![[H]ard|Forum](/styles/hardforum/xenforo/logo_dark.png){kind=logo}
Breath_of_the_Dying
[H]ard|Gawd
- Joined
- Jan 8, 2007
- Messages
- 1,454
Currently standing in Plat/Plat/Diamond/Diamond rankings for 1v1 and Team Randoms. I've slowed down a bit after feeling a bit burnt out, but I think I'm where I should be (top of plat to mid diamond range). The most important thing to do is scout, at the very least you should be scouting by 10 supply for early warnings of cheese tactics or tech rushes. In any non supply-cap battle, you can easily win if you know what your opponent is building.
Here are some indications of build possibilities (not exhaustive or absolute) with an early scout
Zerg
extractor before spawning pool - fast lings
2 extractors - mutalisks
2 hatcheris - mass lings
Knowing if they go roaches is also imporant for early battles so keep an eye for the Roaches nest
Also keep an eye out for banelings
Slow build (ie late spawning pool/extractors beyond 14 supply) - look for an early expansion
Protoss
2 Gateways building with nexus near full energy - Zealot rush
1 gateway/ 1 cybernetics core - stalkers or tech depending on 1 or 2 assimilators
Nothing - Either cannon rush or proxy zealot rush (easily counterable if you catch it early enough)
Terran
Positioning of the barracks is key, depending on if they have room for their tech lab, you should have time to prepare for reapers (queen, stalkers, or marauders around minerals). Multiple rax usually means marine rush. I sometimes try to impede Terran tech by building on their vespene or standing where the barracks is (if they hotkey the rax, it might be a significant delay before they can pump out marauders or reapers).
No barracks in base usually mean proxy reaper rush.
I have a friend who really struggled to get into 1v1 platinum while I delayed going up to finish off my combat achievements. He probably knows a good 2x/3x more build orders than I do, but I can still easily beat him. He's pretty stubborn about changing his strat, so once I know what he's doing, I can easily counter it. Strategy games are not about who can build a large army the fastest, but who can best take advantages of their opponents weaknesses.
There is usually a big delay with massing BCs (about the time when they're building multiple starports) when they're most vunerable, thats when you have to hit them. Either take out the starports themselves or take out the expansion supplying the starports.
Here are some indications of build possibilities (not exhaustive or absolute) with an early scout
Zerg
extractor before spawning pool - fast lings
2 extractors - mutalisks
2 hatcheris - mass lings
Knowing if they go roaches is also imporant for early battles so keep an eye for the Roaches nest
Also keep an eye out for banelings
Slow build (ie late spawning pool/extractors beyond 14 supply) - look for an early expansion
Protoss
2 Gateways building with nexus near full energy - Zealot rush
1 gateway/ 1 cybernetics core - stalkers or tech depending on 1 or 2 assimilators
Nothing - Either cannon rush or proxy zealot rush (easily counterable if you catch it early enough)
Terran
Positioning of the barracks is key, depending on if they have room for their tech lab, you should have time to prepare for reapers (queen, stalkers, or marauders around minerals). Multiple rax usually means marine rush. I sometimes try to impede Terran tech by building on their vespene or standing where the barracks is (if they hotkey the rax, it might be a significant delay before they can pump out marauders or reapers).
No barracks in base usually mean proxy reaper rush.
I have a friend who really struggled to get into 1v1 platinum while I delayed going up to finish off my combat achievements. He probably knows a good 2x/3x more build orders than I do, but I can still easily beat him. He's pretty stubborn about changing his strat, so once I know what he's doing, I can easily counter it. Strategy games are not about who can build a large army the fastest, but who can best take advantages of their opponents weaknesses.
There is usually a big delay with massing BCs (about the time when they're building multiple starports) when they're most vunerable, thats when you have to hit them. Either take out the starports themselves or take out the expansion supplying the starports.
