Starcraft 2 Thoughts: Special Tactics in SPL 2014 Maru vs Super

Link for those that don't want embeded video http://youtu.be/Oxe42fznuXs

Link here to jump right before things start to happen http://youtu.be/Oxe42fznuXs?t=3m26s

I can't say how very much I enjoyed this game, it was exceptional!

Been so long since I have seen a game that I felt was worth a Starcraft 2 Thoughts post.

Really cool game, not simple cheese, I'm not sure it is even an all in, need to do some testing to see if it is.

Go back and watch replay again, note that Protoss is constantly making Probes, found it particularly funny that as one caster is saying this is an "economically light" build Probes are being made.

Though to be fair, hard for the English casters to follow everything since they don't have full access to game, they are basically just viewing what Korean Observer is showing, just like we are, and they aren't always aware when the production or unit tab will be open.

Reason I not sure I would classify this as Cheese, is that IMHO, Cheese relies on not being scouted to be effective.

I doubt think this build relies on that at all, not just because Super won after it was scouted early, but because Probe production was constant.

Also Protoss take Natural during the attack.

Will take some serious testing, but I suspect this build works, at least on this type of map vs Reaper opening, even if Oracle(s) don't do any direct damage at beginning.

It will Pin Terran in their base, also forces minerals into early bunkers and/or Turrets.

I wonder if the strongest Terran defense to this would be to counter attack all in with SCV pull?

Or maybe counter attack with few SCV's to tank for Marines, but not full all in?


I suspect Mines might also be one of the better Terran responses to this if they can make some fast enough, depending on Terran build.

Though full wall off is probably critical as well, part of what made this a game ending attack instead of just gaining a modest advantage, was the fact that a Zealot & Stalker were able to get into the main.

This allowed serious attacks from multiple angles (similar concept to flanking & surrounding), as well as buying time for critical mass of Oracles for the small number of Marines.

Hard to say without some testing, would really like to see Day9 or Artosis work with MVP and go over some of the in house practice and testing of this build.

But really doubt that they would be willing to do that, because it would reveal lot of info to other teams on how they specifically prepare, among other issues.

Really awesome game!

Lot of depth to this game, many things that happened long before actual match.

Really cool!

For more posts like this exploring Strategy & Tactics in SC2 click on the Label: Starcraft 2 Thoughts or for somewhat related posts see Starcraft 2 Skills.

Selected Labels can be found in the Label Cloud at left side of blog, and every blog post has Labels at bottom left of post, so you can easily cross reference topics.

Random Wikipedia of the Day (RWotD): Learning Styles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles

I spent more than an hour already, reading this Wikipedia entry, and following the citations.

Also want to mention in this context, one of my favorite quotes from Miyamoto Musashi “from one thing, know ten thousand things."

To see more of my posts about Learning or Learning SC2, just click on those Labels, more Labels can be found in Label cloud at left side of Blog or at bottom left of every post.

Starcraft 2 Skills: Cross Training

I thought about titling this post "Learning to Learn", so you can certainly consider that an alternate or subtitle.

If you have ever studied Miyamoto Musashi's "Book of the Five Rings" (A book about real sword fighting, the strategy & philosophy of life or death sword fight) you will have read my favorite phrase in that book several times, since it is repeated often:  "From one thing, know ten thousand things."

I have usually thought of that as meaning to find as many ways as possible to use a skill or bit of knowledge.

Not only singly but also by combining skills and knowledge.

I have written several posts about Training, Practice, and Skill development for Starcraft 2 though I try to write each post in a stand alone fashion, many are best read as a collection.

This post ties in closely with these previous posts:

• Planned Structured Practice
• Mindset
• Learning and Intervals between Practice Sessions
• Dealing with Fear/Stress

In those Posts linked above, I cover the importance of recovery or rest time that is needed to improve, in a way practice programs our body and mind, while the rest & recovery stage stores it in long term memory with backups, so we can use that program again.

You certainly need some time that is pure rest, like sleep, and some time that is pure relaxation, like watching TV or reading, but you can use much of your recovery time to improve other skills & abilities that are not often used in your main practice.


One skill I strongly urge people to develop and improve is reading.

WTF Cliff!

Yes reading, it develops many of the same parts of your brain that you need to remember little details for Starcraft 2 ever notice how Idra or Artosis are almost like a human wikipedia?

Or Liquidpedia to be more precise ^_^

I saw these article today in my RSS feeds

• Some Books Are More Equal Than Others
• Teach the Books, Touch the Heart

Which led to this blog post.

The first article talks about how important it is, if you want to improve, to read challenging material.

It is like riding a bike, your never going to be able to do BMX racing or extreme/technical Mountain Biking if you never took the training wheels off your bike.

All of us are limited more by our drive, focus, and knowledge than any fixed limitation.

If you doubt that, you might read this post from one of my other Blogs about Rafe Esquith, http://bookreviews-cliff.blogspot.com/2011/09/there-are-no-shortcuts-by-rafe-esquith.html, Rafe is respected by Gandalf & Magneto (ie in real life:  Sir Ian Mckellen).

Might also think about why Samurai studied things like Calligraphy & Poetry.

GL HF,

Cliff

Learning Starcraft 2: PvT Storm Build

DesRow Tweeted this last night, my time, I found it interesting, I have been playing with some HT builds myself vs Terran.

Learning Starcraft 2: Superior Nydus Play

I have been waiting for a long time for a pro to start using Nydus in a more correct fashion, instead of the cheesy sneak them into enemy's base, they should be used for Logistics (ie Unit Movement & Mobility) and Macro (Economy/Drones), and offensively to delay Expos, as well as spread creep, and gain map vision, especially with extra Queen or two that hope through and plant a Creep Tumor.

This practice game:  Morrow vs SaSe showcases some of the real fundamentals of correct Nydus play IMO.

If more Zerg start doing this, Terran & Protoss will have to start doing far more active scouting, much earlier in the game.

Learning Starcraft 2: Accepting Failure

As I have mentioned before, I am a Technical writer, I learned from Jerry Pournell years ago, that to succeed at writing, or anything, you had to be willing to accept failure.

Today I found another author, Matt de la Peña, who says the say thing, but with a personal story that I think most Nerd's can related to, I certainly can, though in my case it was flowers and not a poem.

Matt de la Peña's words:

He told them that if they were serious about writing, they had to be ready to accept lots of failure. He once wrote a poem for a girl he liked, but after reading it, she never spoke to him again. His goal as a writer, he said, “is to give grace and dignity to people from the other side of the tracks.” 

~from page two http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/19/education/racial-lens-used-to-cull-curriculum-in-arizona.html

I blogged this on Cliff's Book Review Corner,  you can find links to the book and the author there if your interested.

But I think the key point for gamers, the ones that really want to succeed, is that using the excuse of failure is just that, an excuse.

Failure is not a reason for a lack of success. 

It is simply one of the obstacles on the path to accomplishment.

No one accomplishes everything the first time they try, or the 100 time they try.

I will certainly talk more about this in the future, as well as how this ties in with Romantic pursuits.

For more posts on Learning Starcraft 2, just click Learning SC2, that Label can also be found in Label Cloud at left side of blog.

Learning Starcraft 2: Mech vs Protoss

LiquidHerO vs Dandelion cast by Duckvillelol

Back in State of the Game #59, Day9 suggested that Terran's had perhaps not experimented enough with Mech vs Protoss, I have blogged about this a few times, click SOTG 59, to see all my posts on that.

My comments with spoilers below the VOD.



There were some things I really didn't like about Hero's base layout in this game, I would have like to see the Cybernetics Core less exposed to drops or Banshee harass, and I didn't like the 3 Gates behind the Natural's mineral line.

There are things I do really like about Hero's base layout, I liked Templar tech placement & Robo placement in his Natural, I think Tech structures should always be as far from the enemy as practical, unless you want them to scout some tech, ie if your try to fake them out.

I also realized the reason for the 3 Gates in the Natural's mineral line were probably to hide the 4 Gate pressure Hero was doing in the early game.

That early 4 Gate attack did some serious damage, more to Terran's timing than to economy, but that was still important.

I would like to see some more Mech vs Protoss games from this Terran, I think the game would have been a lot different if he didn't suffer that damage from the early 4 Gate.

I do think Mech vs Protoss should use blue flame Hellion drops in addition to Banshee Harass, though I am still not sure if Mech vs Protoss is truly viable.

Learning Starcraft 2: The Sandbox (Unit Tester and Micro Trainer Map)

Read the TL post http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=313187

The Sandbox map is from dingoo1971, I liked his Unit Tester Map so much, that I started following him on youtube, you should to http://www.youtube.com/user/dingoo1971

Learning Starcraft 2: StarCraft Art of War: Replay Analysis

Announcement here http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/4593790, and actual discussions at http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/4175417735#1

A new place to talk about Replay Analysis, brand new, so no content yet, but something I am going to follow.

GL HF,

Cliff

Learning Starcraft 2: Defending against Mech in ZvT

LgNavilo vs iSanddbox cast by Duckvillelol

I have watched this epic game at least 4 times, I still don't feel ready to give a detailed commentary on it, but I can say any Zerg that is struggling vs Terran Mech could learn a lot from studying it.

iSanddbox is impressive with his unit comp switches, back and forth, repeatedly, he will kill off like 9 Thors with lings and Infestors, then switch back to Ultras/Ling/Banes to deal with Hellion/Tank/Thor, and he also does a lot of serious damage with lings hitting Mineral lines and other targets of opportunity.

Then there are the Ling drops for dealing with Siege Tanks! 

And a logistic, ie Macro, Nydus worm!!  I know most of you won't find that exciting, but it is perhaps a stronger use of Nydus than sneaking attacks into bases.  Something I have been wanting to see more.

Learning Starcraft 2: Knowing When to Run, or Unit Comps & Avoiding Fights

I thought this was an interesting game.  And good example of a critical mistake causing the loss, my comments, with spoilers below the VOD.





I am going to focus on only one fight near the end of the game.  For people that are wondering about why Protoss went with Shield upgrade over Armor I suggest looking at my post Starcraft 2 Thoughts: PvZ dealing with Mutas with Gateways units.


At 18:34 game time (13:28 VOD time) Zerg is maxed out with 10 Mutas + 10 Corrupters=40 supply of little use in fight vs ground Army, yes they will help vs Colossus but they can't kill them in one shot, it will take 2 Volleys.  The Mutas/Corrupters are at +1 Attack.

[The +1 Air Attack doesn't affect this equation at all, that is why I suggest 6-8 Corrupters with Armor upgrade first for Zerg, that would kill Colossus in 3 volleys, and they have native 2 Armor, so with +1 would have 3 Armor total, making them a lot harder to kill, and it would have saved twenty four food for the Ground Army!]

With 42 lings + 30 Roaches=81 food ground army, but Roaches while good damage are low DPS units.

The Roaches were at 2/2, and the Hive is still half a minute or so away.

Prooss was already at +3 attack, with +1 Shield done before fight starts and Dark Shrine about half done when fight ends..

Protoss had 2 Colossus=12 food that is good vs whole ground Army, but made for killing lings instantly, a +3 Attack Colossus 1 shots +2 Armor Lings.   With 3rd Colossus done and on the way to the deathball, joins the fight around the middle of the fight.

Six(!) Immortals + 31 Blink Stalkers= 86 Food ground Army made for killing Roaches.   As well as  3 Sentry + 1 Zealot=8 food that didn't matter much, other than Guardian shield.

18:41 game time (13:33 VOD time) Zerg moved out with Muta & Corrupters, no Broodlords, because Hive wasn't done yet and Zerg also didn't have the food for Morphing Broods.

Zerg just didn't have the unit comp need to win straight fight, so Zerg should have been avoiding a fight and working on delaying Protoss.

How to delay Protoss deathball?

Any of the following would work, ideally some combination.

Harass with Mutas, don't try to kill with them, but poke at mineral lines or structures.  Note, Protoss' shield upgrade helps defend vs this.

Send lings out for run by or just to threaten them.

Even better coordinate the Mutas and Lings!  Either have them both attack same location together, or have one go north and the other go south.

Build some spines, Stephano does this on some maps vs Protoss, Spines also work well with Broodlords for defense or slow creeping offense.

Buld a Proxy Hatch, with or without Spines on the road near one of the Xel Naga Towers, like Terrans do with PF's or Toss do with Cannons sometimes.

Your not looking to stop the enemy with it, just slow them down, it works as a speed bump or delaying attack.

Another thing you could do is just dance your army away, and posture like your going for a base race, though that is more dangerous, cause Toss might call your bluff, and with all those +3 Immortals they will have high DPS, which is an edge in a base race.

These are just some suggestions, there are certainly other ways to delay.

The important point to learn, is that Zerg couldn't win a fight with the unit comp he had, so he needed to avoid a fight at all costs, since that was a guaranteed loss if he had a real engagement.

I will end with a simple Maxim:  When you have superior Army to your opponent, then kill his Army.  When you have an Inferior Army to your opponent, DON'T fight his Army!

That doesn't mean you can't attack, his workers can't beat your army, neither can his structures, so attack them or threaten them!

GL HF,

Cliff

Learning Starcraft 2: PvP, Heavy Phoenix Army vs Balanced Army

This very interesting game:  aiRXujhan vs MysticFiendcast by Duckvillelol, shows a very heavy Phoenix play by aiRXujhan vs a more balanced unit comp from MysticFiendcast.

This game doesn't go the way I would have expected at all, I would like to see Protoss try Phoenix heavy openings like this vs Terran some more.  I think there is a lot of untapped potential there.

Thundertoss streaming some practice

http://www.twitch.tv/thundertoss

As I have said before and I will certainly say again, I always learn something from watching Thundertoss!

Streaming Tips & Tricks: "Auto Scene Change" for XSplit

I have heard Thundertoss and others mention auto switch for XSplit, this is the one I know about, for full information see TL thread http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=269995

[Edited to add:  djWheat likes it http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=269995#13]

But it will automatically switch overlay for you on and off, unless you disable it.

I was reminded of this today while watching TLO stream, he forgot to drop the overlay he uses between games for one game T_T

To see other Blog posts about streaming click Streaming: Tips Tricks, you can also click that label in the label cloud at left side of Blog, or any label you are interested in at bottom left of every post.

You can even bookmark the labels and check them from time to time for new info, if you don't want to subscribe to the whole blog via RSS or email at bottom of every Blog page.

Learning Starcraft 2: Scouting vs Terran

A very good VLog by Ipp, part of RageQuitTV, about Scouting vs Terran in Starcraft 2, some very good pointers!

Thank you Ipp! 

Starcraft 2 Skills: Critical thinking, Analyzing Replays, & Mindset.

I have posted before about Analyzing Replays, and about Mindset, this post connections a bit with both of those previous posts.  Also provides some background and direction for further study for anyone interested.

If your interested in my other Starcraft 2 Skills posts, you can also find that link at the bottom left of this post or in the Label Cloud at left side of Blog.

I strongly believe that strong Critical Thinking Skills are a key part of learning in general, and learning and improving at Starcraft 2 in particular. 

The core reason for that belief, is that to truly learn you need good Critical Thinking Skills, as well as Critical Reading, and Analysis Skills.

If you lack those skills, you will have a far more difficult time learning, since you will lack the ability to clearly identify reasons for success and failure when analyzing a replay. 

Or when trying to learn in general, you will make mistakes in understanding, of a sort that are more difficult to learn from, mistakes are part of learning, but they need to be "good" mistakes, in the sense that you need to be aware that you (everyone) will make them.  You also need a process for spotting and correcting those mistakes or errors, as well as an open mind.  See the second VOD below, on Cognitive Bias, for a clearer understanding of that.

A good place to start learning Critical Thinking Skills, would be the Podcasts & VOD's from Kevin deLaplant at the Critical Thinker Academy Website.  The Podcasts & VOD's are free, but he offers more content for people interested with a Membership.

Kevin is an Academic, and IMO a Nerd, since he is a college professor, with an undergraduate degree in Physics.  He is currently the Chair of the Department of Philosophy & Religious Studies at Iowa State University.

The first VOD I have embedded below is an introduction to the subset of skills needed for Critical Thinking, an introduction if you will to the topic of Critical Thinking.

The second VOD, is about Cognitive Bias, which explains in part the connection I think that exists between Critial Thinking Skills and Analyzing SC2 Replays, or any other data you really want to learn from, as well as explaining the connection with Mindset (perception Bias).

GL HF,

Cliff


Critical Thinking





 Cognitive Bias

Starcraft 2 Thoughts: ZvT Beating Terran

I got thinking about this some time ago after hearing first Destiny's, and then later Grubby's comments about their showmatch vs each other.  Destiny was basically humbled, he was more overwhelmed by Grubby's play than Huk's.

Destiny said that Grubby was using Hallucination constantly, that it was like map hacks, and that all Protoss players should do it.

Grubby said something like Destiny doesn't even understand his own race.  Which struck me as true, though very incomplete.  And not entirely fair, I don't think any Zergs really understand their race yet.

I had been stumbling towards the more general idea that no Zerg seemed to really understand their Race's strong points (I think Stephano is something on an exception to this, and big part of the reason he has been so successful lately).  One quick example, Roaches are really strong early in the game, but except for all ins the only time I have ever seen Pro Zerg use Roaches much was when they played on the earlier versions of Metalopolis were they could get a close spawns by ground.  Or when they are forced to.

Thing is I noticed they usually won those timing attacks.  So Roach timing pushes are very strong early.

Couple of other things about standard Muta Ling, with or without Banes, vs Marine Tank struck me as really bad.

One Mutas are REALLY expensive, they cost 100 minerals/100 gas/2 food, and it seems like Pro Players need around 25 or so Mutas to do much with them.  That is 2500 Minerals/2500 Gas/50 Food!!!  Realize that is same, exact, cost as 20 DT's (with 10 Food left over)!  Or 16-17 Tanks (with gas left over)!!!

I like the DT comparison best, because Mutas have 120 HP vs the DT 40HP/80 Shield, hmm 120hp to 120 HP.  Mutas have 5.9 DPS (+ 0.7 per upgrade)(about 7.9 DPS if you count splash) vs DT's 26.6 DPS (+3 per upgrade).  I'll let others argue merits of flying vs cloak.

I think Roach Baneling Corrupter is a lot better, specially if Zerg gets burrow first over any other upgrade.  Roaches are just a little faster than Banelings if both have speed upgrades, and there is no reason to waste resources on armor upgrades in early game this way.


Roaches can burrow to heal, with Tunneling Claws they heal faster than Medivac heals, and Drones can burrow to evade Hellion run ins or drops, functionally using Burrow to defend workers cause some of the same problems for Terran as Toss using DT for drop defense.


Make 6 Corrupters for drop defense,  6 Corrupters will 2 Shot Medivacs, they also have a base 2 Armor so they can laugh at Marines and Thors.  So you can make a few more for effective scouting, and if you get an early Greater Spire you can make Terran build Vikings early if he scouts it, or fly some scouting Corrupters to back side of mineral lines and morph them into Broodlords for a harass.

Maybe if you want to be real cheeky you can even drop Nydus in mineral line with Broodlings raining down.
 
If your not wasting resources on ground armor, you can easily be getting Missile and Melee attack upgrades at the same time.


This also lets you tech switch between Broodlords, Ultras, or even Hydras easily if needed.


Think about +3 Attack Hydra's tech switch with drop or nydus. With a Nydus you can have units rallied straight to the Nydus, making it hard for Terran to see your unit comp.



The other problem I have was the huge Banks Zerg players would build. 

In RTS (Real Time Strategy) games that is something so wrong everyone knows it, yet I never see any Zerg Pros even attempt to address the issue! 

If nothing else make a bunch of Overseers and Contaminate like a Boss!

Though recently I have seen Stephano start to make a lot of spines, which I think is very good idea, I just wish he would add some Spores, at least vs Protoss, to deny Obs.

Go Watch Day9's Show, Special Episode #400

http://www.twitch.tv/day9tv

He is doing a special episode about clearing misconceptions!  Very Good!!

<3 Day9

Starcraft 2 Skills: Learning and Intervals between Practice Sessions

I have talked before about how important sleep and rest or recovery days are for improving skills.

Here is a quote from http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/memory-medic/201201/cram-or-not-cram-is-the-question:

In most situations research has made it abundantly clear that spacing the learning over many shorter sessions is much more effective than trying to do it all in one big session. Surprisingly, longer intervals between learning sessions are more effective than shorter intervals.

I plan to do a lot more posts on this topic, but the article linked above is good place to start if you not sure there is any Science or data to back up the idea that sometimes less can be more.

That article is also good place to start to understand why I urge people to have a rotation of practice, watching replays/VOD, and non SC2 days like exercise & fun activities.  For more on my thoughts about that see http://cliffsesportcorner.blogspot.com/2011/11/starcraft-2-skills-planned-structured.html

Some people have wondered how Stephano improved so much with "Only 3 hours" of practice.  This is part of the answer, I will cover other parts in future posts.

To see more of my posts about this topic click http://cliffsesportcorner.blogspot.com/search/label/Starcraft%202%20Skills or any of the labels at the bottom of any post or the label cloud at left of blog.  The labels are a subject or Index list of topics.

GL HF,

Cliff

Apollo streaming Protoss lessons today

Apollo is streaming some Protoss lessons today, I really liked the Zerg lessons that he has done, looking forward to his Toss lessons http://www.twitch.tv/dignitasapollo