Casters: Zepph and Deth (Depph? Zeth? How does that even work? YET IT DOES.) Observer: Insano
Game 1 - Overgrowth
PiG, spawning in the top position, opened hatch first. Iaguz, spawning down the bottom, opted for 15 gas and used a marine and hover-rax to snipe PiG's first overlord. Of course, this meant war. Iaguz' expansion was down nice and early while PiG took his 3rd at around 6 minutes. Iaguz tried to deny it with 4 hellions and 2 marines but PiG held with two queens and a handful of speedlings, killing off all Iaguz' harassing units. A 3rd CC went down behind the harass with a banshee out on the map for Iaguz. PiG delayed his gas until almost 9m, taking 5 extractors at once. Two banshees entered PiG's main, but queens managed to snipe one at the cost of a handful of lings. PiG's fourth base completed just after 11m while Iaguz' started walling off his 3rd with depots. A 12m drop was deflected by PiG's swift reaction but a 13 minute douple drop threatened his main and 4th. However, both drops were cleaned up swiftly. Iaguz was about to hit his 2/2 at 15m when PiG attacked on even 1/1 and forced back Iaguz' bio force with a solid ling/bane muta.
Another engagement at 16m saw PiG lose a lot of his army to Thors and Widowmines evening up the supply count at about 160 each. PiG's 2/2 started as Iaguz began his 3/3, causing my poor zergy heart to worry deeply for the next couple of minutes. PiG, realising how imba Swarmhosts are, made a dozen of them to help hold his 3rd and 4th. At 20m, drops hit PiG's 5th and Main, killing off the fifth and pressuring PiG's tech buildings. At the same time, Iaguz' push on the 4th came close to cleaning up that base - however PiG managed to hold it. Iaguz' 3/3 Bio dominated the map for several minutes, denying map presence for the Zerg while 22m onwards saw some small drops targeting the zerg's drones. Just before 24 minutes Iaguz doom-dropped PiG's main, killing off one of the two infestation pits and PiG's Hive. Another drop on PiG's 4th was held with a nice fungal. PiG started doubling up on tech buildings in anticipation of future drops. The action was breathtakingly non-stop, and at 26m PiG's mutalisks killed several tanks sieged south of his main. Amazingly, the supply count remained even at 28 minutes, with PiG on 5 bases (including Gold) and Iaguz trying to establish 6 bases (including a planetary at his gold). However, PiG's economy remained stronger, and with some good engagements the Zerg took an incredible supply lead, and forced Iaguz to tap out. The game was so intense throughout its 30 minutes that the vicarious adrenaline caused my hands shake a little while I typed this.
Game 1.5 Iaguz v Insano - Catallena
Lasted 5 seconds. Still worth it.
Game 2 - Catallena
PiG spawned on the left of Catallena, and Iaguz spawned to the bottom right, making the drop paths for Iaguz a little longer. Iaguz elected for a Proxy 2-Rax right on the octopus at the centre of the map. As SEA local Pox called it: the Proctopus. And with a name like that, I am going to off-race as Terran just to do it. PiG scouted the proxy at 3 minutes and pulled 5 drones to defend, cancelling the high-ground bunker at his natural. Iaguz build two more bunkers on the high ground while PiG built 2 spinecrawlers and some lings. PiG killed off three marines with an incredible surround, while the spinecrawlers cleaned up the rest. The phrase 'Fisted by Spinecrawlers', thanks to Deth, is my favourite new caster quote. With the proxy cleaned up in his own base, PiG's lings crossed the map, killed Iaguz' marines and the zerg took game two in style.
Game 3 - Secret Springs
This map. THIS MAP. I have PTSD for this map. As the game loaded I prayed that PiG could show me the way. Iaguz spawned on the left, while PiG spawned on the right. Iaguz, unsurprisingly, opened with a Reaper, while PiG went man-mode with hatch first. With 6 lings PiG manages to keep his losses down to a single drone. Iaguz built an early tank for defence while going for his 3CC build. PiG elected for 2-base Mutalisks and started painting the minimap purple with creep. Iaguz' production was building strongly and he sent a 9m mine-drop which killed lings and a couple of drones. PiG expanded at 10m while Iaguz also took his 3rd and had 2/2 on the way. Mutalisks did some harass damage at Iaguz' 3rd, then PiG was forced home to clean up a counter-drop at around 11.30. At 12m PiG pushed out with a large Muta/Ling/Bane force, catching Iaguz out of position and taking the GG. PiG restored my faith in ZvT on Secret Springs.
Game 4 - Deadwing
PiG spawned bottom left and opened 3 hatch before pool, anticipating Iaguz' CC-first macro play. Iaguz, spawning top right, made a 3rd CC before factory. Neither had scouted the other, until PiG sent a couple of lings across just after 5 minutes. Hellions came out with Stim starting at 7m confirming bio play. PiG defended with three queens and lots of speedlings, taking a fourth hatchery at 8 minutes. At 9 minutes, 18 banelings were in production near Iaguz' base and at at 9.45 the ling/bane rolled in and PiG took the series 4-0.
All of us, surprised by how swiftly the series ended, had but one thought: When is the rematch?
Congratulations to PiG for a breathtaking display of zerg play today, and condolences to Iaguz who we all know can play much better than we saw today.
I look forward to the next time these two players meet in glorious battle, and Iaguz has a chance for a bit of revenge!
A big shout out to Zepph, Deth, and Insano for fantastic observing and an entertaining cast.
Finally, for my own thoughts on the outcome:
༼ つ ◕_◕༽つ THE FURY OF THE SWARM ༼ つ ◕_◕༽つ ¯\_(^(oo)^)_/¯ /̵͇̿̿/'̿̿ ̿ ̿̿ NOTORIOUS P-i-G
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