The Overmind and Leadership cards

[Stefan 732]

The Overmind's special victory was always one of the easier ones to reach. This hasn't changed much since the expansion and the Leadership Cards it provides. Basically, the Overminds provides two equally balanced ways to domination: either you go for the CP, or you build up your bases. You're equipped for both.

In stage I, if you decide for special victory, your path is fairly determined: you need at least one uncontested base, from which you can launch assaults in multiple directions. This is important so you can quickly build new bases and defend old ones. The other two options are more important for the race for CP. Either you give yourself a headstart and paint a crosshair on your chest by choosing the Overmind, who gives you an extra CP every Regrouping Phase, or you simply have more uncontested ressources with which to pop out units like hell. Both works fairly well, and your neighbours won't like you no matter what.

The first real decision is stage II. You can go on crying for a good beating by introducing the Cerebrat, or you give yourself a free Ultralisk each turn. The latter is much weaker than the first, but also much more conservative and good to reassure the people that you are not soooo bad after all. Should you go for the special victory, the Cerebrate is a must. Placing a fifth order first in every single round means you can defend bases, because this first order is a Mobilize (we remember the uncontested base where all those troops just wait to drive out those overzealous wannabe-conquerors). That means, when they all recognize you're going to win, you stand a real chance against their combined efforts. Always remeber too that you may build at an already taken base, then destroy the base and rebuild it in another area on the same planet still hold by your troops. Your enemy will hate you for it.

The third stage is not so important to the Overmind. Especially if neighbouring Jim Raynor, the destruction of transporters is nearly useless since they're easily rebuild. It can delay the enemy, 'tis true, but in many situations it won't help you much since you may only destroy one per navigation route and not all.. The other option is the "**** you, there are more defenders than you thought"-option and can be needed to keep either your home uncontested or to build out another foothold. I normally would recommend that one, but it's highly up to the situation.

So, now you should have three or even four bases and the knowledge that anyone is pretty ******. Or else you'll reach many CP this round. If not, await the Ganthritor and hope that Kerrigan will finish the job someday. You clearly failed.

[blarknob 0]

You need to address the starting plastics and workers in the stage one leadership cards.  They are often a more compelling reason to choose one card over the other than the special abilities or victory conditions granted.

For instance the overmind stage one leadership card starts with two hydralisks making it much more suited for an early lurker rush strategy.

[Stefan 732]

Another thing I didn't do, right. I wanted to go only for the strategies the cards alone grant, not to the units. I plan to write some strat guides to the units as well, I hope I'll remember to include this information then.