Player expectations can vary depending on a myriad of variables too varied to count. As a child, I was drawn to the “sexier” elements of real-time strategy games like Starcraft, Warcraft, Command & Conquer, and Age of Empires, such as building a giant army and watching it clash against my opponent’s. Without a clue as to what competitive gameplay looked like and high on passion for the more simulation-style elements of the genre, I struggled to grasp what made these games tick. Watching high-level competitive matches of Starcraft: Brood War and Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne as an adult has exposed the vast chasm between my expectations as a younger player and the reality of winning an actual match online.
How to Play Terran – Starcraft: Brood War
I was originally drawn to the cowboys-in-space fantasy that Terran represented; lining tanks up and bombarding enemies with nuclear bombs seemed like cool enough tactics to make the game worth playing as a Timmy/Johnny hybrid. Siege Tanks are undoubtedly one of the most important units in the Terran arsenal, but my least favorite unit has now become the one piece I rely on most in 99% of my own matches.
The Vulture is an unassuming hovercycle with a grenade launcher and the ability to plant land mines that chase nearby enemies and provide surveillance of the surrounding area. Without much armor and a short attack range, I originally thought that they were primarily a scout unit without much extra utility. Watching any competitive Starcraft: Brood War game with Terran will quickly reveal just how important they are to the race’s game plan. Not only do they provide lightning-fast scouting, but their mines are some of the best area denial and vision abilities in the game. In small numbers, Vultures are vicious harassing units and they also pack quite a punch in larger groups.
Warcraft 3 is Not an Army Simulator
Although I played a lot of Starcraft, Warcraft 3 is my favorite game of all time and played a significant part in my childhood entertainment. That being said, none of my Warcraft 3 “ladder” matches involved any of the key components of competitive Warcraft: micro, efficient creeping, harassing, and unit diversity. My goal was often to mass a specific unit and smash my head on the keyword in an attempt to appeal to the almighty random number generator. Not only is high-level Warcraft 3 more about leveling Heroes, but armies are often small, varied groups of units that play off of each other’s strengths.
I now realize that heroes that are generally considered great choices are completely opposite to the ones I liked most and for completely different reasons. Splashy and dramatic spells pale in comparison to the ability to summon “more dudes” to fight your opponent. The Farseer, Firelord, and other summoners dominate the competitive landscape together with heroes who provide passive benefits to their armies like the Death Knight and the Keeper of the Grove. Having more boots on the ground in a game about small skirmishing armies makes sense to me as an adult, but it was completely lost on me as a child.
There was a reason I played more custom games than ladder matches, but as an adult, I now fully appreciate the value of a Circlet of Nobility. Minor stat benefits aren’t often attractive to Timmy or Johnny, but I’ve aged into being more of a Spike in my early 30s. Despite Blizzard’s downfall and the demise of Warcraft 3: Reforged, I suspect I’ll be playing Warcraft 3, Starcraft: Brood War, and other real-time strategy games in the future.
Speaking of which, I just helped fund Zero Space, a new RTS game that seems to land somewhere in between Starcraft, Warcraft, and Warhammer: Dawn of War. Check it out on Steam and Kickstarter.
tommgoldrick.com 