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Honestly at the beginning of WoL I chose zerg because I thought it was the hardest race. But over the last month I didn't fin myself cheering for Zergs in tournaments. I cheered for Taeja and HerO and Bomber and Flash. Because I felt that Zerg was not processing in the way they played – at least not in the right direction imo.
Now here's why I am very excited about Swarm launching:
General : Zerg early game
The Zerg early game used to be learrning the timing of droning and when to produce units. Also whether to favour roaches Zergling speed or a quick lair as a gas investment. I feel there aare a lot of more intersting decisions to make oin hots ion the early game for the zerg especially wheere to invest your gas. Quick lair, Roaches, Overlord Speed, Burrow, or ling speed. So the complexity of the game was increased by adding new options. I like that a lot.
But more importantly: new Zerg Units
The Hydralisk revamped: the speed hydras will be an instrumental part of zergs mid and late game composition in hots I feel. Due to their improved movement speed they can now retreat out of battles. They deal a lot of damage but die relatively fast which means you have to protect them – so they can be made more effective via micro – which is a good thing.
For any of you who didn't see the video in which Day[9] talked aboiut game design I recommend you to [check it out](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxx55e1ZQCY).
The faster Mutalisk: The Muta was always good to harass workersbut now you can also fight other units w/ them then micro out of the battle wait for regen and move back in so same thing as w/ the hydra improvement of the units effectiveness by micro – as Day[9] would say : A frisbee Unit.
Which honestly most of the new zerg units are. Including
The Swarmhost: Ok so there are actualkly two reasons I am really excited about this unit.
1st of it also is a frisbee unit (burrow-> spawn Locusts → unburrow → Move). But also it is a zerg siege unit that does not have entirely boring design like the BL (you didn't have to micro BL's really).
TheViper The viper is imo the best new unit of all. The exchange building health for energy to use a viable spell makes for really cool decisionmaking – which I love.
Also the direct battle control is really skillbased so another frisbee unit. (If you don't know what a frisbee unit is, whatch that video of Day[9])
And the Ultralisk does a fuckload of damage – which is not really great unit design but badass. What I like about the Ultra though is, that 15 Ultras are actually worse than 5 are so mass Ultras won't really be an Issue I think.
Specific Matchups
So lets's start with the worst matchup in WoL imo:
ZvT
Due to BL infestor considered the most imba matchup in Wings of liberty.
What's great about HotS though, is thatthere are more strastegies viable than ling → Ling/Infesetor -> Infestor/BL
Actually I have not seen than unit comp. Being used. Muta ling/Bling is having a comeback which has me really excited bc counterattacks/muta harass is way more compelling to me than turtle zerg.
You can not be as greedy in the early game anymore because of 1base hellbat drop play. So you have to rely more on scouting/gas timings/and decisionmaking – which that is what the game should be about.
Hydras work pretty well w/ muta/ling/bling sou you have a really nice midgame composition that can transition into ling/bling/hdry/ultra/viper which is an army coimpostion that really needs a lot of skill to control properly – which is great.
What has me most excited about that army comp, is, that it is really mobile in the late game (=/= BL/Infestor).
ZvP: This matchup I also hate in WoL because realöly it is a mess. Death ball vs. Death ball plus archon toilet I really don't enjoy it.
In HotS, Protoss air is really dominant right now. You can not let an Airtoss max out. You will simply lose in that case. So i think opening w/ gas is good to get ling speed and attempt a lot of runbys.
In the midghame continue that and add mutalisks they can deal w/ Oracles and keep the harass going. At home you need to macro up a Hydra/Corrupter Army (at least that works for me).
So yeah a harass heavy matchup in my eyes. Really fun you guys (although I think the protoss is still tied to a rather death-ball-ish dynamic so stretch them thin!)
If he doesn't go Air you can go for a rather WoL-ish play and replace Infestors w/ Hydras and Brood Lords w/ Ultras.
And finally the hated matchup:
ZvZ
I enjoyed 2011 ZvZ ling/Bling/muta play. And HotS plays out pretty similiarly. Early game is mostly ling/bling shenanigans. Then one player opts to go Muta/Ling/Hydra (which is really fun imo) and one goes roach/hydra (meh.). The cool thing I found, is that either strategy can win.so it is really control/skill/decisionmaking-based – I love it.
I haven't gone to a really late game in ZvZ in HotS yet but i would think, that you would continue your Midgame comp and add ultras.
Final thoughts
So yeah. I really like zerg in HotS. I don't think we have OP shit anymore or at lkeast it is not as strong anymore.
And honestly, the fact that Terran and Protoss are being called OP (hellbats/airtoss) pleases the elitist in me  .
If any of these things is like really really really really wrong, which is entirely possible please correct me :D
Also: Are you excited about HotS? How do you think it will turn out? Do you like tjhe new units?
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I luled at Hydras but other than that ya I love the changes. Maybe less for SH's.. but hey Lurkers were stupid right?. Should be fun when it comes out!
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Fixed formatting for you. Hit 'quote' on this post, and copy out the contents back into your OP.
EDIT: Never mind, you did it yourself :D
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I think I developed on TL an uncanny ability to detect IDs written backwards haha :D
Anyway nice post, glad some people are enjoying their race in HotS.
I'm enjoying Terran as well.
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I looooove the viper. The cloud is great, and abduct is simply hilarious at times. Abducting stuff is my new hobby.
ZvT is really cool overall in HotS, lots of variety and lots of funny stuff.
Thanks for your thoughts on zvp, I'm feeling kinda lost in that matchup now.
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Although I don't really agree with you in few points, one is certain - the changes took a good direction. Still, hots could use 3-4 months more beta, as it currently feels very incomplete:
-Mothership is actually less useful than mothership core, while costing 3 times more, not to mention the time - either remove the unit or fix it.
-Tempest and Carrier are pretty much fulfilling the same role - long range capital ship. The fact is, however, that tempest counter bcs and blords so hard that there is no point in building them in vP. Do we really want that? I know the model looks cool and it's a shame to scrap it, but maybe in LoV somebody will come up with a good idea. For me, removing the tempest and buffing/tweaking the carrier is the way to go.
-Oracle is very DTish - either enemy has turrets/cannons/spores and ur oracle dies, or he doesn't have it and u kill all his workers. Sadly, the oracle is quite useless outside of harassing, it has a forced synergy with tempest, but well, I would like to see some tweaks with that one.
- Transformers changing from machine to biological being will always blow my mind
Do something about these, and I'll be really really happy with hots.
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I agree with some of the points you made, but by far, not all of them.
I play Zerg and I'm completely lost verse Protoss... I've tried all sorts, and just can't seem to brake them. Minus the Hellbat drops Terran verse Zerg is fun, as always. 
Not to keen on the muta wars in ZvZ, but with a bit of luck it might change.
I don't think the game is ready for release though, it still needs more work such as that corrupter "change" lol.
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Hey nice positive post
I also like HotS. I was hoping for protoss to be more fun.
And it is, sadly as you said it's still necessary to do the deathball style, which is due to the weak gateway units, strong forcefields and of course the MSC.
So I am a bit disappointed in protoss gameplay, although going air is an option now.
About zerg I have to say that forcefields are still too powerful against them and that the swarmhosts are super weird units.
If you get 8 swarmhosts before toss has colossus you either win or force a basetrade...
Also Mutas rape ground toss now -_-
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Nice post, i agree with the viper 100% being the coolest new unit. As a terran player I have seen some deadly roach, hydra and viper play. Now i must start become familiar with zerg openings because of all the new changes.
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Well early game didn't really changed, apart that you can now do a burrow all-in. I doubt anyone will really make ovie speed that early.
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I'm not a Zerg, but I agree! HotS is definitely looking like a step in the right direction : )
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Well, this post may be true or not (I am not zerg), but I just wanted to say that seeing someone be happy and excited about HOTS made me smile that's good for a change.
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I finally realized (through all of your posts) how awesome the viper is as a new unit!
I will definately try to replace my infestors with vipers more often, cause they exactly got the spells the infestor lacks right now through various nerfs (abduct is neural parasite 2.0 to eliminate strong units that would always stay in the back of the enemy forces; blinding cloud is a better fungal, cause enemy can micro out of it, but you as zerg have a powerful tool to shut down enemy fire)
So pumped for HotS!!!!
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im excited to kill zerg, because when zerglings get hit by tank fire they go flying!!!! new physics ftw.
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I agree as a Zerg that HOTS is looking good. Swarmhosts are the most interesting new unit IMO. They reward good micro and positioning and I think Zergs have only just scratched the surface of what can be done with this unit. They also happen to synergize well with the Viper against certain compositions.
The only thing I don't like about Zerg in HOTS right now is the ZvZ matchup where going anything other than Muta is suicide. But I always hated that mirror so... I guess I will continue to hate 
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Everything I've seen is just the same crap different pile. I can't even see how people get excited about this? Am I way out to left field here? but the way I see it is nothing has changed!? nothing. Zerg is still stuck more so then ever in turtle mode till tier 3, and every game is the same.
Typical Zerg game:
Step 1 - Defend the plethora of all-in's, and mid game push's / horas tactics by EVERY OTHER RACE with as minimal losses as possible
Step 2 - Rage that you can't do any early game horas due to crappy map design, sim city capabilities of the other races, and new early defenses which make it impossible
Step 3 - Hold off till super army / Tier 3 then go try and win, I put the word try as Skytoss is so redonkulous at the moment its a total crap shoot.
Rinse and repeat EVERY GAME.
The only exclusion to this is ZvZ but even that gets dull after a while as its the same song and dance there as well.
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United Kingdom14103 Posts
Wow a thread with people who are positive about HoTS, this is makes a nice change.
Edit: too soon -.-
+ Show Spoiler +On February 12 2013 00:57 rustypipe wrote:
Everything I've seen is just the same crap different pile. I can't even see how people get excited about this? Am I way out to left field here? but the way I see it is nothing has changed!? nothing. Zerg is still stuck more so then ever in turtle mode till tier 3, and every game is the same.
Typical Zerg game:
Step 1 - Defend the plethora of all-in's, and mid game push's / horas tactics by EVERY OTHER RACE with as minimal losses as possible
Step 2 - Rage that you can't do any early game horas due to crappy map design, sim city capabilities of the other races, and new early defenses which make it impossible
Step 3 - Hold off till super army / Tier 3 then go try and win, I put the word try as Skytoss is so redonkulous at the moment its a total crap shoot.
Rinse and repeat EVERY GAME.
The only exclusion to this is ZvZ but even that gets dull after a while as its the same song and dance there as well.
You're moaning at having to defend all ins just like the other races? Nice. To think that anyone is going to consider your rage-filled opinion when you cannot even spell the word harass properly.
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On February 12 2013 00:59 Targe wrote:Wow a thread with people who are positive about HoTS, this is makes a nice change. Edit: too soon -.- + Show Spoiler +On February 12 2013 00:57 rustypipe wrote:
Everything I've seen is just the same crap different pile. I can't even see how people get excited about this? Am I way out to left field here? but the way I see it is nothing has changed!? nothing. Zerg is still stuck more so then ever in turtle mode till tier 3, and every game is the same.
Typical Zerg game:
Step 1 - Defend the plethora of all-in's, and mid game push's / horas tactics by EVERY OTHER RACE with as minimal losses as possible
Step 2 - Rage that you can't do any early game horas due to crappy map design, sim city capabilities of the other races, and new early defenses which make it impossible
Step 3 - Hold off till super army / Tier 3 then go try and win, I put the word try as Skytoss is so redonkulous at the moment its a total crap shoot.
Rinse and repeat EVERY GAME.
The only exclusion to this is ZvZ but even that gets dull after a while as its the same song and dance there as well.
You're moaning at having to defend all ins just like the other races? Nice. To think that anyone is going to consider your rage-filled opinion when you cannot even spell the word harass properly.
Fan boys will be fan boys. After playing SC2 WoL since beta you must be tired of the same crap. Especially Zerg players. SC2 WoL Zergs are so stream lined its stupid. You are pretty well strong handed into a set number of builds or you will straight out loose. I haven't seen much difference in HotS and feel HotS is being rushed out due to market demand or financial pressure, but hey you enjoy driving that car with 3 wheels for a year or so while blizzard tries to put on the 4th wheel.
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EPT
