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ZvT guy goes mech

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
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1 2 Next All
ItchReliever
Profile Joined April 2004
2489 Posts
October 18 2007 08:02 GMT
#1
guy plays it like TvsP, except with a lot of gols (but with a lot of fucking annoying mines as well). also expands a lot. How do i counter this? I opened with hydra ling, tried going ultra ling (tried to use defiler but..), also went guards, but nothing seemed really cost effective vs golie, vult and tanks. -0- whats the usual counter? the mines really fucked me
TeRRan`UseR
Profile Joined December 2004
Canada692 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-10-18 08:15:26
October 18 2007 08:12 GMT
#2
You go Hydra/Lurk and get ovie speed+drop as soon as you take a 3rd gas. Harrass him continuously with drops and make sure you flank well otherwise tanks will rape your hydras. Hydras own gols pretty bad. You also need defilers with plague.

Harassing with drops is the most important thing to do I think. Gol + tank is VERY gas heavy and the less gasses he has the better. Plague is also your friend; lots and lots of plague.
AKAs FreeloSS @USwest Freel0ss @Europe
LxRogue
Profile Blog Joined March 2007
United States1415 Posts
October 18 2007 08:12 GMT
#3
Mutas and lings early/mid game are usually good, especially if he's heavy on tanks.

Otherwise you can try hydra-ling against pure goliaths but the micro is a bit harder.

Late game, either hydras with swarm, or ultra-ling. (again, hydras are harder to micro well)
alffla
Profile Blog Joined November 2005
Hong Kong20321 Posts
October 18 2007 08:13 GMT
#4
these links are discussions about mech vs zerg, they might be useful

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=4518

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=41421

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=40291

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=9980

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=53133

good luck
Graphicssavior[gm] : What is a “yawn” rape ;; Masumune - It was the year of the pig for those fucking defilers. Chill - A clinic you say? okum: SC without Korean yelling is like porn without sex. konamix: HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!
Pads
Profile Blog Joined January 2007
England3228 Posts
October 18 2007 08:46 GMT
#5
I think defiler/hydra/queen is the best combo there is, I have had this work for me a few times, I could post a rep when I get back from school.
#1 Kwanro[saM] fan!
evanthebouncy!
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
United States12796 Posts
October 18 2007 08:50 GMT
#6
Man I always thought it'll be such a sweet move if you manage to pull off a 12 stop lurker on that army T)T
Life is run, it is dance, it is fast, passionate and BAM!, you dance and sing and booze while you can for now is the time and time is mine. Smile and laugh when still can for now is the time and soon you die!
red.venom
Profile Joined October 2002
United States4651 Posts
October 18 2007 08:53 GMT
#7
Just a quick tip: Establish how he opens to segue into mech by watching reps. If he is doing say.. 1rax CC think about starting with 3 hat mass ling.

If he is going mines into expansion think about 2hat muta and start expanding around the map or going straight to hydra with no lair and push in with range first + overlord clearing mines.

Try to end it early or at least put enough pressure to keep him honest so that you can get a lot of econ going for the inevitable defiler/hydra/ling you will want to get to.

in the end game I tend to get every tech(triple evo later than normal instead of starting with 1/1 melee before hive goes up or something).. Its important to get drop for mobility in a timely manner and keep your attack upgrades up. A good mech player with econ backing him can at least push back defilers for a while with mines+tanks.
Broom
Day[9]
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
United States7366 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-10-18 11:13:31
October 18 2007 11:03 GMT
#8
i am extremely solid vs mech.

the first and most important thing to note is that playing vs mech is completely different than playing against MnM. Just as you consider ZvZ different from ZvP, its absolutely critical you don't follow some of the other standard "vsT" mindsets. bad mindsets include

1) relying on hive tech
2) relying on lurkers in mid game
3) protecting expansions the way you would vs mnm.

that said, allow me to actually describe what the hell you should be doing.

**disclaimer** - i always focus on long term solid effective strategies. i will NEVER say something like "try to get drop really fast after 3 bases and just drop him until GG" or something. So, keep in mind, although there are some nice spots to enter all-in mode, long term gameplay is best against mech **end disclaimer**

Expanding: First, note that the terran player has significantly decreased mobility and ability to pressure you in the early-mid game stages. MnM can actually deal a ton of damage vs anything, so you always have to be wary of tossing down a hatch w/o lurkers or muta/ling nearby. However, terran pretty much only has vultures to prevent you from expanding in the early and midgame stages. Moreover, late game, terran can pretty much only attack you with a direct, slow moving push (gols+tanks, vults for support too or so). So, feel free to expand WAY more than you would vs mnm. Terran simply cannot stop you from doing so. Moreover, when you get those new expansions, focus on getting minerals instead of gas. remember, gas is good vs mnm, but not so much vs mech (onto next section!)

Overall Unit Makeup: vs MnM, the zerg force relies largely on finesse: cutely positioning lurker+ling flanks, sexy defiler control, that "oh so just right" mutalisk snipe etc. However, mech is slow and has alot of hit points and won't crumble to some "sexy control". You should be focussing on just ALOT of STUFF. Keep it low tech. Getting lots of hydra+ling w/ plenty of hatcheries (remember you CAN expand alot) is by far the most effective way to deal w/ all those vultures+gols+tanks. Definitely don't get ultras late game. Tanks deal a fuckton of damage, so why let those tanks maximize their utility? With all the extra gas you have though (remember, you are focussing on expanding and making a heavy mineral type army) you can focus on getting a ton of guardians (or even mutalisks) with all your excess gas. Tossing in a bunch of mutalisks if you have the opportunity can severely fuck w/ terran's unit composition.

Gameflow: i'm going to assume you are aware he's meching fairly early on. you should be scouting correctly to see this. early game, focus on clogging your choke (build a den at your front to make sure vultures can't get by). THREE HATCH FOR GODS SAKE. do NOT do anything cute w/ 2 hatch or you'll get absolutely smashed by someone who knows what he's doing. your choice is now to get hydralisks or mutalisks. once you get those mutalisks or hydralisks, your goal is to start expanding a ton. mech will tend to REACT more to your unit combinations than FORCE you to make certain units. So, just fuck w/ your opponent alot. expand a bunch w/ hydras, and if he seems to be making too many tanks w/o vultures, then start churning out some zerglings and extra hatcheries. if he's trying to expand a bunch himself w/ tanks, get a ton of mutalisks. if he's making too many goliaths make more ground etc etc etc. eventually, your terran opponent will feel like he has JUST barely enough to defend himself at the current game state, but you will soon overtake him w/ all those expansions you were able to take in the meantime.

Again, remember that there is no cute, finesseful, effective way to deal w/ mech. You are simply going to focus on HAVING MORE STUFF. so many zerg users have the mindset that, vs terran, you should be able to get 12 of the "correct units" to hold off any type of army possible. while this is true vs mnm (defiler+lurker eh?), mech simply operates too differently. At the same time, note mech's shortcomings and strenghts. Mech sucks at being mobile, doing strong harassment type attacks (dropships will always be better than vulture raids), and at forcing zerg to make a certain type of unit (mech MUST react more, ie making more tanks vs ground or gols vs air). However, mech IS very strong at taking expansions, being defensive, and producing a really strong "one big attack win" type army.

So, let him expand a ton, and harass him like you would a protoss late game, or wait until you have a GREAT seige-tank busting type unit (guardians! definitely NOT defilers. if you've experienced alot of success w/ defilers against a mech player, that player simply sucks and the defilers had little impact on the game).

i've been rambling a WHOLE bunch, and i'm not going to re-read what i wrote.

so, i hope this was very useful.

cliff notes: just expand and stay low tech! lots of hatcheries, lots of mid-tier units! (hydra/ling/muta ftw)
Whenever I encounter some little hitch, or some of my orbs get out of orbit, nothing pleases me so much as to make the crooked straight and crush down uneven places. www.day9.tv
Day[9]
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
United States7366 Posts
October 18 2007 11:05 GMT
#9
yeah, definitely do NOT try to focus on defilers, and DEFINITELY do not focus on ultra/ling. its just a nightmare to try to make something happen
Whenever I encounter some little hitch, or some of my orbs get out of orbit, nothing pleases me so much as to make the crooked straight and crush down uneven places. www.day9.tv
yubee
Profile Blog Joined May 2006
United States3826 Posts
October 18 2007 11:15 GMT
#10
wow thanks a lot day[9], that was a really great response
Day[9]
Profile Blog Joined April 2003
United States7366 Posts
October 18 2007 11:19 GMT
#11
yaay!

another alternative that's very straightforward and easy to explain

get mutalisks and then EXPAND EXPAND EXPAND A FUCKTON and get more mutas and more mutas. you literally only have to make mutas+sunken colonies and counter attack the terran if he ever tries to leave his base

only confront his army if you have sunken colony support.

for reference, watch boxer vs savior on monty hall. HOWEVER, don't be a fucking idiot like savior and fight boxer's gollies w/o sunkens. (and if there are NO sunkens, just go kill all of terran's expansions happily. remember, you are expanding a fuckton. you can afford to lose 2-3 of em)
Whenever I encounter some little hitch, or some of my orbs get out of orbit, nothing pleases me so much as to make the crooked straight and crush down uneven places. www.day9.tv
NovaTheFeared
Profile Blog Joined October 2004
United States7222 Posts
October 18 2007 11:45 GMT
#12
The 2nd method of Day[9] is how I play vs. metal. Standard korean stuff 3 hatchery muta opening to mass exp and mass muta.

Muta opening has a lot of advantages over hydra, the most important of which is that it forces T to make goliaths much faster than he would like. Because he has to worry about your harass, he has to use the factories to make goli instead of vultures which are the only harassment tool mech has in the early/midgame making it that much easier for you to take extra bases. Once your eco booms almost any combo of ling/hydra/muta en masse can win the game.

A key change from typical ZvT openings is that you stay on lair much longer than normal because the hive tech units defiler and ultralisk are much worse against metal than they are vs. mm. Defiler's power vs. metal is more like ZvP it's kind of nice to have but not required. By the time you can get ultras a metal terran usually has a lot of tanks and even 6 armor is nothing. Since you are staying at lair level longer and have a lot of economy from unmolested expansions you can use some spare resources to get upgrades to match the terran. This is especially important for the mass of mutas you're making.
日本語が分かりますか
red.venom
Profile Joined October 2002
United States4651 Posts
October 18 2007 12:16 GMT
#13
Im not saying mutas arent extremely effective as an opening.. I also believe that they open you up to more one shot rushes from Terran. ie he just masses a horde of goliaths with few turrets and goes all in at you. So prepare for stuff like that. also valks and science vessel can be harsh.
Broom
ToKoreaWithLove
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
Norway10161 Posts
October 18 2007 12:58 GMT
#14
One thing Day didnt mention that I used to do when I went mech or be vary of when I face mech - the fast vulture rush. It might seem silly, but those things are so speedy they will run into your base if you leave the smallest opening. Make sure to cover your entrance / expansion block / whatever well enough to be safe.
ModeratorFather of bunnies
GrandInquisitor *
Profile Blog Joined May 2005
New York City13113 Posts
October 18 2007 13:53 GMT
#15
Why is the effectiveness of defilers compromised so much? Is it because you are using hydralisks more (and they can't hit anything else under swarm), or because Terran will have more sieged tanks, or that plague won't be as effective?
What fun is it being cool if you can’t wear a sombrero?
Chill
Profile Blog Joined January 2005
Calgary25980 Posts
October 18 2007 14:05 GMT
#16
You know, it's great that everyone is so willing to give advice, but please don't respond to trashy OPs. Essentially, this thread is "ololol he went mech i went ultraling and sucked, what i do?" Searching any other mech thread will answer that. And he didn't read the guidelines. I can't close it now because there's valuable information in here, but you're essentially rewarding thoughtless strategy posts.

Anyways, as I said, reading any mech thread will answer this for you. MutaLing with +1 Carapace on both and a very expansive midgame.
Moderator
Mortality
Profile Blog Joined December 2005
United States4790 Posts
October 18 2007 16:56 GMT
#17
Mech is expensive. As such, to elaborate on Day's comment about when to go all-in, you only want to do it when he is struggling to establish himself. If this is the case, you can continue pounding on him and pounding on him and unless he can drive you back and take another base, he's toast.

Otherwise speaking, play for the long term. Mech is strong, but it's slow to get and slow to manuver (well, except vultures, but you can deal with them if you throw down enough sunkens). You simply need to establish yourself to the point where he can't rebuild as quick and he's spreading himself thin trying to deal with your many bases. The last thing you want is to wind up in a direct face-off with a 200/200 blob of 3-3 metal.

Chill: As soon as Day answered, it was over. T_T

GI: Defilers are still okay, but tank splash damage as well as spider mines will still screw you over if you try to use defilers to ram mass ground down his throat, meanwhile you're eating up gas on not only the defilers, but the main ground army which basically MUST include gas eating units, otherwise darkswarm doesn't really have a purpose.

Defilers are still good, but only plague is useful IMO, so use them a bit more sparingly. DS won't do shit for ling unless he's got no vults, it can help for hydras, but if he manages to get too many tanks (and unless he's crazy/stupid/emo, he WILL make tanks in response to hydras), even then... and it STILL will not make ling/lurk or ling/ultra a worthwhile expenditure. Defilers become a purely supporting unit rather than a crutch as they are in the styles of fast hive Zerg players and you use them more on a case-by-case basis rather than at every opportunity.
Even though this Proleague bullshit has been completely bogus, I really, really, really do not see how Khan can lose this. I swear I will kill myself if they do. - nesix before KHAN lost to eNature
Leath
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
Canada1724 Posts
Last Edited: 2007-10-18 17:28:24
October 18 2007 17:25 GMT
#18
I see a lot of people saying go hydra/Ling/lurker.

Which might be true though it is situational. If you try to go straight hydras, it will probably not work well vs mines/tanks (ive beaten a lot of zergs who tries to go hydra first).

I think the main opening is the muta/lings. And you can safely make mass mutalisk for a good time (unless he gets valkyries and you fail to scourge) them. Mutas are good to prevent terran from leaving base. Because normally a terran who went one base mech, usually wont have that many goliaths by the time your mutas are out. And he will have spend heavily on turrets, upgrades, or air units.
Goliaths do half damage vs mutas, and are clumsy walkers. They will start fighting more effectively once charbon buster is researched and + 1 weapon, plus they must have a large number of goliaths (takes a bit of time), or has valkyries/vessel (hard on the gas from 1 base). In either cases it all takes a while to outnumber a large mutalisk force.

This will allow you to expand safely. If you can prevent the terran from expanding while you got a 3rd gas, I think u can win with mutalisks alone (but again situational)

Watch:
Iloveoov vs Savior (Rush Hour III) - Cant find video T.T

Boxer vs Savior (MontyHall) -
+ Show Spoiler +
Boxer wins that one though


Boxer vs Yellow (Jungle Story) -
- part 1
- Part 2
http://www.kongregate.com/?referrer=Sagess
thedeadhaji *
Profile Blog Joined January 2006
39489 Posts
October 18 2007 19:20 GMT
#19
if it werent for the high quality posts I would close this thread without any regrets...
evanthebouncy!
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
United States12796 Posts
October 18 2007 20:46 GMT
#20
Well to keep things interesting Day should get into crappy thread super fast and post detailed guide every time so no threads are closed

Anyyways I still think plagues are useful useful useful.
Life is run, it is dance, it is fast, passionate and BAM!, you dance and sing and booze while you can for now is the time and time is mine. Smile and laugh when still can for now is the time and soon you die!
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