Now that the beta is (apparently) going to be back up soon, i am starting right where i left off in phase 1. I was playing a ton of TvT and testing sensor towers at all different points in the game. To me it only seemed useful as i was approaching late game, 4th and 5th expo.

Do you think that the sensor tower is ever worth it in TvP and TvZ?
At what point in a TvT do you throw down your sensor tower? Where is the optimal place to place it?++

pingy[wen]

United States157 Posts

July 07 2010 20:28 GMT

IMO, a sensor tower is really useful after your expo has been scouted. seriously one of the most underrated terran thing in the game. unless of course you enjoy getting harassed all the time.

Nagano

United States1157 Posts

July 07 2010 22:05 GMT

A sensor tower would be an early warning system for mobility abuse by Zerg, ie doom drops, back doors, nydus. And if you were to say, go mech, this early warning could mean the difference between successfully retreating in time and minimizing damage, or not.

Plus, it's just a great deterrent if nothing else. I'd think twice about doing a doom drop deep into sensor tower range.

Jollyburner

Canada190 Posts

July 07 2010 22:19 GMT

if your turtling and you cant get a scout on him, it helps. u shouldnt be doing that imo, and ive never built one on ladder, but i might now that ive had some practise vs AI with them.

i like to put it out front and let it get killed if we fight at my door, gets max warning range. also theres some specific maps/locations where it can be really useful to prepare for drops, as mentioned.

Jacobs Ladder

United States1705 Posts

July 07 2010 22:21 GMT

Use it. My PvT mech strat is complicated by sensor towers. It makes drops very difficult, it makes flanking difficult and it hinders my mobility if I don't want to be seen.

Prophecy3

Canada223 Posts

July 08 2010 00:50 GMT

Sensor towers are literally the most under valued and underrated aspects of terran play.

STs should be used everygame. There is absolutely no replacement for huge amount of early warning time STs give you. I believe STs will be essential parts of safe and effective terran play in the coming months.

When to use/build/go for? I tend to do it after 2nd base, when econ is up and my holdings are taken care of.

If you're going mech, Essential for early warning. I've seen so many good terran players lose to doom drops or be caught out of position to the point where their tanks are erased.. This should NEVER Happen. EVER. Your tanks should Never be caught out of place. EVER. and with the STs, that's guaranteed.

It should be a natural addition to any bio army. 250/200 for having knowledge of troop movements inside FoW is invaluable when you're dealing with mobility zerg or protoss. No voidray suprises, no HT drops, no stalker blinking, no flanking, and no drops.

Another added bonus, is that if you put them in specific locations ( your high ground around your xps on kulas) that makes those points into hard points, a free bunker, and a tank or 2 allows you to lock down an area and keep it. By always knowing if there are enemies on route to or near your positions you can free up alot of food to be mobile (read unsieged) and make it a 'response force' instead of a 'holding force'. Terran truly excel at taking a holding territory, and with the addition of the ST to the terran arsenal, it makes breaking a prepared and entrenched Terran position nie on impossible.

TvT - The Air war, and tanking is basically standard at the moment, the only way i've found to make bio effective enough to take complete control of the air, and drop Around the tanks. However even that tactic is made useless with sensor towers.

TvZ - Probably the most important MU for STs I think, for 2 reasons.
1) Map Control - Overlords and zerg creep vision. You CANNOT just hand zerg map control, STs give you intel far outside of visual range. and allow you to see those pesky sitting overlords, allowing you to viking pop them.
2) Defense - As said earlier, no drops nydus or flying surprises, when zerg enters Your Territory, You know about it. Invaluable.

TvP - Especially if going Mech, your army is so immobile that you Need to know an attack is coming and where, before it gets there. there is nothing else able to do that other then suicide scouts.

They can also be used effectively offensively. A Terran defensive fortification right outside an enemy exp is great, with the ST sitting there telling you what you can't see, you'll know when and where to scan and be prepared for the inevitable counter. I can stress enough how underused STs are.

Every Good Terran Builds Sensor Towers EVERY Game.

Karlos

Canada23 Posts

July 08 2010 02:04 GMT

lol sensor towers are new to the game of starcraft. aka there was no sensor tower equivalent in starcraft 1 so the lack of understanding of the mechanic leads to the belief that they are useless. Sensor towers rock nuff said.

Karas

United States230 Posts

July 08 2010 02:07 GMT

Considering the huge emphasis pros place on scouting the sensor tower will definitely be a critical part in high level play as the game matures. That kind of intel is just too precious not to be.

Yokoblue

Canada594 Posts

July 08 2010 02:10 GMT

I think people who think that sensor tower are really really good against doom drop or anything sucks....

Really.. When i'm going to drop on some1... or harass with air or anything ... i just go all around the lilttle pointed circle... and when im ready i charge...

I already got the scouting with units or overlords/observer/scan before I move to harass so even if you have one... it will only tell you like.. 2-3 seconds before im there.

I would actually use the ST to spot expensions and movements in the center of the maps (the part that the xel naga doesnt scout)

n3mo

United States298 Posts

July 08 2010 02:31 GMT

#10

On July 08 2010 11:10 Yokoblue wrote:
I think people who think that sensor tower are really really good against doom drop or anything sucks....

Really.. When i'm going to drop on some1... or harass with air or anything ... i just go all around the lilttle pointed circle... and when im ready i charge...

I already got the scouting with units or overlords/observer/scan before I move to harass so even if you have one... it will only tell you like.. 2-3 seconds before im there.

I would actually use the ST to spot expensions and movements in the center of the maps (the part that the xel naga doesnt scout)

if the towers are placed properly, you can run, but you cannot hide. and to be honest, those 2-3 seconds are sometimes enough for me to get my hellions back to my base, or vikings to cut off your ovies and such.

i don't use it much when going bio, but i'll put down 2 or 3 mid-game while meching so i know anything that comes at me. the extra few seconds to reposition tanks, or drop PDDs, etc. is very helpful.

Sylvr

United States524 Posts

July 08 2010 02:41 GMT

#11

It may seem obvious to a lot of people, but I'll say it anyway; Sensor Towers are only useful if you are constantly looking at your minimap. I know from experience that it's easy for newer players to get caught up in what's at the center of your screen and you miss things that you could have seen if only you'd been paying attention. If you're one of these players, you're going to (mistakenly) think that Sensor Towers are a waste of resources, but just keep trying to get better at glancing down to the bottom left every few seconds and eventually you'll come to appreciate them a lot more.

Diaspora

United States140 Posts

July 08 2010 07:41 GMT

#12

Sensor towers are always incredible but I'd call them a necessity when it comes to mech play and other builds which are centered around slow and cumbersome units. It gives you enough time to reposition, or at least try to reposition your army to defend your base. Sensor towers are so powerful, don't overlook them!

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