Starcraft 2 Terran Builds
In this article, I will be covering the top Starcraft 2 Terran builds that you can use both to play standard games and also to squeeze out easy wins. Mastering build orders and the basics is the first step of the Starcraft 2 Terran guide, so be sure to study this article thoroughly!
Starcraft 2 Terran Builds – Standard Openers
One of my best Starcraft 2 tips for any race is to find a comfortable build for expanding quickly, and this particular Starcraft 2 Terran build works great. This standard opener for Terran players on ladder is as follows:
9/11 – Supply Depot (scout when this is finished)
12/19- Barracks
13/19 – Refinery
15/19 – Orbital Command
15/19 – Supply Depot (this completes the wall off on the majority of maps)
Once you are walled off, you can make a few Marines and sit behind the safety of your wall. From here, you can branch off into a lot of different builds, but most players at this point seem to want to get an expansion.
However, before you decide on an expansion, you need to scout what the opponent is up to. The reason for this is because there will be modifications based on what you scout. For example, if your opponent is a Protoss player going for a 4-Gate (very aggressive build), then you will need to take additional steps to defend yourself.
If you scout a 4-Gate for example, you will need a second Barracks as well as a few Bunkers until you rebuke that attack. Meanwhile, once you grab your second Barracks, you can start building your Command Center inside your base. This can be used to drop MULEs and help train more SCVs.
By keeping your “expansion” inside your base at the start, it is safe behind your wall. Once you are ready to move out you can do so and pull off your extra SCVs and move to your natural expansion.
When you are playing an aggressive opponent, the typical method involves getting Marines with Combat Shields, and training steady Marauders and Marines out of 2 Barracks when faced with an aggressive opponent. Then, when you feel comfortable, throw down a few Bunkers at the entrance to your natural and then load them up.
Once your Bunkers are set, you are then safe to move out to the natural. Another way of course to do this is to grab a Siege Tank or two on the high-ground with Siege Mode technology to help protect your expansion.
Now, you might scout a fast expansion from your opponent or fast tech and that your opponent is producing little in the way of units. In this situation, you can always alter your Starcraft 2 Terran builds so that you only get 1 Barracks and plop a Command Center down right at your natural expansion at ~21 supplies.
The key here is not to be rigid; if your opponent is going for an economic opening, you either need to attack or go with an economic opening as well. You only want to be defensive and build your expansion inside your base if your opponent is investing a lot of early resources into tier 1 and tier 1.5 units.
SC2 Terran Builds – An Easy Win Build
While not nearly as effective once you get up into the Diamond league or greater, this build order is extremely effective in lower-ranked leagues and often is enough to win games in 6-7 minutes. Players have a lot of trouble dealing with this, particularly Zerg and other Terran players, and that is the 5-Rax Marine Rush. Here is how it works:
- 9/11 Supply Depot
- 12/19 Barracks (train 1 Marine to pick off scouts when this is done)
- 13/19 Supply Depot (to seal off the ramp)
- 16/19 Orbital Command
..wait as you save up 600 minerals..
- 16/19 – 4x Barracks
At this point, you can start building more Supply Depots and using MULEs, but you do not want to build any more SCVs. Unlike all other Starcraft 2 Terran builds, this build requires no gas. Once you have your 5 Barracks up, pump out steady Marines.
Once you have about 20-25 Marines (only takes a minute or so when you have 5 Barracks), you can move out to your opponent’s base. Set your 5 Barracks’ rally point to the opponent’s base. The 20-25 Marines will easily wipe out whatever the opponent has, or at least make them trade armies.
The thing is though with 5 Barracks, you can constantly reinforce your army with a stream of 5 Marines every 20 seconds or so, making it very difficult for any race to keep up with that production early in the game. Be sure to micro your Marines a bit (do not let them get surrounded by workers) and this works out incredibly well.
Starcraft 2 Terran Builds Conclusion
While there are plenty of Starcraft 2 Terran builds available for SC2 players, you will find that the first fast-expansion oriented build is ideal for nearly all race match-ups and situations you find yourself in.
Be sure to scout and build the bare minimum of defense required to get your natural expansion up and running. Once that is done, you can transition to the army compositions and strategies mentioned in the Starcraft 2 Terran strategies section.
Are you tired of losing games? Ready to get into the Master's League?
If you answered that question with a yes, then I urge you to check out HotKeyIt.
This incredible Starcraft 2 guide was created by 18 professional SC2 players and is entirely video based. Watch in awe as pro players take you step-by-step through each match-up and show you the tricks and tactics they used to break the hardest builds.