EPTSC2 deathballs are rather ugly to look at due to the unit clutter and general use of un-vibrant dark colors, but there's at least a sense of dread in watching a mass of broodlords, marines, or colossi move around. It gives the feeling that it's powerful, and it's a concentration of force that will do serious damage if not engaged in the right way.
Widow mines just look... well, stupid to be honest.
Not an orthodox game of course, and I'm entirely willing to believe that the metagame will obsolete this type of play. So I'm not worried this will become the new infestor/broodlord. Still though, it feels so wrong. Terran thematically feels very much about "hanging on until the last gasp". Dropships leaving a strike team in the heart of the enemy base to do critical damage and escape in the nick of time is very much something that's exciting to watch. Huge amounts of zerglings and banelings blowing up while marines frantically retreat to the end of the line for a last stand is, of course, one of the coolest things to watch in all of Starcraft.
A bunch of cute robots with Wall-E arms shooting arc missiles from underground that can unexpectedly and instantly wipe out a flock of space dragons, not so much.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/B7Cd8L2.png)
Fear incarnate
Spider Mines in BW were terrifying--partially because of their sound effect and movement speed--but primarily because they cost no supply, could be anywhere, and if they wipe out half your dragoons, there's still a terran mechball out there waiting to kill you that hasn't lost a bit of its firepower. Every time you see a vulture, you get a little anxious because it means there's up to three mines somewhere. In contradistinction to this, Widow Mines aren't suicide units, they can move around and be used for anything -- meaning they are army in themselves instead of being a limited substitute for it (which they have to be, because WM cost supply and build time). And it's really not fun to watch for aesthetic reasons. I'm not grasping the strength and utility of clever mankind, I'm seeing robots blow up other robots.
![[image loading]](http://borgdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/3po-and-r2-from-droids-animated-show.jpg)
This is what I feel like I'm watching when I see Widow Mine drops
It really bothers me that the new HotS units seem to amplify each of the race's inherent thematic, except the Widow Mine. The tempest and mothership core are super-advanced energy weapons, and the swarmlord and viper are disgusting insects that contribute to the mass swarmy feeling of zerg. Even hellbats, at least, show the versatility and heavy metal of human beings (albeit they also suffer somewhat from having a 'cute' look and... are... bio for some reason). Widow mines, in their current state, just put terran in an awkward place. They look like they fit the role of the SCV, but they really have the explosive firepower of a siege tank. Hell, right now they do 125 (+40 splash) damage; almost three times that of the tank, even though they're both fundamentally mobile artillery. It's like a third of the size of a siege tank, man.
I'm sure we'll see beautiful usage of Widow Mine builds and micro when pro-gamers switch, doubtlessly. And every time I see Life, MVP, or Creator gg after losing their armies to WM, I'll ask "what the fuck am I watching?"
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/ha5NQhM.jpg)
