|
This season's GSL has been literally an upset-fest, and at its spotlight is the SadSanManZenith and his incredible performance throughout the season. I won't list all the great players he knocked out on his way, but I noticed something interesting in SanZenith's play style: His Protoss is kind of like Zerg.
Prior to this season, and even in this season, most Protoss strats have revolved around 1) 4-gate and 2) Colossus Dethball. One is an agreesive allin-ish tactic while the other one is more turtle-ish brute force tactic. Both strats have proven to be largely successful but at the same time other races have learned to deal with it to at least be on even footing. (Though Zerg still seem to struggle, due in part to the Stargate play)
What we witnessed in the past was large balls of MM/Viking, Roach/Hydra/Corruptor, and the deathball moving around the center area looking for a chance to catch the opponent out of position. One large battle would decide the game, and while it can be suspenseful during the time the balls are dancing around it gets quite repetitive for the spectators.
SanZenith's strategies are quite different from this scenario in so many ways, and I wonder whether if this can be an alternative of the 'traditional' dethball strategy we toss players love/hate so much. I for one am very inspired by the way he plays out his opponents. I would also like to note how I liked SanZenith has not attempted to cheese his opponents. ManZenith, for real. (No cannons, hidden gateways, or even 4-gates)
Without further ado, here are what I witnessed:
1) Heavy emphasis on economy, from the beginning of the game and throughout - He usually opens with barely sufficient units to hold off early aggression. It can be risky for sure, but combined with well-timed scouting and excellent game sense he has had no problem repelling early aggression while establishing quick natural.
2) Scouting, scouting, and more scouting - SanZenith doesn't seem to stop scouting at any moment in the game. He will send out multiple probes to different directions, and often gets the Robotics Facility only for observers, where he produces multiple observers that cover key areas. Proactive pylon placements also give excellent map awareness. It's almost like Zerg player placing lings and overlords around the map.
3) Tech up to templars while building just the right amount of gateway units. We know it takes long and a lot of money to get templar techs, and many often fall to timing attacks while trying to get there. SanZenith seem to know how many gateway units he needs to produce to dispell these timing attacks, and he often takes the battle to the middle and/or near opponents' bases before the opponents get to his base (which is quite common occurence to a turtling P), trying to cut reinforcement and put pressure on his opponents. (Reminiscent of Fruitdealer in GSL 1)
4) Once he gets Templar techs, he goes on to mass expand, instead of fighting opponents head-on. The key here is harrasment, either using proxy pylons or warp prisms. Keep opponent busy while taking over the map - I thought that's what Zerg is supposed to do mid-game.
5) Even after establishing huge advantage he doesn't go for the kill move prematurely, but rather whittle down the opponents or try to contain them. He shows his high-tech units to scare off his opponents to come out of their bases, and keep the harrasment going. In the meantime he gets even more bases and buy time for upgrades, as well as lay foundation for tech switches. (another trait of typical Zerg play) His upgrades have been always a step or two above that of his opponents afaik.
6) Once the opponents dry out or become desparate they will move out only to meet much superior army. SanZenith, patient, waits for it then crushes them and march into the opponents base for the finale.
I haven't seen other protoss playing just like this yet. This is very different from what we usually see from 'traditional' P strat - turtle, build towards the deathball, and move out to win. Now, the traditional deathball strategy is still quite powerful (especially v. Zerg) but it is refreshing to see this not-so-subtley different playstyle from a P to a great success. Really, I felt like SanZenith is playing P as if it's Z.
I think this style can and will work even after the HT nerf, because this strat is backed up by huge economy and is relying on being prepared for the opponent's attack. Harrassment may get a little weaker but on these large GSL maps there are plenty of things to do while HTs accumulate energy to strom mineral lines and what not. SanZenith also mixes in Stalkers not to mention DTs for the harrasment, so it is in no way prohibitive, IMO.
Of course all these require a lot of multitasking and map awareness. (GSL maps are huge) It also requires a good micro to expell opponents aggression while teching, and we saw SanZenith was no slouch in that department as well.
Thoughts?
|
He is most like a Zerg in that he takes expos sooner and more often than most other protoss.
This is entirely to do with the new GIGANTIC maps.
|
i think this is what all races should do on the new gsl maps...
|
One of the biggest thing's San's tactics revolve around right now is the fact that with Amulet, Templar can warp in and storm. As you said, he almost always engages the enemy closer to their own base than his own, and slowly falls back, warping in more units as he goes with the aim of dealing more damaged over time than his opponent can overcome by resupplying. I think this kind of strategy, at least in the current form he's been using in this GSL will be nullified with the proposed changes in patch 1.3 (currently on the PTR) which would take Amulet out of the game.
That being said, I do find this as a refreshing alternative to PvX deathball and 4gate. It's nice to see a change in strategy from the audience perspective.
|
One thing I'm not a huge fan of is how he doesn't seem to utilize immortal/colossi once opponents add ghosts. He also needlessly donates alot of zealots. Hes no MC, but I'm still fairly impressed.
|
On March 11 2011 11:53 usethis2 wrote:
Thoughts?
It was a really exciting and enjoyable style to watch, and encouraged a high level of micro from both sides as well as fighting all over the map. It's a damn shame that Blizzard are planning to kill off this style of play with the next patch.
Edit: I would also love to see how this style could evolve in the future, particularly with the introduction of other units such as hellions.
|
watch San's play today, it makes me really think that kind of play will be doomed once Amulet is gone.. In his games he BARELY held on vs the marauder balls, and only way he held on is due to the templars warping in last second to storm.. And that is why I think storm is needed with amulet, if they nerf that, templar play will go back to having to be after collosus...
so hopefully blizzard realises this and doesnt remove amulet. I mean, was there ever any screams of "imbalance" from amulet?? Hell, San barely won with it this morning vs terran. and its not like the terran played solid either
|
I'm absolutely in love with Sans play this season. And you're right, the style of expanding and harassing is quite zergesque. Who knows, maybe that is the way of the future.
|
I actually think this style is fairly standard. SanZenith has had excellent unit control and macro, though, so he really has pulled it off.
|
San - SC was the most boring best of five series I've seen on gsl. 3 hours of Zealots+Storm Vs Marauders.
|
Did no one watch season 3? MC did all of this and more, SanZenith is not an innovator. Suiciding HT's into terran base to feedback a ghost is not micro....
|
Out of all the styles in this game, his style is the most macro oriented and most entertaining. It puts emphasis on RTS fundamentals like map control, where the other builds can somewhat pseudo-ignore.
Luckily, they are taking it out and making sure every Protoss build involves a Colossus ball. I wish they would just nerf Colossus instead. In fact, just remove them and put nothing back  The game would be better off
|
On March 11 2011 12:14 Baffels wrote:
Did no one watch season 3? MC did all of this and more, SanZenith is not an innovator. Suiciding HT's into terran base to feedback a ghost is not micro....
Really MC did this style because all I remember is 1 to 2 base play most of the time.
|
SanZenith plays SC2 as though it was BW. I doubt he knows what the Protoss deathball is, and that's a good thing. His style leads to close, entertaining games that are awesome despite mistakes from both players.
|
Don't socke and whitera play a lot of HTs usually? I don't think it's something that new, maybe skipping intermediate robo units is.
I'm sure HTs will remain viable. Right now, a lot of players use the very careless and spam storms on few units or warp them right in range of units etc. They will remain strong but will require a more deliberate usage.
|
On March 11 2011 11:53 usethis2 wrote:
In the meantime he gets even more bases and buy time for upgrades, as well as lay foundation for tech switches.
Tech switches? Really?
+ Show Spoiler +In the match against SCfou yesterday, he teched straight for templar and never built anything else all 4 games, even though each game lasted 30-60 minutes. In the 4th game, he did this even though SCfou spent the whole game building nothing but marauders, despite already having a stargate up (he built 1 early voidray then never used it again).
|
It's not a style specific to zerg, templar tech because of the upgrades allows your gateway units to be effective in smaller numbers letting you spread out, harass and expand much further than robo which constantly need support or they get picked off, but together are much stronger.
Certainly protoss haven't been using it enough, but he's just playing the tree the way it needs to be played, a lot like bio vs mech for terran.
|
On March 11 2011 12:37 pirsq wrote:Show nested quote +On March 11 2011 11:53 usethis2 wrote:
In the meantime he gets even more bases and buy time for upgrades, as well as lay foundation for tech switches. Tech switches? Really? + Show Spoiler +In the match against SCfou yesterday, he teched straight for templar and never built anything else all 4 games, even though each game lasted 30-60 minutes. In the 4th game, he did this even though SCfou spent the whole game building nothing but marauders, despite already having a stargate up (he built 1 early voidray then never used it again).
He was going to switch to Colossus but his main got destroyed, I think? And also in group-stage he successfully switched to Colossus (Hallucinated Colossus as well!) from HT against oGsEnsnare.
|
On March 11 2011 12:19 HeroHenry wrote:Show nested quote +On March 11 2011 12:14 Baffels wrote:
Did no one watch season 3? MC did all of this and more, SanZenith is not an innovator. Suiciding HT's into terran base to feedback a ghost is not micro.... Really MC did this style because all I remember is 1 to 2 base play most of the time.
Yep. MC's style, while I wouldn't call cheesey, but somewhat exploitive. He is very good at that no doubt, but it's definitely different from San's style.
|
On March 11 2011 12:37 pirsq wrote:Tech switches? Really? + Show Spoiler +In the match against SCfou yesterday, he teched straight for templar and never built anything else all 4 games, even though each game lasted 30-60 minutes. In the 4th game, he did this even though SCfou spent the whole game building nothing but marauders, despite already having a stargate up (he built 1 early voidray then never used it again).
+ Show Spoiler +SC usually had at least a few marines mixed into his marauderball. That was the problem with an air switch for San.
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT
