Having Another Look at One Own Build Order

Playing a good game of Starcraft, starts the moment when you realize that you won the match against your opponent. It might be in your own best interest, to think that you were lucky or it was your own personal skills that what helped defeat your opponent. But understanding one own play- style, starts from using the correct build against each match-up.

Reviewing a replay of each game you play, helps you grasp a better understanding of your own personal play-style and build order timing. I recently took the time to go over each of my replays to spot my strength and weakness in my build order, to notice if there was anything I could improve upon. The results were quite interesting at the least, since there were many moments in my play, that I had extra minerals saved up or supply block in many situations. 

Starting with the basics, by taking notes as you review each replay of past matches, helps you understand timing pushes and building timing. So being able to optimize your own build order, helps you have an edge in improving your own play-style and build orders. Taking notes is always a good thing, so try to have a notepad open, while you enjoy your replays. 

Take notes on each building you make

Take note on the timing of each moment you build or attack the opponent in your replays. These are the key parts of understanding your strengths and weakness in your play. Make a list, by having a section for “timing” and the amount of “supply” you had at the moment and the “building” you were creating at the time and finally the “number” of units you had during that period of time. An example of what your list would look like:

This is an example of my own build order notes:

Time - Supply- Build - Number

1:55 - 13/19 - 1st rax - 12scv

3:00 - 16/19 - orbital command - 16scv

3:30 - 18/19 - 1st command - 16scv 1 marine

3:40 - 19/19 - 1st refinery - 16scv 1 marine

4:30 - 20/27 - 2nd refinery + 2nd rax - 17scv 2 marines

5:30 - 26/38 - 1st factory - 20scv 4 marines

5:45 - 27/38 - 1st techlab + 3nd rax - 21scv 4 marines

6:30 - 36/38 - reactor (factor) + stim - 25scv 6 marines

6:45 - 37/46 - starport - 27 scv 1 mara 6 marines

7:10 - 45/46 - engineering bay - 29scv 2 mara 7 marines

7:55 - 50/54 - 4th rax + weapon+1 – 33scv 2 mara 12 marines

8:50 - 62/62 - 1st attack enemy/3rd refinery - 36scv 2 medicvacs 2 mara 16 marines

Take notes on the amount of units used for your first timing push

Once you have a list of how you’re play through goes, try to compare your next games with the previous results to see how well you have improved on. Might it be the timing of your buildings or the increase amount of units created in your match, having an own personal list of your own build order helps points out the many different flaws in your play. Always try to keep tab of your minerals in each of your matches, because having extra minerals sitting around and not put to good use, really doesn’t help you in any way.

This type of note taking shouldn’t just be limited to your own plays only. You could even watch replays of professional players and study how their timing and supply management works and even build your own timing around their own.

Understanding one own build order is truly important, if you wish to improve yourself in playing a solid game. Each person has their own strength and weakness, but by finding out what your own personal strength and weakness, helps you understand the play-style your familiar with and also build upon in making it better than before. Hope this little bit of tip can help you understand and help you create a better build order timing or even improve your own game play.

Special Thanks to Sean "Day[9]" Plott for this information. You can follow Day[9] on twitter or on his website.