SCV rushing: The Strategy.

[Adamu]

At this point I've played nearly 50 rounds with this strategy exclusively. I've played and beaten Silver, Gold, and even Platinum players and achieved a success rate of about 70-80%. The best part about this strategy is that it seems to take players of all skill levels by surprise; I've not noticed any significant difference in the way a Platinum player reacts compared to a Gold or Silver.

An SCV rush can only be done on a map where you have a direct path to your enemys base. It will not work on a map such as Oasis where there is an extremely long travel time to their base. It works great on maps where you have a straight line leading to them.

This strategy can be employed in both 1v1 and 2v2 matches. This strategy will determine your game in less than five minutes; if you fail, you're out and there's really no way to redeem yourself from a failed rush so be ready to congratulate your opponent and Q+Q.

I've seen other guides by people using Probes or Drones, but they're inferior to SCVs for a number of reasons.

- SCVs have 20 more health than other worker units.
- SCVs can repair themselves.
- SCVs can be loaded into your Command Center should the enemy retaliate with their own workers.

With that being said...

Beginning the SCV Rush

Begin the match as you normally would by mining minerals and queuing up more SCVs. You can't attack initially or you'll be outnumbered by the time you reach your opponent. The goal is to attack specifically during the moment at which your opponent will be waiting for their Supply Depot, Overlord, or Pylon to finish construction; during this time its more likely you can match the number of worker units.

You'll want to aim for 10 SCVs before beginning the assault. At this point most players will be working on additional food supplies leaving you with a window of opportunity in which they won't greatly outnumber your own units. After your 10th unit finishes construction immediately leave for their base. In case your attempt fails, keep queuing up SCVs.

When you reach your opponents base they will typically have just finished construction of their food supply and will have just started on the barracks equivalent unit. Start attacking it, it should have low enough health that you threaten to shut it down before completion. This will draw out your opponents SCVs/Probes/Drones and the real fight begins.

Always try to surround their units, even if it appears that they have more. If you become surrounded you WILL lose the fight. Watch for units that enter the red zone and pull them out before they're destroyed- even a single lost SCV can lose the entire battle for you.

If the enemy retreats, take a moment to repair your SCVs and immediately go back after them. Sometimes they'll circle around their base- ignore them. Attack their buildings if you need to draw them back in your direction.

DO NOT ALLOW THEM TO CONTINUE MINING. They'll use those resources to rebuild their units and outnumber you. Worst case scenario they'll get the resources to pump out a zealot or herd of zerglings that will put you out of commission.

If you are successful they will be out of workers, out of minerals, and you'll be left chipping away at their final building. Nice players will laugh with you, mean players will call you hom ophobic slurs. But a winner will be you :)

2v2 Strategy

The difference here is after some time their ally will send reinforcements to take out your SCVs. By the time they arrive you should have already done enough damage that your own ally can come in and finish the job. Even with just a couple of marines or zerglings allow your ally to rush in and finish off their worker units. Your opponents ally should not be able to stop you in time from finishing off their workers.

At this point you'll be at a huge disadvantage, but you'll be alive as opposed to your enemy. Continue building and be prepared to lift off if your ally isn't quick enough to come to your aid when the leftover opponent attempts to finish you off.

[Nephrahim]

...... I might have to try this.

Out of curiosity, any maps that it works better then other on? Sometimes the bases are a LONG way away.

[Rackdude]

If a platinum does this and wins, I'd think it's possible. But you said Silver, and I can see why that works. You're probably just completely outclassing and outmicroing him. It's not a good strat because he will always have more units than you. You said two more, and it probably will be 3 since he will have one more popping out. If he has 9 workers against your 6, shame on him, that's his loss but not necessarily your win.

[Adamu]

I'm not sure how well this works in the higher tiers since I've been hovering around top 10 in Silver for a while and I don't know when it bumps you up to Gold. But my fifth SCV rush worked flawlessly as well.

It does require superior micro and a huge element of surprise, but boy is it satisfying.

As for the larger maps, I dunno. There are some maps with a good travel time but the SCVs move so quickly its hardly an issue.

[Colour]

If you are terran and they aren't you have 20 more HP per worker than he does though. That evens the field a bit. And make a worker with your first 50 set to mine so you should have just about enough minerals to repair your scvs. I haven't actually tried this but I could definitely see it working.

I'll stick to PF rushes though. Too much fun. Maybe I'll try a worker rush if I ever random terran v zerg on a small map.

[Adamu]

If you are terran and they aren't you have 20 more HP per worker than he does though. That evens the field a bit. And make a worker with your first 50 set to mine so you should have just about enough minerals to repair your scvs. I haven't actually tried this but I could definitely see it working.

I'll stick to PF rushes though. Too much fun. Maybe I'll try a worker rush if I ever random terran v zerg on a small map.
I never noticed the health bonus and I didn't consider you could repair your own SCVs with the initial 50 minerals. I like the way you think :)

[Adamu]

So the last two times I've attempted weren't as successful as the two prior. For some reason there are certain attempts where the enemy will just surround and devour your SCVs seemingly without getting hurt at all. I'll bet there's something important I'm missing out of all this.

Also if anyone reads this who has had to be my partner during my attempts, I am sorry :)

[Geryth]

So the last two times I've attempted weren't as successful as the two prior. For some reason there are certain attempts where the enemy will just surround and devour your SCVs seemingly without getting hurt at all. I'll bet there's something important I'm missing out of all this.

Also if anyone reads this who has had to be my partner during my attempts, I am sorry :)

If I were doing this I would make in groups of two or three and have each group focus a different worker. All those units will be a giant cluster so it's unlikely all 6 of your scv's will be able to hit one target at once. I'd also probably spend the first 50 on one SCV to gather minerals to use for repairs. Run away and make him think he's safe while you heal up lol. Post a replay anyone?

[Adamu]

Ill play a FFA and post the replay here in a couple minutes whether its a failure or a success and see about getting some constructive feedback.

[Wat]

If you are terran and they aren't you have 20 more HP per worker than he does though. That evens the field a bit. And make a worker with your first 50 set to mine so you should have just about enough minerals to repair your scvs. I haven't actually tried this but I could definitely see it working.

I'll stick to PF rushes though. Too much fun. Maybe I'll try a worker rush if I ever random terran v zerg on a small map.one time i got PF rushed but i walled in before his scvs got to my base



good times

[Pwn]

Hm, my 2v2 partner and I were just talking about trying this for the hell of it.

We aren't ranked yet.

[Adamu]

Here are three of my replays. Two of them were failures and one was a success. Any feedback you guys could give me would be appreciated. I think there's a legitimate way to make this work every time, but I'm not sure what part I need to improve.

Failure 1: http://www.egmngr.com/SCV_Rush_1.SC2Replay
Failure 2: http://www.egmngr.com/SCV_Rush_2.SC2Replay
Success 1: http://www.egmngr.com/SCV_Rush_3.SC2Replay

[Garammasala]

Here are three of my replays. Two of them were failures and one was a success. Any feedback you guys could give me would be appreciated. I think there's a legitimate way to make this work every time, but I'm not sure what part I need to improve.

Failure 1: http://www.egmngr.com/SCV_Rush_1.SC2Replay
Failure 2: http://www.egmngr.com/SCV_Rush_2.SC2Replay
Success 1: http://www.egmngr.com/SCV_Rush_3.SC2Replay

I was laughing throughout that entire success video xD, just watching that guys response and seeing your scv's repair eachother was priceless.

You deserve an award for this.

[Adamu]

Bump. Feedback on replays or anything is greatly appreciated :)

[Audaylon]

So the last two times I've attempted weren't as successful as the two prior. For some reason there are certain attempts where the enemy will just surround and devour your SCVs seemingly without getting hurt at all. I'll bet there's something important I'm missing out of all this.

Also if anyone reads this who has had to be my partner during my attempts, I am sorry :)Ha. Small maps I'm sure it works but not the bigger ones. I had one match, where the enemy zerg came and built Extractors on my base's gas things right in the beginning. My partner and I had a good laugh as I was pumping marines out and then rushed him back for an easy counter. So funny.

[Kaliptus]

Lol, I loved the 3rd replay.

I tried it out as soon as I finished watching it, here's my somewhat successful attempt: :P

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Z19G4Z9W

Edit: I'm a copper league hero btw :D

[Geryth]

Wow, I think that is really OP against toss lol, I'm not sure what I could do to stop it if I were a toss and he properly microed and repaired and such.

As far as your first two, you let the first toss out-micro you. when one of your scv's is almost dead, move it out, don't be afraid to leave his base for 5-10 seconds and repair a bit and run back in. Terran V Terran if can micro as well as you will always win because he will have more scv's. I'd have to see it work against zerg to have an opinion.

I wouldn't try this against a terran, or a zerg probably. But toss is too susceptible.

[Adamu]

So over the course of another 30 rounds or so I've refined the strategy a bit.

First of all, SCVs are your only option for rushing. Probes and Drones don't have enough health and the increased build speed for drones won't help when they're that much weaker. The ability to repair also makes SCVs a great choice.

Secondly there are certain maps where this will pretty much never work; namely Oasis. The distance between the bases is just too great unless your opponent is very slow.

Lastly, the prime time to do a rush is immediately after achieving 10 food supplies from your SCVs. At this time most players will stop producing units in order to start their Pylon/Overlord/Supply Depot. By the time you reach their base if you are lucky they'll have just finished it and they will only have one additional unit than you; otherwise they'll be working on a Gateway/Barracks/Spawning Pool and you'll have enough time to wipe them out before they finish.

I've finally achieved a near 80% win record by using this strategy so far.

[leland]

I've now played four ranked Silver matches and won three of them using the SCV rush strategy.

The strategy: As soon as the match starts take your SCVs/Probes/Drones and send them after one of the enemy bases. By the time you reach them you WILL be outnumbered by at least two units so its very important that you surprise them. Target one of their units right off the bat and crush it before they even have time to understand whats going on.

At this point its an intense game of micro. The AI will have the units automatically start attacking you so you'll need to keep focusing on single units and if any of yours are about to die you'll need to move it to the back.

Once all of the enemy drones are gone make your best guess as to whether they've got any remaining minerals. If not, leave the base for dead and continue your match against his ally. If its a 1v1 game then have fun laughing with him as you chip away his final building.

If anyone tries this lemme know how it worked for you.

UPDATE: Courtesy of Colour.ish: SCVs have an additional 20 health more than the other units and have the ability to repair themselves. You can potentially rush in, kill a few, repair, and rush back in for a more solid kill instead of gambling over micro skills.

Ya... I just destroyed an SCV rush. You'd better be something special to pull it off.

[Adamu]

I've overhauled my initial post for this thread, any feedback is greatly appreciated.

[Captinhammer]

SCV rush... The Strategy... I think I'm going to have to try it. It wasn't exactly a "Completly viable strategy" in SC1, but this is SC2 Beta, so you may be on to something here. That said, if this works then you sir are a gentleman and a scolar, and who knows, it might just be auto-win versus zerg and toss due to the less health and not being able to lift off and fly to a protected expansion.

[Adamu]

It's definitely easier against protoss, with zerg there's the problem that some players get a ton of drones right off the bat. They're both easier than dealing with another terran player.

[Adamu]

Bump. Few people in game have been asking me how I pull this off :)

[ghost]

You give platinum players way too much credit.

I was on this guys team when he rushed and it worked pretty well. The other person didnt have that great of micro but it seems like a very fun gimmick strategy that will work from time to time.

The only strategy that takes micro in this god forsaken macro infested game.

only one? i dont buy it

[Captinhammer]

only one? i dont buy it

Agreed, any productive use of stalkers, the mothership, battlecruisers, thors, pheonixes, banelings, infestors, and probably hellions (if productive use is possible...) will usually involve a lot of micro. Also to get the most out of sentries, vikings or high templar micro is required. I'm sure there's mroe zerg guys that require micro to use too but so far I havn't seen them (focus fireing hydras or mutas doesn't count cause then I could name any ranged unit and say it requires micro).

[Disastorm]

I believe the koreans have a variant of this that I heard they were talking about on their forums that involves building some marines then rushing with those and all your scvs.

[Metalmario]

I was laughing throughout that entire success video xD, just watching that guys response and seeing your scv's repair eachother was priceless.

You deserve an award for this.

I can see a youtube vid of this with that benny hill song.

[Zacd]

I just won my first SCV rush in FFA

well I didnt win but I killed a toss.

Probes need to run and attack and use their recharging shield to their advantage.

[Adamu]

I can see a youtube vid of this with that benny hill song.
I've actually changed my strategy to something more humorous. Ill list off my Command Center after my SCVs are done and land it in their base while I'm attacking. Then when their probes are dead instead of killing their buildings I start mining their minerals and building until I have enough to kill it all with marines.

They usually leave before the supply depot is done :(

[Psiven]

This seems like a terrible idea in FFA, you'll kill someone but be 5 minutes behind on your econ and get obliterated by the other players.

Sounds like a ton of fun otherwise though. I wish I could watch replays while battle.net is down :/

[Ascendant]

Yes, I hope blizzard does something about this. Had to just turn off the small maps in preferences. If you are toss, there is no defending against this on the smaller maps, 50% more hp and the ability to repair beats drones, lol.

[OneManZerg]

http://www.theuen.com has a lot of great tips and strategies on this. They have a replay by Roxkis-Dimaga and DeMuslim that is an intense SCV rush. wowo

[Moor]

This is a guide page for rushing strategy for Blizzard's Starcraft 2 (http://starcraft2guidebase.com)

[Gracken]

O RRY? StarCraft 2 Guide (http://www.beststarcraft2guide.net)