StarKraftika EP 05: Micro II — Economic Control · 3h 08m Watch on YouTube ↗

The video is in Bulgarian. This page sums it up in English.

Micro techniques for StarCraft: Remastered: Mutalisk moving shot and Magic Box, Vulture kiting, Lurker hold position, Sharp vs SoulKey and 14 rules for better play.

G
Borislav "Grast"
Host · StarKraftika Series
In 30 seconds
  • Mutalisks shoot on the move: attack, then give a new move order at once.
  • Keep air units stacked against ScourgeScourgeA Zerg suicide flyer that explodes on an air unit for 110 damage. Two come from one Larva. with the Magic BoxMagic BoxOrdering a group of air units to a point beyond the target, so they stay stacked or spread the way you want. and a far mineral click.
  • A clear plan matters more than pumping APMAPMActions per minute: how many commands a player gives. Effective APM leaves out spam clicks..

Try these in your next game

Tick a lesson once you have practised it.

What this episode covers

  1. Grast opens episode 5: microMicroControlling individual units in a fight: focus fire, pulling back hurt units, spreading out., unit control and practice.
  2. Highlights from a list of 14 general rules, such as following a plan instead of wasting APM and training all three races.
  3. Short tutorial clips: Mutalisk shoot-and-move and Vulture kiting.
  4. Hiding a Lurker's attacks with Hold Position and placing Psionic StormPsionic StormA High Templar spell: a storm that deals 112 damage over a few seconds to every unit in the area, your own included. well with High Templar.
  5. The Magic Box (hotbox) for air units facing Scourge and Archons.
  6. A pro TvZTvZTerran versus Zerg, seen from the Terran side., Sharp vs SoulKey, with top-level Mutalisk control and a Nydus Canal plan.
  7. Defilers with Dark SwarmDark SwarmA Defiler spell: a cloud that stops ranged attacks from hurting units under it. Melee, Psionic Storm and Reaver scarabs still work. and upgraded Ultralisks against Terran infantry, Siege Tanks and Science Vessels.
  8. Live practice on a UMS micro mapMicro mapA custom (UMS) map built to drill one skill, such as kiting or splitting workers.: kiting Mutalisks against Marines, Archons, Scourge and Ghosts.
  9. How to re-stack scattered Mutalisks by clicking a distant mineral patch.
  10. A highlight video of iloveoov, whom Grast calls the most influential Terran player.

Test yourself

4 quick questions on this episode.

1. How do you re-stack scattered Mutalisks quickly?

2. Why keep a burrowed Lurker on Hold Position under your Drones?

3. How does Grast split Mutalisks in ZvZ?

4. Who is the tribute video at the end of the episode about?

Questions this episode answers

What is the Magic Box with air units?

A way to control grouped air units such as Mutalisks by giving the move or attack order to a point outside the group. The units keep their formation instead of clumping or scattering, which matters a lot against Scourge and Archon splash.

How do I stack scattered Mutalisks again?

Select them and right-click a distant mineral patch. They all head for the same point along one line and overlap into a tight stack.

How do you do a Mutalisk moving shot?

Give the group a move order, quickly click attack on an enemy unit, then immediately give a new move order. The Mutalisks release their attack without stopping their flight.

Full summary

Episode 5 is a hands-on micro guide for players of every level who want their units to fight better and to pull off specific manoeuvres in battle.

Grast starts with his list of 14 general rules for good play: keep a clear strategic plan, play all three races, don't spam useless APM and practise the middle and late game, not just openings. He then goes through short tutorial clips of key techniques: the Mutalisk moving shot (shoot-and-move), Vulture kiting with Spider MinesSpider MinesVulture mines that burrow and jump at enemy ground units that come close. Observers or scans reveal them., holding a Lurker's fire with Hold Position until enemies bunch up, and placing Psionic Storms well with High Templar.

The centrepiece is the Magic Box, the trick that keeps a group of air units stacked or deliberately spread against Scourge and Archons, and a top-level TvZ between Sharp (Terran) and SoulKey (Zerg). That game shows Nydus Canals moving the Zerg army instantly, Defilers with Dark Swarm and Science Vessels irradiating Ultralisks. Grast ends with live practice on a UMS micro map and a tribute video to iloveoov, whom he calls the most influential Terran player ever.

Players mentioned

Sharp SoulKey iloveoov Boxer Flash Last

Keep learning

← Previous guide
EP 04: Micro I — Unit Control
MicroMicroControlling individual units in a fight: focus fire, pulling back hurt units, spreading out. Mutalisk Magic BoxMagic BoxOrdering a group of air units to a point beyond the target, so they stay stacked or spread the way you want. Shoot-and-moveShoot-and-moveAttacking and immediately moving on, so a unit such as the Mutalisk deals damage without stopping. Vulture Spider MinesSpider MinesVulture mines that burrow and jump at enemy ground units that come close. Observers or scans reveal them. LurkerLurkerMorphed from a Hydralisk. Attacks only while burrowed, with spines that hit everything in a line. Hold PositionHold PositionA command that keeps a unit in place: it attacks what comes into range but doesn't chase. Nydus CanalNydus CanalA Zerg tunnel (needs Hive) with two ends: units that enter one end come out of the other. Dark SwarmDark SwarmA Defiler spell: a cloud that stops ranged attacks from hurting units under it. Melee, Psionic Storm and Reaver scarabs still work. IrradiateIrradiateA Science Vessel spell: 250 damage over time to a biological unit and the biological units next to it. Micro mapMicro mapA custom (UMS) map built to drill one skill, such as kiting or splitting workers.