[Official] SRF Starcraft II Thread

[poehalcho]

ahh and this XD
Destiny's perfect RAGE XDDD

[Nick Invaders]

Bunch of new stuff coming in the HotS expansion


Some multiplayer changes in HotS (subject to change).
http://us.battle.net/blizzcon/en/blog/3 ... 10_21_2011

[Love]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8ILcQA7i4k

edit: way late.

[SM-Count]

Bunch of new stuff coming in the HotS expansion


Some multiplayer changes in HotS (subject to change).
http://us.battle.net/blizzcon/en/blog/3 ... 10_21_2011

Lol some of those scenes look awfully familiar, guess the spoiler vids were all correct :/ I don't really care though, never was gonna play it for the story.

Also, no reaver =( I know it's probably against one of their design principles or something, but they should just port the reaver wholesale, it was that awesome.

[Nick Invaders]

Details of the new units are also in the blizzard article as well as changes to existing units. I like a lot of the changes, though I kinda don't like the removal of the carrier (tempest does look sweet though).

[poehalcho]

Anyone know what the big terran mech will do?
I heard something about replacing the thor, which does not make me happy :[. these new robots look kinda lame D:
They're also pretty big, think they'll be susceptible to air units?

[Toshiharu]

Anyone know what the big terran mech will do?
I heard something about replacing the thor, which does not make me happy :[. these new robots look kinda lame D:
They're also pretty big, think they'll be susceptible to air units?

It's like a goliath. Think of it like that.

[Nick Invaders]

The Warhound (which is what it's called). Is basically a mini-thor but with an anti-mech ground attack. I believe its focus is to break siege lines in TvT.

Unit Changes:
Protoss

Spoiler!

Protoss
Upon analyzing data from their most recent battles, the protoss have identified a few areas of improvement that would help them maximize effectiveness against their enemies. Based on their findings, the protoss have augmented their arsenal with a second psionic unit, a new way to counter flocks of Mutalisks, and a new form of enemy harassment.

Tempest
Description: The tempest is a new capital ship that deals massive area-of-effect damage to air units. It also has a standard ground attack, but its chief role is to help gain air superiority.

Oracle
Description: The Oracle is a psionic warship, built from a Stargate, that uses several unique abilities to raid and harass the enemy. The first is Entomb, which can temporarily block mineral fields from being harvested. Another ability, Preordain, grants vision of a targeted enemy building, allowing the protoss to see which units or technologies are being researched. Rounding out its kit is Phase Shift, which phases a target building, preventing it from being attacked, using its abilities, or granting technology. Not only can structures like missile turrets be prevented from attacking, but using this ability on a zerg Spire would block the production of Mutalisks, Corruptors, and air upgrades.

Replicant
Description: Replicants have one ability: to transform itself into any non-massive unit. They're expensive, so cloning a Zergling would not be very cost effective, but transforming into a specialized unit like a Raven, Infestor, or Siege Tank could open up interesting strategic options for the protoss.

New Abilities
A new ability called Arc Shield has also been added to the nexus -- this ability will temporarily add additional shield and building armor, as well as a weapon very similar to a photon cannon. The weapon does the same amount of damage as a regular photon cannon but only damages light units. This ability will help the protoss buy time to defend in the case of an unexpected drop from an enemy. Another ability, Mass Recall, has also been added to the nexus, which allows protoss players to teleport armies from out in the field back to the nexus. The recalled units are stunned for a few seconds when recalled.

Retired Units
As we add units to the multiplayer game, sometimes it’s necessary to remove units or alter others’ abilities to maintain game balance and eliminate redundancy. In the current design of Heart of the Swarm, the protoss are not able to deploy Motherships and Carriers, though these and other units that don’t exist in Heart of the Swarm multiplayer will still be available in Wings of Liberty multiplayer and the solo campaign.

Terran:

Spoiler!

Terran
The resourceful terrans have also been improving their technology to better survive their battles in the Koprulu sector.

Shredder
Description: The Shredder is a new unit built from the Factory that allows the terran player to control the battlefield. In its mobile form, the Shredder has no attack -- but when set to stationary mode, it channels area-effect damage to both the air and ground. If a friendly unit enters the range of the Shredder, the weapon shuts off.

Warhound
Description: The Warhound is a small, walking ground mech that wields an effective anti-air weapon with splash damage, much like the Thor from Wings of Liberty. The difference is that the Warhound is smaller and much more nimble, though it gives up some range on its anti-air missiles in exchange for this mobility. The Warhound also wields a small ground attack weapon that does additional damage to mechanical units, making it particularly well suited to taking out enemy Siege Tanks -- though it's not particularly effective against non-mechanical units.

Thor (Modified)
Description: While it was always quite effective against ground and air, one of the biggest problems with the Thor has been that it’s too big and bulky to move around well... so the terrans decided to made it even bigger. In Heart of the Swarm multiplayer, terran players will be limited to having only one Thor at a time, but this new behemoth hits even harder with its regular ground weapons and can absorb a tremendous amount of damage. The terrans have also swapped out the Thor's anti-air weapons for a bombardment ability that does a huge amount of damage to a wide swath of ground. The Thor will need time to set up its bombardment cannons, as well as time to repack them after an attack, much like a Siege Tank. Of course, fielding such a powerful weapon requires a hefty investment in technology, so both an Armory and a Fusion Core will be required before a Thor can be built.

New Abilities
The Hellion has been upgraded to a transforming unit similar to the Viking. When transformed into its new battle mode, the Hellion will gain in hit points and get a stronger flame attack that covers a short arc in front of it. This makes the Hellion more effective in late-game fights against large clusters of light units such as Zealots. The Ghost’s Cloak ability has also been modified -- it will no longer be a toggled effect. Instead, there will be a one-time energy cost to activate Cloak for a specific time duration. Energy regeneration will continue while cloaked, and Ghosts can re-cloak while nuking without interrupting the call-down. The Battlecruiser will gain a speed-boost ability called Redline Reactor, which is governed by a cooldown. And finally, the Reaper no longer has a special building attack, but instead has a passive health-regeneration that allows it to recharge hit points quickly when out of combat.

Zerg:

Spoiler!

Zerg
The zerg continue to evolve and adapt to changing environments, particularly the dangers they face on the battlefield. New creatures will help the zerg stage more effective sieges and add unique enemy-manipulating abilities to their arsenal.

Viper
Description: The Viper is a new flying unit with three unique abilities. Blinding Cloud temporarily reduces the attack range of all ground units inside the cloud to melee range, and prevents energy-based abilities from being used. Abduct allows the Viper to physically pull a unit to the Viper’s location. Finally, the Viper has a one-time ability called Ocular Parasite, which allows it to detach its eye stalk and meld it onto any friendly, non-massive unit, turning that unit into a detector.

Swarm Host
Description: The Swarm Host is a slow-moving ground unit that has no standard attack. When burrowed, the Swarm Host spawns a continuous stream of slow-moving melee units called Locusts that can be used to lay siege and pressure entrenched enemy positions.

New Abilities
The Corruptor's Corruption ability has been replaced by a new ability called Siphon that allows Corruptors to target buildings and slowly damage them. This damage is converted into resources for the zerg at the same time. Ultralisks have a new Burrow Charge skill that lets them dive underground and instantly surface at a target, allowing them to initiate the fight faster on a crowded battlefield. Finally, the Baneling has evolved tunneling claws similar to the Roach, which allows them to move while burrowed -- this new evolution will mean other races will need to be even more wary about hidden drops and making sure to have detectors with their army. Finally, the Hydralisk has a new upgrade that allows them to move faster while not on creep.

Retired Units
The Overseer has been cut; its detection ability has been replaced by the Viper and its Ocular Parasite.

Got this info from:
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmes ... _id=277868

[poehalcho]

I Beat the Zerg insane AI in a 30-minute macro game WOOP WOOP.
Now for Protoss and Terran -__-. Zerg is my best match-up, that might explain why I managed .

btw, where'd everyone go on the sc2 rankings o.O?

[SM-Count]

School and part time job :/ No time to play, haven't kept up with the metagame at all.

[poehalcho]

There have been some changes, but nothing surprising.

due to the last protoss buff, protoss players are now using the warp prism some more.
for zerg infestor popularity has decreased (although it's still definitely used).
For terrans nothing much has changed, at most hellion use has decreased a tiny little bit cause of the blueflame nerf.

next patch will have more protoss buffs.
- ghost emp -> radius goes to 1.5 from 2.
- protoss shield/weapons/armor cost decreased pretty drastically.

I foresee protoss op ಥ_ಥ


Oh yeah, I'd like to share with ya'll this very entertaining game (if you are terran anyway )

[SM-Count]

Just read the patch notes, the price isn't that much less, you get an extra probe/zealot/sentry per upgrade and the lvl 3 ones don't even matter since super late game it's just convinient. I like the EMP change for mid game though. Maybe it's cause I like mech so much that I don't care.

[Love]

be terran, 3-4 barracks, build ~80 supply, all in with svc, win over half the games =)

[Nick Invaders]

I hate it when people do stuff like that. It feels so good when I hold it though. I one time held an scv all in with only 10ish drones and like one ling remaining.

Just held the second weakest push I've had to deal with in platinum. 8 min timing attack with 10ish blue flame hellions off of one base. All I lost was about half of my lings. He GGed right after haha.

[poehalcho]

This is so bad, but it made me lol anyway XD

[iSinnnn]

ahh and this XD
Destiny's perfect RAGE XDDD

Spoiler!

that video cracked me up, had to watch it twice. perfect back and forth.

[Love]

I don't know why, but I always restrain myself from making starports. I feel like air units take up supply that I could be spending on units I can use more actively >.<. I usually just make one reactor starport for medivacs and that's it. until I decide to get bc's :/. then I put down 2~3 more.

Fail logic. Air and ground units can both occupy the same space which is a rather obvious thing but what most fail to realize is that you end up with twice as many units dealing damage, that's the reason why ling/muta works so well.

[poehalcho]

I don't know why, but I always restrain myself from making starports. I feel like air units take up supply that I could be spending on units I can use more actively >.<. I usually just make one reactor starport for medivacs and that's it. until I decide to get bc's :/. then I put down 2~3 more.

Fail logic. Air and ground units can both occupy the same space which is a rather obvious thing but what most fail to realize is that you end up with twice as many units dealing damage, that's the reason why ling/muta works so well.

Haha, yeah I know
lately I've been improving though. I think my best matchup has actually switched from Zerg to Protoss. in fact zerg seem to be my worst now D:. Ever since I've entered silver I feel like I only ever get to fight protoss. Not getting enough practice vs zerg :[

Oh yeah, here's another random clip

[PureStr]

Boy I wish I was still in silver. Effing platinum people owning me hard.

[poehalcho]

epic game is epic.

[MasterKojito]

Watched that game earlier today. Base race after base race.. Crazy stuff.

[poehalcho]

I had a baserace once XD
my opponent went mass thor. and I had mass marines D:
he slaughter my marines, but I transferred all my scv's to a hidden base and built 4 starports 12 barracks and made a reactor
and then I made like 12 BC's and sent to them to his base.
I made loads of marines and managed to scrape his army slowly
by the end of the game he had 1 CC and 12 tanks and I had one flying starport and 10 damaged bc's (but I didn't know he only had tanks, I though he had a big marine army somewhere as well). I lost cause I forgot my buildings were revealed when I tried to make a cloaked banshee Q_Q. He managed to shell my starport before I could cancel the banshee D:

but it was an epic game.

[poehalcho]

O.O
Dragon is god.

[poehalcho]

Oh man, anyone watching the Home Story Cup?? It's EPIC!
MC vs JYP bo5 -> Went into a 6th after a draw XD.
MC blink micro is unbelievable D:

http://www.teamliquid.net/video/streams/TaKeTV

[Nick Invaders]

Yea watching it right now. MC is looking so good right now.

[poehalcho]

Ok guys. I'm in desperate need for some tips for TvZ. I'm started to get placed against gold opponents and these zergs are generally killing me. I've noticed I simply lack general strategy against zergs. I have a strategy that's working out just fine for me against protoss, it's almost child's play. Against Zerg however, I simply don't have a plan. I can hold them off somewhat well until the broodlords come... then I die.

[Nick Invaders]

Doing a lot of harass sets zerg way back when they aren't expecting it. The only way I lose vs terran in zvt is if they are really good at macro or are good at harass. If you let them macro too much they have the ability to throw armies at you and still be able to afford it. The only way to counter zerg style (my style at least) is basically to beat them at macro or harass them so their army and number of bases stays small. Both works the best.

[poehalcho]

Whilst I'm generally well capable of macro for my level. Zerg seems to be able to keep me in my place. They contain me and I can't expand. It's dangerous for my marines to walk into their retarded amount of banelings even with tanks. then he just manages a couple of cheap shots with his muta's and my army is dead meat. I try to do drops. but they often get intercepted :/

My main problem seems to be expanding in this case... I can win against zergs on maps like taldarim alter where the 3rd is easy to reach, but I always lose on Antiga Shipyard where it's so far apart :/.

Someone said I should use cloak banshees. While that does indeed work, it's not something I want to rely on. It's like a baneling bust. either it works or it flops completely.

Around what time should I have a starport up? I feel my starports are usually quite late.

maybe I should enforce some kind of unorthodox ghost strategy : D

[Nick Invaders]

Keeping hellions at the front and making sure they don't die to lings is good for keeping zerg in the dark (until the zerg musters up enough stuff to push the hellions away without too much effort). A zerg with good map control has the game imo (I win a lot when I have good map control), so you need to make sure the zerg can't get it, or have it for long. It's easier said than done though.

Oh and spreading out tanks and marines is really good. Keep clumps of marines large enough to ward off mutas while slowly inching your way forward with tanks. It makes your position require a lot of effort to break. If you can, try targeting the banelings with your tanks.

I'm not sure how to fix the drop problem. When I use mutas I try to keep them active and have overlords placed on paths used to drop. Sending a viking or two over to hunt overlords will make it less likely for your drops to be spotted. Doing it before mutas come out is best. They probably don't have overlord speed so it won't be some time until they replace the overlords if they even decide to replace the ones that were spotting.

It won't fix everything and I certainly am not the best to ask for advice, but I'm trying at least. A good terran player will give much better advice I think.

[poehalcho]

I think you telling me about your weaknesses will give me a good idea on how to exploit them. Understanding the other races is important after all