I know that 2 players will almost always beat 1 player unless there is a huge skill gap between them. However, I happen to know these twins that like always play together (a bit cocky btw) and they're not good at all. For example, they would go 9 pool and make no lings for a long time. Now, I'm not good at all in Iccup or TL standards but definately can play beat these guys 1 on 1.So if anyone can brainstorm any viable strategies that I can use to verse these guys without the help of a computer, I would be in your debt.

I'm willing to play any race, and they play mostly Zerg and Protoss. Would it be in my benefit to play a long game or a short game? If I get too aggressive and kill off one of them, I feel like my economy will suffer. What race should I choose for this? Sometimes they go Zerg + Zerg, or Zerg Protoss, or Protoss Protoss.

Kentor

United States5784 Posts

May 07 2009 05:37 GMT

Wouldn't terran be good since it is a defensive race and so you can macro up and maybe do some dropship play? And lay mines in their mineral line.

I think your title should have been 1 vs 2 strategy...

AzureEye

United States1360 Posts

May 07 2009 05:41 GMT

On May 07 2009 14:37 Kentor wrote:
Wouldn't terran be good since it is a defensive race and so you can macro up and maybe do some dropship play? And lay mines in their mineral line.

I think your title should have been 1 vs 2 strategy...

Well last time I went Terran verses their Zerg Zerg, took out one of them but didn't notice the remaining one do a lurker drop on me, which screwed me up really really bad. I didn't get mines because I opened MnM.

Maybe I should try Mech. The only problem with Mech is that I'll be incredibly vulnerable in the beginning. But yeah, mines should be good to contain them for a while

excelZerg

Canada69 Posts

May 07 2009 05:43 GMT

I think your best bet would be to d up and go for some early tech harassment such as dt rush or reaver/vulture drop. since you are saying they are pretty bad you could potentially do a lot of damage with the harassment. Those units could also be used to help set up an extra expo, preferably island expo if possible.

I dont think going for an early kill is a good idea. Unless they really suck, you are going to be very far behind the other opponent who you do not kill. Even a newb can kill you if you overextend yourself especially in the start of the game.

Another important thing is never focus too much on one enemy. If you put all your attention into killing one guy, the other one is free to macro up without any consequences.

TeNken.1

United States226 Posts

May 07 2009 06:08 GMT

I've played a ton of 2v1's versus my roomates, and I've found that terran is probably the worst race to play (if ur playing on something like bgh), just because they are so much slower and fragile and harder to just "a-move", and because you have to babysit so much. I had the most luck going 9pool speedlings, rushing 1 player and harassing as much as I could, then bouncing over to the other player and harassing them. I would then transition into 3 hatch ling + muta.

I think that mutas are a good choice when ur 1v2'ing because the whole problem with playing against 2 players is that you can't ignore 1 person for too long and let them build up. As far as newer players are concerned, as long as you are bugging them and giving them somethign else to think about besides making units and attacking you, it allows you to macro up and solidify any advantage you gain.

Mortician

Bulgaria2332 Posts

May 07 2009 06:10 GMT

1 vs 2 ZZ, the Zs open 4 pool, ur screw'd

KnightOfNi

United States1508 Posts

May 07 2009 06:16 GMT

On May 07 2009 15:10 Mortician wrote:
1 vs 2 ZZ, the Zs open 4 pool, ur screw'd

zizi yO.

I'd say that protoss isn't such a good race to go either... Its easy to macro a shitton of units and 1a2a3a them at your opponent while making more, but they don't hold that well under fire, especially combined fire... zerg doesn't need to hold well under fire and they are so fast and mobile (mutaling) that its really difficult for one player to effectively "help" the other, since that would leave them open to that same kind of attack.

AzureEye

United States1360 Posts

May 07 2009 06:21 GMT

Would it be possible to FE forge and go 3 cannon if they go Zerg Zerg? or even Zerg Protoss

This would be on a normal map (no BGH).

I think going Protoss, I could block their early rushes much easier, even better with the help of shield batterys. If I try to block them as Zerg, early sunks are costly in econ

Peanuts.

United States378 Posts

May 07 2009 06:31 GMT

usually when i play 1v2 vs my friends who are actually pretty good considering how much they play, i usually go forge first and go for FE to gain advantage. They both played zerg and one would 9pool me while other would go fast mutas. Strat is actually pretty good.

CharlieMurphy

United States22895 Posts

May 07 2009 06:34 GMT

#10

In general any game of skill is better for the skilled player the longer it runs. But in a 2v1 it is very important to finish off / keep crippled one of the players asap.

Bebop Berserker

United States246 Posts

May 07 2009 07:08 GMT

#11

I would say prtoss is best. Try to expo and get a fast reaver or two out. Reavers are the best vs zerg imo. Maybe change it up with corsair into dt. Not a big P v Z but reavers and (dark and high)tempalrs are pwnage.

GTR

51476 Posts

May 07 2009 07:11 GMT

#12

I've played a considerable amount of 1v2's against my friends.

Generally for each race it is best to;

T: Wall-in, defend and go from there.
P: 2gate, defend/kill weaker player.
Z: 9pool, kill weaker player, go from there.

konadora

Singapore66201 Posts

May 07 2009 07:11 GMT

#13

Go Protoss FE, cannon up and do DT drops everywhere.

aznmathfreak

United States148 Posts

May 07 2009 07:24 GMT

#14

I have actually done a few 1v2s for fun before against weaker players, a few things that you should take into account. Depending on how bad they are, generally going defensive is bad, unless you're securing two base econ vs two 1 base econ or something and you know they will throw stuff at it relentlessly like computers. What end up happening is that even bad players, when given enough time will start massing up enough stuff/econ that they can overwhelm you 2v1 unless you secure a macro advantage.

I had two approaches to winning a 1v2. Since I played zerg and my muta micro was passable, I secured ramp hatch with enough sunks to stop their units from rushing into my main and just massed mutas. There are some key timings, when the mutas come out initially, assuming your opponents are bad, you should be able to severely damage one of their economy. If not, you're kind of screwed once the one you attack recovers. It's easier to attack a zerg/protoss rather than terran with mutas first. If they're going aggressive builds, a 9 hatch could give you the ling count/sunk to defend early and later allow you to pump out a little bit of drones and tech to mutas.

The other approach is super aggressive build. You go 9 pool speed and with superior micro break up into one of their ramp. Obviously against a terran wall in you're kind of screwed unless they don't repair or have really late rax, so go with attacking the zerg/toss once again. Now when you attack one of your opponent, the other opponent has two options, counter you or help out ally. If he helps out ally, it's good for you since you should do enough economic damage to make it almost a 1v1 before the opponent gets to the other guy's base. If he goes for you, you should have enough resources to have a creep morphed before lings moved out, place it well and morph to sunk.

Good luck, have fun.

snorlax

United States755 Posts

May 07 2009 07:28 GMT

#15

definitely go defensive+harassments, bad players have a really hard time dealing with things like reaver drop and will leave holes in there defense, then you drop shoot snipe like 12 SCV's and get a fat advantage.

boongee

United States967 Posts

May 07 2009 07:34 GMT

#16

I always use a 9 pool speed into 1 hatch muta build like it's a 2v2. If they're bad enough you should be able to kill one or at least seriously cripple him early on. After that it's easy enough.

Zapdos_Smithh

Canada2620 Posts

May 07 2009 08:08 GMT

#17

watch combat-ex fpvod LAWL he actually did a 2v1 and won it by himself (though his opponents were like afk/D - - - - )

-orb-

United States5770 Posts

May 07 2009 08:55 GMT

#18

On May 07 2009 16:11 konadora wrote:
Go Protoss FE, cannon up and do DT drops everywhere.

Yeah that's what I do.

Unless they both do 4pool you're pretty much set.

If they both do 5pool depending on spawns you can probably defend if you bring all of your probes and your probe micro is good (unlike in a game vs a good person you really do want to bring all your probes... if they're as bad as you say they're not going to be smart enough to see that you brought all your probes and sit back waiting for you to retreat cause your econ is hurting).

bellweather

United States404 Posts

May 07 2009 09:33 GMT

#19

I've played a couple of 1v2's and I don't know what your opponents' skill levels are but here's something that's worked for me with a pretty high success rate:

9pool one of them (preferably weaker of the two) then 2 hatch muta harass. If they suck enough you can quickly turn it into a 1v1 with the other either dead or trying to rebuild his economy. It's probably in your best interest to pick a map with raised mains (most uncoordinated players playing 1v2 will not be properly prepared to defend their ally and go for a counter attack).