Phalanx's Daily #44: Fixing up my Simcity

To start off, I just made a custom game to build myself what I might consider to be an "optimal" building placement for a PvP game. For the most part, I think that this match up is the least problematic for me. Drops are far less common, and it's not like there'll be any ling run-bys into my base. The basics of how I envision my building placement emphasizes getting up lots of pylons to overlap (Just in case something comes in) and keep tech near the center.

The early stage of the game; I build my first pylon right by the nexus to minimize the travel time wasted by the probe. I keep the pylon off of the nexus by 1 hex so that I don't accidentally block in rallied probe in the future. My gateway and cybernetics core are lined upto make sure I keep a square shape. 1 pylon is later placed behind my mineral line, mostly to be sneaky so that I can get my DT shrine up without being outright spotted.



For the mid game, I think that something along the lines of the next picture will be how I set up my buildings. I'll have 1 or 2 lines which will be dedicated pylon-placements, while keeping tech structures such as the robotics bay enclosed within other buildings. Gateways and stargates can of course be clustered as much as I need because they don't need a rally, but the robo will always have to stay on the outside. Making lines might take a bit of practice since I can't always just build down 1 at a time (due to power field constraints; don't wanna delay buildings for perfect simcity).



If I ever keep the mental concentration to actually keep building up properly, something like this might not be a bad set up for my buildings. I think I should have the most pylons in a line where there are the most buildings to be powered. Robos will be on the outside, tech in the center. Gateways can always just be added on along the edges, since if I ever get to the late game I'm sure I'll have plenty of those.



Perhaps my PvP building set up is still slightly off, but it's something. The basic things I need to make sure to follow are to build in lines and to keep tech at the center.

Against terran is the match up that i'm the most afraid of in terms of my building placement. Protecting buildings from drops can get really annoying, and them marines can sneak into any tiny nook. The early game is still basically the same, although the 2nd pylon isn't in a hidden place. I go for a fast expansion anyways so what matters more (in my opinion) is the build for early game.



For the mid game, I get my robo bay very quickly, so I'm thinking that something like this placement might be good. The robo is on the outside, all the tech is on the inside, and eventually I'll surround all of it with gateways and pylon lines. I was thinking that it might be good to make some open space to deal with drops, but I'm still not sure how the best way to do that would be. For now, I'll stick with trying to get buildings clumped up and safe.


FYI those red lines are for where the future pylons will be built.

For the late game situation, something like this might be what I'll aim to do. The whole pylons in a line thing will make it really easy to screw up and either place buildings in the wrong place or to block off where a pylon should go, but that'll just have to be overcome with practice. The templar archives might be a little bit too exposed in this picture, but it's still a hell of a lot less exposed than what I usually end up doing. The gateways once again surround all the shit with tech in the middle.

Going against zerg, the biggest focus I'll need is at the natural as well as static defense by my other expansions. Starting off with a gateway expand, I think that the way to go is to use my pylon as part of the wall. While this might make my wall a lot weaker than using another gateway/forge, I think it's necessary in order to wall off in time if I scout a fast pool (even then it might be too slow, however). Since I don't get a forge very fast, my first stargate also is part of my wall-off at the natural.


This map's choke point probably wasn't the best to show my example on... it's pretty small. On larger ramps, my stargate (and often my 2nd pylon) are needed to close up the space too.

At expansions, I think that I need to try to use a mix of keeping the least surface area possible on the nexus while keeping pylons/cannons also fairly enclosed. I always get at least 2 pylons so that the cannons have a back up power, and cannons might be situated something like this to have them and the nexus mutually cover each other. When I have a lot more money or if there's a ramp nearby, I might also instead opt for a gateway wall off at the ramp with a zealot/sentry to guard the opening.



As for my main, I actually will not keep the structures clusted as much as I did for vs protoss or vs terran. The only thing that ever comes in to my tech is mutalisks; to them it'll make no difference whether my fleet beacon is smack dab in the middle of other structures or if it's exposed, since they attack from the fuckin' sky. I usually spread out my pylons a good deal, mostly to provide vision against nydus worms (it never hurts, ya know... just for in case). Keeping stuff separated might also be good to make for a pathway for stalkers to move around in case I make some of those against mutas. While more chaotic than the other building placements, I still will work to keep pylons/buildings created in lines.