Nydus Network: Surfing the World Wide Worm

You can't get more Aliens than this.

Do you know what irks me? Protoss and their silly Warpgates. Do you know what else? Terrans and their Medivac drops of doom. These intermingled hatreds got me thinking about what Zerg has to compare to these particularly irksome tactics from our less slimy opponents and then it came to me. Nydus Worms.

Sure Warpgates and Medivacs are great, but nothing strikes panic in the hearts and confusion in the minds like the sound a Nydus Worm makes as it bursts forth through the crust of the ground and begins to belch out a horde of ravenous Zerg. Surprise attacks are so much fun and so effective, but once I started thinking about giant, upchucking slime subways I wondered if there were more uses to these gargantuan channels of the information super slimeway.

Worms in Every Expansion: Why walk when you can.. walk in slime?
Once you hit Lair tech, you should be at least on your second expansion during the course of a normal match. Simply plant a Nydus Network smack in the middle of your main and start sending out Worms as you expand. Yes, creep spreading allows for fast routing of base defenses already, but not all maps place expansions so conveniently. Once you've got your network set up, you can have a horde of hungry Hydras waiting as soon as you spot that pesky Medivac stuffed full of squishy M&M goodness.

Distractions: Hey, look over there! It's a two-headed Nydus worm!
Ok, so it's a slightly expensive distraction, but people tend to pay attention when giant slime-belching terror worms start popping up in front of their doorstep. You can even release a few Zerglings to really sell it, but while your opponent is rushing to defend against this supposed attack, try hitting an expansion or his front gate if it's left lightly defended. This tactic can also be used to force him to recall an army that was on it's way to your base to give you more time to prepare.

Island Expos = Worm Resorts

Islands: No vacation is complete without.. um.. worms.
Watching a recent match of CheckPrime in the GSL, I was intrigued by how he used Nydus worms to start expansions on the islands in Lost Temple. This is an excellent way to hide expansions from an unsuspecting opponent and get the economic advantage without them every being the wiser.

Proxy Worms: Don't let the Protoss have all the fun.
Rather than try to sneak a worm into an opponent's base(they always seem to be looking right when you do), use it like a proxy pylon and drop it out in some sneaky spot outside their natural. Not only does it provide near instant reinforcements, but if needed, it can act as a panic room for retreating units. Which brings us to our final use.

Panic Room: Full-on Jodie Foster those mothers.
One of the key features of the Nydus Network is that troops inside it are not destroyed unless ALL worms and network buildings are destroyed. This can work to protect retreating units or hide the exact number and composition of your army until you're ready. And get this: this method is completely immune to detectors and scans, so you can sleep safe(well, not during a match I suppose) knowing that Big Brother Terran(or Protoss) isn't looking over your shoulder.

If I've missed any crazy uses of Nydus Worms, feel free to let me know in a comment!