[BW Blog] The Adventure continues

The build that I decided on is 7 fac, 2/1 attack off of just 2 base, as explained in this video
As an improving player, I was always against doing something cheesy and all-in-ish as my main build. I wanted to work on my macro and handling long games. I didn't want to have to rely on keen sense of timing. That's why I didn't particularly have a positive view towards builds like 5/6 fac timing attack and instead kept banging my head against the wall trying to do fast 3rd builds.

So why the change of attitude now?

Well, cuz I want to start winning TvP I eventually had to come to terms that Flash style fast 3rd might not be meant for very low level Terran players. I mean I knew this deep inside. I knew that it's harder than 5/6 fact since you have larger territory to defend and Protoss will have free reign to expand and harass you with arbiters or carriers or what have you. The difficulty in playing Terran in that situation is quite disproportionate compared to Protoss. But I always believed that if I keep work on it, it will someday pay off. But I moved away from BW before that day came in 2011, and I was afraid that same thing might happen this time as well.

But the nail in the coffin was Flash advocating this build, that it's a strong build that is neither an all-in nor a timing attack and that it's map-independent.
All discussion ends at that point.

But enough talking, let's finally get to the game!



This is a clash between two mid-1300s in Fighting Spirit.
It was actually my 2nd game trying out this 7-fac build. The 1st game was also on FS, with me at 7 and Protoss at 1. I ended up winning that one pretty smoothly, something I can rarely say in TvP.

My opponent was White protoss at 11.


I was Blue terran at 5, so again, like in the first game, a cross position.


I proceed to wall off the ramp. (This is not what Flash did in his video, but I decided to tailor it to my need)


Unfortunately, his scouting probe enters my base before I can finish the wall off.


But he is going 1 gate core.


I do the trendy N-shape search, which makes me scout him last.


But I see him take his natural, so I don't have to fret about super fast DT or Reaver. But it is cross position, so the starting location has been favorable for him.


Back at my base, I am preparing the ancient build of siege expand.


His dragoons poke up to see what I'm up to, but are quickly chased away.




He is going very safe and standard, going for observers.


He is also taking his 3rd.


I, on the other hand, build a quick armory and start my +1 upgrade.


and start increasing my factory count.


But his observer strolls into my main and sees everything.


I scan his base and see two stargates warping. I had a feeling that he might go carrier. If it's 1 stargate, it's arbiter, but if it's two stargates, it could be either. I assumed he had a 3rd, maybe even a 4th. I was totally in the dark since I didn't do any scouting with my vultures.


Back at home, I increase my factory count up to 7 and prepare to mass an army that could cover the entire middle earth with metal.


I scan his base again, but due to my bad scan location, I don't gain any additional information.


He has indeed gone carriers. Honestly, at low levels, I personally think that dealing with carriers is infinitely easier than dealing with arbiters, provided that you scout him going carriers early enough. If 4~6 carriers catch you off guard, then you might as well gg right there, but if you see it coming, I think it's easier to deal with than trying to emp arbiters, but that's just me.


I used two scans, but comically missed his fleet beacon.


He starts making carriers. Time is now against me.


He is also getting +1 air attack.


I decided to use 1 more scan, and I find his fleet beacon this time.


Now that I confirmed what he is up to, I immediately unsiege everything and start moving out. I must kill him before he has time to get critical mass of carriers.


He tries to buy time and reduce my tank count with zealot bomb. I do lose some tanks, but my army is too big for his ground army to tackle by themselves.




The first 2 carriers are out now and are immediately sent to the front line.


But without all their interceptors ready, they are hardly a force yet. My army plows ahead towards his natural.


His dragoons are no match for my mech army.


He tries to fight with zealots and carriers, but it only gets them badly damaged.


All my 7 factories are working overtime to produce goliaths and vultures non-stop. They are rallied straight to his natural.


He underestimates the power of goliath's anti-air attack, and loses his first two carriers, which is a huge deal.


His next two carriers has popped.


But by now, I have too many goliaths.
Interceptors, observers, shuttles.... whatever that flies is instantly obliterated.


And some time during this, my 2/1 upgrade finishes.


My army takes out his natural and begins to attack his main.


The time has come.
The end has come.
My army has come.


I also send units to disrupt whatever mining bases he has.


My units breach his ramp and enter into his main, where more combat ensues.


The end is near.


My opponent taps out.


Well, despite the win, I have a lot to work on. I needed to take the 3rd as I pushed out.
I built the 3rd CC, but I floated it too late. (If you see the mini-map, you can see it floating to 6)
And I could have done a lot better job scouting with vultures (I did not do any this game)

Of course, better Protosses will have more expansions (that are better defended also) and more units, faster arbiters/carriers, etc, so it won't be this easy against them unless I improve as well.

But that's what's fun about Starcraft. You can always get better.

Well, it's really fun to ladder BW again.
It's been a long time... too long perhaps.

But the adventure will continue.