EPTJust a game of me playing randomly that sparked an idea for a build... There are tons of holes in this replay and is nowhere even close to what it looks like now. (Yes I know I should have died to)
Just trying to organize my thoughts here.
(masters random)
Awhile back I was trying to get a better handle on pvt and the only opening that felt right or made sense to me (especially on large maps) was 1-2 gate stargate or something similar. There were some scenarios where I found it actually was worth it to transition to carriers.
If I saw a tank or an armory and couldn't kill with initial voidray/pheonix push I would immediately tech to DT's and expand. (staying on 2 gates and adding robo whenever you feel most comfortable) From there I would throw down a second stargate, fleet beacon ,(tuck them somewhere hard to scout in the main) and crono out air upgrades and expand again. (preferably far away if they are meching hard)
It feels extremely vulnerable at first, but its actually much better than it feels even though you have very few units. It's actually amazing how good just 2-4 micro'd defensive carriers + dt are this early in the game. Even if you only have a few zealots on the ground to go with them.
So where are we?
Tech:
2 stargates + air upgrades
1 robo bay or forge (don't forget dt drops and cannons they are your friends!)
1 dark shrine
Take a 3rd preferably hard to get to (dt's and or cannons work wonders to defend this) and tech to high templars (or even possibly collosus if you switch to pheonix) which melt both marines and vikings. Some things I have done with some success out of this. (depending on scouting)
Stop carriers and air upgrades at 1-1 throw down a bunch of gates and use a HT based strategy.
Stop carriers switch to pheonix/collosus (with high templar you almost have to take a 4th base almost immediately after the 3rd just for gas which usually isn't that unnatural as it connects your main to your 3rd)
Stop carriers switch to voidrays (haven't found a use for this one yet ^^)
or my favorite
Throw down a second cyber core, Crono out double air upgrades plus shields, and continue to make carriers. Stay on minimal number of gates get shuttle speed and dt/ht harrass and drop to your hearts content. Expanding becomes extremely hard if you continue to harass with dt/ht throughout the game not just the moment you get them. The terran will either go for an all in attack which probably won't work against defensive ht + defensive carriers. Or they will have to turtle up with a bunch of turrets ect. Here is a game I play.
If you force 1 turret that is +1 point.
If you force 1 planetary fortress that is +2 points.
If you force 1 raven that is +3 points.
Why is a turret a victory? Because turrets can't move and attack you. And they are almost worthless against any large number of carriers. In order for them to work another attacking unit needs to be around to support them. Both against dt's and carriers can snipe expansions with minimal loses even if they are supported by bunch of turrets. 1 turret is 100 less minerals in the attack when they eventually attack you.
Why is a planetary fortress a victory? That is 300 less minerals or 1 less scan available to them per 50 energy. And its usually easier to kill a PF with carriers than an orbital just because it can't float in the opposite direction you are kiting your carriers. If they don't build PF they have to leave units behind when they attack or dt's go to town.
Why is a raven a victory? Because a raven super expensive and is completely useless against carriers. Yes pdd blah blah blah, but when you think about it 1 raven actually means 2 less potential vikings. Thats 2 less attacking units for the terran against 3 of the 4 highest dps and cost effective units in the protoss arsenal. Another pleasant side effect of a player that gets atleast 1 raven is that they don't save scans. Simply snipe the raven(s) first and let your dts go to town.
Notes:
Spread out your gateways, throw down defensive pylons/cannons/ht at expansions to nullify harrassment, (pretend its bw style pvz with building/choke management but build cannons around nexus rather than at choke) and work on trying to take additional bases after your 3rd earlier and earlier. You always will lose the expansion the terran attacks first (later stages of the game), but if played correctly it will cost them their entire army or the same amount of expansions at home. (dt and/or carrier counter attack)
Keep your carriers in a safe defensive posture until after you reach a critical mass (able to snipe expansions and run to more favorable ground) or crush an attack. Every carrier that stays alive early in the game makes the fleet 100x better just a few minutes later. Especially once you hit 2-2 upgrades and beyond. I've started to avoid getting a 3rd stargate even though you can support it. You absolutely need to be able to pump out sacrificial ht and dt to harrass and defend expansions. And make more observers of than normal. This makes defensive carrier movement and dt/ht harrass so much easier and more effective.
Expanding - Prefer small ramps, in distant locations. I've even started building extra gateways and pylons to wall in expansions completely or block entrances to more open expansions. Warpgate and cannons make it possible to defend well enough and long enough for you to kill it off or stall long enough for a counter attack of your own to do just as much or more damage to the opponents bases.
The hidden dangers. Thors and Ghosts. Probably the 2 most effective units against your unit composition. The trick is to not react to them. Simply build more carriers/ht/dt. Don't start building gateway units or immortals to react to them. You simply won't be able to produce enough units for them to be effective. Thors are dangerous because they are so beefy. They are so high on health that they provide shelter for marines against the carriers and can survive through storm very well. Second is that they deal splash... I've had to learn to spread carriers during battles and am trying to figure out the most effective way to kite with carriers without stacking them.
Ghosts are the natural enemy to stacked protoss units (carriers) and to HT/DT. They ARE the unit that give the terran the ability to take down more than 1 expansion in a push and can end the game in a heartbeat if you make a mistake with your carriers. A couple EMP followed by a full out attack of marines/thors/vikings is your worst nightmare. But then again isn't that the case in almost all pvt's?
p.s. its laughable that BC's are faster than medivacs now.
