Community
|
Strategy, tactics, and skill. At the heart of StarCraft II are the legion of skilled tacticians and brilliant strategists leading armies of zerg, protoss, and terrans to war across the scarred battlefields of the Koprulu Sector. Knowledge is power; the greatest commanders throughout history earned their victories not merely by virtue of strategic brilliance, but also by applying themselves to rigorous study of warfare and the tactics used by those who fought before them. You too can tap into this valuable resource, and that’s where StarCraft Art of War comes in.
Are you a veteran player? Are you new to StarCraft II and striving to improve your skills? In this regular feature, we invite players of all skill levels to ask questions, share their tactics, post replays, and provide advice for understanding and defeating today’s most popular units or strategies. This week, we’re analysing: Terrain Different maps demand different approaches — one build or composition might not be effective for all terrain. How do you adapt your play to different maps, and which terrain features do you look out for? Art of War Rules: • Stick to the rules. All posts should abide by the forum code of conduct and the Art of War guidelines. Feel free to disagree with each other, but please do so respectfully. When you express opposing opinions, focus on the idea, not its author, their record, or perceived skill level. • Be constructive. The purpose of this thread is to share effective tactics and strategies; to adapt, overcome and become a better player. Claiming that a unit or strategy is overpowered isn’t conducive to learning better play and tends to just derail the discussion. • No soapboxes, please. This thread is for the community to discuss strategies and tactics amongst themselves, not to push individual opinions about game balance or design. • Please limit conjecture. Theorycrafting definitely has its place, but it’s best to keep the discussion focused, on-topic and practical. • Important: Please provide explanations and be prepared to provide evidence. These threads exist to elevate the level of strategic discussion on the forums. When appropriate, please provide replays illustrating tactics or techniques you believe to be effective. When using videos or replays please post time stamps to help direct people to the specific points in the action to which you’re referring. • Ask questions! These threads aren’t just for experienced players, but also players who are learning the ropes or want to improve their skills. |
#1
31/10/2011
|
|
I am a silver league Terran and don't really know anything about maps at all.My question is this.
I always go for a economic opener with a second cc at 16 or 18 supply depending on what race i face is there any maps where this kind of opening is suicide? I always bunker up at my nat or behind a wall at my ramp. Also i haven't played on Metalopolis until this season,its seems very open my biggest worry is vs Zerg as i go pure mech and feel it might be too slow to defend my expansions,Would a bio build be more suited vs Zerg on this map? |
|
Edited by DDduruth on 31/10/11 15:27 (UTC)
@TheBraker
Tactics like an fast expansion is always an risk. Every choice you make will make it more risky or less. To keep in this Thread I would advice you to use your terrain to favor you! It's verry risky to construct your cc outside your walled barrack/supply depot. Instead u can make the cc next to your old one and just use it as an extra orbital and extra scv production. In this time you can either secure your expansion or try to put some pressure on your opponent. About zerg i would advice you to let him know as less as possibel. He will use his overlords to scout the map. Try to get a sneek peek about where he puts his overlords and try to clear the overlords on the way to his base and around his base. If you do this you will be able to be "unseen". When at this point u can set up your units in the perfect position to attack. Hope to help ya out! |
|
Alright, my question is about 4v4 maps and the use of big ramps on that map?
Every base, even if it holds one player has in most cases a big ramp. Like this its almost impossible to fend off proper zergling rushes made by 2+ players. How can I still best deal with 4v4 zergling rushes without sacrificing to much of my economy. Scouts often arrive to late at their base, and a too early scout costs me economy. |
|
Well to problem here liest that starcraft II tweaks on 1v1's this means in 4v4's some tactics can be extreemly hard. The problem is that if you make the maps to small u can't attack properly. So thats why the ramps are big. The problem is you can't defend it yourself. atleast if its done properly. Thats why its a team game.
|
|
Which count as close positions on Metalopolis and Shattered temple? Closest by air or ground?
|
|
The first thing I consider when I enter a map is two things; How much room do the enemy have to drop my mineral line, and how open is my natural expansion?
The more easy to drop main often dictates how I place my overlords and how I place my buildings. The natural dictates if I want to be using Spinecrawlers for early defense, or if I should go roaches and increase my own agression. The second thing I want to be looking for, is alternative routes to engage his base and or army. A prime example is the narrow sidewalk on Xel'naga caverns where lings can be sent through to ambush terran forces or cut into his natural. If there are no alternative routes, where would be a good place to create one using the Nydus? Last but not least I identify 'critical chokes' on the map. Critical chokes are the places where I absolutely cannot engage whatever army my opponent is making. For Terran this means not allowing him to siege in chokes outside my natural. For Protoss it means narrow chokes where Forcefields will shred me, and for Zerg it generally means places where I cannot use Fungals to the full extent. When I've identified the problems and solutions regarding terrain, I often attempt to adjust my play to combat or abuse it. Broodlords is really the only Zerg example of how to abuse terrain though. Infestors can do it to some degree, but most of the time I merely struggle to avoid my opponents abusing terrain against me. My 2c. |
|
Edited by evilass on 01/11/11 00:46 (UTC)
Alright, my question is about 4v4 maps and the use of big ramps on that map? The best thing here you can do is to communicate with your team and then merge your armies. The offense player(s) should try to keep your armies divided so that your team can't get the benefits of one big army in early game. I think Day9 told about that in one of his daylies. |
The first thing I consider when I enter a map is two things; How much room do the enemy have to drop my mineral line, and how open is my natural expansion? You don't check the 3rd base? if it's in a bad spot or has rocks you can't take it as fast as you would normally want against forge expo and might want to consider 2 base play instead. roachling all-in or hydra nydus against stargate play or straight for mutas (but this is vulnerable to mass warpgate all-ins.) You should also check the gold bases because if terran secures a gold with a planetary it's hard to win anymore |
|
With Zerg, I usually look for places where I can engage and my opponent can't kite my zerglings and which expansions are easy to defend.
With Terran I consider where I should siege my tanks or should I rather go mass bio, should I make a planetary or just orbitals etc. As toss, I look for open areas where my collossi (in case I tech to them) would do the most damage, or, in case he wants to quickly end the game, where are chokes to place forcefields. |
|
As a terran player, I go for a fast expansion if the natural secondary has a ramp, this way I will easily protect it with bunkers on the ramp. But if there wasn't a ramp...well thats a problem, I usually lose in maps like these, and it becomes worse if my opponent (zerg usually) opens an early secondary, and I cant rush it cz it is almost impossible to rush zerg. Any suggestions? should I go for a fast expansion in all kinds of maps?
|
|
On maps like Antiga for example marines dropped behind minerals are basically unkillable with melee units like zerglings due to how close they are to the edge. Makes drops so good and ensures zerg especially need banelings to deal with drops
Rotational symmetry for forge expanding really needs to be fixed imo but as it is protoss actually should learn the correct walloff for each position on each map, thankfully the map with the worst imbalances in that regard, backwater gulch, has been removed |
|
I play Protoss and I had an idea about expanding. I am a true noob when it comes to SCII and RTS games in general btw.
If I play a tactic like a basic 4 warpgate, should I expand close to my main or somewhere my opponent would never expect? Rallying doesnt matter because I will always use proxy pylons to warp in units. And I can occassionally warp some units at the natural to defend. Is this a good idea or something that should end up in the sewers after you flush? |
|
Edited by Killerfive on 02/11/11 01:47 (UTC)
If you see him going forge expand, you should go kill his main with mutas/drops/ dt warp ins etc. Works 95% of the time :) Though I'm just gold and you are diamond, so you know more. But in my case this strategy almost always works. |
|
hi ok im only bronze league , i enjoy starcraft 2 but it seems very hard to beat a zerg player even in bronze league , i go for the usual marine and hellion tactic dropp behind mineral line but they always seem to have too many units or dfences and mutalisks are so op in my opinion , terrans have to tech up to combat a mutalisk we dont have a flying unit that can attack air n ground units without having to land and therefore being vulnerable to thier land units aswell , anyone out there skilled that knows a way to b able to defend , keep up with zerg expanding and combat fast mutas cos thats all they seem to do defend and pump out mutas for a easy win , its frustrating , any advice welcomed , thank you .
|
|
I agry with u iceman..I big noob in SC II (just play 3 days) i play SC brood war on-line along time ago..and i remember its hard it was have balance with terrans for me im need abotut 1 year to have that balance..I think its mistake dont have goliath here i dont like thor it´s good for ground but i thinks is a big sh%t compares with damage of goliath in air.
If play with terran its easy overwhelming by zerg..Now im try play with protoss. I try train in hard or very hard in A.I. but any can give me a help or give some devises im appreciate. |
