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[D] Early Pools - Page 2

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
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Ephemera
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom66 Posts
October 03 2013 18:26 GMT
#21
We can sit here theorycrafting forever, I would agree 6 pool is a "bad" build against Terran, but I disagree about it losing to CC first on the low ground.
I could counter and say that if Dimaga did the proper thing which is sending 3 earlier drones and blocked the supply depot from going down then MKP would have no chance.

6 Pool wins vs CC first on the low ground anything else if the Terran plays it well then 6 Pool is a loss.
rd
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
United States2586 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-03 18:45:38
October 03 2013 18:41 GMT
#22
On October 04 2013 03:26 Ephemera wrote:
We can sit here theorycrafting forever, I would agree 6 pool is a "bad" build against Terran, but I disagree about it losing to CC first on the low ground.
I could counter and say that if Dimaga did the proper thing which is sending 3 earlier drones and blocked the supply depot from going down then MKP would have no chance.

6 Pool wins vs CC first on the low ground anything else if the Terran plays it well then 6 Pool is a loss.


Scout sees the 3 drones, cancels the low ground CC and starts a second rax/depot at the wall. I've never dropped a game to a 6 pool with cc first on low ground, though 60-70 minerals lost from an early scout really makes no difference at my level anyways.
Ephemera
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom66 Posts
October 03 2013 19:41 GMT
#23
Watch the replays in the first post, you don't send the three drones all together. You send one ahead of the others to harass then pull all 3 up when the lings get closer.

Anyway the more crucial point is later pools into macro.
Whatson
Profile Blog Joined January 2012
United States5357 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-03 19:49:14
October 03 2013 19:44 GMT
#24
I think we're all in agreement that if Terran doesn't go CC first and you early pool, you're super far behind
For example I know that on maps like Bel'shir Vestige if I go 11 rax 11 gas reaper FE I can defend all kinds of early pools incredibly easily.
¯\_(シ)_/¯
rd
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
United States2586 Posts
October 03 2013 19:47 GMT
#25
On October 04 2013 04:41 Ephemera wrote:
Watch the replays in the first post, you don't send the three drones all together. You send one ahead of the others to harass then pull all 3 up when the lings get closer.

Anyway the more crucial point is later pools into macro.


The timing of the harassing drone doesn't matter. It arrives way before the scouting SCV would normally cross paths with the 3 drones or the lings, which is about the time you start building the CC.
Ephemera
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom66 Posts
October 03 2013 20:15 GMT
#26
Ok lets get off the subject of a 6 pool.
I just played a game vs a masters terran, a proof of concept build.

This build was theory crafted, and has different adaptations depending on what I see.

http://ggtracker.com/matches/4162544

I would love for a review of the build, roughly speaking if I saw rax first no gas then I would make a hatchery first then the pool keeping the one drone on gas then make a lair and rush swarmhosts, if I see gas use the 100 gas for speed. If I see CC first do what I did.

It is still rough around the edges, but please comment on the concept and what you think I can do better.
hearters
Profile Joined May 2013
Singapore224 Posts
October 04 2013 02:04 GMT
#27
someone got to grandmasters with 6/7 pools only. not sure whether that's still possible in this day and age though.
Research: 1. Creep Spread Trick 2. Patrol Splitting Zerglings 3. Multiple Queen Production 4. Organised Creep Spread 5. Select Larvae/Morph Unit Rapidfire
SacredCoconut
Profile Joined October 2010
Finland121 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-04 13:36:56
October 04 2013 13:22 GMT
#28
People overestimate low master players. Just getting into master is not hard with almoust enything if you do it well enough. 10p variation against zerg is actualy lot of zergs go to build. 10p macro against terran has been shown by life to be winnable. early pool against toss if they go forge expand can be used as macro opening as well, not sure about gateway expands.

For enyone saying opponent has to make mistake to lose, even if that was the case low masters for sure will make those mistakes.

I dont know if all in early pool will get you master, but probely you can get in with it if you just do it well enough. Macro for sure will get you to master if your good enough.
I apologize for possible grammar errors.
EndOfLineTv
Profile Joined February 2011
United States741 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-04 14:47:35
October 04 2013 14:03 GMT
#29
On October 04 2013 01:37 Ephemera wrote:
@NoSoldier I showed pro player examples to prove the viability of early pools and the fact they're build order wins vs most greedy styles of play.
You seem to overestimate how strong a player in masters is/are for I have already beaten some with early pools even against "safe" builds.
But your point is true players can hold 6/7 pool much more commonly than back when FametoFlames/ActionJesus were 6 Pooling around in GM.

Hence why I change the goalposts to pools before overlord, if I asked anyone here if a 12 pool was a all in build I doubt many would say yes.

@BuiBui, the opener you showed is pretty much the same as the STLife one except different hatch timings, I've used it and has given me a good position into the mid game.

I'm around two weeks in to doing this challenge now, I'm facing mid diamond players on EU and I'm maintaining a 60% win rate so I would say that shows some promise for the early pool.

I think I've come up with a good adaptive build that uses an early pool against Zerg vs Terran it's a 100% win rate vs CC first and is "macro" should I see a rax first. I will post the build if requested/after I've played it enough and got into masters. (I want to make sure it's a solid build)

The common consensus is to do as late as possible pool like the 11 Pool or 12 Pool put pressure on and macro out of it.
Now I would agree that this is perhaps best against Terran due to the defensive nature of Terran, but I feel against Protoss any all in is more likely to succeed.

ZvZ comes down to pool timings who gets speed and baneling control.

I'm still looking for people of other races to tell me what they do as a response to seeing an early pool.

Thanks.

The great thing about the early build is it is great vs cheese.

There are only a few builds that really hard counter 9/10 pool
zvt- reaper expand ---> hellion, You lose map control, they gain it back and are able to cut corners again. where with cc first. they can not mine their natural until they get helions out.

gate core expand when protoss puts their 2nd pylon in the main base instead on the low ground for a faster wall off (vs speedling all ins) When they put the pylon on the low ground, you can kill it and then the protoss is in a bad way. If they play safe and keep it the main, you will be behind.

vs 13 13 - 15 15 speedling expands you will just die sadly.
However vs any hatch first, you can either kill them if they micro poorly. or stay even.

Lobotomist
Profile Joined May 2010
United States1541 Posts
Last Edited: 2013-10-04 16:55:53
October 04 2013 16:44 GMT
#30
seems like, for zvp you'd need two different early pool builds vs ffe and gate expand. Vs gate expand, the only viable early pool I've seen is a big speedling all-in that doesn't get scouted. I saw moonglade do this relatively recently on whirlwind. vs ffe you have to get your lings in before the wall-off finishes or you're totally screwed, which puts you somewhere 6-10, depending on the map.

vs terran, I think a 6 pool is your best bet. Life was doing 10 pools vT for a while but vs anything that isn't a cc first you're screwed. You MIGHT be able to make something happen with a 6 pool vs rax first, if you can micro your drones well.

I'll check out the proof of concept build when I've got comp access, sounds intriguing.
Teching to hive too quickly isn't just a risk: it's an ultrarisk
Ephemera
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom66 Posts
October 04 2013 18:03 GMT
#31
I'm going to start adding in 2 Banes to my ZvP builds, I need to isolate the probes from the Zealots (Assuming Gate expo) so I can kill the Zealot and move onto the probes.

Currently I'm working on some good all in timings with early pools.
When I get into masters as I said earlier, I will post a guide on all the early pools styles and what to look for/do.
weikor
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Austria580 Posts
October 05 2013 22:22 GMT
#32
Well, i cant really say that this is a good idea.

As people have stated, you are moreso relying on builds on your opponents or the poor reactions and controll.

I can assure you that vs a decent reaction from all 3 races : You are behind!
If there was a decent way to macro out of it, it would be the standard build.

Protoss
If I forge expand, and you do anything before 8 pool vs FFE, i can build a pylon in my main and cannon, I will end up ahead - especially with the MSC expanding has become much safer.
A pool later than that will just be denied with scouting and a wall off before nexus putting you even further behind.

Vs gateway expand its even worse. I dont even need to change my build, my zealot will come out to deflect damage from your zerglings and its pretty much GG from there.

Terran
There is no point in anything between a 7-14 pool, either you win with a 6 pool or you play a normal game.

Zerg
A decent reaction will keep you ahead, even 15 hatches do OK against the 6 pool. Anything later than that faces a closer arrival of his zerglings, and therefore will be worse.

So all in all .

Will you win games - sure thing
Will you be able to capitalize consistently on an early pool to get yourself ahead for the mid and lategame - no!


Ephemera
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom66 Posts
October 06 2013 11:11 GMT
#33
Welkor, I just played a game which disproves your "anything later than a 8 pool" the protoss will have a full wall theory.
Against people I think will gate expo, I do a 10 pool with 2 banes included which wins me most games considering I drone pull as well. Alas I don't have a replay against the gate expo but I do have what I do against FFE.

http://ggtracker.com/matches/4176433

Against Terran I could show the example of Dimaga the founder of the super early baneling bust, also the theory build I posted earlier works vs CC first and has adaptations, against anything but CC first I will be behind slightly but not out of the game. (STLife has shown you can win from a 10 pool macro against top tiered Terrans who do the perfect counter)

Zerg there's so many builds that work, 10 pool macro is a standard build in the meta so in ZvZ where I have a 70% win rate early pooling is fine and macroable.

The goal is to win really, I'm not looking to get ahead into the mid/lategame with a 6 Pool, with a 10/11/12 pool then I'm looking to macro (unless I drone pull)


RaiZ
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
2813 Posts
October 06 2013 11:57 GMT
#34
On October 04 2013 04:44 Whatson wrote:
I think we're all in agreement that if Terran doesn't go CC first and you early pool, you're super far behind
For example I know that on maps like Bel'shir Vestige if I go 11 rax 11 gas reaper FE I can defend all kinds of early pools incredibly easily.

I thought there was a way for the terran to make it perfectly safe to go CC first even against Pool 6 ? I.e. a specific CC and barrack placement in the entrance to force less zerglings to attack the CC or the rax in order for them to be finished building and then to be repaired ?
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth. Oscar Wilde
Ephemera
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom66 Posts
October 06 2013 12:48 GMT
#35
CC on the high ground with proper micro should hold a 6 pool, but sometimes it doesn't, it depends on the map how they place the building and how many SCV they pull to repair and when.

It also depends on pure luck with where the SCV constructing the CC or Rax go, if they end up on the side with the lings and they haven't got SCV's ready and waiting to construct then the lings can get in.

Also drone drilling can catch people off guard.

6 Pool vs CC on high ground is 50/50.
monomo
Profile Joined August 2011
Germany150 Posts
October 06 2013 14:01 GMT
#36
On October 06 2013 20:11 Ephemera wrote:
Welkor, I just played a game which disproves your "anything later than a 8 pool" the protoss will have a full wall theory.
Against people I think will gate expo, I do a 10 pool with 2 banes included which wins me most games considering I drone pull as well. Alas I don't have a replay against the gate expo but I do have what I do against FFE.

http://ggtracker.com/matches/4176433

Against Terran I could show the example of Dimaga the founder of the super early baneling bust, also the theory build I posted earlier works vs CC first and has adaptations, against anything but CC first I will be behind slightly but not out of the game. (STLife has shown you can win from a 10 pool macro against top tiered Terrans who do the perfect counter)

Zerg there's so many builds that work, 10 pool macro is a standard build in the meta so in ZvZ where I have a 70% win rate early pooling is fine and macroable.

The goal is to win really, I'm not looking to get ahead into the mid/lategame with a 6 Pool, with a 10/11/12 pool then I'm looking to macro (unless I drone pull)




I stopped reading after "drope pull", because really this thread wasn't made to discuss the overall possibilty to win with an early pool, but to discuss the possibility of transitioning out of it while retaining some sort of meaningful advantage (map control, maybe econ after killing workers, ?army size?)

drone pulling makes it all in - Nobody disputes the fact that it can win games, but you cannot transition after drone pulling.

RFDaemoniac
Profile Joined September 2011
United States544 Posts
October 06 2013 14:49 GMT
#37
If you don't drone pull until after you scout that they went CC first then it's a totally viable way to play. The point of opening with an early pool is to enable you to punish greedy play, and to react appropriately and dominantly to other forms of play. Of course you can't transition after punishing a CC first...
weikor
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Austria580 Posts
October 06 2013 15:39 GMT
#38
On October 06 2013 20:11 Ephemera wrote:
Welkor, I just played a game which disproves your "anything later than a 8 pool" the protoss will have a full wall theory.
Against people I think will gate expo, I do a 10 pool with 2 banes included which wins me most games considering I drone pull as well. Alas I don't have a replay against the gate expo but I do have what I do against FFE.

http://ggtracker.com/matches/4176433

Against Terran I could show the example of Dimaga the founder of the super early baneling bust, also the theory build I posted earlier works vs CC first and has adaptations, against anything but CC first I will be behind slightly but not out of the game. (STLife has shown you can win from a 10 pool macro against top tiered Terrans who do the perfect counter)

Zerg there's so many builds that work, 10 pool macro is a standard build in the meta so in ZvZ where I have a 70% win rate early pooling is fine and macroable.

The goal is to win really, I'm not looking to get ahead into the mid/lategame with a 6 Pool, with a 10/11/12 pool then I'm looking to macro (unless I drone pull)




The guy you played tried to go for a nexus first, this is an opening that dies to any early pool. The normal opening is forge expand, with a scout on the forge or pylon. after he sees this, he uses the 400 minerals he has saved for the nexus, for a GW / Cannon / Pylon. This will give him a full wall off.
rd
Profile Blog Joined July 2010
United States2586 Posts
October 06 2013 15:46 GMT
#39
On October 06 2013 21:48 Ephemera wrote:
CC on the high ground with proper micro should hold a 6 pool, but sometimes it doesn't, it depends on the map how they place the building and how many SCV they pull to repair and when.

It also depends on pure luck with where the SCV constructing the CC or Rax go, if they end up on the side with the lings and they haven't got SCV's ready and waiting to construct then the lings can get in.

Also drone drilling can catch people off guard.

6 Pool vs CC on high ground is 50/50.


It's more like 5/95. The 5% being the very low odds that your building SCV's move towards the lings -every- single time.
Ephemera
Profile Blog Joined April 2013
United Kingdom66 Posts
October 06 2013 19:19 GMT
#40
Weikor did you even watch the replay?
The guy scouted on 9 and put down a 15 forge, there's a 10 second difference between if he went foge first or what he ended up doing. The cannon would've got 2 seconds of shooting which would not stop my attack in the slightest.

Now lets assume he puts down 2 cannons in the mineral lines. I would've just gone for the pylon and I still would've had enough to kill all the probes/unpowered cannons.

Monomo, first off I'm the OP so I made the thread so there's no point in telling me what this thread was made to discuss
Secondly there's some (not many in the slightest) pro game examples where a zerg has drone pulled and managed to transition but I'm being pedantic it's not intended to be transitioned from.

rd, it's more likely 33% the SCV has a moving pattern that crosses through the danger zone at some point, now since 33% of the surface area of the CC is exposed to the lings I would assume that 33% is the percentage of times the SCV moves into the danger zone.

Now this is easily countered by the fact that if they pull SCVs you can restart the building straight away.

The goal is to win at the end of the day, so if you can drone pull and get a win there and then why wouldn't you? (Hence why TvP SCV pulls are so common)
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