EPTAn additional PvZ with strong 1-base disruptor harass can be found here: PvZ Disruptor Micro
Legacy of the Void Protoss Replay Bundle
Starcraft II: Legacy of the Void is probably the best RTS I've ever played, and since I've played all of them other than Command and Conquer, that means Legacy of the Void is the best game ever.
This is an understandably hard sell for critics who hold that Starcraft: Brood War is simply unrivaled in its capacity to create dynamic, epic battles.
I've created a replay pack to present a challenge to this mindset by commemorating a few of my favorite SC:BW games and strategies on Legacy of the Void's beta.
Regrettably, the technical polish that is truly inspirational for new players is something I'm struggling to replicate on short notice.
It's probably going too far to suppose I can single-handedly rescue the great game of Starcraft II from cynics, skeptics, and detractors.
What's important is that everyone in the Starcraft community, no matter your level of commitment, support the evolution of strategy and real time strategy in the capacities that make sense to us.
First Replay: PvZ 1 Base Disruptor
PvZ 1-Base Disruptor
This PvZ on Coda LE mimics the 1-base Reaver.
The opening is a simple 2-gate zealot (2-gate adept) that unfortunately fails to psionic transfer and take up a position in the mineral intervals.
After placing a Robotics Bay and upgrading prism speed, I use a warp prism with two adepts and a disruptor to snipe the main queen and create an opening. The disruptor gets some big combined hits in the mineral line on the army and the workers, but my timing isn't perfect yet.
The first disruptor retires when queens down the warp prism, but has racked up an impressive 44 kills. Sacrificing the first disruptor in favor of more control for the second prism and its payload of two disruptors was a major blunder. It is clear from the replay the third is undefended and would have been a great distraction.
I get way too greedy with the second warp prism and don't take advantage of my vision. The disruptors could have continued to pressure and ended the game, but I target the main army and try for a greedy double hit on two queens.
Second Replay: PvT Proxy Disruptor & Hidden Recall
PvT Disruptor Tele
This PvT on Orbital Shipyard is the most important replay in this bundle.
The play mimics a Proxy Reaver opening with a complex transition into a hidden base. Ultimately the hidden base pays dividends and enables a major comeback.
The opening is unfortunately not perfect. Because I opt for a one gate opening with delayed mothership core, I am too defensive after zoning out the first reaper. The reaper knocks a probe off gas, and this sabotage goes unnoticed; from the replay it is clear the first disruptor could have been a lot faster.
The hidden expo goes up on time, and I start heavy probe production in anticipation of the recall. Adepts are so strong against early terran, it seems like endless variations are possible. The terran player drops my main with widow mines and marines, and we see a downside of the proxy.
The first warp prism falls partly because of multitasking priorities. When the prism is intercepted the disruptor retires with 26 kills and the first adept with 14. According to the units killed tab, I am up in army and workers, but as things stand in-game I am behind.
Things get careless, but the disruptors manage a few goods hits and I survive the terran's big attack. Here I get excited and there is some fancy micro mid-map. The possibility of turning things around begins to look real, and I trade away two disruptors from the proxy.
Another warp prism delivers a disruptor hit at the terran's third, and terran gets aggressive. Confusion develops with the terran hitting on so many fronts simultaneously. I lose the cool, calculated demeanor needed for disruptor play, and the terran starts in with the mind games.
I trade away disruptors and adepts at the protoss main and buy time for much needed upgrades. The adepts gain the shield upgrade, and a dark shrine completes. Two disruptors are lost without a warp prism attacking the terran third.
Units from the main mass recall to the hidden expansion, and terran discovers the base. Things are inexcusably sloppy from this point on, and the relentless logic of "pressing buttons" takes over. The Stargate transition is sloppy, and the unit control is bad. There is nothing to say about the game once it enters the macro phase.
Third Replay: PvZ 1 Base Adept Shield DT Pressure
PvZ 1-Base Shield (Adept DT)
This PvZ on Coda LE is the cleanest game of the bundle, and is designed in lieu of the somewhat unorthodox +1 attack, 1-base leg speed zealot.
The opening was once again the 2-gate adept, this time followed up with additional adepts and looking to pressure and force a response. The first adepts are successful just forcing Zerglings and limiting zerg economy. Watching the replay, one adjustment to consider is making trades more difficult to initiate.
I couldn't justify a forge because adepts already kill zerglings in two hits. Dark Templar seem like the ideal follow-up to an aggressive adept opening because zerg won't have overseers. At worst Dark Templar afford map control.
The game plays out without complications because the first Dark Templar warp-in kills the zerg expansion and takes ramp control. I don't suffer serious damage from the zergling counterattack, have the chance to build an expansion, and am able to win the match with a warp prism ferry.
My execution was reasonable in this match. I am not sure one base adept play will be sustainable into the future. More conservative adept builds would need elaborate tactics involving Psionic Transfer, and there would have to be a way to avoid adept depreciation into the mid-game.
