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Siege Tank is a relict of the past

Blogs > sctstarcraft
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sctstarcraft
Profile Blog Joined March 2013
Poland22 Posts
September 27 2013 13:40 GMT
#1
There seems to be an idea coming back and forth on those and Blizz forums to "make mech work". And the most important thing in "making mech work" is "making siege tank valid". I think that the general idea is right - but the way to do it is not simple at all.

Tanks in Brood War vs SC2

In BW the positional play was the key. There is a great blog post explaining how units and tactics used to work and how they work in SC2. Things are much different. BW matches tended to be slower, more positional, more tactical and more micro oriented (or at least the micro was of a different kind). SC2 matches are dynamic, macro oriented, and late game possibly spell-oriented.

ST usage (positioning, tactics, micro) was a very important aspect of playing Terran in BW. Well spread, well positioned in relation to map topography tanks used to be the key to victory. In SC2 they do not make that much of a difference. SC2 seems to be a game of numbers and strategies, where tactics influence the game only to the lesser extent.

Can Siege Tanks work in SC2?

I daresay not, in their current form. The Siege Tank as we know it right now is a relic of the past. It can never be strong enough to work as base defense on its own, and if we make it work like that, it'll be OP in the offense.

Why was ST added to SC2 in the first place? I think that the only reason it was was the sentiment of SC2 creators and the community.

I say: get rid of the current Siege Tank in LotV. Recreate it as a completely different unit, possibly having a similar intended role, but with completely different mechanics. How to do that? I do not know. I have some ideas, most of which are probably stupid, but I'll list them at the end anyway. But please consider my original thesis - Siege Tank has no place in StarCraft 2. It has to go. And we have to let it go.

+ Show Spoiler +

Unit ideas:
* Artillery Tank - machineguns with decent dmg (2x10?) and mid (6? 7?) range as a standard weapon, "artillery shot" as an activated cooldown-based ability: fires a single shot with AoE, much like standard tank
* Bull Tank - siege mode goes, dmg/dps of a standard ST stays, range and speed go slightly up. A unit to sit slightly behind and add it's dps to the core of the army
* Havoc Tank - long-range high rate of fire low-dps and finally large AoE dmg dealer; a kind of support unit for Bio, made to be effective vs lings/blings/hydra


*
All we see or seem is but a dream within a dream
r1flEx
Profile Joined October 2012
Belgium256 Posts
September 27 2013 13:47 GMT
#2
i actually agree with you, but i don't think they will do it
Pirfiktshon
Profile Joined June 2013
United States1072 Posts
September 27 2013 13:51 GMT
#3
LOL I had this same idea Great post. I think getting rid of the current siege tank is a good direction and changing the dynamic of the unit and also the race in general
itsjustatank
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
Hong Kong9158 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-09-27 13:54:03
September 27 2013 13:53 GMT
#4
relic

and the tank isn't base defense. the tank is for multi-screen-engagement-wide-advancing-siege-lines glory.

+ Show Spoiler [also] +
[image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading][image loading]
Photographer"nosotros estamos backamos" - setsuko
tar
Profile Joined October 2010
Germany991 Posts
September 27 2013 14:07 GMT
#5
relict exists as well

I don't want the tank to go. They just have to push its stats a little further and we'll see it come back in TvZ.

Tank lines ftw!
whoever I pick for my anti team turns gosu
Paljas
Profile Joined October 2011
Germany6926 Posts
September 27 2013 14:08 GMT
#6
http://www.abuzu.com/
TL+ Member
HeeroFX
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States2704 Posts
September 27 2013 14:14 GMT
#7
I don't know I use them just fine in Marine tank medivac style. In TvT they are pretty good the entire game until that super late game where you might start getting BCs. You can place towers and turrents to help deter drops. Marines give you mobility to do lots of things. Tanks give you space control, and a ton of dmg. TvZ Marine tank works really well, but you do have to move slowly, unlike bio/mine. And the later stages of the game tanks do lose value vs ultras because if you don't have enough tanks ultras will just eat shots and than kill the tanks lol. TvP honestly going anything but bio in this match up seems silly, so you won't see tanks unless you are doing a 1 base or 2 base all in. This is just what I have experienced throughout my 4000 game playing career lol.
lichter
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
1001 YEARS KESPAJAIL22272 Posts
September 27 2013 14:17 GMT
#8
Shorten siege/unsiege duration

Problem maybe solved
AdministratorYOU MUST HEED MY INSTRUCTIONS TAKE OFF YOUR THIIIINGS
BobMcJohnson
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
France2916 Posts
September 27 2013 14:18 GMT
#9
No god please no. The tank is like the most interesting unit in the whole game. The fact that they are not really usable when they should be the most iconic terran unit is the thing that made me stop playing sc2.

If anything they should buff them to the point that they are OP and nerf other terran units to compensate.
Romanes eunt domus
Kipsate
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
Netherlands45349 Posts
September 27 2013 14:20 GMT
#10
they need to buff the Siege tank sound in SC2.
WriterXiao8~~
Falling
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Canada11369 Posts
September 27 2013 14:39 GMT
#11
On September 27 2013 23:17 lichter wrote:
Shorten siege/unsiege duration

Problem maybe solved

What's the point of seige mode then? It doesn't cost anything, you don't have to research anything, and you are proposing to narrow the window of vulnerability. The solution is to make that window of vulnerability worth it. But based on all the things in SC2 that can snipe the tank, I am almost in agreement with the OP. Somehow I think even if tanks were viable, we'd get passive tank-viking again and not the dynamic tactics of Mech Play. Maybe SC3 can finally figure out the siege tank.
Moderator"In Trump We Trust," says the Golden Goat of Mars Lago. Have faith and believe! Trump moves in mysterious ways. Like the wind he blows where he pleases...
iHirO
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United Kingdom1381 Posts
September 27 2013 14:39 GMT
#12
I think a lot of the problem is that air units in general are a lot stronger in SC2, meaning that tanks are corresponding weaker.
GraphicsThis is for all you new people: I only have one rule. Everyone fights. No one quits. You don't do your job, I'll shoot you myself. You get me?
Targe
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
United Kingdom14103 Posts
September 27 2013 14:52 GMT
#13
On September 27 2013 23:39 iHirO wrote:
I think a lot of the problem is that air units in general are a lot stronger in SC2, meaning that tanks are corresponding weaker.

Well they do do half the damage they did in BW.
11/5/14 CATACLYSM | The South West's worst Falco main
9-BiT
Profile Blog Joined January 2012
United States1089 Posts
September 27 2013 15:35 GMT
#14
On September 27 2013 23:08 Paljas wrote:
http://www.abuzu.com/

Dear god, it's everything I love on one webpage.
kwark_uk: @father_sc learn to play maybe?
Sawamura
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
Malaysia7602 Posts
September 27 2013 16:15 GMT
#15
What if they upgraded the Siege Tank to have anti air capability like the apocalypse tank in red alert 2 so it will have less weakness to air units then..
BW/KT Forever R.I.P KT.Violet dearly missed ..
Shady Sands
Profile Blog Joined June 2012
United States4021 Posts
September 27 2013 19:12 GMT
#16
On September 27 2013 23:52 Targe wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 27 2013 23:39 iHirO wrote:
I think a lot of the problem is that air units in general are a lot stronger in SC2, meaning that tanks are corresponding weaker.

Well they do do half the damage they did in BW.

And cost 25 more gas and 50% more supply.
Что?
pebble444
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Italy2498 Posts
September 27 2013 20:44 GMT
#17
You have no idea what your talking about as far as Broodwar
"Awaken my Child, and embrace the Glory that is your Birthright"
Megaliskuu
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
United States5123 Posts
September 27 2013 20:48 GMT
#18
On September 27 2013 23:52 Targe wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 27 2013 23:39 iHirO wrote:
I think a lot of the problem is that air units in general are a lot stronger in SC2, meaning that tanks are corresponding weaker.

Well they do do half the damage they did in BW.


I think that is to compensate for the fact that the AI in sc2 does not overkill like BW tanks do.
|BW>Everything|Add me on star2 KR server TheMuTaL.675 for practice games :)|NEX clan| https://www.dotabuff.com/players/183104694
DinoToss
Profile Joined August 2013
Poland507 Posts
September 27 2013 21:01 GMT
#19
Its relict of the pas....

Artosis sniper.
My wrist really started to flare up. My colossi number started to pile up and with the last of my concentration I prepared for a win.
Targe
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
United Kingdom14103 Posts
September 27 2013 21:45 GMT
#20
On September 28 2013 05:48 Megaliskuu wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 27 2013 23:52 Targe wrote:
On September 27 2013 23:39 iHirO wrote:
I think a lot of the problem is that air units in general are a lot stronger in SC2, meaning that tanks are corresponding weaker.

Well they do do half the damage they did in BW.


I think that is to compensate for the fact that the AI in sc2 does not overkill like BW tanks do.


On September 28 2013 04:12 Shady Sands wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 27 2013 23:52 Targe wrote:
On September 27 2013 23:39 iHirO wrote:
I think a lot of the problem is that air units in general are a lot stronger in SC2, meaning that tanks are corresponding weaker.

Well they do do half the damage they did in BW.

And cost 25 more gas and 50% more supply.



I do know these things guys, I was just pointing out the difference in damage.
11/5/14 CATACLYSM | The South West's worst Falco main
guN-viCe
Profile Joined March 2010
United States687 Posts
September 27 2013 22:07 GMT
#21
On September 27 2013 23:17 lichter wrote:
Shorten siege/unsiege duration

Problem maybe solved


I'm feeling this too.

The tank is weak and needs some sort of buff, siege is sooooo sloooowwww.
Never give up, never surrender!!! ~~ Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence -Sagan
obesechicken13
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
United States10467 Posts
September 27 2013 23:57 GMT
#22
Haven't touched SC in a while. Tanks if they are strong decimate an enemy team without them even reaching the tanks. If they are weak they die before they reach critical mass.

If the player is not good at handling positions and making decisions he can slowly lose his army to tanks until he doesn't have enough to retaliate. Tanks are a binary unit due to their range. You need to be careful when buffing them.
I think in our modern age technology has evolved to become more addictive. The things that don't give us pleasure aren't used as much. Work was never meant to be fun, but doing it makes us happier in the long run.
lichter
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
1001 YEARS KESPAJAIL22272 Posts
September 28 2013 01:43 GMT
#23
On September 27 2013 23:39 Falling wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 27 2013 23:17 lichter wrote:
Shorten siege/unsiege duration

Problem maybe solved

What's the point of seige mode then? It doesn't cost anything, you don't have to research anything, and you are proposing to narrow the window of vulnerability. The solution is to make that window of vulnerability worth it. But based on all the things in SC2 that can snipe the tank, I am almost in agreement with the OP. Somehow I think even if tanks were viable, we'd get passive tank-viking again and not the dynamic tactics of Mech Play. Maybe SC3 can finally figure out the siege tank.


Well I did say maybe.

Another thing to consider is that the pace of SC2 and its battles are far shorter, so having a siege duration is more punishing in SC2. The fact that mines get set faster, cost less, and have less supply, make up for their much longer attack cool down since there is rarely retreat for siege units. If siege tanks had comparable prep duration maybe they'd have greater utility since mines wouldn't be universally better. The tradeoff would be cost/supply vs attack cool down, instead of cost/supply/mobility vs attack cooldown.
AdministratorYOU MUST HEED MY INSTRUCTIONS TAKE OFF YOUR THIIIINGS
[UoN]Sentinel
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
United States11320 Posts
September 28 2013 01:59 GMT
#24
On September 28 2013 04:12 Shady Sands wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 27 2013 23:52 Targe wrote:
On September 27 2013 23:39 iHirO wrote:
I think a lot of the problem is that air units in general are a lot stronger in SC2, meaning that tanks are corresponding weaker.

Well they do do half the damage they did in BW.

And cost 25 more gas and 50% more supply.


They shoot twice as fast as they did in BW though.
Нас зовет дух отцов, память старых бойцов, дух Москвы и твердыня Полтавы
Djzapz
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
Canada10681 Posts
September 28 2013 02:02 GMT
#25
IMO removing tanks may make sense given the game's current state of affairs but I'm one of these people who aren't in love with the game right now, and one of my beliefs is that the tank is one of SCBW's remnants and in a vacuum it's truly elegant and awesome.

The game, IMO, is fundamentally flawed. It would be bad to remove the tank because the game is not good enough to have that unit =(
"My incompetence with power tools had been increasing exponentially over the course of 20 years spent inhaling experimental oven cleaners"
ninazerg
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
United States7291 Posts
September 28 2013 02:11 GMT
#26
If going mech ever became a viable option, it would get nerfed for being too strong.
"If two pregnant women get into a fist fight, it's like a mecha-battle between two unborn babies." - Fyodor Dostoevsky
Zaphod Beeblebrox
Profile Joined December 2010
Denmark697 Posts
September 28 2013 10:35 GMT
#27
I lost a lot of faith in the SC2 community today...

Siege tanks were one of the best designed units in BW. Everything that made the original Siege tank great is not in any way shape or form present on the current tank, and now we are left with a joke of a unit that really isn't a Siege tank.

Blizzard removed most of the big weaknesses of Tanks in the transition to SC2, and guess what? It was massively overpowered. What did they do to fix this? remove most of the strengths as well - now it was UP. Then they decided to buff unsieged tanks, so now its just a more expensive Marauder with a useless Siege mode.

The reason the Tank is so bad, isn't because its a relic from an old game, it's because everything that was once great about this unit has been removed. There is basically no way you can compare the old BW tanks to SC2 tanks anymore.
Go try StarBow on the Arcade. TL thread: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=440661
Scarecrow
Profile Blog Joined July 2009
Korea (South)9172 Posts
September 28 2013 12:18 GMT
#28
This is a horrible, ill-conceived thread. You're talking about removing an archetypal terran unit from the game based on fuck all actual evidence/analysis and a 5 minute OP. You just repeat and bold your opinion without adequately justifying it:

On September 27 2013 22:40 sctstarcraft wrote:
Can Siege Tanks work in SC2?

I daresay not, in their current form. The Siege Tank as we know it right now is a relic of the past. It can never be strong enough to work as base defense on its own, and if we make it work like that, it'll be OP in the offense.

Why was ST added to SC2 in the first place? I think that the only reason it was was the sentiment of SC2 creators and the community.

I say: get rid of the current Siege Tank in LotV. Recreate it as a completely different unit, possibly having a similar intended role, but with completely different mechanics. How to do that? I do not know. I have some ideas, most of which are probably stupid, but I'll list them at the end anyway. But please consider my original thesis - Siege Tank has no place in StarCraft 2. It has to go. And we have to let it go.


You support your entire "thesis" (lol) with one statement (I underlined it for you) and didn't back that up with any evidence whatsoever. It's not even true because we see tanks regularly (and defensively) in one of the mu's. The rest of your rambling is just you repeating that tanks should be removed.

Tanks are still a big part of TvT and your summary of the two games is also ridiculous. I can't believe you called SC2 more macro oriented than BW.
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