[eCKo`Tazerenix]

6 Gate All in PvT


CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!

About Me:
Hi guys, I'm Tazerenix, a mid-high Masters Protoss on NA and a mid Diamond on Korea. I'm not the greatest player in the world, but generally have a reasonable understanding of the game, so whilst what I say has been played with and used by others, don't take my word as the bible truth, test it out yourself!
It is also of note that I may not end up practicing what I preach in my example replays, as, through writing this guide, I have realized that my theory behind the 6 gate is a lot cleaner than my execution, however the general ideas all remain the same, and the build is definitely still viable.

About the build:
Unlike PvZ, there is a remarkable lack of allin two base timings in the PvT matchup, the majority of which are based around getting 3 or 4 immortals and busting ramps or getting out two colossus and hitting before vikings are out.
The 6 Gate allin is a gateway based allin that can be used to acquire a free win against greedy terrans, and, in the case of good force field and micro, a solid allin against non-greedy terrans. The goal of the 6 Gate is to overwhelm the terran player at about the 9:30 mark with a large number of gateway units, using force field to stop bunker repair and trap MM against your zealots.

When to use this allin:
The 6 gate should be used against confirmed gasless terran openings, or when you have a very strong feeling the terran is going to gasless expand, such as scouting a terran first on a 4 player map and having him already walled in with two supply depots and a barracks, implying that those minerals could not have been spent on a refinery also without significant worker cutting.
Since determining builds is covered by other guides such as kcdc's 1 Gate FE guides, I will mostly skip this part, but will emphasize that if you see a terran who has walled in, but you are unsure of whether or not he has taken gas, I would strongly advise you NOT to use the 6 gate allin, as he could very well be hiding tech behind his wall.
The 6 gate should NOT be used against confirmed gassing terrans. Whilst it is possible that you could get a win with the 6 gate against gas openings such as 1 rax reactor expand or 1 rax tech lab expand, the tech advantage gained from gas builds as a terran, although negligible against more macro and tech focused protoss openings, can become overpowering against a gateway based allin off two bases. Another reason why this build is particularly bad against gas openings is that it flat-out skips detection, and so if the terran is secretly hiding banshees behind his wall, then, for lack of better description, you're fucked.

In terms of maps, the 6 gate works best on maps with open naturals, to allow more surface area for zealots against bunkers and units, and for more effective force fields. Maps I like to 6 gate on include Entombed, Antiga, TDA, Metropolis (if you can snipe the rocks), Daybreak and Metalopolis. Whilst it can still work on maps like Shakuras, Cloud kingdom and Ohana, it is significantly easier for terrans to hold as they can simply wall off the natural with three bunkers, minimizing zealot surface area.


The Opening:
The opening behind the 6 gate allin is based around getting a fast two base economic standpoint from which to power up to 6 gates and attack from. My prefered opening is the very safe (against gasless expands) MC 1 Gate FE , however any other form of safe 1 Gate FE or nexus first play that puts you in a decent position economically is also viable, for example skipping the zealot or stalker to get a faster nexus.
Openings I find viable:

• MC 1 Gate FE
• Genius 1 Gate FE
• kcdc's 1 Gate FEs (1, 2)
• Two gas 1 Gate FE (as done by HuK):
  + Show +

  The Build Order
  9 Pylon
  12 Gateway
  14 Gas
  15 Pylon
  16 Cybercore
  18 Gas
  20 Stalker & Warpgate Tech
  24 Sentry
  30 Nexus
  (in some order) 2x Gates & Pylon & Robo
  
  Replay Examples
  http://drop.sc/packs/241/d - Pack of 12 Replays of Huk from MLG Raleigh 2011 (he does this opening in all 12 games in this mini pack)
• CreatorPrime 1 Gate FE:
  + Show +

  9 Pylon (on 4 spawn scout here)
  @100% Pylon Chronoboost nexus
  @100% Chrono chronoboost nexus again (If you scouted on 9 unless your optimizing worker mining you might want to hold off on this chronoboost until after your gateway and get your assimilator a bit later at 15)
  13 Gateway (on 2 spawn map scout here)
  14 Assimilator
  15 Pylon
  Chronoboost nexus third time
  17 Core
  18 Zealot
  @100% Core Get a stalker from Gate and Chrono
  @100% Core Start Warp gate (no chrono)
  @50% Stalker push out to their base with first zealot
  @100% Stalker send with zealot to enemy base
  24 Pylon
  26 Nexus (cut probes for a bit)
  26 Assimilator
  26 Sentry (chronoboosted)
  Add on 2 gates as your pushing with your zealot and stalker
• Axslav's Nexus First
• Any other Nexus First or 1 Gate FE that you find viable and generally safe against gasless terrans.

It is also important to note that the power of the 6 gate rests in the sentries, so an expansion build that basically skips any sentries entirely up until the time you add your 4, 5 and 6 gateways isn't particularly good (I don't know if there even are any, but if they do exist, don't use them!!!).

Playing out the build up until the attack:
After your expansion of what ever variety you choose, you should be left with three gateways (maybe two if you nexus first), a couple of stalkers and a few sentries and zealots.
If you haven't already, take your second gas in your main, and as you max out on 16 probes in your main base, rally both of your nexii to your natural expansion.
Whilst you go up to 16 probes at your natural expansion (chrono when you can), at around 7 minutes (where you should be approaching 50 supply), you'll want to throw down three (or in the case that you only have two gateways, four) extra gateways. Most terrans will scan your main base at a position that is close to the pylons which they scouted initially, at about the 7:30 to 8 minute mark, so a good idea is to place your extra gateways in a location that isn't likely to be spotted. On Antiga, I tend to proxy them at the third base, or you can hide them in a corner of your base somewhere.
Do not take the gas at your natural, as you won't be needing them. The gas surplus that tends to build up from 1 gate FEs as you saturate your natural should be spent on extra sentries, you can go so far as to get 8, 9 or 10 if you have the money for it.
Begin to push out at around the 8 minute mark, taking a probe with your gateway army (which should consist of about 7 or 8 sentries, a handful of zealots and 3 or 4 stalkers) and placing a pylon or two in close proximity to your opponents base. It may be a good idea to bring a probe out before you push out, assuming you have maintained map control, for a swifter push.
As you set up outside the terrans base preparing for your push, send up your probe to try and get an idea of how the terrans army and defenses look.

The Attack:
Upon checking the terrans army, make judgement on how comfortable you feel pushing up with what you have.
Around the 9:30 to 10 minute mark you want to push into the terrans natural expansion with your zealots in front, sentries in the middle and stalkers placed at the back.

Zealot sentry stalker, zealot sentry stalker, zealot sentry sta-

Place force fields behind any terran bunkers to stop repairs and make sure your guardian shields are covering as many zealots as possible. Use your stalkers (which you should have around 6 or 7 of, depending of course on when you hit) to focus down any forward marauders, but try not to waste shots if you can.
Trap as much of the terrans army as you can with your sentries, and keep laying down force fields to prevent SCV from reaching your ranged units.
From this point, if you have lost all of your zealots and don't feel that pressing your advantage will win you the fight right now, pull back, chronoing your warp gates, and warp in one or two rounds of zealots before attacking again. One of the key points in the attack is to minimize the loss of ranged units.

An example of just how NOT to engage with the 6 Gate

In the event that you lose your entire army whilst retreating, or you do almost no damage losing all your zealots (due to bad force fields, or otherwise), your best bet at winning is to try and play greedy and hope the terran does not attack you, whilst teching to colossus.
If you executed well and the terran was particularly greedy, you will probably flat out win, or the terran will run back to his main base.
In the event that the terran runs to his main, prioritize sniping the flying Orbital over killing SCV, and attack up the ramp as soon as you can. It is important that you attack up the ramp quickly as with small ramps and some bunkers, it quickly becomes a meat grinder that you really don't want to launch yourself into.

Congratulations, you just learned the 6 Gate allin in PvT.

Replays: (thanks to raVensc2 for helping me search for them)
http://www.tazerenix.com/replays/140
This push was with a 7 gate, however the same build was followed, if you are feeling like you are floating a bit more than you'd like, feel free to add an extra gateway to pack in a little more punch when you attack.

http://www.tazerenix.com/replays/202

http://www.tazerenix.com/replays/365
I lost in this game partly because I pussied out of the allin seeing the three depots in front of his bunkers, making a nexus, and hence having 5 less zealots than I would have liked, and also because my force fields and stalker positioning were generally poor.

http://www.tazerenix.com/replays/181
Again this game was lost because of poor force fields and a lack of stalker fire power. If I had waited an extra warp in cycle or two, I would have had a much stronger chance of breaking the terran and winning.

http://www.tazerenix.com/replays/362

http://www.tazerenix.com/replays/225


If there is anything that you think I need to add to the guide, or if you have professional VODs or your own replays of this build that you think should be added, feel free to PM me.

Quick Comments

	xGKingdelete:	terran tears
	nirvAnA:	terran tears x2!! great effort man!
	TCPYoonA:	niceeeee :)
	pRoEpsilon:
	EXCL:
	naviC:

[xGKingdelete]

I usually go up to 8gates when doing this, simply because it's hard to have perfect macro while attacking. Better to have 2 extra gateways than to have 1k unspent minerals midfight

[NvPinder]

About the build:
Unlike PvZ, there is a remarkable lack of allin two base timings in the PvT matchup

But nah, cool guide man, love the effort that went into it.

Quick Comments

Crankenstein:

[inFeZa]

I did all ins like this before. Usually I all in terrans if my build goes sour, all about catching them off guard coz terrain has sick repair stim and maraudoorz. Sick guide very detailed and love the focus of the engage... very important

[Wuffle]

very nice write-up! gonna have more troubles with protoss doing this build T.T

[ProAnnn]

I normally throw a forge to get +1 armor to do along with this. This strat dies to cloak banshees lol~ but if you get a forge, you can cannon up so it wont be like instant loss. And more transitionable since u have a forge(LOL!) behind it

[ROOT`iaguz]

Originally Posted by NvPinder

But nah, cool guide man, love the effort that went into it.

!?

Playing on fkn Korea of all places almost all all in timings protoss will do in PvT are like 5-7 gateway timings or they feature immortals. Any other tech path is just ******* stupid. You can't 2 base voidray all in, DT's aren't all in they're just really risky and they're about getting a massive advantage for free so you can 3rd and double forge and archon and not give a **** and doing something based around a chargelot or blink stalker timing just seems pathetic.

I don't consider getting to colossus or templar tech to really be an all in, you can play a reasonably normal game off of it.

ACL is in 2 weeks though so you don't have to tell me what infuriating strategy you've worked out to render that above paragraph meaningless.

As for the terran, this build is extremely ******* lame. Here's how you're supposed to not die to it!

The first way is to 1 rax fe into a marine/tank style, if you want to play it. Obviously you can't know from the start if you're getting 6 gated, just pointing out that if you do have sieged up tanks before this hits you've basically already won without actually doing anything. Satisfying! A bunker or two with tanks behind it is almost unbreakable, and with your opponent on such shitty tech and eco, you just wait until you have like 5 tanks and then go collect you win.

The other way you defeat 6 gate is through proper scouting. When you're doing 1 rax FE you need to be sending small squads out to check outside the front of your base regularly adn getting watch towers, also scouting around for proxy pylons. You'll know you're getting 6 gated when 5-7 sentries with tons of energy move towards your base with a probe as well. The time it takes for them to get into position, warp in a pylon and the next round of units is enough to make 2 or 3 extra bunkers. Just before he goes in you have to pull a ton of scvs from your natural and surround your bunkers front and back. Another idea is to hotkey your bunkers to an extra button and when you have a spare actino or 3, use them to focus down the sentry that's guardian shielding. Spam repair on your bunkers with your scvs, stim your units if you can and cross your fingers.

Quick Comments

	nirvAnA:	Saving terrans one strat at a time!
	naviC:

[ToRSpookToR]

Quick Comments

FaDeKerrigan:

[nGenLight]

I've got a build that hits at the same time your one does with about the same amount of units. Except I've got an additional 5 immortals, 8 gateways pumping reinforcements, 44 probes and a 3rd Nexus building, is this something I should be sharing? Cool guide though ^-^

[ROOT`iaguz]

Originally Posted by xGKingLight

I've got a build that hits at the same time your one does with about the same amount of units. Except I've got an additional 5 immortals, 8 gateways pumping reinforcements, 44 probes and a 3rd Nexus building, is this something I should be sharing? Cool guide though ^-^

Hells yea man I've got a heaps massive dick too.

Fkn sweet guide omg.

[faithHunter]

...This isn't necessary. Absolutely not necessary.

You just created another reason of why I shouldn't FE in TvP.

[nGenLight]

Originally Posted by xGKingiaguz

Hells yea man I've got a heaps massive dick too.

Fkn sweet guide omg.

I don't believe you.

Don't be a pelican or I'm sharing :P

Originally Posted by faithHunter

...This isn't necessary. Absolutely not necessary.

You just created another reason of why I shouldn't FE in TvP.

On the contrary, the earlier you expand, the easier it is for you to hold any Protoss timing attack that comes around 9:30+.

[ROOT`iaguz]

True, but 6 gate's rarely occur when you're going 1/1/1 cloakshees.

[Xeen]

Originally Posted by iRLProAnnn

I normally throw a forge to get +1 armor to do along with this. This strat dies to cloak banshees lol~ but if you get a forge, you can cannon up so it wont be like instant loss. And more transitionable since u have a forge(LOL!) behind it

Yeah I've mainly done it this way, with +1 armor.

Light is the king of cheesy stuff though so whatever he's got is probably better.

[dippa]

Originally Posted by xGKingLight

I've got a build that hits at the same time your one does with about the same amount of units. Except I've got an additional 5 immortals, 8 gateways pumping reinforcements, 44 probes and a 3rd Nexus building, is this something I should be sharing? Cool guide though ^-^

excuse us while you drown the thread with your viscous discharge

Quick Comments

nGenLight:

I'm not giving you anymore replays you dickhead

[ROOT`iaguz]

+1 armour doesn't seem like a good idea since this build has to hit before medivacs. If he does have medivacs then he can pick up and drop behind all your forcefields. Also a lot of these builds will have +1 attack finished in time for that as well (well, some of them might)

[nGenLight]

Guys, stop being angry, it's okay. We Protoss had to endure dying to your timing attacks for 3 seasons, which by the way, hard counters any 2 base all in we ever try to do.

[BAD.BiGbiRd]

I did a style similar for a while but it was pretty greedy. Was a 20 nexus before WG or a zealot/stalker into 7 gate and hit with more units at a similar timing. You have to be really on top of your scouting though to not die to any Terran shenanigans and like you said you have to make sure THEY don't scout it or they just build 384503485354 bunkers and depos in front....

Nice guide btw

[EXCL]

Nice write up

This sorta thing should be encouraged in sc2sea.

[naviC]

good writeup