|
Hi there. My name is Mattson and I'm pretty bad at this game. SC2 wasn't even on my radar until I watched the MLG Spring Championship. Since that time I've been in love with SC2. I even stay up to watch the GSL.
As a player I'm in my second season now. I started this game three months ago, I started as Zerg. I went 3-2 in my placement matches and got seeded into the upper half of Gold... I was pretty surprised to be honest.
This season I switched to Terran and got seeded into 78 in the Silver league. I've played maybe 10 games so far and my highest rank was 48 but as I type this I'm 54.
I have no aspirations of being a progamer or anything silly like that... my goal is to simply some day be higher than Gold league. As it stands now though my macro is horrible.
I mostly play 3v3's on Hard against the AI but I try to get 1-3 1v1 ladder games a day. I've decided to log all my ladder games and write about them. Mostly so I can look back on a replay and know exactly what went wrong.
Here's my bnet profile: http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/profile/3518631/1/Mattson/
Game #1, Aug 10th 2012 LOSS
TvZ on Ohana
I asked a friend to recommend a build for me and he said Marine/Tank. I tried to go Marine/Tank and lost horribly. My opponent massed roaches and killed me before the 10 minute mark. At the end of the game I only had 26 SCV's to his 64 drones... my macro is really bad, I need to work on it. I need to keep up on my SCV production.
Rank before: 52 Silver
Rank after: 54 Silver
http://drop.sc/236328
|
This is awesome man, good luck."Marine Tank" isn't as much a build, but a composition. If you want to improve efficiently at Starcraft 2, you don't want to spend the small amount of time you have to play trying to pioneer your own build orders. In my opinion, the quickest and most satisfying way to get a good start on learning a matchup is copying a pro's build right from a replay, SCV for SCV. This will allow you to get the good building blocks for your play, while letting the pro's who have 12-14 hours a day of practice to figure this kind of stuff out. Rather than getting better at figuring out build orders, you can simply learn and memorize the pro's build order and spend your time getting better at Starcraft. Find a replay with a build you like, copy it down in a notebook, and then practice with no opponent (or vs very easy AI) until you can execute the build and hit some benchmarks. Once you have the build memorized, and you are able to execute it, then you can start to get scouting timings and stuff and specific practice against certain builds under control by looking at your replays (mainly losses) and figuring out how to not lose that way.
Just my advice though 
|
Thanks... who are some good pros to follow?
Actually, scratch that I know who the good pros are... I guess the question is where would I find replays of top tier Terran players?
|
MVP, MKP, MMA, Taeja, Polt, Bomber, demuslim. You should look up for vods of them from youtube
|
I've seen tons of VODs by them... where would I find their replays?
|
There are lots of resources. If you are really desperate,
http://www.gosugamers.net/starcraft2/replays/ is alright,
But I like to download replay packs from recent tournaments.
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=358575 should be more than enough to get you started, honestly, any of the Terrans competing in this would be a good choice IMO.
The TSL4 KR qualifier reps were released, I can't seem to find them again. If you wanna add me on skype my skype name is wyattvisser91 if you have anymore questions 
Edit: Also if you take your time you can get builds from VODs, which is a good choice if you have a GSL ticket or something
|
Game #2, Aug 10th 2012 LOSS
TvP on Daybreak
He built a pylon on my mineral line at the 3 minute mark as my orbital was coming up. I called GG right away because that's what I do when someone attempts to cheese me.
Rank before: 55 Silver
Rank after: 58 Silver
|
Game #3, Aug 10th 2012 LOSS
TvT on Daybreak
This has now become my favorite match up to watch and least favorite to play. I misclicked my SCV's at the beginning and it gave my opponent the lead straight off the get go. He got his factory up before 5 minutes and I got mine up just before 7. I went for attack up his ramp and was decimated. He instantly moved out and set up outside my ramp. He had 117 units trained to my 115 and I had 51 SCV's to his 30, other than that our compositions were identical.
Come to think of it I should of dropped in his base instead of running straight up his ramp.
My macro is still severely lacking and probably will be for a while... I should go back to FPS's 
Rank before: 58 Silver
Rank after: 63 Silver
http://drop.sc/236466
|
"A while" is not forever
Also, on game 2, I see no reason to call GG whenever someone cheeses you. It's a part of the game, even at pro level. For instance, game 7 of MVP vs Squirtle in the GSL finals was a bunker rush, and MVP won.
Think of defending against cheese as a micro training exercise rather than cheese.
|
Since the replay is short, I'll look over it and give you some tips ^^
Notes:
+ Show Spoiler +Don't split if you can't. It's better to mineral stack if you can't split quickly and efficiently.
You had an idle SCV, but started to talk before fixing your idle SCV or rallying your CC. Macro > everything.
Constant SCV production is important. Queue up one if you think you'll forget.
Still have an idle SCV. Look at the bottom left, periodically. Hell, you should always be looking at it because that's there the minimap is.
Build order is really important. Remember, 10 Depot, 12 Rax, 15 OC, 16 CC.
You don't need a third depot for a while, a properly done 1Rax FE will give you proper supply.
Constant SCVs! D:
In TvT, more marines is better, you want reactors.
When that CC finishes, OC it up fast.
Mules! Drop them.
Constant SCVs! T-T
Hotkey your buildings o-o.
If you're doing the Factory Starport swap, build them really close to each other.
Your building placement needs work. It's not a huge deal, but they were literally just everywhere.
I know this isn't what you're supposed to do, but in the event that you're floating 2k minerals at 11 minutes, CCs, Depots, Barracks. Ramp up your production.
Why did you fight that? You didn't scan, you had no idea what he had, hell, he might not even have a second base. You blindly went up with one tank. One tank sucks, you need 3-4 before they start becoming solid.
3000 minerals.. Spend it!
Hotkey your buildings >.<
You had no map vision like the entire game.
Woah woah. What are you doing with those medivacs? Filling them up, then using them to scout a marine/tank composition? nono.
You saw the missile turrets. Why did you fly over them T_T
Why did you unseige? You knew he was containing you.
Okay. Yeah.
So your macro needs a lot of work. Focus on basic mechanics first. Don't split if you can't. Don't talk if it messes up your rhythm.
Always have map presence, or enough map vision to know what's going on.
Work on your build order, and keep track of everything.
Make sure you know what you're fighting, then decide if you can fight or not. Don't use your army as a scout.
1Rax FE is designed to give you a strong econ, so make sure you transfer that CC to the new base ASAP.
I know you're going to hate this, but honestly, your macro needs work. You need to spend your money a lot better T-T.
But you have the right ideas! For example, you know to drop when contained, and you know what composition is good. Now you just need to know how to make decisions, and why things work the way they do. Those things come with experience. I'm sure you'll get better if you play more. Just refine things as you go. For example, you started floating minerals, maybe you need more production. Or, I had too little gas, maybe I need to skip the second techlab to get stim out asap. Things like that ^^
Good luck :D
Edit: This is the TvT.
|
I don't hate it at all! Thanks.
My biggest problem with my macro, in my opinion, is my SCV production... I think I should focus on getting this down before I start tinkering with builds. It's like trying to make coffee without coffee beans.
That drop was my last hope... I never seen so many missle turrets. I have a feeling if I would of dropped with my initial push instead of running right up the ramp I may have fared alot better.
|
No games yesterday. I watched the IPL TAC3... I stopped watching after Taeja dropped in the game against Nestea and started playing Skyrim instead. I may get some games in today after the TSL4 broadcast.
|
Game #4, Aug 12th 2012 LOSS
ZvR(P) on Entombed Valley
I decided to try Zerg because I had my most success with them in the past. I find macro easier on zerg than on Terran. In this game my opponent was slightly favored and picked random. He was in the last place I scouted and all I got to see was an FFE... instead of going deeper in I just saw the FFE and decided to go for 3 hatches. Breakable rocks impeded my progress on the home front.
I ended up losing to something I've seen many a time from MC so as I was dying it was like "Whoaaa a void ray and two phoenix!" I tried to put a Spore Crawler up in my mineral line but I fucked up and dropped a spire. I actually already had a spire up so I made 3 Corrurptors but completely shat the bed on getting them into the right position and I lost hard.
I think I'm gonna switch to zerg... the only reason I switched in the first place is because I found ZvZ to be a chaotic shit show.
Rank before: 66 Silver
Rank after: 68 Silver
http://drop.sc/237290
|
Hello, I am back in the ladder. I update this because I just started to ladder again. Although come to think of it I should probably start a new one and call it the Ladder Regression blog.
Yesterday I played 3 games on the ladder, the first 3 since I stopped updating this. I've got a RL friend playing now and I only play the ladder to have better chances against him. I can't check the replays as the servers are down at the moment. I played a lot of games yesterday but only 3 ladder games... the first, my placement match, I completely forgot what happened... lets get to it.
SEASON 5 PLACEMENT MATCH
Game #5, Nov 13th 2012 LOSS
ZvZ on Entombed Valley
aaaaaand we're back... lets chalk this one up to ring rust. To be entirely honest I don't even remember what happened this game, I just know from drop sc it was a 9 minute ZvZ loss. If I were to guess I'd say I probably lost to midgame Roach aggression. Sorry for the lack of insight here.
Rank before: undefined
Rank after: 64 Bronze
http://drop.sc/275215
Game #6, Nov 13th 2012 LOSS
ZvP on Entombed Valley
This one I do vaguely remember. I decided to go for a two base muta all in. There was no rhyme or reason to my build, my plan was to move out with 10 mutas before the 10 minute mark.
He reached my base with a gateway army literally at the moment I started muta production. I had exactly 1000 gas banked when I started production but I got supply locked after producing only one muta. Quick loss.
Rank before: 64 Bronze
Rank after: 68 Bronze
http://drop.sc/275217
Game #7, Nov 13th 2012 LOSS
ZvT on Antiga Shipyard
This one I remember distinctly. This one I could of won but thanks to a stupid play I lost all my infestors.
It started out fairly normally. My plan here was to try and win with a roach/ling push but my opponent accelerated things.
He sent a small detachment of marines to my base before I had an army up... about 10 marines. I overreacted and pumped out over 20 zerglings. I decided to do an instant counter attack because it went so well. I was able to kill tons of reinforcements on my way to his base as well.
When I got to his base his natural wasn't even finished yet. He won thanks to his defender's advantage but not before I managed to get all of his siege tanks. I got tunnel vision on this attack... I fully expected to win the game with this push and intentionally ignored my macro.
After the attack it was about 10 minutes and all of my army supply was destroyed and I had about 30 supply. I had no idea what to do so I decided to macro up and turtle on three bases. When he came at me I was ready but my infestors were out of position. All 6 off them got destroyed. The worst part is if my infestors would of been positioned on the high ground of my main I would of had free reign over his entire army.
This was also a loss, but in my mind the closest loss yet.
Rank before: 68 Bronze
Rank after: 69 Bronze
http://drop.sc/275222
|
Well, I'm still playing and actually doing a lot better now. I have 5 wins now and am on a bit of a streak. I've been playing a couple of games every other day. I'm going to stop updating every single game because that is silly.
I have a strategy that is winning me games. I go 14 hatch 14 pool now and sit on two bases and watch their expansion timings. I go three bases as soon as I see their natural go up. I also am trying to be more aggressive in my play. I like to do a midgame roach push, if that fails I'll macro up and stockpile infestors but roaches are amazing at stomping bronze leaguers.
My rank has gone up from 84 bronze up to 18 bronze. I come here to post a replay because I had a very significant starcraft achievement today... I made someone rage for the first time. It was rather tame butthurt but butthurt none the less.
http://drop.sc/277007
00:14 [All] Mattson: GL HF
00:17 [All] Grungy: gl
00:19 [All] Mattson: lol caps
00:28 [All] Grungy: guess you just played a game
00:33 [All] Mattson: yeah lol
00:49 [All] Grungy: I do that alot
09:51 [All] Grungy: this game is so fuking retarded
11:12 [All] Grungy: this game is so fuking retarded
11:16 [All] Mattson:
11:17 [All] Grungy: one fuking building
11:20 [All] Grungy: thats all you had to build
11:24 [All] Grungy: one fuking building
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT
