EPTPiG Daily Articles
Welcome to the PiG Daily strategy article! The PiG Daily is a show by Jared "PiG" Krensel that focuses on StarCraft 2 strategy and becoming a better player. We've joined forces to create an article series that summarizes his dailies into short, digestible articles that provide insight on builds, tactics and game sense. By combining with Spawning Tool, this series will bring you the most comprehensive learning experience for build orders and strategies.
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On a stage in front of an audience 10,000 strong. Tied 2-2 with the best Protoss in the world. With one-hundred-thousand dollars on the line. TY had to dig deep and search for a way to claim victory. What he found was 3-seige tanks, a liberator and a dozen marines with combat shields. This build won 2 out of the next 3 games, and gained him a $100K check.
Link to the Spawning Tool Build
TY's $100K Tank Push in TvP
TY had been edged out in game 1 by Stats’ colossi play, but had looked utterly impervious to the phoenix-adept play that Stats pulled out in the following 2 games. As Stats swapped back into fast colossi play, TY unleashed this vicious timing attack.
TY's 100K Tank Push
| 14 | Gas |
| 16 | Barracks |
| 19 | Reaper |
| 20 | CC |
| 20 | Factory |
| 21 | Reactor |
| @100% factory -> starport | |
| Factory swaps onto reactor | |
| 2x hellion | |
| 2x mines | |
| Barracks builds tech lab | |
| @100% 2x mines -> factory swaps onto tech lab, barracks on reactor | |
| 3x tanks | |
| @100% starport -> medivac | |
| @100% medivac -> tech lab | |
| Barracks swaps on tech lab | |
| Research combat shields | |
| @150 gas -> liberator | |
| @100% liberator -> reactor | |
| 2x barracks as money allows | |
| Constant marine production | |
Notes
Don't forget:
- 3 rax total - 1 reactor, 1 tech lab, 1 no add-on
- Combat shields first
- Bring 1-2 SCVs for bunkers and repairs
- Scan ahead so that you can siege in the best possible location
The timing of this attack is crucial. If you follow everything right, you should hit the enemy's natural at 6:25 with the following units:
- 13 marines with combat shields
- 1 medivac
- 1 liberator
- 3 tanks
As much as possible, you do not want to stop for anything. One of the keys to holding this timing attack is forcing you to siege up away from the natural. The amount of time it takes to siege, unsiege, and re-siege grants valuable time to your opponent. Each second wasted closes your window of attack slightly, so make a bee-line to the enemy natural and siege up in a favorable spot.
The Transition
You will want to transition regardless of the amount of damage you inflict. While there are occasionally opportunities to close the game early—especially if he sacrifices a lot of units to your siege tanks—you will often have to trek back to your base with advantage in hand. In fact, part of the transition already occurs as you move out.
The Transition
| 3rd barracks builds tech lab as you move out | |
| @100% Combat Shields -> Stim | |
| Factory swaps and starts a reactor | |
| ~6:00 3rd CC | |
| ~6:00 engineering bay. 2x ebays if you are feeling confident. | |
| @300 minerals -> 4th and 5th rax |
From here, it is up to you to use your advantages. If you played your cards right, you should have an economic and army lead, as well as excellent map control.
Can I do this vs phoenix-adept play?
In general, no. Low numbers of siege tanks and marines are vulnerable to phoenixes and adepts, which close ground very quickly. Phoenixes will eliminate the siege tanks before adepts shade in.If you scout this build with your first 2 hellions, you should decide whether you want to commit (if you think you can catch him out of position) or just get a single siege tank and play a more regular, defensive style.
VODs
Game 5 - Bel'shir Vestige
TY kills 4 probes with his hellion-reaper, which starts him off great. Later on, a 2 mine drop while his reapers distract net him 6 more probes. This game was just absolute domination.
Game 6 - Honorgrounds
Stats gets one back by shutting down all early pressure. The hellion runby this game proves ineffective—only 2 probes fried. The protoss holds smoothly with 2 colossi (with range), 6 stalkers, 2 sentries, 2 zealots, and 1 adept. It's a brilliant hold, but TY still forces a long macro game which he eventually loses.
Game 7 - Cactus Valley
Realizing that Stats isn't going to lose more probes early, TY resorts to an early Raven instead. Fortunately for the terran, Stats is a little greedy here as his gates are later than normal because of an early third. He probably needs to cut at 45 probes and aim for 2-base saturation before crushing the push and expanding behind superior tech. TY waltzes to the natural and inflicts massive damage before rolling in for the win.
