EPT
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/oslbanner.JPG)
Thank you FAKESTEVE for these reports!
Of the 24 players qualified for the third ShinHan Bank OSL, only 8 remain. For an excellent preview of the matchups, check here. Let's get to the games!
Casy vs FirebatHero, Round 1
FirebatHero is coming off what some people think to be an unlikely win over GGPlay, and Casy has reinforced his 'Neo-Emperor' status by dismantling July. With TvZ muscles already oiled up and flexed, its time for these two to tone and sculpt their TvT beef for the judges.
The game starts on Reverse Lost Temple with FBH at 6 and Casy at 9. Casy elects to open with a risky 14cc, but FBH sends his scv the wrong way around the map. Casy ends up getting his command center finished and functional, and begins constuction on two Starports. FBH is caught off-guard by the wraiths, and everything seems to be going very well for Casy.
But, this is never the final stamp on any TvT game. FBH showed everyone his massive (we'll call it fortitude), and set up his tanks outside of Casy's nat, relying on his new armory and ebay (and the quickness of his SCVs) to fend off the predatory space planes. It worked out incredibly well for FBH, as he quite simply...
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/casy1.JPG)
...into this.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/casy2.JPG)
From here it was an uphill (get it?) battle for Casy. Too insistent on wraith harassing, Casy just couldn't crack FBH's constantly reinforced assault. The difference seemed to be the two or three SCVs that were constantly present, repairing damaged tanks and goliaths. There were several times when FBH's tanks were pushed to the edge of destruction, only to be healed in full by the time the next batch of
FirebatHero > Casy, series at 1-0
NaDa vs YellOw[ArnC], ROund 1
NaDa has defeated newcomer UpMagic in a highly entertaining series, earning him a match against oov-killer YellOw[Arnc] in the Round of 8. These two players square off on Longinus 2, with NaDa at 11 and Yellow[ArnC] at 3. NaDa repels a sluggish 9pool, and with two barracks down he begins a command center. Yarnc expands to his nat and to the double-gas at 12, and preps for mutalisk harass. Yarnc's mutalisk harass is boosted by a group of lings he manages to sneak in as well, but the lings are cut down by marines and SCV, and the mutalisks are forced out without much of a problem. Despite his ineffective 9pool and muta harass, Yarnc doesn't seem to be anything worse than even with NaDa. That is, until this happens:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/nada1.JPG)
You know what would help this situation? ANYTHING BESIDES NOTHING.
Yarnc completely negates to defend his double gas at 12, giving NaDa a significant advantage. So, Yarnc does what any zerg does when they enter panic mode: Get a Hive! The next ten minutes of this game are a brilliant show of the defensive functionality of Defilers. Yarnc is able to repel attack after attack, managing to save his new double-gas at 5, and prolonging the death of his expansion at 6. But, we could see the end on the horizon, and it was just a matter of time until NaDa got a bunch of these:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/nada2.JPG)
"Bleep Bloop, blinking lights and biological weapons, WHAT'S ALL THIS RED GOO? Get a mop out here!"
A mass of science vessels are the yang to the yin of power that defilers provide. Soon Yarnc can't hold NaDa back any longer, and the Genius rolls through. This was an incredible game, with constant pressure and macro from NaDa, and a heroic effort from Yarnc. If you haven't seen it yet, download the VOD and watch it!
NaDa > YellOw[ArnC], series at 1-0
SaviOr vs Much[gm], Round 1
The seemingly unstoppable SaviOr just came out of a series that could have (and possibly should have) been the final of this OSL. I'm sure Midas fans and Savior fans alike feel that the two squaring off in the Round of 16 was somewhat anticlimactic. Nevertheless, he's got the rest of the competition to tear through, and Much[gm] is up next. Much is on a PvZ high note, crushing GoRush with relative ease. He's got his work cut out for him now, as Savior is a much stronger opponent.
The game begins on Arkanoid with Savior at 11 and Much at 7. This map has been a veritable playground for the current Zerg Don so far. He expands next to the chrysalis and Much does the same. Savior seems to be taking the aggressive route, knocking down the neutral buildings quickly with Zerglings, while Much climbs the tech tree, getting a Stargate initially, and a robo soon after. Much protects himself from zergling breakouts by making a cannon behind each of his neutral temples.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/much1.JPG)
"Sucker."
Savior knows how to deal with a smartass, and Much certainly isn't pleased.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/much2.JPG)
"...Fuck."
After fortifying the leak point with a few more cannons, Much reveals his hand: A reaver drop at savior's second home-base expansion. He snags a few drone kills and a trio of hydralisks before he's chased off. He manages to make another few drops (while losing his shuttle and reaver in the process), but Savior isn't really slowed down. With three mining bases and five hatcheries, a few drone kills are a laugh. Savior counters the insolence right back with a pair of hydralisk drops, killing probes and cannons. He successfully interrupts mining at all three of Much's sources of income, and sets "Operation Hi I'm Savior" into motion. The drops put Much on the defensive, and he never gets a chance to revert. From this point on, Savior simply controls the map and Much himself through hydra drops and ground assaults. Constant waves of troops poke at Much, damaging him little by little as Savior crafts himself into a Zerg juggernaut. In a game reminiscent of Rainbow's match with Savior in the Superfight Proleague, Much shows superb defense with reavers and high templar, but eventually succumbs to Savior's waves of destruction. His last effort involving Carriers was too little, too late.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/much3.JPG)
"BOOM! Hahahahahaha. Wait a minute I'm losing oh God back to microing"
At the end of the match Savior has 7 bases and Much has none, which proves once again that if Savior has 7 bases and you have zero, you're probably going to lose. And of course, Savior don't give a shit.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/much4.JPG)
"NEXT."
SaviOr > Much[gm], series at 1-0
Iris[gm] vs Zergman, Round 1
What happens when Iris gets himself into a TvT match? He saunters around wrecking the place up and striking poses because he just so happens to be DAMN good at TvT. What happens when Iris gets himself into a TvZ match with Zergman? LET'S FIND OUT!
The first match happens on HitchHiker, with Iris at 11 and Zergman aaaaall the way down at 5. This is how the match begins:
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/iris1.JPG)
Aw, Iris, don't do this, man... Come on who do you think you are...
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/iris2.JPG)
Man, I hate to say 'I told you so', but you know.
Despite the undeniable fact that his Bunker rushes are about as smooth as his complexion, Iris did manage to take out a few of Zergman's drones, leaving him not too far behind after losing all of his early marines (and a bunch of SCVs). Both players get their respective economies back up to snuff, and the game proceeds. Iris tries to float a factory over the temples below his base, but an Overlord catches it and Zergman sends a few zerglings to chase it away. Iris manages to get one vulture past the six lings, but sends it to Zergman's new hatchery at 7, where it does nothing but take 50 hit points off the hatchery before being destroyed. Iris drops it soon afterwards, but after letting his medic be killed by a drone, the hatchery stands.
Iris then sends two dropships worth of troops to Zergman's main, and promptly loses half of his marines to two lurkers. Zergman is still forced to take his drones away from his main, but a third lurker and some zerglings end the crusade without much damage being done. A second drop at 7 fells Zergman's hatchery, and things aren't looking too bad for Iris. He hasn't expanded yet, but Zergman still only has his main and nat. Iris then tries to move through the middle with an army of marines, medics, and tanks, but Zergman stops him cold. Iris tries another drop above Zergman's nat, but it utterly fails and he loses his dropship in the process.
After an excrutiating display of TvZ failure, Zergman finally decides to go for the kill. First using Lurkers above Iris' nat to kill a bunch of SCVs, then using Defiler, Lurkers, and Zerglings to force Iris to lift the command center. Iris plods around the map with his remaining marines, trying to kill Zergman's expansion at 1 while sending his SCVs to his new CC at 12. He manages to lose his entire marine attack force to zerglings and dark swarm, effectively removing his chances of salvaging the game. Zergman simply walks into Iris' nat and sets up shop, ending the game.
![[image loading]](http://www.teamliquid.net/staff/Manifesto7/shinhan3oslro8wk1/iris3.JPG)
We're all used to seeing this from Iris by now
Zergman > Iris, series at 1-0
That's the end for now, pay attention for more later on (hopefully from ManaBlue )!
GG GG GG GG GG GG GG GG GG
, and great report.
