Experimenting with 2-Hatchery, 1-base Zerg
So, I know this isn't a pro-level Starcraft 2 strategy, but I'm a bit curious why 1-base Zerg, by design, frankly sucks.
Ever notice that:
Extra Hatchery + Baneling Nest + Spawning Pool:
minerals = 300 + 150 + 200 = 650
gas = 50
2 Barracks + Factory + Starport
minerals = 300 + 150 + 150 = 600
gas = 200
3 Gateways + Core
minerals = 600 (+50 for Warp Gate)
Gas = 0 (+50 for Warp Gate)
All three indicate an early-game building set.
Looks similar, doesn't it? Why doesn't anyone build the macro hatch where it's safe, and 1-base until after the first push, or until you hit 24 Drones? All you're doing is getting on equal footing with the Terran or Protoss player, who can build extra production buildings, and can still build workers while they build military units!
I had this done against me once in a 2v2 - the Protoss player went Zealot / Sentry, and the Zerg player built a macro hatch FIRST, then proceeded to roll us over with 40 Zerglings plus the Protoss force.
While I see the economic weakness in 1v1 vs. Terran (who can drop MULES), and it doesn't quite match the ability of Protoss to chrono-boost upgrades, we still have the Zerg strength of massive unit or drone production, due to larvae.
I won a game against Terran (as Zerg) in this replay with a macro hatch first.
EDIT: Here is a very interesting article from the Teamliquid forums that discusses the use of an in-base Hatch.
Update: So far, 1-base Zerg still sucks. I'm not sure what that says about Zerg's mineral or unit efficiency compared to Protoss, but I've gotten rolled a bunch of times when I tried to do it. I think the trick is not to get fancy and just roll him over with an early Roach push or some such, if you're going to in-base Hatch first.
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