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Zerg vs Zerg · Zergling and mutalisk

Zerg vs Zerg

Zerglings decide the first five minutes, mutalisks and scourge decide the rest

Zerg Zerg

Checklist: do this

  1. Open nine pool or overpool; twelve hatch loses to nine pool and beats overpool. The scout decides.
  2. Zergling speed early; six to twelve zerglings that never fight without a numbers advantage.
  3. One sunken colony at the natural when you take it; two against a heavier zergling opening.
  4. Lair and spire by 4:00; the first mutalisks at 5:30 with scourge behind them.
  5. Drones between the zergling waves; every larva you spend on drones is a bet the scout must justify.
  6. Scourge kills mutalisks two for one; mutalisk battles are decided by who has scourge in position.
  7. Third base only when the mutalisk count is even or better; a spore at each mineral line.
  8. Late game: hydralisks and lurkers, or more mutalisks and a greater spire, depending on who is ahead in air.

Why it works

Both players have the same units, so the game is about tempo: whoever has more zerglings at the first fight, and more mutalisks at the second, wins. Drones are a bet that the opponent will not attack; a sunken colony is a bet that they will. Read the opening from the scout, match the zergling count, get the spire on time, and make every scourge count.

If you remember one sentenceMatch their zerglings, get the spire by 4:00, keep mutalisks alive with scourge behind them, and never let your drone count fall behind without a sunken to justify it.

The build

  1. Supply9 Time0:55 Spawning Pool (nine pool) or Overlord then Pool (overpool) Spawning Pool (nine pool) or Overlord then Pool (overpool) Nine pool for safety and pressure; overpool for a better economy.
  2. Supply8 Time1:35 Extractor Extractor Zergling speed as soon as the pool finishes.
  3. Supply9 Time1:50 Overlord Overlord Ahead of the cap; six zerglings come at once.
  4. Supply12 Time2:10 Six Zerglings, Metabolic Boost Six Zerglings, Metabolic Boost Speed zerglings kill drones and lings that stray.
  5. Supply14 Time2:50 Hatchery at the natural Hatchery at the natural Take it once zerglings are trading evenly.
  6. Supply16 Time3:10 Lair Lair The spire follows the moment it finishes.
  7. Supply18 Time3:30 Sunken Colony at the natural Sunken Colony at the natural One sunken frees larvae for drones.
  8. Supply20 Time4:00 Spire Spire Mutalisks at 5:30.
  9. Supply24 Time4:30 Second Extractor, drones Second Extractor, drones Mutalisks cost gas; keep drones at both bases.
  10. Supply30 Time5:30 Six Mutalisks and two Scourge Six Mutalisks and two Scourge The first air fight; scourge behind the mutalisks.
  11. Supply36 Time6:30 Spore Colony at each mineral line Spore Colony at each mineral line Mutalisks harass mineral lines; spores let yours leave.
  12. Supply44 Time8:00 Third Hatchery, Evolution Chamber Third Hatchery, Evolution Chamber Larvae and flyer attacks +1.

Research, in this order

  1. Metabolic Boost
    Metabolic Boost at the Spawning Pool

    The only early research; speed zerglings win every early fight.

  2. Flyer Attacks +1
    Flyer Attacks +1 at the Spire

    Mutalisks kill mutalisks a hit sooner; the first upgrade of the air war.

  3. Flyer Carapace +1
    Flyer Carapace +1 at the Spire

    Then armor; alternate.

  4. Pneumatized Carapace
    Pneumatized Carapace at the Lair

    Overlord speed; mutalisks hunt overlords.

  5. Adrenal Glands
    Adrenal Glands at the Spawning Pool

    Only at hive, in long games; cracklings end them.

The army, stage by stage

  1. Opening

    ZerglingZergling

    Six to twelve speed zerglings; fight only with more.

  2. Air war

    MutaliskMutaliskScourgeScourgeZerglingZergling

    Mutalisks stacked, scourge behind, zerglings to counter-attack.

  3. Long game

    MutaliskMutaliskScourgeScourgeHydraliskHydraliskLurkerLurker

    Hydralisks and lurkers when air is even; more mutalisks when ahead.

If you scout…

A pool before 1:00 (four or five pool)

A pool before 1:00 (four or five pool)

When The drone scout arrives

Do Pull four drones to fight with the zerglings, a sunken when the pool finishes, drones after.

Why An all-in loses if it does not kill drones; drone defence and a sunken end it.

Hatchery first (twelve hatch)

Hatchery first (twelve hatch)

When The drone scout

Do Nine pool zerglings straight at the natural, kill drones, deny the sunken.

Why Twelve hatch has no zerglings until 3:00; nine pool punishes it.

Nine pool against your twelve hatch

Nine pool against your twelve hatch

When 2:00

Do Drones to fight, pool as soon as possible, a sunken at the natural, no more drones until even.

Why You are behind in zerglings; hold with drones and sunkens until the spire equalises.

A spire earlier than yours

A spire earlier than yours

When 3:30 to 4:30

Do Two spores at the mineral lines, scourge first from your spire, zerglings at their natural while their mutalisks are away.

Why The first mutalisks kill drones; spores and scourge blunt them and zerglings punish the base they left.

Hydralisk den

Hydralisk den

When 6:00 onward

Do More mutalisks with flyer attacks; kill the hydralisks from where they cannot shoot back, or take a third and out-drone.

Why Hydralisks are slow and lose to mutalisks with upgrades and terrain.

Counters

They haveYou answer with
ZerglingsZerglingsMore zerglings, drones to fight early, a sunken

Equal units, so numbers and the sunken decide.

MutalisksMutalisksScourge, spore colonies, your own mutalisks with +1

Two scourge kill a mutalisk; spores hold mineral lines.

ScourgeScourgeZerglings and mutalisk micro

Scourge die to any hit; move the mutalisks over zerglings.

HydralisksHydralisksMutalisks with upgrades, zerglings

Hydralisks are slow and die to mutalisks that pick their fights.

LurkersLurkersMutalisks, overlords for detection

Lurkers cannot shoot up; an overlord sees them.

The mistakes that lose this matchup

  • Fighting zerglings without a numbers edge

    The sign Twelve lost to twelve.

    The fix Count. Attack with more, retreat with fewer, drone with even.

  • Mutalisks without scourge

    The sign An air fight lost to a smaller flock.

    The fix Two scourge per four mutalisks, kept behind them.

  • Drones with no sunken

    The sign Drones dead to six zerglings at 3:30.

    The fix A sunken at the natural at 3:30 before the drone count grows.

  • Late spire

    The sign Their mutalisks in your mineral line first.

    The fix Lair at 3:10, spire at 4:00, no exceptions.

By level

Newcomer

Nine pool, six speed zerglings, one sunken at the natural, spire at 4:00, six mutalisks with scourge behind them. Fight zerglings only when you have more. Drone whenever your scout sees them droning.

Learner

Read the opening from the scout and pick the fork; hold the zergling count even; get flyer attacks +1 before the second air fight; scourge that actually connects; a third base only when air is even.

Competitor

Mutalisk stacking and micro against scourge, zergling run-bys while their mutalisks are away, overlord hunting, and the transition to hydralisk-lurker or greater spire that fits who is ahead.