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GameSpot's Guide to Starcraft

Mission 2: Dunes of Shakuras

Overview
Use a small expeditionary force to set up a base just west of its starting position. You will come under attack by Hydralisks, but Dark Templars will appear and save you. You must then build up your base and ultimately eliminate the Zerg presence, southeast of your base.

Possible Expansions
Your western base may be sufficient. If you decide to expand, you shouldn't do so until you've heavily fortified your original base. You'll find more resources in the southwest corner of the map. Several Sunken Colonies and a Spore Colony defend the position, but a group of Zealots and Dragoons should be able to take it easily. There is a large, undefended mineral node on the opposite side of your original base, but there is no Vespene Gas geyser there, so expand to that location only if absolutely necessary.

Key Points
You cannot build a Fleet Beacon or an Arbiter Tribunal for this mission; Corsairs and Dark Archons are also unavailable. Scouts are only marginally useful, because you cannot upgrade their speed, and can only upgrade their weapons and armor once. You will not face Lurkers, so you will not require Observers when you mount your attack. You will not face vast groups of enemies, so High Templars and Psionic Storm will not be essential. Dragoons and Zealots should comprise the brunt of your forces, and a Reaver near a Shield Battery and several Photon Cannons will help fend off half-hearted enemy attacks on your position.

Walk-through

A squadron of upgraded Dragoons are not only essential for defense, but will provide the attack power necessary for completing your objective.

Move your Zealots west, and follow with your Probes. Make sure to keep them safe as your Zealots take care of any Zerglings you encounter on the way. You'll find plenty of minerals and a gas geyser, so promptly set up a Nexus and a Pylon with your starting resources. Put all your Probes on minerals at first, and use your remaining surplus to build two more Probes. Set up an Assimilator afterward, and be prepared for a Hydralisk attack around this time. Dark Templars will help deal with them, but you'll need to use your Zealots, or those Hydralisks could do some damage. The Dark Templars will prove very helpful for defense from here on.

Build up your base defensively; attackers will approach from the south, but Overlords may drop Zerglings and Hydralisks from virtually any southern angle. Photon Cannons along the ridge will be useful, and defend the southern ramp leading up to your plateau with more Cannons and a Reaver. You needn't build a Stargate; your money here is better spent on Dragoons. Make sure you upgrade their weapons and research the Singularity Charge as soon as possible.

A combined force of Zealots, Dragoons, and Scouts can make short work of the Zerg presence in this region.

Once you've amassed about a dozen Zealots and upgraded their weapons and speed, you can charge them down the ramp and across the bridge to the southwest corner of the map, where they'll quickly deal with the small Zerg presence guarding the resource node. Send a few Dragoons along in case Mutalisks show up. Leave the survivors at the resources and send a Probe to set up an expansion.

Build some new Probes at your original base and have them ready to go at your expansion as soon as it's ready. Defend with Photon Cannons. Amass a couple dozen Zealots and a dozen or more Dragoons. Move them northeast from your expansion, and be prepared to deal with a Sunken Colony up the first ramp you find. Assemble your troops on high ground, then charge them south, then southwest. Sunken Colonies, Zerglings, Hydralisks, and Mutalisks will give your forces some trouble, but with numbers such as yours, you should be able to level the Zerg base with little trouble.

Next: Mission 3: The Legacy of the Xel'Naga
 

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