Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 16
Recap:
A very strange opening again. Z went 10 pool. Since I had gone FFE, I was worried about early lings and cut probes to finish my wall off and get a cannon. He proceeded to make only 2 lings and expand. My overreaction cost me heavily in probe time and Z had me at a worker disadvantage until the midgame.
I timed my push out with DTs better this time, but my first push still got surrounded by speedlings and killed.
I have some pretty bad supply block issues through the midgame and Z gets maxed long before me. Z pushes out with ultra/roach/infestor and beats my near-maxed ball at my third expansion.
Lessons:
I have a hard time with sppedlings in big numbers. Honestly, I copied my blink stalker approach to the FFE from Huk, and I might just not have the control to make it work. I lose them to speedlings, infestors, and sometimes just roaches. I could go with more of a gateway mix, with more sentries and zealots and maybe get charge instead of blink first. That would give me a style I'm more comfortable controlling while not changing the resource profile of the build that much.
All of these games felt very different, but they all fell apart at the same place-- losing too much in my first push and not being able to reinforce. I'm going to adjust the unit mix of that first push.
Also, the first thing I do when I move out is take the towers. I need to take advantage of my map control to put up my forward pylons.
So, that it. Identify a common problem, a root cause, and a concrete step to fix it. Let's see how it goes.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
PvZ, Searing Crater, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 5
Recap:
A very unusual game plan from my opponent.
Z opens hatch first, and since I don't think I can FFE on this map, I 3-gate expand. This lets Z get way ahead on drones. I move forward as usual with a few gateway units after the expo, and Z puts out a couple of waves of speedlings. I handle this with FFs well at first, but then I try to pull back and the lings flank me by an alternate path and I lose a lot of sentries. I think this is the problem I'm recovering from the rest of the game.
Z charges in with the rest of the lings, but I manage to hold without taking too much damage. Now, having seen nothing but speedlings, I suspect mutas, which calls for a deviation from the usual robo plan. I put down a TC and an extra gateway and start moving towards blink stalkers when Z hits with a ling/infestor force instead. I just barely hold this off but all the infestors escape and he returns with a roach/infestor push, which I'm poorly prepared for because I was getting ready for lings. I get DTs just in time to hold this off, get a third up and use DTs to stay in the game a while but never recover.
Lessons:
I didn't think this game was very similar to last one, but it breaks down in a similar place-- when my first push gets trapped and killed. Part of this was being surprised by a feature of the map-- that second path out of the natural-- but another part was the same. I didn't put up a forward pylon. A warp-in of 4 zealots would have let me continue to put on pressure and possibly allow me to keep all of that force.
Otherwise, I really only hung in as long as I did because of my opponent's slack macro.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 5
Recap:
A very unusual game plan from my opponent.
Z opens hatch first, and since I don't think I can FFE on this map, I 3-gate expand. This lets Z get way ahead on drones. I move forward as usual with a few gateway units after the expo, and Z puts out a couple of waves of speedlings. I handle this with FFs well at first, but then I try to pull back and the lings flank me by an alternate path and I lose a lot of sentries. I think this is the problem I'm recovering from the rest of the game.
Z charges in with the rest of the lings, but I manage to hold without taking too much damage. Now, having seen nothing but speedlings, I suspect mutas, which calls for a deviation from the usual robo plan. I put down a TC and an extra gateway and start moving towards blink stalkers when Z hits with a ling/infestor force instead. I just barely hold this off but all the infestors escape and he returns with a roach/infestor push, which I'm poorly prepared for because I was getting ready for lings. I get DTs just in time to hold this off, get a third up and use DTs to stay in the game a while but never recover.
Lessons:
I didn't think this game was very similar to last one, but it breaks down in a similar place-- when my first push gets trapped and killed. Part of this was being surprised by a feature of the map-- that second path out of the natural-- but another part was the same. I didn't put up a forward pylon. A warp-in of 4 zealots would have let me continue to put on pressure and possibly allow me to keep all of that force.
Otherwise, I really only hung in as long as I did because of my opponent's slack macro.
PvZ, Shakuras Plateau, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 55
Recap:
I open with the FFE, and the Zerg opens hatch first. Z catches my cannons at the natural and kills it with drones. We both go full workers as I get up to 5-gate blink/DT and Z gets a roach warren and infestation pit.
I move out right when Z's third is going down and try to pressure it with blink stalkers, but get caught and killed. (I'm supply blocked here and it makes a big difference in the number of stalkers I have.) My wave of DTs does no damage at the natural but does shut down mining at the third for a while.
At this point I've been slightly ahead on workers all game. I put down the robo for colossus and put up a third. We skirmish a bit for position in the middle of the map, but no major changes in the power balance occur. The Z's 4th goes up.
The decisive battle happens when I'm maxed and the Z gets brood lords. We sort of pass each other so positioning is odd, but the Z has the brood lords parked over one of those raised islands, which is terrible for me, so I back off. I do slightly better once we re-engage, but he cleans up with a bunch of roaches and 2-3 brood lords left and I can't recover.
Lessons
This whole plan of the FFE revolves around being able to put on pressure once I move out, and that fails miserably here. There were a few issues here, but they boil down to that first wave of stalkers getting trapped and killed.
To make that wave hit harder, I should adjust a few things.
First, not getting supply blocked, naturally.
Second, and I think this is something I should have carried over from the 3-gate sentry expand opening, my pressure needs a forward pylon for reinforcements.
Third, I want to coordinate the use of my DTs better. In a case like this where he has to bring his overseer and an army with him, I should put my stalkers in the way and intercept that army, buying time for the DT and maybe catching him by surprise.
To bring it all together, the new plan is: be active on the map with my first set of stalkers, clearing the towers, but stay off creep. Use the map control to put up a forward pylon and reinforce. Wait for the first wave of DTs to go in, then catch Z's army leaving the main. Do damage, stall for time, maybe snipe the overseer.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 55
Recap:
I open with the FFE, and the Zerg opens hatch first. Z catches my cannons at the natural and kills it with drones. We both go full workers as I get up to 5-gate blink/DT and Z gets a roach warren and infestation pit.
I move out right when Z's third is going down and try to pressure it with blink stalkers, but get caught and killed. (I'm supply blocked here and it makes a big difference in the number of stalkers I have.) My wave of DTs does no damage at the natural but does shut down mining at the third for a while.
At this point I've been slightly ahead on workers all game. I put down the robo for colossus and put up a third. We skirmish a bit for position in the middle of the map, but no major changes in the power balance occur. The Z's 4th goes up.
The decisive battle happens when I'm maxed and the Z gets brood lords. We sort of pass each other so positioning is odd, but the Z has the brood lords parked over one of those raised islands, which is terrible for me, so I back off. I do slightly better once we re-engage, but he cleans up with a bunch of roaches and 2-3 brood lords left and I can't recover.
Lessons
This whole plan of the FFE revolves around being able to put on pressure once I move out, and that fails miserably here. There were a few issues here, but they boil down to that first wave of stalkers getting trapped and killed.
To make that wave hit harder, I should adjust a few things.
First, not getting supply blocked, naturally.
Second, and I think this is something I should have carried over from the 3-gate sentry expand opening, my pressure needs a forward pylon for reinforcements.
Third, I want to coordinate the use of my DTs better. In a case like this where he has to bring his overseer and an army with him, I should put my stalkers in the way and intercept that army, buying time for the DT and maybe catching him by surprise.
To bring it all together, the new plan is: be active on the map with my first set of stalkers, clearing the towers, but stay off creep. Use the map control to put up a forward pylon and reinforce. Wait for the first wave of DTs to go in, then catch Z's army leaving the main. Do damage, stall for time, maybe snipe the overseer.
PvZ Game Plan
Since the start of the new season, PvZ has gone from being one of my strongest matchups to one of my worst. After losing all of my PvZs today, I thought it might be time for some serious reevaluation.
So, to start out, let's go over the game plan. This will give me something to refer back to and change iteratively as I go over today's games.
Opening: While I prefer to stick to a single opening, I've found that I need to be map-sensitive in PvZ. On maps with a good choke at the natural, I do a FFE. On maps without, I do a 3-gate sentry expand. Either way, the idea is to open safely and stay close to even with a droning Zerg through the opening.
Then, I begin putting pressure on. The idea is to force units instead of drones, and get a good idea about the Zerg's unit composition by forcing a confrontation.
At this point, I want to put up my third and start my second tech tree. (FFE leads to TC, upgrades, and a dark shrine, so I add the robo. 3 gate sentry leads to a robo, so I add a TC.)
From here, I want to macro up, pressure the Zerg's attempts to expand, and win with a "death ball".
So, let's look at some games from today.
Links:
So, to start out, let's go over the game plan. This will give me something to refer back to and change iteratively as I go over today's games.
Opening: While I prefer to stick to a single opening, I've found that I need to be map-sensitive in PvZ. On maps with a good choke at the natural, I do a FFE. On maps without, I do a 3-gate sentry expand. Either way, the idea is to open safely and stay close to even with a droning Zerg through the opening.
Then, I begin putting pressure on. The idea is to force units instead of drones, and get a good idea about the Zerg's unit composition by forcing a confrontation.
At this point, I want to put up my third and start my second tech tree. (FFE leads to TC, upgrades, and a dark shrine, so I add the robo. 3 gate sentry leads to a robo, so I add a TC.)
From here, I want to macro up, pressure the Zerg's attempts to expand, and win with a "death ball".
So, let's look at some games from today.
Links:
Friday, August 5, 2011
Mission Accomplished!
My placement match for Season 3 put me into Platinum.
It's not Operation: Diamond Protoss, of course, but I can't change the name of the blog.
I'd honestly been massing games too much and not logging them here and going over the replays. Now that I have a long way to go before I'm looking at my next promotion, I'm going to start doing that again. Probably not every game, because some just aren't educational. But more.
It's not Operation: Diamond Protoss, of course, but I can't change the name of the blog.
I'd honestly been massing games too much and not logging them here and going over the replays. Now that I have a long way to go before I'm looking at my next promotion, I'm going to start doing that again. Probably not every game, because some just aren't educational. But more.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Game 53: PvT, ST, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 42
MMR Change: -10 (256)
Overall Record: 29-24
Recap:
A very close call, my 2-gate robo expand against a 3-gate all-in. I held the first push, but only barely. He pushed twice more and I couldn't replace fast enough.
Lessons:
I should have realized it was all-in, and put down either a forge or another production structure to hold it.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 42
MMR Change: -10 (256)
Overall Record: 29-24
Recap:
A very close call, my 2-gate robo expand against a 3-gate all-in. I held the first push, but only barely. He pushed twice more and I couldn't replace fast enough.
Lessons:
I should have realized it was all-in, and put down either a forge or another production structure to hold it.
Game 52: PvP, TP, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 20
MMR Change: -10 (266)
Overall Record: 29-23
Recap:
Two gate zealots. Again, scouted it, started preparing, got supply blocked.
Lessons
Don't get supply blocked.
I'm getting shaken with my cheese response, and it's causing me to forget important stuff.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 20
MMR Change: -10 (266)
Overall Record: 29-23
Recap:
Two gate zealots. Again, scouted it, started preparing, got supply blocked.
Lessons
Don't get supply blocked.
I'm getting shaken with my cheese response, and it's causing me to forget important stuff.
Game 51: PvZ, XNC, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: -10 (276)
Overall Record: 29-22
Recap:
Scouted early roach pressure and prepared for it but got supply blocked right when the push hit.
Lessons:
Don't get supply blocked.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: -10 (276)
Overall Record: 29-22
Recap:
Scouted early roach pressure and prepared for it but got supply blocked right when the push hit.
Lessons:
Don't get supply blocked.
Game 51: PvZ, XNC, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: -10 (276)
Overall Record: 29-22
Recap:
Scouted early roach pressure and prepared for it but got supply blocked right when the push hit.
Lessons:
Don't get supply blocked.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: -10 (276)
Overall Record: 29-22
Recap:
Scouted early roach pressure and prepared for it but got supply blocked right when the push hit.
Lessons:
Don't get supply blocked.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Fifty Games In: A Retrospective
So, how's it going?
Well, ever since the beginning of the season, I really feel like I have been playing at a higher level than last season.
I won my placement match-- I went to gold, and my opponent went to platinum. Since then, I've pulled a 60% win rate against overwhelmingly platinum opponents.
The hidden MMR system is very sensitive-- I've felt challenged in almost all of my games recently. The displayed MMR and ranking, though, is terribly unresponsive to sudden changes in skill. I've done the improving I need to do to make platinum. The game just needs to catch up.
So, where can I improve?
Here are my breakdowns by race:
PvZ: 69%
PvT: 66%
PvP: 40%
So, PvP. It doesn't play to my strengths. It requires smooth execution, and teching or expanding gets punished. I've had more success since I started defaulting to the defensive 4-gate, and I think I'll stick with that until the patch.
Also, again:
Games under 7 minutes: 1-9 (10%)
Games over 7 minutes: 29-11 (71%)
This is my game plan-- I play standard opening that push into macro games, because I think that's the best way to improve. If I can survive cheese, I win.
Well, ever since the beginning of the season, I really feel like I have been playing at a higher level than last season.
I won my placement match-- I went to gold, and my opponent went to platinum. Since then, I've pulled a 60% win rate against overwhelmingly platinum opponents.
The hidden MMR system is very sensitive-- I've felt challenged in almost all of my games recently. The displayed MMR and ranking, though, is terribly unresponsive to sudden changes in skill. I've done the improving I need to do to make platinum. The game just needs to catch up.
So, where can I improve?
Here are my breakdowns by race:
PvZ: 69%
PvT: 66%
PvP: 40%
So, PvP. It doesn't play to my strengths. It requires smooth execution, and teching or expanding gets punished. I've had more success since I started defaulting to the defensive 4-gate, and I think I'll stick with that until the patch.
Also, again:
Games under 7 minutes: 1-9 (10%)
Games over 7 minutes: 29-11 (71%)
This is my game plan-- I play standard opening that push into macro games, because I think that's the best way to improve. If I can survive cheese, I win.
Game 50: PvT, XNC, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 26
MMR Change: +15 (286)
Overall Record: 29-21
Recap:
An interesting opening. He tried putting a bunker down right next to my nexus, and I pulled probes to kill it, but in retrospect it was probably an over-reaction, since he wouldn't have marines to put in it.
I also pushed out 2 zealots early, which I used to pressure his ramp, but that he chased off with marines. Again, a bit of a waste, but I wanted to do something with them.
From there it went a little more standard. He hit with barracks pressure against my 2-gate robo, and I held the ramp. It was touch and go until I got out my second immortal, at which point I killed the push and expanded.
I was guessing we were basically even at this point, or that I was maybe a little ahead from killing the push. That's when I scouted him trying to expand to the gold with an orbital command. I pushed out immediately and was able to kill it off, along with some defending forces, a factory, a starport, and a lot of SCVs, but my forces were whittled down to just the immortals and a couple of other units, so I pulled back.
Colossi were out at this point, so I expanded and pushed his natural, where he'd expanded again. He had some tanks but not enough, and I killed it. Again, the main force got small enough that I didn't want to make that final push, but after a wave of reinforcements I got the GG.
Lessons:
If someone tries to freak me out with a bunker again, I shouldn't react quite so hard. That put me unnecessarily behind.
On the other hand, I feel like I did a good job against that barracks pressure this time, but the real deciding factor was his move to take the middle when he couldn't hold it. I just punished him for that.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 26
MMR Change: +15 (286)
Overall Record: 29-21
Recap:
An interesting opening. He tried putting a bunker down right next to my nexus, and I pulled probes to kill it, but in retrospect it was probably an over-reaction, since he wouldn't have marines to put in it.
I also pushed out 2 zealots early, which I used to pressure his ramp, but that he chased off with marines. Again, a bit of a waste, but I wanted to do something with them.
From there it went a little more standard. He hit with barracks pressure against my 2-gate robo, and I held the ramp. It was touch and go until I got out my second immortal, at which point I killed the push and expanded.
I was guessing we were basically even at this point, or that I was maybe a little ahead from killing the push. That's when I scouted him trying to expand to the gold with an orbital command. I pushed out immediately and was able to kill it off, along with some defending forces, a factory, a starport, and a lot of SCVs, but my forces were whittled down to just the immortals and a couple of other units, so I pulled back.
Colossi were out at this point, so I expanded and pushed his natural, where he'd expanded again. He had some tanks but not enough, and I killed it. Again, the main force got small enough that I didn't want to make that final push, but after a wave of reinforcements I got the GG.
Lessons:
If someone tries to freak me out with a bunker again, I shouldn't react quite so hard. That put me unnecessarily behind.
On the other hand, I feel like I did a good job against that barracks pressure this time, but the real deciding factor was his move to take the middle when he couldn't hold it. I just punished him for that.
Game 49: PvZ, SP, Loss
Link: http://replayfu.com/r/VRdjvf
Opponents' Rank: Plat 20
MMR Change: -9 (271)
Overall Record: 28-21
Recap:
This was an odd one, and I should probably watch the replay more closely. I scouted an early pool-- probably around 10, so I dropped a forge and prepared to wall off, but the lings never hit. I figured I was ahead if he went 10 pool and did no damage, although it did cost me a forge and a cannon.
Pushed in a bit off three gates once the expansion was up, and met two spines and a few roaches. Had to pull back. I kept pressure up with another decent push, using FFs to keep roaches away from me, but eventually he got through, killed a decent number of my sentries, and I had to run my stalkers away.
Still figured I was ahead, since he'd had to get enough roaches to hold me off. So, I guess the tide turned when I pushed a third time with an immortal or two. He saw it coming and sandwiched it between to groups of roaches and I lost it all. I was able, barely, to hold the counter push with my first colossus and some emergency cannons, but I'd imagine he took the opportunity to drone up.
He tried some harassment with roach burrow, but I killed it without doing a ton of damage. I was playing from behind, however, and he teched to broodlords, which I had no answer for.
Lessons:
Well, that flank was deadly. I just need to make him feel pressured at that point, not do real damage. Probably would have been better to snipe creep tumors and take watchtowers than to push up the ramp.
Burrow roaches into fast-ish broodlords is an odd build I haven't really seen much, either, but it wouldn't be so bad if I'm not playing from behind.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 20
MMR Change: -9 (271)
Overall Record: 28-21
Recap:
This was an odd one, and I should probably watch the replay more closely. I scouted an early pool-- probably around 10, so I dropped a forge and prepared to wall off, but the lings never hit. I figured I was ahead if he went 10 pool and did no damage, although it did cost me a forge and a cannon.
Pushed in a bit off three gates once the expansion was up, and met two spines and a few roaches. Had to pull back. I kept pressure up with another decent push, using FFs to keep roaches away from me, but eventually he got through, killed a decent number of my sentries, and I had to run my stalkers away.
Still figured I was ahead, since he'd had to get enough roaches to hold me off. So, I guess the tide turned when I pushed a third time with an immortal or two. He saw it coming and sandwiched it between to groups of roaches and I lost it all. I was able, barely, to hold the counter push with my first colossus and some emergency cannons, but I'd imagine he took the opportunity to drone up.
He tried some harassment with roach burrow, but I killed it without doing a ton of damage. I was playing from behind, however, and he teched to broodlords, which I had no answer for.
Lessons:
Well, that flank was deadly. I just need to make him feel pressured at that point, not do real damage. Probably would have been better to snipe creep tumors and take watchtowers than to push up the ramp.
Burrow roaches into fast-ish broodlords is an odd build I haven't really seen much, either, but it wouldn't be so bad if I'm not playing from behind.
Game 48: PvT, BG, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 13
MMR Change: -10 (280)
Overall Record: 28-20
Recap:
This was basically all my terrible macro. Supply block and money float everywhere.
All basically calm until he pushed out with a MMM ball and I only had my first colossus out. My control was bad, but it wouldn't have mattered if I'd had the right number of units.
Lessons:
Just got sloppy. My whole opening could use some polish.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 13
MMR Change: -10 (280)
Overall Record: 28-20
Recap:
This was basically all my terrible macro. Supply block and money float everywhere.
All basically calm until he pushed out with a MMM ball and I only had my first colossus out. My control was bad, but it wouldn't have mattered if I'd had the right number of units.
Lessons:
Just got sloppy. My whole opening could use some polish.
Game 47: PvT, Slag Pits, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 4
MMR Change: +14 (290)
Overall Record: 28-19
Recap: Well, this was... interesting.
He pumped mass marines off a fairly early expansion, but didn't hit until after my first colossus was out.
This did not work out well for him.
Armor upgrades, more colossi, lots of expanding, and eventually templar from me. More marines and some vikings from him.
The number of marines he was throwing out could have been scary if he'd put me under constant pressure, but once I had a couple of colossi, it never had a chance.
Lessons:
Almost too easy to learn from, but my macro wasn't able to keep up with my income off 4 bases, and I got supply blocked around 60. Need to remember to really put down a lot of production if I get an early third.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 4
MMR Change: +14 (290)
Overall Record: 28-19
Recap: Well, this was... interesting.
He pumped mass marines off a fairly early expansion, but didn't hit until after my first colossus was out.
This did not work out well for him.
Armor upgrades, more colossi, lots of expanding, and eventually templar from me. More marines and some vikings from him.
The number of marines he was throwing out could have been scary if he'd put me under constant pressure, but once I had a couple of colossi, it never had a chance.
Lessons:
Almost too easy to learn from, but my macro wasn't able to keep up with my income off 4 bases, and I got supply blocked around 60. Need to remember to really put down a lot of production if I get an early third.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Game 46: PvT, ST, Win
Link: Update when ReplayFu returns
Opponents' Rank: Plat 69
MMR Change: +15 (276)
Overall Record: 27-19
Recap:
Got a little lucky on the scout, sneaking in when he lowered his depot and spotting the 3rd rax. Since I knew pressure was coming, I went with three gates and a forge, putting a cannon at the ramp.
Indeed, he came with a bunch of marines, which had no chance against sentries and a cannon. Killed it and expanded. Upgraded out of the forge, started teching to colossi.
He hit with another wave of marines that I handled easily with FFs and +1 armor gateway units. I got colossi when he tried to hit with some tanks. Killed them easily to finish the game.
Lessons:
Holding an all-in marine play is a lot easier if you scout it. I might have over-reacted a bit, but it worked, and if he'd gone with the 3-rax all upgrade push with marauders it would have been a closer thing.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 69
MMR Change: +15 (276)
Overall Record: 27-19
Recap:
Got a little lucky on the scout, sneaking in when he lowered his depot and spotting the 3rd rax. Since I knew pressure was coming, I went with three gates and a forge, putting a cannon at the ramp.
Indeed, he came with a bunch of marines, which had no chance against sentries and a cannon. Killed it and expanded. Upgraded out of the forge, started teching to colossi.
He hit with another wave of marines that I handled easily with FFs and +1 armor gateway units. I got colossi when he tried to hit with some tanks. Killed them easily to finish the game.
Lessons:
Holding an all-in marine play is a lot easier if you scout it. I might have over-reacted a bit, but it worked, and if he'd gone with the 3-rax all upgrade push with marauders it would have been a closer thing.
Game 45: PvZ, TA, Win
Link: Will update when ReplayFu returns.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 3
MMR Change: +14 (265)
Overall Record: 26-19
Recap:
Usual openings, 3-gate sentry against hatch first, which I didn't try to punish.
He hit with mass lings shortly after the expo went up, but I had plenty of FFs and zealots and killed it all. (I would have been way out of position if I hadn't grabbed the tower, though.)
Rebuilt off three gates, started the +1, started the robo, and pushed. Did tons of damage but the expansion stayed up.
Pushed out again with an immortal and +1. He had popped out mutas, but not very many and my pressure kept them at his base trying to kill me. I expanded and put down cannons, but didn't need it. Got the GG right after.
Lessons
Well, this was similar to last game except I didn't lose units doing early pressure, punished the aggression, and kept the pressure up so he couldn't get his mutas out.
All my pushes would have been more effective with a proxy pylon. Could maybe have ended things on the second push instead of the third. That's something I should start building in.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 3
MMR Change: +14 (265)
Overall Record: 26-19
Recap:
Usual openings, 3-gate sentry against hatch first, which I didn't try to punish.
He hit with mass lings shortly after the expo went up, but I had plenty of FFs and zealots and killed it all. (I would have been way out of position if I hadn't grabbed the tower, though.)
Rebuilt off three gates, started the +1, started the robo, and pushed. Did tons of damage but the expansion stayed up.
Pushed out again with an immortal and +1. He had popped out mutas, but not very many and my pressure kept them at his base trying to kill me. I expanded and put down cannons, but didn't need it. Got the GG right after.
Lessons
Well, this was similar to last game except I didn't lose units doing early pressure, punished the aggression, and kept the pressure up so he couldn't get his mutas out.
All my pushes would have been more effective with a proxy pylon. Could maybe have ended things on the second push instead of the third. That's something I should start building in.
Game 44: PvZ, XNC, Loss
Link: ReplayFu is down, I'll update later
Opponents' Rank: Plat 15
MMR Change: -9 (252)
Overall Record: 25-19
Recap:
I see a hatch-first opening and try to punish with a fast 2 zealots and 1 stalker, which he chases off with lings and I lose the two zealots. I go from there into the usual three-gate sentry expand, but he hits shortly after it goes up with lost of lings and my army doesn't have enough zealots in it.
Lessons:
I need to work on my early hatch punishment. It's just not working. I've tried a single chrono'd zealot with another following, and I've tried adding a stalker, and I can't seem to do any economic damage other than forcing lings, and I usually lose stuff.
If I can't punish, I'll just change to accelerating my expansion and trying to keep up, but I have a feeling that some pressure is necessary to stay even. This might require some research.
Also, my macro was terrible, which is why the push hurt as bad as it did. I should have just had the zealots out. That was mostly due to me messing with my build to get that pressure out, and then microing the push. Polish on my pressure plans would help with the macro, but honestly if I have to lose one I'll lose the pressure and keep the macro.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 15
MMR Change: -9 (252)
Overall Record: 25-19
Recap:
I see a hatch-first opening and try to punish with a fast 2 zealots and 1 stalker, which he chases off with lings and I lose the two zealots. I go from there into the usual three-gate sentry expand, but he hits shortly after it goes up with lost of lings and my army doesn't have enough zealots in it.
Lessons:
I need to work on my early hatch punishment. It's just not working. I've tried a single chrono'd zealot with another following, and I've tried adding a stalker, and I can't seem to do any economic damage other than forcing lings, and I usually lose stuff.
If I can't punish, I'll just change to accelerating my expansion and trying to keep up, but I have a feeling that some pressure is necessary to stay even. This might require some research.
Also, my macro was terrible, which is why the push hurt as bad as it did. I should have just had the zealots out. That was mostly due to me messing with my build to get that pressure out, and then microing the push. Polish on my pressure plans would help with the macro, but honestly if I have to lose one I'll lose the pressure and keep the macro.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Game 43: PvZ, ST, Win
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 69
MMR Change: +15 (261)
Overall Record: 25-18
Recap:
A walkover. He put down a roach warren before his expo, so I went into anti-roach cheese mode with an early forge and sentries.
He never attacked, possibly because he scouted the cannon, but he was way behind economically and my first push killed him.
Lessons
My macro slipped a bit from the change of plans. That could be smoother.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 69
MMR Change: +15 (261)
Overall Record: 25-18
Recap:
A walkover. He put down a roach warren before his expo, so I went into anti-roach cheese mode with an early forge and sentries.
He never attacked, possibly because he scouted the cannon, but he was way behind economically and my first push killed him.
Lessons
My macro slipped a bit from the change of plans. That could be smoother.
Game 42: PvZ, TA, Loss
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 38
MMR Change: -8 (246)
Overall Record: 24-18
Recap:
Interesting. I think this was my first run-in with the Spanishwa build. I'll need to watch this replay.
My usualy 3-gate sentry expand push was met with a couple lings, several queens, and lots of spines. Had to pull back.
I tried expanding to a third to take advantage of the turtle, but I didn't get things running fast enough. Speedlings took it out, then I got hit with mutas at the back and banelings in the front, which was clever, but I was already losing.
Lessons
I probably got too scared by encountering a different build. My standard play is pretty strong and I should stick close to it.
If I do try to take a third, I need to move an army into position to defend it.
Also, more vision would have been good-- at least fighting for the tower.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 38
MMR Change: -8 (246)
Overall Record: 24-18
Recap:
Interesting. I think this was my first run-in with the Spanishwa build. I'll need to watch this replay.
My usualy 3-gate sentry expand push was met with a couple lings, several queens, and lots of spines. Had to pull back.
I tried expanding to a third to take advantage of the turtle, but I didn't get things running fast enough. Speedlings took it out, then I got hit with mutas at the back and banelings in the front, which was clever, but I was already losing.
Lessons
I probably got too scared by encountering a different build. My standard play is pretty strong and I should stick close to it.
If I do try to take a third, I need to move an army into position to defend it.
Also, more vision would have been good-- at least fighting for the tower.
Game 41: PvZ, TP, Loss
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 14
MMR Change: -9 (254)
Overall Record: 24-17
Recap:
He 6-pooled. Scouted him last. My first clue was the zerglings in my base.
Lessons:
Well, my scouting micro isn't top notch. I could have sped it up a bit, maybe also kept a closer eye on my ramp. 2 out of 3 times, I scout this and spank him for it. This was not that time.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 14
MMR Change: -9 (254)
Overall Record: 24-17
Recap:
He 6-pooled. Scouted him last. My first clue was the zerglings in my base.
Lessons:
Well, my scouting micro isn't top notch. I could have sped it up a bit, maybe also kept a closer eye on my ramp. 2 out of 3 times, I scout this and spank him for it. This was not that time.
Game 40: PvT, BG, Loss
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 16
MMR Change: -8 (263)
Overall Record: 24-16
Recap:
Gah.
Gaaaah.
Okay, calmer now. I threw this one away twice.
I was in good shape, easily expanding while holding the early pressure. Then I made my first mistake, putting down a second robo facility instead of a robo bay-- just didn't notice until it finished. Delayed my tech and added a production facility I couldn't support, but I tried to make the best of it.
He was turtling hard behind a wall of tanks, so I expanded, which was fine. He got out vikings, which worried me a bit because my composition was very colossus-heavy. I tried to push in but couldn't make progress against the tanks, so I just expanded again. All good.
Then I just positioned my army a little too close to his tank line, and tried to push through the engagement. He had a stupid, ridiculous, crazy number of tanks and nothing else, which I wasn't expecting. So I stood in range and died.
Lessons
Don't charge into an enormous tank line, doofus. Take the map.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 16
MMR Change: -8 (263)
Overall Record: 24-16
Recap:
Gah.
Gaaaah.
Okay, calmer now. I threw this one away twice.
I was in good shape, easily expanding while holding the early pressure. Then I made my first mistake, putting down a second robo facility instead of a robo bay-- just didn't notice until it finished. Delayed my tech and added a production facility I couldn't support, but I tried to make the best of it.
He was turtling hard behind a wall of tanks, so I expanded, which was fine. He got out vikings, which worried me a bit because my composition was very colossus-heavy. I tried to push in but couldn't make progress against the tanks, so I just expanded again. All good.
Then I just positioned my army a little too close to his tank line, and tried to push through the engagement. He had a stupid, ridiculous, crazy number of tanks and nothing else, which I wasn't expecting. So I stood in range and died.
Lessons
Don't charge into an enormous tank line, doofus. Take the map.
Game 39: PvP, DQ, Win
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 5
MMR Change: +16 (271)
Overall Record: 24-15
Recap:
A very odd game. He tried to hide some proxy pylons in my base but I found them. I couldn't rule out the 4-gate so I defensive 4-gated. He made some very strange attacks that had no chance of working. He had hidden his production buildings in another base, which was odd but not threatening.
We both went colossus and my superior economy won out.
Lessons:
Checking for proxy pylons pays off. Also, I'm liking the defensive 4-gate as a PvP opener for now.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 5
MMR Change: +16 (271)
Overall Record: 24-15
Recap:
A very odd game. He tried to hide some proxy pylons in my base but I found them. I couldn't rule out the 4-gate so I defensive 4-gated. He made some very strange attacks that had no chance of working. He had hidden his production buildings in another base, which was odd but not threatening.
We both went colossus and my superior economy won out.
Lessons:
Checking for proxy pylons pays off. Also, I'm liking the defensive 4-gate as a PvP opener for now.
Game 38: PvP, TP, Win
Link:Jono vs Genomic on Typhon Peaks
Opponents' Rank: Plat 23
MMR Change: +16 (255)
Overall Record: 23-15
Recap:
He went 3-gate VRs, which was a bit of a surprise. My defensive 4-gate was a good response, although again I transitioned out of it into robo a little too early, since robo ended up not being too useful.
Beat the first push back, put pressure back on, expanded, got a couple extra gates and an upgrade to finish it off.
Lessons:
Defensive 4-gate is fine against surprise VRs.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 23
MMR Change: +16 (255)
Overall Record: 23-15
Recap:
He went 3-gate VRs, which was a bit of a surprise. My defensive 4-gate was a good response, although again I transitioned out of it into robo a little too early, since robo ended up not being too useful.
Beat the first push back, put pressure back on, expanded, got a couple extra gates and an upgrade to finish it off.
Lessons:
Defensive 4-gate is fine against surprise VRs.
Game 37 (In a row?): PvZ, TE, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 18
MMR Change: -8 (239)
Overall Record: 22-15
Recap:
Well, this is my punishment for saying I felt good about my PvZ.
Let me rephrase: I feel good about my PvZ when they go roach-hydra. Muta-ling is a whole different deal.
This is partly a scouting failure on my part. All of the signs were there-- lots of spines, late speed-- but when I got my obs in his base I only saw a roach warren and went ahead with my robo play.
The harass was too much, and I didn't respond to it well, and eventually it all caught up to me.
Lessons
If I suspect muta-ling, I need to be more careful about putting money into robo tech.
I'm bad at responding to muta harass in general-- I'm too low on APM, basically. It's probably worth a significant cannon investment.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 18
MMR Change: -8 (239)
Overall Record: 22-15
Recap:
Well, this is my punishment for saying I felt good about my PvZ.
Let me rephrase: I feel good about my PvZ when they go roach-hydra. Muta-ling is a whole different deal.
This is partly a scouting failure on my part. All of the signs were there-- lots of spines, late speed-- but when I got my obs in his base I only saw a roach warren and went ahead with my robo play.
The harass was too much, and I didn't respond to it well, and eventually it all caught up to me.
Lessons
If I suspect muta-ling, I need to be more careful about putting money into robo tech.
I'm bad at responding to muta harass in general-- I'm too low on APM, basically. It's probably worth a significant cannon investment.
Game 36: PvT, Win, TE
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 14
MMR Change: +16 (247)
Overall Record: 22-14
Recap:
I started to go with my standard 2-gate robo expand, but scouted a very early expand from him. I canceled my robo, put down 2 more gates and a proxy pylon, and pulled a 4-gate. He didn't have nearly enough forces to stop it despite bunkering up.
I think he pulled his internet cord.
Lessons:
Well, I almost never 4-gate Terrans, but it's useful for punishing someone who gets greedy.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 14
MMR Change: +16 (247)
Overall Record: 22-14
Recap:
I started to go with my standard 2-gate robo expand, but scouted a very early expand from him. I canceled my robo, put down 2 more gates and a proxy pylon, and pulled a 4-gate. He didn't have nearly enough forces to stop it despite bunkering up.
I think he pulled his internet cord.
Lessons:
Well, I almost never 4-gate Terrans, but it's useful for punishing someone who gets greedy.
Game 35: PvP, ST, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 14
MMR Change: -8 (231)
Overall Record: 21-14
Recap:
Gah, PvP.
He 4-gated, I defensive 4-gated and held the ramp so I thought I was okay. I put up a robo, got an immortal, and pushed out, but lost badly.
Lessons
My decision to transition quickly out of the defensive 4-gate needs a little tweaking, and I don't need to be too anxious to push out.
I had an economic advantage and he wasn't getting up my ramp. Could have waited till colossi.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 14
MMR Change: -8 (231)
Overall Record: 21-14
Recap:
Gah, PvP.
He 4-gated, I defensive 4-gated and held the ramp so I thought I was okay. I put up a robo, got an immortal, and pushed out, but lost badly.
Lessons
My decision to transition quickly out of the defensive 4-gate needs a little tweaking, and I don't need to be too anxious to push out.
I had an economic advantage and he wasn't getting up my ramp. Could have waited till colossi.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Game 34: PvP, TP, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 2
MMR Change: +16 (239)
Overall Record: 21-13
Recap:
A little awkward, but I pulled it out.
I'm pretty sure he went 4-gate, but didn't hit at the usual window. I went defensive 4-gate and he didn't try to break the ramp. Once I realized I had time, I teched to robo, got one immortal, teched to colossus, and broke the contain once my first one popped.
It died in the battle but I won handily. I expanded and got out 2 more colossi, pushed out and won.
Lessons:
My PvP still feels awkward, and that leads to bumps in my mechanics.
The transition out of the defensive 4-gate, in particular, is odd because it breaks my usual rules of constant production.
Still, I should be able to avoid the kind of nasty supply blocks that happened this game.
The root of the problem is indecision: Is he 4-gating? Is it going to hit? Why hasn't it hit yet? Can I tech? That thought process is distracting enough to cost me in mechanics. If I have smoother rules, it might go better, but I always feel like teching or expanding in PvP has to be a snap call because you can just get instantly punished for it if you do it at the wrong time.
I think I'm going to take Day 9's advice and put a stake in the ground, try to pick a moment to tech, and then adjust based on results.
Specifically, right after the 4-gate wave is supposed to hit. If nothing comes, the robo goes down.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 2
MMR Change: +16 (239)
Overall Record: 21-13
Recap:
A little awkward, but I pulled it out.
I'm pretty sure he went 4-gate, but didn't hit at the usual window. I went defensive 4-gate and he didn't try to break the ramp. Once I realized I had time, I teched to robo, got one immortal, teched to colossus, and broke the contain once my first one popped.
It died in the battle but I won handily. I expanded and got out 2 more colossi, pushed out and won.
Lessons:
My PvP still feels awkward, and that leads to bumps in my mechanics.
The transition out of the defensive 4-gate, in particular, is odd because it breaks my usual rules of constant production.
Still, I should be able to avoid the kind of nasty supply blocks that happened this game.
The root of the problem is indecision: Is he 4-gating? Is it going to hit? Why hasn't it hit yet? Can I tech? That thought process is distracting enough to cost me in mechanics. If I have smoother rules, it might go better, but I always feel like teching or expanding in PvP has to be a snap call because you can just get instantly punished for it if you do it at the wrong time.
I think I'm going to take Day 9's advice and put a stake in the ground, try to pick a moment to tech, and then adjust based on results.
Specifically, right after the 4-gate wave is supposed to hit. If nothing comes, the robo goes down.
Game 33: PvZ, Metal, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 19
MMR Change: +17 (223)
Opponents' Rank: Plat 19
MMR Change: +17 (223)
Overall Record: 20-13
Recap:
Lessons:
Recap:
A pretty easy win here. My three-gate sentry expand opening is getting pretty smooth.
My opponent was very good at using single speedlings to scout, but way too cautious with spine crawlers. He put up so many that I had to turn my first push back without engaging, but I counted that as a win because of the sunk cost.
My next step was a robo and a forge. Got +1 and an immortal, got a little supply blocked. Pushed out with that force, engaged the spine crawlers, used force fields on the lings. His first wave of roaches popped during the attack, but I killed it and then reinforced with my first colossus and another few waves of gateway units to seal it.
Lessons:
I had the supply block, and my money floated up during the push, even though I did get back and put down some warp ins. Could have done that more.
Overall my PvZ is in a very good place. I think I've lost one that wasn't cheese since I came back.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Game 32: PvT, XNC, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 10
MMR Change: -7 (206)
Recap: This was strange.
Lessons:
Opponents' Rank: Gold 10
MMR Change: -7 (206)
Recap: This was strange.
Basically, I went 3-gate expand. He went with a bio push off 3 rax with a ghost. I held it easily and thought I was in good shape. Got a robo up. My macro slipped a bit here with a supply block at 60.
Then he just pushed again, with a lot of bio. My control wasn't great and I'd lost some sentries in the first push, so it basically killed me right there.
I usually feel pretty safe after holding a T's first bio push, so I'm not sure what was different this time.
Lessons:
- First off, replace your sentries.
- Don't relax after the first push. I guess I should have know this-- 3-rax ghost off one base and failing to kill the expansion meant he either goes all-in or rolls over. Most Ts I play roll over, expanding way late and trying to play a macro game from behind. What this guy did is the right choice and I should expect to see it more often.
- Combining the two: teching after the push was a mistake. I needed to spend the gas on sentries and the rest of my resources on army. Probably should have gone with another gate and a forge.
Game 31: PvZ, Win, Shakuras Plateau
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: +16 (213)
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: +16 (213)
Record: 19-12
Recap: This flowed like a pretty standard PvZ despite some weird choices on his part-- he went gas-pool-hatch and I went 3-gate sentry expand. My first push went better than usual, able to cut off some units and even pick off a few drones, then scoot back out.
I came back with 2 immortals and an observer and again was able to get in, do damage, and come back out. His composition had more lings in it than I would have expected.
Because I'd kept all my units and I'd seen no sign of him adding hydras yet, I expanded to a third rather than tech to colossus. He pushed it as soon as it went up, and that battle was close but my warp-ins tipped the balance, even though I lost a bunch of probes.
At this point I had 3 functional bases powering 2 robos getting colossi along with a gateway ball. He pushed again at my third but I beat it down and did a final push to end it.
Lessons: Again, a very nearly standard PvZ, except that I would usually wait to get my third after colossus tech, and he didn't tech past roach/ling.
I was rocking the pylons this game. Felt like old times. Now I can get back to worrying about my money float.
Game 30: Win, PvZ, Slag Pits
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 58
MMR Change: +16 (197)
Recap: He opened with a fast pool, and I didn't defend as well as I should have despite scouting it. My pylon placement made it so I couldn't put up my usual temporary three-building wall, and they got in. I had to pull probes and chase them around, and lost a few in the process. Overall I still probably came out slightly ahead.
Opponents' Rank: Plat 58
MMR Change: +16 (197)
Recap: He opened with a fast pool, and I didn't defend as well as I should have despite scouting it. My pylon placement made it so I couldn't put up my usual temporary three-building wall, and they got in. I had to pull probes and chase them around, and lost a few in the process. Overall I still probably came out slightly ahead.
I pushed as soon as I had recovered, which might have been a mistake. Lost a stalker to a bunch of speedlings and withdrew.
Lessons: A pretty solid game. Would have been over faster if I'd placed my first pylon a little better and crushed his 6-pool. Supply management was better but still a bit bumpy. Some resource float during the push.
Went from there into my usual 3-gate sentry expand. Pushed and took some substantial losses. He went with upgraded roaches and I went with robo, getting several immortals out before teching to colossus, which finished it.
Lessons: A pretty solid game. Would have been over faster if I'd placed my first pylon a little better and crushed his 6-pool. Supply management was better but still a bit bumpy. Some resource float during the push.
Game 29: Loss, PvT, Backwater Gulch
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Replay
MMR Change: -7 (181)
Recap: Bunker rushed. I thought I was doing all right, intercepting the marines as they came in, but the bunker finished and they loaded up.
Lessons: Possible I should have pulled probes to prevent the bunker from finishing.
Opponents' Rank: Replay
MMR Change: -7 (181)
Overall Record: (I'm adding this since Battle.net now makes it hard to keep track.) 17-12
Recap: Bunker rushed. I thought I was doing all right, intercepting the marines as they came in, but the bunker finished and they loaded up.
Lessons: Possible I should have pulled probes to prevent the bunker from finishing.
Most of my recent losses weren't terribly educational. A Korean 4-gate, a 10-pool, a weird thing where he chrono boosted three zealots out of 1 gate and hit when I just had 1 zealot and 1 stalker and I didn't micro well enough, and one game where my macro was so terribly sloppy that all I can say is "fail less".
That only leaves a couple, both unorthodox PvPs. My PvP needs work, bad.
Opponents' Rank:
MMR Change: -7
Recap: He started with 3-gate pressure with a forward pylon. I'd seen enough to suspect a 4-gate and went defensive 4-gate. I had some awkward supply blocks in this period, but was still able to hold the first push and stay even in supply.
Once I figured the 4-gate wasn't coming, I put down a robo, got an immortal, and started dedicating all my gas to teching to colossus. This worked pretty well-- I had the immortal out for his next push, and a colossus out for the third. Once that was done, I pushed him back, destroyed the forward pylon, and expanded as I pushed.
He has already expanded, which was smart. I did a lot of damage with my push but he ended up keeping the nexus and killing almost everything. I didn't macro well during this battle. Our supplies were even but I was floating 900 minerals.
Still, I felt good. I had an expo up and a tech lead. He stayed with immortals and got blink while I kept making colossus. He got a third up a little faster than I did, but I don't think the game lasted long enough for that to matter.
I pushed in with two colossus, range, and +1 weapons. He had a bunch of stalkers and immortals, which wrapped around my colossi, killed them, and then crushed the rest.
Lessons:
- Some early supply blocks turned what should have been easy early battles into close calls, and my macro slipped during my main push. My mechanics slipped during my break, and they're my main focus for improvement. I could stand to spend a few games going back to watching the supply counter.
- My colossus lead made me over confident. It's a little odd to be fighting a PvP where the opponent doesn't have any, so I was a little thrown. Immortals are pretty good against them, and if I don't take advantage of the big range plus force fields to keep them safe, they'll die.
- I think I played this more-or-less correctly. Teching to colossus and pushing against his expo was the right move. If my macro and mechanics were better, it would have worked.
And We're Back
Went dark for a few weeks there as my video card blew out and it took a while to get replaced. The game's changed a bit while I was gone-- mostly, new ladder maps.
My intention with playing in general, and with the blog project in particular, was to play a few games, and then mindfully analyze them, rather than mass gaming.
Coming off a three-week hiatus, though, I found a couple of things:
My intention with playing in general, and with the blog project in particular, was to play a few games, and then mindfully analyze them, rather than mass gaming.
Coming off a three-week hiatus, though, I found a couple of things:
- I needed several games just to get back in the swing of 1v1
- I was underranked and winning boatloads of easy games.
Between that and the ladder reset (after which I was still in gold), I think I'm going to hit a reset button on the blog as well. I'll go through some highlights of my games since my return, and then restart with the game-by-game tracking.
So, since the ladder reset:
- Record: 17-11
- Adjusted MMR (No bonus pool): 188
Pretty good, actually. What's more, my wins are bringing in 17-18 points (without bonus pool) while my losses are costing 7-8, so I should be moving up pretty rapidly until that equalizes.
So, let's pull out some educational moments from my warm-up period, shall we?
Monday, March 7, 2011
Game 14: PvZ, ST, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 19
MMR Change: -11 (1325)
Recap: This is a juicy one. If any loyal readers were going to watch one game to give me advice, this would be the one I'd want them to look at.
We're in cross positions. He opens safe with gas-pool-hatch. I know early pressure won't do anything so I open with 3-gate sentry into an expansion. Once it's up I add a few stalkers and push his front while I build a robo. He has spines and a ton of speedlings.
This is probably where I start to go off the rails. Up till here we're even, or I'm slightly ahead in supply and harvesters. But so far I've seen nothing but speedlings and spines, and that screams mutas to me.
I hate mutas. It's not so much that I don't know what to do about them. It's that, in a metagame sense, they're a direct counter to my playstyle. I say "Okay, my micro is bad, but I'll have more harvesters and more units and more expansions." And mutas say, "I don't care how many units you have, you're going to lose all those probes you carefully built up unless you can play some high-micro defense."
So I probably overreact. I put down cannons in my main and natural and put down a stargate for phoenixes. Right at this point my observer gets to his base and doesn't find a spire, just a roach warren.
So I think, hey, lings and roaches, and I have a stargate up, let's get void rays to add to the colossus ball. I'm still worried that I haven't put any pressure on so I push out with the one colossus and one void ray.
That's where I lose. He's gotten a hydra den up and a few waves out. I thought I got a decent engage with good FFs so I stuck with it and lost bad.
I pull back and try to get a third up, but I get caught and die trying to defend it, but I never really recovered from that push.
Lessons:
Don't overreact on your hunches. My scouting was timed exactly wrong, seeing the mass lings right before the first roaches came out, and the roach warren right before the hydras, so I stayed worried about mutas the whole time.
I should have gone with either the cannons or the stargate, but not both. (Turns out I shouldn't have gone with either, but still.)
Pretty sure Day 9 has gone on about this at length. Adjust the build with one thing to respond, don't go swinging wildly trying to counter.
The other thing was that engagement was clearly not as favorable as I thought. I could have pushed the front of his creep, then fallen back once I put up the force fields. Worry him and let me build up my death ball with adjustments for what his build actually is. Then, I could have expanded with a big force controlling the middle instead of having to try to sneak it out.
Macro Benchmarks:
Probes per minute: 4.93
CBs per minute: 2.28
AUR: 800
I definitely let some CB build up, and there were periods of resource float that could be smoothed out. I felt like it was basically pretty good, but it might be one of those cases where it's deceptive. I'm coming back to this replay a few times.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 19
MMR Change: -11 (1325)
Recap: This is a juicy one. If any loyal readers were going to watch one game to give me advice, this would be the one I'd want them to look at.
We're in cross positions. He opens safe with gas-pool-hatch. I know early pressure won't do anything so I open with 3-gate sentry into an expansion. Once it's up I add a few stalkers and push his front while I build a robo. He has spines and a ton of speedlings.
This is probably where I start to go off the rails. Up till here we're even, or I'm slightly ahead in supply and harvesters. But so far I've seen nothing but speedlings and spines, and that screams mutas to me.
I hate mutas. It's not so much that I don't know what to do about them. It's that, in a metagame sense, they're a direct counter to my playstyle. I say "Okay, my micro is bad, but I'll have more harvesters and more units and more expansions." And mutas say, "I don't care how many units you have, you're going to lose all those probes you carefully built up unless you can play some high-micro defense."
So I probably overreact. I put down cannons in my main and natural and put down a stargate for phoenixes. Right at this point my observer gets to his base and doesn't find a spire, just a roach warren.
So I think, hey, lings and roaches, and I have a stargate up, let's get void rays to add to the colossus ball. I'm still worried that I haven't put any pressure on so I push out with the one colossus and one void ray.
That's where I lose. He's gotten a hydra den up and a few waves out. I thought I got a decent engage with good FFs so I stuck with it and lost bad.
I pull back and try to get a third up, but I get caught and die trying to defend it, but I never really recovered from that push.
Lessons:
Don't overreact on your hunches. My scouting was timed exactly wrong, seeing the mass lings right before the first roaches came out, and the roach warren right before the hydras, so I stayed worried about mutas the whole time.
I should have gone with either the cannons or the stargate, but not both. (Turns out I shouldn't have gone with either, but still.)
Pretty sure Day 9 has gone on about this at length. Adjust the build with one thing to respond, don't go swinging wildly trying to counter.
The other thing was that engagement was clearly not as favorable as I thought. I could have pushed the front of his creep, then fallen back once I put up the force fields. Worry him and let me build up my death ball with adjustments for what his build actually is. Then, I could have expanded with a big force controlling the middle instead of having to try to sneak it out.
Macro Benchmarks:
Probes per minute: 4.93
CBs per minute: 2.28
AUR: 800
I definitely let some CB build up, and there were periods of resource float that could be smoothed out. I felt like it was basically pretty good, but it might be one of those cases where it's deceptive. I'm coming back to this replay a few times.
Game 13: PvP, XNC, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 6
MMR Change: -10 (1336)
Recap: He went with an odd 3-gate zealot rush that I actually now realize is the same opening as Game 8. Maybe there was a TL post I missed.
This time, though, I didn't adjust and it rolled me over early.
Lessons: Well, there's a new PvP build out there I'm not familiar with. It's probably designed to kill a 4 gate before it gets off the ground, where mine is designed to weather the first push by killing tons of stalkers.
So, without adjustments, theirs beats mine, too. With adjustments to survive a zealot rush, mine rides a tech advantage to victory.
The rough thing here is that I actually had it scouted-- I saw the second gate go up before the core, but I didn't recognize it because it went down right as the first gate finished and I assumed it was a core.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 6
MMR Change: -10 (1336)
Recap: He went with an odd 3-gate zealot rush that I actually now realize is the same opening as Game 8. Maybe there was a TL post I missed.
This time, though, I didn't adjust and it rolled me over early.
Lessons: Well, there's a new PvP build out there I'm not familiar with. It's probably designed to kill a 4 gate before it gets off the ground, where mine is designed to weather the first push by killing tons of stalkers.
So, without adjustments, theirs beats mine, too. With adjustments to survive a zealot rush, mine rides a tech advantage to victory.
The rough thing here is that I actually had it scouted-- I saw the second gate go up before the core, but I didn't recognize it because it went down right as the first gate finished and I assumed it was a core.
Game 12: PvT, BG, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Plat 21
MMR Change: -10 (1346)
Recap: Killed by the early three rax push.
Lessons: Well, my PvT in general comes down to whether I die on that first bio push or not. I'd like to get better at it, which I think comes down to FF micro.
This game, though, I got supply blocked 3 times before 50 food. I just should have had a lot more stuff waiting and I didn't. I just blew my build order. It would be good to get some polish on it, actually. Any Terrans want to run a few games where you 3 rax rush me?
Opponents' Rank: Plat 21
MMR Change: -10 (1346)
Recap: Killed by the early three rax push.
Lessons: Well, my PvT in general comes down to whether I die on that first bio push or not. I'd like to get better at it, which I think comes down to FF micro.
This game, though, I got supply blocked 3 times before 50 food. I just should have had a lot more stuff waiting and I didn't. I just blew my build order. It would be good to get some polish on it, actually. Any Terrans want to run a few games where you 3 rax rush me?
Game 11: PvZ, ST, Win
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Silver 4
MMR Change: +10 (1356)
Recap: I was setting up for my usual 3-gate sentry expand when this guys stole my second gas. Well, I have one strong 1-gas build, and it's the 4 gate. So I 4 gate, and he barely had anything there.
That earned me a little mild BM complaining about the "skillgate", but I talked to the guy afterwards explaining that the gas steal is pretty much an invitation to four gate and he seemed pretty cool about it.
Seriously, though, I love me a macro game, but if you hatch first and steal my gas, it's four gate time.
Lessons: Not much. Possibly that I should four gate more. I was trying it for a while, but I realized that running a good four gate requires good micro and smooth early game execution under pressure-- exactly my weaknesses-- and doesn't reward good macro or game management-- my strengths. I figure it's better to play to my strengths.
It's still a good build to keep in your back pocket for when people get greedy, though.
Opponents' Rank: Silver 4
MMR Change: +10 (1356)
Recap: I was setting up for my usual 3-gate sentry expand when this guys stole my second gas. Well, I have one strong 1-gas build, and it's the 4 gate. So I 4 gate, and he barely had anything there.
That earned me a little mild BM complaining about the "skillgate", but I talked to the guy afterwards explaining that the gas steal is pretty much an invitation to four gate and he seemed pretty cool about it.
Seriously, though, I love me a macro game, but if you hatch first and steal my gas, it's four gate time.
Lessons: Not much. Possibly that I should four gate more. I was trying it for a while, but I realized that running a good four gate requires good micro and smooth early game execution under pressure-- exactly my weaknesses-- and doesn't reward good macro or game management-- my strengths. I figure it's better to play to my strengths.
It's still a good build to keep in your back pocket for when people get greedy, though.
Game 10: PvZ, ST, Win
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Silver 19
MMR Change: +10 (1346)
Recap: Another thwarted 7RR, followed by quick pressure to finish it off.
Lessons: Well, I can cross 7RR off the list of stuff that kills me. It's easy to scout and easy to get the cannon up and sentry out before it hits. Unless my opponents are bad enough at execution to make a dangerous build look bad, it's a free win for me.
So the question is why so many Zs seem to think it's a good way to open at this level.
Opponents' Rank: Silver 19
MMR Change: +10 (1346)
Recap: Another thwarted 7RR, followed by quick pressure to finish it off.
Lessons: Well, I can cross 7RR off the list of stuff that kills me. It's easy to scout and easy to get the cannon up and sentry out before it hits. Unless my opponents are bad enough at execution to make a dangerous build look bad, it's a free win for me.
So the question is why so many Zs seem to think it's a good way to open at this level.
Game 9: PvT, DQ, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 2
MMR Change: +11 (1336)
Recap: Wow, this felt easy. He opened with 2 fast rax and pushed with a handful of marines and 3 SCVs. I killed it with my initial zealot/stalker/sentry. He shut down my expansion with another pack of marines, but I killed them when they came up the ramp and expanded to my back door.
Did the usual tech to colossus with range, stomped on a minor tank/marauder force, and walked up his ramp while expanding.
Lessons: Things got a little rocky macro-wise after I canceled the first expansion, and again while I killed the second push, and once more as I was pushing out with a third coming online.
Also, it wasn't necessary this time, but I really should watch my ramp more closely and split his army as it comes up.
Macro Benchmarks:
Probes per minute: 4.56
Chronoboosts per minute: 2.08
AUR: 729
Obviously these aren't perfect measurements of macro execution, since they're going to go up with the number of bases. On the other hand, I like games with lots of bases. I tend to win them.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 2
MMR Change: +11 (1336)
Recap: Wow, this felt easy. He opened with 2 fast rax and pushed with a handful of marines and 3 SCVs. I killed it with my initial zealot/stalker/sentry. He shut down my expansion with another pack of marines, but I killed them when they came up the ramp and expanded to my back door.
Did the usual tech to colossus with range, stomped on a minor tank/marauder force, and walked up his ramp while expanding.
Lessons: Things got a little rocky macro-wise after I canceled the first expansion, and again while I killed the second push, and once more as I was pushing out with a third coming online.
Also, it wasn't necessary this time, but I really should watch my ramp more closely and split his army as it comes up.
Macro Benchmarks:
Probes per minute: 4.56
Chronoboosts per minute: 2.08
AUR: 729
Obviously these aren't perfect measurements of macro execution, since they're going to go up with the number of bases. On the other hand, I like games with lots of bases. I tend to win them.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Game 8: PvP, SP, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Platinum 3 (Yay! I'm back to being matched against platinums after that horrific slide.)
MMR Change: +13 (1325)
Recap: Another bout of unexpected early pressure. Did someone shift the PvP metagame while I was away? This time was a zealot rush, which I scouted and threw down a second gate of my own. His micro was definitely better than mine and he killed more probes than he should have given that our forces were equal, but for now I'm willing to accept being out-microed if I keep up my macro, which I did.
He tried again with another wave which I held easily. Once I knew I wasn't under pressure, I expanded and got my robo. I pushed out with a few immortals but he held his ramp with FFs. (At this point I should have scouted better, because he took a ninja expansion shortly afterwards. That could have been nasty had I not expanded to a third myself.)
I got colossi, broke his ramp, stomped on his army, then hunted down his expansion.
Lessons: If I think I have a contain, scout the expos! (Unlike the other lessons, this falls well within the scope of things I want to be working on.)
I made a couple mistakes trying to break his ramp-- on the first try, I brought an observer, but let it get into range of a cannon. On the second, successful, try, I used my collosi to break the forcefields, but this accidentally sent them to the front of my army where they got killed.
Again, these are micro mistakes that I make up for with superior macro and game management, and that's well within my game plan. Just making a note of it.
Opponents' Rank: Platinum 3 (Yay! I'm back to being matched against platinums after that horrific slide.)
MMR Change: +13 (1325)
Recap: Another bout of unexpected early pressure. Did someone shift the PvP metagame while I was away? This time was a zealot rush, which I scouted and threw down a second gate of my own. His micro was definitely better than mine and he killed more probes than he should have given that our forces were equal, but for now I'm willing to accept being out-microed if I keep up my macro, which I did.
He tried again with another wave which I held easily. Once I knew I wasn't under pressure, I expanded and got my robo. I pushed out with a few immortals but he held his ramp with FFs. (At this point I should have scouted better, because he took a ninja expansion shortly afterwards. That could have been nasty had I not expanded to a third myself.)
I got colossi, broke his ramp, stomped on his army, then hunted down his expansion.
Lessons: If I think I have a contain, scout the expos! (Unlike the other lessons, this falls well within the scope of things I want to be working on.)
I made a couple mistakes trying to break his ramp-- on the first try, I brought an observer, but let it get into range of a cannon. On the second, successful, try, I used my collosi to break the forcefields, but this accidentally sent them to the front of my army where they got killed.
Again, these are micro mistakes that I make up for with superior macro and game management, and that's well within my game plan. Just making a note of it.
Game 7: PvP, XNC, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: +13 (1312)
Recap: This was an interesting game. He hit very early with 3 zealots and did a decent amount of damage as I had to pull some probes. I held and got an immortal out in time for his next wave so he pulled back, but took advantage of the contain to expand. My second was coming up later but I had a lead in tech and pushed out with 2 collosus with range.
Here he surprised me-- he split up his army and baited my colossus in. I thought I had his whole army behind a choke point, but he swept the other half around in a flank. Very clever, and it did a lot more damage than it otherwise would have, killing both my colossus. I won the engagement and pushed into his natural, where a few waves of warp-ins let him defend.
I pulled back, but I had expanded during that push and put down another robo, and the next push was decisive.
Lessons: Again, I let the early pressure shake me a bit as the contain threw off my build order. I know that my macro slips in battles, and I'm taking steps to correct that, but it also slips when I start trying to make build adjustments on the fly.
The thought process seems to go--"Yikes, my money is high because I couldn't expand when I expected. I'd better make an adjustment like putting down another gate and starting teching."
When it should probably be reversed: "This contain will force my money up if I don't do something other than expand." Same buildings, different trigger, faster results.
It's nice to have macro good enough that I can feel that decision happen. When floating money was my default position, I wasn't really making choices like that. This feels like playing Starcraft.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: +13 (1312)
Recap: This was an interesting game. He hit very early with 3 zealots and did a decent amount of damage as I had to pull some probes. I held and got an immortal out in time for his next wave so he pulled back, but took advantage of the contain to expand. My second was coming up later but I had a lead in tech and pushed out with 2 collosus with range.
Here he surprised me-- he split up his army and baited my colossus in. I thought I had his whole army behind a choke point, but he swept the other half around in a flank. Very clever, and it did a lot more damage than it otherwise would have, killing both my colossus. I won the engagement and pushed into his natural, where a few waves of warp-ins let him defend.
I pulled back, but I had expanded during that push and put down another robo, and the next push was decisive.
Lessons: Again, I let the early pressure shake me a bit as the contain threw off my build order. I know that my macro slips in battles, and I'm taking steps to correct that, but it also slips when I start trying to make build adjustments on the fly.
The thought process seems to go--"Yikes, my money is high because I couldn't expand when I expected. I'd better make an adjustment like putting down another gate and starting teching."
When it should probably be reversed: "This contain will force my money up if I don't do something other than expand." Same buildings, different trigger, faster results.
It's nice to have macro good enough that I can feel that decision happen. When floating money was my default position, I wasn't really making choices like that. This feels like playing Starcraft.
Game 6: PvT, ST, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: +13 (1299)
Recap: I hold an initial bio push at my ramp with FFs, then expand and ride the macro wave to victory. He tries to mech up in the center of the map, which I pushed into a little too hard at one point and lost a lot of units. He also actually does a great job of anticipating tech timings, so he had vikings out to meet my first wave of colossi and ghosts for my first wave of templar.
I countered by having more stuff. A lot more stuff.
Lessons: This was actually a little rocky early one. I blew pylons. The third one always needs to be built while I'm scouting with my probe, so I can get distracted sometimes. Then once the robo is down and I'm building immortals I tend to miss one at 50 or 58. That's bad because it's right before this 3-rax push is hitting.
That rockiness made me less confident in my ability to hold the push and made me delay the expo until after it hit. In most PvTs, I'd have had it up already and been trying to defend it.
I did a better job of spending down three bases worth of cash flow, though.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 1
MMR Change: +13 (1299)
Recap: I hold an initial bio push at my ramp with FFs, then expand and ride the macro wave to victory. He tries to mech up in the center of the map, which I pushed into a little too hard at one point and lost a lot of units. He also actually does a great job of anticipating tech timings, so he had vikings out to meet my first wave of colossi and ghosts for my first wave of templar.
I countered by having more stuff. A lot more stuff.
Lessons: This was actually a little rocky early one. I blew pylons. The third one always needs to be built while I'm scouting with my probe, so I can get distracted sometimes. Then once the robo is down and I'm building immortals I tend to miss one at 50 or 58. That's bad because it's right before this 3-rax push is hitting.
That rockiness made me less confident in my ability to hold the push and made me delay the expo until after it hit. In most PvTs, I'd have had it up already and been trying to defend it.
I did a better job of spending down three bases worth of cash flow, though.
Game 5: PvP, Metal, Loss
Link:Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 2
MMR Change: -10 (1286)
Recap: This one hurts because I lost on what are usually my strengths. I let money pile up and gates stand idle. He also shocked me by taking out 2 colossi very quickly with chargelots, which I thought would die a lot faster than they did. I could have prevented that with better army positioning and actually getting some force fields off. It shouldn't have mattered, though, because I should have been much further ahead.
Lessons: Well, this is the same story as always-- watch my gate cooldowns better, and build more gateways or another robo if my money creeps up.
Also, I have a tendency to think I'm invincible when I have an advantage in colossi count, and I got punished hard for it this game.
But if you have 900 minerals in the bank, you really can't complain about anything else.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 2
MMR Change: -10 (1286)
Recap: This one hurts because I lost on what are usually my strengths. I let money pile up and gates stand idle. He also shocked me by taking out 2 colossi very quickly with chargelots, which I thought would die a lot faster than they did. I could have prevented that with better army positioning and actually getting some force fields off. It shouldn't have mattered, though, because I should have been much further ahead.
Lessons: Well, this is the same story as always-- watch my gate cooldowns better, and build more gateways or another robo if my money creeps up.
Also, I have a tendency to think I'm invincible when I have an advantage in colossi count, and I got punished hard for it this game.
But if you have 900 minerals in the bank, you really can't complain about anything else.
Game 4: PvZ, XNC, Win
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Silver 3
MMR Change: +12 (1296)
Recap: I scout the late expansion and early roach warren, so I know it's some kind of rush with a prime number of roaches. These are pretty vicious against my normal build order, but if I know it's coming I put down a forge and get an early sentry.
Lessons: Well, my plan for roach rushes seems to work okay. Putting quick pressure on right after is against my usual instincts, but I think it's important. This guy rightly gave up on the rush right away and pumped drones, and if I hadn't punished him for it right away he might have made a decent recovery.
Opponents' Rank: Silver 3
MMR Change: +12 (1296)
Recap: I scout the late expansion and early roach warren, so I know it's some kind of rush with a prime number of roaches. These are pretty vicious against my normal build order, but if I know it's coming I put down a forge and get an early sentry.
I split his roaches on my ramp and they die to my cannon. I use the next round of warp-ins to put pressure on while I expand-- I'm intending to use my economic advantage and just go into normal robo play, but he doesn't even have enough left to hold against my initial pressure.
Lessons: Well, my plan for roach rushes seems to work okay. Putting quick pressure on right after is against my usual instincts, but I think it's important. This guy rightly gave up on the rush right away and pumped drones, and if I hadn't punished him for it right away he might have made a decent recovery.
Game 3: PvT, DQ, Loss
Link: Replay
Opponents' Rank: Gold 11
MMR Change: -14 (1284)
Recap: Quick and dirty. T pushes out right after my expo goes up with two ghosts and three rax worth of bio. I die.
Opponents' Rank: Gold 11
MMR Change: -14 (1284)
Recap: Quick and dirty. T pushes out right after my expo goes up with two ghosts and three rax worth of bio. I die.
Lessons: This is one of T's early pushes that I still have no idea what to do with: 3 rax with two ghosts. I can't point to any production lapses, and in fact I'm pretty sure I would have had it handled were it not for two EMPs. I just don't know what to do against that at that stage of the game-- maybe just back off and wait to recharge the shields? That would mean sacrificing my expo, so maybe if I know it's coming, which I did, I should delay the expansion, put down an extra gateway, and try to hold my ramp with my army spread out.
Production-wise, I was fine. There's a little bump in my build currently where I hold off on the expansion until I can see what my observer sees, and that pushes my money up to 700 or so, which is awkward, but against tech builds like this one it seems important to delay.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Game 2: PvT, XNC, Win
Replay
Opponent's Rank: Silver 1 (Boo!)
MMR Change: +12 (1298)
This was a weird one-- the kind of thing that happens at lower leagues and can really throw you off. I can usually anticipate the flow of PvT tech changes-- My collosus count goes up, they add on vikings, I slowly switch over to templar.
Instead, he stayed on mass marauder for way longer than I thought, and I was looking elsewhere when the engagement started and he stimmed and ran up and wiped out a sizable colossus/stalker ball.
But if you doubt the power of looking away from the battle to macro, check out what happens after that: the remnants of his forces push into my base to find the army I'd built in the meantime, and I walk over it easily.
He surprises me again by going mass vikings instead of gradually adding them to the army. Fortunately I'd already started the templar switch. (Once the engagement started I should probably have realized the colossi were goners and just done as much damage as I could instead of futilely running them across the map.)
A few good psi storms mop things up, but this was a macro win.
Lessons:
Well, there are some hideous problems in here. Money float and supply blocks, including one at a crucial time that I thought would cost me the game. There's the aforementioned thrown-away army that could have been saved with force fields. Also, I have expos go up and don't transfer probes for ages.
I respond poorly to some harassment, too, but I'm basically fine with not having good micro.
Game 1: PvT, Metal, Win
Replay
Opponent's Rank: Gold 3
Unadjusted MMR change: +10 (1286)
An auspicious beginning. He lifted to the gold at the start and I caught it by checking the watchtowers with my scout. I streamed my first few units in to kill SCVs, and the rest is pretty much academic.
Areas for improvement:
Well, since this was so unorthodox, I got thrown off my game early and let the micro at the base distract me. Definitely let my money get higher than it should during that period. Tap more! A simple 6ss would have kept production up and I could probably have ended it early.
Once I had control, I expanded a ton and once again didn't put down the structures to spend it well. As my third is coming on line, I need to add *at least* three more gates and another tech structure.
Introduction
Recently I tried to take advantage of a week to myself to try to step up my Starcraft 2 game and maybe earn that promotion to platinum that's been eluding me forever.
I documented that experience at Reddit. The results: a vast improvement in my macro, a huge spike in the quality of players I was being matched against, and not a inch of budging in my displayed ranking.
And that's fine. The displayed ranking is just for show, and I could feel the improvement, which was always the real goal. It's a little funny that I could rise 70 places in the rankings while essentially stagnant in skill, then get have a quantum leap forward in ability and not budge.
After that week, though, I didn't get to play for a while, and now I'm a little rusty again. I have some time to play, and I'm going to try to repeat the process. Massing games isn't all that helpful to me. I think I need to play a few games, then go carefully over the replays and evaluate my progress.
The areas I'm working on are macro-related: tapping my production facilities, keeping my money low, mainly. I'm also working on improving my scouting.
This time, I'll be doing an analysis of each game, win or lose, and giving it its own entry here. As before, I'd welcome any feedback and commentary.
According to this analysis, my hidden MMR is 1276, and a promotion comes at 1500.
Let's get started.
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