Games - Zergling

	Games - Zergling

A Zergling is the first offensive unit the Zerg are able to build in the real time strategy game StarCraft, created by Blizzard Entertainment. The Zergling is quick, agile, small, and is most effective when produced en masse. The Zergling only requires one Zerg building beyond the Hatchery to create, has a very low mineral cost, and is produced in packs of two, so it is the ideal unit for early game Zerg.

Zergling Stats

Using Zerglings in-game

Individually, Zerglings are weak units with only 35 hit points and deal a measly 5 damage per attack. However, their rapid attack and movement rates, along with low construction time turn them into powerful weapons. Upgrades are available to increase the Zergling's killing power; unit movement can be quickened, rate of attack may be increased, the player can augment attack power and defense, and the Burrow ability allows the Zergling to hide unseen by the enemy. Once the Zergling obtains the attack speed upgrade, they are known as "Cracklings" by many Starcraft players to put emphasis on their sheer speed.

A widely popular tactic is the Zergling rush, where players exploit the low cost of creating Zerglings and the speed at which they can be created to build up a large attack force extremely early in the game to cripple or destroy the enemy before he or she is ready to counterattack or defend. This tactic has become so popular, or at least so well-known, that the strategy of attacking early with a large number of weak units has become known as "Zerging" in any strategy game, not just Starcraft.

In late game, when Ultralisks are available and the Zerglings benefit from a number of damage and speed increasing upgrades, a common tactic is to mix a few Ultralisks with a massive wave of Zerglings. Ultralisks draw most of the enemy fire, while massed Zerglings inflict the real damage.

Another tactic is to use the Defiler's Dark Swarm ability (which protects an area against direct ranged attacks) to protect the Zerglings while they swarm the enemy force. Another one of Defiler's abilities (Consume) allows continious casting of Dark Swarm, as the Defiler restores energy points when consuming friendly units. The cheap Zerglings are prime candidates for "consumption". This tactic is especially effective against Terran opponents, since Terrans only have one melee unit - the Firebat.

Appearance

The design of the Zergling varies from cinematics to in-game, and it changes again for its cameo in Warcraft III--this design is also used in StarCraft: Ghost. They also cameo in World of WarCraft, with another new design. This can often be attributed to and explained by the "natural" state of the Zerg. The creatures are ever evolving and changing due to assimilation of new species and traits that upgrade the zerglings effectiveness, and thus appearance.

In StarCraft, they are bipedal creatures with Velociraptor-like legs. They have three webbed toes on the end of each. Protruding from below their head are two arms ending in scythe-like claws. When zerglings stand still these scythes fold down against their stomachs. They have large shield-like projections from the back of their heads, and two twin-clawed arms protrude from the sides of it. Zerglings run by hopping on all four lower limbs, and attack by extending their upper claws and slashing down, then quickly stabbing forward and slashing with the lower before the first motion ends. They can be upgraded to do this even faster, via adrenal glands. This design is based on the picture in the manual; in-game, they're slightly different (primarily in the upper claws).

In StarCraft's cinematics they look rather similar. However, they're much thinner, their head is more separate from the body, and they lack the upper arms. Their scythe-arms are more agile and do not tuck below the stomach, and they stand more upright. They hop the same way, and attack with quick alternating slashes from each claws. Their heads are more rounded in this form, and their chests are quite thin and have very visible ribcages; they somewhat resemble a hydralisk in this incarnation. Also, their rear legs have less joints, and simply go straight back then bend straight down when they stand still. They're more agile than the other forms, and have been seen rearing up and leaning to the side in order to dodge incoming fire. Despite having less pairs of weapons, these seem to be the most dangerous incarnation of the Zergling.

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Zergling ]

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