[G] Rushing Relentlessly: A Guide to Zerg vs Zerg
Hello Team liquid! I'm very excited to present a strategy guide on my best and favorite matchup: ZvZ.
If you've played or watched any ZvZ, you likely know that it's a fast-paced, explosive matchup – the majority of games end quite early with one or two base play. I'm sure most of us have been involved in those infamous (arguably annoying) zergling/baneling wars, and experienced the excruciating pain after looking away from your army for a split second, only to return to see all your units have died to 1 baneling.
As a result of these silly ling-baneling battles, and the overall dynamic of the matchup, ZvZ just feels flimsy for a lot of players – many describe it as a coinflip or rock/paper/scissors. So many people just do the one base baneling all-ins, early pool rushes, or the Destiny style roach/zergling all-in. Obviously these styles can win you games, but it's very one-dimensional and not likely to help you improve. It will please you to know that this guide will focus on a banelingless style of ZvZ, using well-planned timing attacks to secure map control while you drone and prepare another timing attack. Even if you're a macro player, the most important concept to take away from this guide is droning with map control as opposed to droning blindly.
You can do this by utilizing 3 highly-optimized timing attacks:
5:45 - 22 Speedlings arrive at opponent's expansion
6:00 – 42 Speedlings
9:00 – 8Roach/60+ Timing Attack
You've all probably guessed why I love this matchup: it's my mindset that You cannot be too aggressive in ZvZ. I've never heard a player say “I need to play more passive in ZvZ, I think I'd win more.” No, I want you to be as relentless as possible and if you start losing the occasional game by attacking too much, you should pat yourself on the back and say “That was good, but next time I'll attack more.” Aggression thrives in ZvZ and choosing the right build order and unit composition is an essential first step. In this guide I'll provide the build order, timings, and execution I've used to turn a matchup many consider to be a “flimsy, rock-paper-scissors, coinflip” into a near-lock.
And even if you don't fancy yourself a particularly aggressive player, you'll see that taking the initiative and attacking first can often present you with opportunities to drone and secure advantages.
Reddit Link:
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Reddit: Rushing Relentlessly - Please Upvote!
Four-Part Zerg vs Zerg Stream Tutorial:
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1) The Opening + Ling Push: http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/307938006
2) The Transition + Roach/Ling Push: http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/307940830
3) Transitioning AFTER the roach/ling: http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/307944502#
4) How to hold early pool or 1-Base all-ins: http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/307949263
2) The Transition + Roach/Ling Push: http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/307940830
3) Transitioning AFTER the roach/ling: http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/307944502#
4) How to hold early pool or 1-Base all-ins: http://www.twitch.tv/tangsc/b/307949263
The Opening Build Order
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Note: Stream Episode 1 analyzes the opening and initial zergling push
This build is a very refined way to optimize zergling count by the 6 minute mark. If you do the build perfectly, you should have 22 Zerglings with speed moving out when speed is done (5:30). This is a crucial window to do damage to your opponent's queens, morphing banelings, vulnerable roaches. The more damage you do, the more likely your follow-up 42 Zerglings at 6:00 will end the game. Often, this massive ling count will be enough to do crippling damage if you think that you've done crippling damage you can continue streaming lings after 42 supply.
15Pool
15Gas (Rally 14th Drone)
17Expansion Hatch
16Queen
18Overlord
@100Gas speed, remove from geyser.
18-21 Zerglings (Queen + 6Lings)
21 Queen (First queen pops, inject and move to expo)
23 Overlord (Optional Spine Crawler)
23-31 Zerglings (First inject goes into all lings, try to hide these from opponent's scouting lings. If you want to macro, you could cut lings here and start droning)
31 Overlord
31-42 Zerglings (Rallied to opponent's expansion)
42+ Drones/Transition OR Commit to a Zergling All-In
This build is a very refined way to optimize zergling count by the 6 minute mark. If you do the build perfectly, you should have 22 Zerglings with speed moving out when speed is done (5:30). This is a crucial window to do damage to your opponent's queens, morphing banelings, vulnerable roaches. The more damage you do, the more likely your follow-up 42 Zerglings at 6:00 will end the game. Often, this massive ling count will be enough to do crippling damage if you think that you've done crippling damage you can continue streaming lings after 42 supply.
15Pool
15Gas (Rally 14th Drone)
17Expansion Hatch
16Queen
18Overlord
@100Gas speed, remove from geyser.
18-21 Zerglings (Queen + 6Lings)
21 Queen (First queen pops, inject and move to expo)
23 Overlord (Optional Spine Crawler)
23-31 Zerglings (First inject goes into all lings, try to hide these from opponent's scouting lings. If you want to macro, you could cut lings here and start droning)
31 Overlord
31-42 Zerglings (Rallied to opponent's expansion)
42+ Drones/Transition OR Commit to a Zergling All-In
The Opening Execution:
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Your initial overlord MUST scout your opponent's expansion by the 4min mark. If he's expanded, you're absolutely going to put on oodles of pressure. I will go over responses to 1-base play in stream episode 4.
Your first queen and 6 lings will hold any 2base 14/14 pressure.
As soon as your speed finishes (~5:30), it's time to move out. You want to take those initial 22 Lings to your opponent's expansion right away. Banelings and roaches are possible at this stage, but in small numbers.
Use 1 ling to pick off individual banelings if you can, 2-3 lings to focus fire morphing banelings. Don't think that because you see zergling, baneling, or roach defense you have to retreat - remember you have a second wave for a total of 42 Lings on the way so don't be afraid to try to surround roaches, pick off banelings, engage in ling on ling battles, and kill queens. Any damage you can do is great. A LOT of games can be won with this first push, and if you feel like you're going to win, just stream lings until you do.
The most important thing while you're attacking is to keep up with queen injects, overlords, and either zergling or drone production. Even though you're microing actively with your lings, you should keep your keyboard hand busy as well – the more multitasking the better.
Your first queen and 6 lings will hold any 2base 14/14 pressure.
As soon as your speed finishes (~5:30), it's time to move out. You want to take those initial 22 Lings to your opponent's expansion right away. Banelings and roaches are possible at this stage, but in small numbers.
Use 1 ling to pick off individual banelings if you can, 2-3 lings to focus fire morphing banelings. Don't think that because you see zergling, baneling, or roach defense you have to retreat - remember you have a second wave for a total of 42 Lings on the way so don't be afraid to try to surround roaches, pick off banelings, engage in ling on ling battles, and kill queens. Any damage you can do is great. A LOT of games can be won with this first push, and if you feel like you're going to win, just stream lings until you do.
The most important thing while you're attacking is to keep up with queen injects, overlords, and either zergling or drone production. Even though you're microing actively with your lings, you should keep your keyboard hand busy as well – the more multitasking the better.
The Roach/Ling Transition:
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Note: Stream Episode 2 covers the roach/ling transition
At 42 supply, you should have an idea if your lings will be enough to win. If he's spined up and using baneling/queen/ling defense, for example, you'll respond by transitioning into roaches:
A food supply build order becomes irrelevant here, as it depends on how many lings you lose. As a general rule, follow these if you feel like your lings give you map control:
1) Produce 4-8 Drones
2) Refill Gas, Start a warren (Rule of thumb: 6:30-7:00)
3) Produce 2-6 Drones and overlords while warren builds (only build drones if you feel safe, otherwise make lings)
4) Make 6-8 Roaches right when warren finishes, rally point onto roaches and move out, producing zerglings to reinforce.
Keep in mind that you could just build the 6-8 roaches and play defensively to drone up, get an evo chamber, and move into standard mid-game with infestor/roach or muta.
At 42 supply, you should have an idea if your lings will be enough to win. If he's spined up and using baneling/queen/ling defense, for example, you'll respond by transitioning into roaches:
A food supply build order becomes irrelevant here, as it depends on how many lings you lose. As a general rule, follow these if you feel like your lings give you map control:
1) Produce 4-8 Drones
2) Refill Gas, Start a warren (Rule of thumb: 6:30-7:00)
3) Produce 2-6 Drones and overlords while warren builds (only build drones if you feel safe, otherwise make lings)
4) Make 6-8 Roaches right when warren finishes, rally point onto roaches and move out, producing zerglings to reinforce.
Keep in mind that you could just build the 6-8 roaches and play defensively to drone up, get an evo chamber, and move into standard mid-game with infestor/roach or muta.
The Roach/Ling Execution:
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I recommend hotkeying the roaches as 2, with lings following the roaches / hatcheries rallied onto the roaches.
If you have the lings following the roaches, you don't have to do excessive ling micro – they'll for the most part engage correctly.
However, it is important to hotkey the lings as 1 so that you can pull them back quickly if you see banelings.
If there's no banelings, A-move and do a bit of focus-firing with roaches onto any spines but don't overdo it.
If there are banelings, let the roaches absorb the banelings then a-move with lings when it's safe.
If you have the lings following the roaches, you don't have to do excessive ling micro – they'll for the most part engage correctly.
However, it is important to hotkey the lings as 1 so that you can pull them back quickly if you see banelings.
If there's no banelings, A-move and do a bit of focus-firing with roaches onto any spines but don't overdo it.
If there are banelings, let the roaches absorb the banelings then a-move with lings when it's safe.
What if I don't win with Roach/Ling?
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Note: Stream Tutorial 3 covers what to do if the roach/ling fails
This is where individual play-style may vary. You could theoretically continue to stream roaches / lings with all your resources until you win or lose. However, I think it's important to have a point where you stop reinforcing with lings and start producing drones (remember you're not that far from full 2base mineral saturation).
Here is an example of a "desperation mode" transition with a reasonable chance of success:
Step 1: Cut zerglings and go for 38 drones (full 2base mineral saturation, 6 drones mining gas/two geysers)
Step 2: Start a macro hatch
Step 3: Start a 3rd queen
Step 4: Use all your gas on roaches, and use 3queens 3hatch to mass Zerglings rallied to the roaches.
Step 5: Rally hatcheries onto roaches and go for a huge timing attack off 3 hatch.
Step 6: (Optional) Drone up, start a lair a lair, 2 evo chambers, and your last two gas while you push.
Here are a few examples of this transition:
http://drop.sc/163571
http://drop.sc/163572
This is where individual play-style may vary. You could theoretically continue to stream roaches / lings with all your resources until you win or lose. However, I think it's important to have a point where you stop reinforcing with lings and start producing drones (remember you're not that far from full 2base mineral saturation).
Here is an example of a "desperation mode" transition with a reasonable chance of success:
Step 1: Cut zerglings and go for 38 drones (full 2base mineral saturation, 6 drones mining gas/two geysers)
Step 2: Start a macro hatch
Step 3: Start a 3rd queen
Step 4: Use all your gas on roaches, and use 3queens 3hatch to mass Zerglings rallied to the roaches.
Step 5: Rally hatcheries onto roaches and go for a huge timing attack off 3 hatch.
Step 6: (Optional) Drone up, start a lair a lair, 2 evo chambers, and your last two gas while you push.
Here are a few examples of this transition:
http://drop.sc/163571
http://drop.sc/163572
Holding Early Cheese/Pressure:
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Note: Stream Episode 4 focuses exclusively on holding early cheese/1-base all-ins.
1) If he goes for a 1-Base Ling/Bane All-In (14/14 or so):
Example game: http://drop.sc/163772
Step 1: Scout the expansion by the 4Min Mark.(Ling scout later to see unit composition seeing no expo by 4:00 and lings streaming across the map is a good indication).
Step 2: Build 1-2 spine crawlers in your main after your overlord on 23 Supply. (If you get two, you can leave one in your main and move one down to expansion)
Step 3: Produce nothing but speedlings. (You can actually engage in ling on ling battles, but you'll probably use these to counter attack when he tries to bust)
Step 4: Produce a 3rd queen at your expansion. (Queens and spines are your key defenses for your expo)
Step 5: Transfer 1 Spine down to your expansion, bring your main queen down there too. Optional: Wall ramp with 2 queens with spine in range. (Since you build a 3rd queen and a spine, you don't need to be injecting your main constantly – you wont have minerals to use that much larva, so all 3 queens can be at your expansion)
Step 6: (Optional/Situational) Counter-attack with your speedlings, use your queens/reinforcing lings/spines to defend the pressure.
2) If he goes for a roach or roach/ling 1-Base All-In:
Step 1: Scout the expansion by the 4 Min Mark. (Ling scout later to see unit composition).
Step 2: Laugh internally, because you've already won. You should have a big grin on your face when you see 1 base roaches.
Step 3: Build 1 Spine Crawler in your main at 23, similar to the 1-base baneling style.
Step 4: Produce nothing but speedlings.
Step 5: Transfer the spine down to your expansion.
Step 6: Use your enormous speedling count and a-move into his army when he's near your spine.
Step 7: Execute your usual ling timing attack.
3) If he hits you with an early-pool:
Step 1: Scout the lings coming to your base with overlords.
Step 2: Start a spine, queen, and 2 sets of lings right away.
Step 3: PULL AWAY your drones. Don't panic and a-move, just patiently wait for some zerglings to pop.
Step 4: Engage with 4 zerglings and 14-16 Drones.
Step 5: Reposition your spine, continue producing lings with any minerals, and use all you have to kill his units and spine.
Step 6: Get that 16 drone saturation, 2 queens, and an expansion. Move into the usual ling timing attack.
1) If he goes for a 1-Base Ling/Bane All-In (14/14 or so):
Example game: http://drop.sc/163772
Step 1: Scout the expansion by the 4Min Mark.(Ling scout later to see unit composition seeing no expo by 4:00 and lings streaming across the map is a good indication).
Step 2: Build 1-2 spine crawlers in your main after your overlord on 23 Supply. (If you get two, you can leave one in your main and move one down to expansion)
Step 3: Produce nothing but speedlings. (You can actually engage in ling on ling battles, but you'll probably use these to counter attack when he tries to bust)
Step 4: Produce a 3rd queen at your expansion. (Queens and spines are your key defenses for your expo)
Step 5: Transfer 1 Spine down to your expansion, bring your main queen down there too. Optional: Wall ramp with 2 queens with spine in range. (Since you build a 3rd queen and a spine, you don't need to be injecting your main constantly – you wont have minerals to use that much larva, so all 3 queens can be at your expansion)
Step 6: (Optional/Situational) Counter-attack with your speedlings, use your queens/reinforcing lings/spines to defend the pressure.
2) If he goes for a roach or roach/ling 1-Base All-In:
Step 1: Scout the expansion by the 4 Min Mark. (Ling scout later to see unit composition).
Step 2: Laugh internally, because you've already won. You should have a big grin on your face when you see 1 base roaches.
Step 3: Build 1 Spine Crawler in your main at 23, similar to the 1-base baneling style.
Step 4: Produce nothing but speedlings.
Step 5: Transfer the spine down to your expansion.
Step 6: Use your enormous speedling count and a-move into his army when he's near your spine.
Step 7: Execute your usual ling timing attack.
3) If he hits you with an early-pool:
Step 1: Scout the lings coming to your base with overlords.
Step 2: Start a spine, queen, and 2 sets of lings right away.
Step 3: PULL AWAY your drones. Don't panic and a-move, just patiently wait for some zerglings to pop.
Step 4: Engage with 4 zerglings and 14-16 Drones.
Step 5: Reposition your spine, continue producing lings with any minerals, and use all you have to kill his units and spine.
Step 6: Get that 16 drone saturation, 2 queens, and an expansion. Move into the usual ling timing attack.
Game Sample/Style Overview:
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For all you visual learners...
Game One vs Ruby: (2Base Baneling Counter-attack)
http://drop.sc/107050
Game Overview: Opponent expands and opens with zergling/baneling. My initial ling/baneling timing attack is able to do damage, but he quickly responds with a 2base ling/bane counter. Rather than engaging at my natural, I counter attack with my lings and use my roach/ling reinforcements to clean up his timing attack. Once my base is safe, I move out with my roaches, rally my lings, and execute a game-ending Roach/Ling timing.
1) 15Pool:
2) 15 Gas:
3) 17 Hatchery:
4) 16 Queen:
5) 17 Overlord:
6) At 100 Gas, remove drones from geyser and start speed:
7) Notice, 16 Drones mining 2 per patch in main (Ideal Saturation):
8) Start 6xLings right when overlord finishes on 18:
9) Queen pops, inject and move to expansion. Start 2nd queen on 21, then overlord on 23:
10) If you don't know what your opponent is doing, build a defensive spine on 23:
11) Use first larva inject to produce a lot of lings. At 5:00, 2nd queen finishes and it's time to double-inject:
12) Queen and 6 lings easily hold scouting/harassing zerglings off a 13-15Pool:
13) When in doubt, ling scout – make sure to see know whether he's expanding and hopefully whether he has roach, banelings, and/or a lot of zerglings:
14) Position spine at expansion to defend counters, move out and set rally:
15) Engage the front, drone with map control:
16) Build as many drones as feel safe to (usually 6-10), refill gas and start a warren by 6:30:
17) Use spines and lings to defend zergling counter-attack:
18) Seeing him morphing banelings, counter-attack instead of engaging ling vs bane:
19) Start building roaches and lings to help defend your main from his attack:
20) Prioritize killing workers and queens with zergling runbys:
21) Continue producing units to clean up his push while microing lings around to kill drones:
22) Eventually your reinforcements will clean up his attack and you can prepare your counter-attack:
23)Set rally onto roaches, push out and produce speedlings to reinforce:
24) Reinforcing lings can be used to defend counter-attacks:
25) Roaches arrive, opponent departs.
Game One vs Ruby: (2Base Baneling Counter-attack)
http://drop.sc/107050
Game Overview: Opponent expands and opens with zergling/baneling. My initial ling/baneling timing attack is able to do damage, but he quickly responds with a 2base ling/bane counter. Rather than engaging at my natural, I counter attack with my lings and use my roach/ling reinforcements to clean up his timing attack. Once my base is safe, I move out with my roaches, rally my lings, and execute a game-ending Roach/Ling timing.
1) 15Pool:
2) 15 Gas:
3) 17 Hatchery:
4) 16 Queen:
5) 17 Overlord:
6) At 100 Gas, remove drones from geyser and start speed:
7) Notice, 16 Drones mining 2 per patch in main (Ideal Saturation):
8) Start 6xLings right when overlord finishes on 18:
9) Queen pops, inject and move to expansion. Start 2nd queen on 21, then overlord on 23:
10) If you don't know what your opponent is doing, build a defensive spine on 23:
11) Use first larva inject to produce a lot of lings. At 5:00, 2nd queen finishes and it's time to double-inject:
12) Queen and 6 lings easily hold scouting/harassing zerglings off a 13-15Pool:
13) When in doubt, ling scout – make sure to see know whether he's expanding and hopefully whether he has roach, banelings, and/or a lot of zerglings:
14) Position spine at expansion to defend counters, move out and set rally:
15) Engage the front, drone with map control:
16) Build as many drones as feel safe to (usually 6-10), refill gas and start a warren by 6:30:
17) Use spines and lings to defend zergling counter-attack:
18) Seeing him morphing banelings, counter-attack instead of engaging ling vs bane:
19) Start building roaches and lings to help defend your main from his attack:
20) Prioritize killing workers and queens with zergling runbys:
21) Continue producing units to clean up his push while microing lings around to kill drones:
22) Eventually your reinforcements will clean up his attack and you can prepare your counter-attack:
23)Set rally onto roaches, push out and produce speedlings to reinforce:
24) Reinforcing lings can be used to defend counter-attacks:
25) Roaches arrive, opponent departs.
More Replays:
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Note: The stream tutorials above are meant to be video analysis for this guide. I review recent replays against all the possible Zerg styles.
More info on this style can be found in my old TL guide on ZvZ:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=274426
Season 7 Replays:
http://drop.sc/163564 (vs Nerchio)
http://drop.sc/165658 (vs Dimaga)
http://drop.sc/161020 (vs OGWutsZurg)
http://drop.sc/163772 (vs 14/14 Ling Bane All-in)
http://drop.sc/163775 (vs 2base Ling/Baneling)
http://drop.sc/163571
http://drop.sc/163572
Season 6 Replays:
http://drop.sc/116315
http://drop.sc/112730
http://drop.sc/112724
http://drop.sc/112726
http://drop.sc/117946
http://drop.sc/117945
http://drop.sc/117944
Season 5 Replays:
http://drop.sc/107399
http://drop.sc/107400
http://drop.sc/107402
Here is a ZvZ Replay pack from seasons 3-4 at GM level:
http://drop.sc/55499 (Raine)
http://drop.sc/55503 (Computer)
http://drop.sc/55496 (YanagiNagi)
http://drop.sc/55485 (Goswer)
http://drop.sc/55482 (sKsDhalism)
http://drop.sc/54766 (ZeroSkill)
http://drop.sc/54765 (ZelNiq)
http://drop.sc/54760 (Unyb)
http://drop.sc/54759 (TylerDurden)
http://drop.sc/54757 (Sushi)
http://drop.sc/54755 (Secretasnman)
http://drop.sc/54753 (REQShuffle)
http://drop.sc/54751 (PPGbubbles)
http://drop.sc/54743 (Inflowlooky)
http://drop.sc/54740 (FruitDealer)
http://drop.sc/54738 (FitzyHere)
http://drop.sc/54737 (FitzyHere2)
http://drop.sc/54732 (Element)
http://drop.sc/54730 (DarkChigo)
http://drop.sc/54727 (clSBellini)
http://drop.sc/54724 (BuBuKitty)
http://drop.sc/54723 (bnYdice)
http://drop.sc/54722 (bnYdice2)
http://drop.sc/54721 (BlackMamba)
Discussion Questions
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1) Can you think of some other viable transitions after either the zergling opening or the roach/ling timing?
2) What makes this build different from other "one-dimensional" 14/14 baneling all-ins, early pool rushes, or the Destiny style Roach/Ling all-in?
3) How can a player optimally defend this?
4) Could the build be used in other matchups?
2) What makes this build different from other "one-dimensional" 14/14 baneling all-ins, early pool rushes, or the Destiny style Roach/Ling all-in?
3) How can a player optimally defend this?
4) Could the build be used in other matchups?
Guide Feedback:
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I've included a poll to help me learn from my mistakes and produce better content. Please contribute any feedback so that I can improve the quality of future guides:
Poll: How helpful is this guide (1-5) Please post reasoning in comments!
5 - Excellent Guide, concise information, extremely helpful (114)
64%
4 - Solid Guide, good analysis, pretty helpful (29)
16%
1 - There is nothing to be learned from you, Tang. You're ruining eSports. (17)
10%
3- Average Guide, probably going to help some people. (12)
7%
2 - Some helpful material, but overall not very informative (5)
3%
177 total votes
4 - Solid Guide, good analysis, pretty helpful (29)
1 - There is nothing to be learned from you, Tang. You're ruining eSports. (17)
3- Average Guide, probably going to help some people. (12)
2 - Some helpful material, but overall not very informative (5)
177 total votes
Your vote: How helpful is this guide (1-5) Please post reasoning in comments!
(Vote): 5 - Excellent Guide, concise information, extremely helpful
(Vote): 4 - Solid Guide, good analysis, pretty helpful
(Vote): 3- Average Guide, probably going to help some people.
(Vote): 2 - Some helpful material, but overall not very informative
(Vote): 1 - There is nothing to be learned from you, Tang. You're ruining eSports.
Thank you all for taking the time to read this guide, if you have any questions/comments please post them!
- Tang
Courtesy of www.TangStarcraft.com