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TheMarineGame One on Nostalgia:
Both players opened with two factory builds going into early armouries and goliaths. With his first small task force of vultures/goliaths/tanks TheMarine (terran at one) moved out towards the centre of the map and simply overpowered Cloud’s (terran at seven) initial force. He moved down towards the enemy ramp, forcing Cloud (Cha Jae Ook) to bring his SCVs to stop a break-in. So, within minutes of the start of the game, TheMarine (Kim Jeong Min) had gained a significant advantage and set about capitalising on it, taking his natural way ahead of his opponent. Keeping Cloud busy with a vulture raid, TheMarine started on another expansion at three then another at 12, while Cloud was only just taking his natural. Cloud attempted to complicate matters with a vulture raid of his own at TheMarine’s natural but the game was already effectively over as it was a matter of minutes before TheMarine’s gigantic economic advantage kicked in. He reached Cloud’s natural with siege tanks, obliterated the SCVs and forced the command centre to lift. Moments later Cloud conceded to the inevitable.
Game Two on Requiem:
TheMarine (at six) looked to take a quick two game lead in the match with a bunker at the top of Cloud’s ramp (at the three o’clock position), and a fast two starport build. Hemmed in, Cloud did not panic and proceeded with one factory and one starport. TheMarine produced wraiths, while Cloud manufactured a dropship. As the wraiths swooped in to harass Cloud’s miners, he defended his mineral line with marines and dropped two tanks at TheMarine’s under construction natural expansion. Newly created goliaths now available, Cloud faced minimal resistance in setting up a containment outside his opponent’s main. Deprived of his natural, TheMarine floated a command centre to five and tried to gain counterplay by dropping forces to the bottom of Cloud’s main. The attack came to nothing and Cloud launched a frontal assault on TheMarine’s main, while at the same time attacking his expansion. TheMarine managed to survive with the help of his SCVs but the end was near. Cloud now had his natural and was expanding to 12, forcing TheMarine to type out.
Game Three on Luna:
The match was all square as the two players clashed on Luna. Cloud (at two) opted for a two factory build while TheMarine (at five) went for one factory and one starport, quickly spotted by Cloud’s floating barracks. With wraiths on their way, Cloud had no armoury and opted for a lightning strike, vultures zipping into TheMarine’s main and destroying a number of SCVs. Cloud had also expanded and, after fending off TheMarine’s early wraiths, and now having an armoury, Cloud moved down the map to the perimeter of his opponent’s main. Cloud set up containment near TheMarine’s ramp, facing no resistance. As Cloud’s economy began to surge, TheMarine found himself unable to break out and take his own expansion. Cloud took advantage of his opponent’s plight by re-expanding to the 11 position and putting up two starports. TheMarine’s wraiths finally managed to break the lengthening containment and he started his own expansion. However, Cloud had not been idle. His own ever-growing fleet of wraiths closed in on the enemy expansion. After swatting aside TheMarine’s feeble attempts to attack Cloud, now dominating with his giant airforce, took out TheMarine’s defending tanks with fire from above, while his own tanks came down the map to finish the game.
Game Four on Arizona:
A lengthy, back and forth, exciting game four on Arizona, with TheMarine (at 11) again opening with one factory and two starports, this time against a standard two factory build by Cloud (at two). Cloud tried to advance with his first force of tanks and vultures but was forced to retreat as TheMarine’s early wraiths made their presence known.
As Cloud took his natural, TheMarine took his own expansion and floated another command centre over to the 12 position. As TheMarine cut back on production to fuel his economy, Cloud made a bid to end the match, heading for his enemy’s natural, TheMarine forced to rally his SCVs to block the advance.
TheMarine expanded yet again, this time to nine, as he aggressively pursued a major economic advantage. Cloud also added another command centre at the nearby eight position.
The game began to descend into a chaotic expansion to expansion brawl, with both the new expos at eight and nine falling. Cloud had a new command centre at five, subject to a major drop and ground assault by TheMarine, who was labouring to make his earlier economic advantage count. The five expo fell after a fierce battle as the players continued to exchange expo destruction.
TheMarine had been covertly massing tanks at his natural and he burst out across the top of the map, obliterating everything in his path as he headed for the enemy main. However, Cloud struck back with a drop to TheMarine’s main, sending SCVs fleeing. TheMarine expanded to five as his tanks entered Cloud’s main and razed it to the ground, factories floating away to safety.
Cloud was still in the game, with expos at three and eight, while both players were desperately trying to keep their economies functioning, TheMarine mining at his natural and at 12.
Cloud had somehow found the resources to put up three starports. As TheMarine dropped the eight expansion, Cloud’s new wraiths saved the command centre and he started a new expo at four as it gradually became clear that TheMarine had almost blown himself out. He made a last attempt to destroy the eight expansion but saw his army destroyed in a final battle at left centre, ending the match.
Cloud 3 – 1 TheMarine
Cloud comes back from a game down to defeat TheMarine. Cloud will now face Yellow in the second round on December 13 (Korea).
Gl all
