RTS education

So after watching some of the Warcraft: III tournament coverage of Blizzcon (fascinating, if only for the awkward banter between the commentators, one of whom had a German accent thicker than the jungles of STV), I started thinking a bit more about my RTS (Real Time Strategy) play style. Basically, it’s build, farm, build, farm, recruit army, arrange defenses, etc. I have no strategy for defeating the other player. My only successes in RTS have been in story or campaign modes in various games, and that’s usually only because the computer isn’t on the offensive.
But watching these Blizzcon players and hearing the commentators note certain strategies and weaknesses in the matches kinda made me want to learn more about online RTS matches.
I know these games are old as hell, and I’m a total latecomer to the PvP aspect of RTS, but the idea is very cool. It’s basically a mix of chess and Risk.
I have four RTS games that I play once in a while, just because I love the genre: the original Age of Empires, LoTR: Battle for Middle Earth, SW: Empire at War, and then Warcraft III (which I purchased mainly to experience some of the lore prior to World of Warcraft). I was never very good at any of them, but I love building armies and directing them through skirmishes and battles, even if I lose most of the time. (NOTE: If they ever were to make an RTS based on Naomi Novik’s Temeraire series, I’d crap myself).
So last week I sat down and popped in BfME and set up an online account through EA. Played a few 4-way matches and got my ass handed to me many times over. Pulled out WC:III and arranged to play a few more online matches. As always, I’m choosing the “noobs only” sections or groups (which may just be snares set by Leets looking to up their rankings).
Basically, I really haven’t found my stride in RTS warfare. I’m aghast at how quickly the other players are able to gather resources and power through their upgrades and units. I suppose my instinct is to dig in, and get defenses up first. Maybe this comes from BfME, because all of the positions are pre-set, and you just have to find and activate them.
In terms of WC:III, I hang out and set up my perimeter, create workers, toss up defense towers, and then start building up the army. Then, about 15 minutes later another player will sweep in and just decimate my modest army and town. They’ll have a level 6 or 7 hero and a horde of armored units. It’s really no contest.
I know there’s a trick to this that I’m missing. I know it’s a matter of getting a hero out early and leveling it up by attacking creeps and gaining experience. But I’m really just straining to gather resources off the bat, and usually can’t afford enough units to support hero until at least 20 minutes into the game, if I want to stay on top of all my upgrades and buildings.
I suppose it’s just a matter of practice. It’s a side of RTS I never realized, and it’s fun to have a challenge outside of WoW, which really isn’t a challenge in the slightest (the way I’m playing these days), just good fun.