Tip: Micromanage your battles. The more forces on both sides of a battle, the more difference it will make if you are focusing your units on one target at a time instead of letting them decide for themselves. Using the grouping hot keys for this will make a huge difference. Your attacks will become much more concentrated and powerful as a result.

Tip: Place defenses all through your town, not just at the perimeter. Otherwise, once your opponent breaks through (or simply charges through) your front-line defense, he'll be able to rampage through your town like Godzilla. This is especially true with air defenses, which are absolutely critical.

Tip: Scout. Blind attacks on the enemy aren't smart at all. Sacrifice a few low-end units to ascertain quality intelligence on the types of units your opponent has massed. This will allow you to start formulating a battle plan, and make any last minute changes to your battle groups.

Tip: If you're playing on a team, communication is the key. If you're at the office, use telephone headsets or speakerphones, and conference everyone in. It's much easier to yell at your phone than to type when you're under attack, and there's no better way to synchronize attacks.

Tip: Resources are the key. Protect them, cut them off, get them first, and get them fast. Even if you set up a camp that may get obliterated, you may still suck down a few thousand precious minerals that your enemy will never get. As long as building all those extra base camps doesn't prevent you from more immediate necessary building, being greedy will pay off in the long run. If you expend 300 minerals to build a base, and then harvest 2,000 minerals from it, even if your base gets destroyed, you still make a profit.

Tip: Whatever the race, build tons of resource-collector units as fast as you can. Find another resource spot on the map, and even before you've totally fortified your first base, build another.

Tip: Build multiple bases. You should have two going as soon as possible. This will allow you to secure more resources, confuse your opponents, and give you multiple fronts to fight from. When you defeat an opponent, immediately build a base on top of his ashes.

Tip: Make sure to keep your eye on any Vespene Geysers that you're extracting gas from. When they run out, your worker units will continue to run back and forth between them, but they'll be collecting practically nothing. As soon as a Geyser runs out, transfer any units working on it elsewhere.

Tip: Whatever race you are, when you're taking out a defended enemy base, there is a logical progression of what you have to destroy. We advise sending in an initial group of ground troops to destroy any surface-to-air towers, like the Spore Colonies or the Missile Towers. Once accomplished, you'll have some degree of air superiority. Use your air forces to take out the ground-based defensive structures (cannons, Sunken Colonies, and so on), while your ground units wage battle against your opponent's units. If you have the advantage in numbers--or even if you can spare a unit or two--set some of your troops to destroy any unit-producing buildings or worker units. The more damage you can do to your enemy's infrastructure, the better.

Tip: If you even suspect that Terran Spider Mines are in your path, send in observing units to determine their exact location so that you can react accordingly. Those damn things are fast and deadly and can wipe out your front line before you can say shrapnel.

Tip: Overlords are not just good for their detection abilities. They're also the equivalent of houses. Kill one any time you see one--they don't move fast, and they can't attack so it shouldn't be hard...unless they are properly escorted.

Tip: Go after Spires. That thing that looks like a mushroom is what lets the Zerg build air units. Unless your opponent is a believer in redundant buildings (most we know are not, especially early on--the Zerg pride themselves on needing very few buildings), destroying a Spire will set him back some. This structure is also required for building Spore Colonies. Take out a Spire and you can seriously cripple the Zerg empire.

Tip: A Zerg Hatchery will survive a nuclear blast and it will heal slowly. However, the peasant line--all the surrounding worker units--will likely be decimated, which may make it worth the effort. Nonetheless, there are usually Overlords hanging around a base, and this may make it tough to sneak in a ghost. Because Zerg towns tend to be extremely compact, Nukes can be effective against secondary buildings, too.

Tip: Attack Firebats and Marines early, before the Terran defenses are really built up. Try to take them out with air units (they're more vulnerable to this kind of attack).

Tip: Uncloak the Terrans. For Zergs, this means using the Queen's Ensnare skills to find units, such as the Ghosts or any Wraiths. Protoss can use an observer in their offensive troops as they scout Terran territory.

Tip: Zergs can use the Plague to reduce the hit points of Terran infantry. By following up with an attack, a significant portion of Terran ground troops will be erased.

Tip: Hit the buildings. Terran buildings are particularly vulnerable, and, when destroyed, can deal a swift blow to Terran defenses and growth. Look for main structures, such as the Barracks or Factory, which are required to build many of the units.

Tip: Get airborne. If you can get air power early in a game against the Protoss, you'll be in great shape. Not only will you be able to suppress the Protoss Zealot units, but you will be able to hold down resource-rich areas immediately.

Tip: Be ready for the early attack. The Protoss have a leg up on everyone at the beginning of any contest because the Zealots are more powerful than the other two races' units. Be prepared for your opponent to use this to his or her advantage, and make sure you have some units defending your base.

Tip: When you're up against a Protoss Carrier, go after it as soon as you can. Taking out one of these massive units can knock the wind out of any Protoss attack. If you're the Zerg, use your Scourge against it. If you're the Terrans, you have to gang up on it. But either way, when a Protoss Carrier shows up, you have to concentrate your fire on it, or it will tear you up.

Tip: If you're Terran, use the Science Vessel's EMP Shockwave. Otherwise known as the Protoss killer, it will destroy the shields of all Protoss units in the blast radius.

Tip: To cripple your Protoss opponent's war efforts, take out as many Pylons as you can. This is especially effective when you're fighting against a satellite enemy encampment. The Protoss need the Pylons to expand their territory. By taking them out, you limit their ability to grow and build new units.