Starcraft II

[Ekkebus]

So I thought this warranted mention:

Recently I've been going heavy muta with upgrades against protoss, especially on larger maps. I played a guy last night who went for early (and extremely telegraphed) Void Ray harrass before expanding and macroing up, eventually getting a 3rd. So while he's getting the third I swing into his base with my mutas and depower all of his production facilities because he only has 3 pylons powering everything. He responds by coming across the map with an extremely collossus heavy army (we're talking 7-8+ here) with some void rays and stalkers. Just due to the sheer number of collossi he does quite a bit of damage but because he doesn't have enough anti air my mutas eventually clean up the army. I reinforce, expand and then start widdling down his base until he has to gg. Now before leaving the game he lamented how he always losses to mass muta and I advised him that he needs to use more phoenixes and archons to counter. Archons destroy mutas so hard its not even funny.

So my next game I incredibly get matched up with the same guy. The game proceeds to play out in EXACTLY the same way. From the Void Ray harrass to the expansion timing to me depowering his main and his follow up attack. Same same same. After I clean up his inital attack and slighlty before I can come out and harass he sends out a small force to try and take out my third with some stalkers, one collossus and ONE phoenix. This gets destroyed after which he laments: "This game is so broken. Mutas OP" and leaves.

L

O

L

[Wood]

What?! Man, so the guy goes for the same build twice, and even screws up the counter attack worse. Then he bitches about the game? I'd make fun of the guy, but its difficult to do so when I miss my keyboard tray on my desk sometimes. I need to get into the game more. I need to learn to go Hellion/Thor/Raven against Zerg, and also try out all air.

[Wood]

There's a ton of stuff coming out of BlizzCon. New Campaign details out of HotS, and they announced the new Multiplayer units! They're introducing Battle Hellions, hellions that pretty much transform into Firebats and back, turning from fast light vehicles into tough as nails close range fighters, Warhounds, faster, lighter, cheaper Thor-like units that are designed to break siege lines out in the open, and Shredders, that emit a big AOE damage area that turns off if there's any friendly units in its field. Area Denial weapons that have to work by themselves to work. Also, Thors are getting relegated as an End-Game unit, where you can only have one, but they can now be more powerful. Really, I'm ecstatic about the Battle Hellions.

Zerg is getting Ultralisks that have a burrow charge, so they don't get stuck behind zerglings and get stuck in right away. Vipers are flying casters that can do some sick things, like pull units over and a swarm cloud that blocks line of sight, I think. It also replaces the Overseer. There's also now Swarm Hosts. They burrow, then create little locusts that will attack in the direction you set the rally to. So now Zerg has a great siege unit.

Protoss is losing the Carrier...and getting the Tempest. Has AoE Air-to-Air that does crazy splash. Your Protoss buddy that hates Mutas, probably has to change his pants now. But it's going to require a fleet beacon, so it's meant for killing that Late game muta flock. There's Replicants, that can copy any non-massive unit it sees, but it's 200/200, and Oracles that harass, but deals zero damage. Instead, it can phase out buildings, and Entomb minerals, requiring the opponent to attack the "bubbles" or wait it out in order to harvest minerals again.

Also, the existing units will be getting changes. Reapers won't have the Explosive charges, but can regen out of battle. BC's will get a speed boost CD. Hive tech can research Burrow Move for Banelings, Corrupters gain Syphon, which does DoS to a building and harvests resources, and there's a speed upgrade for Hydras off creep, so they'll be really good late game. Protoss will lose the Mothership and Carrier, but the Nexas gains Recall, and the ability to turn buildings into proton cannons for a bit, to prevent cheese, though it may cause some cheese.

Of course, none of this is final, but it's going to be awesome if these units make it in one way or the other.

[Ekkebus]

Yeah, I'm really looking forward to seeing some/all of that stuff implemented and used in tournaments. Hopefullg HotS makes it out sometime next year.

Season 4 on the ladder started this week apparently. I finished Season 3 top 8 Gold and my placement for Season 4 put me....back in Platinum! Woo-hoo! The S4 map pool has to be the best its ever been though. Typhon Peaks, Backwater Gulch and Searing Crater are all out and METALOPOLIS IS BACK. Right now the only thing I have vetoed is Abyssal Caverns. Should be a fun season.