EPTI was wondering how effective a zergling drop would be compared to a baneling drop, considering a tank’s splash damage (for the absolute noobies, since this is the strategy forum (lol), making tanks hit themselves). As it turns out, z-drops do a very similar (slightly less) amount of damage to tank balls. So if you’re planning a drop with your banelings, don’t get lazy and drop banelings on bio AND mech, cause you’re just wasting cash. Make another overlord control group, but fill it with zerglings and drop those on the tanks.
And if you want to use your inherently superior zerg apm (yeah, I said it :D), you can do moving overlord drops to drop your zerglings in a staggered fashion. I suggest this because if you drop all your zerglings at once, and in one place, you won’t attract multiple siege tank shots, and you’ll deal less splash to the whole ball. If you stagger your zerglings over time and space them out, you’re attacting multiple shots to outSMART that STUPID tank SMART fire. And you’re aiming to drop in the middle, avoid dropping on an open side cause you’re losing tank surface area. Know your math!
For those who don’t know what moving overlord drops are, they are just drops that are done on the go, so your overlords don’t have to stop. I give credit for this trick to Psy, but I’m pretty sure he gave credit to someone else too, lol.
Anyways, to do an overlord drop, all you have to do is:
-click to make your overlord (or group of ov’s) move to a location
-hit the d button
-click on a single overlord and it will drop everything one at a time while moving
-continue hitting d then clicking on each overlord so they all start dropping their stuff (you can’t shift click, you lazyface)
-once an overlord has started dropping, it’s not gonna stop till it’s done, so you can reclick to change directions while it’s still dropping. Wanna second pass cause your overlord’s not done dropping yet? Go for it!
This z-drop (kind of cool name
) is effective cause it either deals some really good, cost-effective damage, or you can force the player to take his tanks out of siege mode, and then you can bring in the rest of your army to dish out the real damage without fear of bombardment. The fact that the terran can take the tanks out of siege mode is another reason to use zerglings, as they are a cheaper unit to lose if the tanks aren’t splashing anymore. So screw waiting for the terran to make the first move, charge right up his front door and rock his shit, sieged or not!TO THE MATH!/pictures? **done in MockBattle, look that shit up!**
10 zerglings (250 mins w/o upgrades(50m x 5zeggs)) in 2 overlords can do this to 10 tanks sieged in a ball (1000/1000 w/o upgrades)
![[image loading]](http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/6283/zerglings.png)
![[image loading]](http://img844.imageshack.us/img844/6593/zerglingtankdamage.png)
10 banelings (500 mins + 250 gas w/o upgrades (MINS 50m x 5zeggs + 25m x 10banes)(GAS 10banes x25g)) in 3 overlords can do this to 10 tanks sieged in a ball (1000/1000 w/o upgrades)
![[image loading]](http://img830.imageshack.us/img830/6512/banelings.png)
![[image loading]](http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/2682/banelingtankdamage.png)
Both EXTREMELY cost-effective, but between the two, the damage done is not too big of a difference. The cost is where the difference is, and those baneling resources could be better spent on other units, especially after getting those expensive overlord upgrades. Something to consider.
EDIT: You thought unupgraded zerglings were good? I totally forgot about the armour upgrade that makes tanks fire twice. With +1 carapace, 10 zerglings do THIS to 10 tanks!
![[image loading]](http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1379/zerglingswitharmour.png)
Can't deny that's not too shabby! I think this would work better than a roach drop, which is more expensive.
If the player has units like marines and marauders mixed in with his tank ball, I’m not sure if this would be as effective, so maybe put a baneling or two in for that. IDK, play around with it. lol, as MforWW said, it's just a proof of concept (I like that term!), do with it what you will.
Enjoy guys, hope this help you in the perpetual struggle against terran! FOR THE SWARM!!!
TLDR: NO SOUP FOR YOU!
That of course means this is even more cost effective than you thought.
