EPT![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/JfaIDEm.png)
Student StarCraft AI quarterfinals:
Date: Wednesday 27 January 2016 20:00 CET
Wiki:
SSCAIT2015Stream link: http://www.hitbox.tv/sscaitournament
Twitch re-stream link: http://www.twitch.tv/certicky/
This Wednesday is the quarterfinals of the 2015 edition of the Student StarCraft AI tournament. It is the mixed division, so both students and non-students are competing with each other. The quarterfinals will be a Bo3.
General Info
The Student StarCraft AI tournament is a competition where people can design their own StarCraft bot with the BWAPI. This year we finally saw rush bots being slowly phased out. The only rush bots still in the top spots are the most sophisticated rush bots the tournament has ever seen.
The bracket:
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/koRCt0F.png)
Bot details:
Each bot has its own unique strategy, strength and weaknesses. The bots in this Ro8 are as diverse as you can get.
Killerbot:
Wiki:
KillerBotCompeting since: 2012
Signature unit(s): Lurker
Known for: good anti-rush defence, lurker push
Killerbot has always been known for its lurker play. In the SSCAI 2014 it was very good, but had a tendency to crash. In 2015 the author fixed the crashes and updated the bot with better strategies. Ever since, it has always been at the top of the ladder.
IceLab:
Wiki:
ICEBotCompeting since: 2012
Signature unit(s): Siege Tank
Known for: Siege Tank push
This well rounded bot is known for its devastating tank push. With this tank push, IceLab managed to get first place at the 2014 AIIDE and CIG tournaments. It hasn't been updated since, but is still a strong contender.
ZZZKBot:
Wiki:
ZZZKBotCompeting since: 2015
Signature unit(s): Zerling
Known for: most sophisticated 4 pool bot yet
This relatively new bot took everyone by surprise at the CIG 2015 tournament. Although 4 pool bots existed before ZZZKBot, most of those bots simple attack-moved the zerlings to the opponent's base. ZZZKBot put some actual micro-management behind its zerlings. Making it a devastating opponent against any bot that has a weak early defense.
LetaBot:
Wiki:
LetaBotCompeting since: 2014
Signature unit(s): Wraith, BattleCruiser
Known for: Efficient mineral gathering, Wall building, air dominance
LetaBot started out as a bunker rush bot. Over time more and more modules were added until it finally made the transition to a more macro play-style. LetaBot is the only top tier Terran bot that knows how to make walls, and it uses this technique to stop all the zealot rush bots in this tournament. It's efficient mineral gathering makes it very well suited for longer games.
The name is derived from the pro-gamer
Leta, who is known for his wraith micro. The version currently in the tournament doesn't have the wraith micro yet, as that was still under construction. Igor Dimitrijevic:
Wiki:
StoneCompeting since: 2015
Signature unit(s): SCV
Known for: Worker Rush, BWEM library for terrain analysis and easier bot development
Another bot that punishes bots that don't have good early game defence. The worker rush from Stone makes use of the fact that the Terran worker unit ( SCV ) can be repaired. So when an SCV get badly damaged, it pulls back from the fight and gets repair by another worker unit. A clever tactic which even top tier bots have difficulty with.
UAlbertaBot:
Wiki:
UAlbertaBotCompeting since: 2010
Signature unit(s): Zealot
Known for: Combat simulator, zealot rush, playing random
UAlbertaBot originally started out as a zealot rush bot that used a combat simulator to determine when to attack and when to retreat. Since the combat simulator works for all three races, the programmer decided to make the bot capable of playing all three races at a high enough level to get into the quarterfinals.
TscmooP:
Wiki:
TscmooCompeting since: 2015
Signature unit(s): Dark Archon, Arbiter
Known for: Well rounded bot, Build order adjustment
Tscmoo originally started out as a zerg bot. It quickly become the most sophisticated zerg bot on the bot ladder. Afterward Terran and Protoss strategies were also added. Tscmoo is capable of switching build orders and strategies based on the opponent. For the 2015 tournament, Tscmoo decided to go for protoss only.
Ximp:
Wiki:
XIMPCompeting since: 2012
Signature unit(s): Carrier
Known for: Forge Fast Expand into 2 base carrier
Ximp is known as the 2 base carrier bot. By opening with cannons at the natural, Ximp is very safe against early aggression. After expanding, Ximp will add on more cannons to make sure that it is safe from most mid-game aggression. Once the carriers are out, Ximp usually wins by sheer force of interceptors. Ximp's main problem is that a mid-game Tank push can take it out ( Sieged tanks outrage cannons ) before it has enough carriers to stop it.
Predictions:
Vote below for who you think will win.
Killerbot vs IceLab
A mech Terran has an advantage over a lurker Zerg. However the Terran does need detection to detect burrowed lurkers. So if Killerbot can ward off science vessels and drain the comsat scan, the Terran player will be in trouble.
Poll: Killerbot vs IceLab
Killerbot (4)
80%
IceLab (1)
20%
5 total votes
IceLab (1)
5 total votes
Your vote: Killerbot vs IceLab
ZZZbot vs LetaBot
Although LetaBot has some early pool defence like building a bunker after barracks, the version currently in the tournament still uses the old 9 Depot 11 Rax build instead of 9 Depot 10 Rax which is much safer against a 4 pool. But with a bit of luck LetaBot could get several 4 player maps and hold off the 4 pool rush due to the fact that the zerg has to spend extra time scouting.
Poll: ZZZbot vs LetaBot
ZZZbot (4)
57%
LetaBot (3)
43%
7 total votes
LetaBot (3)
7 total votes
Your vote: ZZZbot vs LetaBot
Stone vs UAlbertaBot
This match will be decided mostly by the capability of the worker units of UAlbertaBot. If UAlbertaBot can hold off the SCV rush, it will win the match, otherwise it will loose before it has the change to even create the basic attack unit( Marine/Zealot/Zergling )
Poll: Stone vs UAlbertaBot
Stone (4)
80%
UAlbertaBot (1)
20%
5 total votes
UAlbertaBot (1)
5 total votes
Your vote: Stone vs UAlbertaBot
TscmooP vs Ximp
This match will be decided on whether or not TscmooP can break the cannon wall or has a way to defeat mass Carriers. Most protoss bots that defeat Ximp either use Reavers to break down the cannons or use mass Dark Archons to mind control the Carriers. If TscmooP only masses dragoons, it will be in big trouble because Ximp knows how to use Cliffs and Dragoons aren't cost effective enough against interceptors
Poll: TscmooP vs Ximp
Ximp (4)
67%
TscmooP (2)
33%
6 total votes
TscmooP (2)
6 total votes
Your vote: TscmooP vs Ximp
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/cZloCik.png)
