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I'm pretty surprised that this thread hasn't been made yet given GSL has been running for a while now. It seems like every PvZ series has showcased this build at least once. While it seems most Korean Protoss know of this build there are no TL threads or Liquipedia articles concerning it that I can find. Is this build unknown to the foreign community? If this build is somewhere already please post it for the sake of discussion so that we can see the specifics of the build that I might of missed while experimenting and attempting to replicate the patterns I've seen.
The concept of this build is pretty simple, expand as fast as possible once Warpgate is complete using 1 Zealot and 3+ Sentries to secure your ramp while a pylon/cannon is building. From there you can create 2 Gateways(usually in Simcity) to reinforce your army and pick a tech path. Also, because of the way this build works you can grab +1 Ground Attack and/or Hallucination. The time you start building your Nexus will usually be at 6~ minutes game time, beaten only by the ForgeFE you might do on more specific maps. This build is capable of working on maps with open expansions such as Xel'naga Caverns, Metalopolis and Delta Quadrant. Because you grab your natural so fast poking the Zerg and teching are both easy to do therefore Zerg can't run rampant with Drone production on 2 base and must risk taking a third to get a huge lead in economy again.
The build opening follows the http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/1_Gate_Core or any slight variation of it (13 Gate, Cybernetics before Zealot). As a note, this build is also fairly similar to how you might do a 4 Warpgate rush, so before you commit to it there is a possibility of changing your build if you think 4 Warpgate might be more desirable.
The build order is as follows:
9 Pylon
Chrono Nexus
12 Gate
Chrono Nexus(Save energy now)
14 Gas
15 Pylon
16 Zealot
19 Core (As a rule, you must have 50 energy once the Core completes so you can chain 3 Chronos on research in a row)
22 Gas
22 Gateway
23 Sentry
25 Pylon
27 Forge
27 Sentry, 29 Sentry from other Gateway
32 Pylon
By this point the crucial components of expanding are all place, soon you'll have your 3 Sentries, Warpgate is done and depending on the map you can pylon on the cliff and cannon on the ground without having to build a pylon at your ramp. It's best to try and skip building an additional pylon so if you need to build a pylon at your ramp to cannon the natural then move out slightly regardless of your Sentry count. If you think you can get away without building a cannon then even better but remember that the cannon is the most important part of defending your natural, do so at your own risk. You also decide at this point if you want +1 Attack or Hallucination.
Once you've moved down to your natural the build becomes much less rigid and you can build it to adapt to anything you might expect. Cut probes and production to get your Nexus up asap if you feel comfortable doing so. It's important to get your next two gateways up for simcity and production, if you sense pressure then warp in 2 Stalkers before you drop the two gateways, regardless though you will want 2 Stalkers as your next units. Once you have your Nexus and 4 Warpgates up you will be able to defend any sort of pressure as long as you don't go afk. Pick what tech path you want from here depending on what you might of scouted.
If you happen to be attacked, it is crucial to use Forcefield to keep units away from the cannon / Sentries, if you have simcity up and you do it correctly you will not have any problems with Roaches and Zerglings will do minimal damage in any scenario.
Here are some examples of Simcity placement:
![[image loading]](http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/5048/2warpforgesimcity1.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/9010/2warpforgesimcity2.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/8477/2warpforgesimcity3.jpg)
Unfortunately I've yet to compile any replays to showcase the build, however as I said nearly every PvZ GSL game has had this build or the idea showcased. If you want to see it in action, check some GSL VODS. I'll do my best to get some replays up as soon as possible. Also, if you happen to know the BO that might be the originator for this build please feel free to post it here.
Replays:
Ftrunkz:
![[image loading]](http://www.gamereplays.org/community/uploads/repimgs/repimg-33-149217.jpg)
![[image loading]](http://www.gamereplays.org/community/uploads/repimgs/repimg-33-149218.jpg)
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Yea, I've also seen it in most high-level games recently, not just in tournaments, and it seems to be a pretty solid strategy (particularly after the zealot nerf).
But my primary concern is 6 pool or any early rush: how do you deal with it? You can't scout it in time, and since you won't have your ramp blocked with 2 buildings and 1 zealot, I don't think you would be able to hold off the push and your workers would be too far away to get on attack move, thus leaving plenty of time to the zerg to destroy your advanced building and getting a strong economy.
This is actually the only thing that keeps me away from this build 
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Very interesting build. I've actually been trying out a lot of Gateway+Forge stuff simply because Cannons are pretty underrated. But I had been trying it out in the reverse though. Stalkers first then Sentries and cutting the 2nd gas to get more minerals on Probes. Sentries are probably much better defensively though.
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Most zergs aren't going to 6 pool, especially on a four player map like metal but an early pool really hurts if it does happen. The easiest way to stop a 6 pool is to do a full wall off and stall for zealots to come out and if you do this strat it really isn't viable to close yourself off in time, the lings will get in, focus down the pylon and then proceed to decimate your mineral line before you can get anything
out.
Here is an IEM qualifier game where Machine takes out Huk
http://glhf.blip.tv/file/4083578/
I'm not sure what Huk could've done after he made his first pylon on that outer ramp (watch that game btw the commentary is really loller as in terrible).
One option is to do the standard build at your ramp play and when you verify that your opponent isn't 6 pooling you can drop the forge and start walling your expansion, it still will work. Another counter to this build that I've seen idrA do is go directly to hydras and rush the range upgrade. If you do that the hydras can outrange the cannons behind the wall off and they can effectively kill all the structures at the wall off before enough ranged colossus can be out to stop them.
Now there is a variation of this strat that you didn't mention is something that I've seen Tester do a few times and I've had some success with where you pylon cannon block your zerg opponent's ramp. This is crucial because it effectively kills the zerg's ability to match your boom and forces them into some kind of one base play with a really delayed expansion. Barring some kind of nydus rush (which is easily scoutable) or one base muta which again are pretty counterable, I'm really not sure how the zerg can get back into the game at that point.
In the same vein as that, you can make early zealots to shut down any kind of fast expand and lock the zerg into his base until he gets roaches out. I actually prefer the cannon block because it forces the zerg to waste res making banelings or spine crawlers or something that they normally probably wouldn't normally build while the roaches are always going to be useful. You can maybe kill a queen or some drones with the zealots though so that's the trade off.
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Hydra's don't outrange cannons.
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On September 15 2010 08:30 Quasi.In.Rem wrote:
Very interesting build. I've actually been trying out a lot of Gateway+Forge stuff simply because Cannons are pretty underrated. But I had been trying it out in the reverse though. Stalkers first then Sentries and cutting the 2nd gas to get more minerals on Probes. Sentries are probably much better defensively though. you need sentries to block ling run bys
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On September 15 2010 09:19 Quasi.In.Rem wrote:
Hydra's don't outrange cannons.
They kill the wall-off buildings (typically gateways and pylons with a possible forge) and the cannons that are sitting behind those structures can't hit them.
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how does this compare to the more standard 2gate forge first FE? This FE seems a little slower and possibly weaker in terms of being aggressive to keep zerg from FE'ing themselves via early zealots, though the trade off is your tech is a lot higher
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@Sprouter. You can still just block it with a Zealot plus Core+Gateway. Not saying that's the best idea, but that was the idea.
@proxY_ Would you really need the range upgrade for that? Anyways, I guess I don't really see the issue with that. It takes awhile to get to tier 2, and you could just put some more Cannons in front of them and build some units. You don't have to go Colossus.
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On September 15 2010 11:14 tsukipoo wrote:
how does this compare to the more standard 2gate forge first FE? This FE seems a little slower and possibly weaker in terms of being aggressive to keep zerg from FE'ing themselves via early zealots, though the trade off is your tech is a lot higher
whats the standard one ?
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I've been trying this, I find the 2gates in main + forge first are a lot more resilient to early Z aggression. I've been getting my nexus down before core though, relying on zealots/cannons to hold, then catching up with chronod warpgate and 2 more gates.
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On September 15 2010 08:32 proxY_ wrote:
One option is to do the standard build at your ramp play and when you verify that your opponent isn't 6 pooling you can drop the forge and start walling your expansion, it still will work. Another counter to this build that I've seen idrA do is go directly to hydras and rush the range upgrade. If you do that the hydras can outrange the cannons behind the wall off and they can effectively kill all the structures at the wall off before enough ranged colossus can be out to stop them.
Well, would it be possible to, build your pylon inside your base, at the corner of your ramp, as close as possible to your expand, then send a probe to scout at 9 and being able to see if he lings rush? (in a 1v1 map). If he 6 pools, then you build your 2 gateways inside your base, but if he doesn't, you could build them outside with enough pylon power to build both. Plus, the pylon its kind of protected to any kind of harass since it's higher ground.
I think I've seen a player in the tournament do this in xel'naga caverns (or maybe it was a day[9] cast). I would need to test if I'm able to scout the zerg in time, tho. And like you said, in 4 players maps, no players is foolish enough to 6 pool blindly and hope to find the enemy at his first attempt.
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On September 15 2010 12:34 PatouPower wrote:Show nested quote +On September 15 2010 08:32 proxY_ wrote:
One option is to do the standard build at your ramp play and when you verify that your opponent isn't 6 pooling you can drop the forge and start walling your expansion, it still will work. Another counter to this build that I've seen idrA do is go directly to hydras and rush the range upgrade. If you do that the hydras can outrange the cannons behind the wall off and they can effectively kill all the structures at the wall off before enough ranged colossus can be out to stop them. Well, would it be possible to, build your pylon inside your base, at the corner of your ramp, as close as possible to your expand, then send a probe to scout at 9 and being able to see if he lings rush? (in a 1v1 map). If he 6 pools, then you build your 2 gateways inside your base, but if he doesn't, you could build them outside with enough pylon power to build both. Plus, the pylon its kind of protected to any kind of harass since it's higher ground. I think I've seen a player in the tournament do this in xel'naga caverns (or maybe it was a day[9] cast). I would need to test if I'm able to scout the zerg in time, tho. And like you said, in 4 players maps, no players is foolish enough to 6 pool blindly and hope to find the enemy at his first attempt.
The timing for that would be tight, usually by the time your probe reaches the enemy base you would have already dropped at least one gateway, if you delay too long you might lose just because your zealot wont be out fast enough. I really only think 2 Gate FE works on maps like LT and Blistering Sands because of how easy it is to wall off at your natural. Forge FE and 2 Gate FE will both probably get their expo out way faster then this build but it comes at a much bigger risk, and is nearly impossible to pull off on maps with open expos. Also, remember that this build incorporates +1 into the build and the timing allows you to have the upgrade ready the second your 4 Warpgates are functional, this means you can do some pretty cost effective damage and force larva production into units instead of drones.
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I think it is a good idea to get the 1st zealot out before actually placing the core, I tend to fall back into the habit of getting my core asap and then getting a zealot before my 2nd gas is thrown. With the upcoming zealot nerf it might be considerable to do it that way, in combination with a wall-off to defend against early ling pressure (9-pool and below).
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Hey Tergeron!
Thank you for presenting this strategy... never heard about it. Could you maybe also attach a replay?
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On September 15 2010 15:13 Selfy wrote:
Hey Tergeron!
Thank you for presenting this strategy... never heard about it. Could you maybe also attach a replay?
I've been experimenting a bit with this build today, im not a great player but i faced a fair bit of early ling aggression in most games i played and held it off with pretty much no problems, ill upload the replays in a sec.
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On September 15 2010 15:33 Ftrunkz wrote:Show nested quote +On September 15 2010 15:13 Selfy wrote:
Hey Tergeron!
Thank you for presenting this strategy... never heard about it. Could you maybe also attach a replay? I've been experimenting a bit with this build today, im not a great player but i faced a fair bit of early ling aggression in most games i played and held it off with pretty much no problems, ill upload the replays in a sec.
I'm starting to collect some replays of this build in action, once I have enough I'll post them. Also, please feel free to post some replays, I'll compile them together and put it in the main post for new readers.
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rep 1: http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/80926-1v1-protoss-zerg-xelnaga-caverns
rep 2: http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/80927-1v1-protoss-zerg-xelnaga-caverns
i chose these 2 cos they're on xel'naga where the nat is incredibly ridiculously wide open, so its a good example of just how safe this build is against an opponent who tries to pressure u with lings after seeing it.
I followed it straight with robo, with the advantage being obs early for scouting and early collosi incase he does rush hydra, but putting down 1 or 2 more gates and being more aggressive on the map with stalkers w/ blink like we saw in the gsl might be a much better way to go, I'm still pretty undecided.
fwiw, games are about 1.1k diamond rating on US and SEA server respectively.
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Thanks for posting this. I hadn't seen this expansion BO, but it sounds really good. The only problem is that the expansion isn't really THAT early, so Z can have a small econ lead, but I like that it's very safe and that it gives you an option for a +1 4-gate attack in the early game that should prevent Z from taking a third for quite a while.
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On second thought:
You're getting second gateway on 22 and you're only using it to build a single sentry before you expand. You then mention possibly cutting production to get the nexus and the 3rd and 4th gateways down ASAP. Is the second gateway really necessary? By constantly producing and either saving up more chronoboost or spending less on warpgate research, you could keep your single gateway chronoboosted and at least match the unit count you're getting out of this double gateway build.
I really like the idea of defending the natural with a cannon+sentries tho.
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EPT
