Group B ZerO and Rush Advanced

ZerO vs Britney
The second day of the VANT National Starleague started with ZerO and Britney. ZerO opened with 3 hatchery spire while Britney opened with FFE. Britney opted to do a +1 speed zealot/sair all in with 4 gates. Fortunately for ZerO, he was able to spot Britney not mining gas at his natural expo and massed sunkens. Britney needed to inflict some damage so he smashed his zealots into the sunken line but ZerO’s defense held. In order to expand, Britney reinforced his zealot strike force with archons where they ended up meeting even more sunkens and mutas. Eventually, hordes of hydra overran Britney’s attempt to secure a third, ending the game.



PianO vs Rush
Wraith usage has drastically changed TvT overall into a more ZvZ-like matchup with the previous game and this one being examples of this observation. Rush opened the game with 1 barracks expo. PianO opened with 1 factory and a hidden starport. The whole game revolved around Rush trying to hang on and doing his best to take out PianO’s wraiths. It did not end well for him and the victory went to Lennon Terran PianO.

Winners' Match: ZerO vs PianO
The two former teammates met in the winners' match to determine who advances first. The early game was standard 12 hatchery vs 1 barracks expo that transitioned into a standard M&M vs Mutaling midgame. There was nothing of note until PianO assaulted ZerO's natural not once but twice at the expense of a later third expansion. It wasn't a good deal for PianO as awful positioning and swarms thwarted his attacks while his late third was sacked temporarily by ZerO. Nevertheless, PianO's drop heavy M&M style kept ZerO on his toes with action taking place at almost every corner of ZerO's side of the map. But Zero was visibly well prepared and weathered the storm with poise. The end came when ZerO checked PianO's third again to which PianO wrote "wait for me GG" - translated by ilikestarcraft.

Losers' Match: Britney vs Rush
I watched this game to the tune of Terror's enthusiastic commentary as he both berated and praised Britney (just guesswork on my part). Rush opened bunker expo versus Britney's 3 dragoon expo. Both players quickly secured three bases with Rush pushing out before the first arbiter took flight. Britney barely halted the push and then planted a nexus in an awkward place to defend. Rush, quick to see the weakness denied it with pure vultures. Possibly to give him time to plant another expansion, Britney charged Rush's tank line and recalled zealots on top of the tanks, but, Rush held nicely. The economic advantage that Rush had eventually led to the dismantling of Britney's third and his new fourth expansion. With Rush up two bases with his new fourth expansion, Britney conceded with Terror berating his GG timing.

Final Match: PianO vs Rush
The two terran players met again in a vengeance match on Match Point. They opened the game with identical 1 factory expo into starport builds -except PianO's was proxied. A single control mistake let Rush take air superiority early on which he retained for much of the game. When PianO took brief air superiority, he engaged in ground skirmishes around Rush's expansions until Rush's valkyries wiped out PianO's wraith squadron which resulted in the destruction of PianO's tank line. This allowed Rush's mech to take the center area quicker and shred PianO's tank line in exchange for little of his own. But PianO wasn't going down easily. He made use of drops in an attempt to abuse Rush's lack of mobility. He encountered decent success until Rush unleashed drops of his own and landed the critical blow on PianO's unguarded main base.