[Satu]

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/view...opic_id=202876 for the thread in which I am concerned with.

Im completely redoing the OP so that it doesn't sound like a bitchfest. This is only because nirvana ordered kelly not to lock it. That had to be in bold to show my opinion on it, because I realised that this made me look kinda stupid, regardless of if Im right or not. I believe the maths in it should be correct now.

Heres the issue:

To do an overlord sac, I send one overlord in, it dies as a result of the scouting information I gain. I had spent 100 minerals towards that overlord, and thus have 100 minerals less than what I had originally. The overlord gave me +8 max supply while it was alive, and I could have used 0-8 supply that it enabled me while it was still alive, by making units.

Since that overlord was sacrificed, it has to be remade. This means that I spend another 100 minerals. The supply that this overlord gives me will serve the same purpose as the first overlord, and the supply that I haven't yet used I can now use with this overlord. The amount of supply used up on the first overlord will change the effectiveness of this overlord (If I didnt make any units while the previous overlord was sacrificed, then the second overlord will be more effective in giving me supply). Unfortunately, this doesn't mean you will be better off, if you make no units during this period, you will more likely be behind.

Now, if I spent 200 minerals in total on both the overlord and the replacement overlord both of which were required for this form of scouting, then that is 200 minerals that I now do not have. It is not 200 minerals lost, as you still have the second overlord alive. But its 200 minerals you can no longer use.

When comparing this to evo chamber scouting (making a hatch, cancelling, making an evo chamber on the creep), there is a 50 mineral difference. The drone costs 50 minerals, the hatch cancel costs 75 minerals, the evo chamber costs 75 minerals, the replacement drone is 50 minerals. The only reason I listed the replacement drone is because this is a scouting option, not a cheesing option. The replacement drone will most likely be made, and make no doubt about it, that drone is replacing what you previously have lost.

So, the 200 minerals spent of the overlord sac can be compared to the 250 minerals spent of the evo chamber scout. This is a negligible difference.

The argument against it is that the second overlord gives you +8 supply. It can, if you make no units. Otherwise, it can be a number between 0-8 on the supply it allows you to use. This means the second overlord could be not cost effective, but regardless had to be made. That is why it should be considered in the cost, as it could be 100 minerals you have essentially lost.

Sure, you can make two overlords at once, and raise the price up by 100 minerals, assuming you already have one overlord out to scout with. Because then, it is 300 minerals spent. The third overlord will most likely be cost effective though, and as a result, only the initial replacement overlord should be considered.

As a result of all of this thinking, you shouldn't consider the cost difference between the two methods of scouting, but rather the effectiveness. If you think one method is more effective than the other, use one instead of the other. The TL.net thread lists pros/cons of either method and can help you decide on that one. Or you could go with one you just prefer. I realise that majority of people will stick to overlord saccing because it will keep them in their comfort zone and that is the method the majority of players use.

Me discussing this has gotten me banned from posting in the sc2 strategy section on TL.net, as I did not address concerns correctly. I am not a maths student, but I believe that I NOW correct. Im not saying that it means that evo chamber scouting is better, I was only arguing against people saying that a whole extra 100 minerals lost was bad. Instead, I decided that it was minerals spent that should be considered, because the second overlord is a replacement, and may not actually increase you above the point of being supply capped.

tl;dr

+ Show +

Minerals lost (unit cost) for overlord sac = 100
Minerals lost (unit cost) for evo chamber scout = 200

Minerals spent due to overlord sac = 200 (with 0-8 supply added to max)
Minerals spent due to evo chamber scout = 250

Minerals spent is more important to consider and there is less of a difference between the two numbers. Thus, don't consider cost, instead consider effectiveness.