EPTAnyway, I didn't get much time to play 1v1s, partially because my paper took way longer than expected, and partially because I've been having more fun playing 3v3s with my friends. With the recent shift that increased the size of 3v3 masters league by ~10times, we were one of the teams that got in, and as of right now we're in 70th or so place on the NA server according to SC2ranks. Our team consists of myself, who was playing random for the team games, but finally dedicated myself to Zerg, and my friends who play Terran and Zerg, which gives us a TZZ team. We're still experimenting with builds, so let me know if you have any idea about 3v3 strategy.
I've also been put in masters for 4v4r, but still not for 1v1s.
The Analysis:
1v1:
Zerg(24 games)
(10)ZvZ: 7-3 70.0%
(13)ZvP: 7- 6 53.8%
(1)ZvT: 0- 1 0.0%
14-10 58.3%
This Season:
Zerg(24 games)
(10)ZvZ: 7-3 70.0%
(13)ZvP: 7- 6 53.8%
(1)ZvT: 0- 1 0.0%
14-10 58.3%
These games were all about ZvZ and ZvP, with only one ZvT. It's too bad, because I feel like I'm going to be super rusty in ZvT when I finally do get matched up in it. All my losses I have chalked up to poor macro or poor scouting, and I've been trying to fix those leaks as I go.
ZvZ:
Well, I've been using the new ZvZ build I came up with and outlined in my last report, and it's been working pretty damn well so far. I've even played it against what I considered to be its greatest weakness (quick speedling/baneling) and I won all 3 times I ran into it so far.
My play was a little shaky at first, because when I scouted a late pool or even a hatch first, I always wanted to get aggressive, and every single time, it didn't work. One time my opponent went hatch first, and I went so far as to send 3 drones to sunk up with my first 6 lings, and he fended it off no problem (he did react really well, and he had his overlord in the right spot to see the drones coming, so it wasn't exactly "best case scenario," but it's the best I could reasonably hope for). So I've pretty much completely given up on using sunken aggression in the matchup. It was good to try that though, and get the experience firsthand that it just doesn't work.
That said, there are still a couple weaknesses I can envision with the build.
1. On maps with small ramps, if my opponent gets 3 roaches and hold positions on the ramp (or some similar block with 2 queens and a sunk or something) I could be in deep shit. That said, I'd like to lose to it first before I worry about figuring a way to beat it. There's a possibility that I could use my map control as leverage to expo and macro, or even tech.
2. If a speedling/baneling player morphs banelings to attack with, but is also smart enough to morph a couple banelings at home to slow down/prevent my backstab, I'm not sure how I would win.
ZvP:
When I saw 6 losses against Protoss, I had to doublecheck my numbers. And my replays to see what I lost to. Each of those losses was simply due to poor macro or poor scouting, and are problems I've since fixed.
While I almost never lose to any sort of one-base build from Protoss, I've found that if I allow them to get their nexus too quickly (either with a forge FE or a really fast sentry expand) I have quite a bit of trouble.
ZvT:
I've been getting practice with infestors in my 3v3 games, and even though I didn't get any ZvTs in this set, I played a few custom games with my practice partner, who plays Terran. I'm really loving the infestors.
That said, not much discussion here because I didn't actually play any games to generate questions from.
Questions:
ZvZ:
No ZvZ questions for now I guess.
ZvP:
1. How can I punish a Protoss who goes for a really fast sentry expand? Or is it not actually possible, and I should just be proactive in scouting it and droning really hard when I see it?
2. In your experience as a Protoss or Zerg player, how well does a roach break work against forge FE? I tried it one game, and it worked out surprisingly well. I'm wondering if I should actually try to make that as my standard response to this opening, since I get an early-ish pool, which means my roaches would come at a slightly earlier timing than most Protosses who've dealt with this would expect, and it seems tough to out-econ a protoss who gets a second nexus so quickly.
ZvT:
1. When I open infestor, how do I properly predict and deal with blue flame hellions? Factory + tech lab looks like tanks, but when they come out with 6+ blue flame hellions I'm in deep shit. So the question is, how do I correctly identify blue flame hellions before they're killing all my lings? And second, how do I react? Should I just be getting a roach warren and maybe a few roaches every game to deal with this possibility? Should I just be getting extra queens every game? I've been toying with that idea. Their ability to attack air, transfuse, creep tumor, and block with their fat asses seems like a viable standard. Something similar to Spanishiwa's latest Zerg opening?
Reps:
http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/168930-1v1-zerg-metalopolis
Pretty good ZvZ
http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/168928-1v1-protoss-zerg-metalopolis
A (IMO) pretty well-executed 4gate
As always, comments and constructive criticism welcome.
