EPTFellow Zergs, do you remember the day Terrans started realising they could fast expand too? Oh how we giggled and snorted and tittered away. How for so long we'd made them think only we could fast expand. Fellow Zergs, do you remember the day Protosses started realising they could fast expand too? Oh how we giggled and snorted and tittered away. How for so long we'd made them think only we could fast expand. But fellow Zergs, they are laughing at us right now. How a Terran knows to place his supply depots just above his barracks to make an impassible wall. How a Protoss knows to place his gateway just above his forge to make an impassible wall. But somewhere inside of us, we're realising we can wall too. We can place are buildings as cleverly as any Protoss or Terran.
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Okay, enough crap.
It's not news to high level Zergs that building positioning is still important. It isn't news now, and it wasn't news in 1999. But so many low level Zergs think that because they're not Protoss or Terran, they don't have any good options or reason to choose especially where they place their buildings. This is a wake up call. I'm telling you it is, and it will save your butt in a lot of games. I'm not a great player myself, so I won't say any of the following are the best positions. But I will say that they have thought in them, and your building positioning needs thought too. Even if it's on the fly and you aren't memorising anything, be sure to keep this is mind next time you play.
![[image loading]](http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5429/scscrnshot081209182007.png)
This is something I do a lot in ZvZ. The spawning pool is build to the right of the extractor, helping to block my peons that are mining gas. My peons that are mining gas are helping to block the sunken colony from Zerglings as well. With some good drone micro, you can cost your opponent a lot of Zerglings and save yourself a number of drones with these tight spaces. Notice also that the extractor helps to block the sunken. Notice that the sunken protects the most important buildings, the extractor, and the spawning pool (and of course the hatchery and the mineral line). Don't build your spawning pool in some stupid random location in a ZvZ. If you build a second hatchery, and you need a second sunken, you should build your hatchery in such a way that it will help protect your new sunken from two sides. IE right under the first hatchery, 1 or two matrixes to the right.
Remember also that when you build ANYTHING, especially in ZvZ, use the drone that is mining from the farthest minerals to build it, or at least move a drone that was mining from a far away mineral to a close mineral that you just took a drone off of.
![[image loading]](http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/5286/scscrnshot081209182143.png)
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This is another good wall, which is strong vs vultures, but gives you less bridge control.
![[image loading]](http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1610/destiwall.jpg)
Destination is one of the most important maps to be making maximum use of your buildings. Against Terran, the above settup will help prevent a vulture runby. Notice that the Terran would get stuck on your hatcheries and den if he went straight in. Notice that the drones mining minerals and gas would make it still difficult to swoop around. Notice that the sunken is right at the edge between the bridges. This is very good against a meching Terran. Mech is very common on Destination.
![[image loading]](http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9635/scscrnshot081209182319.png)
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This one is actually probably better, because it puts your evochamber in less danger, while still making use of it.
![[image loading]](http://img146.imageshack.us/img146/8634/scscrnshot081209195537.png)
Destination ZvP is also demanding in the way you must place your buildings. If your opponent is rushing with many Zealots, and an archon, this can be a powerful settup. Notice how the sunkens are placed behind the buildings. Walled off like cannons behind a forge and gateway. Notice the path zealots must take to get to them for a surrond. Through the drones? How troublesome. An evolution chamber is a small investment even if you don't need the upgrade right away, but defence is critical. Sometimes it's better than another sunken. Imagine your frustration when medics block your zerglings from attacking marines. That is the frustration the Protoss faces in this set up. A-move is not enough against a smart settup.
![[image loading]](http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/2707/scscrnshot081209183008.png)
A fast zealot push is always a pain. Against 2 gate zealots, do you often complain? Learn to position your units then, idiot. Maybe you don't have three hatch, but there is no reason to throw your sunk down way out in front. Put it right beside you hatchery. This will help you. Make sure you leave room for large units (like ultralisks) in the late game to run through.
![[image loading]](http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/120/scscrnshot081209182958.png)
It isn't limited to just your main, or your natural. All expos should have thought put into them. This settup risks the evolution chamber's saftey, but if you are being threated by a very fast attack, it may be exactly what you need.
Again, I am no expert, and there are probably even better ways to position your buildings than these examples. I just want to stimulate thought about Zerg building positioning, and make sure any nooby Zergs aren't ignoring a very important aspect of Zerg play. Please post positions you've found helpful if you can.
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On August 25 2009 07:24 Saracen wrote:
These building orientations are zeal-proof
Hatch/Evo
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Hatch/Den
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Den-Evo
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Spire is really fucking tight and can block most things.
These building orientations are zeal-proof
Hatch/Evo
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Hatch-Evo
Hatch
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Evo
Hatch
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Evo
Hatch/Den
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Den-Hatch-Den
Hatch
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Den
Hatch
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Den
Den-Evo
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Den-Evo
Evo
-
Den
-
Evo
Evo
-
Den
-
Evo
Spire is really fucking tight and can block most things.
On August 25 2009 08:57 Chef wrote:
The following are visual examples of possible walls. Yellow means lings can go between the buildings, but Zealots can't, Red means neither can. A light blue 'H' means Hydras CAN go between them, but Zealots can't.
+ Show Spoiler +![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/9/9d/Zwall1.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/c/c4/Zwall2.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/3/3b/Zwall3.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/0/09/Zwall4.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/2/2a/Zwall6.png)
![[image loading]](http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft/images/b/be/Zwall7.png)
The following are visual examples of possible walls. Yellow means lings can go between the buildings, but Zealots can't, Red means neither can. A light blue 'H' means Hydras CAN go between them, but Zealots can't.
+ Show Spoiler +
+ Show Spoiler [A wall I got really excited over] +
EDIT:
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HOOOOLY CRAP :O I believe I've just discovered something incredible. Something possible never seen before, on the oldest map in StarCraft, no less.
![[image loading]](http://img22.imageshack.us/img22/9700/scscrnshot081209235249.png)
This wall is ling tight. This wall is not repeatable on any of the other positions, but may be repeatable on other maps. On python I've been able to make zealot tight walls.
Creep does not extend close enough to the edge of cliffs facing the south. The only reason this works, is because creep DOES extend very close to the edge of cliffs facing the north, and the THE EAST (and probably the west as well).
Why is this important? Think of the ridiculous advantage you'd have in ZvZ if you could make a wall and your opponent couldn't. You get a huge economy, skip ling speed, get insanely fast muta. Wow. And all the cheesy strats you can dream of in ZvP. :O This excites me very much. If you see this opportunity in another map, be sure to post it in this thread. Maybe I'm wrong to get so excited and someone else has seen this before, but I feel like it's new... Something new in an 11 year old game :D
In any case, it's a brand new dynamic for map makers to play with, especially if they make it possible at the natural or have an in base expansion so zerg can maintain a good economy.
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HOOOOLY CRAP :O I believe I've just discovered something incredible. Something possible never seen before, on the oldest map in StarCraft, no less.
This wall is ling tight. This wall is not repeatable on any of the other positions, but may be repeatable on other maps. On python I've been able to make zealot tight walls.
Creep does not extend close enough to the edge of cliffs facing the south. The only reason this works, is because creep DOES extend very close to the edge of cliffs facing the north, and the THE EAST (and probably the west as well).
Why is this important? Think of the ridiculous advantage you'd have in ZvZ if you could make a wall and your opponent couldn't. You get a huge economy, skip ling speed, get insanely fast muta. Wow. And all the cheesy strats you can dream of in ZvP. :O This excites me very much. If you see this opportunity in another map, be sure to post it in this thread. Maybe I'm wrong to get so excited and someone else has seen this before, but I feel like it's new... Something new in an 11 year old game :D
In any case, it's a brand new dynamic for map makers to play with, especially if they make it possible at the natural or have an in base expansion so zerg can maintain a good economy.
