StarCraft is often praised for its well balanced units and racial abilities: no matter which race is chosen, players of equal skill have more or less equal chances to win a game, even though the races are highly dissimilar. For example, four zerglings (the first available zerg foot soldier) cost the same as a single protoss zealot, and (depending on upgrades) could make short work of the unit. The insect-like zerg are designed around swarm tactics, and while no single zerg unit could stand up easily to its counterpart, several units can overwhelm and flank an opposing unit. Zerg units are cheap, and fast to produce en masse. For example a basic terran combination is to take marines (ranged gun-wielding units), use an ability called ' stimpacks' (similar to instant steroids - making units temporarily stronger at the cost of health) alongside medics (able to constantly heal other units) to engage more enemies than otherwise would be possible. Terran units have been designed to be used in junction with each other, in strategic combinations and formations - often mimicking real-world warfare tactics. Terran units are generally fragile, control-intensive units with specialized purposes. For example, the first available protoss ground warrior (the ' zealot') is twice as expensive as its Terran counterpart, and four times as expensive as its zerg counterpart, however, even 2 enemy units against one Zealot would side in favor of the Zealot.

The primary protoss mindset is to use a smaller number of much more powerful units to tank an enemy. Protoss units are typically more powerful and durable, at the cost of being extremely expensive. As such, the player's choice of race is crucial, because each race requires a completely different playing style. The mechanics of this design contrast to StarCraft 's predecessor: Warcraft II: Tides of Darkness, which has two races with a nearly identical selection of units that differentiate only graphically.Įach race derives its unique game strategy though its respective unit philosophy. StarCraft is a strategy game based around 3 asymmetrical 'races' ( protoss, terran, and zerg) designed to vary dramatically in play styles, but retain fair and balanced game play.

3.2.3 Expansion and struggle for resources.

1.9 Unit sight range, visibility, and detection.

Sudden attack gameplay