EPTSo I'm an RTS noob. I used to cheat my way through StarCraft, mainly because I couldn't bear to lose any units. Seeing all my cute marines getting shredded would be a traumatic experience.
Fast forward, ten or more years, and I've been monitoring StarCraft 2 way before BETA mode. At first, I was simply stunned by the graphics and art. Later, I've been attracted by the awesomeness displayed by pro players. I'm slowly learning all the ins and outs, thanks to TeamLiquid forums, Day9 and just watching many games shoutcasted by Crota/BlizShouter.
The FFA
+ Show Spoiler +
My next hurdle has been overcoming my anxiety and timidness (To be truthful, I still don't understand the game mechanics enough. Like, if I'm to scout an opponent, I still don't have the knowledge/experience to produce the appropriate counter). I feel I've taken a step by playing a FFA for the first time. Gosh, my heart started beating like crazy as soon as those other players were found and I heard the countdown. It's sickening really. Oh, I had played my placement games on a similar whim, and went 1-4. Again, I experienced a similar nausea, and so haven't bothered to league yet.
Anyhoo, I went standard MMM. Luckily, I wasn't harassed and so proceeded to perform some drop attacks. First harass took out a fair number of probes, but on retreating, met a similar harassing group of mutas. My second drop was on another toss, and again, I did some economic damage but my force was taken out.
Fast forward, and I've supplemented my bioball with Thors (mainly because of those mutas... I guess that's a good example of countering, eh?). The two Protosses are quite incompetent and are taken out soon enough (or so I thought). It's the zerg opponent that seems to be providing the most trouble, harassing with their mutas and constantly expanding. Handily for me, they left all their overlords together and so I'm sure I had Z supply blocked soon after.
Fast forward again, and my base is suffering from the harassing mutas. Eventually though, my army prevails. And so I wait for the victory screen. But nothing. What's going on? Do I have to remove all the buildings or something? Alright, I go around cleaning up all the coloured icons on the map, queuing attacks so that I can get up and get a drink.
That seemed to do the job. Basking in my glory, I decide to watch the replay. To my shock, one of the Protosses managed to survive and had a fully going expansion going on, with even a Dark Shrine! At that point, my bases were ruined and all income had stopped. If he had started producing some DTs, I would have been stomped upon, having lacked detection (my OC had been destroyed too). Instead though, that toss player just left the game, after I thought I had eliminated everyone. That was a bit of a slap in the face, knowing that I could have been beaten comfortably, and unexpectedly. Just one single DT could have destroyed me!
Anyhoo, I went standard MMM. Luckily, I wasn't harassed and so proceeded to perform some drop attacks. First harass took out a fair number of probes, but on retreating, met a similar harassing group of mutas. My second drop was on another toss, and again, I did some economic damage but my force was taken out.
Fast forward, and I've supplemented my bioball with Thors (mainly because of those mutas... I guess that's a good example of countering, eh?). The two Protosses are quite incompetent and are taken out soon enough (or so I thought). It's the zerg opponent that seems to be providing the most trouble, harassing with their mutas and constantly expanding. Handily for me, they left all their overlords together and so I'm sure I had Z supply blocked soon after.
Fast forward again, and my base is suffering from the harassing mutas. Eventually though, my army prevails. And so I wait for the victory screen. But nothing. What's going on? Do I have to remove all the buildings or something? Alright, I go around cleaning up all the coloured icons on the map, queuing attacks so that I can get up and get a drink.
That seemed to do the job. Basking in my glory, I decide to watch the replay. To my shock, one of the Protosses managed to survive and had a fully going expansion going on, with even a Dark Shrine! At that point, my bases were ruined and all income had stopped. If he had started producing some DTs, I would have been stomped upon, having lacked detection (my OC had been destroyed too). Instead though, that toss player just left the game, after I thought I had eliminated everyone. That was a bit of a slap in the face, knowing that I could have been beaten comfortably, and unexpectedly. Just one single DT could have destroyed me!
Lessons learnt + Reflection:
- I ought to be more vigilant. Expect the Unexpected!. Still haven't got those scouting skills I suppose.
- Focusing on macro helped me win. That's something I got from TL and Day9, so cheers to good advice. I still struggle to manage more than one base though.
- I was very happy to have had constantly upgraded both infantry and vehicles.
- I probably played against people as incompetent as myself. I was expecting to have been completely smashed.
