EPTThat day I decided to play a dozen games to get my rank up, seeing as I had a sizable bonus pool to expend.
After about 11 games with only 3 losses, I had a secure spot in #1 with 1415 points, the next closest being around 1370, and in the top 0.5% of players in platinum overall on points.
Two days later I get back on Starcraft. #2. Damn, I expected to go down in rank over time, but not to get passed that soon with a decent lead in points, but I was sure it was someone like me expending bonus pool who gained 200 points in a day.
Except... he was only 2 points ahead.... he had gotten a few consecutive wins, and was now 2 points ahead... 1415 to 1417... I frowned, not in the mood to ladder, and stuck with my #2 spot.
A few hours later I return to SC2.
I look back at my rank, still number 2, still 1415 to 1417, still not in any mood to ladder.
Then something unexpected happened.
"Stop making me fight for my #1 spot!
" he says.I check the name. It is indeed the #1 player. Come to find out he had been securing/passing players for a short while to hold that #1 spot, and I was his latest antagonist.
After a short, friendly discussion about our races/tactics(and him losing a ladder game to a ghost all-in while I was eating o.O odd build, but gave me #1 again), we decide to settle the #1 spot like men.
First I played protoss. I've been practicing it lately, however my lategame is only low-plat but my early aggression is high plat easily.
Knowing I'd likely lose if it went to a 2 or 3 base game, I decided to 4gate for the hell of it.
I scouted (thought I saw a second rax but it was a factory) and lost all my probes as I pushed in right when a banshee arrived at my main, so I couldn't reinforce my 4gate and lost due to the bunker and tanks.
The second game I decided to play zerg, I have much more experience as zerg, and ZvT is one of my best match ups.
I go for my typical fast-expanding, low gas, high in upgrade and zergling shenanigans. I thwart his first bio attack pulling my expansion drones and my queen, and I finish off his second attack because my infestors popped on highground giving me a great 2 fungals.
The third attack had a lot of hellions, but fungal nullified that, and with a quick surround while making about 150 lings as +2 attack is finishing, I run into his expo and he drops the GG.
I explain my style, and the next game he goes for fast hellions, knowing I probably won't get roaches.
It's a very painful start of the game, fighting 6 hellions with drones, a dozen lings, a queen, and a spinecrawler.
He later goes to all mech(which I've encountered... maybe once?) and with 4 thors, a half dozen tanks, and hellion support, finishes me off before my infestors could get out(I took a ton of damage from the first attack and went for a fast 3rd so I was way behind on tech).
The final game I decide to play the metagame. I know he is going to go for hellions and mostly mech. I decided to do a late baneling bust AFTER he moves out.
I have about a dozen banelings and 30 speedlings in the tactless corridor on Xel'naga Caverns when my ling at the watchtower sees his hellions coming out. I drop a few spines at my main, and prepare for the bust.
Except... something odd occurred. His depots were still down from when he had moved out... This turned from a baneling bust into a "kill his entire mineral line and his addons" attack. He moves his hellions back and kills the lings and already had a 2nd orbital up, so mules helped his economy some.
After hitting all his hellions with banelings a few times and techswapping to roaches in time to stop his tanks and hellions before he attacked, he gg'd out.
Not only did I gain a friend of equal skill level(difficult, since all my friends are silver/gold and masters) and a terran practice partner, but I met someone as a result of ladder that, for once, wasn't whining about balance, wasn't telling me how my build was bad or abusive, and didn't insult my mother. Not something that I, for one, see every day.
This is not a story of some customs, this is not another battle report, this is not a strategy discussion.
This is a blog about surprising message that led to quite a noteworthy encounter.
And while the battle for first place may be over now... the war has just begun...
(Our division)
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/profile/1102889/1/FacetiousQ/ladder/48382#current-rank
(The other player [in case he falls or gets promoted before lock])
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/profile/2053274/1/Chiprolius/
