EPThttp://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/540705665
Lithe is the creator of this map, not me. This thread is more about discussing strategy and getting teams together.
Edit on Aug 28th - Did some editing to correspond with the new patch.
Preface:
If you're like me, you've played the gambit of the "popular" UMS maps right now on Battle.net, and been left sorely disappointed. There are a good number of maps with a top-down "WASD" control scheme, and the control response time on all of them is laughable (even with graphic settings on minimum). All of the tower defenses suck. That featured party game isn't worth playing more than once. Nexus wars is lame.
Enter Colonial Line Wars. Even though it is still in beta, I've found it to be the most fun of any custom map I've played. It has amazing strategical depth, which is something that is clearly lacking in 99% of the other maps. Over the past two days, it has jumped to the top of the popular map lists (on NA server, at least). If you haven't played it yet, check it out.
Synopsis: (if you've never played)
It's like Nexus Wars, but less lame. You build buildings, and they produce units that travel in the lane. You can't control the units, so the entire game is the strategical decisions of what buildings to build. Income is given for lane control (3 beacons in the lane to capture) as opposed to how many buildings you have, and you have to invest to increase your income. This means that at any point in time, you have 3 general options: to keep building unit producing structures, to increase you income, or to tech to higher buildings.
Unit Guide:
This excellent unit guide was written by aisight of the BNet forums. I have made some additions and changed some values to correspond with the latest patch.
Tier 1
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Marine
Research Cost: 0
Build Cost: 100
Defense: 40/0
Attack: 6
Attack Speed: 0.87
Range: 3.5
Damage per Second: 6.897
Abilities: None
Standard Tier 1 unit. Average defenses, dps, and range for low cost.
Zergling (x2)
Research Cost: 0
Build Cost: 100
Defense: 28/0
Attack: 5
Attack Speed: 0.7
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 7.143
Abilities: Double Spawn
Cheap Tier 1 melee unit. Very weak defenses but two spawn at once. Zerglings are the most cost effective unit at the beginning of the game.
Zerglings will get clumped up if you build pools like this:
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Instead, build them like this:
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Reaper
Research Cost: 25
Build Cost: 125
Defense: 52/0
Attack: 5 (x2)
Attack Speed: 0.87
Range: 1.5
Damage per Second: 11.494
Abilities: Speed
Good anti-infantry Tier 1 unit with a cost that allows you to open with one. Loses effectiveness against Hydralisks and Tier 2.
A lot of players don't use reapers because of their incredibly small range. Reapers actually have a very high DPS, but they need to be placed behind tanks to be effective. To counter reapers just make more zergling/zeal than your enemy and then your own ranged units will take them out quickly.
Hydralisk
Research Cost: 45
Build Cost: 150
Defense: 60/0
Attack: 9
Attack Speed: 0.83
Range: 4.5
Damage per Second: 10.843
Abilities: None
Strongest Tier 1 ranged unit. Deals good damage and has excellent range but relatively fragile for its cost. In general, hydras own marines, own reapers (without protection), but get owned by zerglings.
Zealot
Research Cost: 50
Build Cost: 175
Defense: 40/75/0/1
Attack: 7 (x2)
Attack Speed: 1.25
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 11.200
Abilities: None
Very durable Tier 1 melee unit. Very expensive compared to the Zergling, but better resilience against Tier 2 units.
Research Cost: 0
Build Cost: 100
Defense: 40/0
Attack: 6
Attack Speed: 0.87
Range: 3.5
Damage per Second: 6.897
Abilities: None
Standard Tier 1 unit. Average defenses, dps, and range for low cost.
Zergling (x2)
Research Cost: 0
Build Cost: 100
Defense: 28/0
Attack: 5
Attack Speed: 0.7
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 7.143
Abilities: Double Spawn
Cheap Tier 1 melee unit. Very weak defenses but two spawn at once. Zerglings are the most cost effective unit at the beginning of the game.
Zerglings will get clumped up if you build pools like this:
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Instead, build them like this:
Z
Z
Z
Z
Z
Reaper
Research Cost: 25
Build Cost: 125
Defense: 52/0
Attack: 5 (x2)
Attack Speed: 0.87
Range: 1.5
Damage per Second: 11.494
Abilities: Speed
Good anti-infantry Tier 1 unit with a cost that allows you to open with one. Loses effectiveness against Hydralisks and Tier 2.
A lot of players don't use reapers because of their incredibly small range. Reapers actually have a very high DPS, but they need to be placed behind tanks to be effective. To counter reapers just make more zergling/zeal than your enemy and then your own ranged units will take them out quickly.
Hydralisk
Research Cost: 45
Build Cost: 150
Defense: 60/0
Attack: 9
Attack Speed: 0.83
Range: 4.5
Damage per Second: 10.843
Abilities: None
Strongest Tier 1 ranged unit. Deals good damage and has excellent range but relatively fragile for its cost. In general, hydras own marines, own reapers (without protection), but get owned by zerglings.
Zealot
Research Cost: 50
Build Cost: 175
Defense: 40/75/0/1
Attack: 7 (x2)
Attack Speed: 1.25
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 11.200
Abilities: None
Very durable Tier 1 melee unit. Very expensive compared to the Zergling, but better resilience against Tier 2 units.
Tier 2 (100 minerals)
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Roach
Research Cost: 50
Build Cost: 225
Defense: 125/1
Attack: 13
Attack Speed: 1.1
Range: 2
Damage per Second: 11.818
Abilities: 3 HP/sec Regeneration
Tier 2 damage tank. Useful for lowering efficiency of ranged-heavy compositions. A good counter to roaches is Hydra/Marauder because it kills them quickly so that they regenerate less. Additionally, the marauder slows them so that they get less total attacks.
Firebat
Research Cost: 75
Build Cost: 275
Defense: 165/2
Attack: 8
Attack Speed: 0.95
Range: 1
Damage per Second: 8.421
Abilities: Splash Damage
Excellent anti-Tier 1 crowd control unit. Absolutely nullifies Zerglings, but weak DPS so it loses efficiency against smaller compositions of stronger units.
Medic
Research Cost: 75
Build Cost: 275
Defense: 120/0
Attack: 0
Attack Speed: 0
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 0
Abilities: Healing (heals 13 per tick)
Amazing support for any Tier 2 biological unit and even some of Tier 1. If you get a lot of them they start to clump up, making for some really funny gameplay.
Marauder
Research Cost: 100
Build Cost: 300
Defense: 110/1
Attack: 20
Attack Speed: 1.2
Range: 5
Damage per Second: 16.667
Abilities: Concussive Shells (slows by 40% in an area of .85)
Good damage, range, and bulk, but otherwise unremarkable Tier 2 unit. Rarely sees effective play, as it doesn't particularly counter anything.
Dark Templar
Research Cost: 100
Build Cost: 325
Defense: 75/100/1/1
Attack: 18
Attack Speed: 0.72
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 25.000
Abilities: Charge
Expensive Tier 2 unit that deals absurd dps. A better counter to Zealots with Charge and damage, but weaker than Firebats against non-Zealot compositions due to lack of splash damage.
Sentry
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 350
Defense: 60/100/1/1
Attack: 8
Attack Speed: 1
Range: 4
Damage per Second: 8.000
Abilities: Guardian Shield
Support unit to help guard against massive Tier 1 compositions as well as deter mutas. Just having 1 makes such a huge difference against a range heavy army. Definitely consider having 1 in each lane. They also work fabulously in conjunction with ultras.
Mutalisk (x2)
Research Cost: 150
Build Cost: 350
Defense: 90/0
Attack: 8/2.667/0.889
Attack Speed: 1.07
Range: 3
Damage per Second: 10.800
Abilities: Double Spawn, Aerial, Glaive Wurm
Fastest tech aerial unit. Can force counter-builds just by being present.
One strategy is to wait until you have enough for around 5 spires (1750 minerals) before revealing the tech. This gives you a ton of momentum where they (usually) scramble to tech to wraiths. Additionally, you can coordinate with a teammate so that, if you do this, you can time it so that a teammate plops down a bunch of wraiths as soon as your enemy wraiths start appearing on the lane.
Research Cost: 50
Build Cost: 225
Defense: 125/1
Attack: 13
Attack Speed: 1.1
Range: 2
Damage per Second: 11.818
Abilities: 3 HP/sec Regeneration
Tier 2 damage tank. Useful for lowering efficiency of ranged-heavy compositions. A good counter to roaches is Hydra/Marauder because it kills them quickly so that they regenerate less. Additionally, the marauder slows them so that they get less total attacks.
Firebat
Research Cost: 75
Build Cost: 275
Defense: 165/2
Attack: 8
Attack Speed: 0.95
Range: 1
Damage per Second: 8.421
Abilities: Splash Damage
Excellent anti-Tier 1 crowd control unit. Absolutely nullifies Zerglings, but weak DPS so it loses efficiency against smaller compositions of stronger units.
Medic
Research Cost: 75
Build Cost: 275
Defense: 120/0
Attack: 0
Attack Speed: 0
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 0
Abilities: Healing (heals 13 per tick)
Amazing support for any Tier 2 biological unit and even some of Tier 1. If you get a lot of them they start to clump up, making for some really funny gameplay.
Marauder
Research Cost: 100
Build Cost: 300
Defense: 110/1
Attack: 20
Attack Speed: 1.2
Range: 5
Damage per Second: 16.667
Abilities: Concussive Shells (slows by 40% in an area of .85)
Good damage, range, and bulk, but otherwise unremarkable Tier 2 unit. Rarely sees effective play, as it doesn't particularly counter anything.
Dark Templar
Research Cost: 100
Build Cost: 325
Defense: 75/100/1/1
Attack: 18
Attack Speed: 0.72
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 25.000
Abilities: Charge
Expensive Tier 2 unit that deals absurd dps. A better counter to Zealots with Charge and damage, but weaker than Firebats against non-Zealot compositions due to lack of splash damage.
Sentry
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 350
Defense: 60/100/1/1
Attack: 8
Attack Speed: 1
Range: 4
Damage per Second: 8.000
Abilities: Guardian Shield
Support unit to help guard against massive Tier 1 compositions as well as deter mutas. Just having 1 makes such a huge difference against a range heavy army. Definitely consider having 1 in each lane. They also work fabulously in conjunction with ultras.
Mutalisk (x2)
Research Cost: 150
Build Cost: 350
Defense: 90/0
Attack: 8/2.667/0.889
Attack Speed: 1.07
Range: 3
Damage per Second: 10.800
Abilities: Double Spawn, Aerial, Glaive Wurm
Fastest tech aerial unit. Can force counter-builds just by being present.
One strategy is to wait until you have enough for around 5 spires (1750 minerals) before revealing the tech. This gives you a ton of momentum where they (usually) scramble to tech to wraiths. Additionally, you can coordinate with a teammate so that, if you do this, you can time it so that a teammate plops down a bunch of wraiths as soon as your enemy wraiths start appearing on the lane.
Tier 3 (300 minerals)
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Ghost
Research Cost: 100
Build Cost: 350
Defense: 85/0
Attack: 18
Attack Speed: 1.15
Range: 6
Damage per Second: 15.652
Abilities: Snipe (45 damage with a 5 second cooldown)
Snipe allows for fast countering of more fragile units, like marines, hydras, and mutas. Even ultras go down fast to a couple of snipes.
Wraith
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 400
Defense: 155/1
Attack: 15(x2) (air)/8 (ground)
Attack Speed: 1.03 (air)/0.57 (ground)
Range: 6.5 (air)/3 (ground)
Damage per Second: 29.126 (air)/14.035 (ground)
Abilities: Aerial
The best answer to any air unit, including voids. Does more DPS than a void (versus air). The reason why wraiths are better than ghosts versus air is this: ghosts will automatically target any ground unit first (a.k.a. all of your opponents zerglings). Thus your ghosts won't really be attacking the air units until after most of the ground forces are dead. Wraiths work completely differently. After acquiring a target they will stick with it, but when choosing a target they will automatically defer to attacking an air unit (since the air to air missiles deal substantially more than the pew pew lasers).
Siege Tank
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 525
Defense: 155/0
Attack: 65
Attack Speed: 2.5
Range: 9
Damage per Second: 26
Abilities: Splash Damage
Great if your opponent is massing lower tier units.
Banshee
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 175/1
Attack: 22 (x2)
Attack Speed: 1.25
Range: 5
Damage per Second: 35.200
Abilities: Aerial
Amazingly powerful air-to-ground unit, but especially vulnerable to Wraiths and Void Rays, and somewhat resisted by Immortals.
Ultralisk
Research Cost: 150
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 400/4
Attack: 14/20 vs armored/75 vs structure
Attack Speed: 0.82/1.67 vs structure
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 17.073/24.390 vs armored/44.910 vs structure
Abilities: Splash Damage
Defining ground tank unit. Can tank all sorts of mass-based DPS compositions and tear through base defenses. Unlike normal SC2, ultras are the only unit that deals extra damage to armored. To counter ultras, you can use a lot of ghosts, immortals, or air units.
Immortal
Research Cost: 175
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 100/140/1/2
Attack: 45
Attack Speed: 1.15
Range: 3
Damage per Second: 39.130
Abilities: Hardened Shields
A jack-of-all-trades Tier 3 unit that seems confused about its role. Can handle support with its 5 range, tank damage with its good defenses, and lay damage down with its high-power attack.
Void Ray
Research Cost: 225
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 120/130/0/0
Attack: 14/16/18 (it charges up)
Attack Speed: 0.6
Range: 6
Damage per Second: 23.3/26.7/30
Abilities: Aerial
The end-game unit. Can be countered by Wraiths, but wins against everything else.
Research Cost: 100
Build Cost: 350
Defense: 85/0
Attack: 18
Attack Speed: 1.15
Range: 6
Damage per Second: 15.652
Abilities: Snipe (45 damage with a 5 second cooldown)
Snipe allows for fast countering of more fragile units, like marines, hydras, and mutas. Even ultras go down fast to a couple of snipes.
Wraith
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 400
Defense: 155/1
Attack: 15(x2) (air)/8 (ground)
Attack Speed: 1.03 (air)/0.57 (ground)
Range: 6.5 (air)/3 (ground)
Damage per Second: 29.126 (air)/14.035 (ground)
Abilities: Aerial
The best answer to any air unit, including voids. Does more DPS than a void (versus air). The reason why wraiths are better than ghosts versus air is this: ghosts will automatically target any ground unit first (a.k.a. all of your opponents zerglings). Thus your ghosts won't really be attacking the air units until after most of the ground forces are dead. Wraiths work completely differently. After acquiring a target they will stick with it, but when choosing a target they will automatically defer to attacking an air unit (since the air to air missiles deal substantially more than the pew pew lasers).
Siege Tank
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 525
Defense: 155/0
Attack: 65
Attack Speed: 2.5
Range: 9
Damage per Second: 26
Abilities: Splash Damage
Great if your opponent is massing lower tier units.
Banshee
Research Cost: 125
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 175/1
Attack: 22 (x2)
Attack Speed: 1.25
Range: 5
Damage per Second: 35.200
Abilities: Aerial
Amazingly powerful air-to-ground unit, but especially vulnerable to Wraiths and Void Rays, and somewhat resisted by Immortals.
Ultralisk
Research Cost: 150
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 400/4
Attack: 14/20 vs armored/75 vs structure
Attack Speed: 0.82/1.67 vs structure
Range: 0
Damage per Second: 17.073/24.390 vs armored/44.910 vs structure
Abilities: Splash Damage
Defining ground tank unit. Can tank all sorts of mass-based DPS compositions and tear through base defenses. Unlike normal SC2, ultras are the only unit that deals extra damage to armored. To counter ultras, you can use a lot of ghosts, immortals, or air units.
Immortal
Research Cost: 175
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 100/140/1/2
Attack: 45
Attack Speed: 1.15
Range: 3
Damage per Second: 39.130
Abilities: Hardened Shields
A jack-of-all-trades Tier 3 unit that seems confused about its role. Can handle support with its 5 range, tank damage with its good defenses, and lay damage down with its high-power attack.
Void Ray
Research Cost: 225
Build Cost: 500
Defense: 120/130/0/0
Attack: 14/16/18 (it charges up)
Attack Speed: 0.6
Range: 6
Damage per Second: 23.3/26.7/30
Abilities: Aerial
The end-game unit. Can be countered by Wraiths, but wins against everything else.
Tips:
This section is aimed at the intermediate user, as the map is relatively straightforward for newbies (go out and play it five or six times, then come back). Not planning on being completely comprehensive with this, just going rattle off some big things from the top of my head.
A Team
You'll really want to get a team together. A team can virtually go any strat and beat 3 randoms; that's what makes this game great. Optimally, you'll not want to overlap tech with any of your teammates, since you save the team money that way. In general, you will focus on one or two lanes and one or two people will have high incomes, although this can drastically change as the game progresses.
Ranged Units
Just like in normal Starcraft, concave is important. Always build a line of ranged units vertically, not horizontally.
When to Get Income
Most players like to "lock" the lane before beginning to get income. This is the safest strat, but it can pay dividends to get the odd income upgrade in between more structures. There is no hard and fast rule; here is the math:
- It takes 23 spawns of holding 1 beacon to pay off an investment of 140 minerals.
- It takes 12 spawns of holding 2 beacons to pay off an investment of 140 minerals.
- It takes 8 spawns of holding all 3 beacons to pay off an investment of 140 minerals.
This means that if someone invests and only controls 1 beacon - they will have less minerals than you to make an army for 8.4 minutes. 4.2 minutes for holding 2 beacons.
Reaper/Hydra/Zeal Opener
Each player immidiately techs to their pre-chosen 1.5 unit. Then, pick a lane to dominate (if anyone has bought income, that is the lane). Build the buildings like so:
HRZ
HRZ
HRZ
This is a powerful combo. The reapers will do optimal DPS because they are positioned right behind the zeal.
Hydra/Zeal Opener or Reaper/Zeal Opener
If you only have a 2 person party, do either of these variations and they will work well.
Surprise Tech Openers
Two players cover three lanes while the third fast techs and builds a bunch of surprise buildings all at once.
Surprise Lane Switch
This is so good. All three players save up money for about 120 seconds and then build a bunch of shit in the "forgotten" lane, then either:
1) Keep building shit in the lane and win.
2) Immediately switch to the second highest contested lane, cap all 3 towers, then pump income. Mmm, baby.
Team Play:
I've found that any group of 3 competent players will beat 3 randoms 9 out of 10. When Blizz releases chat channels, getting an in-house game will be a lot easier, but until then, let's post our info here to get some team battles going on.
Post your info in the following format:
Server: US
TL ID: Zamiel
B.Net ID: Zamiel.176
Alternatively, hit up the "Game10" channel of the TL Ventrilo server to see if anyone is hanging out and wants to play some games. (Server name is chromium.typefrag.com, port 11005.)
People on US Server + Show Spoiler +
TL ID: Zamiel
B.Net ID: Zamiel.176
TL ID: Heorlic
BNet ID: Heorlic.521
People on EU Server+ Show Spoiler +
