EPT
![[image loading]](http://teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/saviorhwasinsemifinals1nu5.jpg)
A big thanks goes to alffla for the HAWT semi-final banner
On thursday the second bo5 semi-final of this MSL took place, with the monster zerg saviOr taking on the deliciously cute Hwasin in a ZvT tilt. Savior was aiming to be a finalist in the MSL for 5 straight seasons, an unbelievable streak. However, a combination of Hwasin's TvZ skills and the maps in use would provide more than a challenge for saviOr.
As last week, you have two ways to play tonight:
A) I have uploaded the games as normal to Google Video, which you can watch here or download and watch at your leisure, or
B) Red_dragon has written a set of reports that is underneath each VOD.
Please make sure to leave him some feedback so that he can improve his writing for the next time
UPDATE: Some of the embedded videos may not work, because Google is trying to ban my account from Google video. If you cannot see the video here, go to the Google site and it is availible for download.
Red_Dragon intro...
The MSL starleague is slowly coming to the end, with one finalist is already known. The second one will be decided between Hwasin and Savior. Hwasin is known for his very good tvz record (16-3 in msl), but recent loss in OSL to Zergman dropped some shadow upon it. This is in some ways a big test of Hwasins skills, to see how much is he capable of. The player who stands on the other side is no other than Savior himself, a player of great map understanding, good strategy and sick execution. Maestro is in great shape, looking sharp and ready to kill. Map pool is definitely against Savior, but I am sure he has some nice strategies prepared. Who will join Bisu in the finals? Read on!
Game One: Longinus II
Note: To watch the games in full screen, you need to visit the video on the Google site. You can find this game here.
Hwasin vs Savior @ Longinus 2 (tvz record 14-7)
Savior @ 11 scouting with overlord in the wrong direction opened with fast 9 pool, and gas trick, while his opponent @ 3, went for 1 rax, but quickly added one more rax seeing the fast pool. While sending six lings towards Hwasin, zerg quickly took his natural expo. With only 4 marines Hwasin had to pull off some scvs to defend. Displaying great micro, Savior managed to kill three marines despite scv help. Zerg started third hatch, also building one sunken for defense. The terran player had six marines protecting scv building cc at natural.
As lair finished, Savior morphed spire. While building forces from 3 rax, terran went outside of safety toward zerg main with one gourp of m&m. At the same time Savior sent 10 zerglings via longer route in terran main, hoping not to be detected. It worked. Lings walked into terran main, to meet two firebats. Once again Savior showed great micro, and killed firebats. Hwasin had to use previously sent force to clear the threat but not before zerglings scored few scv kills. With spire tech ready, Savior invested in mutas. The very first mutas were sent straight to terran main. Turrets were up, but Savior has been able to take them down, and muta harass begins. As he kept Hwasin busy, zerg player took one more expo.
Large muta number became quite a problem for Hwasin, so he could not leave his main. Savior switched to lurkers. Hwasin built quite a large force from four rax, and one factory.
With hive on the way, Savior constantly harassed terran main, killing few scv and marines in the process. Hwasin gathered big m&m army and two tanks, and he finally moved out. Unfortunately for him, Savior attacked terran main with mutas, taking down turrets. Terran main was defenseless. Having no troops to defend, terran main took big scv loses.
Hwasin sticked to attack plan he had in mind. He sieged outside of zerg main, taking down sunkens and morphed lurkers. Savior had to bring mutas home to defend. With muta/lurker flank, Savior killed most of big terran force. However, he lost all mutas, and few lurkers in the process. Reinforcements from main were on the way for Hwasin, so he keeps pushing. It looked like Savior will have a very hard time defending vs this push.
With help of units from middle left expo (which served like backstab attack), savior executed brutal attack on terran force, but once again he was not able to kill all of the forces, thanks to good micro from Whasin. Savior started defiler mound. However, with severely reduced army, Hwasin decides to back off a little and waits for reinforcements. Savior took this into his advantage, and sent some of his lurker/ling force toward center. Actually Savior was aiming for terran main, but luckily he intercepted some of additional reinforcements for terran and killed it. Hwasin was knocking on zerg door very hard with two groups of m&m, one tank and vessel. This time zerg attacks with everything he has, hoping to defeat terran threat. Savior attacked with 5 lurkers and about 10 lings from main base, and also used 4 lurkers and few lings for backstab attack. Savior`s flank was successful. With few units left, Hwasin retreats home. Defilers were ready, and Savior attacks terran base with 10 lurkers and few lings. With nicely placed swarms, Savior enters terran natural and Hwasin givs up. GG.
Hwasin < Savior 0-1
Game Two: Reverse Temple
Note: To watch the games in full screen, you need to visit the video on the Google site. You can find this game here.
Hwasin vs Savior @ RT (tvz record 10-5)
Hwasin @ 6, walls in at mineral field, as Savior goes for 9 pool once again. Scouting scv managed to delay slightly zerg`s expo.With well placed wall, terran was safe from early zergling attack, and safe to make cc. With expo operational, Hwasin builds marines from two rax. Terran quickly moves out with 4 marines, 2 bats, one medic and scv. Savior once again had to show his trademark micro, as he kills all the enemy forces with 12 lings and minimal loses.
Savior tried to kill supply blocking the way into terran main, but two marines and scv`s repairing supply were too much. Savior also goes for mutas this game, as he makes spire while Hwasin adds third rax. Hwasin goes out once again, with about one group of m&m (2 bats). Savior was very low on units, and he had only one sunken for defense. Hwasin goes in and attacks. Savior tried to flank with lings, buti it didn`t work. Hwasin killed only sunken and all lings, and was also able to kill few drones mining at zerg natural.
The mutas popped up in the right time and with nice muta micro Savior defends. With damaged eco, and pure mutas, Savior had to act quick. He attacked terran main, but it was well defended. Savior did managed to get few scv and marines kill, but nothing big. Knowing he is behind, Savior attacks with remaining forces. Losing all to superior army, Savior calls GG.
Hwasin > Savior 1-1
Game Three: Desert Fox
Note: To watch the games in full screen, you need to visit the video on the Google site. You can find this game here.
Hwasin vs Savior @ Desert Fox (tvz 4-3)
With no worry about early attacks both players tech hard. Factory into two starports for Hwasin @ 7 and fast spire for Savior @ 11. Both players expanded. Savior prepared some scourges when spire finished, which he needed to kill early wraith harass. Hwasin researched cloak, and macroed wraiths and marines hard. Savior was making hydra den, evo chamber, and took one more expo while making mutas. Hwasin discovered new expo, and attacked with wraiths. Terran cleverly used cloacked wraiths to draw attention, and to clear the way for drop ships. Hwasin dropped zerg natural with two drop ships, and he was able to take it down and push into Savior`s main. It looked like he could end the game right there. Savior lost all but four mutas, and barely defends with help of drones.
Hwasin used six drop ships to transfer units across the map. Unfortunately, he ran into Savior mutalisk/scourge army many times, losing precious cargo before it could unload. Terran player desperately tried to drop Saviors expos, but Savior`s unit movement was perfect. Despite big early advantage, and great macro, Savior slowly reversed this game. At this point Savior had main, natural and three more expos vs main, natural and one expo for Hwasin.
Hwasin researched irradiate for vessels, and moved with army in the middle of map, hoping to kill 4:00 expo, but Savior defends well with mutas/scourge. Then terran dropped middle right expo, almost killing it, but zerg reinforcements defends. Savior had defiler mound, and greater spire on the way.
It was clear Hwasin will not be able to stop Savior with so many gas expos. Hwasin expended trying to catch Savior. There was one more big battle for middle right expo, Hwasin was once again very close to kill it, even forced Savior to pull off drones. But in the end Savior was able do defend with guardian/hydra army. Savior dropped one of Hwasins expos, and killed it. After some more back and forth action, Savior quickly made 2 ultra caverns to get upgrades ASAP. Hwasin goes out one more time with big army, but ultras/hydras rape it. GG
Hwasin < Savior 1-2
Game Four: BlitzX
Note: To watch the games in full screen, you need to visit the video on the Google site. You can find this game here.
Hwasin vs Savior @ Blitz X (tvz 5-4)
Featuring blue zerg @ 1, Savior opened with normal 12 hatch, pool, gas build, while Whasin purple terran @ 11, goes for fast 1 rax cc build. Savior quickly started lair. Hwasin was producing marines off two rax, as Savior morphed spire at natural. Terran didn`t have much marines when all of a sudden Savior attacks with more than 12 speed lings. Having no medics, Hwasin defends at natural with beautiful marine/scv micro. Savior took one more expo, but Hwasin successfully scouted spire.
When mutas came, terran was already well prepared with 3 rax making m&m. Savior goes pure muta, but Hwasin placed turrets and m&m army very well not making Savior`s job easy at all. Savior did his best to micro mutas, but he ran into marines and turrets causing him to lose quite a few mutas. Savior was read like a open book, as Hwasin predicted fast hive into greater spire strategy. To defend versus this kind of strategy, terran threw down 2 starports, and armory making valkyries viable.
Hwasin moves out with about two groups of m&m, Savior engages in the fight, but after killing half units retreats. With hive ready, greater spire was on the way. Clever zerg caught Hwasin`s mass marine force outside of safety once again, reducing its size before they could reached safety. Macroing hard, terran moves out with three group of m&m and two vessels. At that time Savior morphed 10 guardians, and he was preparing big attack. Savior pushed with all guardians/mutas/lings he had.
In the middle of big clash, Savior was able to kill all of the terran ground army, but Hwasin`s Valkyries proved to be good choice, as they crushed muta/guardian army. It was a bit of mistake by Savior who had too few scourges, so he couldn`t kill valkyries. After the big fight, Hwsin had six valkyries, and he used them to kill overlords. Using irradiated vessels supported by brand new m&m force, Hwasin killed all of the remaining zergling units Savior had. GG
Hwasin > Savior 2-2
Game Five: Longinus II
Note: To watch the games in full screen, you need to visit the video on the Google site. You can find this game here.
Hwasin vs Savior @ Longinus 2 (tvz 14-8)
This is it, the final game! Like in the first game both players used the same builds. 9 pool, six lings into expo for Savior @ 11, and two rax into academy build for Hwasin after scouting Savior. As first lings came, Hwasin had to use 5-6 scvs to to defend with marines. Savior was only able to kill two scvs, but he only lost one zergling, and slightly delayed Hwasin`s minig. Savior retreats. He used the very same zerglings to scout across the map. Hwasin sent marines toward zerg base, but Savior intercepted with lings and killed few marines. Savior was even able to sneak in Hwasin`s main 7 zerglings, but terran had good amount of m&m ready, and clears threat effortlessly. With no damage done with early 9 pool, Savior was behind again.
Four sunkes seemed to be only defense for Savior, as he had no units. Hwasin sent one group of m&m near zerg entrance, but there already were six sunkens. Savior chose double tech to spire and hydra den, while Hwasin was busy with taking natural, and making units off three rax. Savior quickly rushed to hive while making hydra/lurker army. Hwasin sent his m&m forces on the way home, but Savior set up hold lurker trap. As the trap reviled itself Hwasin quickly scanned, hoped to kill lurkers. Bad call however, lurkers killed 9 marines and one medic, and Hwasin barely saves 2 medics and one marine. Savior even morphed expo @ 12. Zerg expo was still morphing when Hwasin decided to take it out. He sent m&m, and Savior wanted to defend with 4 lurkers, but terran forces already had ramp advantage. Hwasin even built bunker near hatchery. In the same time, Savior tries to go up the ramp with lings/hydras and lurkers. Zerg was able to get up the ramp, and masterfully defends expo.
Terran expo eco started to kick in, and Hwasin had quite a large army by no time. Savior quickly had defiler mound ready, and had in mind to use defilers. Hwasin moves out and goes for 12 expo with two groups of m&m and two tanks. That expo however looked to be fake, just to make Hwasin busy, and to buy time for defilers. Savior had only one drone mining gas there. Knowing terran plan, Savior went all in attack on terran base with defilers ready, and large enemy forces away. Terran base was still well defended by two bunkers, group of m&m and two tanks.
At this point, this attack was Savior`s last hope because of low eco game. Hwasin successfully kills 12 expo, and sends his army home, but just before they reached terran base Savior attacks. Zerg goes in with 10 lurkers, handful of lings and two defilers. With well placed swarms above bunkers and units, zerg brood entered Hwasin`s natural. Hwasin killed one defiler but the other one kept casting dark swarm. Savior`s lurkers were tearing down enemy forces.
Hwasin prepared firebats in main, he even had two vessels and tanks to defend. However he did not have irradiate and zerg had reinforcements on the way. Not showing great micro and losing many units carelessly, Hwasin managed to kill all but two lurkers from the first zerg attack wave. Unfortunately, not giving any time to terran player to recover new lurker/ling/defiler army enters battlefield. Irradiate was ready now, but it is too late, Savior enters Hwasin`s main with beautiful swarms, and starts killing structures. After losing all units (fire bats mostly) Hwasin calls GG!
Hwasin < Savior 2-3
Current Standings
Check out jkillashark's Results and Standings thread for the big picture, all the results, and what is left for this, the tenth MSL.
Again, thanks to Red_Dragon for today's written reports.
Stay Tuned!
Mani.
reports were nicely written.
