Zerg Build Orders for Rushing

From poster Nicholas over on the Starcraft Forums

The Zergling Rush

Ah, the Zergling rush. Probably the most standard rush the Zerg have, not to mention the most infamous. I'll post the build order that I personally use for this rush, and it works great for me.

Drones until 10
10 - Extractor (put three Drones on when it finishes)
9 - Drone
10 - Spawning Pool
9 - Overlord
10 - Drone (use him to scout)
11, 12 - Drones
13 - Zergling Speed upgrade (the Pool should finish around now, and this upgrade is CRUCIAL to the rush)
13 - Queen
14, 15, 16 - Zerglings
16 - Overlord

After this, mass Zerglings until the speed upgrade finishes. When it does, set your Hatchery's rally point to just outside your opponent's ramp, and send 'em in. If your first push fails, don't worry. This is supposed to happen. During the first push, run past any units or buildings you see - go straight to his mineral line. Take out as many Probes or SCVs as you possibly can. Continue to Spawn Larva with your Queen, and just continue to make Zerglings. Somehow, the 12 Drones seems to be enough to provide an endless supply of Zerglings, so you can go on like this indefinitely. If your opponent is walled off and you can't get in at all, you have two options - cut your losses, and try to play the game out, or go for a Baneling Bust. See below.



The Baneling Bust

This is a build that incorporates Banelings to take down your opponent's wall, so your Zerglings can stream in and take out his harvesters.

9 - Overlord
14 - Pool
13 - Extractor
15 - Overlord
15 - Queen
17 - Zerglings

At 17, just start pumping out the Zerglings. You'll need quite a few, because a lot of them will have to morph into Banelings. With your first 100 gas, buy the Zergling speed upgrade, and with the 50 after that, throw down your Baneling Nest. After that, stockpile gas so you can morph a lot of Banelings. Once you've got about 25 Zerglings, move them to your opponent's ramp. If he walled off with a Barracks and a Factory, you'll need to morph about 10 Banelings. If walled off with a Barracks and two Supply Depots, you only need 6. Send them right at a building, and make sure the Zerglings rush in on their heels. Proceed to his mineral line first.



The Six Pool

This build is kind of cheesy, but it's a rush nonetheless. It's really simple.

6 - Harvest until you can afford a Spawning Pool, then throw it down
5, 6, 7 - Zerglings

Move your first six Zerglings to his base and go straight for his SCVs or Probes. The idea is to get your units to his base before his unit producing buildings are even finished. If you can manage to wipe out his SCVs or Probes before he builds a unit producing structure, you win. If you can't, you'll probably lose.

Note - A lot of players tend to get disheartened if they don't win with a rush. If you take out his entire mineral line, or most of it, keep playing, because you're at a significant advantage. If he totally shuts you down, you're at a disadvantage, so you have to expand and get back to par as quickly as you can.