[DFM]

Hey ho, haven't posted on here for like... 6 months? Yeah that sounds about right, also haven't played sc2 for about that long, only the occasional ladder/custom game. Trying to get back into 1v1 ladder and wow things have changed quite a bit... even though they haven't actually? haha
Feels like I just started playing, even though I somehow wormed my way back into diamond, which I'm kinda happy about, but at the same time it's not that great because I'm losing like 2/3 of my games haha =]
But I guess that's the only way to improve. At least my mechanics seem to be still there... somewhat.

Having trouble specifically vs zerg (and it seems 80% of the people on SEA server play zerg now -.-.....or i'm just super lucky).
Most of the time I have no clue what I'm doing even though I'm doing what used to work for me: obviously the meta has changed and the game got patched but everything still feels slow and unefficient and I have no feeling for the timings anymore, which I think is the main problem.

So I'd like to know the "standard" openings for toss in all match-ups and especially vs zerg and what are the common things toss players have to face nowadays. Any other tips are also greatly appreciated, especially advice on how to get back into the game after so long =]

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

very nice to see you back DFM :)

[CCJester]

Firstly, welcome back!

Secondly, from the games i play and from watching a LOT of games lately there seem to be three main new strats that P's face in PvZ.
There's a sick roach ling all in that can be rather humiliating unless you scout it early, not 100% of the timings of it though.
Theres been a big swing into baneling drops from mass overlords.
And there's a big influx of players using infestors. Not sure whether you have a standard build but if you use collosus, might want to check my post on handling the infestor in PvZ, theres some good input from the community there.

Quick Comments

nirvAnA:

nice summary of the new game styles :)

[Next_rim]

PvT - you will be facing 3-rax push, 2-rax expand, 1-1-1 and a number of cheese, including marine SCV all-ins and proxy 2nd rax. Standard army comp - marauder ball with medivacs, with ghosts and vikings. There is also banshee play and hellion early play. Standard P openings - gate-robo-observer, either expand off 1 gate, or 3 gate. 4 wpgt rush also works ok. You need armor upgrades early, focus on getting colossus and HT. Stim push is 8 min, ghost-marauder is 10 min, banshee is 7 min, 2-rax expo is 6:30. There is a variety of early pressure, ranging from a 8-12 marine ball to 5 min hellions. Most PvT these days are very long macro games with 4+expansions. You will be getting heavy pressure with medivac drops, marauder ball pokes, sneaky ghosts and more. You need to do HT drops and expand agressively.

PvP - 99% of games come down to 4wpgt vs 4wpgt. Three types of 4wg - 10 gate, 12 gate and 13 gate. There is also DT rush into archon-zealot and fast robo builds. In late game, you want to get either zealot-archon-stalker ball, or colossus-stalker-voidray ball. Can always open with 2-chrono gate and proxy 2-gate, also cannon rushes. Here is my build for 2-gate into DT archons: http://www.sc2sea.com/showthread.php?t=1467

PvZ - most zerg use a roach core with various additions, ranging from banelings to ultra. Zerg tactics - 2 base, either ling-roach all in (7 min), macro heavy (drone passively behind queens and spines) with tech. 2-base muta is 9 min, 2-base hydra 11:30, 2-base macro roach 10 min (14 min variation). 3-rd base comes at 12 min, 4th at 14-16. Lair around 7 min, if teched. Standard openings - forge-FE into stargate-colossi, forge - FE into 6 wg blink stalkers (10 min timing push), 3-gate expo with an option to trick zerg, cancel nexus, and do a 4/5 wg all-in. Can always cannon. Some zerg go 6-pool or 10-pool these days. There is also a 5 min 7 roach rush. Zergs like to do all-inish drops, nydus, baneling drops, and generally be annoying a-holes some 8 min into the game. You either need to build a deathball they can't deal with, or hurt their macro bad and deny 3rd and 4th. DT's work ok. Check out my PvZ thread for my experimental forgeFE stargate play: http://www.sc2sea.com/showthread.php?t=1394

Quick Comments

	:	nice summary
	DFM:

[QuestionMark]

Welcome back! I don't think I am in any position to give advise as I myself just came back and went through hell before getting promoted back to my former rank(diamond) but since you're diamond and same as I am, you'd notice lots of 1 base builds. Against zergs, lots of 2 base timing/all-ins. More cheeses and less macro games. At least that's what I have been encountering.

[crAzerk]

Wow next_Rim you certainly memorize alot of timings. WIsh I had the mind for that haha then I'll know when all the toss/terran timing pushes are gonna come.

Myself I like to do a roach/ling prod if the Protoss goes for 3gate expand - if they're unprepared (too many sentries, no simcity), I'll start rallying units like crazy.
If they are prepared, usually the timing which I hit I'll have a stronger comp so they will avoid the clash, and I'll try to snipe the Nexus, and behind this I am droning up hard and going to hydras + 3rd base.

Why am i giving away my build oops.
I LIED I GO 7 POOL EVERY GAME JUST CANNON UP AND YOU'LL BE FINE IF YOU FACE ME ON LADDER YUP!

[DFM]

Wow nice summary Next_rim! Of course thanks for all the other replies as well guys =]
Yeah I have been encountering quite a lot of 1 base builds and zerg 2 base all-ins D: