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This is my first thread on TL and I wanted to contribute something that would help other players. Many zergs will take this as common knowledge but for those struggling to know where to put Overlords without them getting killed maybe this will help:
Here are some maps showing the best places for overlords as a Zerg player. Note that you will have to mirror the placement for some maps as I have assumed the zerg spawn is at the bottom right in each map.
Disclamer: These placements are NOT Phoenix/Viking/Mutalisk proof. Any overlord deaths caused by use of these maps are at users responisbility.
Xel'Naga Caverns:
+ Show Spoiler +
Shakuras Plateau:
+ Show Spoiler +
Scrap Station:
+ Show Spoiler +
Metalopolis:
+ Show Spoiler +
Lost Temple:
+ Show Spoiler +
Jungle Basin:
+ Show Spoiler +
Delta Quadrant:
+ Show Spoiler +
Hope they help someone. 
EDIT: I Have revamped Blistering Sands. Before I continue with the other maps, I just want to see if my new layout is more useful. A white cross denotes a scouting overlord, which will probably be killed for information. A green cross denotes a single zergling to control a watchtower.
Blistering Sands:
+ Show Spoiler +
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Nice, now I know where to send my phoenixes. ^_^
jk Good work, though.
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I've actually been looking for something like this -- great contribution!
It's always interesting to see where other Zergs put their overlords. Just at a glance it's given me a couple more ideas.
Thanks!
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Why do you have overlords on top of watchtowers? Towers give vision of the high ground, making the ovie really easy to kill. Putting a single ling at the tower instead actually gives you more vision while putting a less valuable unit at risk.
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On January 25 2011 10:05 regulator_mk wrote:
Why do you have overlords on top of watchtowers? Towers give vision of the high ground, making the ovie really easy to kill. Putting a single ling at the tower instead actually gives you more vision while putting a less valuable unit at risk.
i agree with this but otherwise good work!!
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Why do you have overlords on top of watchtowers? Towers give vision of the high ground, making the ovie really easy to kill. Putting a single ling at the tower instead actually gives you more vision while putting a less valuable unit at risk.
I generally do this, not to watch the watchtower but to have a few overlords in relatively safe elevated positions, so if I need to sacrifice one to scout, or move them to spread creep, they are already in the area.
Also in a good scenario you are going to have map control anyway, so your overlords are going to be at no risk from being spotted.
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That's kind of excessive, all you really need in my opinion is a circle around their. For expo scouting hunting you just need a control group of some lings.
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Wow I wanted to make a thread like this but never took the time and then forgot about it. Add to that my uncertainty of the quality of overlord placement.
This is very helpful for someone like me, who is only just starting to get into 1's play recently and still picking up nuances of each map.
I agree about the XN watchtower overlords above.
If you wanted to get a bit more advanced about it you could include some kind of race modifier, although I suppose for zerg you pretty much ignore these maps completely and just make an OL trail from his ramp to yours.
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You've got some awkward placements, but it's a good effort. If I was actually half decent at using photoshop or paint I would draw up my own set to show you what I mean kinda.
Not trying to sound unappreciative at all, this is a brilliant idea.
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That's another thing I always hated about JB. No good overlord spots to keep an eye on the enemy main. That overlord spot below the main will get killed most of the time.
Try to suicide in a overlord from the top right void and it will never get to there.
Thanks for the maps
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I place mine in a lot of similar spots, but there were a few that I don't use and should, so thanks for the post!
I usually keep ovies away from the watch towers coz they get sniped easily. Generally speaking, high ground is good, or over sky/water terrian to get away from ground units.
On metalopolis there are so many good spots for OLs. I added a couple extra 'x's to show what mean... add a ling outside base and you almost don't need the towers in the middle this way
+ Show Spoiler +
Of course, the OP and I are assuming perfect map control. Keep your ovies safe and place them wisely!
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This was a great idea, however, you are missing some very key positions. Some of the positions make zero sense as well. If you are looking to spot on expansion places like on Xel'Naga - You wouldn't technically put it to the side so much as just simply block it off with a Creep spewing Overlord. No?
Example - On Scrap Station you should always have an Overlord between space and the ramp to see if they are walling off or not. The gap between the gas and the first expansion is not a viable place for an Overlord as it can be shot down by any ground units. You would ideally put it behind the mineral line.
There are plenty of other things to add, and take away. Some overlord positions just won't work as they will be shot down, etc.
Great list though, thanks! :D
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A place where the overlord can be killed by ground units is not necessarily a bad place to put it if it gives valuable information thats worth the life of the overlord, and you plan ahead for the loss of it. Especially later in the game when a single overlord is much less valuable.
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I'll be making some improvements to the maps soon and adding Steppes of War also. Thanks for the feedback.
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LOL!!!!
It would be funny some P or T has a printed copy pulls out 2 phoenix and then depending on the map queues up attack moves in all these areas...
Thanks Bob im supply capped again hahaha Jokes very nice.
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On January 25 2011 11:35 Wilder wrote:
I'll be making some improvements to the maps soon and adding Steppes of War also. Thanks for the feedback.
Please do! It's admittedly a small part of the zerg game, but it certainly makes a difference, and plenty of higher level players don't seem to have adequate spotting. I know my own spotting is suspect at best.
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Nice work but i suggest removing the overlord placement in the middle of metal because it is always reachable by one side of the gold expo's if he has tower sighting, this was tested by me and a friend a little while back.
To clarify, there is always a point where the OL is within range of the gold, meaning it could easily get sniped by marines early on who are scouting towers.
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I always stick an Overlord in the middle of Metal, and nobody has killed mine yet. O_O
Good job, if you need help with anything, feel free to PM Me. I love things like that. :D
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Would you consider updating these pics with input from the other posters here, and also if you might consider adding some kind of color-coding for 4-player map to show conditional OL placement there (pending cross-position, etc). I'd be happy to help if that's an issue, and think this thread can be a good resource for future reference for starting 1's players learning the maps.
Thanks again for doing this.
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nearly the same as i do w/ my overlords, lol :D
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I really like this, all though I do agree with some of the comments that talk about the watchtowers.
Thank you good sir /salute
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Good work, I'd reccomend filling up the gaps on opposite spawn sides of lost temple and metal too though so you can better see if they expand there and you can morph overseers if they spawn there.
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Good idea for a thread. But I think a few of the placements are risky to say the least. Having 10 Overlords in the middle of the map (like on the Shakuras picture) is risky and kind of unnecessary IMHO when you have creep and lings to monitor the towers and middle ground. Best to place the OL in locations where creep and zerglings are not an option.
Also I would like to point out the Z vs Z OL placement is totally different. Forget being discrete with OL placement in Z vs Z! Place them right along the main paths from base to base. Just keep em away from your opponents creep. Also watch for a spire, if the game makes it that far start retreating all the OL early or they will get sniped. The unique OL placement used in Z vs Z is one of the few things I like about the Z vs Z matchup.
Xel'Naga Caverns: Pretty good except the left expansion and middle, the OL should be over the water like on the right side expansion. Over the towers is also a bad idea, zerglings should be used to monitor the towers, NOT overlords!
Shakuras Plateau: I keep the OL mostly over the water located on the outside edge of the map. Mostly to keep tabs on expansions, Also monitoring the middle-bottom (happy face) and middle-top expansion with an OL is a must. I don't keep any OL in the middle of the map because lings can hold the towers not to mention creep will also give you scouting in the middle.
Scrap Station:
Pretty good but the middle ramp OL should be over space just out of range of marines and stalkers. Also at the start placing an OL over space near your opponents ramp is a must.
Metalopolis:
The smoke will not protect your OL, everyone checks those spots. The middle is also very bad and the OL will get killed most of the time. Besides the towers can be held by a zerglings so why waste the OL?
Lost Temple:
ONE OL in the middle (not at the tower) would be ok but I certainly wouldn't keep 4 out in the middle, losing 4 OLs is too much of a risk when 2 lings can do the job.
Blistering Sands: OL at the gold expansions should be behind the minerals, not over the distrustable rocks.
You probably get the concept of my thinking by now. Scouting with overlords is nice but you got to try and protect them and not place them in high risk locations, especially early game! Getting supply blocked at the wrong time can and will cost you games. Instead of relying on OLs use aggressive creep spread, and lings as much as possible. Mid-game burroed lings are WAY underused. Late game things change and losing an OL to delay an expansion probably worth it (dropping creep) but also keep using burroed ling to double delay expansions.
Nothing is funnier then watching my opponent send a SCV to expand. See the OL creeping up the expansion. Send some marines to kill the OL, waits for creep to disappear, then he still cant land command center due to burroed zergling, Sends marines back to the expansion and wastes a scan! The only thing better is 8 burroed banelings in the chilling in the mineral line.
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Starting to update these now. Please see what you think of the new Blistering Sands. I've noticed I've placed a couple of OL wrong but I posted the update to see what people think of the colour coding and race variables.
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I like this concept but I believe if you discussed your thought process behind each placement and which Ovi goes where based on when you spawn them.
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I thought this thread could use a bump for the new maps.
I'm especially concerned about ST, since I feel like there aren't really any good spots at all.
![[image loading]](http://imgur.com/szvQy.jpg)
Red = My spawn / all matchups
Yellow = Opp spawn 1
Blue = Opp spawn 2
Green = Opp spawn 3
White = Xel Naga (with zergling)
The main issue I have is that, especially in close positions, I can't really ever get in position to see when the opponent is coming.
This map is so flat that you really can't hide OLs anywhere on the map, only on the outskirts, and they don't provide useful information there.
Of all these OL placements, only the ones at the gold provide any use, and they must be SUPER micro'd in order to keep them alive... and they don't reveal much.
What have other zergs been doing for this map? It seems I can't get any useful vision without leaving my OL out in the open. Even on Metal there are cliffs (albeit with easy access ramps) to use OL for spotting. It's risky, but at least it's safe if terran walks by and not up a ramp.
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If anyone would like to update the placement maps or make new ones for the new maps, feel free to go ahead. I feel the community could do a better job than I could .
Post them in here and I'll add them to the post (with credit of course).
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I feel like its super matchup dependent no?
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