Opening Gambit | Challenges SC II: WoL Guide

Last update: 11 May 2016

An extremely difficult mission if you plan on getting the gold medal. The key is above all investing in new workers. You have to constantly (at least to some point) produce new workers and designate them to work. To do that, click on the Command Center and then right click on the crystals or Refinery.

Note that you only have to produce the given units, not keep them. You can use that fact to kill your own units with the attack command, thanks to which you won't need so much Supply Depots. Under no circumstances should you lead to a situation in which you can't produce any units.

Save from time to time. If the challenge isn't going too well, go back to your own saves and try to play through the given fragments better. I didn't make it on the first try as well and I doubt anyone did. The below method is of course only an example.

Send the starting SCVs to collect crystals, training two more. Send the third to build a Supply Depot in the place suggested by the game. Keep producing SCVs and sending them to the crystals all the time.

Around 16:20 - you should start building Barracks.

Build another Supply Depot a while after. Once the Barracks are ready, immediately start training Marines. Leave one SCV at the spot to repair the building once the Zerglings appear (15:00). Keep investing in more workers and be sure to have 400 minerals in store one the timer hits the time given below. You should also deal with the Zerglings by then.

Around 14:00 - place another Command Center below.

Immediately start building a Supply Depot, followed by a Bunker and one more Supply Depot. You can do all that with a single SCV. You should also decide on another Refinery and send in some more gatherers (maximally 3 per each). Keep on training more workers and Marines all the time. Begin a mass production by the newly built Command Center as well.

Send four soldiers to the Bunker and place a SCV beside (for repairs). Secure the cliff with the other Marines, from where they will have a great shooting position.

Around 12:10 - A Zerg attack, consisting of a couple Zerglings and Roaches. By now you should have 2 Refineries, 6 Marines and a third (since 14:00) Supply Depot being built.

A very fast and important part of the level, requiring a lot of... clicking. During it, you will have to build 2 Refineries (4 in total) and begin building 2 Supply Depots, 2 Barracks, 2 Factories (+ add-ons) and a Ghost Academy. Keep investing in workers and Marines all the time. Before 10:00 you should already have some new buildings, for example new Barracks, which you should immediately start expanding with a Tech Lab. Place a Reactor by the first one.

Around 10:00 - A Roach attack, fought off by 10 Marines.

Before, or right after the Zerg attack, you should definitely start building the fourth Barracks, placing a Reactor by them once more. Save the game, as everything's in your hands from now. Stop buying new SCVs and focus on producing the needed units. Send them towards the Bunker or onto the hill.

You may build some new Supply Depots, but once your populations start to grow dramatically, don't hesitate to kill your own Marines. In case you really need to, kill Ghosts as well. You should probably leave the Tanks alone and research siege mode if you you'll have enough gas (though it's not necessary). With 6 minutes till the end, you will be attacked by, amongst others, 2 Ultralisks. Try to fight them off by using the Ghosts' sniper rifles.

Summing up: the production in this given solution should focus on 4 Barracks (2 Tech Labs and 2 Reactors) and 2 Factories.