Starcraft Adventures (Silver edition)

Video for today's stream

- Part 1

- Part 2

Today's Replay Pack *NEW*
20120417vsSeeton.zip
I figured if people were interested in downloading some of the replays from previous blogs, the method I used was actually counter intuitive. I've now included every replay for the blog period in an easier to download ZIP file. They're all labelled as to which game they are in the format (YEARMONTHDAYGAME#vsOPPONENT).sc2replay

Previous Starcraft Adventure Blogs
Silver Edition
Part 1 - http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=320936
Part 2 - http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=321914
Part 3 - http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=325310
Part 4 - http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?id=328372

Tools
HellGreen's Auto Scene Change application for streaming - http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=269995
My Own3d.tv channel - http://www.own3d.tv/Live/259165 - Where i'm streaming all of my gaming to.
My YouTube account - http://www.youtube.com/user/c10fnr?feature=mhee
My Clan - Channel 4 News Team - http://www.c4nt.net
My Twitter - https://www.twitter.com/seeton_
Razer Equipment - Blackwidow Ultimate, Naga Hex

Day 5 Streaming
Today I decided to dedicate a full afternoon to Starcraft, streaming and laddering. Main theory was to get some games under my belt, kick of season 7 properly and to get a better feel for the game and to be able to macro that little bit better than I had been. I've decided to add the replays today to a ZIP file replay pack if people are interested, and it is linked at the top of the post. I also felt that my preamble was getting a bit lengthy, so I've spoiler hidden that for those that aren't interested. I played 20 games for this stint, so I'll try and be brief!

Game 1 - Entombed Valley
Game 1 is against a Zerg player named FLATLINE. My SASL opponent Cage was also a zerg so I felt a little bit better prepared and was happy to be facing off in a PvZ as my first match for the day.

I hide an early pylon with my scout probe and he pressures me early with a couple of lings which i fend off with a couple of zealots, he then pressures with some additional roaches, i pull back to my main and build a few stalkers and eventually deflect the attack before he does more than kill a few zealots and a pylon. He spots my forward pylon and starts attacking with a pair of roaches. Having grabbed +1 attack I warp in some zealots to kill those off and force him to use some of that larvae.

I grab a Twilight as I start +1 Armour so as not to halt the upgrading process and start Zealot charge. Take my 3rd, kill the rocks, and now fearing muta's start warping a few stalkers at the back end of my base. Having placed some pylons in odd placed I catch him moving out and wipe out his 0/0 roaches with my 1/1/0 Zealot/Stalker/Immortal combination.

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Practically perfect in every way

After wiping out his army, I move to counter attack and wipe him out before 2/2 is completed. Pretty good start!

Learning Points
+Use the Observer to scout, not seeing a spire would have given me a couple of extra stalkers to fight his roaches with.
+Upgrade timing was OK, could be faster.
+Perhaps move up to 7 gates a bit earlier, wasn't restricting due to the opponent however could have been higher.
+Probes probes probes! Could have been better with that
+I could have secured my third quicker. More gates would have helped accomplish this.

Game 2 - Entombed Valley
My opponent this game was a protoss on the entombed valley map once again. I scouted slightly later due to the protoss opponent, and just to try and get a few extra stalkers out early I also went gas first. Having heard the GSL commentators say that 2 workers on 2 gas is better than 3 on one, i thought i'd give it a try and add the third a little bit later. I move up to 4 gates with a twilight council and start teching blink. My scout probe had laid a forward pylon and i move to push in with blink in tow. He's walled off with a LOT of cannons. I warp in a few zealots and start to push in but bungle the positioning.

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Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr Bungle!!

I catch a glimpse of some void rays however. Unperturbed and thinking he'd keep them around for defense he leaves his base undefend and I push on in. 1 rule of void rays however is that they'll mess your base up and fast. So while he kileld everything in my base i slowly work my way into his. He moves all his proves out so I realise he has a hidden expand. A few bonus voids pop out and take out my remaining stalkers. Leaving my zealots undefended. I GG shortly after.

Learning Points
+Let the Zealots go first!
+If you've got blink and you catch site of void rays, pull back and defend with your stalkers.
+Send a single zealot to patrol the 2 bases in the corners of the map.

Game 3 - Metropolis
TheDoctor is my next opponent on the GSL map Metropolis. Another PvP, happy to get some extra practice in the match up. Again going gas first but filling this one with 3 and not taking the second one. After my last effort with the twilight council, I move to the more familiar robo play, grabbing a few stalkers and my observer i move out and intercept his army as it moves out, he unfortunately for me has a colossus up and takes me down in spite of me sandwiching him between stalkers. I lose all but 3 stalkers and failed to deal any significant damage.

I build a pylon up at his third as a forward warp in and get my natural as well as a couple of forges down at my natural and to create a small choke. He attacks in and without a competing colossus and him dropping a perfect forcefield in my own choke he takes me out easily. I GG.

Learning Points
+More and more I'm finding the choke points in PvP to and PvT to be more of a detriment. I think I'll move towards only choking off against zerg and leave my own army more freedom, perhaps utlizing the ramp more, or more of a Sim City style if i go for a fast expand.
+Salvage units. I attacked into a superior army with just stalkers. Had i backed away I would have had that army to defend
+XN Towers, should really really focus on taking and holding these valuable information points.

Game 4 - Metalpolis
First PvT of the day, against byobbar, I grab my gas first, once again moving for more stalkers/sentry's early on. I fail to scout him early enough to make a difference but i do place a forward pylong between his second and third on the high ground. I start to wall off again and stop my forward probe at the XN tower. Once again I go for 4 probes on gas. I drop down 3 gates and a robo and start teching warp i also build an early Zealot and move it up to the other XN tower for more vision! I send a scout probe and note at least 4 marauders and some marines, My observer tracks over to the far side of his base and only catches a new CC being constructed as well as some supply depots. He takes the XN towers shortly after with some marine's and marauders. I take some pot shots with my stalkers and warp in a couple of zealots. They get quickly cut down. I GG shortly after.

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Sentry's would have made the difference here

Learning Points
+8 mins have 1-2 Immortals out against terran, they're a great unit and help against marauders
+Sentry's against terran are very useful, for cutting the army, and for locking off that early marine marauder push.
+Utilise the Observer better, i had it out, just didn't have it in a good position.

Game 5 - Entombed Valley
Another PvP this time on Entombed Valley, I go gas first again, liking the comfort of that extra gas to begin with. I grab my second gas early and get 2 gates up fast and a third as I drop my cyber. 4 probes on Gas i immediately take warp gate and start massing stalkers and throw down a robotics. Boosting my warp gate tech asap, I move to the middle of the map having spawned cross map from each other. Using the observer i take down a pylon placed at his wall off, shortly after he moves down the ramp and shields the bottom of it stopping his zealots from getting out and choking his units into my concave. He GG's shortly after.

Learning Points
+Observer use was OK, didn't lose it stupidly, was invaluable in the push.
+Could/Should have expanded behind this attack
+Pleased with aggressively placed pylons, as well as defensive ones in case of warp prism.
+3 gate robo pressure early is very strong. Extra gas has helped with producing more gas units.

Game 6 - Cloud Kingdom
PvT versus Voleman, i go for my 4 probes on minerals strat and move towards getting 3 gate robo up and pushing warp tech. I take my expansion early and keep grabbing troops, moving towards early colossus, I scout potential early banshee's and sit back possibly longer than i would have liked. I start to place some forward pylons to ensure i know of early attacks, but again neglect the XN tower. His set up involved Marine Tank Banshee and Raven, which meant i couldn't use detection without the raven picking it up and the marines pushing it over.

This was a longer game with him going a lot heavier mech than i had anticipated and i simply had not enough troops to deal with it. I take 4 bases through which he didn't pressure at, the unfortunate thing is that he just killed me

Learning points
+Keep producing units
+Keep macroing, extra gateways could have helped here.
+Detection could have been used better
+XN towers would have detected the attack, AND told me the composition.

Game 7 - Metropolis
My Zerg opponent for this game is SkunkBeard, not sure where he got that name, but not entirely sure he'd be too popular with the ladies. I mis-place my first pylon having neglected to check what race my opponent was (Possibly random). I place my second one up at the wall off and grab 2 gates straight away before moving up to the mighty 6 gates. Warp gate finishes after I throw my first wave of zealots into a spinecrawler wall, i then start warping in at my forward pylon and attacking his rocks, by this stage i find he has roaches up and it is well and truly over.

Learning Points
+If random place the first pylon near a wall off in case it's zerg, but position the buildings based on what I scout.
+Attacking into spines was a bad idea, should have backed off.
+Had lots of gas, could have afforded to put out some stalkers
+Could have warped in at homebase and stopped myself from going down at that moment.

Game 8 - Tal'darim Altar LE
My Zerg opponent, Lopgan, quickly leaves the game, Free win, I'll take it.

Game 9 - Daybreak LE
My opponent for this game is a Terran named MinorTriad on the new map Daybreak, as made popular by the GSL. This game instead of gas first i opt for gate first but quickyl take double gas. I get my Cybernetics asap and using my 2 gas get a robo up next as well as dropping down an additional 2 gateways. He blocks my "Stealthy like a brick through a window probe as i boldly move to place a pylon at his natural. I scout a LOT of rax with my observer and react by dropping a lot of gates. He attacks with all of his marines/marauders and this time have some sentries to assist the holding of my ramp.

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Or to screw my Zealots...

I move out after my easy hold and take my natural, pushing out I take both XN towers and knock over his newly erected sensor tower and an SCV before retreating back to my natural. He continues to push and I lose my remaining stalkers to his marines, he pushes in and with nothing left i GG out. An interesting point in this replay, is that i had 30 Probes at the 18 min mark. I simply stopped/forgot to make them. Rookie error however it crippled me once my main was mined out.

Leaning Points
+KEEP MAKING PROBES - So freaking important it's not funny!
+Sentry's were ultra useful against that attack that would have killed me.
+My move out was effective, possibly lost to much on the fall back, could have forcefielded my retreat better.
+Don't send probes to build a pylon on direct routes. Move around the maps perimeter and place forward pylons along the way, far more useful, scouts and gives me a warp in location.

Game 10 - Daybreak LE
My Zerg opponent for this game is patzors. Being a zerg I move to wall off straight way. I scout that he's gone pool first and unintentionally drop his expansion, I place a forward pylon in between his natural and third and mvoe for 3 gate robo play. Getting a couple of Zealots up before moving towards Stalkers. 7 mins i move out to my natural and place down an expansion I start getting my colossus and move up to 7 gates, i also drop down my forges and get up to 1/1, using my observer i see he's Roach Corruptor with a Hydra Den,

Having taken my advice from other games, I have Pylons out on the map to spot anything fishy, like incoming muta's, I spot him move his corruptors forward (having an observer with speed chasing them helped too!). I pick off a few of these and engage him in a good position for me, the colossus i have going to work, the corruptors not able to pick them off before the damage to the roaches had been done. I pressed my advantage forward and he GG's shortly after. I had been pleased with the amount of gates i had early and with how i'd positioned the pylons.

Learning Points
+After taking my third I didn't build any probes for it. Should have started that immediately.
+XN Towers
+Didn't know he had 3rd or 4th, could have spotted with my Obs, otherwise decent scouting.
+Felt like i built up well, only thing to change would be to add some gateways when that 3rd base dropped down.
+Possibly some extra pylon presence on the map.

Game 11 - Antiga Shipyard
This match puts me against Protoss Parkis on Antiga shipyard. I go for my new favourite thing in the whole wide world, gas first. My opponent tries to hide a pylon in my base of which i spot and move to take it down, i place a second gate after my cyber goes down, cancel it and instead put down a robo, before building 2 more gates and a robotic facility. Shortly thereafter he rolls up my ramp with 6 Stalkers with more in tow, I GG shortly after.

Learning points
+Teching hard? Sentry's; with a couple of these bad boys I could have stopped them at the ramp until I could have reinforced.
+build some units to defend. having 1 stalker out at 7.26 will not get it done.
+XN tower, would have seen it coming.

Game 12 - Entombed Valley
My twelfth match is against Bloatasaurus, another protoss, I take my gas first as i had been doing in these games, and throw down my gateway, cyber, robo, 2x more gateways. I'd like to work on getting my stalker building as soon as the core finishes, as well as getting warp tech faster, probably more important than the buildings. He sends 2 zealots early, noting i still haven't scouted at this point. I get an immortal out quickly blow away his attacking zealots. I scout ultra late at 13-14 mins with my observer, shame on me!

I get colossus up and deflect a pretty sizeable push, and start getting my upgrades going. I move up to 7 gates and push out. He has void rays and phoenix up and easily knocks me over after destroying my army outside his base. Even despite my upgrade advantage. I GG out shotly after he takes my natural.

Learning Points
+Scout earlier. I could have done a lot of damage after my first colossus as he'd gone for early expand. I let him catch up in supply, while having the better economy.
+Pull back if it's a losing battle.
+Build those forward scouting pylons / warp in pylons.

Game 13 - Shakuras Plateau
My opponent is a zerg player named Kekoleet, I decide to change things up and go for this game and run a Forge Fast Expand. I scout an earlier pool and expect a rush, as such build a second cannon slightly further back. I had people typing to me on the stream at this stage, so i poke a zealot around my wall to confirm that it's holeproof, which it is. I chrono out my warp gate asap and move up to 5 gates. Moving to the middle of the map to take the towers, i send a probe and build a pylon there. Moving forward i start a forward pylon at the front of his natural and attack in with charge. I tech to high templars to run zealot archon/storm couple with a couple of immortals. I'm floating a ridiculous amount of resources by the 15 minute mark (over 4K) I realise as much and move to expand, spotting 2 expansions at the other locations on the map.

I move out and crush those with a couple of zealots while containing him in his base. I take the expansion outside my next followed by the bottom 2 in my efforts to alleviate my spend problems. as the game goes on we have a few more back and forth situations, he eventually techs up to broods, which on 2 base is a bit of a mean feat. I build a bunch more gateways and move more probes to gas (need to mine gas to have gas stupid!) I struggle to get my minerals down low and spam out lots of gateway units from my 20 gateways, and after having denied him minerals for 40 blizzard minutes he taps out.

I felt i played my best on this map, and if you're going to watch any of them, then this one would be it.

Learning Points
+Mine gas to have gas to spend
+Build more gateways when maxxed to keep those minerals low.
+Second forge would have been good to get faster upgrades. I kept up as it was, but it could have been a shorter game if i had upgraded faster.
+Just gateway units was fine, however i could have mixed in a colossus or 2 for extra splash damage would also have shortened the game.
+Starving the player out really worked in my favour.

Game 14 - Daybreak LE
My zerg opponent for this game is Rihchut. I move for a forge fast expand for this game. I place a cannon i'm immediately unhappy with and move it back after dropping my gateway after it. In opting for forge fast i had moved towards simcity mode for my wall in and prepared to build the nexus at my expansion.

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About time they rebooted the series

On review of this game i note that i'm very slow to get my Cybernetics up after the gateway (5.30)but spend up all at once and get 2 gates a cyber and 2 gas which i fill asap.

I grab a sentry and take down his scouting overlord before dropping down a robo and moving up to 5 gates, i at this time also get a Robo Bay and move towards getting extended thermal lance. The underlying fear for mutalisks pops up and i start to mass some cannons and stalkers at the back end of my main. I send my obs over his base and spot Hydra's and Roaches, as well as a third expansion. I send a poke at his third and move to take my own, catching his as he moves his army there, dealing a decent chunk of damage before he even attacks. Not enough unfortunately and he deals heavy damage to me before i can react, i lose my natural and shortly there after GG out.

Learning Points
+Banked a lot of minerals, could have built more stuff, Gates/Units etc.
+Transition to Zealot Archon would have been good for that army.
+Needed more storms.

Game 15 - Korhal Compound LE
Home stretch now, was thoughroughyl enjoying my Starcraft today, My opponent for this match is Wave, a protoss player. I open gas first (again) into 3 gate robo. I pump out an immortal and get up a sentry having attempted to learn from previous games. This pays off shortly thereafter and having killed a few units, i grab blink and build up to 4 immortals. I warp in a couple more stalkers and sentry's before moving up and starting a forward pylon. At this point i spot an early nexus and crush it down easily, he then sends void rays accross to my base, to which I answer by warping in 3 Stalkers. Moving up his ramp i take down his gate ways and set teh warpath to his nexus. Shortly thereafter, wave leaves.

Learning Points
+Sentry's are really really good.
+Overall pleased with how it panned out, possibly need to look at getting up 1-2 more gates as i move out, as well as getting the nexus,
+Must also remember to keep macroing.

Game 16 - Tal'darim Altar LE
Bolstered by my last game I move towards a similar strategy against returning Terran player Lumtheo,Ii scout his base first luckily and he pulls all of his SCV's to kill it, before leaving 1 on it. I drag him to the opposite corner of the map so as to no reveal the location of my base, he scouts it shortly thereafter. I finish out my warp tech and my scout probe has escaped and placed some forward pylons. Lumtheo counter attacks with 5-6 Reapers to which I run my probes to the opposite side of the map and warp in a few stalkers. I take out his command centre and Lumtheo GG's shortly after.

Learning Points
+3gate robo push is a strong timing attack
+Keep an eye on supply cap, i had to build a lot of pylons outside his base so I could continue to warp in
+Needed to get a Robo Facility up a bit faster to get out colossus.
+Should have attacked the reapers with my probes and kept building.

Game 17 - Antiga Shipyard
My opponent once again is Lumtheo who returns after not playing for 3 months. He's an ex-silver player and is not used to the changed protoss have undertaken. I open the same way, and open with the gas first then opting for 3gate robo. I once again scout him early by luck, and get an early zealot and pair of sentry's up, fearing an all in from the guy i had just defeated. Using my observer i scout out his base, revealing that he'd expanded to my third. A little shocked by the tactics i move out with my immortal zealot sentry stalker combo and force him to lift it. I then move straight accross to his natural where i built a forward pylon on my scout. I cut his army on his ramp and keep warping in. Eventually wiping him out. GG Lumtheo GL with the rest of your games!

Game 18 - Tal'darim Altar LE
My opponent for this match is a protoss player called Xigbar. Again happy with my previous builds i open with Gas first into 3 gate robo, scouting on 14 as is the norm for me on protoss. I take out his scout probe then scout for pylons where i would have put them. Moving accross the map and making my gates up to 5, I make my forward pylon and push in. Again my protoss opponent has early expanded, which I wipe out and push into his main. He GG's shortly after.

Game 19 - Ohana LE
This match is against JudgeDredd, a Zerg player who greets me with the following.

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I lolled so hard

Game 20 - Daybreak LE
My opponent this game was woponinja, he greets me with the following.

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Hadn't gotten over JudgeDredd yet, so this was icing on the cake

My scout probe gets up a forward pylong between the natural and the third while out and about scouting. I open the same way, as the last few, gas first into 3gate robo. I get another sentry up and build up a supply of stalkers. I then warp some zealots at my forward pylonand pushed in, wiping out his army and starting to work on his wall in barracks. Shortly after he GG's

Learning Points
+Floating a bunch of resources, should have been looking to expand
+Couple more sentrys could have been good.
+Tech towards colossus a bit earlier.

Conclusion
A bit of a longer one I know, but I felt towards the end that the early aggression was certainly working for me. and at the same time due to having a couple of sentry's I was very safe in my approaches. I could shield off if i got attacked, and pick off some army. Or when attacking I could block his army into his main, or split it and make it easier to deal with. I must must MUST utilise sentry's more often.

Gas first 3gate robo felt really normal to me, and the extra gas early on meant more stalkers and even the sentry early enough to get a bunch of energy for extra shields. Probably only need the 1 gas that early though. 2 Workers on it is sufficient for a little while as well, just to get a few more minerals early on.

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GG!

Starcraft Adventures (Silver edition) - Part 5

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