EPTI am a masters random player and about a month ago I had no idea how to play either race in the PvT matchup. I felt I had no control of the game as either race, and was uncomfortable with the popular styles both races were using at the time (continue to use). Eventually I gave up and began to just do whatever I felt like. One game I stumbled upon this. (Long game)
http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/147351-1v1-terran-protoss-backwater-gulch
It was not graceful in any way and I was very lucky to win the game, but it stuck in the back of my mind for a few days. I had secretly fallen in love (became obsessed) and spent quite some time looking for the replay.
Before I begin going over the build itself there are some things I am compelled to talk about. I have no intention of revolutionizing the PvT match-up, nor do I expect many of you to use this strategy. My goal is to create a solid build for the match-up that results in a style of PvT that I enjoy playing. Hopefully at the same time I can share just a small piece of the joy and enthusiasm I feel, when developing and using this strategy, with you.
I personally believe much of my enthusiasm stems from a personal rebellion against the "mass production" mindset that has taken over the match-up (the entire game). Before I scare all of you away I want you to consider one of the most influential starcraft builds of all time. I have not played a single game of SC1 or BW yet I still love watching and I can't help but enjoy myself when watching "The Bisu Build" or Corsair/Reaver variation. They are undisputedly solid builds that display characteristics rarely found in the PvT matchup in SC2 today. (In any for that matter)
- The build relies heavily upon timings.
- Very few units are produced early in the game.
- Rapidly changing tech allows you to stay safe early in the game.
- Although "defensive" in nature the build puts the opponent under constant pressure and harass.
- Map control and Scouting exist despite having almost no standing army.
- The build has long term goals. Although a quick kill is possible the goal of the build is to give yourself an advantage later in the game.
- The build is flexible enough to be able to transition quickly if something unexpected is scouted.
Name of the Build (none yet)
Goal of the Build:
The goal of this build is to quickly take a 3rd and/or 4th base resulting in a strategy featuring Carriers (with upgrades), High Templar, and Dark Templar. (side effect produces archons)
This build is not meant for every game as you cannot expect to reach carriers and ht against a 1 base Terran. The same can be said about the maps. The position and "vulnerability" of the 3rd and 4th bases play a crucial role in deciding the effectiveness of the build. The larger and more spread out the map is, the better. (This build is not viable on most 2 player maps)
The Early Game:
Early Game PvT is quite volatile, and with new maps creating even more variation, developing an exact opening for a 4 base build in this matchup is completely unrealistic. The opening you choose must be take into consideration the map, and constant scouting. However there is a set of goals that you must meet if you want to use this build coming out of the early game.
Early Game Goals:
1 Expansion
1 Stargate (void ray or phoenix... I prefer 1-2 void ray then stop production)
1 Robotics Facility (a mandatory observer + an immortal if you need it)
2-3 Gateways
Note: Going into the mid game these buildings DO NOT HAVE to constantly produce units. In fact I advise against it.
I personally use 1 gate stargate or 2 gate stargate as my "default" opening however you must react to your opponent and the map. Any opening is viable (nexus first, 1 gate expand, 3 gate stargate, 3 gate robo) Do whatever is needed to stay on par (or ahead) of the terran on economy while staying alive. If you exit the early game with similar economies and you have completed the early game goals the build is a go.
Mid Game:
These goals are quite... "normal" for a pvt. You should be quite familiar and comfortable with this "look" and realize that it can pretty easily transitions into many other PvT styles. There may be situations where it is to your advantage to do one of these transitions. Use at your discretion.
Now back to my build. Take your 3rd and 4th gases relatively quickly and immediately throw down twilight council the moment you have safely expanded. The observer should already have a full scout on the terran production and army composition when the twilight council finishes. If raven or banshee play is coming tech to High Templar. For everything else there are dark templar. Be very safe and defensive with your current units while executing this switch. Losing a void ray or immortal poking is extremely bad. Do not build a 4th gateway. If possible limit production from your current unit producing structures. Robics and Stargate play is extremely strong in the early game. Take advantage of this. Your unit composition during this period and the production that is cut must be done intelligently and based upon what is being scouted with the observer.
Cutting production in the early mid-game is the most crucial part of the entire build.
(Less warpgates/less production --> faster 3rd expansion --> faster 5th/6th gas --> Faster carriers --> Round out your templar tech faster --> Faster 4th base --> happy Protoss player)
Dark Templar Transition: If teching to DT(almost every game) have a warp prism ready. Warp in DT's and do as much damage to the terran as possible. You want the terran to know that DT's are out. The moment Warp Prism/DT harass is no longer effective stop. Take map control (xel naga tower(s)), have something (preferably a DT) at their 3rd base, and have dt's or a warp in position to harass the terran army the moment it comes out of their base. (Waste as many of their scans as they make their way across the map). There is not a terran push that makes it to my base through the DT transition that I haven't been able to crush with 3 gateways, 1 stargate, and 1 robo if I reacted soon enough.
High Templar Transition: Immediately warp in High Templar the moment the templar archives finishes. Cronoboost storm and get another round of High Templar out. Take a defensive position and storm/zealot drop expansions or feedback medivacs/storm marines in their base if you have the opportunity. Use storms to wear down the opponent if they attack you. (feed back medivacs/ghosts if you have the opportunity) Give as much ground as you possibly can before you engaging the attacking army. They WILL crush you if you engage to soon. Let them stim and run through a series of storms or watch as they try to micro ghosts or drop against your defensive ht. (2-3 observers should be on the map) Getting more units faster may be required with the High Templar Transition as the terran push will not likely be delayed. This means the 3rd base may be delayed slightly, but do not wait long.
Mid Game Goals:
3rd base
1 Stargate
1 Robotics Facility
3 Gateways (it can be done with just 2 to take a 3rd base even faster)
1 Forge
High Templar Tech or Dark Templar Tech
Mid Game Strategy:
If you will be safe until templar tech comes out take a 3rd base immediately and a forge shortly after. This is very fast 3rd expansion and your army will feel super super small. Get used to the idea. The goal is to survive. Not to make a bunch of units and go kill the terran on 2 or even 3 bases (unless the opportunity arises of course). Push the envelop until you know how fast is too fast for a 3rd and how many units is too few.
Just as 3 Gateways, a Stargate, and a Robotics Facility, can deal with any early-mid game push. The right Templar Tech can deal with the next set of possible pushes. The templar are not meant to kill your opponent. They are to be used to harass (slow your opponent down) and to deal with any attacks/harass while you take a fast 3rd base. Do not get stuck here. You have to transition again. And quickly.
Get to know the unique synergistic relationship that templar, observers, and warp prisms have with one another. This unit combination is much underused and under appreciated. Experiment and take full advantage of the harassment, map control, and defensive capabilities this unit composition really has.
Late game:
As soon as templar tech is finished (still on 2-3 gates) and the 3rd nexus is warping in, build 2 more stargates and a Fleet Beacon. It is time. Begin plus 1 attack on the cybernetics core. Begin mining your 5th and 6th gas immediately and start your carriers. Use cronoboost to its fullest potential. Normally I start my 4th nexus somewhere between 3rd base warping in and first set of carriers coming out. If I go DT first It sometimes looks like a double expand if I see that ravens are far away. I will be talking heavily of the 3rd and 4th nexus in the near future.
Now that 6 gases are mining the moment you can afford the air upgrades, graviton catapult, and can constantly produce 3 carriers at a time round out your templar tech. Both HT and DT are needed. This usually is pretty close to the time when I build a 4th nexus. Immediately take the 7th and 8th gas at the 4th base, and use constant cronoboosts on the stargates and air upgrades. After the 4th is up get a second cybernetics core for double upgrades, and build cannons and/or gateways as needed.
There is a variation of the build I have been playing with. If going for DT first it may be better to delay the 3rd stargate in favor of faster high templar. Ultimately I think the map, opponents army composition, and availability of a 4th base will determine which route to take.
Late game goals:
3 stargates and a fleet beacon (At least attempt to hide them though not absolutely necessary)
3 gateways (more after 4th base is up)
1 robotics facility (always have multiple observers and atleast 1 warp prism out)
1 forge (shield upgrades can be started, but are extremely low priority. Get cannons preemptively at the 3rd and 4th bases)
2 cybernetics cores (double upgrades usually you reach 1-1 when the second cyber is done)
4th base
Both High Templar (with storm) and Dark Templar tech
Late Game Strategy:
Get cannons at the 3rd and 4th bases (possibly with a DT and/or HT at each). Use warpgate to warp in new units and use building placement to help defend your expansions against harassment. I tend to build the additional gateways at the 3rd and 4th expansions in a defensive position to help protect them from harass or slow/funnel units for storm if attacked by a larger force)
Be aggresive as possible with dt's on the map and with dt/ht drops. 4 fast bases means 8 fast gas. You can afford to "throw" templar at your opponent. Let the Templar Terror rain down upon the opponent. Warp Prism Gravatic drive (shuttle speed) can add even more funnage and giggling. (pardon the expression)
Do not risk your carriers unless absolutely necessary. Like siege tanks (possibly more) carriers become so much stronger as the numbers get higher. Especially with double upgrades being cronoboosted out this "early" in the game.
Oddly the terran seems to always push while your 2nd set of carriers is coming out and storm is not yet ready. This is the number 1 reason why I take such a fast 4th base.
The Early 4th base (map dependent):
The early 4th Nexus gives you another cronoboost (critical when making carriers + air upgrades)
Always always take your 4th base in a location that is defend-able with cannons/warpgates/storm against harass. (Think PvZ in Brood War) Yet is not along the same attack path as the 3rd base. (They must not fall quickly to the same push) This sounds like a "hidden" expansion, and often it is hidden but it is not that gimmicky. There is reason for making a 4th base this fast and far away.
Having such a fast 4th base gives the ability to "sack" an expansion. This gives so many unique advantages that wouldn't normally exist on just 3 bases. On 3 bases you cannot lose a nexus and because of this you may be forced to engage before you want to. This almost always will end in a loss.
Advantages of sacking an expansion.
- The time it takes a terran to kill a base defended by templar, some cannons, and some warpgate units is about the same amount of time it takes another round of carriers and possibly another round of upgrades to finish. Then they have to walk to get to your next base... Thats another round of carriers.
- The advantage of dt and ht tech is that dt and ht do not suffer from lack of ground upgrades. They do not need an entire army to be effective. (But a large number of them should be out. 3 gates producing templar is quite alot) Keep the ht spread out between the bases and have dt's spread out on the map.
- Be patient if you kill this attacking force without risking your carriers you will (should) win the game. Snipe raven(s) with carriers or ht. Then send in the DT's. Lure vikings, medivacs, and marines into storms and feedbacks. Very Very Very soon the carriers will just be able to crush the attack. With whatever other units available at the time. (just to soak up damage or do damage if they focus fire carriers. (archon/zealot/dt plus whatever is left from the early mid game)
- If one of your expansions is going to go down to a push. Immediately expand somewhere else. You have the minerals. (anyone watch San play?)
- Use terrain to your advantage. Snipe a few units on the edges and back out with your carriers. Carrier kiting is imba with storm support.
- Keep the marine count low by cutting of reinforcements, or using storm on the units already in the push. Protect your carriers from vikings (again with storm) and there is no Terran army composition that will not fall to carriers.
- If they attack in one place. Attack them in another. Having an extra base gives the ability to not have to be where they are. Carriers are SO strong at counter attacking. Carriers can snipe expansions (or entire bases) very very quickly. The only way to lose carriers at this point in the game is for them to be in the same place the terran's main army is. If the terran wants to trade bases against a protoss with carriers, a bunch of warpgates, tons of map vision, and both templar tech, by all means participate in the base trading. Templar and carriers can whittle down their bases and new units faster then they can whittle down yours. Pulling the carriers back is always an option If warpgate, cannons, and templar defense won't hold.
- Shuttle Warp Prism harass is strongest when the terran is pushing. Take full advantage. Also remember to use DT's to keep the terran from expanding (all game long), but especially while they are pushing.
Notes:
- In no situation transition into mass robotics or gateway units if attacked while building up the carrier force. Avoid the tempation. They are utterly worthless without upgrades and not enough can be massed to even make a dent against most terran pushes. The answer is obvious in this situation. Make more DT's, more HT, and more Carriers while re-expanding elsewhere. After the 4th base is running zealot charge or blink stalkers can make a good addition against harassment, or as a small supplement against the opponents army. Zealots against thor/tank. Blink stalkers against viking heavy play. Never Ever Ever build larger numbers of gateway or robotics units if it will hamper constant templar or carrier production. Actually don't ever build a collosus and refrain from immortals during the later stages of the game.
- For some reason terran likes to attack before storm finishes and when just 3 carriers are out. This is pretty normal and staying alive is quite easy if scans were forced earlier in the game. DT/Carrier defense with some other units on the side is a lot stronger than most players realize. It takes some practice (again never engage head on) but it is very very doable. Especially with a 4th base already on the way.
- Spread out your gateways. Do not have all your gateways in the same place. There is high potential for base trading to occur. Aggresive harassment, quick expansions, the terran armies need to stay together against carriers, and your refusal to to engage this army directly, is kind of a perfect recipe for a base trade. Spread your additional gateways amongst your expansions so production will not be cut if bases begin to fall. Gateway positioning also can do wonders protecting expansions from harassment.
- The SC2 Equivalent of the Bisu Build. Make Carriers and Dark templar. Kill all the orbital commands with carriers and just smile as the dt's do the rest? I know its not that simple and its not an exact analogy, but it happens too often to be coincidence. Start patroling dt's and probes looking for new expansions if the base trading becomes serious business.
- Put pylons in strategic locations. Its good to have view of attack paths to complement your abnormally large number of observers. It also gives the ability to warp in DT's anywhere they are needed.
- Shield upgrades for the carriers also have the pleasant side effect of increasing the effectiveness of archons. I have not mentioned in this guide simply because I have not used them extensively but I already know they will become huge part of the strategy in the future.
Some hidden victories against the Terran Player in the mid/late game.
Force 1 turret, +1 point.
Force 1 planetary fortress, +2 points.
Force 1 raven, +3 points.
Why is a turret a victory? Because turrets can't move and attack, 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 carriers and DT's can snipe expansions that only have turrets defending them. Carrier dps is to strong and DT's simply aren't attacked by turrets. Every turret delays the attack that much longer or makes it that much weaker. DT harass still works in mineral lines that have turrets. If it's a planetary fortress just use storm drops. (how effective are archon drops on mineral lines?)
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 it's just one more place you can harass with DT's.
Why is a raven a victory? Because a raven super expensive and is completely useless against carriers. Yes pdd blah blah blah, but 1 raven actually means 2 less potential vikings or that many less attacking units on the ground for the terran against 3 of the 4 highest dps and cost effective units in the protoss arsenal (in the game). Another pleasant side effect of a player that gets at least 1 raven is that they don't tend to save scans. Simply snipe the raven(s) first and let DT's go to work.
Less Deadly Threats:
Vikings - Countered by High Templar/Carriers. Vikings get absolutely demolished by carriers if caught out of position. Especially when air upgrades kick in.
Marines - Countered by High Templar
More deadly threats:
Thors and Ghosts
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 and can prolong a push longer than any other unit against Templar. 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 against thors. It is absolutely necessary to whittle down the marine support before carriers can engage an army anchored by thors.
Ghosts are the natural enemy to stacked protoss units (carriers) and to high templar. They ARE the strongest terran unit against your unit composition. Care must be taken with your carriers if ghosts are around. I do not mind EMP on high templar. Enough of them should be on out on the map and they should be spread out enough that storms and feedback's will go off. Morph them into archons (Protoss shields might possibly already be upgrading/upgraded at the forge)
I have yet to see how kited carriers works against battle cruisers. However feedback is sooooo good against battle cruisers. I don't think I'll ever see a terran that matches me 1 for 1 with battlecruisers vs my carriers. I have cronoboost
. On a side note its officially the best thing in the world that battlecruisers are faster than medivacs and maybe even banshees? Variations of the build:
Faster High Templar -
The timing of the ht may have to be changed if the opponent is super marine heavy. This should be easy to scout with your multiple observers. There is time to change the build order. I've rushed from dt to ht and then into 3-4 stargate carrier a few times simply because the opponent was that marine heavy. Do not be afraid of using cannons. They are super strong against Terran air units, ghosts, and marines if they are supported. Do not start building carriers off of just 1 stargate. Never a good idea.
No 4th base -
If the map makes it impossible, or you find yourself in a position where you cannot take a 4th base you will have to rely heavily on carriers in the late game. Slow DT production and get a second cybernetics core immediately, and use all the cronoboosts on carriers and air upgrades. Continue to do drops, but you will have less gas to throw at your opponent on just 2 expansions rather than on 3. Maintain map control/vision with observers, Dark Templar, and pylons.
I actually think getting a 4th nexus in the 3 base variation might actually be worth it just for cronoboost and extra probe production. Anyone have any input here?
Phoenix/Carrier -
I have not tried this, but I personally would rather go for blink stalkers and continue ht production against viking heavy responses.
Share your own variation.
There is a chance this build is "broken" beyond repair without me knowing it yet. The success I've had with it seems to indicate that it can be done consistently (map dependent). Because I play random, and don't get to use this strategy in every PvT I play. I really don't have a ton of games or a full grasp of it yet. However I love the way it feels and plays and will do everything I can to make it work.
I will be cleaning this up, adding to it, organizing it and hopefully turning it into a quality strategy post on the TL forums. Any suggests for the format and organization would also awesome.
I'd love to hear everyone's comments, questions, concerns about the build. And if anyone actually tries the build (I officially love you) and would love to hear your comments, variations, feedback, and questions. A replay is even better.
P.S. I submitted a replay for this weeks funday monday (maximum of 2 warpgates all game) using this build. I will cry if Day9 doesn't cast it.
