This "middle-of-the-road" species offers a good balance of numbers (of units) and technology. The Terran arsenal includes several new twists, including missile upgrades for Goliaths and, of course, the two new units (Medic and Frigate).

There are probably as many Terran attack and defense strategies as there are players, but these key ideas will help you through the rough stuff.

General Strategies and Tips

• Hotkey the Comsat Station (yes, you can do that) to 9 and 0 to get a Sensor Sweep quickly without having to click on it. To get a sweep on demand, first press the Stations hotkey, and then "s". Getting a Sensor Sweep can be critical if your troops are under attack from cloaked units, because the sweep will reveal enemy unit locations and hidden enemy units.

• For defense, build Bunkers (filled with Marines) and Missile Turrets together. It's also a good idea to place Siege Tanks beside them. This combination provides an extremely tenacious defense that's difficult for the enemy to penetrate.

• When both Comsat Stations and Yamato Cannons become available, use them together to take advantage of the Yamato's superior range (love those guns). For example, to take out a Missile Turret, sweep the Missile Turret area with a Sensor Sweep, and then target it with a Yamato strike. The Battlecrusier will move in to take its shot while still outside the Missile Turrets range.

• This is underhanded, but effective, something you would only see me do: Build a Factory of Barracks behind the enemy's position and start cranking out units for a backside attack. If you can't afford to build there, or can't get an SCV to that position, fly an existing structure into the position, and then begin building. I personally have never got the structure that far, but, with luck, I hope you will be able to.

• Use the Science Vessel's Irradiate ability on biological units. This can be very effective, even against Templars or Defilers.

• To prevent enemy movement, place Bunkers at choke poitns. Before it's destroyed, a carefully placed Bunker can do huge ammounts of damage to the advancing enemy. Build Bunkers "leapfrog" fashion, ever deeper into enemy territory, with the previous Bunker protecting the Bunker under construction. I have found this method particularly useful against a Zerg player.

• Because Terran structures are mobile, you can use a "moving city" tactic-moving your city across the map as needed. Upgraded Goliaths can take the place of Missile Turrets here.

• Medics can have a huge impact on the outcome of a skirmish, but it;s inadvisable to have more than two Medics per group of 12 Marines/Firebats, because the loss of firepower counteracts the Medics' healing ways. Use the Medic's Optical Flare to great effect in situations where only one or two units imrede your path. It shortens the enemy unit's range of sight-permanently-making it easy to destroy from a safe distance.