In Starcraft 2, scouting is a key component of a winning strategy. Spying on your foe allows you to discover what type of units and buildings he is constructing, where they are, and how many of each. This will allow you to figure out his game strategy and counter with a winning strategy of yours.
Terrans have a unique scouting ability that the Protoss and Zerg races do not - they are the only species with the skill to scout an adversary without using any units. With the use of Scanner Sweep, Terran's can scout a big segment of the map and see any buildings or troops in that area - even hidden ones. This can be performed anywhere on the map any time.
This doesn't mean that Scanner Sweep should be the only scouting mechanism you use as a Terran - you should definitely also use your units and buildings to spy on your opponent. SCV units, Reapers, Vikings and Hellions can all make excellent scouts at certain times within the battle. For a really great SC2 guide that has brilliant scouting strategies (and much more), take a look at these reviews of thebest Starcraft 2 guides on the market today.
Early Game Terran Scouting Strategies
The SCV Unit that built and completed your initial Supply Depot is a prime unit to scout with. SCV units 12 or 13 are also great units to scout with, depending on the kind of game you're playing. You should start scouting sooner when battling against an unknown race or when using the 4 player map.
If you are attacking a Protoss adversary and they have plenty of units, but you haven't found many pylons, there are most likely many more of them that you haven't discovered yet. They probably have hidden Pylons and other tech buildings in out of the way areas that you haven't scouted. When fighting against the Protoss, be certain to remember that if you find a Forge, a Cannon Rush or Void Ray strategy is what you should prepare for. Two gateways is a sign that you will probably be fighting a Zealot Rush or Robotics Bay.
A Zerg Spawning Pool early in the game is a definite sign that you will be attacked by a 6-8 Zergling rush and should get ready for it immediately. Hatcheries can mean that the Zerg competitor may be building Mutalisks, Hydras, or a massive Roach attack. If you want to improve your game much more quickly, check out myreviews of Starcraft 2 guides for totally honest reviews of the best guides on the market.
Mid to Late Game Terran Scouting Strategies
In the middle of the game, it's possible to use your buildings in addition to your troops to scout your opponent. Creating barracks or factories and flying them over your opponent can help you find tons of information about your enemy buildings and units, including locations, number of and type of each. This can also be a good time to use troops other than your SCVs to scout - Hellions, Vikings and Reapers all have the ability to be good scouts with different skills at this stage of the battle.
- Hellions have great speed and can do lots of damage when fighting against light units. Cheaper than a Reaper.
- Reapers are also speedy and can jump off of cliffs.
- Vikings can fly over the opponent and are really good for scouting and harassing your adversary.
Terran's are the most defensive race in Starcraft 2 and if walled in correctly can be extremely hard to scout by land. Three simple ways to wall in are by constructing three Supply Depots, with the use of a Barrack and two Depots, or a Factory and Barrack at the choke point.
I hope you learned from this article. I also have a review of a great guide you definitely should take a look at here: The Diamond Gamer In Game Addon for Starcraft 2.
