• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 11:16
CEST 17:16
KST 00:16
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
RSL Season 1 - Final Week6[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall12HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0
Community News
Firefly given lifetime ban by ESIC following match-fixing investigation17$25,000 Streamerzone StarCraft Pro Series announced7Weekly Cups (June 30 - July 6): Classic Doubles7[BSL20] Non-Korean Championship 4x BSL + 4x China10Flash Announces Hiatus From ASL82
StarCraft 2
General
The GOAT ranking of GOAT rankings RSL Revival patreon money discussion thread Weekly Cups (June 30 - July 6): Classic Doubles Server Blocker RSL Season 1 - Final Week
Tourneys
RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event $5,100+ SEL Season 2 Championship (SC: Evo) $25,000 Streamerzone StarCraft Pro Series announced
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 481 Fear and Lava Mutation # 480 Moths to the Flame Mutation # 479 Worn Out Welcome Mutation # 478 Instant Karma
Brood War
General
Flash Announces Hiatus From ASL [ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion A cwal.gg Extension - Easily keep track of anyone
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues 2025 ACS Season 2 Qualifier Small VOD Thread 2.0 Last Minute Live-Report Thread Resource!
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Path of Exile CCLP - Command & Conquer League Project The PlayStation 5 Nintendo Switch Thread
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine The Accidental Video Game Porn Archive Stop Killing Games - European Citizens Initiative
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece Anime Discussion Thread [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion NBA General Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NHL Playoffs 2024
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
Men Take Risks, Women Win Ga…
TrAiDoS
momentary artworks from des…
tankgirl
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Trip to the Zoo
micronesia
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 798 users

Episode 2, in which I learn to slow my tech

Blogs > KingOctavious
Post a Reply
KingOctavious
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States324 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-19 19:46:56
January 19 2011 15:35 GMT
#1
In this match, I rolled Terran against a Protoss player. I started off strong, with a good marauder+concussive attack against his zealots, though I messed up my micro once or twice and took more losses than I should have. After that first push, I decided to tech up to be more powerful than whatever he decided to hit me with.

That is where the problems started. With my first army being so marauder-heavy, he naturally went for stalkers. Since I got way, way too zealous with my tech, I went straight for two starports when I should have gone for 3 factories and started pumping siege tanks. From there on, the match is predictable. He easily takes out my air and adds some dark templar harass. point, I'm screwed. I've wasted all my money on starports, banshees, and then trying to catch up with my factories, at which point it's too late.

Check out the video here:

Starcraft 2 n00b - episode 2

Lessons learned:

1. Don’t tech so fast! Instead, tech at a pace that allows me to continue producing units.

2. Anticipate the opponent’s counter. This is taking it the next step past the main lesson from the previous SC2 n00b episode. Know that a reasonable opponent is likely going to respond with a good counter for what I lead with. Be prepared for that. (IOW, don’t go banshees when the other guy’s probably getting stalkers.)

3. Always put a turret (or observer, or overseer) near the mineral line to ward off cloaked harasses.

4. Quit trying to hide my expansion by putting it somewhere other than my natural. It hasn’t worked yet, and it’s probably not going to.

Check out my book, The Year in StarCraft II: 2011, http://yearinsc2.com/ :D:D
BuuGhost
Profile Joined December 2010
Netherlands340 Posts
January 19 2011 16:42 GMT
#2
1.
Thats what about everyone does unless going for a banshee build, For example.
2. Well, Thats probably more common sense.
I dont get a 9mm handgun to fight a Helicopter with two mini guns and rockets. Do i. Instead you get a RPG or some AutoLockon anti air weapon.
3. That my friend is a wise thing to do. But my advice is to get your timings right. If he has a large MM army you can probably delay that turret by 30ish seconds if you scouted a port. (Unless you have a trust fund.)
4. Rarely you can get away with it. But if you do. your in big time (think of metalopis close position zerg ninja expand (double possibly))

Good luck with your n00b series ;D.
"Kinda like this thing but there’s something you should know, I just came to say hello."
KingOctavious
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States324 Posts
January 19 2011 16:45 GMT
#3
On January 20 2011 01:42 BuuGhost wrote:

Good luck with your n00b series ;D.


Thanks, BuuGhost.
Check out my book, The Year in StarCraft II: 2011, http://yearinsc2.com/ :D:D
Altar
Profile Joined May 2008
United States577 Posts
January 19 2011 16:52 GMT
#4
Your over thinking why you lost that game, you just didn't have enough stuff. Watch a pro replay and go to a specific time in the replay and look at the supply then look at your game at the same time, I'm pretty sure your supply is going to be a lot lower.

Work on macro and don't worry about countering what he's making after you make something. Probes and Pylons, or in this case SCVs and Supply Depots, you master those two things and you'll get 100% better.

I did enjoy the video but your really beating yourself up over the small stuff when you really should be beating yourself up over the big stuff.

Heavens to Betsy
KingOctavious
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States324 Posts
January 19 2011 16:57 GMT
#5
On January 20 2011 01:52 Altar wrote:
Your over thinking why you lost that game, you just didn't have enough stuff. Watch a pro replay and go to a specific time in the replay and look at the supply then look at your game at the same time, I'm pretty sure your supply is going to be a lot lower.

Work on macro and don't worry about countering what he's making after you make something. Probes and Pylons, or in this case SCVs and Supply Depots, you master those two things and you'll get 100% better.

I did enjoy the video but your really beating yourself up over the small stuff when you really should be beating yourself up over the big stuff.



Thanks, Altar. I think, though, that I pretty much said what you said but in a different way. I said not to tech so fast, while you said to focus more on units. My point -- which may not have been clear -- was that if I had not teched so fast, I would have been able to produce more units (specifically tanks).

As always, keep the ideas comin'. Everything helps.
Check out my book, The Year in StarCraft II: 2011, http://yearinsc2.com/ :D:D
Asha
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United Kingdom38205 Posts
January 19 2011 18:15 GMT
#6
Take your natural, it's far safer and you don't need to be gambling on a hidden expo, particularly not when you are competitieve economically.

Don't be afraid to commit to rallying new troops in as back up if you attack (you can always snag them before they arrive and send them home if you're sure it's going wrong), by the time your first push ends he's left with 3 very battered zealots while you've already got another 4 marauders and 2 marines back at your base.

Marauders actually do better vs Stalkers 1 on 1 damage wise (not to mention having more hp), they cost less, and build faster too. Rather than trying to tech up quite so far behind your wall in and early aggression,if you had just kept pumping out M&M's from those 3 rax you'd have probably been able to roll right over him there. Altar already covered the "just make more stuff" point, and I think you know that too from your first point so I won't really ramble on there =)

Preemptive detection can save you a lot, if you scout a possible early indicator like a twilight council or starport with tech lab, then throwing down an engineering bay at that point in time isn't a bad idea. That way you've got the ability to build turrets if they are going for cloaked tech, and even if not you can upgrade your infantry off it.

For general suggestions on future vids, turn on your in game clock (it's a pain having to look across to the replay timer =p) and toggle between a few of the information tabs (Production, Units, and Army/Supply (always have one of them up)) at regular points in the replays.

best of luck
KingOctavious
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States324 Posts
January 19 2011 18:25 GMT
#7
On January 20 2011 03:15 Asha` wrote:
Take your natural, it's far safer and you don't need to be gambling on a hidden expo, particularly not when you are competitieve economically.

Don't be afraid to commit to rallying new troops in as back up if you attack (you can always snag them before they arrive and send them home if you're sure it's going wrong), by the time your first push ends he's left with 3 very battered zealots while you've already got another 4 marauders and 2 marines back at your base.

Marauders actually do better vs Stalkers 1 on 1 damage wise (not to mention having more hp), they cost less, and build faster too. Rather than trying to tech up quite so far behind your wall in and early aggression,if you had just kept pumping out M&M's from those 3 rax you'd have probably been able to roll right over him there. Altar already covered the "just make more stuff" point, and I think you know that too from your first point so I won't really ramble on there =)

Preemptive detection can save you a lot, if you scout a possible early indicator like a twilight council or starport with tech lab, then throwing down an engineering bay at that point in time isn't a bad idea. That way you've got the ability to build turrets if they are going for cloaked tech, and even if not you can upgrade your infantry off it.

For general suggestions on future vids, turn on your in game clock (it's a pain having to look across to the replay timer =p) and toggle between a few of the information tabs (Production, Units, and Army/Supply (always have one of them up)) at regular points in the replays.

best of luck


Thanks for the advice, Asha, especially concerning the production tab, etc. ... How do I turn on the in-game clock?
Check out my book, The Year in StarCraft II: 2011, http://yearinsc2.com/ :D:D
Asha
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United Kingdom38205 Posts
January 19 2011 18:28 GMT
#8
On January 20 2011 03:25 KingOctavious wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 20 2011 03:15 Asha` wrote:
Take your natural, it's far safer and you don't need to be gambling on a hidden expo, particularly not when you are competitieve economically.

Don't be afraid to commit to rallying new troops in as back up if you attack (you can always snag them before they arrive and send them home if you're sure it's going wrong), by the time your first push ends he's left with 3 very battered zealots while you've already got another 4 marauders and 2 marines back at your base.

Marauders actually do better vs Stalkers 1 on 1 damage wise (not to mention having more hp), they cost less, and build faster too. Rather than trying to tech up quite so far behind your wall in and early aggression,if you had just kept pumping out M&M's from those 3 rax you'd have probably been able to roll right over him there. Altar already covered the "just make more stuff" point, and I think you know that too from your first point so I won't really ramble on there =)

Preemptive detection can save you a lot, if you scout a possible early indicator like a twilight council or starport with tech lab, then throwing down an engineering bay at that point in time isn't a bad idea. That way you've got the ability to build turrets if they are going for cloaked tech, and even if not you can upgrade your infantry off it.

For general suggestions on future vids, turn on your in game clock (it's a pain having to look across to the replay timer =p) and toggle between a few of the information tabs (Production, Units, and Army/Supply (always have one of them up)) at regular points in the replays.

best of luck


Thanks for the advice, Asha, especially concerning the production tab, etc. ... How do I turn on the in-game clock?


Menu -> Options -> Gameplay -> Show Game Timer (checkbox halfway down right side)
KingOctavious
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States324 Posts
January 20 2011 13:49 GMT
#9
On January 20 2011 03:28 Asha` wrote:

Menu -> Options -> Gameplay -> Show Game Timer (checkbox halfway down right side)


Well what do you know. This whole time when I've been hearing Day[9] and others say, "At the 8 minute mark do so and so," I was always like, "How do I know it's been 8 minutes?"
Check out my book, The Year in StarCraft II: 2011, http://yearinsc2.com/ :D:D
Count9
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
China10928 Posts
January 20 2011 14:01 GMT
#10
With my first army being so marauder-heavy, he naturally went for stalkers

I'm so confused, I still can't get past reading this sentence. Why would he get stalkers for your marauders? That's like countering into your army.
shannn
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Netherlands2891 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-20 14:15:51
January 20 2011 14:11 GMT
#11
As a P/T player I can give you as a general advice that you should concentrate more on macro first.
Refining your build order and constant production facilities is the main focus for any beginner up till the very top. Actually this is for all skill levels but the very top usually already does this already.

Your scouting on the other hand is also what u need to learn to do. This is a natural process as you will learn where to focus when you play more ladder games. A high level player teaching you will be able to speed things up obviously.

Main important thing against a Protoss is always look how much energy he has. The amount of energy usually gives a good indication whether a Protoss is rushing you or going for an economic build.

Other examples to look for is how many pylons does he have (it'd suspicious if he has 1 pylon with over 16 probes and other units) compared to the probes/army units. You don't need to specifically count them but just do a quick glance. This is also a good indication if he has proxied a pylon for cheese or for warping in units.

Main important thing is to always have production going (like an endless factory making components) and scan every 3 times u have 50 energy.
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewpost.php?post_id=6321864 Epic post.
KingOctavious
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States324 Posts
January 20 2011 17:47 GMT
#12
On January 20 2011 23:01 Count9 wrote:
Show nested quote +
With my first army being so marauder-heavy, he naturally went for stalkers

I'm so confused, I still can't get past reading this sentence. Why would he get stalkers for your marauders? That's like countering into your army.


I thought stalkers countered marauders. No?
Check out my book, The Year in StarCraft II: 2011, http://yearinsc2.com/ :D:D
drooL
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United Kingdom2108 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-01-20 19:40:35
January 20 2011 19:40 GMT
#13
not exactly, no. in fact, marauders are very efficient against stalkers (only). an efficient gateway counter to marauders would be a well balanced combo of zealots to tank damage/concussion, sentries to let the zealots get into the face of marauders (and actually deal their damage) and stalkers to constantly deal damage from behind.
@nowSimon
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
FEL
15:00
Polish Championship - Playoffs
Elazer vs SpiritLIVE!
Gerald vs MaNa
IndyStarCraft 140
CranKy Ducklings109
Liquipedia
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Hui .238
IndyStarCraft 140
Vindicta 105
BRAT_OK 69
StarCraft: Brood War
EffOrt 1912
firebathero 964
Larva 821
BeSt 773
Mini 320
Leta 211
Nal_rA 187
Barracks 99
Dewaltoss 85
GoRush 70
[ Show more ]
Sea.KH 63
Movie 49
Shinee 42
Aegong 36
Terrorterran 17
Hm[arnc] 12
IntoTheRainbow 11
SilentControl 9
Dota 2
Gorgc9099
qojqva3258
League of Legends
Dendi976
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor759
Liquid`Hasu441
Other Games
tarik_tv50315
gofns27603
FrodaN8327
singsing2413
B2W.Neo1637
DeMusliM626
shahzam544
KnowMe302
XaKoH 191
ToD80
Rex20
Organizations
Other Games
EGCTV897
StarCraft: Brood War
Kim Chul Min (afreeca) 12
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 15 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• HeavenSC 43
• Adnapsc2 18
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• Michael_bg 6
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• Ler117
League of Legends
• Nemesis4675
Upcoming Events
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
2h 44m
Bonyth vs Dewalt
QiaoGege vs Dewalt
Hawk vs Bonyth
Sziky vs Fengzi
Mihu vs Zhanhun
QiaoGege vs Zhanhun
Fengzi vs Mihu
Wardi Open
19h 44m
Replay Cast
1d 18h
WardiTV European League
2 days
PiGosaur Monday
2 days
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
3 days
Replay Cast
3 days
The PondCast
3 days
Replay Cast
4 days
Epic.LAN
4 days
[ Show More ]
CranKy Ducklings
5 days
Epic.LAN
5 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
6 days
Bonyth vs Sziky
Dewalt vs Hawk
Hawk vs QiaoGege
Sziky vs Dewalt
Mihu vs Bonyth
Zhanhun vs QiaoGege
QiaoGege vs Fengzi
Sparkling Tuna Cup
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 2
HSC XXVII
NC Random Cup

Ongoing

JPL Season 2
BSL 2v2 Season 3
Acropolis #3
CSL 17: 2025 SUMMER
Copa Latinoamericana 4
Jiahua Invitational
2025 ACS Season 2: Qualifier
BSL20 Non-Korean Championship
Championship of Russia 2025
Murky Cup #2
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
MESA Nomadic Masters

Upcoming

CSL Xiamen Invitational
CSL Xiamen Invitational: ShowMatche
2025 ACS Season 2
CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
BSL Season 21
K-Championship
RSL Revival: Season 2
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
SEL Season 2 Championship
FEL Cracov 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
Underdog Cup #2
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.