There are variations:
One way is to get a second gate after the nexus.
Another way is to stay on 1 gate and get robo and observatory while making goons out of the single gateway.
Im going to focus on this second method.
So basically you get 1 goon, range, nexus. Then robo, observatory, while making goons from the single gate. Your 5th goon will pop at the same time as your first observer.
Vs Gas
If the Terran didnt open with rax expo or cc first, then you make your 2nd and 3rd gate after the observatory.
The 2 extra gates complete as your 5th goon and first observer pops. So now you begin a round of 3 goons.
Vs Rax Expo:
Make your 3rd nexus and observatory simultaneously while on 1 gate after the 4th goon pops.
You then add 3 gates (total of 4) then citadel.
Alternatively you can add only 2 gates (total of 3) and get a support bay and reaver instead.
Example games:
Here are some examples vs RAX EXPO:
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Dear vs Light on Jade
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/102931_Dear_vs_Light/vod
This shows how to defend against vultures.
Note how your first 4 goons will be able to attack the bunker but the 4th goon only shoots a few times before you have to retreat. You must retreat all the way back to your natural. Dear gets a support bay and reaver. He gets 2 observers, then reaver then shuttle.
Best vs Reality on Jade
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/104906_BeSt_vs_Reality/vod
Here is another similar game, again showing how to defend against vultures. Best demonstrates how to add in a reaver too. He does let 2 vults into his main which could have been avoided.
Here are some examples vs FACTORY OPENINGS:
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Trap vs Sharp on Sniper Ridge
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/120300_Sharp_vs_Trap/vod
This shows how to defend against mine expo (1 tank, 6 rine, vult with mines). See how he immediately retreats to his natural and waits for the 4th goon to pop. Once you have 4 goons, you can 2 hit a tank.
Dear vs Sea on Sniper Ridge
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/102737_Dear_vs_Sea
This game is also vs a mine expo. You can see how Dear positions his goons, waiting at his own natural for the 4th goon to pop, and then moving out to his ridge to engage any possible attack that might be there.
Stats vs Turn on Sniper Ridge
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/102379_Stats_vs_TurN/vod
Turn opens with the 1 vult bunker expo. Watch how Stats places his first goon at his nat choke and a probe on his ramp before the second goon pops (also see Jangbi vs Light on La Mancha for the same technique). When the vult tries to run by, the probe stops it just long enough, and the 2nd goon is out now to clean up. This means the vulture is dead rather than just scared off. After that, he briefly attacks the bunker with the first 2 goons, then retreats after the tank is out. Also of interest is that in this game Stats takes two probes off gas to build his nexus but this is not done in any of the other games.
So the games above show how to execute the build vs different terran openings.
Below are some examples of how NOT to do it:
These next 2 games show how not to defend vs vultures after rax expo:
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Its good to trick the enemy into thinking you have a weakness if you are able to get an advantage out of it. Sometimes its good to make it look like vults can runby so the terran does so but then you actually clean them up cost efficiently. However, when a Protoss does a triple nexus, he is absolutely not able to do these sorts of tricks. Protoss must properly block the entrances and react quickly to micro down any mines etc.
Jaehoon vs Fantasy on Jade
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/115471_Argo_vs_FanTaSy/vod
At 8:27 you can see the goons are not tightly blocking the nat choke. The result is catastrophic.
Dear vs Flash on Neo Jade
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/117050_Dear_vs_Flash/vod
The pylon wall into the 3rd was not tight, small mistake but Flash punishes it very well. Also shows how fully walling the close entrance into your 3rd can be problematic. Consider leaving a 1 tile gap into your 3rd at the close entrance, blocked with a goon, or wall it tightly but leave 1 goon trapped inside the 3rd. Dear tries to transition into 3 base carrier but Flash stops that. Useful game to see the opening builds atleast.
These 2 games show how not to defend mine expo (1 tank, 6 rine, vult with mines)
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Sun vs Bogus on Neo Ground Zero
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/99243_INnoVation_vs_Rain/vod
Grape vs Fantasy on Neo Ground Zero
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/116564_FanTaSy_vs_Grape/vod
At 8:05 Grape positions his goons out in the open and they get separated from his natural by mines.
For comparison lets mention a sister build. If you prefer opening with 3 goons before nexus, you can still use a very similar build, in that you build 5 goon from a single gate, start making your 1st observer, and then you get a round of 3 goons just like in the build we are looking at.
For example
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Horang2 vs Reality on Jade
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/98770_Horang2_vs_Reality/main
And
Jangbi vs Last on Jade
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/103249_JangBi_vs_Last/main
This one is a bit harder to observe. We see 5 goons are out of the single gate. We then see he goes up to 3 gates. Later we see he is on 10 goons. My guess is he made the 5, then a round of 3 goons, then 2 more goons and a shuttle, then a round of 3 zealots.
Here is another 17 example games of the 1 goon range nexus opener. This is just a random list and includes examples of the quicker 2nd gate, some wins, some losses etc:
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http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/103159_PianO_vs_Tyson/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/74727_Rain_vs_Rush/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/74731_Bbyong_vs_Rain/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/71908_Rain_vs_Sharp/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/76879_Bbyong_vs_Stats/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/75270_INnoVation_vs_Stats/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/75182_INnoVation_vs_Stats/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/73673_Horang2_vs_Last/vod
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/105065_sOs_vs_TY
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/77334_Last_vs_ParalyzE
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/75145_JangBi_vs_Light
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/96011_sSak_vs_StarDust
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/72159_Flash_vs_Shuttle
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/72765_Iris_vs_Shuttle
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/75267_Flash_vs_Shuttle
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/75193_Flash_vs_Shuttle
http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/127412_Reality_vs_Shuttle
Here are some more precise details:
Im measuring the game start as when a player first has control over their workers etc.
All the timings below can be compared directly.
The following section details timings of things in 1 goon range nexus opener vs fac builds and some other stuff.
Timing of some attacks
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Snow vs Bogus on Sniper Ridge 2 fac attack hits at 6.14 (cross spawn) 6 rines, 3 tanks, 2 scv, 5 vults with speed and mines
Wooki vs Leta on Neo Ground Zero 2 fac attack hits at 6.12 (cross spawn) 8 rines, 2 tanks, 1 scv and 4 vults (2 have already died in an earlier runby attempt)
Movie vs Light on Sniper Ridge 2 fac attack hits at 6.22 (cross spawn, placed 4 mines defensively before moving out) 6 rines, 3 tanks, 1 scv, 5 vults with speed and mines.
(Movie has 3 goons on his ridge, 3 goons at his nat choke and 1 zealot. The 6th goon had just got to the nat. He opened 1 zealot 3 goon expo) (First obs arrives at 6.44)
Bisu vs Hon Sin on Sniper Ridge 2 fac attack hits at 6.37 (cross spawn, placed a couple of mines defensively before moving out) 6 rines, 3 tanks, 3 scv, 7 vults with speed and mines.
(Bisu has 8 goons on his ridge and 1 observer joining. He opened 3 goon expo)
Trap vs Sharp Sniper Ridge Mine expo attack hits at 5.14 (P spawn behind T)
Sun vs Bogus Neo Ground Zero Mine expo attack hits at 4.54 (left vs right)
Grape vs Fantasy Neo Ground Zero Mine expo type attack hits at 5.02 (top vs bottom)
Timings in 1 goon expo examples
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Dear vs Sea on Sniper Ridge
At 5.20 Dear’s 4th goon is at the Nat choke.
At 5.46 Dear's 5th goon pops.
At 6.14 Dear has 5 goons and his first obs is out.
At 6.18 Dear's observer has reached his ridge.
At 6.35 Dear has 8 goons on his ridge
Trap vs Sharp on Sniper Ridge
At 5.14 the 4th goon is at the Nat choke. The mine expo attack hits aswell. (slightly cautious)
At 5.27 the 5th goon pops.
At 6.00 the first obs pops.
At 6.14 the obs is at the Nat choke.
Stats vs Turn on Sniper Ridge
At 6.12 the 5th goon and first obs are at the nat.
Sun vs Bogus on Neo Ground Zero
At 4.54 the mine expo attack hits (6 rines 1 tank 1 vult with mines) and Sun has 3 goons outside his nat choke.
At 5.03 T lays first mine in P nat.
At 5.17 P 4th goon is at the top of main ramp.
Grape vs Fantasy on Neo Ground Zero
At 4.50 Grape has 3 goons engaging 5 rines 1 tank at the centre line.
At 4.57 the 4th goon pops.
At 5.02 the 1 tank 5 rine and vult with mines attack hits the P nat.
Timings in 3 goon expo examples for comparison
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Horang2 vs Reality on Jade (3 goon expo)
At 4.50 3 goons are engaging the T near the Terran ridge (past the halfway line). Terran lays his first mine aswell (on his own ridge). Also the 4th goon pops now.
At 6.04 Protoss has 5 goons and 1 observer.
At 6.17 The 8th goon is at the natural choke.
Jangbi vs Last on Jade (3 goon expo)
At 4.50 P has 3 goons at the Terran ridge (past the halfway line).
At 5.00 P has 4th goon at his nat choke.
At 5.32 P has 5th goon at his nat choke. (natural starts to mine now too)
At 6.39 P has first observer at his ridge.
So the results are that 1 goon expo will have 5 goons and 1 observer vs a 2 fac attack similar to the one in Snow vs Bogus on Sniper Ridge and the one in Leta vs Wooki on Neo Ground Zero. Note that this is the same number of goons as the 3 goon expo.
Vs 6 rines 1 tank, if Terran is very aggressive Protoss will have 3 goons to engage with outside his nat. The 4th goon will be out 20 seconds later. This is worst case scenario.
3 popular ways to open in PvT are:
1 goon expo (this thread)
3 goon expo
2 gate 6 goon expo
Terran can normally scout the nexus timing vs 1 goon expo. This allows him to rule out dts and reavers. It enables him to be more aggressive with his units and with his initial mine placement. Terran will sometimes take a risk and be very aggressive even if he hasn’t scouted the nexus timing too eg Sun vs Bogus on Neo Ground Zero.
The 3 goon expo doesn’t have this weakness, but ofcourse, it doesn’t have the econ injection as early.
The 2 gate 6 goon then nexus is really nice because you can triple nexus off the 6 goons if vs a rax expo, and the pressure the goons put on the bunker keep you even. (I might make a separate thread for this opener).
Bonus games (Two slightly unusual variations of 1 goon expo)
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M18M vs Ssak on Sniper Ridge (game start 2.37)
4.46 P starts 3rd gate and observatory same time
5.13 P has 3 goons on his ridge, contact with Terran mine expo attack (first vult included)
5.24 T lays his 3rd mine.
5.39 P has first observer and 4th goon at his nat. (not common)
6.07 P has 6 goons (so he made 4 goons then got 2 more gates, then made a round of only 2 goons). (not common)
6.42 P has 9 goons (a round of 3 goons)
Tyson vs Piano on Sniper Ridge (game start 2.12)
4.41 P has 2 goons at his nat choke engaging 5 rines 1 vult with mines
4.45 P 3rd goon pops and probes are being transferred to nat.
5.48 P 4th goon reaches the nat choke (he made his 2 extra gates after only 3 goons, delaying this 4th goon) (not common)
The game start times of each game I used were
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Snow vs Bogus on Sniper Ridge 1.31
Wooki vs Leta on Neo Ground Zero 1.48
Movie vs Light on Sniper Ridge 2.56
Bisu vs Hon Sin on Sniper Ridge 2.19
Trap vs Sharp on Sniper Ridge 1.52
Sun vs Bogus on Neo Ground Zero 1.39
Grape vs Fantasy on Neo Ground Zero 3.10
Dear vs Sea on Sniper Ridge 1.48
Stats vs Turn on Sniper Ridge 2.03
Horang2 vs Reality on Jade (3 goon expo) 2.39
Jangbi vs Last on Jade (3 goon expo) 2.05
BONUS
An interesting game to point out is:
Snow vs Bogus on New Sniper Ridge
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http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/korean/games/125174_INnoVation_vs_Snow/main
Unique opening. It happens to be against a 2 fac cross spawn. Snow gets 1 gate core and 3 pylons suggesting a 3 goon expo or similar. However, he only makes 2 goons then nexus. The nexus is built on 25/33 population. He then pauses goon production, gets robo then 2nd and 3rd gate. Now he pauses probe production. He is on 28 population and has 2 goons so he has 24 probes. His 3rd goon pops (30 population) then loses a scouting probe (29/41 population). Soon after, the nexus finishes (adding 9 to psi) and gets presumably another probe as he goes to 30/50 population. We see the nat nexus flashing, then the counter goes to 31, then 32, then 34. This is presumably 2 more probes and the 4th goon from the single gate. Next, we see the main and nat nexus are not flashing. We see the counter go up to 35, then 37, 39, 41. This is the first observer, then a round of 3 goons. Snow is on 41/66 because he made 2 more pylons. Bogus attacks with 6 rines, 3 tanks, 5 vults (with speed and mines), and 2 scv. Snow has 7 goons and an observer when the attack enters his natural. Snow doesn’t have much room to manoeuvre, and suicides one goon forward into the minefield semi successfully. He defends the attack pretty well overall. The follow up vult harass is brilliantly microed by Bogus and he kills quite a few probes. Snow gets a reaver/shuttle and then busts the Terran nat using 11 goons plus reaver with 2 zealots. Bogus has 5 tanks and is not quite able to hold.
Stuff from the old OP that may still be useful:
Q. 'Can it defend vs BBS?'
A. If Terran BBS then the attack arrives as the first goon pops. Therefore you can reactively defend. If no attack comes, Protoss knows he doesn’t need to worry about that opening any more. If Terran was hiding the BBS and comes a few seconds later, you can cancel the nexus and get a shield battery and stuff.
fold made this cool picture showing the quicker 2nd gate variation
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/jQDHqjD.jpg)
Here is a link to a micro map that simulates 1 goon expo vs mine expo and vs 2 fac attacks:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/brood-war/476871-micro-map-pvt-goon
(also a micro map that simulates 3 goon expo vs the same attacks)