7. ALWAYS SCOUT
It warns you of incoming attacks, lets you check enemy research, and pick the moment to launch your own strike. When a match starts send a Gatherer to scout to their base.
8. GROUP TROOPS
Your troops are idiots. Grouped together they'll wander aimlessly and fire irregularly. Use command groups (Ctrl + a number key) to keep the same units together, put ranged troops on the back-line and melee specialists up front. Then focus their fire by manually picking individual targets in order to kill enemies double-quick.
9. MICROMANAGE FIGHTS
All races have 'spellcasters' that come preloaded with sets of super-useful battlefield abilities, but they won't just use them off the bat. Cycle through your men in battles, chucking out powers as they become available and useful, and your other units will reap the rewards with buffs and murderous powers.
10. PLAN YOUR BUILD
Working out what to build on the fly gets you killed – aimless research ties up invaluable resources. Set up a few standard builds to deal with typical enemy forces: for example, a Terran marine force is out in minutes after building five SCVs, two supply depots, and a barracks with a reactor. This predefined plan takes the strain from your brain.
11. MEMORIZE HOTKEYS
In StarCraft, the mouse is your attack finger, pointing at foes and shouting 'kill!', but it's the keyboard that's in charge of vital maintenance. Learn important hotkeys – S for the Terran SCV, for example – and practise, until you can build a force without needless, second-wasting mouse clicking.
12. TRY THE INFESTOR
It spawns Infested Terrans, controls enemies with Neural Parasites and spews Fungal Growth, but doing any of this draws all the fire in the world. The Infestor is a fat, expensive slug with no direct attack, but it's range of uses have thus far proved more micro than most players can handle. The trick is shielding them with troops and personally firing off their abilities.
13. MASTER THE VIKING
A terrible ground-to-ground mech that can turn into a terrible air-to-air jet. It takes several seconds to change from one vehicle to another, and as a result relies on scouting so good it's practically clairvoyance.
14. PROTOSS MOTHERSHIP
Too many players fling these at the enemy like frisbees, when the truth is they're support units to be coddled and protected. Use the Cloaking Field and Vortex abilities to hide friendly forces while locking down enemy defences, and the Mass Recall power to draw reinforcements into the fight (or your assault force back out).
