[ZanC]

Subject: Game Plan, Macro Theory, Core Game Theory
Skill: - Moderate to Advanced
Focused Techniques:
-Map Control
-Strategic Judgement & Decision Making
-Play-making
-Reactive Playing
-Mind Games

Short introduction to... me!
I'm a SEA(SG) Terran player who has played Starcraft II since WoL launch. Some of you might know me as firze, fys, Spearhead, Zancray, or whatever embarrassing names I came up with.
I've finally decided to share, from my experience, what think is useful knowledge of the game to whomever is interested.
This topic, Macro Theory in particular, is surprising to me as not many players know or discuss this.

Now, lets start...

Macro - Introduction
This topic aims to study what it means to play and refine a Macro Game Plan.
All examples below will assume an even game where no one side has a huge lead, the word "normally" will imply this.

A player is playing a macro game if (s)he is trying to get significantly ahead of your opponent and steam roll them at some point later in the game.
This means you have a long term goal/vision to reach, and to improve is learning the best ways to get there based on what your opponent does.

A typical TvP example would be
"I want to dismantle my opponent's deathball, make efficient army trades and outlast him with more bases..."

So how should I go about doing it from scratch?
"...I should get an Orbital Command first to catch up with his C-boosted nexus and in the mean time get train rax units so I can defend against zealot or stalker aggression..."
This is your opener. It directly affects and thus must be in line with your mid-game plan.

"...then I'd want to get more rax and a starport for a MMM army so I can do damage to my opponent's army, and drops to pick off valuable Protoss tech structures such as Robos, Councils and Forges, slowing my opponent down..."
This is your mid-game plan (dismantling your opponent's deathball and making efficient army trades).

"...since my opponent is in a defensive position, I will take more bases and get all the upgrades I can to get ahead..."
This is your mid-game follow up (outlasting him with more bases).

"...I should keep track of my enemy's army position and composition so I counter with the right unit composition, flanking with a better position and dropping to do more damage."
This is your late-game plan which ties everything together (dismantling your opponent's deathball, making efficient army trades AND outlasting him with more bases).

Realize that builds are a variable sequence and your strategic priorities change. The above examples never mentioned: "you HAVE to 1rax FE" or "you NEED to do drops".

Traits of a Macro game
>Requires a lot of knowledge, mechanics and skill to master
>Typically long
>Strategic
>Highest skill cap:
-Game Plan
-Base Management
-Map Control
-Scouting
-Countering
-Harass
-Defense
-Army Position
-Flanking
-Kiting
-Splitting
-Abilities
-Everything above requires excellent mechanics (macro+micro)

Spending - The Basics
Due to the nature of how players get their resources (mins & gas), your Build Order determines what you spend on first.
Economy: Normally expansions, probe boosts, droning hard etc.
Tech: This can range from unlocking units, to abilities, and unit weapon & armour upgrades
Army: Fighting units. Be it for harass or head on combat.

Types of Strategy & Styles - The Basics^2
Very often we hear observers to a match saying: "this build is really greedy" or "he's playing it safe". But what does it actually mean to play 'greedy' or 'safe'?
Below is my take on how the spending of a player affects how his strategy develops.
Greedy: Economy & Tech (mostly abilities and upgrades)
Defensive: Economy & Army (including defensive structures)
Aggressive: Army (units to do damage or harass) & Tech (unlocking more units, abilities, passives etc.)

Rock-Paper-Scissors
Aggressive > Greedy > Defensive > Aggressive
Starcraft II is a game where this delicate balance is always in motion, the section below will explain in more detail of how the player's roles are ever-changing.

The Play-maker and the Reactive Player - Advanced Rock-Paper-Scissors, Starcraft II.
The player who has map control is normally the Aggressive player, who has the strongest army. He would be the Play-maker.
The Defensive player, normally the one who is ahead (usually economically) and in the dark (unable to freely scout), is the Reactive Player.

A Defensive Reactive Player would prepare for attacks the Aggressive Play-maker will throw at him by placing himself in a defensive position.

This is why many Aggressive players start transitioning into Greedy play (refer to Rock-Paper-Scissors section), taking more bases and upgrades.
However, if the Aggressive player decides that his attacks can do significant damage worth the investment, he can decide to continue his aggressive play.

When the Defensive player reaches a point where he finds out his army can overwhelm the Aggressive/now-Greedy player, he will try to punish it by playing Aggressively, and the greedy player would start to play Defensively - effectively swapping their roles.
This is why it is important for the Play-maker to always keep the Reactive Player in the dark for as long as possible, be it if he chooses to attack or transition to greed play.

In most match-ups, the roles always swap based on who is the aggressor.

Reactive = Greedy > Defensive > Aggressive = Play-maker

Try reading the TvP example in the introduction again and apply this concept to both players.

Conclusion
I hope this helps not only as general knowledge but more importantly, as a learning tool for players looking to improve their game.
Remember, results and winning doesn't matter if you're trying to learn or improve your game.

ZnC
Team eMp

[Matt93]

I didn't read it all, but it looked pretty and I'm sure people with macro issues might get something out of it. It wasn't that big of a wall of text either Good effort.

[Reere]

Loved the breakdown in Rock/Paper/Scissors sections. Great work. ggwp~!

[sR.Kumo]

This is awesome!

[Xpndable]

This simple explanation of grand macro plans, especially the Rock/Paper/Scissors analogy of the Aggressive, Defensive, Greedy build types and what they mean certainly lets me piece together the bigger picture of the macro play. Well done - this is an awesome theory explanation!

[ProAnnn]

Two points to make.
1. You didnt mention about Production at all.
2. You didnt mention about maximize the efficiency of the economy (Keeping money low).

I feel that those 2 are very key and important points about macro.. But overall i agree totally with most of the points you have mentioned with the exception of highest win rate

[ZanC]

Originally Posted by DM.MCZ.ProAnnn

Two points to make.
1. You didnt mention about Production at all.
2. You didnt mention about maximize the efficiency of the economy (Keeping money low).

I feel that those 2 are very key and important points about macro.. But overall i agree totally with most of the points you have mentioned with the exception of highest win rate

I feel that you didn't really understand the topic.

What you mention above, Production and Economical Efficiency, are Macro MECHANICS.
I am sure there are plenty of articles out there that state that you need to practice a lot, have a routine or mental check-list, have high APM, or Build Orders that tell you to have 3rax on 2bases.

What I am focusing on is Game Plan and long-term strategy - AKA Macro Theory.
This directly influences Decision Making and are the basis of Mind Games.

You do make me realize something though:
-The truth is, the title is deceiving - because this topic is meant for fairly skilled to advanced players, not beginners. I don't bother explaining you have to practice some build order or have how many production buildings with how many bases, I assume you're good enough to know and execute these basics.
Perhaps I will indicate that at the beginning of my thread.

[Satu]

Originally Posted by Spearhead

I feel that you didn't really understand the topic.

What you mention above, Production and Economical Efficiency, are Macro MECHANICS.

Economical efficiency is a mechanic, sure. However, you literally didn't mention production at all. If you don't want to mention the mechanics behind it, fine. But that isn't what proann called you out on. Production is one of the most important parts of macro based game theory, so if you're focusing purely on macro theory in this guide and don't mention it once, theres room for improvement.

Production can be compared between builds, and you can see that as a result reactions will be very different for each possible playstyle. Keep in mind production encompasses both workers and army units when considering how this applies to game theory.

Also, just a sidenote, Proann is one of the best singaporean protoss players.

Originally Posted by Spearhead

You do make me realize something though:
-The truth is, the title is deceiving - because this topic is meant for fairly skilled to advanced players, not beginners.

Just looks like you're implying hes a beginner, although it could be badly worded.

[eMp.distyL]

i loved it, very detailed for what it is.
good work Zanc.

[Rukk]

Great guide, easy to follow.

[Sparrow]

As far as I can see this is a post for a specific group of players sitting in highish diamond who already do all that is mentioned above but might not know the technical terms for what is happening. EVERYONE else either knows everything you have covered because you are not actually providing any kind of "Game Plan" You are just stating the very vague points which occur in every game of starcraft and well that's it really.

If I was to write this again (which you should) I might write up a more specific game plan with all of the whats and whys answered along the way. Something like innovations PvT standard opener in which he opens with a mine and medivac drop. The game plan for innovations build is to path the way into steady production for later in the game whilst forcing the opponent protoss to spend his/her minerals and gas on units (stalkers and zealots to defend the drop) rather than tech up, this means that the Terran player (if he/she finds that the opponent invests too much into defense) can prepare and early attack with the early production setup or if the drop does well send in units blah blah blah until you explain the entire analysis behind the build. Game plans like this are actually useful to people, not game plans that are not game plans but rather overviews of every single game plan.

And of course theres other information like this out there, but thats only because its the information pros want, however not everything is covered as new builds are always popping up. Goodluck.

[RaiNMaN]

Nice guide

[Bav]

awesome guide man (:

[Delinquio]

Good effort into writing this up man! You missed some things out but thanks for writing this up bud

[nirvAnA]

Bumping for those who did not see it. great effort!

[xoids]

Interesting!