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[Q] ZvP FE Openings and Economy

Forum Index > Brood War Strategy
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1 2 Next All
FortuneSyn
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
1826 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 13:11:58
April 25 2009 00:26 GMT
#1
OK, first question. Zerg goes 9overpool and 8 lings asap, what can a protoss get away with while being safe? forge-cannon-cannon or forge-nexus-cannon? I know it's map/scouting dependant, but assume zerg goes straight for toss base.

Second question, for the following scenarios:

- 12 hatch vs. nexus-forge-cannon-cannon (and threat of gateway before forge)
- 9 overpool vs. "answer to first question"
- 9 pool vs. forge-cannon-cannon-nexus

Assume 3-hatch lair to spire, 4 lings for 12hatch and 8lings for 9pool/overpool. Given that protoss chooses the safe response to the zergs opening, what zerg opening puts zerg in the best economical position? How does the economical position compare to the other scenarios?

I know it is vague and too many variables to actually numbercrunch but try to give an estimate based on your experience and feeling for the matchup.

On April 25 2009 22:06 FortuneSyn wrote:
Thanks alot for the input, especially the 9pool vs overpool data. But what I am still not convinced about is whether or not 12 hatch is superior to 9pool/overpool. If so, how big is this difference?

Assumptions
- on python, protoss scouts zerg before he is forced to put down forge.
- if zerg 12hatched, protoss is unable to block drone.

There are 2 scenarios:
1) zerg goes 12 hatch-4lings-3hatch lair. Protoss responds with nexus-forge-cannon (or gateway)
2) zerg goes overpool-6lings-3hatch lair(+2 lings to chase probe). Protoss responds with forge-cannon-cannon

In which of these 2 scenarios is zerg in a better economic position? Would you rather have protoss go nexus first vs 12hatch or go forge-cannon-cannon vs overpool?




Wonders
Profile Blog Joined September 2006
Australia753 Posts
April 25 2009 02:20 GMT
#2
First question: forge cannon cannon on a map such as python. Forge nexus cannon is viable on most bigger maps such as the courage maps. Just cut probes at 13 and make sure the cannons are as soon as you have the money for them after nexus.

9 pool or 12 hatch is better than overpool given that p can respond with forge nexus to overpool. 9 pool on 2 player maps, 12 hatch on 4 player maps because there's a chance that the p will only scout you after forge is done.
mahnini
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
United States6862 Posts
April 25 2009 03:36 GMT
#3
i dont really understand your question but i'm going to randomly answer it anyway. i like to open overpool because it gives the zerg a lot of flexibility and forces the protoss to adapt. if the protoss decides to be overly safe you can adjust and double expo while denying scouts and you can adjust to them if they decide to try and kill you. you have to be really active in scouting yourself though and it's really hard to get used to since it feels less safe than a 12 hatch and you have more options than a 9 pool speed. basically if the protoss is overly safe you are making like 60 supply of drones with 8 speedlings just denying scouts so you have to start producing units at just the right time when the protoss moves out with their stupid ball.

or maybe i have no idea what i'm talking about who knows!?
the world's a playground. you know that when you're a kid, but somewhere along the way everyone forgets it.
SteveNick
Profile Joined November 2008
United States304 Posts
April 25 2009 05:02 GMT
#4
12hatch is the safest opening as Zerg, imo.

Not all Protoss' open FE every game, so if you 12hatch you're going to be in better shape versus any sort of non-FE build.
It's all fun and games until somebody gets 4gated.
b3h47pte
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
United States1317 Posts
April 25 2009 05:21 GMT
#5
On April 25 2009 14:02 SteveNick wrote:
12hatch is the safest opening as Zerg, imo.

Not all Protoss' open FE every game, so if you 12hatch you're going to be in better shape versus any sort of non-FE build.


99% of them do. You get a couple 1 gate techs every now and then. And no, vs a non-FE build such as 1 gate tech, you're definitely better off doing something like overpool speed or 9 pool or some pool-first build.
koreasilver
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
9109 Posts
April 25 2009 05:38 GMT
#6
12hatch is better against 1gate builds than any pool build.
RedTerror
Profile Blog Joined December 2008
New Zealand742 Posts
April 25 2009 05:45 GMT
#7
On April 25 2009 14:38 koreasilver wrote:
12hatch is better against 1gate builds than any pool build.


This man speaks the truth
koreasilver
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
9109 Posts
April 25 2009 05:53 GMT
#8
The only qualms I have with 12hatch is that it is sometimes difficult to play against extremely dedicated and aggressive 2gate proxy builds, and that if the opponent is planning on FE and scouts you first, he begins with a slight advantage, unless you scout his double nexus and no pool 3hatch in response.

If the distance between you and the Protoss is rather short, and you opened with a pool first build and the Protoss opened 1gate tech, you can find some difficulty. On a map with huge distances and 100% initial scouting like Destination it isn't much of a problem, but if it's something like 12/3 on Python it really irks me.
Grobyc
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
Canada18410 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 06:35:52
April 25 2009 06:05 GMT
#9
On April 25 2009 14:38 koreasilver wrote:
12hatch is better against 1gate builds than any pool build.

true. to keep your army as strong as the protosses you need to speend basically all your larva on zerglings off 1-2 hatches early on. While pumping zealots he can also makes probes from his nexus. Therefore his army and econ are increasing, while only your army is.

As for OP, most of those answers can be found in the ZvP 5 hatch hydra > muta guide. Go overpool on 2/3 player maps or maps with short distances, and 9pool on 4 player maps.
This way, you force him to make 2 cannons before his nexus, and you come out slightly ahead economically. A trick I like to do is save 3 larva that you would use to build lings with if he has a probe scouting you, and when your pool finishes, morph 3 drones instead of 6 lings. He will assume they are zlings and get 2 cannons, even though you are just drone whoring.

EDIT: Or just 12hatch.
If you watch Godzilla backwards it's about a benevolent lizard who helps rebuild a city and then moonwalks into the ocean.
AttackZerg
Profile Blog Joined January 2003
United States7584 Posts
April 25 2009 06:12 GMT
#10
On April 25 2009 14:21 b3h47pte wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 25 2009 14:02 SteveNick wrote:
12hatch is the safest opening as Zerg, imo.

Not all Protoss' open FE every game, so if you 12hatch you're going to be in better shape versus any sort of non-FE build.


you're definitely better off doing something like overpool speed or 9 pool or some pool-first build.



Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Sorry 12hat is the optimal way to face every single protoss opening, except dual proxy 9/9- 9/10 and even then it can work out just fine.

overpool/9pool/12pool are the easiest ways to get far behind against any 1gate play or two gate. ESP considering the macro/army/tech implications of having less larva to change gears and squeeze in the needed drones to gain an advantage against 1base play (which zergs easily do).
Geo.Rion
Profile Blog Joined October 2008
7377 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 07:02:43
April 25 2009 07:02 GMT
#11
On April 25 2009 15:12 AttackZerg wrote:
Show nested quote +
On April 25 2009 14:21 b3h47pte wrote:
On April 25 2009 14:02 SteveNick wrote:
12hatch is the safest opening as Zerg, imo.

Not all Protoss' open FE every game, so if you 12hatch you're going to be in better shape versus any sort of non-FE build.


you're definitely better off doing something like overpool speed or 9 pool or some pool-first build.



Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong.

Sorry 12hat is the optimal way to face every single protoss opening, except dual proxy 9/9- 9/10 and even then it can work out just fine.

overpool/9pool/12pool are the easiest ways to get far behind against any 1gate play or two gate. ESP considering the macro/army/tech implications of having less larva to change gears and squeeze in the needed drones to gain an advantage against 1base play (which zergs easily do).


and that's the reason why half of the koreans 9pool in ZvP...
"Protoss is a joke" Liquid`Jinro Okt.1. 2011
koreasilver
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
9109 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 07:08:02
April 25 2009 07:05 GMT
#12
Because forge FE is standardized in PvZ to the point where it is assumed that every Protoss is going to forge FE.

And nearly all of them do.

They generally overpool rather than 9pool, at that.
w3jjjj
Profile Joined April 2007
United States760 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 08:58:08
April 25 2009 08:48 GMT
#13
The difference between 9 pool and overpool:

Note: all the timing below is based on destination, although they should be very similar if not identical on most recent maps.

9 pool with gas (10/9) trick before overlord:

6 lings out 2:18
2nd hatch down 2:18, make 2 drones before third hatch
3rd hatch down 3:00

Overpool:

2nd hatch down 2:03 (before lings)
6 lings out: 2:34, 8 lings out: 2:47
3rd hatch down: 2:51

With overpool, you get 1 more drone than 9 pool, and your 2nd-3rd hatch complete about 25 seconds earlier in total, roughly enough time for 1.5 more drones. Overpool has a better econ but the difference is not that great. What really matters is the ling timing, as 9 pool gets 6 lings about 15 seconds faster. So, regardless of map distance, lings from 9 pool will get to the enemy base 15 seconds faster than overpool.

What you need to consider is 1. map distance, and 2. whether the layout of the nat allows a near perfect building block. If the map distance is short like python or the nat is difficult to block like tears of the moon, then overpool is enough to force 2 cannons before nexus, whereas if the map distance is far like longinus or the nat is easy to block like destination, I would go 9 pool so that P is less tempted to skip a cannon, and in case if he does, the faster lings will give me a better chance to punish him.

Note that in overpool if you make hatch before lings like the example above, you cannot make 6 lings at once, the last pair will be delayed by 1-2 seconds. So in theory you can do that to get slightly faster lings at the cost of a slower hatch, although I've never seen any game coming down to that 1 extra second. Since if you choose overpool, I assume you did it on a map where it is good enough to force 2 cannons anyway, so you might as well get the hatch first.
Chuck Norris can salvage his opponent's structures.
Cloud
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
Sexico5880 Posts
April 25 2009 08:51 GMT
#14
If you dont make the 6 lings with overpool and hatch first, toss can get away with 1 cannon -> nexus.
BlueLaguna on West, msg for game.
w3jjjj
Profile Joined April 2007
United States760 Posts
April 25 2009 08:53 GMT
#15
At lower level on iccup many P players cheese with double 9 gate or even proxy, typically I avoid 12 hatch on cheese friendly maps such as python. Also, on 2 player maps where it is guaranteed that the probe can harass and delay your 12 hatch attempt, I usually prefer not to deal with it and just go with 9 pool or overpool.

But overall, 12 hatch is indeed the best opening, vs anything other than hardcore 9/9 gate rush or proxy.
Chuck Norris can salvage his opponent's structures.
w3jjjj
Profile Joined April 2007
United States760 Posts
April 25 2009 08:54 GMT
#16
On April 25 2009 17:51 Cloud wrote:
If you dont make the 6 lings with overpool and hatch first, toss can get away with 1 cannon -> nexus.


The extra 1-2 second rarely matters, usually the map dictates whether P can 1 cannon-> nexus vs overpool, regardless of whether you make lings or hatch first.
Chuck Norris can salvage his opponent's structures.
Cloud
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
Sexico5880 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 09:15:21
April 25 2009 09:10 GMT
#17
Im pretty damn sure its more than just 1-2 seconds and as for the maps, both destination and bluestorm allow for cannon nexus if you dont hatch all lings fast.

I just tested it and the 2nd pair gets delayed by 2-3 seconds and the 3rd pair by about another 2-3 seconds after the 2nd one hatches.
BlueLaguna on West, msg for game.
w3jjjj
Profile Joined April 2007
United States760 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 09:36:30
April 25 2009 09:20 GMT
#18
On April 25 2009 18:10 Cloud wrote:
Im pretty damn sure its more than just 1-2 seconds and as for the maps, both destination and bluestorm allow for cannon nexus if you dont hatch all lings fast.


As for destination, overpool can never force 2 cannons due to the layout of the nat, P can easily form a perfect building block with 2-3 probes to protect an almost unreachable cannon and at the same time denying any run by routes. Overpool on desti is simply bad.

EDIT: I just tested again, I was able to make 4 lings after hatch first, and the delay of the third pair was 2 seconds. I did send all my drones to the closest minerals and I made sure my 10th and 11th drone was sent to a mineral so that they can mine as soon as the previous one leaves, so may be I got some more minerals than you.
Chuck Norris can salvage his opponent's structures.
Cloud
Profile Blog Joined November 2004
Sexico5880 Posts
April 25 2009 09:30 GMT
#19
Overpool with hatch before lings is about the best opening on desti imo.
BlueLaguna on West, msg for game.
FortuneSyn
Profile Blog Joined July 2008
1826 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-04-25 13:08:40
April 25 2009 13:06 GMT
#20
Thanks alot for the input, especially the 9pool vs overpool data. But what I am still not convinced about is whether or not 12 hatch is superior to 9pool/overpool. If so, how big is this difference?

Assumptions
- on python, protoss scouts zerg before he is forced to put down forge.
- if zerg 12hatched, protoss is unable to block drone.

There are 2 scenarios:
1) zerg goes 12 hatch-4lings-3hatch lair. Protoss responds with nexus-forge-cannon (or gateway)
2) zerg goes overpool-6lings-3hatch lair(+2 lings to chase probe). Protoss responds with forge-cannon-cannon

In which of these 2 scenarios is zerg in a better economic position? Would you rather have protoss go nexus first vs 12hatch or go forge-cannon-cannon vs overpool?


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