I just wrote this...it took about 3 hours thinking it out / editing. I hope you all enjoy!
Author: LaStShadOw
To: Teamliquid.net/Other
Granted I may not be the best “Foreign Terran” I believe that my style is very unique/ and that I can contend with the top foreigners…. I have chosen to write a Tv? Super Pressure Style Guide to my Build Orders and Thoughts on what is going on.
Due to many people asking me to write a Super Pressure Oriented Terran Guide on wgt/gg.net/b.net, I have finally chosen to do so. So here it is ~ Also give some credit to daze for the format of this layout/guide. Thank You Daze.
Terran Versus Protoss
I think my Terran Versus Protoss is my best and most insane matchup. I really do not fear many protoss’ when go into a game. I don’t care who they are as long as they aren’t some progamer. For I think my TvP can contend with the top foreigners ( IMO )
In Terran Vs Protoss, I generally tend to find myself opening with many many rush oriented attacks to try to gain myself a lead or put the protoss in a “what do I do” situation. I probably have a range of 7 to 10 builds.
#1.Midas Rush- Any Map
This is probably my most common rush in TvP. I believe that if controlled properly it is one of the most deadly rushes out there. I favor this rush for many reasons. 1: Its deceptive 2: It hurts the protoss 3: Makes me feel comfortable. So when I make 7 marines 1 tank and up mines and move out -> FE. I generally will micro those units to no end. When I Midas rush, I use the 9depot/11rax/12gas build, for I need my rax up as soon as possible to stop early scout/zeal rush. Now this is what MY Midas seems to allow me
When I Midas rush I will get one of the following three things :
1: I will break down a 1gate range -> FE forcing them to cancle, giving me the faster FE and the same fact v gate ratio. This will allow me to jump to my 3 factories very fast and get to my fast pressure style immediately. Since he will lose goons, I can fastly reproduce and soon jump to 5fact Tornado.
2: I will catch them doing a robo build and ultimately dominate them -> go into base -> probe kills. And pretty much GG it right there. Not much more too it…Midas > Robo.
3: Be forced back due to 2 gate range/robo or 2gate range - > FE. I will then start a contain at a semi-far point from his choke…far enough so its not noticeable, but close enough so that its not 8 yrs to reach his nexus. This will generally make a protoss panic and suicide more than he should to stop it, ultimately giving me the lead going into a Pressure Push ( like midas vs draco) but much more aggressive.
I find this build to be my strongest/best
#2.Shadow Rush – Ramp Maps ; Longinius
Granted you may flame me, this is a rush I’m pretty sure I made up. In this rush You will use 2 factories. To do this you will need the 12rax/12gas for economic reasons. The build order is as follows : 9depot; 12rax/12gas ; 15depot ; 15 marine ; 16factory ; 19factory ; Factory finishs -> add-on / depot ; Second fact finishs – vulture. When the first fact gets its add on, Make a tank and upgrade siege( I prefer that the factory is viewable by a probe/goon, and that the second one/vults is further back). When you have 2 tanks, siege should finish. Now, Fake the FE by killing his probe @ choke or goons?. Continue to make tanks and now upgrade mines. As the mines are upgrading get an academy/ebay ( to stop DT/REAVER). When you get your 4th tank, you should have 7 vults awaiting at your second factory. You can now move out and hope they took their 3rd early. As you move out, expo / upgrade ion ( should be 25% done ). Continue making vultures. NOTE: You MUST wall-in to do this.
Now when I do the Shadow Rush It usually does one of 2 things :
1: It will catch the protoss taking a 3rd, and completely wipe out the dragoon force/ proceed to take on their nat with a tank/vult push. Then allow to get your 3rd/4th/5th factory while dominating their forces making them lose more than they should have. Now you can either A: do what I do and Re-Attack as soon as your contain breaks. Or B: Turtle up and force them to panic and tech very high.
2: Will be forced back by some 3 gate robo..or some unit power oriented build. Now with this they should be behind economically, so you’ll want to set up a decent contain away from their base ( See : Midas Rush ). And mine the map severely. Also try to get vults into his main to snipe down probes, punishing him for stoping your attack with mass units.
I find this build to be VERY deceptive / insanely powerful.
#3. 1 Factory CC- Tau Cross ; Ramp Maps
This is probably one of my top 5 most common openings in TvP. When I do this opening, I usually feel quite safe and feel as though it is a good opener to my super pressure style. This is how I do it.
When I make my 1 Fact CC, I will always make 4 marines ( to stop early goon harass/ provide good vs the shuttle/goon attack most commonly used by Tempest)Is(.) A tank/siege and a CC/ebay. not specifically in that Order.
As the CC is making, I will make a second factory and maybe even a third factory. With this, I Can keep tank production from my initial factory/ and vultures from my 2nd/3rd. Eventually I will most likely get academy and my 4th/5th factory at the same time ( tornado style ). My initial attack with a 1 Fact CC Is usually 7 tanks 7 vultures -> 5 vultures coming to aid @ the battle.
This build allows me to do many things :
1: With this build, I usually feel very safe, and I find it very hard to cheese. It is GREAT macro into a pressure style build, and can usually shift whichever way needed( turtle/pressure…pressure ftw!) This is a great build overall.
2: Make my Initial attack very strong and hard to stop, with consistent reinforcements / taking a 3rd safely is always a good thing.
3: Can make the protoss uncomfortable sometimes when they see my fast factories. And make them play 2 base power toss. When this happens, I generally tend to take a 3rd and turtle, with A LOT of vulture harass/mining of the map.
Great Build. Great Opening. Great overall.
#4. 2 Factory Vulture – Ramp Maps ; Tau Cross/ back-door nat maps.
This is probably one of my FAVORITE builds to do. For the flexibility involved in this rush is so amazing its almost unreal. When I 2factory vulture I will most likely make 4 marines to stop annoying dragoon harass. I will make a 16/19 fact. Double add-on’s ion then mine. 1 tank and then 4 vult -> move out. The flexibility in this rush is very good.
This rush tends to show great map control/harass. Also it is very strong vs DT rush and fast expoing toss’s. Also the 4 marine / 1 tank can support it if you so please. When you move out, continue to make vultures and expo. Mining of your choke is optional.
When you reach the protoss’s nat, if it is unguarded/unexpoed, mine it up severely and mine the map A LOT to search for proxies/reaver(shuttle flying overheard). Then retreat back to your base, placing the initial 4 vultures @ the Protoss’s 3rd. And 1 on patrol @ 4th/5th. When I use this rush I tend to get these things :
1: The protoss will not have expoed. See above paragraph.
2: The protoss will be awaiting me at his choke. I will engage him with my vultures and attempt vulture micro to explode his dragoons. UNLESS HE HAS TOO MANY I.E : 6. Then I will retreat..mine up a bit -> Bring the tank/rine force and guess what!? Start a pressure contain.
3: The protoss will be awaiting me at my choke. Using my vulture vision, I will bring my rines/tank and engage him in battle usually ultimately leading to utter destruction of 4 dragoons. Proceed to his choke and mine it up. TRY CATCHING THE EXPO’S TRANSFER !!! If you can, enter his base.
I find this rush the most flexible and pressure oriented out of most of my pressure rushes. Also it gives : Map View ; Forces the robo->obs ; Allows good amount of factories/units and Upgrades.
#5. 2 Factory Power Expo
Generally used by the legendary IloveOOv himself, I tend to find it SUPER SAFE versus any amount of 3gate dragoon -> robo. Or even reaver. The build order for this is. 9depot; 12rax/12gas ; 15depot ; 15 rine ; 16 fact / 19 fact…etc. You will get 3 tanks first ( both factories have add-on’s..remember to hide the second factory a little behind the first…make the first viewable) You will get 3 tanks and upgrade siege. Meanwhile @ 3 tanks you should build your CC/Ebay. And continue tank production. This is very gas heavy. So the 12/12 is needed.
When I Do this opening, many protoss’s ponder of how I got so many tanks so fast, and allows for a quick 4FACTORY! Tornado Style, while macroing @ home. Generally you should stop tank production @ 12 tanks. Then proceed to vultures immediately. Get 12/12 and move out while continuing to make vultures to reinforce. Note this opening can have 5 factories…however I don’t prefer it. This opening does these things :
1: Can turtle quite well, and go into a macro game, while being completely safe from any early pressure style.
2: If you play it like me, a super powered tornado, it can immediately manhandle any normal sized toss army ( with proper control ) assuming they took their 3rd and didn’t jump to units as fast as you.
3: Can do an offensive turtle push ( See Midas vs Draco WCG 2006 ).
I find this build very safe, especially versus stronger players. Also it is very deceptive and can give you a lead in the game. Since this build is used to combat a pressure protoss, they will generally fall behind to your mass amount of units since they cant harass.
#6. Tank Rush – Any map. Preferably no-ramp maps.
This rush, if performed correctly is RIDICILOUS. I have beaten protoss’ that were Korean and better than me with this. For this rush can also be deceptive and ridiciously strong.
Basically this rush starts out the same as the 2 Factory Power Expo, which allows this to have SOME flexibility. In this rush you will generally have 6 tanks and 8 marines when you move out. This is to be done with the 12rax/12gas build. This is a 2factory attack.
When this rush comes out, It is scary force! 6tanks!? 8 marines!?. I generally bring 4 scvs to heal tanks since 4 can heal a tank fast enough to fight 2 dragoons…and to repair to make my guys last longer. This rush does the following.
1: Can completely level a protoss and force the GG. Also this rush can become a 2 Factory Power expo if needed. Granted this rush is slow, and very mineral/gas heavy. It will lose to Dark Templar .. most of the time.
2: Can start a slow push starting near the choke of the protoss, into the choke of the protoss. This will cause Pressure(which I love !) and sometimes can make the protoss crack losing MUCH more than he needs to.
Basically 1 and 2 happen 99% of the time. Except there are the few occasions where due to some weird awkward build the rush can lose. But I find it very deceptive/strong and not something to mess with. It will dominate 2 gate range expo and even 1 gate range expo. And the ability to fake an FE…Priceless.
#7. 1 Factory Port Type 1: Tank edition – Any map?
The mobility of this is very very good. I however don’t tend to use this rush often… because I think it is outdated. But hey whats better than a rush completely unexpected! This rush can follow up with an 12rax/12gas or just 11rax/12gas. Depends if you want marines or not. I prefer marines for a soon-to-come pressure style.
This rush will basically open up with the mobility of dropship ! Hence you can take islands or…get EMP very fast for a quick tornado/emp attack. This rush will delay a protoss’s expo if he goes 2 gate range on a Cliffable-Nat map ( RLT / LT ). Or.. it will just kill many probes or something. This is what tends to happen when I do it :
1: I will drop the tanks off in the base and fly dropship elsewhere ( See Boxer Pimp Plays ). This will allow me to TARGET- Many Probes. Using shift…or manual control. The greatness of this rush is that it gives dropship mobility. Eco lead. And allows a safe FE! Good overall
2: Will be forced back by a goon force, forcing the dropship to wait for a transfer (mmm tasty) then proceeding to explode 12 probes -> pick up -> leave. Type ROFL WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE PROBES? ( just kidding ). Again. Mobility. Deception. And can go into a contain!!!! <3 Contains.
Generally outdated…however it still can be used here and there. Its good for a early contain/safe FE since it doesn’t really slow an FE TOO much. Then you can proceed to my FE version -> tornado.
#8. 1 Factory Port Type 2 : Vulture Edition – Ramp Maps Only?
This rush follows the basic general build of Type 1 edition. However instead of making a tank you proceed very fast to 4 vultures. Get 4+ marines for this to hold ramp. When you get your vultures mine up the ramp a little ( 4 mines ), pick up and gogo to the toss’s main. Unleash severe vulture micro. This is what tends to happen when I do it.
1: Generally the protoss will NOT have any dragoon’s awaiting your aerial raid @ his/her main. So the 4 vultures having ion/mines can wreck havoc( especially with no robo!). With this rush it tends to force a all-transfer to his natural ( if he has one ) and delay mining severely/ kill units. Also what is so great about this rush is that it provides map view / mobility. And an expo! Granted this rush can’t lead to any form of contain ( unless you think like me in thinking a line of 80 billion mines is a contain awaiting your 2 tanks to arrive to start a pressure push!).
2: If the protoss does have dragoon’s awaiting, you can attempt a drop/probe bomb or run away and go for your FE, while mining the map severely. With this dropship, he will have to fear later harass from tanks or vults. And even fast Vessle. So again…brain pressure!?
Generally this rush can make or break you. It can kill a protoss or It can kill you. This I recommend only for extreme vulture micro users as such myself. This rush is also great for mobility/deception. And gets the protoss thinking.
#9. 1 Factory Port Type 3 : Tank/Vult edition- Ramp Map only.
Basically im not going into epic detail on this rush, basically just combine Type 1 and Type 2 excluding ion thrusters. Bring 2 vultures and 1 Tank for your drop and wreck havoc on his probes/dragoons. Again the “situations” are a combined of Type 1 and 2.
#10. 14 CC – Island Map only : Land map…see below. ACTUALLY – PEAKS! -> See Artosis @ NE Lan vs Gas steal. Great Build.
LOL! DO THIS VS A GOOD TOSS AND THEY WILL LAUGH AT YOU. SUCCEED AND YOU WIN. On a land map you will generally lose…if you succeed, follow through on my FE build except with 7 factories!
Island Map : 14cc – 1 Fact Port / Turtle basically…you will fight robo either way…no real reason to get into it.
#11. Bio/2port Wraith – Ramp Map Only / Peaks of Baekdu
These builds I do not recommend, and I generally only use as a joke or a cheese.
Basically 8 rine 2 medic MM attack or 2 port wraith with scan. If either rush connects you win. If not you lose. Not much more too it. See my TvZ Guide.
So there you have it. My TvP Openings/rushes. They are all generally to get a lead or a pressure style going. However granted I don’t talk much about my pressure. I can’t really describe it since I adapted it over time. Basically I play a medium/low scv count with severe harass and very very fast pressure. Constintly trying to find gaps in your play and exploit it massivly. I harass 24/7 and I will turtle if just to make you lose. Generally pressure styles allows a terran to come back in the game if needed since we have VULTURES! And Mine Bombs. My play is really really about vulture harass and really really strong pushes. I constantly mine the map and make it impossible to cheese me. Reversing the pressure is generally the only way I’ve been notice my style loses., however I do perform very well under pressure. Remember…NEVER LET THE PRESSURE UP CONSTANTLY GIVE IT NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT MIGHT HURT. Since I play medium scv style/ mix of nada/perfective I can easily turtle or pressure…I prefer to Tessure?
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My style is very very unique and I give MUCH credit to By.fantasy/[ReD]NaDa; and the great PERFECTIVE. For I feel I combine all of their styles into one I call Shadow Terran. I will be writing a TvT/TvZ guide coming soon. I hope you all enjoy this guide ! Much love to Teamliquid.net and the whole community!
~ LaStShadOw
EDIT: Replays to/for each rush
MidasRush: http://www.battlereports.com/viewreplays.php?replaynum=32242
ShadowRush: http://www.battlereports.com/viewreplays.php?replaynum=32244
TankRush: http://www.battlereports.com/viewreplays.php?replaynum=32248
2Fact Power Expo: http://www.battlereports.com/viewreplays.php?replaynum=32247
2Factory Vulture: http://www.battlereports.com/viewreplays.php?replaynum=32249
1Factory CC: http://www.battlereports.com/viewreplays.php?replaynum=32246
Bio: Coming soon
14cc: Coming soon
2Port Wraith: Coming soon
NaDa rush: Coming soon
All Fact Ports : Coming soon.
Note : There is another Shadow Rush. It is me vs Zpux Game 4/5 on WGT.
Enjoy tl ^^!