• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 06:53
CEST 12:53
KST 19:53
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Maestros of the Game: Week 1/Play-in Preview10[ASL20] Ro24 Preview Pt2: Take-Off7[ASL20] Ro24 Preview Pt1: Runway132v2 & SC: Evo Complete: Weekend Double Feature4Team Liquid Map Contest #21 - Presented by Monster Energy13
Community News
LiuLi Cup - September 2025 Tournaments2Weekly Cups (August 25-31): Clem's Last Straw?39Weekly Cups (Aug 18-24): herO dethrones MaxPax6Maestros of The Game—$20k event w/ live finals in Paris48Weekly Cups (Aug 11-17): MaxPax triples again!15
StarCraft 2
General
Maestros of the Game: Week 1/Play-in Preview Team Liquid Map Contest #21 - Presented by Monster Energy Weekly Cups (August 25-31): Clem's Last Straw? Heaven's Balance Suggestions (roast me) Geoff 'iNcontroL' Robinson has passed away
Tourneys
RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series Maestros of The Game—$20k event w/ live finals in Paris LiuLi Cup - September 2025 Tournaments Sea Duckling Open (Global, Bronze-Diamond) Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament
Strategy
Custom Maps
External Content
Mutation # 489 Bannable Offense Mutation # 488 What Goes Around Mutation # 487 Think Fast Mutation # 486 Watch the Skies
Brood War
General
ASL20 General Discussion BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion Buy Oxycontin, Xanax, Adderall, Rivotril, Adipex, Pros React To: herO's Baffling Game
Tourneys
Is there English video for group selection for ASL [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Small VOD Thread 2.0 [ASL20] Ro24 Group F
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Muta micro map competition Fighting Spirit mining rates [G] Mineral Boosting
Other Games
General Games
General RTS Discussion Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
Russo-Ukrainian War Thread US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Canadian Politics Mega-thread YouTube Thread
Fan Clubs
The Happy Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! [Manga] One Piece [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread High temperatures on bridge(s)
TL Community
The Automated Ban List TeamLiquid Team Shirt On Sale
Blogs
Collective Intelligence: Tea…
TrAiDoS
A very expensive lesson on ma…
Garnet
hello world
radishsoup
Lemme tell you a thing o…
JoinTheRain
RTS Design in Hypercoven
a11
Evil Gacha Games and the…
ffswowsucks
INDEPENDIENTE LA CTM
XenOsky
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 1097 users

[G] PvT 3 Gate Aggressive Expo - Page 6

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
Prev 1 4 5 6 7 8 16 Next All
Swap
Profile Joined February 2008
Sweden144 Posts
March 21 2011 15:33 GMT
#101
Thank you Cecil!
I've always liked your wc3 commentaries, seems like you can deliver for sc2 as well!
he he... ja
Jayrod
Profile Joined August 2010
1820 Posts
March 21 2011 16:02 GMT
#102
On March 19 2011 05:30 panzzzzz wrote:
Hi Cecil, what is your response to a player that went 1 base thor? Its impossible to scout the armory with a bunker up, and the sentry heavy mix will get annihilated. 1 thor will be out in time to hold off that bust up the ramp.

Ive beaten thors with this build at THEIR ramp. Coming down a ramp into a wall of protoss units isn't really too desirably, he even tried to bring scv's but it didn't matter. Also, you can still forcefield them since they cant walk over the other units. I was able to cut off units because the thor was blocked behind some other units.

I've also yet to use to cloaked banshees. I don't foresee myself losing to a cloak build unless they tricked me by getting marauders early on then went straight for cloaked banshees, delaying them for quite some time. I think if you guys are losing by being surprised by things you need to be more aggressive as attacking is your scouting. I research hallucinate fairly early if im containing their ramp and just pop a phoenix in every once in a while to decide when i should head home.

Honestly though, I think alot of people are missing a key point in the build and a point that isn't really mentioned in the original post. The real strength of this build is that you are actually able to safely engage bio early in the game and very frequently if you're doing it right. As such, their bio count doesn't hit a critical mass until much later when your economic advantage has already kicked in. One base all-ins as a response is not what terran need to be digging for. They need to at least work in a CC in the main for when they push out.
Jayrod
Profile Joined August 2010
1820 Posts
March 21 2011 16:27 GMT
#103
On March 19 2011 05:51 Karmoon wrote:
Couldn't the terran player just sit in his base and drop the crap out of the protoss player?

I play random, but tend to be better with toss. If i was camping outside a terran's base, I'd be petrified of getting my back stabbed with a dual medivac stimpack drop which can take out the majority of your base if you're not ready for it.

With mules you can pump out a ridiculous amount from one base with terran - but the toss player has 3 locations to worry about - his main, his natural and his force/your base.

Just some thoughts.

Drops are a threat if you hold your contain too long. Super fast drops aren't really great against this because you can often just kill the player straight up with your initial army or break down the front. If they do like 2 rax into a drop ship its not much safer than 2 rax FE into a reasonably early drop. To combat this, I tend to start warping in units at home after a warp in or two at my containment spot. Since you can choose how many units to cut off with forcefield you don't need a massive army. Just cut off a small chunk, kill them and run home. As I said in my previous posts on this thread, I personally work hallucinate into this build under most circumstances.

thought process regarding when to get hallucinate... pressure is defined as poking up their ramp:
1.) Send first push as normal, see if you can do damage, but don't commit unless you can
2.) Reinforce with ~2 warp ins regardless of your first poke.
3a.) If more pressure wouldn't be beneficial and they aren't getting marauders, Spend 100 gas on robo, build zealots/stalkers at home with your warpgates.
3b.) If more pressure wouldn't be beneficial and they are getting marauders or you've noticed stim or combat shield or any other tech that signifies a delay in them possibly getting cloak, spend 100 gas on hallucinate and check on them every 45 seconds or so.
4.) Once your expansion economy kicks in, if not a little earlier, you should just head home. The time where you head home will be based on scouting and whether or not they have a seige tank ultimately.

I finally lost with this build last night though. What the guy did was held his ramp really well, got 2 medivacs, then dropped his army off the side of his base and came around from the side to take out my army. It was before my economy had kicked in and though my macro slipped a little I dont think I would have had the units at home because he won the fight so one sidedly. It could have just been due to my variation on the build though as I tend to hold weaker contains and just assume because I have sentry I'll be able to escape as I please.

Regardless of how you use the build you should remember that you dont want a crapton of zealots unless you think you'll be needing to defend. Zealots are terrible at seiging, you need a couple, but you dont want a ton of them on the offensive end as even with forcefields on their ramp, the units sealed off up at the top of their ramp will be able to hit the zeals, which kind of nullifies your forcefield.
TimeSpiral
Profile Joined January 2011
United States1010 Posts
March 21 2011 17:12 GMT
#104
3 Warpgate attack, with expo, into 6 warpgate attack, into 3base double robo deathball is like THE Protoss play right now ... and it hurts me -_-


Many Protoss players are realizing they can do a super powerful warpgate rush play and get an expo up behind it. The 3 warpgate attack is in many ways just as difficult to hold than the 4gate.

Terran brethren - you HAVE to expand with mass units versus Protoss right now. Anything else is certain death. If you tech behind bunkers you are going to lose. If you get FF contained, you are going to lose. Expand with mass units, and have bunkers, but take the fight to the middle of the map.

Only fight with your bunkers if you absolutely have to. Even with mass units, and bunkers, the 3gate -> 6gate is outrageously strong. You will probably pull SCVs and be licking your wounds while Protoss is comfortably warping in Nexus #3.

Two base tech to Ghost helps also.
[G] Positioning, Formations, and Tactics: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=187892
OverZero
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
United States271 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-21 17:23:16
March 21 2011 17:21 GMT
#105
Thanks man! I've been trying similar builds in PvZ. Much like HuK used in GSL I believe. I haven't really tried it much vs. terran. I was never much of a sentry user when I first started playing, but lately, I've really liked the HuK/MC style mass-mass sentry early game. I feel like it gives you a lot of options in terms of early aggression along with being extremely safe.

As for PvT, I don't know how effective this build would be if the terran walls off. Though, if you could manage to force marines/marauders away from the wall-in with forcefields it would be very strong. I'll definitely have to try this out! Thanks!

What do you think is the best response if after you pressure they go into a 2-base ghost/marine/marauder force? I've been having an insane amount of trouble vs. ghost play past couple weeks...
PLAGUUUUUUU <My Stream: twitch.tv/paullolol > Check it out some time!!!
AbeToss
Profile Joined September 2010
United States60 Posts
March 21 2011 20:54 GMT
#106
Thanks for this Cecil! I was planning on looking over Alicia's PvT builds since they seemed mighty solid, but once again you've done all the work for me . I love that more Protoss players are taking the initiative and dictating the flow of the game early on, rather than just react to what they see with their initial observer.


As an aside, I'd love to see a write up of a PvZ build from you. Perhaps one of MC's two base timing pushes that are all the rage (hint hint)?
CecilSunkure
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States2829 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-21 22:59:10
March 21 2011 22:53 GMT
#107
On March 22 2011 05:54 AbeToss wrote:
Thanks for this Cecil! I was planning on looking over Alicia's PvT builds since they seemed mighty solid, but once again you've done all the work for me . I love that more Protoss players are taking the initiative and dictating the flow of the game early on, rather than just react to what they see with their initial observer.


As an aside, I'd love to see a write up of a PvZ build from you. Perhaps one of MC's two base timing pushes that are all the rage (hint hint)?

Haha, I think Plexa's guide is still vastly superior to anything I could write at this time

Also, I didn't copy Alicia's build; this is something I've come up with on my own, as I like sentries. Alicia, iirc, got Stalkers and Sentries, and perhaps a slightly later Nexus(?). It's just that Alicia did a very aggressive 3 Gate Expand, like I did, but went for some different units and therefor did something different than me (since the units have different costs).


On March 22 2011 00:33 Swap wrote:
Thank you Cecil!
I've always liked your wc3 commentaries, seems like you can deliver for sc2 as well!

I have never played WC3 competitively in my life; you must be referring to someone else.
sc0rp10n
Profile Joined March 2011
United States28 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-21 23:16:59
March 21 2011 23:14 GMT
#108
Hey bro, wanted to thank you for another great guide; your adel no gas pvp helped me alot, and this builds has enlightened me quite a bit. I was doing a 3 gate expand already, but it was way more passive. To know which units to build and what to expect gives me a way better feel for what this build could be.

Plan on practicing this build in customs for a bit for comfort's sake, but maybe you can help me out by sharing other noteworthy observations that you've come across in the time you've had to tinker with this.

From the more passive 3 gate expand I've done, I can say that doing a gas steal has restricted banshee builds, at least one's that have cloak, almost entirely. I find it difficult hold off pushes early on, most commonly including 1 marine and 2 marauders with conc shell.

Would you advise to steer away from the gas steal so they feel free to tech, or is there something else that I should watch out for?

Thanks again for your hard work. Deducing the builds from VOD's get tricky real quick.

P.S.: Hoping you upload a rep of you crushing a good 3 rax stim timing push.
ZeromuS
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Canada13389 Posts
March 21 2011 23:24 GMT
#109
Be careful with this build on metal if they do an early bio push on the lane you dont move down and you miss their timing it becomes a pain to try and hold. Just an fyi for doing this build on metal
StrategyRTS forever | @ZeromuS_plays | www.twitch.tv/Zeromus_
ZeromuS
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Canada13389 Posts
March 21 2011 23:28 GMT
#110
On March 22 2011 08:24 ZeromuS wrote:
Be careful with this build on metal if they do an early bio push on the lane you dont move down and you miss their timing it becomes a pain to try and hold. Just an fyi for doing this build on metal


Sry for dbl post android app won't let me edit. In response to the gas steal question thee build is timed out such that it is not a good idea to get the gas steal. Even I have issues affording the nexus right after the 3 zealots and then low on minerals when getting the sentries and high on gas for a bit with combatant probe production and pylons. Unless I'm supposed to cut probes at one point for a bit
StrategyRTS forever | @ZeromuS_plays | www.twitch.tv/Zeromus_
Hacktus
Profile Joined May 2010
United States25 Posts
March 22 2011 00:52 GMT
#111
when i execute this build i usually like to steal the T's second gas. It delays their build if they are trying to tech hard to cloak banshees and makes it much safer to expand with the later robo. Cruncher is extremely good at this kind of early aggression play
Gradius
Profile Blog Joined May 2009
United States112 Posts
March 22 2011 03:54 GMT
#112
Looking for some advice. I'm high diamond. My problem with this build is simply that my opponent simply has too many units. I get there @ 7 minutes with the 5 sentries 5 zealots & stalker, but then my attack will just fail, and it becomes too hard to contain him with so few units.

Game 1
Game 2

Might also just be my macro and the fact that I can't take advantage of a faster expo.
StarCraft: Subjection: http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=410514
TechN9ne
Profile Joined February 2011
United States24 Posts
March 22 2011 04:14 GMT
#113
I really hope this is gunna help i am in plat and the only reason is i cant beat terran most games is becasue early game
Dont be that guy
Mitchlew
Profile Joined September 2010
Australia428 Posts
March 22 2011 04:32 GMT
#114
Ok so far everytime I've tried this build I have gotten rolled. Can someone please give me some tips?

http://www.users.on.net/~rice69/PVT3gate.SC2Replay
Jumbled
Profile Joined September 2010
1543 Posts
March 22 2011 06:08 GMT
#115
My biggest concern with this type of build is that T has access to much better anti-light units early on than Z does. Is that a potential problem when using a heavy zealot/sentry mix this way?
CecilSunkure
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States2829 Posts
March 22 2011 06:32 GMT
#116
On March 22 2011 15:08 Jumbled wrote:
My biggest concern with this type of build is that T has access to much better anti-light units early on than Z does. Is that a potential problem when using a heavy zealot/sentry mix this way?

I'm not sure what you are saying o_o
HavoK.
Profile Joined March 2010
United States172 Posts
March 22 2011 06:42 GMT
#117
On March 18 2011 11:34 Snaphoo wrote:
For Terrans wondering how to punish this build, in Game 2 in the set against SlayerSAlicia IMMvp went for a fast expo into siege tank and then cloakshees. The instant siege tanks pop the build is severely slowed, and the instant siege mode finishes, the rush is over. Cloakshees are an excellent follow-up because in order for Toss to apply pressure with only 3 gates, there's really not much spare income for infrastructure like robo/cannons. You want to expand with a bunker, and be willing to pull SCVs when the Tos attacks; in this way it's somewhat similar to a Protoss 1 Gate Expo.

On a map without an easily securable natural (e.g. Shakuras, Tal'Darim) this strategy is viable. On others like Xel'Naga, I think a 1-base response would probably be optimal. Given that 3-gate relies on the entire Toss army chilling at your ramp, a blue flame drop would seem to be devastating, but I guess more experimentation is needed.

In any case, this build is VERY late getting detection, as it goes 3 gates => massive unit production => Nexus. Cloakshees punish it brutally, as IMMvp did to Alicia in Game 2.

@CecilSunkure: First the 3 Stalker Rush, now this: Thanks so much for your awesome work in dissecting top-level GSL Toss builds and putting them up for the community to review! You're a hero in my book.


This does seem like the best probable answer, thanks for the info i'll have to give it a try next time i scout 3 gate aggression.
Daniel C
Profile Joined October 2010
Hong Kong1606 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-22 07:48:30
March 22 2011 07:48 GMT
#118
If you're busting a FE with 3 gate expo then the terran must really suck, considering that the 1 rax FE (with or without gas) "should" be able to (i.e. not a BO loss) hold a 4 gate, 3 rax void or 3 rax robo.

Against a FE, you can only contain at the ramp away from the natural, not the ramp between the main and the natural since the expo (with bunkers) is taken so quickly. Your expo will be behind the T's and the contain outside the natural will only be effective until medivacs come out - for elevatoring or for drops.

Overall, I think this build is more aggressive than 1 gate FE or 2 gate robo, but less aggressive (and more economic) than 4 gate, 3 rax void or 3 rax robo busts. Seems like a good balance for players who like to do contain to take map control and be the aggressor.
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.
CecilSunkure
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States2829 Posts
March 22 2011 07:51 GMT
#119
On March 22 2011 16:48 Daniel C wrote:
If you're busting a FE with 3 gate expo then the terran must really suck, considering that the 1 rax FE (with or without gas) "should" be able to (i.e. not a BO loss) hold a 4 gate, 3 rax void or 3 rax robo.

1 rax FE afaik will die to early aggression.
Daniel C
Profile Joined October 2010
Hong Kong1606 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-03-22 09:03:10
March 22 2011 09:02 GMT
#120
I'd have to respectfully disagree, 1 rax FE is a well known build. You can do it gasless or with the 1 marine 2 marauder poke, the latter is a staple build for many. It's not an auto-loss to aggression by any means.
In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not.
Prev 1 4 5 6 7 8 16 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
RSL Revival
10:00
Season 2: Group B
Reynor vs Astrea
Classic vs sOs
Crank 1234
Tasteless552
IndyStarCraft 101
Rex49
3DClanTV 43
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Crank 1234
Tasteless 552
IndyStarCraft 101
Rex 49
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 40460
PianO 4269
Sea 3076
Rain 1796
Bisu 1266
Shuttle 910
Jaedong 884
actioN 300
Soulkey 299
BeSt 296
[ Show more ]
EffOrt 254
Hyuk 173
Light 162
Barracks 110
ZerO 106
Mong 105
Soma 103
Dewaltoss 92
TY 92
Snow 85
ggaemo 77
Pusan 74
Hyun 69
Mind 61
sSak 58
ToSsGirL 49
Liquid`Ret 37
Sharp 36
Nal_rA 28
JYJ27
Sacsri 21
NaDa 14
Noble 13
Yoon 12
ajuk12(nOOB) 12
Bale 10
scan(afreeca) 9
HiyA 8
Dota 2
The International54759
Gorgc8184
Fuzer 250
XaKoH 155
XcaliburYe104
League of Legends
JimRising 327
Counter-Strike
shoxiejesuss996
Other Games
singsing1149
crisheroes337
ToD25
MindelVK21
ZerO(Twitch)13
Organizations
StarCraft: Brood War
lovetv 224
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 12 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
League of Legends
• Jankos703
• Stunt630
Upcoming Events
Maestros of the Game
6h 7m
Serral vs Ryung
ByuN vs Zoun
BSL Team Wars
8h 7m
Team Bonyth vs Team Dewalt
CranKy Ducklings
23h 7m
RSL Revival
23h 7m
GuMiho vs Cham
ByuN vs TriGGeR
Cosmonarchy
1d 3h
TriGGeR vs YoungYakov
YoungYakov vs HonMonO
HonMonO vs TriGGeR
Maestros of the Game
1d 6h
Solar vs Bunny
Clem vs Rogue
[BSL 2025] Weekly
1d 7h
RSL Revival
1d 23h
Cure vs Bunny
Creator vs Zoun
Maestros of the Game
2 days
Maru vs Lambo
herO vs ShoWTimE
BSL Team Wars
2 days
Team Hawk vs Team Sziky
[ Show More ]
Sparkling Tuna Cup
2 days
Monday Night Weeklies
3 days
The PondCast
5 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

CSL Season 18: Qualifier 2
SEL Season 2 Championship
HCC Europe

Ongoing

Copa Latinoamericana 4
BSL 20 Team Wars
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 3
BSL 21 Qualifiers
ASL Season 20
CSL 2025 AUTUMN (S18)
LASL Season 20
RSL Revival: Season 2
Maestros of the Game
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1

Upcoming

2025 Chongqing Offline CUP
BSL Polish World Championship 2025: Warsaw LAN
BSL Season 21
BSL 21 Team A
Chzzk MurlocKing SC1 vs SC2 Cup #2
EC S1
BLAST Rivals Fall 2025
IEM Chengdu 2025
PGL Masters Bucharest 2025
Thunderpick World Champ.
MESA Nomadic Masters Fall
CS Asia Championships 2025
ESL Pro League S22
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.