[SLCNPezz]

I've seen a lot of protoss players in despair over swarm host play recently, and it has come up in pro play more and more frequently at the moment, a good example would be stephano's play in WCS EU. This isn't really going to be a fully fleshed out guide, it's just some ideas that you should try to incorporate into your play.

BASETRADE

If a swarm host player moves forward to assault a nexus, do NOT try to defend it, nothing is worse than losing expensive units for locusts which are essentially free. You want to try to outmaneuver your zerg opponent. To do this keep obs on the map and keep track of his army movement, the instance he moves in one direction you go for a base that he has taken in the opposite.

Another great reason to basetrade is because you want to eliminate his static defence whilst making your own strong army.

Mothership core is essential for a recall, incase you get fungalled and need a clutch escape.

Base trading will almost always put you ahead against the immobile swarm host army. I've personally never had any problem with basetrading against this style.

UNIT COMPOSITION

I had some help from xzam regarding unit composition against swarm host play. Once again I stress that you should be base trading while building this composition. The Ideal composition in my opinion is heavy collosus void ray with templar support, this should be able to engage fairly cost effectively against swarm host compositions. The reason you need void rays alongside your collossi is simple: corrupters, corrupter swarm host is near impossible to beat without void rays to deal with those corrupters.

A strong collosus void ray high templar ball is cost effective against any swarm host composition as long as they do not have static defence in play. Base trading will eliminate their static defence, and if you can get enough time for collosus void ray ht you should be fine in direct engagements from there.

CREEP DENIAL

Why does this get it's own category? The answer is simple, creep denial against swarm host play is more important than against any other zerg playstyle. Army movements are key, you don't want the zerg player to know where you're headed.

If there is no creep left on the map, something great for protoss becomes very likely. You have a high chance of catching swarm hosts unburrowed and un-prepared, if this happens, the game is yours. Take it. Accept the gg gracefully (or in my case tell your opponent to get the **** out).

Creep denial should come naturally if you're base trading.

WARP PRISMS

Be in more than one place at once, warp prisms and warp prism speed become very handy to pull the zerg player apart, force them to go in one direction and then go the other with your main army.

Dark templars can also be useful but use them sparingly, as your gas should be going predominantly into void rays.

DAYBREAK
Either leave at the start of the game or 2base all in. I prefer the former.

Replays

I'll upload more as I play more but for the moment I think these show pretty well the power of base racing.

http://drop.sc/339495
http://drop.sc/339496

Extra Input

Light "You have to react immediately, not decide to "oh I guess I need a warp prism" 5 minutes after taking locust fire"

About me

I'm a high master/GM NA player (lol, seriously top 5 masters on the server deserves gm tt).

[SLCNPezz]

Any additional thoughts would be gladly accepted and added to the guide if I find them useful

[Pox]

Who are you? Not even GM... all protoss players please ignore this guide. The best way to beat swarm hosts is to defend your nexuses with cannons and zealots until you build up a big force of zealots.

Yours sincerely,
a benevolent protoss player

Quick Comments

ToRDolo:

Poxguide is shorter and therefore better.

[asdfSchnitzel]

Pezz #1 modest


But in all seriousness, a good guide for protoss players needing help vs swarm hosts. Pezz #1 skillagez

[ToRDolo]

It's interesting to see how so many different styles work at low level play.

[ToRsupapower]

is this guide even real? lol. 30char

[RuineD]

here's a better guide;

alt-f4

[Stallion]

a lot of troll comments for some reason but im sure its an excellent guide as Pezz is an excellent player

Quick Comments

	Pox:	you trolling?
	ToRSpartaz:	O.o

[eCKo`Tazerenix]

I bet you're not even a 15 year old prodigy

Not trusting this guide

[GGenocide]

Not sure if NA or SEA

Quick Comments

ToRRedemption:

He said at the bottom that he is a highmasters/gm protoss from NA if that was what you were asking

[Makuly]

there is another composition I was forced to go into because the zerg made too many corrupters: mass chargelot archon. He was so ahead in corrupter count (30+), colossi voidray had nearly 0 use. But the archons/templars smashed through it just fine.

[SLCNPezz]

Originally Posted by Makuly

there is another composition I was forced to go into because the zerg made too many corrupters: mass chargelot archon. He was so ahead in corrupter count (30+), colossi voidray had nearly 0 use. But the archons/templars smashed through it just fine.

that sounds interesting but void rays trade so damn well against corrupters that i'd still recommend going for them unless the zerg has already hit 30 corrupters before you've started vrays

[x5_Bard]

You make it sound so easy T_T

Quick Comments

SLCNPezz:

its not easy :P

[TidaL]

So swarm host = base race?
There no real solution to the new unit?

[SLCNPezz]

Originally Posted by ETL.TidaL

So swarm host = base race?
There no real solution to the new unit?

Like I've said in my OP, void ray collosus with archon and storm seems to be a composition that CAN engage into swarm hosts with good micro.

The issue is getting there, if you're being hit by locusts all game you WON'T get there. Don't get hit by locusts, swap bases with the zerg player instead, keep him on his back foot. While you're doing this build up that composition. Abuse recall.

[nGenLight]

Very useful quick guide, I find myself looking at this when I get owned by swarm hosts.

I'd like to contribute a little. I watched a game in proleague - Rain vs Hydra. The moment Rain spots swarm hosts, he instantly gets a warp prism, warp prism speed, DT, and takes his 4th. The key I want to stress here is timing/speed. Warp prism harrass is really ineffective when every Zerg base is covered with spore/spine. You have to react immediately, not decide to "oh I guess I need a warp prism" 5 minutes after taking locust fire.

Rain's style doesn't really consist of Voidray or any skytoss, he uses storm and stalkers to deal with the corruptors. I guess that is an alternative if your a big fan of gateway units. You don't really want to get to that stage where the Zerg has half the map you can't push across and every base is covered with spore/spine. But if it gets there, I think you definitely need those capital ships.

P.S I fcking hate them so much.

[SLCNPezz]

Originally Posted by iM Light

Very useful quick guide, I find myself looking at this when I get owned by swarm hosts.

I'd like to contribute a little. I watched a game in proleague - Rain vs Hydra. The moment Rain spots swarm hosts, he instantly gets a warp prism, warp prism speed, DT, and takes his 4th. The key I want to stress here is timing/speed. Warp prism harrass is really ineffective when every Zerg base is covered with spore/spine. You have to react immediately, not decide to "oh I guess I need a warp prism" 5 minutes after taking locust fire.

Definitely agreed man! The MOMENT you see swarm hosts you have to be on HIS side of the map. If he's moving towards your base, you should be moving towards his. I like the idea of using DTs, but in my play i usually open phoenix so spores are already up. Could be gas draining too. But yeah I'll add that to the OP.