CORSAIR TACTICS
Author: Daktakpaklak

Prior to Brood War, Protoss air fleets were expensive and slow to assemble. With the expansion pack came Corsairs, a light support craft that, in numbers, can really shell out damage. Corsairs are the cheapest air unit                   (excluding Observers), costing 150 minerals and 100 gas. Although more expensive than the Terran Wraith and Zerg Mutalisk, the Corsair is more heavily armored with a whopping 80 shields and 100 hit points. Corsairs also warp  extremely quickly (they only take 40 seconds to complete). Although their Neutron Flares cause only 5 HP of damage, the Corsair's fast attack-rate and splash damage make up for it.

Perhaps the real value in Corsairs lies their special ability, the Disruption Web. This powerful spell costs only 125 energy to cast. It's effect? Disruption Web temporarily disables the attack                   capabilities of all ground forces caught in its area of effect. This includes all defensive structures (ie: Sunken/Spore Colonies, Photon Cannons, Bunkers and Missile Turrets). Disruption Web is researched at the Fleet Beacon, which is a price venture. However, its effects far                   outweigh its costs. Laying down five or six Disruption Webs is the perfect way to crack the defenses of a                   "turtling" Terran. Using Disruption Web as a defensive measure can protect friendly buildings from short-range enemy attacks.

Casting Disruption Web is an excellent pre-cursor to nearly any Protoss attack.  Use the spell against three or four Terran Bunkers.  Move in with Dragoons and Reavers and clean up. The Terrans will be forced to pop their infantry out of their bunkers in order to move out from under the web, making them Reaver bait. Cast Disruption Web on enemy defenses allows Dark Templar to march into an enemy base unhindered (keep in mind the Dark Templar can't attack while under the web either).  Disruption Web can also make for an excellent diversion or to sneak Observers into an enemy base. Corsairs equipped with Disruption Web are an integral part of a Protoss attack force, and should be used liberally.

When using Disruption Web, be sure not to cast it on friendly units, as they too fall victim to its effects. If your units are caught under a web, m     ove them out immediately. Also, upgrading the energy capacity of the Corsairs at the Fleet Beacon allows your units to cast an extra Disruption Web, which can be valuable if you use it often.

Packs of Corsairs can be a real pain; their splash damage and fast attack-rate allows them to clean up packs of grouped air units very quickly. Early in the game, create five or six Corsairs and go Overlord hunting with them. Corsairs do well against all Zerg air units in general. Corsairs shouldn't be used against Battlecruisers or Carriers, though; their low attack strength can barely penetrate the heavy armor of the large flying behemoths. Instead, use scouts or Dragoons to mop up the larger enemy air units.

For more tactics involving the Corsair, refer to the section on Dark Templar Tactics.