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GameSpot's Guide to Starcraft

Mission 6: Emperor's Flight

Overview
Caught in the middle of a war between Protoss and Zerg, you must defend against both, using a variety of units, and carefully expand your territory north. You must then fight your way past a powerful Protoss presence to destroy Jim Raynor's Command Center.

Possible Expansions
Two Scouts, two Dragoons, and a Photon Cannon defend a resource node halfway north across the map, along the western edge. You will want to claim this area first, because its position on high ground allows it to be effectively defended. You will also find an unoccupied resource node just a bit northeast of this one. You will want to expand there as well, but will have to defend the area heavily because it is susceptible both to Zerg aerial attacks and Protoss ground attacks. You should have plenty of resources to complete your objective between these two expansions. Note that the Protoss defend a Vespene Gas geyser a short distance southeast of the second expansion, but because the geyser is out in the open, it is not worth claiming.

Nuclear strikes can devastate the Protoss garrison surrounding the Warp Gate.

Key Points
Take advantage of the battle between the Protoss and the Zerg. They want one another dead as much as they want to be rid of you, so if you find them fighting, pass on by and consider yourself lucky. You may also attempt to lure flocks of Mutalisks into Protoss territory. A half dozen Valkyries should survive the opening assault in this mission; repair them when you can, and don't bother to build any more. You'll want to save up for Battlecruisers. You begin the mission with two fully charged, fully equipped Science Vessels. Their Irradiate ability will be invaluable against the Zerg, particularly against Mutalisks; and their EMP Shockwave will be invaluable against the Protoss, particularly against Archons and grouped Dragoons. Use them wisely and do not hesitate to build more.

Combined forces of Valkyries and Guardians can lay waste to rampaging Mutalisk swarms in short order.

Walk-through
Once the Siege Tanks and Valkyries clear a space for you, land all your buildings in the approximate positions they arrived in, and order five of your six SCVs to build Supply Depots, and your sixth to build a Bunker at the northern choke point leading into your base. Start upgrading infantry weapons at your Engineering Bay, build yourself some more tanks and some Missile Turrets along the eastern and western edges of your base, and you're all set for the time being. Your Siege Tanks perched on high ground will be a valuable defense against incoming attacks, but you'll want to use a Dropship to deliver an SCV and four Marines to each. Use the SCV to fortify their ledges with at least one Missile Turret and a Bunker. You'll need the SCV for resources afterward, but eventually you'll want to leave one at each ledge so that it can repair your damaged defenders.

Next: The Mission 6 Walk-through, continued
 

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