Match Rating: 7/10
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Game 1 - Lost Temple
Close ground positions, NesTea at 2 and Maka at 7
Hatch first for NesTea on 14, two barracks for Maka (second one at his natural choke)
Maka builds a bunker at NesTea's choke out of sight range
First marine arrives and an SCV builds another bunker closer in
Two marines there now, NesTea starts a spine crawler
Zerglings out but three marines and now two bunkers
The spine crawler finishes and kills one marine but its health is very low
Drones, zerglings, and the spine crawler kill the second bunker but the first remains, albeit out of range
Maka adds two more barracks at his natural, walling it off
Maka's marines finally retreat to his natural, the bunker is salvaged
Command center floating to the natural for Maka, marines snipe an overlord using a briefly lifted barracks' vision
Baneling nest and zergling speed coming for NesTea, stim and shields for Maka
Maka moves out with five marauders and twenty marines
Marauders lead the way into the natural, banelings move around and go toward the marines
Maka stims and splits his marines, only loses two, very little left now for NesTea
NesTea concedes
Maka's spin on the bunker rush proved extremely effective and left NesTea too far behind to hold off the next attack.
Game 2 - Xel'Naga Caverns
Proxy barracks for Maka behind the grass at NesTea's natural, hatch first for NesTea at 14
Maka builds two bunkers at the bottom of NesTea's ramp with two SCVs, drones move to try to stop them
A marine arrives as the bunkers finish, NesTea cancels the hatchery and gets a roach warren
Spine crawler as well for NesTea, Maka puts three barracks in his main and then floats his proxy barracks as a scout
NesTea breaks out with two roaches and some speedlings, puts a hatchery at his expansion
Speedlings kill the retreating marines but Maka is walled off with a few marauders behind it
Maka moves out with five marauders and about twelve marines, NesTea makes a spine crawler and his baneling nest is almost done
The marauders kill NesTea's roaches easily, but the speedlings surround and kill Maka's marines
Banelings and speedlings chase the infantry away
Maka reinforces and steps back in and kills some banelings as they morph, but then loses his small infantry force to another surround
Lair coming from NesTea, Maka building a command center in his main along with a factory and engineering bay
Spire, baneling speed, and third base now for NesTea, command center lands at Maka's natural
Zerglings clear the rocks to NesTea's third, Maka makes a starport and floats it to a reactor
Third command center now for Maka along with a second factory
Mutalisks coming for NesTea
The mutalisks arrive and do some minor harassment but Maka has turrets
Air attack upgrading for Nestea, armory and siege mode coming for Maka
Maka starts working on the rocks at his gold base, mutalisk count continuing to rise for NesTea
The mutalisks take down a supply depot and some stray marines, NesTea taking a fourth
Large army of speedlings and mutalisks dart in to the gold area and take out lightly defended siege tanks
Fifth base now for NesTea, huge group of mutalisks harassing Maka's base
Thor tries to defend but NesTea magic boxes and kills it
NesTea takes his gold for a sixth (!) base
About 28 mutalisks for NesTea now, hive coming
Mutalisks move into the natural and a huge speedling army pokes Maka's main, but he gets his depot up in time
Greater Spire for NesTea, then an ultralisk cavern
NesTea attacks the gold and forces Maka to lift his command center at the gold
Second wave of NesTea's attack kills the command center at the gold
9 brood lords out for NesTea moving to attack the gold area, but Maka has a ton of vikings
The vikings kill the brood lords and mutalisks
Maka moves into NesTea's gold with a large army, but 12 ultralisks are coming
A few ultralisks pick off some of his tanks but get killed by marines
Maka attacks NesTea's right base but ultralisks come and force Maka to pick his army up with medivacs
NesTea's ultralisks attack Maka's only mining base and kill the planetary fortress, but marauders arrive and kill all of them
Maka attacks NesTea's left base and kills all the drones there before ultralisks arrive
Maka now using large groups of marauders to kite ultralisks pretty effectively, but he doesn't have the income to replace his losses
Speedlings arrive at Maka's only mining base and kill the workers mining there
Maka concedes
Hard to believe the game started out with Maka forcing NesTea's hatch to cancel. In the end NesTea's aggressive expansion gave him just barely enough momentum to win.
Game 3 - Scrap Station
Engineering bay at NesTea's expansion for Maka
4 drones show up to kill it, but Maka just builds a second one
Command center before gas for Maka plus a second barracks
NesTea finally finishes his expansion hatch at 27 supply
Maka is up to four barracks now, zergling speed coming for NesTea
Stim and then shields for Maka, lair starts for NesTea
NesTea sacrifices an overlord to scout, then starts a baneling nest
Maka moves out with four marauders and ten marines
Spire and baneling speed coming for NesTea, starport and concussive shells for Maka
Speedlings surround Maka's marauders, he desperately retreats the rest of his force but none of them make it back
Mutalisks out now for NesTea, arriving just before Maka's turrets were finished and killing some SCVs before marines drive them out
NesTea takes the gold base, still making mutalisks
Tanks, dropships, and marines coming for Maka
About twenty mutalisks for NesTea now doing decent damage despite marines' attempts to defend
Four base for NesTea, Maka starts attacking the rocks with a large number of tanks and marines
Thor out for Maka to defend while his army marches through the rocks
Very large number of speedlings and banelings ready for NesTea, he just attacks Maka's siege line
Many tanks die but the marines successfully retreat
Maka attacks again with his thors before NesTea's banelings are rebuilt
Zerglings and mutalisks hold them until banelings force Maka to retreat
Both players basically trading supply but NesTea has the gold base and is widening his supply lead
NesTea's mutalisks keep intercepting reinforcements coming from Maka's base
Maka is forced to move forward with what he has, but NesTea has about 54 banelings waiting
The banelings attack and despite Maka's attempts to retreat everything he has dies and there was still banelings left over
Maka surrenders
Another very good game for NesTea. His strategic sense is just too good for him to lose in these long games.
Commentary: Maka had a different strategy for getting an advantage early in each game. Unfortunately for him, NesTea seamlessly deflected two of them. Both of these players are too good to give up a strong advantage once they get it, but when they entered the early game on even terms NesTea pulled ahead with his aggressive expansion.
Close ground positions, NesTea at 2 and Maka at 7
Hatch first for NesTea on 14, two barracks for Maka (second one at his natural choke)
Maka builds a bunker at NesTea's choke out of sight range
First marine arrives and an SCV builds another bunker closer in
Two marines there now, NesTea starts a spine crawler
Zerglings out but three marines and now two bunkers
The spine crawler finishes and kills one marine but its health is very low
Drones, zerglings, and the spine crawler kill the second bunker but the first remains, albeit out of range
Maka adds two more barracks at his natural, walling it off
Maka's marines finally retreat to his natural, the bunker is salvaged
Command center floating to the natural for Maka, marines snipe an overlord using a briefly lifted barracks' vision
Baneling nest and zergling speed coming for NesTea, stim and shields for Maka
Maka moves out with five marauders and twenty marines
Marauders lead the way into the natural, banelings move around and go toward the marines
Maka stims and splits his marines, only loses two, very little left now for NesTea
NesTea concedes
Maka's spin on the bunker rush proved extremely effective and left NesTea too far behind to hold off the next attack.
Game 2 - Xel'Naga Caverns
Proxy barracks for Maka behind the grass at NesTea's natural, hatch first for NesTea at 14
Maka builds two bunkers at the bottom of NesTea's ramp with two SCVs, drones move to try to stop them
A marine arrives as the bunkers finish, NesTea cancels the hatchery and gets a roach warren
Spine crawler as well for NesTea, Maka puts three barracks in his main and then floats his proxy barracks as a scout
NesTea breaks out with two roaches and some speedlings, puts a hatchery at his expansion
Speedlings kill the retreating marines but Maka is walled off with a few marauders behind it
Maka moves out with five marauders and about twelve marines, NesTea makes a spine crawler and his baneling nest is almost done
The marauders kill NesTea's roaches easily, but the speedlings surround and kill Maka's marines
Banelings and speedlings chase the infantry away
Maka reinforces and steps back in and kills some banelings as they morph, but then loses his small infantry force to another surround
Lair coming from NesTea, Maka building a command center in his main along with a factory and engineering bay
Spire, baneling speed, and third base now for NesTea, command center lands at Maka's natural
Zerglings clear the rocks to NesTea's third, Maka makes a starport and floats it to a reactor
Third command center now for Maka along with a second factory
Mutalisks coming for NesTea
The mutalisks arrive and do some minor harassment but Maka has turrets
Air attack upgrading for Nestea, armory and siege mode coming for Maka
Maka starts working on the rocks at his gold base, mutalisk count continuing to rise for NesTea
The mutalisks take down a supply depot and some stray marines, NesTea taking a fourth
Large army of speedlings and mutalisks dart in to the gold area and take out lightly defended siege tanks
Fifth base now for NesTea, huge group of mutalisks harassing Maka's base
Thor tries to defend but NesTea magic boxes and kills it
NesTea takes his gold for a sixth (!) base
About 28 mutalisks for NesTea now, hive coming
Mutalisks move into the natural and a huge speedling army pokes Maka's main, but he gets his depot up in time
Greater Spire for NesTea, then an ultralisk cavern
NesTea attacks the gold and forces Maka to lift his command center at the gold
Second wave of NesTea's attack kills the command center at the gold
9 brood lords out for NesTea moving to attack the gold area, but Maka has a ton of vikings
The vikings kill the brood lords and mutalisks
Maka moves into NesTea's gold with a large army, but 12 ultralisks are coming
A few ultralisks pick off some of his tanks but get killed by marines
Maka attacks NesTea's right base but ultralisks come and force Maka to pick his army up with medivacs
NesTea's ultralisks attack Maka's only mining base and kill the planetary fortress, but marauders arrive and kill all of them
Maka attacks NesTea's left base and kills all the drones there before ultralisks arrive
Maka now using large groups of marauders to kite ultralisks pretty effectively, but he doesn't have the income to replace his losses
Speedlings arrive at Maka's only mining base and kill the workers mining there
Maka concedes
Hard to believe the game started out with Maka forcing NesTea's hatch to cancel. In the end NesTea's aggressive expansion gave him just barely enough momentum to win.
Game 3 - Scrap Station
Engineering bay at NesTea's expansion for Maka
4 drones show up to kill it, but Maka just builds a second one
Command center before gas for Maka plus a second barracks
NesTea finally finishes his expansion hatch at 27 supply
Maka is up to four barracks now, zergling speed coming for NesTea
Stim and then shields for Maka, lair starts for NesTea
NesTea sacrifices an overlord to scout, then starts a baneling nest
Maka moves out with four marauders and ten marines
Spire and baneling speed coming for NesTea, starport and concussive shells for Maka
Speedlings surround Maka's marauders, he desperately retreats the rest of his force but none of them make it back
Mutalisks out now for NesTea, arriving just before Maka's turrets were finished and killing some SCVs before marines drive them out
NesTea takes the gold base, still making mutalisks
Tanks, dropships, and marines coming for Maka
About twenty mutalisks for NesTea now doing decent damage despite marines' attempts to defend
Four base for NesTea, Maka starts attacking the rocks with a large number of tanks and marines
Thor out for Maka to defend while his army marches through the rocks
Very large number of speedlings and banelings ready for NesTea, he just attacks Maka's siege line
Many tanks die but the marines successfully retreat
Maka attacks again with his thors before NesTea's banelings are rebuilt
Zerglings and mutalisks hold them until banelings force Maka to retreat
Both players basically trading supply but NesTea has the gold base and is widening his supply lead
NesTea's mutalisks keep intercepting reinforcements coming from Maka's base
Maka is forced to move forward with what he has, but NesTea has about 54 banelings waiting
The banelings attack and despite Maka's attempts to retreat everything he has dies and there was still banelings left over
Maka surrenders
Another very good game for NesTea. His strategic sense is just too good for him to lose in these long games.
Commentary: Maka had a different strategy for getting an advantage early in each game. Unfortunately for him, NesTea seamlessly deflected two of them. Both of these players are too good to give up a strong advantage once they get it, but when they entered the early game on even terms NesTea pulled ahead with his aggressive expansion.
STGgoBooGie (P) vs TSLRain (T)
Match Rating: 4/10
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Game 1 - Blistering Sands
Standard openings for both players
Command center built at the natural at 28 for Rain, poking with a few marines and marauders
GgoBooGie up to three gates, Rain up to three barracks
Twilight council for GgoBooGie, he begins working on Rain's rocks, but he has an SCV there to spot it
Dark shrine for GgoBooGie, stim for Rain
The rocks are down, Rain has a bunker near his main mineral line and defends from there instead of the rocks
Expansion for GgoBooGie, dark templars move into Rain's base through the back door
One DT in the main, one in the expansion, Rain scans and misses the DT in his main, he has to use a second one
Rain's command center floats out of the natural due to DT harassment, the second DT forces another scan in the main before dying
GgoBooGie adds three more gateways and starts charge, Rain starts shields
Rain tries to move out his back door but GgoBooGie uses force fields to isolate parts of the army and kill it
GgoBooGie retreats to his expansion, Rain moves his command center back but a DT is waiting
Another DT harasses Rain's army as he moves to attack the rocks and forces another scan, his command center has to go back to his main
When Rain tries to move into GgoBooGie's base force fields cut his army
Rain now pushed back across the map by charging zealots and sentries
GGoBooGie reaches Rain's expansion just as the command center tries to land a third time
Rain's army is cut in half again, allowing GgoBooGie to easily win the battle
Rain concedes
Rain made many mistakes dealing with the dark templar while GgoBooGie was deadly precise with his force fields.
Game 2 - Shakuras Plateau
Cross positions, GgoBooGie at 2 and Rain at 7
Standard openings for both players
Concussive shells for Rain, hidden pylon in the top left main for GgoBoogie
Three more gates at the hidden pylon for GgoBooGie, two more barracks for Rain
Rain spots the proxy pylon and kills it before GgoBooGie can mass up his forces
Two bunkers with marauders now up for Rain, adding a third one, so GgoBooGie expands
GgoBooGie's army moves back to his natural, stim coming for Rain
Rain builds two more barracks, GgoBooGie breaks down the rocks leading to the top base
Shields and ghost academy for Rain, templar archives for GgoBooGie and then a third nexus at the top
Templar archives and forge for GgoBooGie, Rain still sitting on two bases
Storm research starts, starport coming for Rain
Rain moves into the center of the map with a marauder/marine ball, GgoBooGie starts two cannons at his natural
Rain EMPs all of GgoBooGie's sentries and moves into his natural, the marauders sweep away the defending stalkers
GgoBooGie concedes
Good scouting by Rain spotted the proxy pylon and defused the four gate rush.
Game 3 - Delta Quadrant
Left positions, Rain at 7 and GgoBooGie at 10
Second barracks at the bottom gold base for Rain, reactor in his main barracks and tech lab at his hidden barracks
Standard opening from GgoBooGie, chronoboosting a sentry after his zealot and stalker
Rain pokes the ramp with three marines, a marauder, and several SCVs
GgoBooGie cuts the group moving up the ramp in half, but there are too many at the top of the ramp and they kill the defending units
Probes come out while more units are warped in back at the nexus, bunker being made in range of one of the gateways
GgoBooGie keeps fighting but more Terran infantry are streaming into his base
GgoBooGie surrenders
Another TvP that was essentially decided by a force field micro error.
Commentary: It's not that these players are bad, but they are some of the least impressive of the players who've made it to the round of 16. Someone had to win, and Rain's quick rush in game 3 won the match for him, but he'll have to play a lot better before I'd consider him even an outside contender for the tournament even though he's just reached the quarterfinals.
Standard openings for both players
Command center built at the natural at 28 for Rain, poking with a few marines and marauders
GgoBooGie up to three gates, Rain up to three barracks
Twilight council for GgoBooGie, he begins working on Rain's rocks, but he has an SCV there to spot it
Dark shrine for GgoBooGie, stim for Rain
The rocks are down, Rain has a bunker near his main mineral line and defends from there instead of the rocks
Expansion for GgoBooGie, dark templars move into Rain's base through the back door
One DT in the main, one in the expansion, Rain scans and misses the DT in his main, he has to use a second one
Rain's command center floats out of the natural due to DT harassment, the second DT forces another scan in the main before dying
GgoBooGie adds three more gateways and starts charge, Rain starts shields
Rain tries to move out his back door but GgoBooGie uses force fields to isolate parts of the army and kill it
GgoBooGie retreats to his expansion, Rain moves his command center back but a DT is waiting
Another DT harasses Rain's army as he moves to attack the rocks and forces another scan, his command center has to go back to his main
When Rain tries to move into GgoBooGie's base force fields cut his army
Rain now pushed back across the map by charging zealots and sentries
GGoBooGie reaches Rain's expansion just as the command center tries to land a third time
Rain's army is cut in half again, allowing GgoBooGie to easily win the battle
Rain concedes
Rain made many mistakes dealing with the dark templar while GgoBooGie was deadly precise with his force fields.
Game 2 - Shakuras Plateau
Cross positions, GgoBooGie at 2 and Rain at 7
Standard openings for both players
Concussive shells for Rain, hidden pylon in the top left main for GgoBoogie
Three more gates at the hidden pylon for GgoBooGie, two more barracks for Rain
Rain spots the proxy pylon and kills it before GgoBooGie can mass up his forces
Two bunkers with marauders now up for Rain, adding a third one, so GgoBooGie expands
GgoBooGie's army moves back to his natural, stim coming for Rain
Rain builds two more barracks, GgoBooGie breaks down the rocks leading to the top base
Shields and ghost academy for Rain, templar archives for GgoBooGie and then a third nexus at the top
Templar archives and forge for GgoBooGie, Rain still sitting on two bases
Storm research starts, starport coming for Rain
Rain moves into the center of the map with a marauder/marine ball, GgoBooGie starts two cannons at his natural
Rain EMPs all of GgoBooGie's sentries and moves into his natural, the marauders sweep away the defending stalkers
GgoBooGie concedes
Good scouting by Rain spotted the proxy pylon and defused the four gate rush.
Game 3 - Delta Quadrant
Left positions, Rain at 7 and GgoBooGie at 10
Second barracks at the bottom gold base for Rain, reactor in his main barracks and tech lab at his hidden barracks
Standard opening from GgoBooGie, chronoboosting a sentry after his zealot and stalker
Rain pokes the ramp with three marines, a marauder, and several SCVs
GgoBooGie cuts the group moving up the ramp in half, but there are too many at the top of the ramp and they kill the defending units
Probes come out while more units are warped in back at the nexus, bunker being made in range of one of the gateways
GgoBooGie keeps fighting but more Terran infantry are streaming into his base
GgoBooGie surrenders
Another TvP that was essentially decided by a force field micro error.
Commentary: It's not that these players are bad, but they are some of the least impressive of the players who've made it to the round of 16. Someone had to win, and Rain's quick rush in game 3 won the match for him, but he'll have to play a lot better before I'd consider him even an outside contender for the tournament even though he's just reached the quarterfinals.
BitByBitPrimeWE (T) vs TSLFruitDealer (Z)
Match Rating: 7/10
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Game 1 - Jungle Basin
Hatch first on 15 for FruitDealer, fast expansion on 21 for BitByBit
Four more barracks for BitByBit
Zergling speed starts for FruitDealer
BitByBit moves out with about a dozen marines and fifteen SCVs, baneling half done for Fruit Dealer
Spine crawlers as well now for FruitDealer
BitByBit goes up the ramp and engages three queens, all the drones, and zerglings
FruitDealer fronts the SCVs with zerglings and queens, then moves the drones around to the back and surrounds the marines
All of BitByBit's SCVs and marines die, FruitDealer lost most of his zerglings but almost no drones. Even one of the queens survived.
BitByBit concedes
Unbelievable cheese defense by FruitDealer. For the first time in GSL 3 I had to back up and watch the battle again. Simply gorgeous.
Game 2 - Xel'Naga Caverns
Barracks and depot at the bottom of BitByBit's ramp, hatch first on 15 for FruitDealer
Gas taken for BitByBit, factory at the top of his ramp. He pokes with one marine and an SCV
FruitDealer sends several drones to chase them away
Starport now for BitByBit, factory making a tech lab
Banshee and cloak for BitByBit, zergling speed for FruitDealer
FruitDealer puts a spine crawler at his natural, no lair yet
Evolution chamber and baneling nest now for FruitDealer, raven for BitByBit
The first banshee goes into FruitDealer's natural and starts killing drones
A spore crawler finishes but the banshee escapes with two hit points
Queens spreading creep catch the banshee and kill it
BitByBit getting marauders, hellions, marines, stim, and shields
FruitDealer starts a spire, meanwhile BitByBit moves out with all his SCVs
Banelings morphing for FruitDealer...at least a dozen
FruitDealer puts his queens out front to tank damage, the SCVs get caught behind the attacking units, raven puts down autoturrets
The battle is fought on creep, so as the banelings come in and BitByBit's army retreats they can't outrun the banelings
The banelings take out about two thirds of the army, meanwhile zerglings and queens easily clean up the rest of the army
BitByBit surrenders
Well, having banelings meant FruitDealer wasn't really in danger to BitByBit's build.
Commentary: Turns out sSKS isn't the only TSL player with immaculate cheese defense. Normally I don't rate cheesy games very highly, but game 1 was beautifully played by FruitDealer. People who play Zerg on the ladder can learn a lot about defending against early rushes from this game, and it's still great for the rest of us to watch, especially after seeing so many Zerg players lose to all-in rushes in earlier rounds.
Hatch first on 15 for FruitDealer, fast expansion on 21 for BitByBit
Four more barracks for BitByBit
Zergling speed starts for FruitDealer
BitByBit moves out with about a dozen marines and fifteen SCVs, baneling half done for Fruit Dealer
Spine crawlers as well now for FruitDealer
BitByBit goes up the ramp and engages three queens, all the drones, and zerglings
FruitDealer fronts the SCVs with zerglings and queens, then moves the drones around to the back and surrounds the marines
All of BitByBit's SCVs and marines die, FruitDealer lost most of his zerglings but almost no drones. Even one of the queens survived.
BitByBit concedes
Unbelievable cheese defense by FruitDealer. For the first time in GSL 3 I had to back up and watch the battle again. Simply gorgeous.
Game 2 - Xel'Naga Caverns
Barracks and depot at the bottom of BitByBit's ramp, hatch first on 15 for FruitDealer
Gas taken for BitByBit, factory at the top of his ramp. He pokes with one marine and an SCV
FruitDealer sends several drones to chase them away
Starport now for BitByBit, factory making a tech lab
Banshee and cloak for BitByBit, zergling speed for FruitDealer
FruitDealer puts a spine crawler at his natural, no lair yet
Evolution chamber and baneling nest now for FruitDealer, raven for BitByBit
The first banshee goes into FruitDealer's natural and starts killing drones
A spore crawler finishes but the banshee escapes with two hit points
Queens spreading creep catch the banshee and kill it
BitByBit getting marauders, hellions, marines, stim, and shields
FruitDealer starts a spire, meanwhile BitByBit moves out with all his SCVs
Banelings morphing for FruitDealer...at least a dozen
FruitDealer puts his queens out front to tank damage, the SCVs get caught behind the attacking units, raven puts down autoturrets
The battle is fought on creep, so as the banelings come in and BitByBit's army retreats they can't outrun the banelings
The banelings take out about two thirds of the army, meanwhile zerglings and queens easily clean up the rest of the army
BitByBit surrenders
Well, having banelings meant FruitDealer wasn't really in danger to BitByBit's build.
Commentary: Turns out sSKS isn't the only TSL player with immaculate cheese defense. Normally I don't rate cheesy games very highly, but game 1 was beautifully played by FruitDealer. People who play Zerg on the ladder can learn a lot about defending against early rushes from this game, and it's still great for the rest of us to watch, especially after seeing so many Zerg players lose to all-in rushes in earlier rounds.
HongUnPrimeWE (P) vs. TheBestfOu (T)
Match Rating: 4/10
VOD Link
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Game 1 - Blistering Sands
Standard opening for both players
Two gases now for TheBest and then double barracks, another gateway for HongUn
Two more gateways for HongUn, he's up to four now
Three stalkers attack TheBest's rocks, marines are there to see it
Another barracks and a factory for TheBest, seven stalkers now at the rocks and a proxy pylon
Two bunkers under construction for TheBest
Three zealots arrive and lead the stalkers up the ramp
Four stalkers walk past the bunkers but everything else is lost
SCVs, marines, and finally a marauder clean up those four stalkers
Reinforcing stalkers go to the front ramp and kill the tech lab researching stim, TheBest starts a starport
TheBest salvaged his bunkers at the rocks but HongUn moves back around through the back door again
Now there's not nearly enough units to defend against HongUn's army
TheBest concedes
TheBest thought he was safe after deflecting the initial attack, salvaged his bunkers, and teched to starport. The four gate rush was still on, however. Oops.
Game 2 - Scrap Station
Standard openings for both players.
Reactor, then two more barracks for TheBest, gateway and stargate for HongUn
Void ray starts for HongUn, stim and combat shields for TheBest
TheBest starts clearing the rocks with 15 marines and three marauders
HongUn's few units are over on TheBest's side of the map, two void rays near TheBest's ramp
TheBest moves unopposed into HongUn's base, move behind the minerals
HongUn manages to kill all of TheBest's army with one void ray surviving and a couple ground units
Reinforcements come in for TheBest and kill the defending units
HongUn concedes
Build order win for TheBest. Perhaps it was unwise for HongUn to do a void ray opening given how frequently Terrans are barracks rushes.
Game 3 - Metalopolis
Close air positions, HongUn at 12 and TheBest at 3
Standard openings for both players
Concussive shells for TheBest, another gateway for HongUn
The first marauder comes up to HongUn's natural, waits for a second to arrive
Two more barracks for TheBest, stargate for HongUn
TheBest tries to go up the ramp but one marauder is stuck outside by a force field
HongUn makes another sentry as marauders are rallied into his base, it dies of course to the marauders
Finally warp gates are ready, HongUn warps in stalkers, but the marauders get them as well
Now a void ray comes out of the stargate and cleans up the marauders
Second void ray and third gateway coming for HongUn, stim for TheBest
The void ray goes to TheBest's base but plenty of marines repel it, TheBest building a command center in his main
Two void rays now with a third one building, HongUn moves out with his fairly light ground army
Void rays keep the marines in TheBest's base, sentries move to the bottom of his ramp
TheBest feints a few times, then stims and runs down his ramp
HongUn force fields the ramp at the last second and cuts the army in half, the half on the low ground dies
Three void rays there now, more marines run down and again a force field cuts them off from the rest of the army
Stalkers pick them off easily, then HongUn moves up the ramp
TheBest surrenders
It's easy to say TheBest lost because he ran down his ramp, but he was contained on one base so all his options were bad. Perhaps it's better to say he lost when he allowed the sentries to get that position...but the void rays had him playing defense. Interesting.
Commentary: TvP isn't exactly the most entertaining matchup. I thought this was true back when every Protoss went straight to colossus and then won or lost based on viking and stalker micro, but now it seems like it's even worse, coming down just to build order wins. Hopefully it will stabilize into something a little more interesting soon.
Standard opening for both players
Two gases now for TheBest and then double barracks, another gateway for HongUn
Two more gateways for HongUn, he's up to four now
Three stalkers attack TheBest's rocks, marines are there to see it
Another barracks and a factory for TheBest, seven stalkers now at the rocks and a proxy pylon
Two bunkers under construction for TheBest
Three zealots arrive and lead the stalkers up the ramp
Four stalkers walk past the bunkers but everything else is lost
SCVs, marines, and finally a marauder clean up those four stalkers
Reinforcing stalkers go to the front ramp and kill the tech lab researching stim, TheBest starts a starport
TheBest salvaged his bunkers at the rocks but HongUn moves back around through the back door again
Now there's not nearly enough units to defend against HongUn's army
TheBest concedes
TheBest thought he was safe after deflecting the initial attack, salvaged his bunkers, and teched to starport. The four gate rush was still on, however. Oops.
Game 2 - Scrap Station
Standard openings for both players.
Reactor, then two more barracks for TheBest, gateway and stargate for HongUn
Void ray starts for HongUn, stim and combat shields for TheBest
TheBest starts clearing the rocks with 15 marines and three marauders
HongUn's few units are over on TheBest's side of the map, two void rays near TheBest's ramp
TheBest moves unopposed into HongUn's base, move behind the minerals
HongUn manages to kill all of TheBest's army with one void ray surviving and a couple ground units
Reinforcements come in for TheBest and kill the defending units
HongUn concedes
Build order win for TheBest. Perhaps it was unwise for HongUn to do a void ray opening given how frequently Terrans are barracks rushes.
Game 3 - Metalopolis
Close air positions, HongUn at 12 and TheBest at 3
Standard openings for both players
Concussive shells for TheBest, another gateway for HongUn
The first marauder comes up to HongUn's natural, waits for a second to arrive
Two more barracks for TheBest, stargate for HongUn
TheBest tries to go up the ramp but one marauder is stuck outside by a force field
HongUn makes another sentry as marauders are rallied into his base, it dies of course to the marauders
Finally warp gates are ready, HongUn warps in stalkers, but the marauders get them as well
Now a void ray comes out of the stargate and cleans up the marauders
Second void ray and third gateway coming for HongUn, stim for TheBest
The void ray goes to TheBest's base but plenty of marines repel it, TheBest building a command center in his main
Two void rays now with a third one building, HongUn moves out with his fairly light ground army
Void rays keep the marines in TheBest's base, sentries move to the bottom of his ramp
TheBest feints a few times, then stims and runs down his ramp
HongUn force fields the ramp at the last second and cuts the army in half, the half on the low ground dies
Three void rays there now, more marines run down and again a force field cuts them off from the rest of the army
Stalkers pick them off easily, then HongUn moves up the ramp
TheBest surrenders
It's easy to say TheBest lost because he ran down his ramp, but he was contained on one base so all his options were bad. Perhaps it's better to say he lost when he allowed the sentries to get that position...but the void rays had him playing defense. Interesting.
Commentary: TvP isn't exactly the most entertaining matchup. I thought this was true back when every Protoss went straight to colossus and then won or lost based on viking and stalker micro, but now it seems like it's even worse, coming down just to build order wins. Hopefully it will stabilize into something a little more interesting soon.
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