I've decided to write a nice little strategy write-up for new terran players. Experienced players will probably know most of what is here but, hey, maybe there will be something you haven't thought of. You don't need to read all of this in one sitting, obviously. For example, if you are having trouble with a certain part of TvP, just skip to that section.

This is divided into four sections: general strategy, outlining what a terran player should do in just about every game for every matchup, terran v toss, terran v zerg, and terran v terran. If I missed something or you think something should be added be sure to speak up

Note: This guide does not outline how to defeat cheese tactics. I'll put it in later if need be

Also Note: My build orders and strategy sections are not end-all be-all ways to play the game. I am constantly improving and polishing my build orders and strategies as the beta progresses. Apart from that, you can/will definitely bend anything you read in this guide to fit your playing style and your strategy will change as a match progresses. I just outline common paths and general things to worry about in regards to race match ups and strategy. Although at times I seem very specific, remember these are just guidelines and should be taken as such!

Also Also Note: This is still under construction. I only have two sections roughly laid out. If people want me to continue, I will add sections and polish the guide further.

Also Also Also Note: I'll be sure to put in some pretty ASCII art or pretty titles or something to break up the seemingly wall of text that this is. Until then, however, you'll unfortunately have to manage ;)


TERRAN GENERAL STRATEGY

Terran at the moment have (quite convincingly) the weakest late game units apart from the battle cruiser which for 99% of your games will be unfeasible to make in any reasonable numbers. As such, terran play generally consists of a lot of early pressure. You want to keep the game out of the late phase for as long as possible. When late game units start really coming out, you are in trouble (especially if you are playing against zerg). If the opponent doesn't crack under early pressure, you'll usually wind up launching a massive all-in type of mid game siege in hopes of ending the game.

Unlike Starcraft I, terrans cannot afford to turtle anymore. Terrans still have the ABILITY to turtle, it is just a generally bad idea to do so. Any amount of units you can amass by turtling will always be a weaker force than your opponent who would then be allowed to do whatever. You need to get our there and make things happen. If you don't, you'll just be rolled over eventually.


Now some terran specific abilities:

Orbital Command:
You should upgrade your first Command Center to an OC as soon as possible. The moment your rax is done, an OC should be going up. MULES provide absolutely terrifyingly amazing increases in mineral income, especially in the early game when 260 minerals is a huge deal. The sooner you get this up, the sooner you are raking in +260 minerals per minute which is huge. be sure to call down a MULE every time your OC has 50 energy!

Scanner Sweep should be used right before you decide to launch a large hopefully game-ending offensive to determine where enemy defenses are located. It can also be used right around the eight minute mark or just a tad later to check out which tech path your enemy is taking. This is especially important to check on if Zerg players are going Mutalisks so you can prepare your defenses. Scanner Sweep can also be used in pinches when there are invisible units around and you don't have any detectors to see them with. Except for times where this can be used in very important ways, pick MULES over this
Finally, Supply Drop should only be used when you are at your supply limit, you haven't already started a supply depot, and you absolutely 110% NEED more units asap. It should be used sparingly.

Salvage:
This is really only useful for taking back that one bunker you may have put up in the beginning to stop a rush you scouted or maybe take down a few missile turrets if you are in a mineral pinch. Situational, but don't forget about this ability.

Raise and lower supply depots:
Used to allow units in and out of your base when you have walled yourself in. Pretty basic use and not deep enough to really get into. I generally keep all of my supply depots that aren't used as a wall lowered so my units can move around more easily.

tech lab and reactor core: Remember these buildings are interchangeable between starports, barracks, and factories! If you really want to get those double vikings out quickly, for example, don't waste time building a new reactor core for you starport. Lift off and take the addon from a barracks. It will be quicker. That is just one example of a use for exchanging addons.


TERRAN VERSUS PROTOSS

This match up is, to me, the most exciting not to mention it is the only time that the most bad-ass unit in the entire terran army: the Ghost is ever useful.

The Ghost's EMP makes this match up possible. EMP deals 100 damage to shields which means no more shields for almost every Toss unit in your enemy's arsenal. I'll get into EMPs later, however.

also note: Snipe is very useful for taking out zealots after using EMP. If a zealot gets a little too close to your army, don't be afraid to snipe him down.

The key to defeating Toss is to hit them early and set back their HTs and Collosi. Early Ghosts are a MUST for EMP. doing AOE 100 instant damage early game is no joke. As such, here is what I personally use as a Build Order against Toss:

build a supply depot at 10 food
build another SCV
build a Refinery
put 1 SCV on the refinery when it goes up
build a Rax
make a marine
build Ghost academy
make a marine
make an scv
build Supply Depot
make another rax
attach a tech lab to your first rax
continue making marines until you hit 200 gas
make a Ghost
build refinery
attach reactor core to second rax

I did that off of memory so I might have to go back later and change up some things. That is basically how it goes, however. you want to aim for 6 marines or so by the time your ghost comes out. The moment your Ghost comes out, send all of your army toward the enemy base. When you reach the enemy base, fire an EMP at the likely cluster of zealots and focus fire them down while microing your army back in between shots. EMP should be used on Zealots over Stalkers at this point. Also, focus down any sentries immediately as their guardian shield reduces your army's damage quite a bit. If the enemy has done a fast tech type of build, you will probably win right here. If you are able to clear out their defensive forces, then go tear up their probes UNLESS you see that the gateways are powered by a single pylon. If this is the case, take the pylon down and you just got a 100% chance of victory. Make sure you continue to produce rauders and rines at your base and even rally them to your opponent's front door if you plan on being able to stick around. Use hotkeys to manage your production while attacking. Try as much as possible to not let your ghost die. He is important to keeping the pressure on not to mention expensive to replace. If your opponent has gone quick tech, you will, micro/macro skills permitted, win at this stage in the game.

Tip :
Two raxing will leave you with spare resources. Tech up to a factory when you get the chance and use Hellions to really just tear zealots apart (not to mention you now have the ability to make a star port, nukes (situational), tanks, ans whatever else you need tech-wise)

If your enemy went quick gateways and tier 1 troops and perhaps a few cannons, however, things will turn out differently. Your initial force will most likely be pushed back. With EMP and your range, however, you should be able to get one or two free zealot kills off before you are forced to run. Do not allow your army to be destroyed. If you are going to lose then just run. If, at any time, your army is completely destroyed, you will have no way to keep the pressure up and will be in trouble. Rally your rax to the enemy front door and wait until your Ghost is back up to 75 energy to attack again. Unless the Protoss has hardly tech'd at all (a very good thing), he will be hard pressed to keep you back this time. Keep up the pressure if there are no cannons and if the Toss continues to try to match you with tier 1/.5 units, he will eventually lose. M/M/Ghost will defeat any Tier 1 toss composition.

Tip :
If the Toss player has a ton of Stalkers on the cliff preventing you from getting up, you can afford to use a Scanner Sweep to look up and take them out. If the enemy invests on a large number of stalkers, you will be in a good position afterward to march in and take the game

Now if the Toss has put up a few cannons, you will probably be forced to tech up. In fact, you WILL be forced to tech up. More likely than not, throwing more M&Ms will not be worth it (not always, however). Hopefully you will have used the spare resources coming in to build a factory earlier. If not, build one. Now. Continue outputting M&M but now make sure you have spare resources to both research siege tech and produce a tank the moment your factory is built. Once your factory is built, lift off and take your barracks' tech lab. It is necessary to get this tank out asap. Rebuild the tech lab on the rax, obviously. In the mean time, you should be containing and making sure the toss can't get out of his main.

Send your tank just outside his ramp and proceed to lay siege to his base. You don't have much time left before Storms and Collosi (there might even be one out already). Be sure that any combat engagements are done while your tank is sieged and while it is range to help.

Send your tank just outside his ramp and proceed to lay siege to his base. You don't have much time left before Storms and Collosi (there might even be one out already). Be sure that any combat engagements are done while your tank is sieged and while it is range to help. Focus down sentries first followed by Immortals and then Zealots. This will be your final chance to use your advantages as Terran to their fullest and, as such, should definitely be played out as a possible game ender. Send everything to this battle and set rally points to the enemy's base. If it is needed to break through, don't be afraid to get into some melee combat with Zealots. If you break through, focus on the robo bay first if there is also a Robotics Support bay to prevent a collosus from coming out. Proceed to take out any pylons that are the sole power source of production buildings and finally go for the mineral line. This push will be your best chance to win the game. You should play it as such.

If the push fails, you will be playing the rest of the game at a disadvantage. This does not mean that you cannot win, it just means that it will be more difficult. Expand if you haven't already and pull your forces back from his front door. You cannot contain him at this point and trying to do so will most likely just result in free kills for him. Build a starport and attach a reactor for medivacs and Vikings. Some people like to use Banshees opposed to Vikings but I think Vikings play out better against Protoss at this stage of the game. Your anti-Toss army composition should include: Ghosts, Marines, Marauders, Vikings, Medivacs, Tanks, and a Raven for detecting DTs and protecting your vikings with Point Defense to stop Stalkers from firing at them. You can borrow a tech lab to make the raven or just build another Star Port depending on how tight resources are. Put up some Missile Turrets generally around your base to prevent sneaky DT drops. Try to make drops on Toss expansions and try to make sure they don't hold anything more than their natural.

After you have a reasonable amount of tanks (4 minimum), at least 2 (preferably more) Ghosts, and a generally decent sized army, you need to head out for what will probably be the last important battle of the game. You cannot wait until the Toss has the time to get out a Mothership or even carriers as it will make any attempt at attacking the Toss base very very difficult if not basically impossible.

Now for the difficult siege that lays in front of you. I've found that having half of your force siege the front while the other half is dropped and sieges the back/side of the Toss Main is one of the most effective methods to go about an attack at this point.

Because Toss micro focuses on specifics while Terran Micro focuses on "big picture" type things, a two front battle is in a Terran's favor. It makes it more difficult for the HTs to feedback your Ghosts and cast Storm and makes forcefields less effective among other things. Don't let either force be surrounded by the enemy's entire army, however. fall back if need be while the other half takes out buildings and other good things. Make sure your vikings are Collosus hunting. The Collosus cannot be allowed to tear into your infantry. Have your Vikings land in the enemy mineral line after that if the enemy is very distracted (which he should be). This is an all-in attack and should be played as such. If you let the game go on any further you will almost be guaranteed a loss.

Source : StarCraft II Beta - English (NA) Forums -> Terran Beginner Strategy Guide
Source : Infected.djinfected