[G][D] Overlord Locations for the S8 Map Pool

Monsyphon

Canada190 Posts

June 25 2012 22:37 GMT

Hey TL Zergs, here's something quick I made on Paint.net that shows important places where overlords can go on every single season 8 map pool. The legend and images are below, which explains what each colour means and a little background information for fun

LEGEND
White - Represents the airspace where overlords are fairly safe, unless a flying unit that can attack air manages to find it. Good to put overlords here to spot for drops

Green - Represents places on the map where an overlord can go to and not be gunned down by a ground unit whether it be because it is hard to get to (the Middle expos on Entombed) or because it's a high ground location (The towers of light on Daybreak). It's risky sending an overlord there because if the enemy army gets high ground vision or gets to the risky location the Overlord will most likely get gunned down

Pink - Represents locations where Overlords can head to in ZVZ to gain map vision. This is possible because for a good portion of the game attacking air units will not be possible, however be sure to pull any overlords back to base if you scout hydra or muta tech. Infestor tech, not so much, but be aware they can waste a bit of energy to throw down some Infested Terrans to kill overlords on the map.

Yellow - Represents the ideal location for your 2nd Overlord to scout the gasses on the opponent's natural. Very important for ZVP scouting, because it indicates how high Protoss is teching up. Be aware, you should carve your own path to getting to the yellow spot, to increase the effectiveness and safety of the OV. Refer to lysergic's post below for more info

Red Lines - Represents the simplest path for your first overlord to get from your own base to your opponent's. Allowing your overlord to follow the line is inefficient, to be stated in one word.OV movement pattern should be adjusted for every MU, as obviously, they are all different. Refer to lysergic's post .for more effective ways to scout with your OV's

Antiga Shipyard
+ Show Spoiler +

Condemned Ridge (excuse the fact that there's rocks, it doesn't really matter)
+ Show Spoiler +

Daybreak LE
+ Show Spoiler +

Entombed Valley
+ Show Spoiler +

ESV Cloud Kingdom
+ Show Spoiler +

Ohana LE
+ Show Spoiler +

Shakuras Plateau
+ Show Spoiler +

Tal' Darim Altar
+ Show Spoiler +

Also, I've put every map into a mediafire file, if you wish to download them like that
http://www.mediafire.com/?eyg9brilgwa9l

If you like to see something added, or wish to address a problem/concern, don't be shy to mention it on this thread or PM me about it

Edit 01: Added yellow spots and a new green spot for Tal darim - Thank you steelcurtain09
Edit 02: Changed Legend and info to reflect lysergic's insightful post
-hfhf

dSoda

United States122 Posts

June 25 2012 22:44 GMT

Thanks for this! I always wondered about OL locations but every time i tried to find new safe spots i'd get my OL's killed...

madals

United Kingdom624 Posts

June 25 2012 23:59 GMT

Really nice and clear, well done!

Crypdos

Netherlands110 Posts

June 26 2012 00:07 GMT

On daybreak you can send your first overlord to the "yellow" spot checking the gases in ZvT, useful to see if theres an expansion.

steelcurtain09

United States87 Posts

June 26 2012 03:00 GMT

This is really helpful, especially for Daybreak. I knew there were tons of places to send OLs, but I would always forget where during games.

Also, you are missing the small pillars in between the main and nat on TDA that would be green areas.

Nimbl3

Australia49 Posts

June 26 2012 03:14 GMT

Thanks for this post, i have been looking for spots to put my ovies (sounds so wrong - im a male) but this has answered all my questions.

Zariel

Australia1312 Posts

June 26 2012 03:16 GMT

On Antiga, I love parking the overlord in the gas vents against protoss when I ladder because they never check it and I just fly my ovie there when I want to have a look inside their base

Monsyphon

Canada190 Posts

June 26 2012 03:31 GMT

On June 26 2012 12:00 steelcurtain09 wrote:
This is really helpful, especially for Daybreak. I knew there were tons of places to send OLs, but I would always forget where during games.

Also, you are missing the small pillars in between the main and nat on TDA that would be green areas.

Ah, I never noticed that, thank you.
It could also be a yellow area seeing as though you can check out one of the gasses on the natural, but that may be too risky

Nightwatch

13 Posts

June 26 2012 03:48 GMT

There some high ground spots missing on the current picture for Tal' Darim Altar.

Monsyphon

Canada190 Posts

June 26 2012 07:06 GMT

#10

On June 26 2012 12:48 Nightwatch wrote:
There some high ground spots missing on the current picture for Tal' Darim Altar.

Where exactly? I'll be quick to add them in

Lysergic

United States355 Posts

June 26 2012 07:56 GMT

#11

Almost all of the red lines and yellow dots aren't the ideal path. Scouting patterns differ in each matchup on most maps and really should have separate images. Also might want to add dotted lines for the multiple paths the 1st OL can take. (Ex. Shakuras ZvZ when you don't see his overlord when your halfway across, you know hes cross pos and thus you change your destination.)

I think you should download a lot of DRG/Nestea replays and use those for reference if you're going to post something like this. I'll mention a few of the mistakes.

Antiga Shipyard - send 1st OL towards clockwise spawn. A good reference is Sen vs IMMvp at blizzcon.

[image loading]

Green lines - ZvZ. Blue line - ZvT (if you scout them first, then stop at red dot)

Daybreak - the 1st and 2nd OL paths should be switched. 1st overlord goes to natural then between nat+third (ZvP). 2nd overlord goes outside their main (ZvP).
It's not just the glowing squares that are safe, I think you're missing green dots at the little pillars/cliff(s) behind/around third and in other locations.

Entombed Valley - I think drg (and other top zergs) scouts vertical first, but I don't know if thats just on GSL version (no horizontal spawn); worth looking into.

Shakuras Plateau
ZvP 1st OL can go straight towards the horizontal spawns natural (this 'shortcut' will let you see if he went gateway or FFE faster for both horizontal and cross spawn.) Send to safe spot behind natural and check for gas later.

ZvT send 1st OL horizontal, look at the first mineral patch to see if hes there, if so backup then. The point is to not reveal your ovi and to see his main expansions gas timings. After seeing that send it safely around behind his nat. Various DRG replays will show this.

ZvZ horizontal, if you don't see their ovi when your halfway across then move it outside the cross pos natural. If you do see his overlord, move it past his hatch. Here's a screenshot I took from Nestea vs Sheth @ blizzcon:
+ Show Spoiler +

Tal'darim Altar - there's a tiny cliff/pillar at the choke between main+natural at each base. 1st/2nd OL paths not right and vary for each matchup on this map.

Ohana - red lines wrong (all matchups)
ZvZ and ZvP: 1st OL goes towards their natural, then to the space between natural and third (you can spot gas and see when rocks are destroyed). ZvT it goes around to far side of map and ends up outside opponents main. The space between main and natural isn't safe in ZvZ, queens can hit OL there (just saw this happen).

There's a lot more but DRGs streaming so i'm done for now.

Mahtasooma

Germany475 Posts

June 26 2012 11:31 GMT

#12

This is ridiculously helpful.

Please keep that up throughout the seasons <3

kerblaster

6 Posts

June 28 2012 21:14 GMT

#13

I am flabbergasted by how much this guide has helped me obtain dominance of the map while catching those pesky terran drops. I just have one quick question though: Is it wise to pull all my overlords back when the terran has a few vikings whose sole purpose is to hunt overlords (when going infestor style ofc[no mutas]) ?

Monsyphon

Canada190 Posts

June 28 2012 21:32 GMT

#14

On June 29 2012 06:14 kerblaster wrote:
I am flabbergasted by how much this guide has helped me obtain dominance of the map while catching those pesky terran drops. I just have one quick question though: Is it wise to pull all my overlords back when the terran has a few vikings whose sole purpose is to hunt overlords (when going infestor style ofc[no mutas]) ?

It is most definitely wise, or else they will just die. Stick your overlord back to your base near anti-air such as a queen

Clarity_nl

Netherlands6826 Posts

June 28 2012 23:41 GMT

#15

yellow dots required on antiga between the thirds and mains, marines/stalkers cant hit it =]
Nice thread! I feel zerg players are getting all the good threads lately. =]

Probe1

United States17920 Posts

June 29 2012 00:19 GMT

#16

I personally don't send overlords to the xel naga watchtowers on daybreak. I'll have lings on the towers and if a unit chases them off then they'll have high ground vision from the tower to snipe the overlord.

Orek

1665 Posts

June 29 2012 00:24 GMT

#17

OMG, great work.
I have to wonder why no one has ever done this work before...

kerblaster

6 Posts

June 29 2012 01:16 GMT

#18

On June 29 2012 06:32 Monsyphon wrote:

Show nested quote +

It is most definitely wise, or else they will just die. Stick your overlord back to your base near anti-air such as a queen

I tried doing this on ladder when a viking was out hunting my stray overlords. So I brought all my overlords back to my heavily defended main. The game went to lategame and all of a sudden i hear "Nuclear Launch Detected," I could not find the red dot and so I just moved my main army somewhere else. To my surprise, about half my overlords went missing and got me deeply supply blocked. Do you advise making more overlords than max, and how many?

SamuraiSEA

Japan89 Posts

June 29 2012 03:17 GMT

#19

Very nice read, thank you

Scurvy

United States117 Posts

July 01 2012 00:57 GMT

#20

Fantastic. One of the most underrated parts of successful Zerg play is proper Overlord placement. I know I still have quite a ways to go until I feel completely confident in placing my overlords in the right places. Thanks for the info!

Lysergic

United States355 Posts

July 03 2012 10:14 GMT

#21

I don't think you changed any of the 1st and 2nd OL paths that I mentioned? The red lines/arrows are still incorrect for every single map.

Do you want me to put together a replay pack with various DRG/Nestea/Symbol games for each map/matchup that I can find? Poor old faithful Kerblaster is getting nuked because of your errors man.

roym899

Germany426 Posts

July 03 2012 10:38 GMT

#22

Very nice and really helpful. But I noticed some strange things:
1. That's an old Tal'Darim Version you have there I think.
2. The Color on the Tal'Darim Map is wrong. (This dirt yellow, should be green I think)
3. The Yellow Spot on Ohana is missing, although I think there is one.
4. In the Legend you say the Yellow Spot is for the 2nd Overlord, but I think normally it's the first Overlord which should go there.

Monsyphon

Canada190 Posts

July 03 2012 21:34 GMT

#23

On July 03 2012 19:14 lysergic wrote:
I don't think you changed any of the 1st and 2nd OL paths that I mentioned? The red lines/arrows are still incorrect for every single map.

Do you want me to put together a replay pack with various DRG/Nestea/Symbol games for each map/matchup that I can find? Poor old faithful Kerblaster is getting nuked because of your errors man.

No need, but I will fix all the problems once S9 comes around, I've gotten busy unfortunately

Lysergic

United States355 Posts

July 04 2012 00:46 GMT

#24

Apollo's suggested overlord positions from Episode 6 of his Learn2Play series:

From left to right: ZvP ZvT ZvZ

Antiga Shipyard