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[H] ZvT vs Fantasy Mech

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
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Batibot
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Philippines348 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-28 17:31:34
April 28 2009 17:31 GMT
#1
http://repdepot.net/replay.php?id=11601

Here is the replay that I recently played on Medusa. I go 3 Hatch while he goes Fantasy Mech. I've gotten Hydras just as he was about to drop but, he still caused some disturbance. Can you give tips on how to improve defending against the first vulture drop using the Fantasy Mech build.

So, I did double-expo like what I heard about Day[9]'s podcast against Mech. I mean, you need to expand and expand because Mech can't destroy all your expos. After I massed about 2 groups of Hydra and as he went to attack my 1 oclock expo, I went to counter-attack his base but sadly didn't do enough damage IMO. I managed to destroy some factories but he has also managed to get back in time after destroying an expo.

So, I went pure hydras and just went upgrading them but didn't bother to up my mutas. I managed to kill his 3rd base but the problem was that his mech army managed to caught my troops after they killed his expo. I tried to switch it up to mutas because I noticed that he has many tanks but failed, because I got 0/0 against his upped Gols. Which me leads me to the rant that ZvT Mech is kinda hard for Z because he has to upgrade both his hydras and mutas to fight off Gols/Tanks while T has only to upgrade his mech. Anyways, please watch the replay and pick it off apart. Thanks.
Jaedong has to be a Bonjwa. Tired of of rooting for July.
FirstBorn
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
Romania3955 Posts
April 28 2009 17:40 GMT
#2
I can't watch your replay right now, I'll do it later and try to give you some decent advice.

Here's a VOD that might give you some ideas on what works on what doesn't against mech.
SonuvBob: Yes, the majority of TL is college-aged, and thus clearly stupid.
Chill
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Calgary25998 Posts
April 28 2009 17:45 GMT
#3
Please use an [H] Tag as detailed in the strategy forum guidelines.

Also, make your title as concise as possible.

I've updated your title.
Moderator
Batibot
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Philippines348 Posts
April 28 2009 17:54 GMT
#4
Thanks, Chill. I've watched already some games that follows Fantasy Mech Build. Like GGPlay vs Flash on Medusa where GGplay was able to almost get more than half of the map but, it was just straigh-up mech not fantasy mech. Just a quick question, do I get den first before Lair?
Jaedong has to be a Bonjwa. Tired of of rooting for July.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 28 2009 18:45 GMT
#5
Yes you get den before lair with you first 50 gas, also you use it at your choke to form a partial wall with a sunken to block any early vultures.

I'm sick and about to go back to bed, I'm sorry I can't give a full length detailed explaination but since it took me a while to understand the early game slow and timings I figure why not share.

I choose to go a 3 hat varation, you need den before spire and 5-7 hydra (second gas right after lair) those hydra are not just for vultures they are also incase of wraith and any weird vulture/tank combo.


Now once you have the big down, then you either use those first hydras aggressively or to defend the chokes/ramps of the expos you decide to take. The key to beating the fantasy build is to punish it.
When terran drops vultures in my base I already had a sunken out. ESP vs the fantasy build and ones like it using muta+ hydra early game can get you alot of auto wins.


Note my oppt isn't good the idea is to watch what I'm doing.

Basic 3 hat fantasy approach.
Dromar
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States2145 Posts
April 28 2009 19:29 GMT
#6
Alright, take this with a grain of salt, because I'm only D+ and don't have a whole lot of experience vs mech. That said...

oh also I'm not at a computer with SC installed so I can't watch your replay just now.

On April 29 2009 02:31 Batibot323 wrote:
Here is the replay that I recently played on Medusa. I go 3 Hatch while he goes Fantasy Mech. I've gotten Hydras just as he was about to drop but, he still caused some disturbance. Can you give tips on how to improve defending against the first vulture drop using the Fantasy Mech build.


I guess my tip here is that you have to know it's coming. And you have to really be on the lookout to know WHERE it's coming from. Just having hydras in your base isn't enough, because it takes 11 hydra shots to kill 1 vulture. In the time it takes to get 44 hits in, he's gonna rape a lot of drones. So you need to watch very carefully and be right there, while he's unloading if possible. If this isn't realistic for you, and you're pretty confident fantasy build is what he's doing, make a sunk by your main minerals. 3 sunk shots to take out a vulture will make his harass shorter.

I did double-expo like what I heard about Day[9]'s podcast against Mech. I mean, you need to expand and expand because Mech can't destroy all your expos. After I massed about 2 groups of Hydra and as he went to attack my 1 oclock expo, I went to counter-attack his base but sadly didn't do enough damage IMO. I managed to destroy some factories but he has also managed to get back in time after destroying an expo.


I think counterattacking mech is a bad idea. Between walls and depots and sieged tanks and spidermines and SCVs (very effective at blocking hydras from reaching tanks) and active reinforcements coming from factories, I think you'll find you rarely do enough damage. Meanwhile, you're sure to lose the base he's attacking, and then since you lost your army in the counter attack, he can very quickly move to take out another base.
The general idea AFAIK against mech is to expand a lot, and just wait for him to move out. This gives you a chance to flank/surround, catch him out of position, or hopefully engage while his tanks are unseiged. Don't move in when his tanks, mines, etc. are in a defensive position.

So, I went pure hydras and just went upgrading them but didn't bother to up my mutas. I managed to kill his 3rd base but the problem was that his mech army managed to caught my troops after they killed his expo. I tried to switch it up to mutas because I noticed that he has many tanks but failed, because I got 0/0 against his upped Gols. Which me leads me to the rant that ZvT Mech is kinda hard for Z because he has to upgrade both his hydras and mutas to fight off Gols/Tanks while T has only to upgrade his mech. Anyways, please watch the replay and pick it off apart. Thanks.


You need to have a healthy amount of mutas in order to keep his tank count from getting overwhelming.
FabledIntegral
Profile Blog Joined November 2008
United States9232 Posts
April 28 2009 19:52 GMT
#7
On April 29 2009 04:29 Dromar wrote:
Alright, take this with a grain of salt, because I'm only D+ and don't have a whole lot of experience vs mech. That said...

oh also I'm not at a computer with SC installed so I can't watch your replay just now.

Show nested quote +
On April 29 2009 02:31 Batibot323 wrote:
Here is the replay that I recently played on Medusa. I go 3 Hatch while he goes Fantasy Mech. I've gotten Hydras just as he was about to drop but, he still caused some disturbance. Can you give tips on how to improve defending against the first vulture drop using the Fantasy Mech build.


I guess my tip here is that you have to know it's coming. And you have to really be on the lookout to know WHERE it's coming from. Just having hydras in your base isn't enough, because it takes 11 hydra shots to kill 1 vulture. In the time it takes to get 44 hits in, he's gonna rape a lot of drones. So you need to watch very carefully and be right there, while he's unloading if possible. If this isn't realistic for you, and you're pretty confident fantasy build is what he's doing, make a sunk by your main minerals. 3 sunk shots to take out a vulture will make his harass shorter.

Show nested quote +
I did double-expo like what I heard about Day[9]'s podcast against Mech. I mean, you need to expand and expand because Mech can't destroy all your expos. After I massed about 2 groups of Hydra and as he went to attack my 1 oclock expo, I went to counter-attack his base but sadly didn't do enough damage IMO. I managed to destroy some factories but he has also managed to get back in time after destroying an expo.


I think counterattacking mech is a bad idea. Between walls and depots and sieged tanks and spidermines and SCVs (very effective at blocking hydras from reaching tanks) and active reinforcements coming from factories, I think you'll find you rarely do enough damage. Meanwhile, you're sure to lose the base he's attacking, and then since you lost your army in the counter attack, he can very quickly move to take out another base.
The general idea AFAIK against mech is to expand a lot, and just wait for him to move out. This gives you a chance to flank/surround, catch him out of position, or hopefully engage while his tanks are unseiged. Don't move in when his tanks, mines, etc. are in a defensive position.

Show nested quote +
So, I went pure hydras and just went upgrading them but didn't bother to up my mutas. I managed to kill his 3rd base but the problem was that his mech army managed to caught my troops after they killed his expo. I tried to switch it up to mutas because I noticed that he has many tanks but failed, because I got 0/0 against his upped Gols. Which me leads me to the rant that ZvT Mech is kinda hard for Z because he has to upgrade both his hydras and mutas to fight off Gols/Tanks while T has only to upgrade his mech. Anyways, please watch the replay and pick it off apart. Thanks.


You need to have a healthy amount of mutas in order to keep his tank count from getting overwhelming.


I was unaware it took 11 hits from a hydra to kill a vulture... I don't recommend a sunken whatsoever by your minerals... why not just save the drone and build another hydra that is mobile?
[G4B2S]Tipsy
Profile Joined February 2008
United States2 Posts
April 28 2009 19:54 GMT
#8
If you know the other guy is going to drop it's a good idea to get burrow, you'll have the extra gas before a drop ship is out.
work is the curse of the drinking class
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 28 2009 20:42 GMT
#9
Every single mech build of every sort has a pre-8 minute weakness. Zerg MUST capatilize on them.

A sunken in you mineral line can save your ass. The C+/b- koreans don't just use the dropship once and with good vulture micro you are going to lose drones and hydra(mines) while 1 sunken forces the 4 vultures to either die quickly or move the other way. By you time to get more units.

Failure to make sunkens against mech is an easy way to auto loss to vulture harassment in any mech variation.

The build savior did against leta on tau cross is the same thing I aimed for except I used hydras aggressively since I was facing a vulture/dropship variation of mech.

Counter attacking midgame-lategame is very situational. It seems to me (just from personal experience) that counter attacking mech only works if 1) they are not already at one of your bases so they can potentially turn around and 2) they are only on 2 mineral patches/gases.

Those two guidelines are what I've learned from countless loses to mech.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 28 2009 20:49 GMT
#10
On April 29 2009 04:54 [G4B2S]Tipsy wrote:
If you know the other guy is going to drop it's a good idea to get burrow, you'll have the extra gas before a drop ship is out.


Don't listen to this.

Burrow is something you can consider after your third gas is up and running and you are facing a heavy vulture harrass playstyle. Not before.
Jayme
Profile Blog Joined February 2009
United States5866 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-28 21:58:32
April 28 2009 21:57 GMT
#11
On April 29 2009 04:52 FabledIntegral wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 29 2009 04:29 Dromar wrote:
Alright, take this with a grain of salt, because I'm only D+ and don't have a whole lot of experience vs mech. That said...

oh also I'm not at a computer with SC installed so I can't watch your replay just now.

On April 29 2009 02:31 Batibot323 wrote:
Here is the replay that I recently played on Medusa. I go 3 Hatch while he goes Fantasy Mech. I've gotten Hydras just as he was about to drop but, he still caused some disturbance. Can you give tips on how to improve defending against the first vulture drop using the Fantasy Mech build.


I guess my tip here is that you have to know it's coming. And you have to really be on the lookout to know WHERE it's coming from. Just having hydras in your base isn't enough, because it takes 11 hydra shots to kill 1 vulture. In the time it takes to get 44 hits in, he's gonna rape a lot of drones. So you need to watch very carefully and be right there, while he's unloading if possible. If this isn't realistic for you, and you're pretty confident fantasy build is what he's doing, make a sunk by your main minerals. 3 sunk shots to take out a vulture will make his harass shorter.

I did double-expo like what I heard about Day[9]'s podcast against Mech. I mean, you need to expand and expand because Mech can't destroy all your expos. After I massed about 2 groups of Hydra and as he went to attack my 1 oclock expo, I went to counter-attack his base but sadly didn't do enough damage IMO. I managed to destroy some factories but he has also managed to get back in time after destroying an expo.


I think counterattacking mech is a bad idea. Between walls and depots and sieged tanks and spidermines and SCVs (very effective at blocking hydras from reaching tanks) and active reinforcements coming from factories, I think you'll find you rarely do enough damage. Meanwhile, you're sure to lose the base he's attacking, and then since you lost your army in the counter attack, he can very quickly move to take out another base.
The general idea AFAIK against mech is to expand a lot, and just wait for him to move out. This gives you a chance to flank/surround, catch him out of position, or hopefully engage while his tanks are unseiged. Don't move in when his tanks, mines, etc. are in a defensive position.

So, I went pure hydras and just went upgrading them but didn't bother to up my mutas. I managed to kill his 3rd base but the problem was that his mech army managed to caught my troops after they killed his expo. I tried to switch it up to mutas because I noticed that he has many tanks but failed, because I got 0/0 against his upped Gols. Which me leads me to the rant that ZvT Mech is kinda hard for Z because he has to upgrade both his hydras and mutas to fight off Gols/Tanks while T has only to upgrade his mech. Anyways, please watch the replay and pick it off apart. Thanks.


You need to have a healthy amount of mutas in order to keep his tank count from getting overwhelming.


I was unaware it took 11 hits from a hydra to kill a vulture... I don't recommend a sunken whatsoever by your minerals... why not just save the drone and build another hydra that is mobile?


Your hydralisk has less HP, less range, and less damage than a sunken. Vultures will happily run around and away from a hydralisk or two or possibly just outright kill them. A group of 4 vultures is not going to kill a sunken period and generally people are scared to go near one of them.

Sunkens are pretty much required against any vulture heavy mech build. You save far more money than you lose in drone safety by building one.
Python is garbage, number 1 advocate of getting rid of it.
StRyKeR
Profile Blog Joined January 2006
United States1739 Posts
April 28 2009 22:03 GMT
#12
On April 29 2009 06:57 Jayme wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 29 2009 04:52 FabledIntegral wrote:
On April 29 2009 04:29 Dromar wrote:
Alright, take this with a grain of salt, because I'm only D+ and don't have a whole lot of experience vs mech. That said...

oh also I'm not at a computer with SC installed so I can't watch your replay just now.

On April 29 2009 02:31 Batibot323 wrote:
Here is the replay that I recently played on Medusa. I go 3 Hatch while he goes Fantasy Mech. I've gotten Hydras just as he was about to drop but, he still caused some disturbance. Can you give tips on how to improve defending against the first vulture drop using the Fantasy Mech build.


I guess my tip here is that you have to know it's coming. And you have to really be on the lookout to know WHERE it's coming from. Just having hydras in your base isn't enough, because it takes 11 hydra shots to kill 1 vulture. In the time it takes to get 44 hits in, he's gonna rape a lot of drones. So you need to watch very carefully and be right there, while he's unloading if possible. If this isn't realistic for you, and you're pretty confident fantasy build is what he's doing, make a sunk by your main minerals. 3 sunk shots to take out a vulture will make his harass shorter.

I did double-expo like what I heard about Day[9]'s podcast against Mech. I mean, you need to expand and expand because Mech can't destroy all your expos. After I massed about 2 groups of Hydra and as he went to attack my 1 oclock expo, I went to counter-attack his base but sadly didn't do enough damage IMO. I managed to destroy some factories but he has also managed to get back in time after destroying an expo.


I think counterattacking mech is a bad idea. Between walls and depots and sieged tanks and spidermines and SCVs (very effective at blocking hydras from reaching tanks) and active reinforcements coming from factories, I think you'll find you rarely do enough damage. Meanwhile, you're sure to lose the base he's attacking, and then since you lost your army in the counter attack, he can very quickly move to take out another base.
The general idea AFAIK against mech is to expand a lot, and just wait for him to move out. This gives you a chance to flank/surround, catch him out of position, or hopefully engage while his tanks are unseiged. Don't move in when his tanks, mines, etc. are in a defensive position.

So, I went pure hydras and just went upgrading them but didn't bother to up my mutas. I managed to kill his 3rd base but the problem was that his mech army managed to caught my troops after they killed his expo. I tried to switch it up to mutas because I noticed that he has many tanks but failed, because I got 0/0 against his upped Gols. Which me leads me to the rant that ZvT Mech is kinda hard for Z because he has to upgrade both his hydras and mutas to fight off Gols/Tanks while T has only to upgrade his mech. Anyways, please watch the replay and pick it off apart. Thanks.


You need to have a healthy amount of mutas in order to keep his tank count from getting overwhelming.


I was unaware it took 11 hits from a hydra to kill a vulture... I don't recommend a sunken whatsoever by your minerals... why not just save the drone and build another hydra that is mobile?


Your hydralisk has less HP, less range, and less damage than a sunken. Vultures will happily run around and away from a hydralisk or two or possibly just outright kill them. A group of 4 vultures is not going to kill a sunken period and generally people are scared to go near one of them.

Sunkens are pretty much required against any vulture heavy mech build. You save far more money than you lose in drone safety by building one.


To add to that, I'd build sunkens to DESTROY vultures and hydras to BLOCK vultures, especially at chokes to expos.
Ars longa, vita brevis, principia aeturna.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 28 2009 22:06 GMT
#13
stryker that is a point I forgot to make.

Against fantasy/vulture heavy mech, hydras are like range walls and sunkens are to be drone microed around to by time/destroy vultures.

If you lose ANY amount of drones early zvt against a vulture mech, you are already in a tough position going into a macro game. You must insure that you can whore up fast enough otherwise you'll never get an economy capable of defeating a gol/tank push anyway.
Ideas
Profile Blog Joined April 2008
United States8171 Posts
April 28 2009 22:19 GMT
#14
try to spread your olords around your main so that you can spot spidermines more easily as well.
Free Palestine
Dromar
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
United States2145 Posts
April 28 2009 22:35 GMT
#15
On April 29 2009 04:52 FabledIntegral wrote:
I was unaware it took 11 hits from a hydra to kill a vulture... I don't recommend a sunken whatsoever by your minerals... why not just save the drone and build another hydra that is mobile?


Yeah I thought it only took 8 until I remembered hydras have explosive attack, so they deal 7.5 each hit, so it takes 11 hits.

Anyway, making a sunken is the way to save drones. Vultures can outrun hydras with minimal damage and end up making several passes by the drones before they die. You will lose at least one less drone by making a sunk, probably more.
Drowsy
Profile Blog Joined November 2005
United States4876 Posts
April 29 2009 00:22 GMT
#16
It seems a hell of a lot harder on medusa and maps like it when they have the untouchable third. What pisses me off is that you pretty much have to wait around forever and ever and outlast them since attacking mech head on on medusa is total suicide and they've got minerals to last for a very long time. It seems like a lot of games I win pretty much every fight vs mech by a decent margin but then they macro up to 200/200 and we have 1 big clash where I lose the entire game. If they ever get and keep a 4th for a long time it doesn't seem like you can win at all.
Our Protoss, Who art in Aiur HongUn be Thy name; Thy stalker come, Thy will be blunk, on ladder as it is in Micro Tourny. Give us this win in our daily ladder, and forgive us our cheeses, As we forgive those who play zerg against us.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 29 2009 00:50 GMT
#17
On April 29 2009 09:22 Drowsy wrote:
It seems a hell of a lot harder on medusa and maps like it when they have the untouchable third. What pisses me off is that you pretty much have to wait around forever and ever and outlast them since attacking mech head on on medusa is total suicide and they've got minerals to last for a very long time. It seems like a lot of games I win pretty much every fight vs mech by a decent margin but then they macro up to 200/200 and we have 1 big clash where I lose the entire game. If they ever get and keep a 4th for a long time it doesn't seem like you can win at all.


It does seem like that.

A few notes about Terran economics in general that might help you to view the matchup differently.

1) assuming relatively fast expansion build, terran should run out of both natural and main minerals between 17 minutes and 21. It changes depending on builds and when they call it 'saturation' ect. This mean that the harder you engauge them while preparing a 'next level' wave of tech in mass the quicker you'll run them dry. I believe terran can max on mech 1 1/2 times off of 2 bases. So that is roughly 120-130 mech units. While with even drone saturation amount all bases zerg can have there main still mining at the 20 minute mark. So if you have 4 or 5 bases, you truely have them, while terran might be on a 'forth' but really be on 2 patches / 2 gas, just like at the start.

2) terran cannot afford enough gols and/or tanks at the same time to deal with pure hydra/ling or pure mutalisks, this includes if they get sci or valks. So your setup play (earlymidgame) is to tech in the way you want them to counter first. I like facing goliaths earlier before my huge economy picks up, so I tend to open 3 hat muta/scourge while droning very hard. This way when they do move out with 16-20 gols (if they do) then they will have at most 3-4 tanks. Some zergs do this in the reverse and force tanks -> use mutas in the earlymidgame. Either way by doing this your not only are giving yourself a soft unit counter/advantage you are making your army more cost effective, and delaying the amount of time they are on those first two bases. This will also keep there gas reserve low, so science vessels stay on the back burner longer.

3) Terran cannot afford to max out quickly or even methodically when you force them to make turrets. Turrets for minor drop harassment and for muta. So consistent harassment which delays expansions,depots,turrets will accumuate into larger economic advantages.

4) terran cannot afford to EVER have the perfect unit combination to counter your army in multiple places. Since they will get a third you must force them to defend it with tanks and goliaths. Once they do you must punish them for it.

I look at ZvMech as a boxing match. Terran might threw in a few jabs here and there with vultures but overall he is aiming right for the chin, while zerg is the fast darty/dodging fighting that is trying to setup a combo move. Muta->hydra-ling->defiler/lurker -> muta 1 2 3 4 5 6 BAM.

Batibot
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Philippines348 Posts
April 29 2009 00:57 GMT
#18
So, basically it isn't a bad idea to put a sunken in my main to be more able to fend off the first vulture harass + that way if he wasn't cautious I can counter-attack with a few of my hydras to MAYBE destroy his wall?

@AttackZerg: Thanks for your replay, I'd go watch it after I get home. About counter-attacking, my problem there was when I counter-attacked, I get sandwiched by his tanks and Gols and I wasn't able to put up a good fight with my 2 groups of hydras except for did some damage but they'd all just die to tank fire.

Does anybody know after a series of Z switching up from hydras to mutas back and forth while T is trying to adapt by mixing his gols and tanks a bit too, how do you defeat 3/3 mech with 3/3 hydras and 0/0 mutas. Given that, he massed tanks because only your hydras are upgraded. Do you upgrade mutas as well? Get 2 spires?
Jaedong has to be a Bonjwa. Tired of of rooting for July.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 29 2009 01:02 GMT
#19
Ok a few rules of thumb to follow ZvT vs mech.

As soon as your spire is done and you know its mech, start auto grading carpace, don't even think about it just do it. As soon as you put down your hydra den put down and evo for +1 hydra. Your job isn't to beat terrans grade, just keep up, alot like zvp.

Watch Jaedong vs Forgg on medusa, this game features ALOT ALOT of constant harassment/tech switching to beat a mech terran(he ops for the hydra opening variation I talked about above)

Rewatch the hyvaa video posted above, he uses every zerg unit except queens and ultras (which suck for the most part vs mech). IMO the one posted here is the highest all around vs mech play to date.

Savior vs upmagic on carthage. Savior goes for a more classic/tricky version of play. Muta -> some hydra -> expo->muta + hydra drop -> mass muta. This game really showcases the power of harrassment + tech switches also.

2 spires is a big investment I wouldn't recommend that. Never stop upgrading mutas. Defilers are your lategame obligation. Not for 1 or 2 swarms like lategame zvt but for 5-10 to swarm and entire area of the map and destroy him.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 29 2009 01:03 GMT
#20
Yes about counter attacking like I said. Early on it can be good. Otherwise you must not overcommit to any aggressive action, esp with hydra, u'll pay for it all game!
Batibot
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Philippines348 Posts
April 29 2009 01:08 GMT
#21
So, I used to play against Fantasy Mech like 3 Hatch Muta except I just get hydras to deter the first vulture drop. But now, I used to play it like ZvP 3~4 Hatch Hydra, get Spire for scourge to kill valks and mass hydras. But, what I like about 3 Hatch Muta is that I can go harass his base for a time and double-expand. I can force him to do turrets too. Do I upgrade Air Carapace?
Jaedong has to be a Bonjwa. Tired of of rooting for July.
Drowsy
Profile Blog Joined November 2005
United States4876 Posts
April 29 2009 01:10 GMT
#22
On April 29 2009 09:50 AttackZerg wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 29 2009 09:22 Drowsy wrote:
It seems a hell of a lot harder on medusa and maps like it when they have the untouchable third. What pisses me off is that you pretty much have to wait around forever and ever and outlast them since attacking mech head on on medusa is total suicide and they've got minerals to last for a very long time. It seems like a lot of games I win pretty much every fight vs mech by a decent margin but then they macro up to 200/200 and we have 1 big clash where I lose the entire game. If they ever get and keep a 4th for a long time it doesn't seem like you can win at all.


It does seem like that.

A few notes about Terran economics in general that might help you to view the matchup differently.

1) assuming relatively fast expansion build, terran should run out of both natural and main minerals between 17 minutes and 21. It changes depending on builds and when they call it 'saturation' ect. This mean that the harder you engauge them while preparing a 'next level' wave of tech in mass the quicker you'll run them dry. I believe terran can max on mech 1 1/2 times off of 2 bases. So that is roughly 120-130 mech units. While with even drone saturation amount all bases zerg can have there main still mining at the 20 minute mark. So if you have 4 or 5 bases, you truely have them, while terran might be on a 'forth' but really be on 2 patches / 2 gas, just like at the start.

2) terran cannot afford enough gols and/or tanks at the same time to deal with pure hydra/ling or pure mutalisks, this includes if they get sci or valks. So your setup play (earlymidgame) is to tech in the way you want them to counter first. I like facing goliaths earlier before my huge economy picks up, so I tend to open 3 hat muta/scourge while droning very hard. This way when they do move out with 16-20 gols (if they do) then they will have at most 3-4 tanks. Some zergs do this in the reverse and force tanks -> use mutas in the earlymidgame. Either way by doing this your not only are giving yourself a soft unit counter/advantage you are making your army more cost effective, and delaying the amount of time they are on those first two bases. This will also keep there gas reserve low, so science vessels stay on the back burner longer.

3) Terran cannot afford to max out quickly or even methodically when you force them to make turrets. Turrets for minor drop harassment and for muta. So consistent harassment which delays expansions,depots,turrets will accumuate into larger economic advantages.

4) terran cannot afford to EVER have the perfect unit combination to counter your army in multiple places. Since they will get a third you must force them to defend it with tanks and goliaths. Once they do you must punish them for it.

I look at ZvMech as a boxing match. Terran might threw in a few jabs here and there with vultures but overall he is aiming right for the chin, while zerg is the fast darty/dodging fighting that is trying to setup a combo move. Muta->hydra-ling->defiler/lurker -> muta 1 2 3 4 5 6 BAM.



good post, I feel like this is one of my major leaks. I never really capitalize on terran's inability to always have the perfect mix and ratio to counter my army and I find myself with pure hydraling for too long. It's just kinda scary to mix in mutas in the midgame when a few valkyries or vessels combined with a control mistake can immediately evaporate your mutas.
Our Protoss, Who art in Aiur HongUn be Thy name; Thy stalker come, Thy will be blunk, on ladder as it is in Micro Tourny. Give us this win in our daily ladder, and forgive us our cheeses, As we forgive those who play zerg against us.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 29 2009 01:31 GMT
#23
Drowsy you have the same flawed thinking as I do ingame also.

Just remember 'mixing in' or 'bring some' mutas isn't enough. If your going to show up with muta, make it 20-30-40 power , remember you should be on 4gas minimium by the time your worried about everything. Also never clump your mutas vs mech. Its okay if its 1 group to harrass. but to be honest even sci ira's on 40 mutas is pretty easy to pull part if you don't clump them.
StRyKeR
Profile Blog Joined January 2006
United States1739 Posts
April 29 2009 03:26 GMT
#24
Another important point with the muta carapace upgrade is that once you have +2, valkyries don't do much damage at all to your mutas.

Early game, a few valks can massacre your mutas, but late game, your only real threats are mass goliaths and mass science vessels.
Ars longa, vita brevis, principia aeturna.
Batibot
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Philippines348 Posts
April 29 2009 11:35 GMT
#25
What I find frustrating when I play against mech is that I have too much gas and not enough minerals. I basically went pure hydras. What would be the proper response to this? Lurkers? Mutas? What else?
Jaedong has to be a Bonjwa. Tired of of rooting for July.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 29 2009 11:55 GMT
#26
That is not a good question. You answered it yourself.

Also is going pure hydra the recommended way of dealing with mech ?
Batibot
Profile Blog Joined August 2008
Philippines348 Posts
April 29 2009 12:14 GMT
#27
Ok. Thanks for your tips. I guess I just have to do a bit more practicing. I'd really build a sunken in my main this time.
Jaedong has to be a Bonjwa. Tired of of rooting for July.
myst[a]
Profile Joined March 2005
France130 Posts
April 29 2009 13:46 GMT
#28
sunken main sux
3 hatch muta sux

day advice are a little old, because terran didn't play like they use to play now. Terran meca on iccup is the newiest way to get easy win on iccup.

the truth is meca is very hard and very imba to win.
you can try taking map , they are very strong to harass and kill your 200 pop without loosing more than 20.

some good zerg players use pool 12 gaz 12 at 300, then h12 expo , lair first as soon as possible when spire. timing of spire is now 5:00 instead 6:00, eco is a bit lower but you are safe vs harass. Of course you have to play very good with micro muta but it is the safest way to play.
sixghost
Profile Blog Joined November 2007
United States2096 Posts
April 29 2009 15:51 GMT
#29
On April 29 2009 22:46 myst[a] wrote:
sunken main sux
3 hatch muta sux

day advice are a little old, because terran didn't play like they use to play now. Terran meca on iccup is the newiest way to get easy win on iccup.

the truth is meca is very hard and very imba to win.
you can try taking map , they are very strong to harass and kill your 200 pop without loosing more than 20.

some good zerg players use pool 12 gaz 12 at 300, then h12 expo , lair first as soon as possible when spire. timing of spire is now 5:00 instead 6:00, eco is a bit lower but you are safe vs harass. Of course you have to play very good with micro muta but it is the safest way to play.

I'd actually think that kind of build is really vulnerable to harass. I really doubt you could get a sunken up in time in your nat to defend a vulture. It seems like this build would get ripped to shreds by someone with good vult micro before your mutas could even get out.
mG.sixghost @ iCCup || One ling, two ling, three ling, four... Camp four gas, then ultra-whore . -Saracen
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 29 2009 17:13 GMT
#30
you can defend against harass but overall his entire post is wrong and unhelpfull.


Hey myst what a great way to teach a lower level player how to get a grasp on the game. Go super low eco, really purely on an articulated micro. Learn everything by yourself. and don't defend with sunkens at all costs.

It isn't 5:00 minutes when the 12pool/12gas/12hat build produces muta, at it is a fast 5 muta then the next three come rather slow. Also 2 factory vulture forces enough sunkens/lings to bankrupt you premuta. Not to mention if they just go factory->port -> back into bio. Then its nearly an automatic loss..
myst[a]
Profile Joined March 2005
France130 Posts
April 29 2009 17:38 GMT
#31
http://screplays.info/files/155128262/Blind_vs_SuddenDeath..rep

here a replay with the build I m talking about. Suddendeath. is A+

it is safe, even versus the first vulture, you will have speed ling just after he go, and you will have your sunken ready. so it is safe. It is very nice vs vulture + wraith build, expo meca build.

now if he 2 facto vulture speed, you have to chase vulture first of course.

problem it is a hard build to play, you have to harass terran as soon as possible.

for my new friend attackzerg, sunken main is for noob. 3 hatch muta with 6 hydra is very easy for terran. He can do what's he want without be worried at all and plus harass a litte.. Even if you expand a lot, he can out faster because he is very safe and can kill you with a nice timing.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7577 Posts
April 29 2009 19:00 GMT
#32
Are you in a position to tell me that something I use in my games is 'noob'?

Once again NO. You are advising a low level gamer to rely on preforming a micro intensive hyper agro build.

I've beaten mech gamers in ranked iccup games at B+ and A- using BOTH strategys and 3 hat is stronger.

Then again you obviously no better then day[9] and ret. Because you are ....
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