• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 02:34
CEST 08:34
KST 15:34
  • 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
[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall10HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0TL Team Map Contest #5: Presented by Monster Energy6
Community News
Firefly given lifetime ban by ESIC following match-fixing investigation5$25,000 Streamerzone StarCraft Pro Series announced4Weekly Cups (June 30 - July 6): Classic Doubles5[BSL20] Non-Korean Championship 4x BSL + 4x China9Flash Announces Hiatus From ASL66
StarCraft 2
General
The SCII GOAT: A statistical Evaluation The GOAT ranking of GOAT rankings Firefly given lifetime ban by ESIC following match-fixing investigation Weekly Cups (June 30 - July 6): Classic Doubles Jim claims he and Firefly were involved in match-fixing
Tourneys
$25,000 Streamerzone StarCraft Pro Series announced FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series WardiTV Mondays
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps
[UMS] Zillion Zerglings
External Content
Mutation # 481 Fear and Lava Mutation # 480 Moths to the Flame Mutation # 479 Worn Out Welcome Mutation # 478 Instant Karma
Brood War
General
i aint gon lie to u bruh... ASL20 Preliminary Maps BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ [ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall SC uni coach streams logging into betting site
Tourneys
[BSL20] Non-Korean Championship 4x BSL + 4x China [BSL20] Grand Finals - Sunday 20:00 CET CSL Xiamen International Invitational The Casual Games of the Week Thread
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Earn Rewards for Every Prediction in the Game Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile What do you want from future RTS games?
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
US Politics Mega-thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Summer Games Done Quick 2025! Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Stop Killing Games - European Citizens Initiative
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
2024 - 2025 Football Thread Formula 1 Discussion NBA General Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NHL Playoffs 2024
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
momentary artworks from des…
tankgirl
Culture Clash in Video Games…
TrAiDoS
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 603 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
Next event in 3h 26m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
WinterStarcraft547
StarCraft: Brood War
Leta 457
TY 337
PianO 282
Noble 83
sSak 18
Dota 2
XaKoH 380
ODPixel154
League of Legends
JimRising 695
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K688
Other Games
summit1g8828
shahzam800
monkeys_forever285
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick37122
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 17 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH351
• Hupsaiya 61
• Kozan
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• sooper7s
• intothetv
• Migwel
• IndyKCrew
StarCraft: Brood War
• tankgirl 1
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota258
League of Legends
• Lourlo2274
• Rush1298
• Stunt389
Upcoming Events
The PondCast
3h 26m
uThermal 2v2 Circuit
9h 26m
WardiTV European League
9h 26m
Jumy vs NightPhoenix
Percival vs Nicoract
ArT vs HiGhDrA
MaxPax vs Harstem
Scarlett vs Shameless
SKillous vs uThermal
Replay Cast
17h 26m
RSL Revival
1d 3h
ByuN vs SHIN
Clem vs Reynor
OSC
1d 6h
Replay Cast
1d 17h
RSL Revival
2 days
Classic vs Cure
FEL
2 days
OSC
2 days
[ Show More ]
RSL Revival
3 days
FEL
3 days
FEL
3 days
CSO Cup
3 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
3 days
Bonyth vs QiaoGege
Dewalt vs Fengzi
Hawk vs Zhanhun
Sziky vs Mihu
Mihu vs QiaoGege
Zhanhun vs Sziky
Fengzi vs Hawk
Sparkling Tuna Cup
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
FEL
4 days
BSL20 Non-Korean Champi…
4 days
Bonyth vs Dewalt
QiaoGege vs Dewalt
Hawk vs Bonyth
Sziky vs Fengzi
Mihu vs Zhanhun
QiaoGege vs Zhanhun
Fengzi vs Mihu
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2025-07-07
HSC XXVII
Heroes 10 EU

Ongoing

JPL Season 2
BSL 2v2 Season 3
Acropolis #3
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 2
CSL 17: 2025 SUMMER
Copa Latinoamericana 4
Jiahua Invitational
Championship of Russia 2025
RSL Revival: Season 1
Murky Cup #2
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
MESA Nomadic Masters
CCT Season 2 Global Finals
IEM Melbourne 2025

Upcoming

2025 ACS Season 2: Qualifier
CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
CSL Xiamen Invitational
2025 ACS Season 2
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
K-Championship
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
SEL Season 2 Championship
FEL Cracov 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
Underdog Cup #2
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
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
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.