Starcraft 2: Adding Harassment to a Build

One of your goals in every Starcraft 2 match should be to keep your opponent on the defensive, even when, and ESPECIALLY when you don't have many units on the field.  Unless you are going for an all-in push, you will be vulnerable to timing attacks while you get your economy going.

What you want to do is harass, so plan for it!  Here are some examples:

Terran:

• Mech?  Hellion drop or driveby.
• Bio?  Early 2-rax pressure, or marine drops
• Heavy air?  Banshee harass.
• Lategame?  Nukes or Ghost drop with snipes.

Protoss:

• Twilight Council tech path?  Dark Templar.
• Robo first?  Try some warp prism drops or warp-ins.

Zerg:

• Muta harass (typical)
• Baneling drops on mineral lines (my new favourite)
• Zergling run-bys or counterattacks whenever he moves out
• Infestor drops
• Burrowed Roaches or Infestors

The most common mistake to make when figuring out how to add harassment to a build is thinking that you have to add a lot to your build.  Try adding as little as possible.  If going heavy Roach, add Tunneling Claws and no more.  If you're going Mech, don't try to marine-drop - just use Hellions as obnoxiously as possible.  If you're doing a 3-gate robo, don't feel that you have to add DTs - just drop or warp some Zealots.

Starcraft 2: Roaches do not stop Bunker Rushes

I was trying this new(er) Zerg build order:

• 15 pool
• 14 gas
• 16 hatch
• 18 Roach Warren
• 18 Overlord
• 18 Overlord
• 8-10 Roaches
• Queen

... but it's still weak to a bunker rush IF YOU LET THE BUNKER FINISH.  The Roaches do NOT counter a completed bunker (unless you can hit it from the high ground, maybe), and DEFINITELY does not counter the ramp double-block.  I suggest going Banelings if you get contained, and break out ASAP and counterattack - you'll be too far behind otherwise, especially if your expansion hatchery is destroyed.

Starcraft 2: ZvT Troubles with Thor+Hellion

I had an interesting game against a Terran player, where I could have held off his pushes with better building placement and better scouting.  I was actually ahead in economy the whole game, but just couldn't fend off the last push (due to poor micro).

The replay shows that the Terran player was doing a 1-base push the whole time, where Zerg was on 2 bases.  I think what did me in at the last was larvae - I had tons of resources but no way to spend them.  An in-base hatch would have been the answer.  Ah, beautiful hindsight.

Starcraft 2: Making the Wrong Counter in TvZ

So you've scouted, you saw Roaches, so you make Marauders.  Then a mass of 12 Mutas comes into your base, wipes out your few marines, and demolishes your base.  What happened?

It's easy to make assumptions based on what you see.  It's important that you keep checking your opponent's army composition.  If you watch GSL, Day9, HuskyHD, or read my previous blog posts, you may have heard the phrase "scout the front".  Most players keep their armies near the front of their base, for the sole reason that it's where the attack usually comes from.  This positioning means that by sending a single cheap unit to die, you can scout your opponent's army composition, and you should do it on a regular basis, so you aren't surprised.

Buildings can't tell you everything, especially against Zerg!  Don't rely on the fact that he build a Roach Warren that any Roaches will come out of it.  Some buildings are "just in case" structures.

Starcraft 2: Learning to All-In

A lot of us are of the opinion that a failed first rush pretty much dooms your macro.  While this is true, it doesn't mean you can't all-in and counter your opponent's attempt to "get more ahead" by expanding.  The following pro game shows how a failed 6pool rush by July leaves him very far behind in economy.  However, instead of his Protoss opponent going for a 4-gate counter, HongUn decides to "get more ahead" (as emphasized as the "right" thing to do by Day9 and Artosis), and expand off 3 gates.


JulyZerg vs. HongUnPrime

July foils this attempt with a large Zergling push, which, despite forcefields, allows him to eliminate his opponent's army and push him back into his main.  July Zerg expanded just prior to the push, leaving him on 2 bases to his opponent's 1 base, and able to make drones without fear of counter.



I'll leave you to watch the game (which anyone should be able to watch, even without subscription), to see how it ends.

Starcraft 2 and MLG Tournament Play

I was just watching MLG Raleigh this weekend, and I was struck by the fact that many players go into their second game of the same match with an idea that they are going to try the same strategy again.  I have seen at least two examples where the players made the same mistake in two back-to-back games.

For example:

• IdRA makes too many Mutalisks and loses to a superior Marine-heavy ground army.
• Players quit too early
• Players make an assumption about what the opponent will be doing, and don't bother to scout and check

On the ladder, using the same strategy or build repeatedly doesn't really matter - your opponents aren't exactly going to catch on.  But in tournament play, change it up.

Starcraft 2 Micro Techniques for Drops

Just found this article on how to execute drops with better micro, buried in the TeamLiquid Wiki:

http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/Drop_Techniques#Move-Drop