EPTI decided to contribute TL a little bit by writing a guide on "how to play macro PvT". I usually just make useless posts on TL so I try to post this time something useful :D.
PvT has been my favorite match-up for a long time already. PvP almost always ends, before 3bases and in my opinion the luck has too big factor in PvP. PvZ in the other hand feels a little bit imbalanced for me, if the game goes past 2bases so I really dislike playing against some stuff in the end game of PvZ, because of that factor. (Only my opinions, don't start speaking about imbalances!)
PvT is extremely interesting and fun to play match-up for me to play. Though, all-ins can be very strong and sometimes lame to play against, when both players settle to play in at least 3 or more bases match-up turns to be extremely nice where right decissions, good drops, good army composition, macro and micro managment and beforehand planning of the game flow and the control of the game makes you the winner of the game. My games won't nearly always go to this late-stage, because of different all-ins and maps, but I hope they would go more often.
Its my favorite part of this game at the moment so that's why I decided to write a little bit about it.
I hope you all can understand my english, because its not my primary language~
Master and Grand-Master level players will most likely benefit the most out of this guide, but this will have also useful information for all the players
(3 or more bases will be referred now as "late-game" to make it easier to write)
I remind all of you that Im not going to explain mechanical side or macro/micro-managment in this guide and also that Im speaking about playing against the bio style of Terran.
Watch replays after reading the text so you will understand much better, what Im speaking about!
Mass EMP is only difficult to win against if you play straight to Terran's hands!
Who I am: + Show Spoiler +
Im pro-level Protoss player from Finland playing now for team Empire. Im still a rare sight in tournaments, because of my school but I will begin to play more tournaments in february, when my school ends and exams begin. I have possessed a couple of times #1 for some period on GM in EU and last LAN I played was WCG, where I lost in tough group on tiebreakers (with Kas, Happy and Xigua on it). Check out my TLPD for some more info: http://www.teamliquid.net/tlpd/sc2-international/players/2141_Welmu
Suitable maps to go safely into late-game:+ Show Spoiler +
Metalopolis (cross), Taldarim and Shakuras are the most suitable maps out of the ladder map pool to go later stages into the game. Both are very big and have quite easy ways to defend extra-bases. On Shattered and Antiga its pretty easy to get 3rd base up, but I wouldn't suggest to go for a game-plan of 4+ base play at least in tournaments, because map structure doesn't suggest that. Generally map should be big, with reasonable easy bases to take (not like Antiga where taking 4th base is really difficult to take, because of the middle works).
Openings:+ Show Spoiler +
I won't be teaching here different ways to open, but for example Nexus First (http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=284253) and 1gate FE (my favorite) (http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=285834) are good ways to open up for a longer game.
How to safely get to "macro-phase":+ Show Spoiler +
This is actually pretty difficult. The ladder is full of cheeses, many different kinds of 1base and 2base all-ins to punish bad scouting and greedy play so you must figure out safe way to get up extra-bases. There are many different ways to open up after getting natural up and running and not even I know the best follow-up after getting natural up, but I personally like teching to Colossus and getting map control and pressure a little bit while getting third or making 3 or 4gate push and go double forge or tech to colossus after that... I actually test out a lot of different stuff to find a best way to go, but just go with our own preference. For practise I would recommend to go for a safe build to be able to hold against all-ins and having a robo for cloaked ghost/banshee and for scouting.
Okey, now lets go to the actual guide --->
Im going to tell the most important factors and fundamentals in late-game. Stuff like map control and warp prism drops are included in other sections of this guide.
Key units:+ Show Spoiler +
There are three almost must key units to victory in late-game: Dark Templar, High Templar and Zealots (Colossus important too, but no key). DT will become maybe the most important unit, when having 4+ bases. I will explain everything better later on.
Defending drops:+ Show Spoiler +
Feedback is key to defend against drops. You MUST leave 1-2 templars, 1-2 zealots and possibly cannons to cover each base against Terran's drops. The drops are in my opinion the 2nd strongest weapon in Terran's late-game and not holding off drops properly will surely result in your loss. Just imagine you getting drop all the time in many locations and never being able to hold them off. Terran would get control of the game and dominate over you while you are in constant panic to hold off against drops. I will tell about Terran's strongest weapon against Protoss later on.
Controlling the game:+ Show Spoiler +
Managing to secure the control of the game is the thing you should try always to get in late-game. Having a hold off watch towers/observers in good locations/having knowledge about untaken bases/denying Terran getting information/holding against Terran's harass will all get you in the control of the game. The replays I'll post will make this more clear, but not having any control of the game should result in your loss. Its usually battle about, who can get the control of the game, if both players are playing the late game correctly.
Pressuring:+ Show Spoiler +
Don't just keep sit all the time! You are playing straight to Terran's hands, if you just sit near to your bases all the time. You have to be active around map, taking watch towers, getting off good position, putting pressure on Terran and possibly deny bases.
Army composition:+ Show Spoiler +
You want to have a big amount of zealots, very small amount of Stalkers, maybe a couple of archons (you can try switching around archon count to mess Terran), some high templars, maybe Colossus (explained better at "Colossus" part) and 1-2 sentries (I would recommend to use gas to high templars instead of refilling sentries after losing them). Then you want to have high templars seperated outside battle ready to feedback/storm and a couple of units scouting for bases and some possiblu helping to hold off drops. Scout active, whats the Terrans army composition and try to make effective army against that. Like, if you dont see very few ghosts make more archons/templars and if you see mass marauder make more zealots and mix in some immortals too.
Positioning in battles:+ Show Spoiler +
Dont battle in the spot where Terran wants you to fight. Try to battle in position where you know where Terran's army is exactly and where you can spread units well against ghosts. Another big bonus for you is, if Terran doesn't know the
every HT's location and position which allows your Colossus to get off hits (not allow Terran to just kite away and avoid Colossus hits, while killing them with vikings). This is one of the most difficult parts for me at least to get good position in battles. Scans make it easy for Terran to avoid scouting them with observers and with the help of stim Terran can easily retreat to get better position. This is propably the part where I could improve the most ^_^
every HT's location and position which allows your Colossus to get off hits (not allow Terran to just kite away and avoid Colossus hits, while killing them with vikings). This is one of the most difficult parts for me at least to get good position in battles. Scans make it easy for Terran to avoid scouting them with observers and with the help of stim Terran can easily retreat to get better position. This is propably the part where I could improve the most ^_^
Reinforcing in battles:+ Show Spoiler +
With warp-in possibility you are able to have a bigger army than your opponent in battles. During the battles you should be either warping in Zealots to battle or warping-in zealots to your opponents main base or just warping in more units to your bases. Protoss has superior reinforcing possibility to Terran so you should abuse that fact as well. Remember to be careful that you don't just throw away zealots when you are warping them in to battle. If you are losing the battle, your warped-in zealots are most likely just free minerals to your opponent and wont be able to do any damage. I would recommend always warping-in units to harass your opponent instead of warping-in them to battle, but its only my preference^^.
Now I explain about roles of the most important units to remember in late game.
Ghost:+ Show Spoiler +
Ghosts are the most deadly thing against Protoss in the late-game. Nukes, EMP, cloaking all are very deadly weapons. You have to have detection everywhere against cloaked Ghosts in late-game, because of nukes. If you let Terran start nukeing you freely to multiple places and not being able to stop nukes will ensure your defeat. You have to get enough cannons in good locations near to your army and bases to detect cloak and get observer speed to be able to have observers with your army to defend against EMPs and nukes. Observer speed also makes big difference in scouting and avoiding observer snipes and its maybe the most important upgrade that many Protosses dont get in the late game. You should ALWAYS get it! Just imagine that Terran snipes off all of your observers and manages to get perfect EMPs with cloak ghosts and in many cases it can be game over in that point.
Some more info about EMP. Ghosts are the reason why you should be avoiding getting more than 2-3 archons in late-game, because in late-game Terran have resources to get off enough ghosts to EMP your whole army so, when you are able to hit all of your archons they just turn to useless expensive trash. To avoid getting totally humilated by EMPs in fights you need to know where your enemy is moving and have good fighting position. I will tell more about it later on again.
Some more info about EMP. Ghosts are the reason why you should be avoiding getting more than 2-3 archons in late-game, because in late-game Terran have resources to get off enough ghosts to EMP your whole army so, when you are able to hit all of your archons they just turn to useless expensive trash. To avoid getting totally humilated by EMPs in fights you need to know where your enemy is moving and have good fighting position. I will tell more about it later on again.
DT:+ Show Spoiler +
Dark Templars are the key unit to victory in late game. You manage to get map control with their help (importantly get watch towers), scout untaken bases, defend against drops and most importantly they are super deadly harass in the late game. They snipe off buildings really quickly and Terran has to use a lot of scans to take out many DTs. Getting like 5 dts attacking in different places in Terran's main base can solely win you the whole game. It is always cost effective to harass Terran with DTs in late game in Terran's main. Try to focus down tech labs/reactors, key buildings (like ghost academy, engineering bays, armory, etc) and supply depots. One effective method to use DTs is to warp them in to opponents base while Terrans army is fighting yours or when army is off-position. You can figure out many many different ways to utilize DT's in late game, when you put a little bit thought after it. Like, when you are harassing with DTs and not fighting your opponent same time, you can take the control of all watch towers same time and maybe kill one of Terran's base and so get the control of the game.
HT:+ Show Spoiler +
High Templar is the biggest damage dealer in late game. They kill medivacs with one feedback and storm can wipe off Terran army in the matter of seconds. To avoid from getting EMPd you must have your templar's spreaded all the time to be able to get storm off. I would suggest only hotkeying small portion of your High Templars and controlling them individually. Good strategy is to leave High Templars to strategical locations (like watch towers, cliffs for example) and like I mentioned earlier you should have 1-2 in every base to hold off drops and also to storm frontal attacks also you can leave some behind your army so when you are retreating you can storm off Terran's hunting army. Of course, if you notice that Terran doesn't really have ghosts in his army just abuse that fact and get more archons/templars with your army. Storms can be devasting too sometimes, if you manage to pull it off. Check out replays so you will understand better!
Colossus:+ Show Spoiler +
Another damage dealer. Switching around Colossus count makes it hard for Terran to have a right amount of vikings against your army. For example, if I lost all my Colossus in battle and Terran is left out with like 12 vikings I would suggest to not make any Colossus to have strong composition against his. Try switching around Colossus counts to mess up Terran. Also remember not to make too many Colossus. Get many robos in late game to make it easier to switch around Colossus numbers. Also you will never (well you shouldnt at least) need more than 5 colossus in late game. You are just giving Terran's vikings some free food. Its pretty hard to protect Colossus against vikings in the end.
Warp Prism:+ Show Spoiler +
Remember to get warp prism speed in the late game! With zealot/DT/HT harass with the help of warp prism you are able to win a game. Speed upgrade makes it much easier/faster to do drops and avoid turrets/vikings. Just don't forget to get warp prisms in late game and remember to harass!
Zealot:+ Show Spoiler +
Another strong unit in Protoss arsenal. They are pretty cheap and you can mass warp-in them to battles and harass with them very easily. You can use zealot kinda like DTs getting watch towers with them and dropping them and scouting untaken bases. Your army should always consist of big amount of Zealots.
Observer:+ Show Spoiler +
Make enough observers in late game. I would suggest you to have more than one observer with you army in the late game and they are excelent at scouting Terran and seeing where the Terran army is. Observer is again one of the most important factors in winning the game. Not having observer with your army can be insta-lose in many cases like I told earlier. I already spoke about importance of observer speed and a little bit about other stuff about observer earlier so I won't talk about it again.
Some last thoughts: Beforehand plan how to manage the game and positions/movements/harassments is really important in the longer games. So remember to look your replays to be able to plan things better for the next game (actually the case always). Don't worry if you forget to make use of your whole arsenal. I haven't yet seen a game, where someone has remembered to do every important aspect what you could do in lategame
Replays:
Me against Italian Terran Stareargle: http://replayfu.com/download/Xm9grq + Show Spoiler +
win
Me against Happy (good example what you shouldnt do): http://drop.sc/79539/d + Show Spoiler +
loss
Me against Satiini (shows the power of drops) http://drop.sc/79745/d + Show Spoiler +
win
I will upload more replays ASAP next week after playing some ladder games and feel free to contribute with your own replays, too!
You can also watch my stream to see my FPView in the PvT lategame http://www.own3d.tv/live/61698/Empire.Welmu (I will be streaming more in mid-January onwards though). I have also seen some very good late game managment out of Mana and Hero so check out their PvT lategame also!
Plz tell me, if I have forgotten something important (most propably I have xD)/haven't explained something well enough and/or if there is critical grammar erros in the text. Also feel free to ask anything and state if you think there are errors/flaws in my guide.
Hope you enjoy it!
