I always use my 9th drone to scout. If I were to lose games because I have 50 minerals less in the midgame, someone is allowed to shoot me.

I much preffer scouting that proxy 2 gate soon than having to mentally deal with it when the zealots are pounding on my spawning pool.

Metaspace

Austria670 Posts

January 25 2011 09:07 GMT

#42

On January 25 2011 00:10 baconbits wrote:
vZ I think its pretty useless, as it will only show if they early pooled or not.

It will show you a 7pool or the like and is thus needed. Also, you cannot leave your overlord in his main due to (potential) queen, and need the drone to see his initial tech choice (banelings, roaches), and if he is perssuring or not (how many initial lings).

RainFall

United States24 Posts

April 04 2011 15:36 GMT

#43

Please excuse this thread necromancy, but this question has come up with someone i know.

I checked July Zerg's GSL games. He never drone scouted in the 5 ZvTs i checked. Idra didn't drone scout in any of the MLGs replays i watched. Neither did Liquid haypro? or the other couple zergs i checked. Dimaga didn't drone scout in a couple of the games i watched. Is drone scouting dead?

goiflin

Canada1218 Posts

April 04 2011 15:45 GMT

#44

On April 05 2011 00:36 RainFall wrote:
Please excuse this thread necromancy, but this question has come up with someone i know.

I checked July Zerg's GSL games. He never drone scouted in the 5 ZvTs i checked. Idra didn't drone scout in any of the MLGs replays i watched. Neither did Liquid haypro? or the other couple zergs i checked. Dimaga didn't drone scout in a couple of the games i watched. Is drone scouting dead?

No, but unless your opponent has a history of proxy-barracks cheesing, TvZ is pretty standardized, from what I can tell, in most pro matches. The only variables that actually harm you are stuff like proxy bunkers, which most pros have adapted to, and stuff that comes after your lings/OL are at his base.

I'd still scout because I don't like being proxy raxed unexpectedly, but pros play more consistently, so I can imagine that they wouldn't require the scouting drone as much as us mortals do.

Dragar

United Kingdom971 Posts

April 04 2011 16:15 GMT

#45

MLG:

+ Show Spoiler +

Didn't Idra and Ret both get knocked out by bunkers (and in Idra's case, proxy rax?)

I don't think it's as easy to deal with as people claim, when faced with well controlled marines and SCVs.

T.O.P.

Hong Kong4685 Posts

April 04 2011 19:36 GMT

#46

If you don't drone scout, you have more minerals to defend a bunker rush with.

titaniumnuts

United States38 Posts

April 04 2011 19:50 GMT

#47

In ZvP you can click on a mineral and the drone will go right past a zealot wall. This will let you catch a lot of shenanigans.

mansnicks

Latvia120 Posts

April 04 2011 20:03 GMT

#48

I dont watch often pro replays. but i have seen one idras replay. and (on xel naga (2player map) ) and he scouted with a drone at 15 food. at the time when drone reached the T base - his pool was ready and he knew if he has to drone up or build zerglings instead (or spine crawler at expand as soon as expand ready). at least that what i thought watching that replay.
There was another game i remember watching lately. it was also on xel nagas - but this time it was an other player and he scouted with his drone at 13 food - he saw a gas ready and returned the drone to his base.

BTW. as i have readed somewhere - overlord sacrifice (early-mid game) is only good at lower level play. at higher level - they never do a overlord sacrifice.
BUT - on most maps you can go with the overlord BEHIND the terran mineral line. in this way you can easily see if and when he has 1 or 2 gases. with this information + the information from zerglings at the enemy ramp, you surerly will know what he is doing. but thats just at higher game play - when you have ALOT of experience.

for me - i do scout with drone. but when - it depends on the map. mostly its just to see if he does a 2rax or not. thats the only good reason for a drone scout really. because later you have zerglings (and at the drone scout time you couldnt see anything else. fast 2 gases you can see with overlord behing minerals as i mentioned).

ok this is just my thoughts from what i have readed. i want to know how far from the truth i am

edit: where did you get those replays? i want them. gimme link plz./

ThomasHobbes

United States197 Posts

April 04 2011 20:30 GMT

#49

Always scout as long as you understand why you're scouting.

ZvZ - Scout early to determine when his pool goes down, the only exception is if you spawn close-air on maps like meta (in which case your ovie will serve as early scouting), certain openings in ZvZ are auto-losses against each other, so you'll want to make sure you aren't going 15 hatch vs a 9-pool opener. Make sure to withdraw the drone before his lings or queen come out, though, and switch to lings to determine his later tech path.

ZvP - You're going to want to watch for a FE, forge first, double-gate, double-gas, or a standard gate+core, in short, his entire opening. Lings and an ovie can serve that function later as you monitor his tech progression, but you're going to want to get in there early to make sure nothing weird is going down. Gas-steal if you can to deny any sort of fast-tech build and force him down a predictable, stream-lined path.

ZvT - Scouting is just as useful here as well. Make sure to note whether he's going double-gas, double-rax, or anything else out of the ordinary. Try to steal his gas if you can, and sniping his scv building his rax is always a plus. Again, you're going to want to withdraw the drone or gas-steal before his first few rines come out, and you're going to have to rely on lings / ovies for later scouting.