[H] ZvT- Countering the Bioball

On August 03 2010 02:55 Bemith wrote:
I started with a 14 pool 16 hatch and was working towards hydralisks and roaches because I scouted that he was indeed going for a bio ball attack to begin with.

On August 03 2010 03:13 Melt wrote:
Bioball is not that hard to handle.

You need Speedlings and Sunkens early and of course take your natural.
If he goes for an early push, add Banelings (Can be scouted by Barracks with Reactor).
If he's heavier on Marauders, just plain Speedlings are enough.

If he doesn't push out early, tech to Lair and try to Harass with Mutas and than add Banelings if he pumps Marines. Later, add some Infestors and get Map Control. Try not to waste any of your Mutas into his Turrets or stimmed Marines. Catch his Dropships with your Mutas if he tries to Drop you.

Banelings own Marines
Speedlings own Marauders
Mutas own Marauders
Infestors own Bioball


Hydra Roach doesn't really work against Bio because Marauder counter Roach pretty heavily and Marines deal the damage against anything else.

On August 03 2010 03:05 kalendae wrote:
some additional questions to you folks who can handle the bioball decently. how can you tell they are going bio ball when they've walled in. I have trouble figuring out if it is bioball or banshees, should i sac an overlord to take a peek? what is the best time to do that? and when you have a good mix of baneling + other units do you try to bust in or just map control and expand. how do you eventually win if you take the expand route?

thanks much, really having trouble with terran as zerg right now in plat.

On August 03 2010 03:05 kalendae wrote:
I have trouble figuring out if it is bioball or banshees, should i sac an overlord to take a peek? what is the best time to do that?

On August 03 2010 04:52 rhythmrenegade wrote:
hi Bemith, I'm near the top of a platinum ladder group on the EU server, a bit better than you but not at all very good.

For starters, work on your opening. You have a pretty sloppy 15 hatch (very late).

- First, research says 9-overlord is the best economic expansion for a zerg (if you're not planning to go 6 or 7 spawning pool), so why not try that on for size first of all.

- Build an extractor early and put drones on gas as soon as you start the spawning pool. Zergling speed will change the way you play early game.

- Upgrade to a lair ASAP after using gas for zergling speed. Early hydras prevent against all of the following: banshees, vikings, medvac drops; void rays, phoenixes; mutalisks. Early hydras significantly increase your army's DPS as well.

- If the game moves on to midgame, always get the movement and transport upgrades for your overlords, and always have a few banelings on hand to load into an overlord or two. One overlord holds 4 banelings, 8 banelings dropped on the middle of a bioball during a fight is enough to wipe out _at least_ 1/3 of the bio ball, and they may well melt 1/2 or 3/4 of the enemy troops! Please baneling drop your opponent's SCV line whenever possible.

- In mid/late game, roaches with burrowing claws can decimate a tankline if unborrowed with attention to timing and placement. This is important because 3-4 sieged tanks will ruin a zergling/hydra army before it has time to deal significant damage to a bioball.

I don't yet have good enough game sense or micro to make use of infestors, but freezing an army and neural parasiting the siege tanks behind it while your zerg swarm attacks it seems like a good tactic.

And remember, baneling drop whenever possible.

Here is a long ZvT match from earlier today if you would like to see a platinum-level zerg pull out a victory against terran using some of the tactics described above:

Replay Here