EPTThis Playhem was strange, I've not played against Protoss :o It made me feel uncomfortable, because I can't play anything except TvP. This time I'm going to tell how far I've got - won Ro64,32 and lost in 16. Nothing impressive, but I consider this particular good and useful for me. More gg, more skill
Now, let's go and analyze those games, all TvZs this time. My plan for TvZ is reactor helion into combat shield/tank push. I always mess something with build, for example, late 2nd and 3rd raxes, 2nd gas at wrong time and all that silver stuff
Round of 64 - TvZ on GSL Antiga Shipyard vs Lidhill.
Lately I've had good tank positioning in ladder games, so I felt that Antiga can be easy as long as I don't lose my first push. To be honest I was surprised Antiga is in map pool, it's really bad map for Zerg, even with forced cross spawns. Unless he starts being really aggressive early game, he is easily containable. Only thing I feared was 7 roach rush or something of that kind.
I started on the 7 o'clock postion, which made me happy - no addon wall off :D
I knew where he spawned, but I always scout after depo - better safe than sorry. Another thing I never do is starting second depo and halting it, so his scout can't enter. He was scouting later so it haven't proved useful, but still, little tricks can matter.
I was expecting hatch first and that's what I saw. Natural on Antiga is in my opinion safe, not like on XelNaga
In this game You can see that I'm trying to improve my map presence and scouting: sending one marine to watchtower, hiding SCV in his 3rd so I can see if he for example canceled hatch into roach rush. On the other hand letting overlord into base isn't skilled thing!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/nfuGf.jpg)
This way he scouted my whole build, he knew I was expanding and all things connected to it. I fear baneling busts while expanding, I'm so vurnelable to them
I've lost my marine in the middle. What does it mean? He has units! :D My helion control is probably not top 3. I sent them to his 3rd thinking he might get fast third hatch knowing I'm expanding. Also lost helions without denying creep
Sad helions are sad.I took risk expanding without wall even started, but why not, siege tech made me feel safer.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/daP6h.jpg)
Unfortunatel my timings were off and Combat Shields were done in about 50% at 9:30, which is moment where I would like to move out. Maybe it's not a big deal, but I'm trying to improve! I was expecting mutas so I started my engi bay.
Also I supply blocked myself at 62, 70 and 78. That was BAD, just bad.
My force was caught by 8 lings in the middle at 10:55 so he knew what was coming. Fortunately (as I discovered later) he didn't had banelings.
I know I've postioned tanks a bit too far away from creep, but I've lost many games because I overextended. I just wanted to keep him on maximum three bases and make him not drone in fear of attack!
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/RfJnv.jpg)
Killing creep tumors make me happy, always. I can retreat and he is in the dark.
I could've expanded at that moment, but I'm always afraid of the swarm. Another thing is I should've started my 2nd factory and port.
When I saw he is not checking his creep borders I started leapfrogging my tanks and sending some reinforcements. Another supply block on 110, but I wasn't like "OH NO SUPPLY BLOCK" because it was me, who was at my opponents base
I very slowly pushed my tank line into his territory and started my 3rd at 15 minute mark.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/4InVC.jpg)
Best split in my entire career of being Terran :D I still have tendency to walking my marines in a ball formation, but I amazed myself while I watched replay. After this I of course had to overextend my marines and walk deep into the creep, but medivacs were ready and some 25+ marines were waiting for orders in my natural
More tanks came for some zerglings!Another marine suicidal run into creep to snipe his 3rd. I was so happy at that moment. At 18 minute mark Your main can't be full of minerals, natural is probably drying too.
Of course after best split in the world I had to lose 2 pages of marines to fungal growth :D I'm the best lol!
He tried to run into my tank line few times, it wasn't very succesful.
Before 20 minutes I started my CC in the middle of Antiga. That was another moment of supply blocks, I'm just not used to 3 base production of raxes.
Moment of reflextion came! Let's destroy rocks to his 3rd. How come I didn't tought about it earlier?
After moving 3 tanks to the high ground I just couldn't lose. Even his late mutas were hopeless, I had 2/2 coming on marines and I had 4 reactors on raxes. Two base muta vs 10 marines for every production cycle is not a fair fight.
When I ran into his natural with bunch of marines I saw "gg".
I'm really proud of this game: I've done what I really like about TvZ - I contained him at time were mutas should pop out, or as we saw in this game - Infestors. He was unable to build high enough count of them and get some energy to chain fungals, pop infested terrans onto my tanks etc. I know that map favored me, but it's not impossible to win as Zerg.
I'm not proud of my upgrades: 1/1 was ok, but I could've had 3/3 at the end of the game. My 2/2 was about 30 seconds from being done while he typed "gg". That wasn't late. That was AWFULLY late. What would I improve the most? Drops, I haven't dropped him entire game. Also this game could've ended faster, but TvZs I've lost were mostly lost because I was like "LOL I'M WINNING LETS GET INTO HIS MAIN LOL".
Round of 32 - TvZ on TalDarim Altar LE vs Tsili.
I was like "another TvZ, blargh", but I was confident enough to stay in the winner mode.
I have many feeling about TalDarim, firstly it has siegable natural, it is big enough to force macro games (but rushes happens as everyone feels safe!). On the other hand I don't like 3rd. Yup, I'm Terran and I don't like rocks. Walling off on TalDarim is another thing I strictly hate.
Again, reactor helion into 4tank/CS push. Luck was on my side, I've found him in easily siegable position :D
I was happy with my timings this game, I took everything at right moment.
When my helions were on the map I saw this with my marine at watchtower
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vlwaZ.jpg)
I was suspecting something like this, I'm used to this on ladder. Unfortunately I miscontroled my helions and they arrived there when hatch was planted, but... he canceled it.
I was brave and expanded before siege tech, but I knew he would firstly would like to get his 3rd. After seeing he canceled his hatch I sent my helions to his nat. Roaches, nothing I fear so much, unless he gets borrow. I knew my helions are pretty useless now so I patrol-queued them to check for ninja expands. My macro was already up, I had all production I wanted at that moment. My CS was late, but he went for roaches so his gas wouldn't be that high for muta flock.
His roaches took watchtower, so I delayed my push a bit in case of some bust.
When I went to watchtower his roaches were running away. I sieged myself and...boom, mass roach oneshots my tank! My marines fought to their death, but it was worth it.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/K9QBC.jpg)
It was the moment of THE TURTLE TERRAN! With roaches near my wall I felt unsafe with moving out. Not sure why, but it felt that way. When I can't move out and he is roach player, let's go drop! I've ninja expanded into pocket 3rd and dropped at the same time.
Drop summary:
Queen killed - awesome! Less larva for You!
6 workers killed - not bad, could be better.
Roaches pulled to his main - it probably wasn't his whole army, but he couldn't reinforce as fast as he would like.
Scouting - he had 3rd up. I could've dropped there, but I wanted his main since it could reveal some tech to me. And it worked! Infestation pit halfway done.
Not taking anything from my opponent, but doing slow overlord drops is not going to work in a long run.
This game my upgrades were better, not counting stim at 18 minutes. At least my 3/2 was started and +2 for tanks too.
Let's push! unfortunatel my army decided to split itself while moving to watchtower and I've lost some tanks to roaches.
When I was clearing creep I scanned his main and saw Lair morphing
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/QG89s.jpg)
I was in good position because if he wanted to save resources for Lair units he couldn't.
Again roaches one shotted some tanks, but this time stimmed 2/1 marines with medivacs and some tank support were superior force.
I just a-moved to his natural and recived this:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ra261.jpg)
After this I wrote to him "Yes, indeed" because I'm such a good person :D
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/AcrqQ.jpg)
Yes, I fed on his tears!
Overall I was happy with this game. I had upgrades, I dropped him (once, but still), I was prepared for his drop and mutas (he had spire!). I'm most proud of my helions not dying and checking right side of the map. Any try to expand would be scouted and I would drop or just move there.
Round of 16 - TvZ on NASL TPW Artifice vs eXeVivi.
This time I wasn't sure what to expect from myself. I knew I can win this, but on the other hand I couldn't let myself get out of focus. I've checked his match history and he went for fast 3rd in his last ZvT. He probably checked my games too because he wasn't starting game yet
I don't have opening other than reactor helion so I went with it. Cross spawns, not bad. Unfortunately he surrounded my helions and I was blind at that moment.
When I tried to land my CC in expansion I saw something
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/nWHc9.jpg)
Yup, baneling bust. I defended it without MUCH loses, but he was able to build nice muta flock and I was pinned down. His zerglings were chilling out in my natural and mutas were harrasing my main. I was doing my best, but my main was drying out, so I took my natural with slowly pushing him out from it. I know, I could've dropped, but how can You drop with mutas? I wanted to have some army, because he was waiting for me.
When I tried to move out I've shown how good my splits are
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/EmY8u.jpg)
And lost my whole army. That was just painful. After it I tried to stay alive, but scanned Lair and after it scanned Greater Spire. There was no way I could handle Brood Lords.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/pbLim.jpg)
Now as I watched this replay I had a chance, very slim chance. At my "gg" moment I had 64 SCVs vs his 57 Drones. 27 marines, 5 medivacs and 4 tanks. He had 21 mutas, 49 lings and 9 banelings. If my army control was better and I wasn't mentally devastated by his aggression I could've moved out and try to fight. Thing to improve - gg-ing too fast.
That's end of my Playhem story for today!
But don't cry! I'm still here with some things to say.
I'm still near promotion, because I'm playing golds in 30% of my games. Also I'm pretty comfortable with my 2rax vs Protoss so now I have 2 builds for this matchup.
Unfortunately while my TvP and TvZ are over 60%, my TvT is 33%. I just don't have build to stick with that is safe and aggressive at the same time. My Tank/Viking control is not bad, but could be better. I'm thinking about playing mech so I could've 2nd build for my TvZ (reactor helion as first) and start having one build for TvT. Any ideas for good mech opening? I've posted in Terran Help Me Thread, but got only one advice - go for reactor helion and start meching from there. Is there other way that will work in TvT and be safe from banshee play?
I feel I've improved since my first blog, I fight for map presence, I try to do some small things like drops, scouting hidden expos etc.
Replay pack downloadable here.
Thank You for reading and possible feedback
