Force fields have always been a fantastic ability to micro. Two of the greatest Protoss players of their time, MC and Parting are well known for their impeccable force field placement. They are living proof that with incredible skill, this ability can allow players to outplay their opponents.
This is because the action is repeatable and its individual impact is quite small. A single force field can only block a small area of space. With each repetition of this ability, its impact becomes increasingly effective. You can block off more area of space with each additional force field you place.
Not only that, strategic placement of force fields also helps increase its effectiveness. You can place a single force field on a small ramp or between buildings and completely block it off. Placing multiple force fields side-by-side without overlapping or leaving gaps takes incredible accuracy and dexterity. All of these scenarios show that there is a wide spectrum of effectiveness that can be achieved based on a player's skill.
The best Protoss players can maximize the effectiveness of every force field they have available. They know exactly how many sentries and force fields they have to begin with. They also know how many they've used and which sentry died during a battle and keep track of how many force fields they have left.
So why has force field gained so much hate that some people wish it to be removed?
Although the force field ability in isolation is a very rewarding micro ability, it also takes away the micro potential of the opposing player. This is where the frustration and hate towards force fields comes from.
For every force field that is placed, the opposing player's ability to perform unit movement micro decreases. It is possible to reach a point where the opposing player's unit movement micro becomes utterly ineffective. For example, a force field on a small ramp will completely deny their opponent from moving units between their base and natural. There is very little amount of unit movement micro that can change that.
I too, have shared this frustration. There have been moments when I've thought that this ability is stupid and broken. Fortunately, Blizzard is beginning to give players more options to micro against force fields.
For Zerg players, burrow and burrow movement have become more accessible. The Ravager is also being introduced and allows Zerg players to break force fields.
Terran players have the ability to pick up units with the Medivac. In LotV, it will also be able to pick up sieged tanks. Additionally, it looks like medivacs will receive a buff to its utility.
Are these changes effective? I think they're definitely headed in the right direction. These extra abilities provide both players more opportunities to show off their micro without taking away the micro ability of the other player.
You have probably noticed that I praise repeatable actions with small effectiveness a lot. Does that mean the opposite is bad? Not necessarily. I will explore non-repeatable actions and large effectiveness in the next volume.
If you've missed it, take a look at volume I:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/starcraft-2/488425-breaking-bad-micro-vol-1-general-micro