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Getting Good at Brood War #1

Blogs > Jedclark
Post a Reply
Jedclark
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
United Kingdom903 Posts
June 06 2011 19:48 GMT
#1
I am making an effort to get from D- to D in Brood War, here are my troubles.

I am a Zerg player, but I have problems in ZvT. If I get lings, he has firebats which destroy them. And Hydras aren't very strong, imo. But lurkers take too long to research if he attacks. What can I do? Put up lots of sunkens?

Also, if you could tell me a good unit composition for ZvT, it would be handy. A build I do is called the "Overpool", which someone explained to me, which allows for two bases and a macro hatch.


Another problem I have is if they go for my main as opposed to my expo, my lurkers are way out of position. And by the time I get there, they've done decent damage.

How can I improve?

"They make it so scrubnubs can PM me. They make it so I can't ignore scrubnubs!" - "I'm gonna show you how great I am." MKP fan since GSL Open Season 2 #hipsternerd
Kralic
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Canada2628 Posts
June 06 2011 19:51 GMT
#2
If you see a bio (medic marines and firebat) army moving at you (I am assuming you have a zergling or two just outside his natural) you will want to build 2-4 sunken colonies at your expansion. Use your mutalisks to pick off units as they are moving towards your base. TBH we need replays to see what your issues are. It seems like you are trying to get lurkers to defend without mutalisks. Typically you go mutalisks first to keep him in his base while you get lurkers to contain him while you take your third.
Brood War forever!
krndandaman
Profile Joined August 2009
Mozambique16569 Posts
June 06 2011 19:58 GMT
#3
--- Nuked ---
2Pacalypse-
Profile Joined October 2006
Croatia9510 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-06-06 20:04:21
June 06 2011 20:04 GMT
#4
The beauty of BW is that it's not about unit compositions as much as it is how you control those units. So keep practicing, even when you think you're not improving, you are!
Moderator"We're a community of geniuses because we've found how to extract 95% of the feeling of doing something amazing without actually doing anything." - Chill
blubbdavid
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Switzerland2412 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-06-06 20:06:59
June 06 2011 20:06 GMT
#5
Liquipedia is the key my dear.
http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/Zerg_Strategy
Also:
What do you desire? Money? Glory? Power? Revenge? Or something that surpasses all other? Whatever you desire - that is here. Tower of God ¦¦Nutella, drink of the Gods
kidleader
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
Korea (South)233 Posts
June 06 2011 20:07 GMT
#6
Hey Jed. If you want a practice partner, add 'kidleader' on ICCUP. I'm a really sucky terran but we can practice our mechanics

P.S. Most zergs do this at our level, as Kralic says : "Typically you go mutalisks first to keep him in his base while you get lurkers to contain him while you take your third."
Tokyo Seoul London New York \\ SlayerS, KT
EchOne
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
United States2906 Posts
June 06 2011 20:09 GMT
#7
If you are getting broken by bio before lair tech is out, you need a sufficient amount of sunkens and speedlings. Try to flank with speedlings when he commits to your sunken line (for example, having them roam the map picking off reinforcements, then when he stims in coming in from behind him with the speedlings). If you feel outmatched numerically, consider pulling drones. GLHF
面白くない世の中, 面白くすればいいさ
krndandaman
Profile Joined August 2009
Mozambique16569 Posts
June 06 2011 20:12 GMT
#8
--- Nuked ---
Kralic
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
Canada2628 Posts
June 06 2011 20:14 GMT
#9
On June 07 2011 05:12 krndandaman wrote:
Show nested quote +
On June 07 2011 05:07 kidleader wrote:
Hey Jed. If you want a practice partner, add 'kidleader' on ICCUP. I'm a really sucky terran but we can practice our mechanics

P.S. Most zergs do this at our level, as Kralic says : "Typically you go mutalisks first to keep him in his base while you get lurkers to contain him while you take your third."


most games these days you don't have the option of containing with lurkers while you take your third.
alot of the times it's the zerg barely managing to hold the third with the lurker eggs morphing on the ramp lol.



True, but he is also D- not everyone is going to be busting standard lurker contains.
Brood War forever!
Zergneedsfood
Profile Blog Joined September 2008
United States10671 Posts
June 06 2011 20:17 GMT
#10
On June 07 2011 04:48 Jedclark wrote:
I am making an effort to get from D- to D in Brood War, here are my troubles.

I am a Zerg player, but I have problems in ZvT. If I get lings, he has firebats which destroy them. And Hydras aren't very strong, imo. But lurkers take too long to research if he attacks. What can I do? Put up lots of sunkens?

Also, if you could tell me a good unit composition for ZvT, it would be handy. A build I do is called the "Overpool", which someone explained to me, which allows for two bases and a macro hatch.


Another problem I have is if they go for my main as opposed to my expo, my lurkers are way out of position. And by the time I get there, they've done decent damage.

How can I improve?


First, learn a build. From this post it seems like you haven't really learned the builds necessary to defend yourself.

Even at D-, I don't think there are many Terrans who go for 1base bio anymore, and even if they do, that's been countered by modern builds, so I recommend you take time to learn a SINGLE build (like 3hatch muta).

After you learn the build (and by learn I mean practice it in single player until you have it down...find a way to get rid of the computer), I would then recommend practicing mutalisk micro, which should be the staple mechanic that every Zerg learns before taking on Terrans.

Remember to continue practicing the mechanics of macro, multitasking, and other things while you're learning the basic builds and skills needed.
/人◕ ‿‿ ◕人\ Make a contract with me and join TLADT | Onodera isn't actually a girl, she's just a doormat you walk over to get to the girl. - Numy 2015
Jedclark
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
United Kingdom903 Posts
June 06 2011 20:17 GMT
#11
Yeah, micro is a lot more important in BW, I've found. Also, I will add replays in the next blog of this. I love lurkers and defilers. It is amazing. I will try your ideas and see if I can finally win a ZvT.
"They make it so scrubnubs can PM me. They make it so I can't ignore scrubnubs!" - "I'm gonna show you how great I am." MKP fan since GSL Open Season 2 #hipsternerd
Stratos
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Czech Republic6104 Posts
June 06 2011 20:58 GMT
#12
Hey, props to you for trying to crack the BW problem, we're on the same boat. Please do consider joining our clan - Starcraft Generations - sGs. There are no requirements, we're all in it just to have fun and learn to play better. It's exactly for players like you (and me). All you need to do is make an account on iCCup with the sGs. tag, for instance: sGs.Peterblue and apply to join in the clan: http://www.iccup.com/starcraft/teams/27072.html

More info can be found here: http://starcraftgenerations.webs.com/gettingstarted.htm

I hope to see you in sGs soon. We're having small open tournaments each week, and there are practice meetings throughout the week. (a blog post on this matter here: http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?topic_id=230065 )

If you don't want to join a clan there's still the Practice Partner Thread and the iCCup Training Program. So good luck with that... Joining the clan is a faster and more reliable option though, at least in my experience. Feel free to add me and msg me on iccup for games any time also, it's sGs.Stratos.

Sorry for reposting this if you already read it. It's just that all this theory talk is awesome and important but more important is to actually sit down and play someone over and over... And to find that guys is rather difficult - here's one of the options to deal with this.

Either way good luck on your journey, you're not alone!
En Taro Violet
quirinus
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
Croatia2489 Posts
June 06 2011 21:02 GMT
#13
First, focus on surviving until mutas or lurkers are out.

I suggest not going for overpool. go 3 hatch muta or lurker, it's much more easier:

9 food -> overlord then keep making them 1-2 supply before you get supply stuck
12 food -> hatchery at natural expo -> send 1 drone to scout what he's doing
make 1 drone then pool
continue making drones/overlords
at 300 minerals -> hatchery in main followed by an immediate extractor
stop making anything when pool is half way done to save larva for lings
send 3 drones to mine at your expo just as the expo hatchery is about to be done
get 6 lings (usually you get 2, but you should get 6 to be safe)
get 1 sunken at your expo (usually you can skip it, but you should build it)
with the first 100 gas, get lair

then it depends if you want mutas or lurks.

mutas:
add the 2nd gas right after you start lair
lair done -> spire (you can start zergling speed after the spire is started)
when spire is at about 40%, make 2-3 overlords then stop making anything to save larva for mutas
when you make overlords, is usually the time when terran pushes out. now, you'd usually wait to see when he pushes and put down sunkens, but as you're not experienced enough, just put down sunkens so you have 4 total. that should protect you against almost any attack terran can make.

then make 9 mutas and go harrass him.
put down a hydra den as soon as you make 9 mutas.
when hydra den is done immediately start lurker research
if you see he's in the base defending, make an expo in the other main, or where there is a choke with gas.
make about 4-5 hydras after you start lurker research -> send 2 hydra to the new expo to make them lurkers and defend the ramp.
make lots of lings.

if you want to go lurks first:
place hydra den and 2nd gas when lair is 50% done. start zergling speed when lair is done I guess. the rest is pretty much the same, but you delay the expo until you can safely plant it.

if you're survived until then, congrats, you have arrived at the early mid game.
All candles lit within him, and there was purity. | First auto-promoted BW LP editor.
qdenser
Profile Joined September 2010
Canada133 Posts
June 06 2011 22:49 GMT
#14
i'd practice with you if you want to learn 3 hatch muta opening. message me myth9684 on fish or sgs.qdenser on iccup
BW is still out there and a lots of people still watch it. SC2 is a different game and different people. Please go back to BW if you think sc2 is not suited for you - Dustin Browder
Servius_Fulvius
Profile Joined August 2009
United States947 Posts
June 07 2011 00:27 GMT
#15
3 hatch muta is solid at pretty much all levels of play. If you can execute the build correctly then you stand a pretty good shot. Chill's video above is a great tutorial (used it myself several times).

Stay mindful of transitions. 3 hatch muta is an opening build, not an end-game solution. Once muta harass is available you need to be putting down a third base, teching to hive, and keeping an eye on the terran army. It's a lot to handle and takes a lot of practice. I never got the whole gameplan perfect, but doing it well with shoddy unit control got me D+ before SC2 was out.

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