Why Don't Other Races Expand as Fast as Zerg?

Zerg always has to fast expand. I know it's because they need the extra hatch to keep their resource expenditure up with their resource gathering. That being said, whenever I watch Zerg players they almost always get that hatch saturated faster than Terran or Protoss players.

Why don't the Terran and Protoss expand as quickly as the Zerg players? They'd be able to keep up in resource gathering and probably win then, as it seems even when the Zerg is getting that expo up and running faster than their opponents it's an even match.

 

Their hatch costs only 300. Compared to the 400 of terran and protoss. The terran and protoss don't need to expand early.

 

350 if you include the drone.

also, the extra hatchery provides extra larva. that's like protoss building more gateways or terrans making more barracks and factories. while the other races' base buildings can only make extra workers, building an extra hatch for zerg directly increases their army production capabilities.

 

What asdf said.
Also, the extra larvae, if you get another queen. Your getting an additional 8 larvae instead of the normal spawning 3 from each one.

 

I didn't make my question as obvious as I thought I did. I know why Zerg fast expand, they extra larva, as I said in my original post.

My point was that the Zerg player almost always saturates that expo faster than Terran or Protoss saturate their expos.

What happens if a Protoss or Terran player sets up an expo and saturates it at the same time as a Zerg player?

It seems that Zerg players are evenly matched to Protoss and Terran players when they have more expos up and running. If the Protoss or Terran opponent keeps up with the expos it'd be a problem.

 

Simple answer-Zerglins. Most cost effective unit for this because they are fast, many in numbers and cheap. Just think about trying to start an expo with 400 minerals for a nexus,then 300 for 3 zealots. Or...400 for CC,300 for 6 marines. Or 300 for a hatch, plus 400 for 16 zerglings! which would you rather spend your 700 minerals on to expand? =)

 

I find it hard to believe that 100 minerals would make such a big difference, or stop players from expanding earlier and getting a lot more than 100 minerals later in the game.

Edit: It's more like 50 minerals as the Zerg loses a drone.

 

because for the other races, you're not only spending an extra 50 minerals, you're not using that money to build gateways or barracks. you can only build units so fast out of those buildings, you know. there is absolutely NO POINT in getting more money if you can't spend that money. so to equal the zerg, you not only have to spend 400 on the new nexus, but another 300 or more to make up for the lost army production capability.

zerg can easily mine fast enough that 1 hatch + 1 queen can't make enough larva. they will NEED a second hatchery just as much as a terran or protoss will need a 3rd or 4th gateway or barracks. you might as well put it at your natural expansion...

 

Yeah, sure if zerg fast expands and then pumps drones, other races can't keep up because they have to build gateways or barracks, whereas the zerg's expo is his barracks.

 

i've seen games where the zerg plops down a fast hatchery, but then ends up not building many drones to fend off an early zealot push or something. in all honesty it's no big loss, because he can switch immediately from drone production to zergling production.

whereas if a terran spent 400 minerals on a new CC, then realized he doesn't have enough marines to fend off an attack... well crap, you have to gather another 150 minerals for a barracks, build that barracks, and THEN pump out marines faster. by that time you're already screwed.

 

You find it hard to believe 100, or even 50 minerals makes a big difference? AS far as fast expand goes, the first 5 minutes,if you think every 50 or 100 minerals is no big deal.... idk what to tell you. If you play enough starcraft it kind of just makes sense, if you read all the posts here. Covers most of it. Are you looking for an answer or to discredit others?

 

I know every mineral is important, but 50-100 minerals isn't a huge deal. It's a couple extra workers, which could potentially give one the edge, but it's not the end of the world.

I knew that there was a reason to why other races don't expand as quickly, I just wanted to know why. Now that I know that other races need those minerals for unit producing buildings I know what my opponent is missing if he does fast expand. It is important for me to know not only what to do, but also why to do it.

That being said, are there any other reasons why Terran and Toss don't expand as quickly?

Now that I think about it, is it possible for them to get enough workers that fast to saturate both bases?

 

No, It is a big deal, it really really is early on, there is no argument about it it is a huge deal so early.


Now heres the thing, you can fast expand but no as fast as the zerg.

Mainly to 2 things

Not enough units - You have to spend 150 150 minerals to buy the extra barracks meanwhile the zerg got tons of larva, you just can't produce enough units fast enough.


No wall to defend the expo

Also
Why do you want to do a fast expand in the same rate as zerg?
Sure in theory this works but then your opponent just have to totally been building drones and never scout so he doesn't see the expo.

But the fact is with your mules or cronoboost you can keep the same resource mining out of just one base.
There is no need to expand.
Now again fast expand as terrans or protoss exist, its just another expo as fast as a 10/14 hatch just doesn't work practically.



Between the last thing for zerg - Map control, those zerglings gives huge map control in the beginning and can easily confine the terr or the protoss in their main base as if they move out they will just get surrounded and die.


But hey load up some games and do the expo as fast as the zerg and put up the replay here.
And if it works, sure I will be amazed

 

Here is the reason why:

T and P dont expand right away is because, in general zerg units are weaker, meaning their strength comes from massing a big army. Zerg needs to expand to get that big army to really compete against the sophisticated units from P and T. That's why the game allowed them to be able to expand real quick.

P and T can make a decent army off of 1 base, unlike zerg.

 

They can.... if they don't build any barracks. The problem is, if both a terran and zerg player build nothing but an expo and workers, then the zerg player can suddenly make a ton of zerglings with his hatcheries, while the terran player is saying "oops, I guess I better make some barracks for defense" and by the time those barracks are done, there are 28 speedlings in his base killing every SCV he's ever had.

 

a hatchery is like a command center that is also a barrack/factory/starport with a 3 build reactor-add-on on it.

 

i typically do fast expand with protoss, but i cant pump units like zerglings to defend it at first therefore i must wait a little longer. also typically saturation doesnt happen that fast therefore it isnt worth it to build a base. with zerg its not only a base bu other stuff, makeing the building more useful.

 

asdf, i played you earlier and it was a good game.
... from my experience, zerg can easily set up a hatch at their nat as long as terran isnt going bio or protoss isnt going quick robotics as that will hinder your economy rather than helping it, having to walk some dirty old spines down to your nat. its effective against a linear attack if you want to get a spire up but ineffective early for your typical banling maneuvers. it's all a matter of preference and situation.

protoss can easily expand as quickly as zerg, but terran players who fe tend to go bio which leaves them at a disadvantage in tvt against 2fac builds. from my experience, yet again.

 

i don't have the beta... someone must be taking my handle before i can make an SC2 account! wahhh!

=P

 

Don't worry, there can be multiple people using the same name.