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[Q] PvZ FFE scouting

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
CodECleaR
Profile Joined November 2010
United States395 Posts
December 29 2011 01:08 GMT
#1
Hi all,
I've noticed a trend in my games for the past few weeks; in pvz I almost always only die to allins in the early game. Think roaches and baneling busts. My mid game is quite strong, varying from hero's style to white-ra's style (from charge/blink + archon/collo armies to vr harass/carriers) and I feel like I understand the matchup very well past the 8 min mark. I also have no problem hiding probes all around the map; I am quite sneaky if I do say so myself--hiding them under ledges, behind doodads, etc. However, I have no clue what to be looking for, or at what time in the early game after I FFE. I don't know when to sacrifice the probe, I don't know what to be looking for; how many drones, how many zerglings, etc. I basically need a reliable 'scouting scaffold' in which I can look @ # of drones, zerglings, and other things to see if my opponent is doing a baneling bust or a roach attack on me. Also, I have no clue when these allins are supposed to hit O_o I've looked in the basic openings/timings thread on tl and checked out other threads as well....
(Note that the allins I have trouble with are the ones that come after z takes his natural--I know how to stop 1 base )

In addition, once I've scouted a roach rush, in particular, do I abandon my stargate play? Usually I grab my stargate with the first 150 gas I get then get stalker and 3rd gas, then pump sentries. Should I just throw down 4 cannons THEN make a vr or will the voidray come out in time to kill the roaches? Also, vs baneling bust, what should my response be considering i already have a stargate building? Just pile cannons and a ton of buildings in front as sentries wont get out in time? Or something more sophisticated?

Thanks in advance!
How do you beat a terran who's hardcore turtling off 3 base? Flip him on his back and walk away."
brachester
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Australia1786 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-12-29 01:12:29
December 29 2011 01:10 GMT
#2
one good way is chronobust out 2-3 zealots and pressure the zergs to see if he has his expansion up, how many zerligh does he has, does he have any kind of tech building (roach, baneling), etc.
Also, if you scout the roach and have startgate, keep it, build voidray to keep the agressor at bay since roach can't shoot air. Also 2-3 canons +void ray would be enough
I hate all this singing
CodECleaR
Profile Joined November 2010
United States395 Posts
December 29 2011 01:12 GMT
#3
On December 29 2011 10:10 brachester wrote:
one good way is chronobust out 2-3 zealots and pressure the zergs to see if he has his expansion up, how many zerligh does he has, does he have any kind of tech building (roach, baneling), etc.


So you're saying to NOT sac probe to scout but rather scout with chrono'd zeals instead? Should I be sacrificing the zeals (sacrificing one into the main base to scout tech) or JUST poking with them, doing some damage, trying to catch a glimpse of tech structure? Basically is it okay if I sac a zeal or two to see exactly what he's up to if he hides his buildings?
How do you beat a terran who's hardcore turtling off 3 base? Flip him on his back and walk away."
brachester
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Australia1786 Posts
December 29 2011 01:19 GMT
#4
On December 29 2011 10:12 CodECleaR wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 29 2011 10:10 brachester wrote:
one good way is chronobust out 2-3 zealots and pressure the zergs to see if he has his expansion up, how many zerligh does he has, does he have any kind of tech building (roach, baneling), etc.


So you're saying to NOT sac probe to scout but rather scout with chrono'd zeals instead? Should I be sacrificing the zeals (sacrificing one into the main base to scout tech) or JUST poking with them, doing some damage, trying to catch a glimpse of tech structure? Basically is it okay if I sac a zeal or two to see exactly what he's up to if he hides his buildings?

It depends on what you see, if you don't see many lings, keep going in his base, if you see roach, retreat, if you see a lot of lings, zealot step micro back to your base, but if you can somehow sneak your probe in, do it. And yes, it is ok to sac 2-3 zealots since you do a FFE, which leaves you a lot of mineral
I hate all this singing
NB
Profile Blog Joined February 2010
Netherlands12045 Posts
December 29 2011 01:21 GMT
#5
your main goal is to be able to click on his gas around 5:00 min mark and see how many gas has he mined and/or is he continue mining gas after 100 gas?

Noticed doing this, you generally will need 2 probes to make sure you have a 99% getting it right...
Another way which whitera normally do is to go to his nature can count drone around 5:20 -> 5-30.

That is for probe scout. If your probe scout doesnt show any result, you will need to scout with your very first zealot. Anything more than 4 initial lings is abnormal and should trigger a 2nd cannon as well as chrono on sentries.
Im daed. Follow me @TL_NB
CodECleaR
Profile Joined November 2010
United States395 Posts
December 29 2011 01:21 GMT
#6
On December 29 2011 10:19 brachester wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 29 2011 10:12 CodECleaR wrote:
On December 29 2011 10:10 brachester wrote:
one good way is chronobust out 2-3 zealots and pressure the zergs to see if he has his expansion up, how many zerligh does he has, does he have any kind of tech building (roach, baneling), etc.


So you're saying to NOT sac probe to scout but rather scout with chrono'd zeals instead? Should I be sacrificing the zeals (sacrificing one into the main base to scout tech) or JUST poking with them, doing some damage, trying to catch a glimpse of tech structure? Basically is it okay if I sac a zeal or two to see exactly what he's up to if he hides his buildings?

It depends on what you see, if you don't see many lings, keep going in his base, if you see roach, retreat, if you see a lot of lings, zealot step micro back to your base, but if you can somehow sneak your probe in, do it. And yes, it is ok to sac 2-3 zealots since you do a FFE, which leaves you a lot of mineral


Sorry lol one more quick question;
When do i push out with the zealots? Do I wait for all 3 then push, wait for 2 + rally 3rd, or start right away with the 1st one?
Dx sorry for so many questions
How do you beat a terran who's hardcore turtling off 3 base? Flip him on his back and walk away."
CodECleaR
Profile Joined November 2010
United States395 Posts
December 29 2011 01:23 GMT
#7
On December 29 2011 10:21 NB wrote:
your main goal is to be able to click on his gas around 5:00 min mark and see how many gas has he mined and/or is he continue mining gas after 100 gas?

Noticed doing this, you generally will need 2 probes to make sure you have a 99% getting it right...
Another way which whitera normally do is to go to his nature can count drone around 5:20 -> 5-30.

That is for probe scout. If your probe scout doesnt show any result, you will need to scout with your very first zealot. Anything more than 4 initial lings is abnormal and should trigger a 2nd cannon as well as chrono on sentries.


Hmmm very informative! Thanks for the help
Exactly how many drones am I looking for (or not looking for)?
Sub what number of drones should I be worried about?
How do you beat a terran who's hardcore turtling off 3 base? Flip him on his back and walk away."
brachester
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
Australia1786 Posts
December 29 2011 01:28 GMT
#8
On December 29 2011 10:21 CodECleaR wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 29 2011 10:19 brachester wrote:
On December 29 2011 10:12 CodECleaR wrote:
On December 29 2011 10:10 brachester wrote:
one good way is chronobust out 2-3 zealots and pressure the zergs to see if he has his expansion up, how many zerligh does he has, does he have any kind of tech building (roach, baneling), etc.


So you're saying to NOT sac probe to scout but rather scout with chrono'd zeals instead? Should I be sacrificing the zeals (sacrificing one into the main base to scout tech) or JUST poking with them, doing some damage, trying to catch a glimpse of tech structure? Basically is it okay if I sac a zeal or two to see exactly what he's up to if he hides his buildings?

It depends on what you see, if you don't see many lings, keep going in his base, if you see roach, retreat, if you see a lot of lings, zealot step micro back to your base, but if you can somehow sneak your probe in, do it. And yes, it is ok to sac 2-3 zealots since you do a FFE, which leaves you a lot of mineral


Sorry lol one more quick question;
When do i push out with the zealots? Do I wait for all 3 then push, wait for 2 + rally 3rd, or start right away with the 1st one?
Dx sorry for so many questions

forgot to mention the gas thing, but it's exactly what NB said. About when to push, it's up to your preference and the size of the map to push with 2+ rally 3rd or 3 at the same time, it doesn't matter that much, but i do 3 at the same time. I don't really use the natural drone scout method since it's proved to be somewhat inconsistence through different level of play.
I hate all this singing
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