• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EST 03:13
CET 09:13
KST 17:13
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL22] Finals Preview: Sweet Victory!12[ASL22] Ro4 Preview: Mirror Mirror6[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: Within Reach5[ASL22] Ro8 Preview: In A Tizzy11[ASL22] Ro16 Preview: Holy Diver5
Community News
Weekly Cups (Nov 2-8): herO back on top?1Weekly Cups (Oct 26 - Nov 1): MaxPax, herO, Solar win0Weekly Cups (October 19-25): Clem triples first in 5.0.175Evil Geniuses - shutting down23ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier7
StarCraft 2
General
Weekly Cups (Nov 2-8): herO back on top? Serral's getting trashed by New Catsle's Mind No more SC2 streamers on team liquid? StarCraft open world shooter announced at BlizzCon [D] Hacker peak in sc2 ?
Tourneys
SC2 iNu's Battles #22 SC4ALL: II Venue Change Announcement! Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament WardiTV Mondays ISSL (IntoTheTV x SOOP SC2 League): Premier
Strategy
[H] ZvP Mid-Late Game: Stalkers Collossi HT
Custom Maps
Starcraft 2 Advance [G] How to playtest arcade maps [D] the control group Simple Questions/Answers
External Content
The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 551 Robotic Revival Mutation # 550 Graveyard Shift Mutation # 549 Endless Sparkles
Brood War
General
BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ List of top players active on ShieldBattery Rollback Netcode in Brood War [Megathread] Daily Funny Videos BW General Discussion
Tourneys
2v2v2v2 Tournament Stage 1: Community Poll [Megathread] Daily Proleagues [$1250] International ShieldBattery League Small VOD Thread 2.0
Strategy
Nuke strategy worked in K-League 2026-11-09 50,000-Word Terran Builds Memo 2026-10-22 Cliff Jump Revisited (1 in a 1000 strategy)
Other Games
General Games
ZeroSpace Early Access is Now Live! Path of Exile Nintendo Switch Thread General RTS Discussion Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread
Dota 2
Dota 2 Champions League Season 3 Begins April 25!
League of Legends
[TL LoL EUW IHs] Teemo shall perish
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread
Community
General
Trading/Investing Thread US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Dating: How's your luck? Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine
Fan Clubs
Fan Club Resource Thread Reynor Fan Club The Flash Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece
Sports
Football (Soccer) Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
The Automated Ban List Recent Gifted Posts
Blogs
The time I organised my…
AssyrianKing
Playlenda
Playlendapro
Why I built Repalyzer (1.1.…
BlueStar
Innovate or Game Over?
TrAiDoS
ShieldBattery on Mac
Kraekkling
[ASL22] Ro4 Day1 Ticket Giv…
bITt.mAN
Can Bots Beat Pros?? Starcr…
namkraft
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 11313 users

[G] StimmedProbe's Postpatch TvZ Build #1 12-14-18rax

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
Post a Reply
1 2 3 4 Next All
StimmedProbe
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Hong Kong98 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-07-03 13:01:39
July 02 2012 19:37 GMT
#1
StimmedProbe's Postpatch TvZ Build #1 12-14-18rax
Last Update: July 3rd, 2012

Build #1 of 3: 12-14-18 rax


[image loading][image loading][image loading]


Basic Idea:
This build is a metagame build designed to take advantage of the comfort that 4-6 queens provide zerg players. This build provides a sizeable ammount of marines to launch an early attack. This build also provides a strong follow-up attack with marines mauraders and hellions.

Build Order:
10 – Supply Depot
12 – Barracks
14 – Barracks
16 – Marine
17 – Orbital Command
17 – Supply Depot
18 – Marine
18 – Barracks
<Pump marines, scvs and depots>
32 – Command Center (5:00-5:10)
38 – Refinery x2
@100gas factory
@50gas reactor

Attack with 16 marines (Roughly 6:05), micro, focus fire and try to lower the surface area while still providing wiggle room for your marines if they need to escape.

Tips and Tricks:
  • Try to hide the 2nd and 3rd rax if possible, this makes it look similar to a 1rax FE to the zerg
  • Try to prevent an overlord from seeing if you have taken your expansion
  • Clear watchtowers with 2-3 marines for extra surprise
  • If you see the gas later than 4:00 you are in GREAT SHAPE because it takes the zerg roughly 3 minutes to get speed from the time they start their gas, you will hit a sick timing with your 16 marines (20-25 seconds before speed finishes)
  • Queens will kick you out at ~4:45 so make sure to leave with your scout before that, try to see what time the gas is taken and if a spine was built
  • Build your factory near one of your rax so you can make some reactored hellions quickly
  • Try to lower surface area, but always provide a way to escape from surrounds (keep your back to the wall, but always have an exit path along the wall)
  • You can use the mineral patches or hatchery to provide some 'cover' for your marines, they greatly reduce surface area
  • Try to snipe overlords, if you can supply block him even for a short time, you can do massive damage
Follow up:
If you do not win the game right away you can follow up with a marine/maurader/hellion timing. I recommend 4-5 rax and 1-2 factories. Get stim/shields/shells and if you like blue flame. +1/+1 is also possible. Just try to spend the mini trust fund you accumulated during the marine micro as well as you can based on the situation. You can bring some scvs along if you like as well for a stronger timing. If that attack does not finish the game, you can procede into standard play as long as your two attacks did some decent damage by taking a 3rd and swapping some addons.

How to hide what you are doing *New*:
  • Try to build your 2nd/3rd rax at your natural. This will help you in a few ways. First of all you might be able to kill the drone before it gets a chance to check the main and the natural. Second of all you might be able to wall the drone into your main, so it cannot check your natural for additional barracks.
  • Try to anticipate the 1st overlord movement, and pick somewhere to put your 2nd and 3rd barracks accordingly.
  • Position a few marines at the ramp (2-3) at around 4:40, since this is when a zerg will poke your front with a few lings.
  • Place your 3rd depot somewhere in your main so you can spot if an overlord is moving in
Replays:

http://drop.sc/212866
In this game I notice my opponent did not take an early gas. My attack hit a little bit before speed and I crushed through his queens, drones and zerglings.

http://drop.sc/212867
In this game I did the attack with 16 marines and managed to supply block him a few times. I also used the minerals/hatchery to reduce surface area well.

http://drop.sc/212868
In this game I attack with a few less marines, which gave him some time to prepare when my 16 marines came in. I still did pretty good damage, and although I macroed pretty bad during the attack I was able to finish him off with my 2nd attack.

More builds to come in the next few days!
HaXXspetten
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Sweden15718 Posts
July 02 2012 19:41 GMT
#2
Nice to see you're still sticking with it ^^
Targe
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
United Kingdom14103 Posts
July 02 2012 19:45 GMT
#3
Is this all one base?
11/5/14 CATACLYSM | The South West's worst Falco main
intense555
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
United States474 Posts
July 02 2012 19:45 GMT
#4
I don't know about this, feels like 6 queen opening with a spine can defend. It just feels like marines without stim and shield are kind of useless against zerg now. Queen ling too efficent v this.
Aspiring Starcraft 2 pro for @mYinsanityEU, follow me on twitter @mYintenseSC
StimmedProbe
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Hong Kong98 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-07-02 19:56:19
July 02 2012 19:50 GMT
#5
On July 03 2012 04:45 Targe wrote:
Is this all one base?

The first 16 marines are off 1 base, the 2nd cc is building. Read the post >.<


On July 03 2012 04:45 intense555 wrote:
I don't know about this, feels like 6 queen opening with a spine can defend. It just feels like marines without stim and shield are kind of useless against zerg now. Queen ling too efficent v this.


16 marines do insane amounts of damage with focus fire and micro, zergs sometimes skip the spine when they see a 1rax FE. I have never had a problem with 1 spine alone and no one has ever had two spines when I arrived completed.
Targe
Profile Blog Joined February 2012
United Kingdom14103 Posts
July 02 2012 19:55 GMT
#6
On July 03 2012 04:50 StimmedProbe wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 03 2012 04:45 Targe wrote:
Is this all one base?

The first 16 marines are off 1 base, the 2nd cc is building. Read the post >.<


Ah thanks! I did read it but when scrolling I must have missed the BO.
11/5/14 CATACLYSM | The South West's worst Falco main
Fencar
Profile Blog Joined August 2011
United States2694 Posts
July 02 2012 19:56 GMT
#7
Awesome! I can't wait to use this in BoX's.
This is my signature. There are many like it, but this one is mine.
FlubbaSet
Profile Joined August 2011
Germany7 Posts
July 02 2012 20:00 GMT
#8
Many Zerg don't get a spinecrawler anymore and rely on queen only defense. This opening could work pretty well if it is unscouted.
spbelky
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
United States623 Posts
July 02 2012 20:17 GMT
#9
It's been a while since I've seen a [G] from you stimmedprobe, good to see you're still at it. I'll have to mix this in to my current play when I get the chance.
-FoX
Profile Joined November 2010
United States479 Posts
July 02 2012 20:45 GMT
#10
Nice guide, always loved guides out of you StimmedProbe. Good to see you're still writing.
Belial88
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
United States5217 Posts
Last Edited: 2012-07-02 20:51:56
July 02 2012 20:51 GMT
#11
On July 03 2012 05:00 FlubbaSet wrote:
Many Zerg don't get a spinecrawler anymore and rely on queen only defense. This opening could work pretty well if it is unscouted.


4 gates, double starport banshee, 1 base DT, also work very well when unscouted.
How to build a $500 i7-3770K Ultimate Computer:http://www.teamliquid.net/blogs/viewblog.php?topic_id=392709 ******** 100% Safe Razorless Delid Method! http://www.overclock.net/t/1376206/how-to-delid-your-ivy-bridge-cpu-with-out-a-razor-blade/0_100
spbelky
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
United States623 Posts
July 02 2012 21:02 GMT
#12
On July 03 2012 05:51 Belial88 wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 03 2012 05:00 FlubbaSet wrote:
Many Zerg don't get a spinecrawler anymore and rely on queen only defense. This opening could work pretty well if it is unscouted.


4 gates, double starport banshee, 1 base DT, also work very well when unscouted.


Are you really trying to compare an economic 3rax to a bunch of beta cheese strats?
oOOoOphidian
Profile Joined January 2011
United States1402 Posts
July 02 2012 21:29 GMT
#13
On July 03 2012 06:02 spbelky wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 03 2012 05:51 Belial88 wrote:
On July 03 2012 05:00 FlubbaSet wrote:
Many Zerg don't get a spinecrawler anymore and rely on queen only defense. This opening could work pretty well if it is unscouted.


4 gates, double starport banshee, 1 base DT, also work very well when unscouted.


Are you really trying to compare an economic 3rax to a bunch of beta cheese strats?

3 rax only works unscouted. If zerg gets some combination of speedlings, queens, a spine crawler, or banelings, this will not work. I've tried it. 2 rax is superior by far.
Creator of sc2unmasked.com
Semtext
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
Germany287 Posts
July 02 2012 21:42 GMT
#14
On July 03 2012 06:29 oOOoOphidian wrote:
3 rax only works unscouted. If zerg gets some combination of speedlings, queens, a spine crawler, or banelings, this will not work. I've tried it. 2 rax is superior by far.


i guess thats why he tells you to hide your 2nd and 3rd rax in the OP. i'll try that a few times. sounds interesting to go against my instincts to upgrade my marines with the first rax+techlab...
http://de.twitch.tv/semtext | FBH, Socke, WhiteRa, GoOdy, TLO
Flonomenalz
Profile Joined May 2011
Nigeria3519 Posts
July 02 2012 21:59 GMT
#15
On July 03 2012 06:02 spbelky wrote:
Show nested quote +
On July 03 2012 05:51 Belial88 wrote:
On July 03 2012 05:00 FlubbaSet wrote:
Many Zerg don't get a spinecrawler anymore and rely on queen only defense. This opening could work pretty well if it is unscouted.


4 gates, double starport banshee, 1 base DT, also work very well when unscouted.


Are you really trying to compare an economic 3rax to a bunch of beta cheese strats?

Are you serious?

Aside from 4 gate, the other two builds almost always involve an expansion.

DT expand was quite a common build before, and so was cloak banshee --> expand (before the spore crawler root time). As a matter of fact, 1 port cloak banshee --> 3 CC is still a fairly common build.

This 3 rax expand is just as cheesy as a DT expand, in the sense that if you don't do sufficient damage, you pretty much lose. 6 queens w/ some transfuse and slow lings can hold this off as long as you don't allow the marines to walk into a low surface area position. From there, your tech is so behind and your upgrades probably will be too, you cannot win without the zerg seriously screwing up.
I love crazymoving
XenoJesus
Profile Joined June 2010
United States72 Posts
July 02 2012 22:41 GMT
#16
Cool build! Hopefully we'll get to see more of these kinds of timings.

Nice guide and great job!
gsbElfenLied
Profile Joined January 2011
Sweden45 Posts
July 02 2012 23:41 GMT
#17
you would need to be very careful about denying scouting of your natural, if a competent zerg spots no cc at 4:30-5:00 he'll spine up with atleast 2 spines.
If i type something interesting here, will you respect my opinion more?
Vanchen
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
55 Posts
July 03 2012 00:45 GMT
#18
http://drop.sc/213162 Here is my attempt at it. Opening worked great, just my follow up wasn't so great. Denying scouting of the nat is hard on some maps so on some maps, I don't think you can do this. 1 Spine was no problem even with 3 queens there.
ST_Bomber|SKLGIM_MC|
StimmedProbe
Profile Blog Joined October 2010
Hong Kong98 Posts
July 03 2012 06:05 GMT
#19
On July 03 2012 09:45 Vanchen wrote:
http://drop.sc/213162 Here is my attempt at it. Opening worked great, just my follow up wasn't so great. Denying scouting of the nat is hard on some maps so on some maps, I don't think you can do this. 1 Spine was no problem even with 3 queens there.


Not bad not bad, I have a couple of tips for you though. Make sure you focus fire the queens if you have a chance, that will hurt the zerg quite a bit in the long run if they lose all their queens. In addition try to keep your marines along a wall if possible to reduce surface area for lings and drones.
Orek
Profile Joined February 2012
1665 Posts
July 03 2012 06:38 GMT
#20
This build will keep Zerg honest.
Whoever skips all scouting, gas, spine and ling then go all out queen will be punished hard.
The build is essentially 12 14 2rax at start, so even if 2rax attack doesn't come immediately upon scouting 2 rax, skipping ling production and a spine is a greedy play from Zerg and deserve to be punished.
As OP stated, denying scout is a big part. 5min CC is very late. Standard 1 rax FE is 3min10sec CC, and a competent Zerg would probably know that its not even 1rax either by seeing 2nd rax or couting SCV number at mineral line.
I like how OP called this "metagame build." Blindly going 6 queens metagame will die to this build easily when executed well.
In future, Zerg players will adapt and make at least 1 spine and save transfuse energy if scouting natural failed in case of this push coming. Otherwise, super greedy Zerg, myself included, deserve to lose.
1 2 3 4 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 1h 48m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft: Brood War
Britney 80468
Rain 1758
firebathero 1090
Aegong 30
Mong 26
ZergMaN 21
910 16
ajuk12(nOOB) 15
NotJumperer 13
yabsab 12
[ Show more ]
Noble 11
League of Legends
JimRising 520
Reynor29
Counter-Strike
shoxiejesuss234
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King111
Other Games
summit1g10317
XaKoH 385
ceh9339
Happy262
NeuroSwarm73
Sick64
ViBE49
Organizations
Other Games
gamesdonequick530
BasetradeTV154
Counter-Strike
PGL63
[ Show 13 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• LUISG 5
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota2251
League of Legends
• Rush1031
• Lourlo812
• Stunt471
Upcoming Events
Sparkling Tuna Cup
1h 48m
WardiTV Invitational
3h 48m
YoungYakov vs Lambo
SHIN vs TBD
Percival vs Shameless
Solar vs TBD
OSC
14h 48m
ByuN vs MaxPax
herO vs Krystianer
Percival vs Shameless
LetaleX vs YoungYakov
Nicoract vs Gerald
GgMaChine vs ArT
PiGosaur Cup
16h 48m
INu's Battles
1d 3h
ByuN vs Classic
3D!Clan Event
1d 8h
The PondCast
2 days
KCM Race Survival
2 days
WardiTV Invitational
2 days
Ultimate Battle
3 days
[ Show More ]
CranKy Ducklings
4 days
IPSL
4 days
TerrOr vs IJ_Terran
rasowy vs Hazorath
Sparkling Tuna Cup
5 days
IPSL
5 days
Art_Of_Turtle vs KameZerg
Radley vs George
Replay Cast
5 days
WardiTV Weekly
6 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-11-09
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
HCC Season 3

Ongoing

Acropolis #5
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 4
International ShieldBattery League
Individual League
BSL Season 23
IPSL Winter 2026-27
Calamity Cup Div. A Season 8
IEM Beijing 2026
PGL Masters Bucharest 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 5
1win Private Club #2
Thunderpick World Champ. '26
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
1win Private Club #1
Logitech G Play Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026

Upcoming

YSL S4
Sector 951
SC4ALL II: Brood War
BSL 23: Non-Korean Championship
HSC XXX
Stellar Fest 2: Lunar Cup
StarCraft2 Weekly Open Tournament 2026 Grand Finals
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Offline Finals
Underdog Cup 2026 Div 2-3
PGL Bucharest 2027
BLAST Bounty Winter 2027
eXTREMESLAND 2026
PGL Major Singapore 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 6
BLAST Rivals Fall 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.