I'm not that knowledgeable about strategy in general but I had just a few questions:
1) What's the max # of SCVs that can be stasis-ed? 2) Can a stasis on SCVs cause a sig enough econ loss on the Terran to be worth it? (esp if Terran is off say 2 bases maybe?) 3) Do stasis-ed SCVs automatically restart mining after coming out of stasis? 4) Are there any VODs that show stasis-ing of SCVs?
I doubt this is worth doing since at the point in the game where you will have arbiters the hit on the terran economy just wont be large enough to warrant its usage on scvs instead of on tanks/vults as usual.
Couldn't the opponent just take scvs from other bases and resume mining almost immediately, since workers just go through stasis when in mining motion? It'd be more efficient just to stasis fighting units.
2) Can a stasis on SCVs cause a sig enough econ loss on the Terran to be worth it? (esp if Terran is off say 2 bases maybe?)
Stasis is better off being used at Tanks or Goliaths.
I,m a Terran myself and if my opponent Toss used a Stasis on my SCV I will just like "Oh, thanks for not stasis-ing my Goliaths, I can shot down your Arbiter as much as I want"
IMO, destroying my SCV will cause me alot more damage then stasis-ing it. For example, you destroyed like 20 of my SCV, there I already lose 1000 minerals of aset + 1000 minerals to create another 20 SCV.
If he is transferring his scv's out of his main after you do a recall you can stasis them on the ramp to block it from other units getting by. I can't really think of any other situation where it would be worth it though.
if you can safely get into their base with your arbiter. why not just recall into their mineral line with like 10 goons, 10 zeals, another arbiter, and 2 storms?
Yes, I agree with Xiberia. By the time that you have Arbiters, killing off the army would probably cost them more minerals than the temporary loss of SCV's would. And if you get your arbiter at the mineral line of the Terran, a Recal would be even more effective.
stasising transfering scvs can be devastating, happened to me and i was transferring shitloads of scvs (almost all my scvs) and my eco got effing screwed.
On July 10 2009 00:28 lac29 wrote: If you make fast arbiters asap the econ damage from stasis-ed SCVs would be more sig than later games right? Maybe it would worth it then?
You would be better off just storm dropping since you have the tech for it and saving up the arbiters energy.
Sorry to make an semi off topic post, but I imagine one of these days that TERRANS will have the lead by so much they will make 20 ghosts and lockdown every probe and then stop YOUR eco!
the only time stasis mining workers really helped that i remember was bisu vs stork game 5 on loki, that was because bisu had arbiters, nowhere to recall, and there was only one mining patch for stork saturated with probes
Uhm, stasising Workers can certainly be worth it in various late game scenarios. Like when neither you nor your opponent have many units left, you both have only one mining base left and you happen to have a few Arbiters.
Most of the time you'd be better off stasising something else, but there definitely are a few scenarios that make this a viable choice.
On July 10 2009 01:41 Carnac wrote: Uhm, stasising Workers can certainly be worth it in various late game scenarios. Like when neither you nor your opponent have many units left, you both have only one mining base left and you happen to have a few Arbiters.
Most of the time you'd be better off stasising something else, but there definitely are a few scenarios that make this a viable choice.
Yeah, sometimes you get to late game with like 2 zealots and 10 dragoons but you have like 7 or so arbiters. The terran should have low eco too here (otherwise you are probably dead anyway), so using a few stasis on workers can definitely be worth it. I've had a few games where I just grind down the terran off the sheer number of arbiters I have left in late game.
since the OP's questions have mostly been answered, I just thought i'd chip in and say that the only vod that i've seen with stasis on workers is much vs FBH on othello with him also stasising his own goons, and storming his own units.
Silversky is completely right, its just a slap in the face of the opponent. If you can get into his base without losing the Arb you might as well recall units with a few teplars maybe, the storm would be a lot better or stasis the workers when he moves them to his other base on the ramp so units cant get in, as someone said earlier. A little trick some players, including me, do is to take a dragoon or 2 and stasis your own units on teh ramp so he cant get in, then rape his Depots, Factories and whatever else you see fit.
I didnt see what carnac wrote but he is correct as well, if it is one of those games where you are trying to muster every last one of your probes and the T is doingt he same thing just so you can squeeze out 1 or 2 more units then yes, it is a good and viable option. Of course if you happen to have a HT then go for that.
just in a low eco-late game.. in a very strange situation... i remember a game of nal_ra making stasis in a group of workers (wcg maybe?) in a PVP its more common because the equilibrium its more fragil, but in PVT i think that only in 1 of 100 games could be worth it. Someone have a vod of this?? its really BM XD instead
On July 10 2009 03:35 No_eL wrote: just in a low eco-late game.. in a very strange situation... i remember a game of nal_ra making stasis in a group of workers (wcg maybe?) in a PVP its more common because the equilibrium its more fragil, but in PVT i think that only in 1 of 100 games could be worth it. Someone have a vod of this?? its really BM XD instead
If you can safely run arbiters in and out of his base you might aswell storm drop. That way you won't have to waste a game-breaker on some econ damage when he has 200/200 anyways.
On July 10 2009 00:28 iCCup.CoLd wrote: 1) 200 2) No 3) No 4) No
Is this just in a theoretical sense, being you can only have 200 SCVs or is it actually built into SC where stasis has a maximum of affected units?
there is no cap on stasis, so 200 (the maximum supply, if you had 200 scvs...) is the maximum number of scvs you could possible stasis
There can be more than 200 SCVs in a game for various reasons (UMS Team Melee Mind Control, two players sharing the same patches, etc etc etc).
There is actually a hidden cap, stasis is a sprite so there is the limit there. just like in FMP maps when you cast spells and waste mana but nothing happens. If the cap is nearing and you stasis a pile of 30 workers with only 20 sprites left, obviously only 20 will go.
But basically it is infinite in a single player normal game.
2) Yes, but it is situational. To figure this out you need to test how much minerals 10, 20, 30 SCV mine in a minute (which is the length of stasis time) and then compare that with the cost of the battle units you could have stasised instead.
Besides that, like others have suggested this is not something to 'go for' strategy wise. There are better things to get: such as storm, reaver, recall, etc. Now with all these other options expended and should the situation arise where you are able to stasis a huge pile of SCV or save the mana for something else, then yes this could be worth while.
3) Pretty sure they do, although ones that are building stop ( I think ).
4) I know I've seen some, there might even be a pimp play one from a few years ago.
Fun Fact- cloaked ghost/wraith/kerrigan regen mana without losing cloak while stasis'd. So if the wraiths are below 25 mana and you need more cloak time, but not right now, stasis those fuckers.
PS- at around 35~ in that recent Bisu game you can see that the other normal SCVs trying to mine the ones that the stasised ones were aren't mining.
I think normally you only stasis SCVs as a "Fuck you, Terran, I can do what I want and still win". I'd much rather recall a bunch of probes into the terran's main, though, much funnier.
On July 10 2009 09:30 Sentenal wrote: I think normally you only stasis SCVs as a "Fuck you, Terran, I can do what I want and still win". I'd much rather recall a bunch of probes into the terran's main, though, much funnier.
Funny would be to recall them into base and then immediately out of base.
^ I agree... Stasising SCVs is an absolutely horrible strategy.
Only time I can see it working is in some sort of wierd late game situation where toss/terran mutually destroyed each other's economy and armies:
Terran decides to bunker up, has few scvs, and only 1 active base. Protoss is in similar situation, has a few arbiters, and knows that terran isn't strong enough to push out nor is toss strong enough to break terran.
1596 -- Get 7 players to max scvs and stack them all on one mineral patch at the same time along with your own 196 scvs. To get 196 scvs, tech to mind control, then arbs. Make 1 arb. Then kill your da after starting many command centers. Max the rest of your supply out with scvs. No No Probably somewhere...
On July 10 2009 09:30 Sentenal wrote: I think normally you only stasis SCVs as a "Fuck you, Terran, I can do what I want and still win". I'd much rather recall a bunch of probes into the terran's main, though, much funnier.
Funny would be to recall them into base and then immediately out of base.
It might be useful if you get very fast arbiters and your opponent has no more than two bases. That 40 (I think) seconds of non-mining time would really hurt.
However, if you have such easy access to his base, why not drop/recall a reaver/ht/dt instead? You might be able to take out a building or an add-on as well as some SCVs.
The only time I remember SCV-stasis was all ceremonies. Much did it in that legendary game vs FBH but I can't remember any time a player did it seriously. Better to destroy the SCVs.
I can think of one serious purpose: blocking a ramp. If the SCVs try to run away from the nat and they're all stacked up and running up a ramp, you can consider throwing a stasis on them to seal in the T and then go to town on his other expos.
Most people say its better to stasis something else, but seeing as they're currently ignorant of the fact that you're probably only gonna get like 1 vessel and 1 tank in a good stasis, freezing the SCVs might actually BE the better choice. And unlike recall, which limits the number of units recalled to the space around the arbiter taken up, stasis is unlimited and can freeze ALL units within range.
On July 10 2009 10:05 ultramagnetics wrote: ^ I agree... Stasising SCVs is an absolutely horrible strategy.
Only time I can see it working is in some sort of wierd late game situation where toss/terran mutually destroyed each other's economy and armies:
Terran decides to bunker up, has few scvs, and only 1 active base. Protoss is in similar situation, has a few arbiters, and knows that terran isn't strong enough to push out nor is toss strong enough to break terran.
WTF are you saying? Freezing SCVs is an "absolutely horrible strategy." Stasis lasts for a helluva long time, and it can jack potentially hundreds of minerals. When you're looking for advice, watch out for people who don't know what they're talking about. Freezing a bunch of SCV's for a long time is DEFINITELY better than getting 2 vessels or 2 tanks. Although recall is better than stasis if you have the units and the proper location to recall at.
On July 10 2009 01:00 SilverskY wrote: I think this is more of a ceremonial thing when you know you're gonna win than something that brings a practical advantage.
+1
and to poster: could you really not think of anything better to post, really?
On July 10 2009 10:05 ultramagnetics wrote: ^ I agree... Stasising SCVs is an absolutely horrible strategy.
Only time I can see it working is in some sort of wierd late game situation where toss/terran mutually destroyed each other's economy and armies:
Terran decides to bunker up, has few scvs, and only 1 active base. Protoss is in similar situation, has a few arbiters, and knows that terran isn't strong enough to push out nor is toss strong enough to break terran.
WTF are you saying? Freezing SCVs is an "absolutely horrible strategy." Stasis lasts for a helluva long time, and it can jack potentially hundreds of minerals. When you're looking for advice, watch out for people who don't know what they're talking about. Freezing a bunch of SCV's for a long time is DEFINITELY better than getting 2 vessels or 2 tanks. Although recall is better than stasis if you have the units and the proper location to recall at.
Freezing tanks/vessels < Freezing SCVs < Recall
I have a better idea. PvZ. Protoss should rush dark archons and maelstrom drones!!!! I'm a fucking genius!!!
maelstrom ultralisk / devourers < maelstrom drones < mass observers / storm your own probes for supplies for more obs.
On July 10 2009 10:05 ultramagnetics wrote: ^ I agree... Stasising SCVs is an absolutely horrible strategy.
Only time I can see it working is in some sort of wierd late game situation where toss/terran mutually destroyed each other's economy and armies:
Terran decides to bunker up, has few scvs, and only 1 active base. Protoss is in similar situation, has a few arbiters, and knows that terran isn't strong enough to push out nor is toss strong enough to break terran.
WTF are you saying? Freezing SCVs is an "absolutely horrible strategy." Stasis lasts for a helluva long time, and it can jack potentially hundreds of minerals. When you're looking for advice, watch out for people who don't know what they're talking about. Freezing a bunch of SCV's for a long time is DEFINITELY better than getting 2 vessels or 2 tanks. Although recall is better than stasis if you have the units and the proper location to recall at.
Freezing tanks/vessels < Freezing SCVs < Recall
You are an idiot? Why is stasis researched before recall in almost any pro match-up?
Read every other post in this thread and maybe you'll notice that most people think that: Stasis mech > stasis scv...
On July 10 2009 10:05 ultramagnetics wrote: ^ I agree... Stasising SCVs is an absolutely horrible strategy.
Only time I can see it working is in some sort of wierd late game situation where toss/terran mutually destroyed each other's economy and armies:
Terran decides to bunker up, has few scvs, and only 1 active base. Protoss is in similar situation, has a few arbiters, and knows that terran isn't strong enough to push out nor is toss strong enough to break terran.
WTF are you saying? Freezing SCVs is an "absolutely horrible strategy." Stasis lasts for a helluva long time, and it can jack potentially hundreds of minerals. When you're looking for advice, watch out for people who don't know what they're talking about. Freezing a bunch of SCV's for a long time is DEFINITELY better than getting 2 vessels or 2 tanks. Although recall is better than stasis if you have the units and the proper location to recall at.
Freezing tanks/vessels < Freezing SCVs < Recall
If you don't Stasis the Terran army, you risk losing battles and your own units (and whatever expo they're defending). It's better to kill his army and win a battle, thus killing the expansion he was trying to defend, than to make him lose 300 or so minerals in the late game when he has 3 + bases mining. I can't think of any situation where it wouldn't be more practical to storm drop.
Your thinking is flawed. Stasising peons really is only useful in very peculiar once in a hundred game scenarios. I don't know if you're trying to be funny, but there's no place for humour in the strategy forum :O
Also, what the hell... a 4 page thread about stasising peons T.T
It happened in GOM Classic Season 3 in Backho vs Organ on A Garden of God, very late game situation, both on 1 base, Backho stasises Organs few SCVs still mining to ensure he gets the mineral intake lead.
Nebffa brings up one idea from me - if the stasis hits, like, half his SCVs, and cuts his mineral mining by over 30%, then I think it's probably worth it. Unfortunately, it's hard to get that many SCVs in one stasis unless he's drilling his SCVs.
On July 10 2009 01:00 SilverskY wrote: I think this is more of a ceremonial thing when you know you're gonna win than something that brings a practical advantage.
+1
and to poster: could you really not think of anything better to post, really?