This build really punishes greedy Zergs. It has allot of potential to win you a game outright. The difficulty is that you need to master the build order very well to be on time. Also you need to watch for roach rushes, as you will not have enough units to stop them if you don't react. Be sure to scout for roaches with your first hellion.
Execution
This part is really simple. Use the Medivac to elevator your units into the Zergs base (avoiding the Spinecrawler) and kill as much as possible. Meanwhile build an expansion in your base.
Followup
You can followup this early attack with an attack very similar to the one after the Reactored Hellion expand. The biggest difference is that you should push without stim. If your Macro is super good, you will have stim about half done by the time you have three tanks. If you have done decent damage to the Zerg early game it will be alot harder for him to stop an early push without stim, than a later attack with stim.
+ Show Spoiler [TvT - Blueflame Hellion drop] +
Replay: http://drop.sc/18784 | http://replayfu.com/r/N4NqFh
The Idea
Like the cloak banshee opening, this build will keep you pretty safe from any earlygame aggression. If you are not able to drop him efficiently, you will at least be able to delay his expansion.
Execution
As soon as you get three hellions, load them into your Medivac and try to drop the other players mineral line. Just before you leave your base with the drop, scan the other Terrans gas. If he has two standard gas (2000, 2200 gas), build an Ebay to be safe against banshee play. If the other Terran is camping his base with his units you don't need to try and drop him, since your expansion will be up at roughly the same time as his. The threat of the drop prevents him from leaving his base and expanding.
Against fast expanding players you can take the marines from your base and attack the front of his base.
Followup
The blueflame opening will almost always allow you to go the the midgame in any TvT. Usually the general TvT style is lots and lots of siege tanks, supported by either marines or hellions. Hellions fit very well with this build, since you already have blueflame.
The Idea
Like the cloak banshee opening, this build will keep you pretty safe from any earlygame aggression. If you are not able to drop him efficiently, you will at least be able to delay his expansion.
Execution
As soon as you get three hellions, load them into your Medivac and try to drop the other players mineral line. Just before you leave your base with the drop, scan the other Terrans gas. If he has two standard gas (2000, 2200 gas), build an Ebay to be safe against banshee play. If the other Terran is camping his base with his units you don't need to try and drop him, since your expansion will be up at roughly the same time as his. The threat of the drop prevents him from leaving his base and expanding.
Against fast expanding players you can take the marines from your base and attack the front of his base.
Followup
The blueflame opening will almost always allow you to go the the midgame in any TvT. Usually the general TvT style is lots and lots of siege tanks, supported by either marines or hellions. Hellions fit very well with this build, since you already have blueflame.
If you have any question, feel free to send me a PM here on TL, I will not be answering players specific questions in this thread.
I hope someone can gain something from this thread