Sooooo... you are playing the artsy PvP matchup (or perhaps you were playing PvZ or PvT and your opponent hacks). You and your opponent are so evenly matched, or so dumb that you can't take advantage of each other's mistakes, that the game is lasting 30+ minutes. Your opponent decides to copy Grrrr... (he invented carriers) and go carriers. You prefer playing Protoss like a man and winning with zealots (go Reach fighting~) so you decide to counter with zealots.
Now, the most important thing that I'd like to point out (and for you poker players this is similar to having 72o) is that YOU KNOW WHERE YOU STAND. He has carriers and you have zealots; you're in DEEP SHIT. However, the game is far from over. In fact, there are many things which you can do to even the tides.
Some facts about Starcraft you may or may not already know:
1. All mineral patches and gas geysers are on the ground (unless he hacks)
2. Zealots move faster and have higher damage than a carrier (16 vs a girly 6 [no offense zia, you can kick my ass])
3. All buildings are on the ground.
4. Your mission in the Brood Wars is to destroy all enemy buildings. Killing units is often times just a fancy exercise- your zealots are sufficient.
So now that I have pointed out these little-known gems of information, you are starting to put together the pieces of the puzzle that spells "Victory". However, hold off on hitting those alt+j keys just yet. How exactly are we going to use these awesome advantages of the almighty zealot to triumph? Here are some helpful tactics:
1. Every 15 seconds or so, send in a few zealots to his carriers as if to attack. This will make him feel like he is beating you badly and will distract him from other happenings.
2. As the carriers go around the map ravaging your defenseless bases, you can go around even FASTER and STRONGER with your zealots to ravage HIS bases. He won't even know what's going on until it's too late.
3. If you are playing a pro, then he is likely to send his carriers at your zealots to defend his base. You have 2 options here:
a.) Run your zealots away and attack another part of his base
b.) Since pros often use mini-maps to observe the movements of the game you can use this against him. Send your zealots charging at his carriers in a large clump (do NOT send them single file because he will figure out they are zealots). He will freak out that a bigass army is coming at him and he'll run away or just alt+q+q right there (he'll F10+e+s+q if he's fancy or alt+x+x if he's pissed)
Also a VERY important side note. I have conducted numerous tests with varying amounts of micro in order to simulate realistic in-game conditions and have concluded these results: Carriers will defeat zealots in small numbers and large numbers, but zealots will actually defeat carriers if the numbers are in the middle.
That about wraps it up. I had to consider heavily for a very long time if I should release this sacred information so I hope you all deeply appreciate the fact that I did. Thank you and good luck.
NonY