My IPL4 Journey Part 1: Pre-Trip, Apr 5th, Apr 6th

This was definitely a quickie of a game. By the time I’m splitting my SCV’s my keyboard and mouse is already drenched. Not too awful of a start as I remember for the first minute. Hit my split well, doubled up mineral patches and was deciding what build I should do for this map. My lack of confidence in a Macro game in this situation limited my builds to something cheesy. Was thinking somewhere in the 2 rax to hellion marauder all in area. Decided to go 2 rax and build my racks next to the rocks outside of my natural. Just as I’m about to place my second rax, a drone sprints into the area denying that wall off that I wanted. I throw it down anyways next to it. At this point I’m spilling spaghetti everywhere, I’m pulling SCV’s to attack and defend my building barracks and it’s only the damn 2 ½ min mark. This delayed my marines and the 2 rax overall and just ended very sadly when he sent a counter attack of lings to my base before I could finish walling off again. Big time Starcraft career is already on a good note lol. I gg wp and exit out of the game. On top of being nervous, now I’m ashamed I executed that so poorly. Reported the game to the ref and onto game 2 we went.

Between the lobby and start up screen I calmed down a little bit and attempted to put out a good game two. With this map I decided my best option would probably be to go with my second best TvZ build aka Helion-Marauder, because of the distance in the map. The production phase went very well for me, I denied scouting, didn’t supply block myself if I recall. I was looking good, I was feeling good, and told myself I had a solid chance. Then out of nowhere! OVERLORD! OVERLORD! OVERLORD! flies right in somewhere from my natural and catches a glimpse of a couple marauders walking as I’m pushing out. Red alert is going off in my head. All I’m saying is fuck fuck fuck, move faster you slow ass piece of shit marauders in my head. On the other side defensive baneling were getting morphed and extra spines finishing up. Let’s just say he held it off very well.

At the moment my TvP is the strongest matchup. Mentality from the first set of being nervous, turned quickly into survival. Having known nothing on Ceaser, I decided to play a little safe and just attempt a Macro game. Opened with a 2 rax Marine/Marauder Pressure, which even have scouted didn’t seem completely ready for. Haven’t gone back to the replay just yet, but assumed he either went 1 gate or 3 gate expand. The pressure caught him a little off guard and I was able to pick off a few units and take down his Nexus. On the back side I had the my CC ready but did a poor job of spending my money on the back side, so I just took my third and continued. After several minutes of just jocking for the tower I had Stim done, with medivacs and went for a double medevac drop and was hoping to dual prong him at the natural. My few units getting ready to attack his natural, drew his main army out and allowed for a good drop picking of probes, tech and a colossus and some more units. I think I got the main Nexus too and was able to save a medevac and with a few units. At this point I was 3 base to 1 and had a good economy and was in a good position. THEN PROTOSS HAPPENED!..........just kidding, was able to build a couple vikings and a good army and go kill his main army. A good feeling compared to the first set I played. Reported the game and were on our way to game 2.

Just because my roots for stronger play do tend to be cheese, I decided to go 1-1-1 in this game. While producing I saw about 5 stalkers and a zealot heading close to my ramp. Pulled SCV’s to repair and kept producing. Out of nowhere a void ray pops up and starts allowing for supply depots to get sniped, and etc. Usually when this happens, with good micro and management of the bunker in front, you can usually hold, but other times it can just spiral out of control and you lose a game. Fortunalty for me I was able to hold off long enough focus down the void ray and then the tank and banshee took over vs the stalkers. With very nice manner realized he was behind and GG’d out of the game.

Spawn close by air positions. I was debating whether to attempt Macro or go cheesy, and me being me, I convinced myself to cheese. I went with a Hellion-Maruader all in. Literally just like the second game vs Annyeong, I produce well……even better actually. My timings are great, I’m ready to go. I’m holding Xel’nagas. I’m feeling on top of the world right now. Then all the sudden as I’m moving out overlord flies onto my ramp at my main from close air!!!!!!!!! 6 spines go down more lings built and the rest was history.

So eventually I man’d up and decided to go macro. Went 1 rax expand into hellions into a quick third. Problem started happening when I built a tech lab instead of a reactor to switch on my hellions. This delayed some production and I supply blocked myself several times. Eventually did get a third up and etc, but TLO’s production was great. He went ling heavy style into ling infestor ultra with banes. He built about 10 overlords and shit like 50 changelings which he used as a wall in our engagement towards the middle of the map…….so ya GG. Fun game to watch if you ever get a chance.