EPTThis is my second blog, for day 2 of my "Road to Diamond" blog series.
-http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=299571 (1st blog, with backround info, ect.)
So today I didn't ladder at all. I just stuck to mainly refining one strat, which is aXa's aggressive ZvT style.For those of you that don't know, the style consists of getting early 1/1 Speedlings (*cough* stephano) and infestors or muta. Favoring a macro hatch over an early third.
You can find the actual thread here:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=261176
The build order he wrote up was a bit unusal. He states "2 evo chambers and 2 spines at 28 supply" where as in many replays I saw of him playing the style, he usually droned to 35 and got spines and chambers seperate in the 28-4X time frame.
So most of my time today consisted of Shattered Temple custom game, trying to get some good Terrans to play against. I'm sure many of you know how frustrating it is when your trying to practice a particular match-up in this custom game setting, when 2/3 of the time you'll end up with something your not looking for...
After constant logging-off and logging back In, I basically went "fuck it" and just carried on....
My first match was against a Masters Protoss, called "birthdayRAGE"
As soon as my starting overlord scouts he didn't wall-off, I straight away went for a mass zergling all-in.
I mean, who would be stupid and greedy enough to not wall off against a zerg, and expect not to be punished....
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/PCJG2.jpg)
So I beat a masters.. I'm not really sure a masters would do something as stupid as not walling off..
And as his name suggests.....
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/gANmD.jpg)
So soon after I get a ZvZ against a diamond....
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/YpWjd.jpg)
*shrug* I guess I can decently hold off ZvZ cheese...
And finally I got some ZvT....
Easily beat a high platinum Terran...
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/kSzY6.jpg)
You can probably make a complete list of everything wrong in the picture above...
WHY AM I SO BAD <- Truth. lol.
And got demolished by a masters...
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![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/P3gJJ)
All the while practicing the new style :D
...I've been noticing a weird trend from some of my matchs.
I've encountered this twice.. the Terran builds a CC at nat at 15 and turns it into a fortress, and transitions.
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/VpES2.jpg)
I'm not sure if this is common, or has been around A while. But from my shitty, nooby point of view it is pretty effective against zerg... The fortress usually has enough range to cover a good 70-80% of the ramp (at least in Shattered Temple) and denies and ling, bane all-in. And lets you expand extremely early.
I'm no expert on Terran, but I'm guessing the lack of an early orbital may be a downisde....
Anyways I decided to just go pure muta-ling to counter.. ling mainly to deny any 3rd's as they would melt to a fortress that is being repaired... T_T
..And it falls in my favor.
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/uqEo0.jpg)
Epic floating there... I wasn't really trying as I couldn't try a pure ling festor style against his opener.
Although me actually trying would be seen as trolling to some..
I proceeded to vs another Plat, who went for some wierd early cloaked banshee into a 1-1-1 build. Which, being the noob I am. Didn't scout and had 3 queens struggling for life against a red HP banshee...
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/i9jFv.jpg)
And luckily I spotted this.. and attacked...
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/0og9a.jpg)
So, so lucky
During my practice I was lucky enough to notice that LGCreepy had come online.
LGCreepy had offered the readers of his thread
here -> http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=299137
Free coaching!
And I was even luckier to get him when he had a free spot!
During the session we decided to work on the bunker-rush, something that had ruined my new build many times.. as the small amount of using a scouting SCV to simply build a bunker and bring your first marine along... can be soo devastating.. especially if it's a 2-rax.
And the coaching un-folded, as Creepy gave me orders and occasionally sang to himself some FatBoySlim, how to hold off a 2-rax bunker rush.. delivered by a high master Terran T_T.
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/z85ko.jpg)
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Inggt.jpg)
And after a while, I finally became confident it holding it off...
Then worked on transitioning....
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![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/6FaY6.jpg)
Learnt a lot in the hour we had together..
Especially the bad habbit I had of over-making lings in the early game.
As he says - "It's so, so important to be greedy as possible as a zerg, but only at the right times"
Also gave me an interesting comparison on the choice of making 1 pair of lings over 1 drone is like losing 400minerals in the next 4 or so minutes...
If any of you reading are interested in free coaching, please do check out his thread above ^
He's a really nice guy and willing to help, may even extend the lesson if a practice partner is not found quick..
He says to his students..
"If I shout at you It's only because I love you"
lol.
Well that was all for today, I did feel like I accomplished a lot. Another step closer to diamond!
I know that these sorts of blogs are looked down upon by the community, but THANK YOU for reading and hoped to enjoyed it!
And as I said in my first post...
I'm dying for assistance in my trip to diamond, so if anyone reading would be so kind to lend me a hand or give me some advice on my gameplay, it will be GREATLY appreciated.
My IGN and code are, Symphony.365.
Thanks and see you tomorrow!
-Symphony
