Hello TLers! I do not tend to post much on TL, but I frequently browse TL and lurk around. This may have been known already but I haven't found anything related to this on my searches, so I felt the need to share this.
Among the three races, their workers: The SCV,Probe and Drone. I have found that Drones have some sort of delay or cancel in their initial attack animation when the target slows down due to a turn angle in certain situations. It is much easier to show this with a video:
Theoretically, Drones will never be able to hit a Probe or SCV, as you can see by the above video. The drone gets attack gets cancelled off the target when reaching in range of a moving (yet slowing due to the turning angle) target and thus the attack is delayed/cancelled causing no damage.
Compared to the SCV or the Probe, Once they reach in range of their target, they will instantly cause damage without bouncing off their moving target. Here is a video with SCV/Probe attacking.
Conclusion: Theoretically, Drones will never be able to hit a SCV or a Probe, ALSO! Theoretically, with perfect micro, Drones can be kited without ever being hit. This may not be game breaking, but It does give Zerg a certain disadvantageous situations early game I believe and should be fixed.
---EDIT--- This also applies to Dark Templars (Thanks to ZeromuS) and Ultralisks.
I can actually see a problem with this, for example, when kiting Ultralisks, Though, I do not know if it's intended by blizzard or so.
On May 20 2011 21:01 MavercK wrote: SCV weapon
Damage point - 0.1670 Period - 1.5 Range 0.1 Range Sloop 1
Probe weapon
Damage point - 0.1670 Period - 1.5 Range - 0.1 Range Sloop - 1
Drone weapon
Damage point - 0.2500 Period - 1.5 Range - 0.1 Range Sloop - 1
Wow! Great find! I didnt know that. I think you are right, it may not be game breaking. However, on a pro level i can imagine folks finding some use for that...
Intersting find. As u said it's not game breaking but it does seem like a bug. I can't think of any logical reason why a drone should be disadvantaged in such a way compared to and SCV or probe. Maybe post it on the blizzard forums.
ultralisks have a similar problem. off creep an ultra can never melee a worker because they just run out of the claws every swing.
it seems like zerg units have the only true melee attacks and the other races have range 0.5 or so ranged attacks that are just listed as melee. ive also seen on peoples streams zealots hit stuff at quite a funny range sometimes due to similar oddities. maybe its all a conspiracy!
I knew for a while that the Drone wouldnt hit when u turn and that the probe does. Didnt know that the SCV will hit as well. Always thought is was due to the fact that probes have "long range" attack with there little tickeling lazers.
ground units cannot be moving and attack at the same time that said there is a sloop value for all weapons that dictates upon beginning the attack if you unit is still in this range it will finish the attack. most units have a sloop of about 1 range.
all workers have this drones just have the largest delay before the damage is dealt i guess. probes being instant and SCVs being pretty fast.