EPTAsking this question will usually get you one of two answers, both of which are, in my opinion, incomplete.
1: Micro
2: Multi-pronged attacks
While both answers are absolutely true, they merely open more important questions that are often left unanswered. How do I use micromanagement to even out a low-tech engagement, and how do I use multipronged attacks in a fashion that abuses Protoss immobility and allows me to gain an advantage?
Extensive knowledge of army arrangement can maximize the damage output of any army, and extensive map knowledge provides drop-focused play with phenomenal evasive opportunities that leave the protoss army grasping at shadows. In a recent IPL Team Arena Challenge (ColMVP v. Dignitas), Noblesse, the upstart from MVP, gave us a glorious demonstration.
(note: Day[9] ran a daily on drop-based play about a year ago covering the basics.
http://blip.tv/day9tv/day-9-daily-248-dealing-with-duckload-4706143
Feel free to consider this daily as an intro. Here were going to get into something a bit more elaborate.)
Tal’Darim Altar - MVPNoblesse (BL spawn) v. DignitasBischu (TR spawn)
On this massive map, both players opened with rapid expansions. To focus on the tactics, I will to dispense with the interim, and move to the first engagement of interest.
Large Engagement:14:00
Noblesse brought his army to prod at the expansion, provoking the full engagement from Bischu. Let’s take a look at the armies that met.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/IR0c2.jpg)
They have bigger guns, and thicker shields. Oh, and dicing ones have an extra dose of crazy.
That number of upgrade-advantaged chargelots make most Terrans tremble in their proverbial boots. Stutter-step micro is required, but not enough. Knowing this, Noblesse performed an impromptu army re-arrangement to maximize his bio-ball’s effectiveness.
Let’s begin by remembering the relative effectiveness of various units involved. Marauders do minimal damage to zealots, but are quite sturdy as stone. Marines dish out all kinds of pain, but are flimsy as feathers. Once zealots close, they tear apart the marines, rapidly disemboweling the bio-ball’s damage output.
Keeping this in mind, let’s check out the fight.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/vMTiV.jpg)
It's just a jump to the left
At first this seems like a straightforward bio-ball v. chargelot battle. Noblesse, however, paid strict attention to his army arrangement. His marines were clustered to the right, marauders to the left, both groups equally exposed.
He devised a solution. He moved his marine-heavy group behind the marauder-heavy cluster, leaving him with marines free to fire and marauders bearing the damage.
With impeccable stutter-step, streaming reinforcements, and this critical army re-arrangement, the young terran eked out an unlikely victory in this battle.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/rjpAC.jpg)
CatsPajamas started singing the Mighty Morphin Power Ranger's Theme just after this.
Winning this battle, he prepared for the next.
Multipronged Attack: 16:45
When discussing an elaborate multipronged attack, it’s important to examine the terrain closely. There are central ground paths available, but other paths are opened by drop-based play. Let’s look at the main movement paths around key engagement points in Bischu’s base.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Xfpqn.jpg)
MS paint ftw!
The focus of mobility based play is that any two engagement points connected by drop paths are an opportunity to outmaneuver the ground army.
So how does one use this knowledge?
Let’s take a look at a multi-pronged attack from MVP’s young gun. Remember that his goal here was not to kill Bischu outright, but to set Bischu behind.
We begin with an attack at the third and a drop at the natural. Because Noblesse had diligently killed Observers, Noblesse’s army size was unknown to Bischu. So in the dark, his entire army was drawn north, exposing his natural to a drop.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/bd4Z7.jpg)
Poking and prodding...with guns!
Noblesse’s next decision was driven by moving each component of his army to a new point drop-path-connected engagement point.
Bischu chose to chase down the main army. The natural, where Noblesse’s drop landed, was the most accessible for the main army with Bischu hot on his tail. Because of this, as Noblesse moved his main army there, he rotated his drop force to the main. This little tactical tango kept Noblesse throwing punches.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/Xy62j.jpg)
And a step to the riiiiight
Noblesse’s main army then used its aerial mobility to slip through Bischu’s grasp.
With the Terran army evacuating, Bischu finally moved to deal with the drop force that had rotated to the main. Though Bischu was ready to smother the paltry remaining force, the young Terran kept the pressure on, slipping the original drop force to the third, and re-dropping his primary force on the natural, where only a smattering of stalkers remained to greet the army.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/33p8U.jpg)
Did you miss me?
This furious battle raged across Bischu’s base for over a minute, but Noblesse had kept busy at home. The minimap revealed the massive macro advantage he had established amidst the chaos with his slippery drop-based play.
The might of Noblesse’s newfound production fell like an lead fist upon Bichu’s skull; the protoss forces were crushed.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/goIT5.jpg)
Glory out of Chaos.
This is just one example of elaborate troop movement confounding the Protoss army’s position. Noblesse’s knowledge of Bischu’s army positioning let Noblesse draw Bischu’s forces in futile circles, as though Bischu’s army were a cat chasing a laser-pointer. Bischu repeated similar feats on Terminus in the following matchup, if you’re looking for more examples (links below).
Credit where credit is due: this game was played for IPLs Team Arena Challenge between ColMVP and Dignitas. All screenshots were taken from their VODs
Tal’Darim Atlar Game: http://www.youtube.com/user/IGNProLeague?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase#p/u/3/SCtW6zEYGt4
Terminus game:
http://www.youtube.com/user/IGNProLeague?blend=1&ob=video-mustangbase#p/u/6/xQV2D0JRv04
This should help a lot of people out and give em more ideas. Knowing potential routes to harass/attack like the ones Noblesse used beforehand is a must if you are serious about improving .
