So you will need both blink and charge in order to do this trick with an army of only zealots and stalkers (for ease of tab abilities).
Basically, you will get your chargelots to charge into the enemy way before the chargelots "are in range the target". Also, you can use this trick to move your zealot army in front of your stalker army or make your zealots move from place to place using charge.
The process:
1. obviously, tech to both charge and blink. Make sure your zealots and stalkers are 'within' each other as in they're mixed within each other.
2. Now, move your units to the desired location, preferably, somewhere far away from your army.
3. Manually select charge on your zealot and select a forward stalker, as in a stalker that is near the front of your army. (I use tab because it's easier).
4. Since you have selected your stalker with your zealot charge, your mouse is back to its default selection mouse.
Select your stalker and blink forward into the desired location. Make sure you don't double click it as you would select all your stalkers and blink to a location. The zealots should be charging at the stalker that is blinked away.
To cancel the attack to the stalker but remain charging, select all your zealots that are charging and attack move.
video:
-edit-
After further testing, charge is left turned on if the move attack command is selected before the zealot hits its target. So, technically, you could do this trick without the stalker blinked to the front and attacking your own zealot. It's only easier because the distance that the zealots need to run is longer, which gives you more time to select the charging zealots into the desired direction.
Also, something to make this topic even more interesting. If you make a arch around a single zealot, and force charge on that zealot. Then quickly select all those zealots and attack move in a direction, they will charge in that direction for as long as the skill lasts. That application i can clearly see working.
recall is probably not a very viable option in most games. This technique would most preferably be used to rush into a zerg/protoss natural with your zealots quickly, before they can react.
On August 30 2010 19:44 Terrakin wrote: not that great imo.. maybe useful against seige tanks
What are you talking about? The earlier they charge, the more damage they will do against bio balls. Half the battle for a zealot is getting there without dying.
You need to run that raw video through some sort of encoder. VirtualDub is free and relatively easy, or you can probably use WindowsMovieMaker if its your OS.
Have you tried doing this blinking up or down a cliff, or over a gap? It seems like this could be a neat little way to speed large groups of zealots around an obstacle, which would be a cool trick to have every once in a while when you're strapped for time.
I like to put the Stalkers at the front, take the first round of hits, then Blink them behind the Zealots.
Though yeah, it would be hilarious if you can Blink a Stalker up that cliff, make the Zealots charge and they zoom around the cliff and up the ramp on a map like Lost Temple.
On August 31 2010 03:37 Pobearo wrote: Have you tried doing this blinking up or down a cliff, or over a gap? It seems like this could be a neat little way to speed large groups of zealots around an obstacle, which would be a cool trick to have every once in a while when you're strapped for time.
It actually works, but unfortunately they don't charge forever. They slow back down after a short time. Still, might have some use.
am I the only one so far to notice that this is going to blow the 12 second cooldown for all your chargelots long before they're in range of the enemy? If you do this while entering a battle scenario, the bioball + tanks or roach + hydra will have a full 12 seconds to kite/destroy the oncoming zealot line as they run at slightly above regular speed towards the enemy.
I really am struggling to find a scenario where this would be useful.
You don't really need blink, you can just charge any zealot and then attack move towards your targets. Using the patrol trick to space your Zealots nicely before hand is good, as it makes a much larger amount of your Zealots charge. It will be a cute situational micro trick against breaking Siege Tank lines.
On August 31 2010 04:19 Solasce wrote: am I the only one so far to notice that this is going to blow the 12 second cooldown for all your chargelots long before they're in range of the enemy? If you do this while entering a battle scenario, the bioball + tanks or roach + hydra will have a full 12 seconds to kite/destroy the oncoming zealot line as they run at slightly above regular speed towards the enemy.
I really am struggling to find a scenario where this would be useful.
If you look at my Livestream Vod, the chargelots charge for a LONG time. In most cases, the chargelots continue to charge even when they ahve reached their targets if you've played enough PvT. When the chargelots go into the ball, the chargelots dance around, trying to find an opening. However, with this technique, all of them come rushing at the bioball at once so there's no time to kite the zealots instead of each of the zealots charging when they get into attack range.
On August 31 2010 04:23 Tump wrote: You don't really need blink, you can just charge any zealot and then attack move towards your targets. Using the patrol trick to space your Zealots nicely before hand is good, as it makes a much larger amount of your Zealots charge. It will be a cute situational micro trick against breaking Siege Tank lines.
Yea, i figured that out last night too. Watch the livestream vod and you'll see that you just charge at a zealot and it will charge at the direction that you attack move. As long as you attack move, the charge will continue. This includes multiple attack move commands.
btw, you don't have to disable the autocasting of charge to do the trick.
Yeah I know, was just messing with the button.
I think it's faster to charge in the screen and then attack the ground instead of the minimap. It gives you more running time as well as more control of where the zealots go.
On August 31 2010 11:16 Sonic114 wrote: I think that this is really great for moving your zealots out front, but i dont see much practical use from it.
1. You will notice that the reason zerglings 'autosurround' is because of their incredible speed. The same applies to the zealots as all of them will be charging at once like zerglings. The surround will be much faster than if they were attack moved into the ball because they will all be charging at the same time (and will not be slowed by Marauder attacks) compared to zealots streaming in as they get closer to the enemy. Also, because the zealots are slower if they are out of range, after the bioball stims, they will be kiting the zealots. This therefore constantly keeps the zealots in the back uncharged and not doing damage.
2. As I said earlier in the thread, the longer it takes for a zealot to get to the target, the less damage that the zealot will die. With that said, wouldn't it be the best advantage for the zealots to be moving at its maximum speed during the entire engagement? Almost all of the time, against bio balls, my zealots are hit before they start charging therefore, if they start charge before they get hit, they will be hit less in the long run.
3. Breaking tank lines much? I think FaZe pointed out in his thread, the charge is just a little bit longer than tank's range. enuff said.
4. This is a bit more situational, but if you suddenly get dropped from the otherside of your base, the mobility of your zealots will be much better as they will be charging across your base even faster than stalkers can blink.
5. As they are the meatshields for most protoss armies, they are best if they are in the battles first with stalkers/other ranged units in the back supporting them. Charging with all your zealots ensures that all of them will be charging in front, keeping your more valuable units alive for longer as each of your zealots will be in front of your main army.
On August 31 2010 18:48 Aerox wrote: Goddammit, Blizz. In the end, it becomes an inefficient interface. I suggest to yell at Blizzard to turn charge into a stimpack type of button.
lol yea, wouldn't that be nice for once...something easier for the protoss.
EPT
