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TvZ How to deal with infestor/ling (stephano)

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
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1 2 Next All
Defiled
Profile Joined December 2010
16 Posts
January 15 2012 21:57 GMT
#1
I am struggling as terran against infestor ling into ultra/brood lords. I normally can beat the muta bling players with my build and I use the same one against infestor ling but it is usually a loss. Pushing on creep with tanks is really hard against infestors with burrow. If I go too forward with marines ill get fungaled and if my tanks are out too forward, eggs get them killed. And I don't know any real signs or things I should scout for that would let me know he's going for infestor ling early on. Is there any good build that is solid against both? (Currently I use reactor helion into strong 2 base timing attack) Just watching thorzain get rolled today in the shoutcraft thing makes me feel that this style is just a bit op to be honest.
I was thinking about marine tank medivac raven ghost, but it seems like if I do that I would have so little of everything.
DarKFoRcE
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Germany1215 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-01-15 22:06:47
January 15 2012 22:06 GMT
#2
I think its somewhat vulnerable to blueflame hellion / marine timings that hit before infestors are out. There used to be a quite popular combatshield + blueflame push some time ago, which should do quite good. an example would be Mvp against Nestea on Daybreak in their recent GSL match, Nestea tried to rely on lings (+ morphing banes when he saw the push coming) to defend and was killed quite easily.

Another thing are banshees, as infestors dont have that much energy at first, having a few banshees (dont stack them!) means that zerg pretty much cant leave his creep, as it costs alot of energy and time to kill single banshees.

Also its important to build 1-2 vikings later to remove overlords, so your drops wont be spotted before landing. that makes them much more powerful.
Follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/PinDarKFoRcE
Br3ezy
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States720 Posts
January 15 2012 22:18 GMT
#3
I would try to play a macro game and take a fast third with terran because infestors can't be offensive with turrets and tank line
Check out my guide to mechanics http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=319876
Picklebread
Profile Joined June 2011
808 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-01-15 22:31:49
January 15 2012 22:20 GMT
#4
On January 16 2012 07:06 DarKFoRcE wrote:
I think its somewhat vulnerable to blueflame hellion / marine timings that hit before infestors are out. There used to be a quite popular combatshield + blueflame push some time ago, which should do quite good. an example would be Mvp against Nestea on Daybreak in their recent GSL match, Nestea tried to rely on lings (+ morphing banes when he saw the push coming) to defend and was killed quite easily.

Another thing are banshees, as infestors dont have that much energy at first, having a few banshees (dont stack them!) means that zerg pretty much cant leave his creep, as it costs alot of energy and time to kill single banshees.

Also its important to build 1-2 vikings later to remove overlords, so your drops wont be spotted before landing. that makes them much more powerful.

Yes i highly agree with this.
http://drop.sc/92344
They rely on mass lings to defend midgame pushes normally, and well, 2fact BFH absolutely shits on this.
I coulda built a viking too instead of that first medivac but i like to get that early medivac just makes my push feel alot stronger.
Also keep in mind if people go infestor first, you dont have to build turrets for mutas. that saves you alot of mins, so i'd just either expand once or double expo because infestor first cant really kill you. Infestor first seems really weak imo.
ReligionLOL
Profile Joined August 2011
United States137 Posts
January 16 2012 09:18 GMT
#5
On January 16 2012 06:57 Defiled wrote:
I am struggling as terran against infestor ling into ultra/brood lords. I normally can beat the muta bling players with my build and I use the same one against infestor ling but it is usually a loss. Pushing on creep with tanks is really hard against infestors with burrow. If I go too forward with marines ill get fungaled and if my tanks are out too forward, eggs get them killed. And I don't know any real signs or things I should scout for that would let me know he's going for infestor ling early on. Is there any good build that is solid against both? (Currently I use reactor helion into strong 2 base timing attack) Just watching thorzain get rolled today in the shoutcraft thing makes me feel that this style is just a bit op to be honest.
I was thinking about marine tank medivac raven ghost, but it seems like if I do that I would have so little of everything.


try mmm with tons of drops. get ghosts later.
A stupid man's report of what a clever man says can never be accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand.
Host-
Profile Joined December 2010
New Zealand459 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-01-16 09:37:17
January 16 2012 09:35 GMT
#6
On January 16 2012 07:20 Picklebread wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 16 2012 07:06 DarKFoRcE wrote:
I think its somewhat vulnerable to blueflame hellion / marine timings that hit before infestors are out. There used to be a quite popular combatshield + blueflame push some time ago, which should do quite good. an example would be Mvp against Nestea on Daybreak in their recent GSL match, Nestea tried to rely on lings (+ morphing banes when he saw the push coming) to defend and was killed quite easily.

Another thing are banshees, as infestors dont have that much energy at first, having a few banshees (dont stack them!) means that zerg pretty much cant leave his creep, as it costs alot of energy and time to kill single banshees.

Also its important to build 1-2 vikings later to remove overlords, so your drops wont be spotted before landing. that makes them much more powerful.

Yes i highly agree with this.
http://drop.sc/92344
They rely on mass lings to defend midgame pushes normally, and well, 2fact BFH absolutely shits on this.
I coulda built a viking too instead of that first medivac but i like to get that early medivac just makes my push feel alot stronger.
Also keep in mind if people go infestor first, you dont have to build turrets for mutas. that saves you alot of mins, so i'd just either expand once or double expo because infestor first cant really kill you. Infestor first seems really weak imo.

I'd like to think that most zerg players would throw down a roach warren if they scout 2fac...even if they are going festor ling.
Zerg is the most reactive race, so you have to use your head and go roaches against 2fact, which most people would derive as mech play.

I think Darkforce is right, marine hellion timings would be very strong, as we have seen in the GSL recently with Stephano v MVP
slwen
Profile Joined September 2011
Australia37 Posts
January 16 2012 11:20 GMT
#7
I've been having trouble with this heavy ling style too - my style has usually been to get the hellions out, deny the Zerg 3rd and hit him with a big 2 base tank/marine attack at around 10-12 minutes. Unfortunately this gets crushed by a very heavy ling composition.

I have a bit more success by simply getting more hellions off the first reactor (usually 6) which seems to force the roaches while I try for an earlier 3rd CC. I've been doing this blindly.

My question is what should I be looking for early on to scout whether my opponent is going for this heavy ling style?
Host-
Profile Joined December 2010
New Zealand459 Posts
January 16 2012 11:52 GMT
#8
On January 16 2012 20:20 slwen wrote:
I've been having trouble with this heavy ling style too - my style has usually been to get the hellions out, deny the Zerg 3rd and hit him with a big 2 base tank/marine attack at around 10-12 minutes. Unfortunately this gets crushed by a very heavy ling composition.

I have a bit more success by simply getting more hellions off the first reactor (usually 6) which seems to force the roaches while I try for an earlier 3rd CC. I've been doing this blindly.

My question is what should I be looking for early on to scout whether my opponent is going for this heavy ling style?

Double Evo, Late gas/lair, an infestation pit around the 10 min mark, around 12 min hive. Stuff like that is indicative of ling festor ultra. Also I wouldnt recommend a tank marine push at that time. Your likely to just get wrecked. I'd suggest lots of drop play, coupled with heavy upgrades to negate zerg fast upgrades.
Lasbike
Profile Joined January 2011
France2888 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-01-16 11:59:10
January 16 2012 11:58 GMT
#9
Edit : Oops, nothing. wrong thread.
Sergio1992
Profile Blog Joined October 2011
Italy522 Posts
January 16 2012 12:04 GMT
#10
May someone explain how this Stephano style works? I must admit that I watched that day9 daily regarding Stephano, but I never thought he would have a build "named" to him. Also, isn't infestor-ling a build that was core of Destiny's style of play?
Host-
Profile Joined December 2010
New Zealand459 Posts
January 16 2012 12:07 GMT
#11
Stephano style is ling festor with fast tech to ultra. it's in essence the same as Destiny's only differing in late game tech, but as Stephano has had more success, it's been named after him..basically..
xTrim
Profile Joined April 2011
472 Posts
January 16 2012 12:48 GMT
#12
You need replays for a good reply. It could be purely a macro issue, where you simply did not have enough...

But a good response, once scouted ling infestor, is not to really commit to the oh so good timing push at around 10 mins...
Instead, get your third up and running, since lings and infestors simply cannot crush a PF with 5 tanks backing it up.

Once you get your 6 geysers going, your starport should be up with a techlab so pump a raven really quick... (i personally dont go reactor medivacs in TvZ because it eats too much of the important gas... I like gtting a high tank count up, so I don stim that much)... the raven is SO GOOD in tvz... it is SO MUCH UNDERUSED... its so good to push into creep with detection and to clear baneling land mines... also, if you get caught with your pants down you should have energy for emergency PDDs versus mutas
CatNzHat
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
United States1599 Posts
January 16 2012 13:40 GMT
#13
I have to agree with darkforce here, the stephano style pretty much loses to blue flame marine, or even just red flame marine, or even just a large number of hellions, as the third is defended off purely ling tech, but I digress.

If you want to get a lot of build order wins and not really learn much, then go for the slayers build from a few mlg's ago, reactor hellion expand, swap after 2 hellions --> blue flame marine hellion elevator.

If you want to improve your army control and mechanics and decision making then I'd say go with a pretty standard marine mediavac with upgrades into tanks and a third base after a reactor hellion expand. 4-6 hellions, 2 more barracks, lift the fact, build a second reactor with it and an ebay and second gas, into starport and third gas. If you haven't thrown your hellions away, you'll be able to easily deny a greedy third from zerg, and/or clear out all of their creep spread if they're still on 2 base, it usually forces them to reveal their tech as well (basically if they're going 2 base spire, you'll see the mutas, or if they're going roach bane, you'll see a lot of roaches). Most importantly you can retreat, as they can't chase you off-creep with banes or roaches, and you have 4-6 hellions which prevent lings from following.
SmackDiablo
Profile Joined July 2011
United States49 Posts
January 16 2012 14:02 GMT
#14
I agree with the banshee play I've seen a few pros do it and it works very well. Plus it will make them waste the fungals on the banshees. Also I suggest maybe microing hellions a bit better in the beggining of the game to kill off as many lings as possible. What I like doing is hitting around the 6:30 - 7 min mark with about 6 hellions a mauraduer or two and about 3 or 4 marines it usually kills all spines and lings plus if they arent expecting it and their droning really hard you'll kill a queen and get into the mineral line of their expansion.
Huggerz
Profile Joined May 2011
Great Britain919 Posts
January 16 2012 14:16 GMT
#15
Combat shield blue flame timings are super fun and strong against mass ling + Of course you can transition into tanks pretty quickly
“It's like poker. You can play your best, but you've got to know when to fold your cards and take a rest, and know when to hold your cards, hold your breath and hope that nobody else is stacking the deck."
Macpo
Profile Joined September 2010
453 Posts
January 16 2012 14:33 GMT
#16
I am myself playing a similar style. an indicator that a zerg is going for it would 2 evo chambers early (typically before lair).
Against it, helion/marines pushes early are good; early marine tanks pushes are bad; multiple drops can become a nightmare, and terran playing more defensive and greedy is (imo, not sure) more efficient.
"Courage consists, however, in agreeing to flee rather than live tranquilly and hypocritically in false refuges." G. Deleuze
EvilZergling
Profile Joined September 2010
United States194 Posts
January 16 2012 15:39 GMT
#17
I agree with the first response to your thread regarding the marine/helion opening.
I am not at home right now so I don't have my go to builds on hand but I would really try this helion+marine stim timing drop and see if it works for you. It does a really great job at catching the zerg completely off guard giving you just the right amount of marines to fully load two medivacs then just elevator the helions in, STIM and go.

**First part is normal reactor factory opening**
9 - Supply
12 - Barracks
13 - Gas
15 - Orbital and 1 Marine
16 - Supply
17/18 - Factory
21 - Command Center and Reactor on Barracks
**Once Reactor and Factory are complete swap them**
(Going down from here I cannot remember the exact supply/timing as I'm not at home to provide it)
22 - Double helion production to 4 helions MAX then stop.
23 - At the same time that you swapped the addons you get a tech lab on the barracks immediately after it lands and start STIM
@6:00 - You make 2 Barracks and lift the factory so that one of these Barracks is being made on the empty reactor
@6:23 - Starport, Gas #2 and Reactor on Factory to swap for double medivacs
Once the medivacs are up go and do your drop to a corner of their base they won't see, elevator the helions in if you can.

Sorry the build is written in a messy fashion. This build has a great follow up to it. Just make sure that you never get supply blocked so that you have enough marines when you go drop. Tech lab on your factory after you move out and start tank production while non stop marine production on barracks, make your 3rd CC and start an engineering bay.

-Good luck!


CC first, or die trying. [http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=438152#11]
Pugwalker
Profile Joined September 2011
50 Posts
January 17 2012 01:49 GMT
#18
If I know a zerg is going to play infester ling I will open the slayers build into a 1-1 marine blue flame timing. I rarely lose games with this and when I do it is always my fault. If you split well it's really effective.
decaf
Profile Joined October 2010
Austria1797 Posts
January 18 2012 23:29 GMT
#19
On January 16 2012 07:06 DarKFoRcE wrote:
I think its somewhat vulnerable to blueflame hellion / marine timings that hit before infestors are out. There used to be a quite popular combatshield + blueflame push some time ago, which should do quite good. an example would be Mvp against Nestea on Daybreak in their recent GSL match, Nestea tried to rely on lings (+ morphing banes when he saw the push coming) to defend and was killed quite easily.

Another thing are banshees, as infestors dont have that much energy at first, having a few banshees (dont stack them!) means that zerg pretty much cant leave his creep, as it costs alot of energy and time to kill single banshees.

Also its important to build 1-2 vikings later to remove overlords, so your drops wont be spotted before landing. that makes them much more powerful.

The problem I have with this though is that his choice to go for this build was not reactionary. He probably did it because he knows nestea's playstyle and I think it's bad for me to copy this as a legitimate ladder build. I usually do another Mvp build where you get 6 hellions and a fast third and I can handle mutas just fine but against infestor I just don't know what to do. I can't really push too early because I invest a lot into hellions and a 3rd CC and after the 10 minute mark the zerg will have too many infestors for me to really push into him. I'm not sure what the right transition is when you do a fast third build :/
Mvp loses almost in all the replays I got when he does the fast third build vs ling infestor (except in the one 45min game from blizzcon where nestea totally screws up in the end). I feel like it's a style win.
Zarahtra
Profile Joined May 2010
Iceland4053 Posts
January 19 2012 00:07 GMT
#20
As I see it, the main problem with this style is that as you spot what the zerg is up to, it is to late to do anything really about it(aggression that is). My personal response to this kind of style is as I spot it, to "aggressively" expo(as in early 3rd and relatively early 4th) and do as many drops as I possibly can, not just to do damage, but also just try fuck up with the zerg's macro. Main thing is though to not get caught or be greedy with them.

Vikings is a nice touch to, to hunt ovies and they can also serve afterwards to look for hatches. I haven't really tried to use banshee's against that style. I suppose it could work well, but I kind of feel atleast if you are using them as a response, that they will be to late and creep spread will be good enough to stop any real use from them except simply for map control(which imo doesn't justify the cost).

Things to consider about this style:
You can split up your rines pre-fight and don't have to worry about muta flock annoyance.
Adding in rauders helps to stim forward and snipe infestors. Lings aren't really good at killing rauders in siege range and FG is a waste on a couple of rauders.
Personal opinion, but I don't really like ghosts against infestors. Ofcourse you will eventually be getting ghosts for t3, but before t3 is drawing nearer, I feel rauders are better since they deal better with lings(well they block lings more from rines rather), aren't as fragile, are faster, cheaper and like I said before, you can also use them to snipe infestors.

In the end though, if you are going rine/tank/medivac, I kind of feel it's just always going to be a question of "does he get any money FGs?". If he doesn't and you've kept decently up with him in upgrades(very important, seeing as how upgrade heavy this style is), you *should* be winning the engagements, else he is likely going to crush you.
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