Double Proxy Rax (Barracks) Build Order (TvZ)

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The Double Proxy Rax (Barracks) rush is a very effective Terran vs Zerg build order. This build involves building two early Barracks hidden near the opponent's base and then using these Barracks to make early Marines for an assault.

Unlike many other proxy rushes, this build order is not an all in nor is it particular cheesy. Some players may complain that it is cheese (i.e. an overly risky and unconventional build), but really this is a standard (albeit very aggressive) build order.

Terran players are able to cause major damage or at least delay mining and force units with this opener while the Terran ramps up their own economy. If the rush fails to win the game and gets cleaned up, players can just lift off their proxy Barracks and take them back to the Terran main! This results in the Terran entering the mid game in a perfect position macro up and continue in the game.

Note to new players: A Proxy Barracks refers to building the Barracks just outside the enemy player's base. This way, when the Marines spawn, they will have less distance to walk to get to the Zerg's base. You want the Barracks to be close, but try to hide the proxy Barracks outside of common Overlord and Drone scouting paths and out of range of Xel'Naga towers so that the build is not scouted right away.

Double Proxy Barracks Build Order

9/11: Send SCV out to build proxy Barracks
10/11: Supply Depot (send this SCV out to join the first SCV once Barracks is finished)
11/19: Barracks
11/19: Barracks
13/19: Orbital Command
14/19: Marine
15/19: Bunker
16/19: Marine
17/19: Marine
17/19: Supply Depot (at home)
18/19: Marine
19/19: Marine

At this point, if the Bunker is up, you will want to continue to produce Marines in an attempt to finish off the Zerg player. If the Bunker does not finish and the Zerg looks poised to clear up your attack, resume building SCVs and start an additional Command Center back at the main. Build a Bunker and a Supply Depot wall on the low ground by the ramp up to the natural to protect yourself from a counter attack.

Executing the Strategy

The build order alone tells us the most effective way to get out the Bunker and Marines in a way that stacks up nicely with standard Zerg play, but it does not impart the finer details of this strategy. It is the execution of the build rather than the build itself that is of importance here.

Where to Build the Bunker

The first thing you should consider is where to build your Bunker. The target here is to build the Bunker just outside of the enemy's natural expansion. Note that Hatcheries under construction have a very limited vision range. You can build a Bunker 5 or 6 units of range away from the Hatchery and unless the Zerg player has an Overlord or other unit in the area, they will never see the Bunker under construction.

When your SCV arrives to build the Bunker, the enemy's Hatchery should still be under construction. If there is no Hatchery there, the opponent is getting ready to cheese you with some sort of Zergling, Baneling, or Roach timing. You can still throw down a Bunker right at the natural expansion anyway. This will intercept their rush and will delay any expansion attempts.

You want to try to hide your Bunker as best you can. Even if it only remains hidden for 15 seconds, that can make a huge difference. Try not to bring the SCV within range of the Hatchery's limited vision as to not give a hint to the Zerg opponent that you might be going for a Bunker rush.

As soon as the second Barracks finishes, bring that SCV to help assist the first SCV in the Bunker's construction. Good Zerg players will try to use Drones to kill the building SCV - it is much harder to take down 2 SCVs if you are constantly halting and swapping out SCVs as they take damage.

Rally Your Marines

Note that your Bunker should be started before even a single Marine gets in position. Rally your Marines to the Bunker. Your goal is to protect the SCV and the Bunker rather than try to cause damage with these initial Marines. Once the Bunker goes up, you can slip your Marines inside. From inside the Bunker, your Marines will be able to hit the enemy's Hatchery.

As new Marines are produced, they should be rallied to the Bunker. Extra Marines can be microed back and forth so they can avoid enemy attacks but also contribute to the bunkered Marines' DPS.

How to Attack the Opponent

Good micro is required to attack the enemy. Ideally, you unload your Marines from the Bunker and push forward to take out weakened Queens, Drones, or Zerglings. When the enemy units try to attack you, run back into the Bunker.

As you are in the Bunker you will slowly DPS down the Hatchery, but this is not the primary target. You do not want the Zerg injecting Larva or building up Zerglings with production off of the Hatchery at the natural expansion. Try to limit this by killing Queens and Zergling as they spawn. Also, kill any Drones that may be left behind mining.

Just make sure you run back to the Bunker when the enemy turns on you. Do not get so far away from the Bunker that you get surrounded by Zerglings or Drones. Keep your critically injured Marines inside the Bunker permanently and use fresh Marines to push forward. Slow down the Zerg as your Marine count builds and eventually you will be able to perform a fatal push (or at least set up a contain).

Repair and Build

Keep your two SCVs at your initial Bunker as well. If you go past 4 Marines, you might want to add on a second Bunker. This can help contain the Zerg player if they hole up on one base after you take down their Hatchery. Use these SCVs to repair each other and the Bunker as well. They can slip inside the Bunker if they start taking too much damage.

If You Destroy the Hatchery (or Force a Cancel)

Ideally, you will kill the enemy's Hatchery. You have two options from here: be aggressive or expand. Both can work and really depend on what your opponent has going on at their main base. If there are Spine Crawlers, Banelings, or Roaches on the way in the main base, you should fall back. If there is nothing in the main, you can be aggressive.

If you want to be aggressive, push up the ramp with your units and build a Bunker right at the top. This will give you a new fall back point. You need a Bunker on the high ground to fall back to so that you do not lose to a swell of Zerglings or Spine Crawlers. Once you have a Bunker on the high ground, the Zerg opponent is contained to 1 base. If the enemy starts getting Banelings, Spine Crawlers, or Roaches, you will need to start getting more SCVs at home in order to get Vespene gas. The gas can then be used on Marauders, which are strong against Roaches, Spine Crawlers, and Banelings.

If you want to expand and macro up, do not sacrifice your Bunker(s) right away. Instead, stay in position at the Zerg's natural and maintain your Marines and Bunkers in position. This will prevent the Zerg from re-claiming their natural expansion immediately. They will have to take several minutes to add on units before they will be able to break down your Bunkers.

Meanwhile, you can lift off your Barracks and take them back to the main base. Use them as part of a wall-in at your natural expansion. Take your natural expansion and start pumping SCVs. Get up to Factory and Starport technology and make a more advanced army of Marines, Marauders, Widow Mines, and Medivacs.

The enemy will ultimately break your contain and take their natural expansion, but hopefully by then you are way ahead in worker count, tech, and production capability. Once you have Stimpack and Combat Shields, you can make a push with your superior, higher tech forces to secure the win.

If Your Attack Fails

If you fail to take out a Hatchery, do what damage you can and fall back. An example of this is if the enemy scouts your Bunker under construction and pulls Drones to kill it before it goes up. This happens all the time, especially with good Zerg players. If this is the case, use your initial Marines to kill as many Drones as you can that are trying to rush down the Bunker.

Even with a failed attack, you should be able to pull off at least a couple Drone kills plus force Zergling production (those Larva would have otherwise been Drones). You can then just lift off your Barracks and send them home. Add on a Bunker at home and retreat with your surviving Marines. Use the Bunker plus the Barracks and maybe a Supply Depot to form a wall-in at the natural expansion. You are then safe to start your own expansion and resume SCV production. From here you are in a good position to macro into the mid game like you would if you had opened with an early expansion.

If the enemy tries to rush you with very early Zerglings and ignores your initial units, get vespene gas and get a Reaper right away. Offensive Zerglings without Metabolic Boost can be easily kited by a single Reaper.