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Hello!
This is decaf from the european servers; I'm an 800 points Zerg, but I could easily have 2k points (just for the record).
First of all I'd like to say that I did NOT work these 3 builds out on my own. I got those 3 builds from a video and I decided to write them down, since many seem to struggle with ZvZ a lot. These builds were worked out by EGMachine and EGIdra, so all credit goes to them! (If you decide to watch the video skip to the 1h mark)
1.0 One Base Roach Opener
Build Order:
+ Show Spoiler +
9 ovi
14 pool
14 gas
15 ovi
15 queen
17 Roach Warren + 6 Zerglings when pool finishes (4 lings on ramp, scout with 2)
19 drone
20 ovi
20 6 roaches
32 ovi
32 Lair, 2nd gas, evo chamber, drones (~2 drones for every 4 roaches)
42 lvl 1 range upgrade, overseer (for contaminate), roaches
50 roach speed, burrow
. attack and expand when the 3 upgrades (attack, speed, burrow) are done
. start a queen in the main when the expo is half done
. lvl 2 range upgrade when expo done
. 3rd and 4th gas, infestation pit (~1 minute after 2 range upgrade)
. patho glands when the infestation pit is done
. ~3 infestors when patho glands half done
1.1 How to play this build?
Try to split up his army with fungal growths and attack the spilt up part of it. Burrow your damaged roaches. You don't need burrow movement since the opponent will have an overseer anyway. Watch our for Muta tech switches!
1.2 What maps is this build good on?
Small maps favor this build since the opponent can't really punish you for moving out. Delta Quadrant, Steppes of War
2.0 Speedling into Baneling
Build Order:
+ Show Spoiler +
9 ovi
14 gas
14 pool
15 queen, ling speed (100gas) -> rally to the middle of the map, pump lings (no more drones, 15 is enough)
20 Banelingsnest
19 lings
23 ovi
23 more lings
sidemark: you can't really transition with this build. The only scenario a transition might be possible is if the opponent plays defensice ling/bling with a spine crawler, which should give you enough time.
The opponent has a roach warren, what should I do?:
. if the opp has a roach warren (scout with the first two lings) cancel the nest, pull drones off gas and pump drones
~30 double gas, evo chamber, roach warren
. lvl1 range upgrade, roach speed, overseer, burrow
. if the opp goes spire get some spores, if he goes heavy roach into spire you have enough time to get a decent amount of hydras
. get an expansion when the 3 upgrades are done and follow up with infestors
2.1 How to play this build?
This is essential: Never morph more than 2 lings into blings at a time (you wouldn't have much to defend for a short period of time). While the banelings morph set their rally points to his mineral line and completely forget about them. All you have to do is to micro your lings against his blings and let it up to the opponent to handle your blings.
Don't forget to keep morphing banelings and let them run into his mineral line. Try to kill his incoming blings with your lings. Deselecting lings is the best way to do it imo. Also never attack one baneling with more than two lings. The math behind it: It takes 2 banelings to kill one baneling; if you don't attack his baneling with more than 2 lings you should get an eco advantage since 2 lings are 50 minerals and 1 bling is 50 minerals and 25 gas.
2.2 What maps is this build good on?
I find this build to be pretty good on any map. This build is also very good against roach openers and FEs. My favorite out of these 3 builds.
3.0 Fast Expansion
Build Order:
+ Show Spoiler +
15 hatch
15 pool (better than 14pool, since it wins and loses against the exact same builds)
15 ovi
17 2 queens, transfer 5 drones to the nat and put 2 spnes at your nat
19 drones
22 ovi
22 8 lings, block the ramp with both queens
26 2 more spines at nat, keep droning
40 double gas
~46 roach warren
. 3rd hatch in main, Lair
. queen back to main, evo chamber when roaches pop
3.1 How to play this build?
Try to place your buildings (evo chamber, roach warren and spines) right - you should block the ramp with them. If you manage to fend off the first 2 attacks you should have such a huge eco advantage that it's already GG. Watch out for Muta tech switches!
3.2 What maps is this build good on?
You know, maps where main and nat share one ramp. LT, meta..
4. Any Replays?
Just go ahead and watch the video I linked above.
Here is also a link with many VoDs that might help you, check them out:
http://mrbitter.blip.tv/posts?view=archive&nsfw=dc
Also: In ZvZ you want to place your overlords along the path to your opponent. If he kills too many of your overlords with mutas get ovi speed. EGMachine also states that he doesn't drone-scout, since you never see anything that is worth seeing. He likes scouting with his first 2 lings.
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Australia7 Posts
Can any of these fend off a 6 pool?
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I havnt looked at the video but I'm guessing they are from coaching by machine. Good builds anyways.
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On November 28 2010 20:09 Maicro wrote:
Can any of these fend off a 6 pool?
anyone that has good drone micro can fend off a 6 pool
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i play sling only with a more or less fast +1 and expand at ~20 and i'm doing really well... i can fend off ling bling and roach and roach baneling
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I certainly like the roach and bling, but the expand confuses me
How do you survive with 0 lings with 15 hatch 15 pool until 20+ food? any 12-14 pool that pops with 6 lings at once will likely insta kill you
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I personally like the roach opener build the most, though I don't usually get the infestor upgrade. But it's something to consider for sure. The roach opener build is especially good on maps with small ramps since you can pretty much annul any random mass ling/baneling play by blocking the ramp.
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On November 28 2010 22:02 ktimekiller wrote:
I certainly like the roach and bling, but the expand confuses me
How do you survive with 0 lings with 15 hatch 15 pool until 20+ food? any 12-14 pool that pops with 6 lings at once will likely insta kill you
Unless he starts close to you (at which point you should probably go for another tactic) the 6 lings won't kill anything till your 6 lings pop out, just kite the lings.
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Thx, I need to stop freestyling. 
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Most of your questions will be answered in the linked video I think, since it also provides nice replays and live casting from EGMachine.
ZvZ was one hell of a matchup for me, but hey, I just played 2 ZvZs against 1900s and ended up winning using the 2nd strategy. The first one was some 9 pool cheese on kulas and the second one was a fe on kulas. I beat both of em so I think this strategy (speedling into baneling) is a really good one.
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On November 28 2010 22:02 ktimekiller wrote:
I certainly like the roach and bling, but the expand confuses me
How do you survive with 0 lings with 15 hatch 15 pool until 20+ food? any 12-14 pool that pops with 6 lings at once will likely insta kill you
With good drone micro you should be able to easily deal with the initial 6 lings. 2 Spines at the nat will soften them up as well.
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On November 28 2010 22:02 ktimekiller wrote:
I certainly like the roach and bling, but the expand confuses me
How do you survive with 0 lings with 15 hatch 15 pool until 20+ food? any 12-14 pool that pops with 6 lings at once will likely insta kill you
You get two fast queens and block the ramp while you start an absurd amount of spinecrawlers.
Only works on maps like lost temple and shakuras plateu.
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I really like the roach opener. I never really pay attenttion to the spawning pool timings etc. as i always put it down 1 food later than my opponent(i scout with 9th drone). I like to treat zvz just like any other matchup; react to what my opponent does and no the other way around, however 90% of my matches end up with lategame major roach force, with a line of hydras behind them and some infestors.
Really there is no other combination of units that work in this matchup, i feel that if you tech to ultras or broodlords you will be crushed before you get there and if you try to harrass with mutas, all it takes is one good fungal growth and they will all die to reinforcing hydras. It's so common that my opponents try to go heavy mutas after speedling baneling opening only to lose them first try to 2 infestors and a couple of hydras. I still need to work on my early game timings, as i sometimes lose to speedling / roach since speedlings seem to soak up alot of damage from my roaches and i'm still little leery of taking my first expansion if i see my opponent go heavy on speedlings.
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2.0 = fail against higher level players..
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On November 28 2010 23:50 mansnicks wrote:
2.0 = fail against higher level players..
Why?
Machine said that it's his/idra's standard build.
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On November 28 2010 23:50 mansnicks wrote:
2.0 = fail against higher level players..
It doesn't. You scout with your first two lings. If you scout roach warren you cancel the nest and build a warren yourself. And carry on with the roach strat.
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The speedling into baneling build ist not a fail agianst higher level players. EGMachine said that he uses that build 85% of the time or so.
Each of these builds is very strong if you manage to pull it off. It all goes down to scouting; the build order for the sling into bling even offers a solution for an opponent going roaches.
ZvZ ist still my worst matchup, but now I know how to handle stuff. I was pretty much in the dark, it seemed like no matter what I did, I still would lose 80% of my ZvZs. This is meant to be a guide to help clueless player. Pros ain't gonna hear something new..
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Just today I've had GREAT luck with the speedling/baneling build. Loving it. The tips in the video on how to micro banelings are great. I'm only high platinum but needed some simple builds to try against zerg.
There were even some games where I did damage to my opponent, but had to stop the ling/baneling when he got enough roaches and/or spines to stop it. At that point I transitioned to roach/hydra and won 2/3 of those (One I lost I lost due to other problems, not the build for sure... again I'm only high platinum).
I also had two games where I scouted an early roach warren and canceled my baneling nest. I won one of those and again lost due to other reasons on the other
As someone not so great, and someone who was having trouble with zvz (it's like 66% of my games now!) these builds and especially the video were a great help!
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On November 28 2010 20:09 Maicro wrote:
Can any of these fend off a 6 pool?
Lol no build can/cannot fend off 6 pools, nothing gets out that early...
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EPT
