Common Terms and Items of 419-users (Part II)

410 Victoria Street: YC's cybercafe. New base of knifing and headshotting. YC has put up pictures of Raz and Druggy on the walls.

Batu Api: Ability to incite racial hatred among the 3 races of SC. Looks innocent but is extremely deadly.

Breaking the ramp: using mass numbers to break choke points or sexy tactics like Cors web.

Bum: Pip Drop out: free 2 on 1 battle.

DOU: Defender of Universe. No idea where Raz got that name.

Evil laugh: only YC possesses such a skill. Strong candidate for evilest laugh in the universe.

Fast DT: quick tech to DT to stop any ground troops. Risky if opponent rushes for fast obs.

Fast muta: YC's former favourite tactic. Decent against terran to keep them home or zerg who's slow to get hydra.

Fast reaver drop: Raz's new super tactic. Forces terran to go early tank which means the team has to go defensive.

Hydra king raz: Fast expand + more hydras than you can count

Lag: bnet on fri night :(


Nuke-king: Druggy for inventing the nuke push....

Playing to best of one's ability: YC's ultimate claim to fame. Its always the teammates' fault. :)

Sexy: going for tech, less troops but more micro to make up numbers. Most stylish way to win. Eg by mind controlling carriers/dropship or smart storm etc. Term created by ghostroc and perfected by Druggy.

Solid: pure mass. best complement to sexy. Solid & Sexy : The ultimate combination. Very dependent on teamwork.

Smart storm: using multiple psionic storms to cover a wide area. Maelstrom is optional.

Stealth cannon: building cannons in fog of war areas in opponents base. Requires teammate to go solid to counter rush.

Stealth camper: CS term. Ability to constantly change camping spots. Mainly used by Druggy and now picked up by JT.

Super Ling drop: YC tactic of camping with multiple spires, sunken while quick teching to super lings and drop.

Surgical strike: hit & run harassment to slowly whittle away enemy troops. Usually ghostroc with his hydras.

Telekom: Inefficient, ripoff of a company

Tossgirl: Every 419er wants a girl who can kick their arse in SC.

Special Feature of 419:- Frequently Asked Questions on 419-ers

In a special exclusive, we interview the members of 419:- Druggy (D), Freefrag (F) , G.A.M.E (G), Pip (P) NeoRazgriz (N) and YC (Y). The author would like to thank the 419 members for taking their time for this interview.


What is your strongest race in Starcraft?
D: I don't have a strongest race, I am the weakest member in 419.
F: It doesn't matter - I play random.
G: Does random count as a race - I am G.A.M.E afterall?
N: Same over here, I am the strongest in all races.
P: I am an honorable person, so I would most probably choose an honorable race ( Protoss).
Y: Long live the swarm! (Zerg).


What about the most weakest race?
D: Answer as above.
F: Terran. Long time never play already using Terran.
G: Answer as above.
N: Why do you even bother asking this question when you know the answer already?
P: Zerg.
Y: Chinese are not weak! - (?)


Most triumphant moment in your SC games so far?
D: Becoming a sacrificial lamb for my team mate so that he can "chup" frag.
F: One time in Huntress I controlled 9/10th of the entire map. Elimination by expansion.
G: Using Druggy as a sacrificial lamb and picking up the remains.
N: Eliminating Druggy and Pip via nuclear strikes, at the same game.
P: Game where 1st time use marines as 300 and it works ... :-)
Y: One time YC beat KV and showed everyone who went to 419 the replay! (Correction its
twice now)


If you were to go for a 1 v 1 against someone, who would it be? (For batu api purposes – not compulsory but worthwhile to consider)
D: It doesn't matter who I go 1 v 1 with, I am the weakest member of 419.
F: G.A.M.E.
G: Freefrag or Raz
N: G.A.M.E.
P: Druggy or Raz - Too easy man!
Y: KV (SCGod of 419) becoz I beat him 2 out of 99 battles.


Who is the one that you dread going 1 v 1?
D: Freefrag , G.A.M.E, KV, Freefrag, YC and Raz.
F: G.A.M.E.
G: Not applicable.
N: Not applicable. I fear none. Those who oppose me shall fall.
P: Druggy, expert on defensive expansion ... he is a fool to realise that he's bound to lose
anyway. I just dread the long hours trying to wear him down only.
Y: KV (SCGod of 419) becoz I beat him 2 out of 99 battles only.



Who would you like to see go 1 v 1?
D: G.A.M.E v anyone else (He hasn't played for a long time). But most of time, I like to be an
obs.
F: Actually, I would like to see more 1 v 1! (not including me of coz).
G: It doesn't matter who. I just like to disturb the waters until I see a 1 v 1.
N: Anything that involves me vs someone else. (...)
P: Druggy vs Raz, see liao already whois king of defensive expansion ... and who will wear me
down the most.
Y: KV vs Me. It brings out the best of my ability on my games.


What is the most feared strategy for you in 2 v 2?
D: Everything. 419-ers know that I am the weakest link, so they'll come after me quick.
F: Someone disturbing me while I expand.
G: Not applicable. I remain undefeated in my games.
N: Teammate helping me out. They can be such a source of annoyance.
P: Inaction due to defensive expansion & guerrilla tactics aim solely at killing me innocent
workers.
Y: Teammates that do not play to the best of their ability.


What do you fear most when you go against other people?
D: Nuclear strikes, air strike, drops, mass troops, DTs, the list goes on and on....
F: Not enough minerals to amass my troops.
G: I fear none.
N: Why do you keep on asking such questions, its annoying. Like I said, those who oppose me
will fall.
P: Not enuf cashola to keep' em coming, me troops of cos ...
Y: Not playing to the best of my ability.


Last question for all of you , what is you strongest signature move?
D: Becoming sheep for my teammate.
F: Expand!! Expand!!!!
G: Well, I am basically a Jack -of - all trades. So basically, I have infinite moves.
N: Destroying everything at my sight.
P: Lots, mount for a 300 !!!!!!
Y: Muta-ing ppls base.

And there you have it people, a brief but clear interview between the members of 419. It is hoped that readers will be able to glean from this interview, the inherent characteristics of 419. Note: Some text may have been edited due to its sensitive nature. Coming up in the next post - P.I .P

When is Pip Going To Update The Blog?

As the title of the Blog indicates, this Blog HAS NOT BEEN UPDATED IN AGES. What will happen to this Blog? Will the Blog fall into the hands of evil and neglect? Has the flame of spitefulness been doused already?

KILL KILL KILL Vol. 2 – Starconomics of Scale

NOTE: CLICK TO BETTER SEE PICTURE 01, 03, 06 & 07

First, we have numb3rs, now we have scale. Truly, this game is about the maximizing capacity while significantly reducing cost up to point of optimal efficiency. Here, capacity is troop production, cost is war casualties and optimal efficiency is the motto “I can produce faster than you can kill”. Truly, this is the epitome of numb3rs, mass production and the macro specialist.

The map is Sin Gaema Gowan. The contestants and the respective teams are as below -
- Team 1 :- Teal Protoss (Druggy) at 11 and Red Terran (G.A.M.E.) at 2
- Team 2 :- Orange Zerg (Raz) at 5 and Brown Protoss (YC) at 8

Basically, it’s the top half of the map vs. bottom half.

Starting

It’s the usual stuff at the start, your build order, scouting, and so forth. Since there were no skirmishes early in the game, the build-up of troops becomes the focal point for each player. An interesting note is that at 5:06, each player went a different path in terms of troop production (see pic01). It would have been interesting to see whether Team 2 can break Teal’s ramp given Brown’s extra 1 goon at 5:06. Since no ramp-breaking, Teal proceed to expand early at 7:58, a move which would be very beneficial to Teal at the later part of the game (see pic02).



The Battle



Prior to the first battle, we can see Teal’s decision to fast expand bearing fruits at 9:00, where teal’s zealot/goon sortie is slightly larger than the rest (see pic03). Furthermore, Team 1’s leverage on Team 2 is further increased when Teal’s orbiter discovered Orange’s expansion before it can be secured (see pic04). The assault lead not only denying Orange’s expansion but also destroying its primary army, a squad of hydralisks , which is rather critical as Orange is pretty much open after this (see pic05).

Brown attempted ground reinforcements but Teals troop production leaves little room for Brown to help stop Team 1’s siege on Orange (see pic06). Brown’s earlier teching allowed him time to built carriers, which is the perfect unit to perform guerilla tactics, thus keeping the Team 1’s troops from going full steam into Orange’s HQ. As mentioned earlier, every new batch of troops from Teal would have been slightly larger, thus allowing Teal to absorb more damage while still continuing the assault. Soon, this force Brown’s carriers back to re-supply (rebuilding interceptors) at his HQ.This gave Team 1 the opportunity to siege Orange instead.



Resource utilization is scale ?



The difference in mineral utilisation is also critical, each player starts with 12000 minerals each (1500x8). By 16:08, at their HQ, Teal has depleted its minerals, Red has mined ~10800 while Brown and Orange has mined 10500 & 9500 (see pic07). This is a rough indication of what resources has been spent on the war effort for each player. This means Team 1’s resupply would be one step ahead each time a skirmish occurs and finally, a combined taskforce at 17:17 would break Brown’s expansion (see pic08).

Conclusion

From the point in where Brown’s expansion is taken out, Team 2 is contained and will only be defending their HQ. While Brown’s carriers were essential in preventing any full assault, Red was given a green light to expand freely as Teal provided mobile cannon fodder since the very first battle. As Teal lacks any real leverage in air superiority (goons’ dances a bit 2 much), Red drops the hammer at 24:36 by 4 cloaked wraiths and driving the nail into Brown’s guerilla airforce, thus leading to Team 2 calling it a day (see pic09).

Note: Hallelujah, amen. We shall now sing to “More ! More! MORE!” …can you kill faster than I produce?

KILL KILL KILL Vol. 1 – Numb3rs

Numb3rs dude, its all numb3rs. How? When? Where? Fcuk that, give me numb3rs and I will show you bloodbath and I will paint the town really red. Numb3rs are simple and thorough, it is KILL KILL KILL.

Want to see numb3rs in action, well let’s start. The map is huntress and we have

• Team A - yellow terran (Freefrag) at 1 & blue protoss (Pip) at 5
• Team B - purple zerg (Raz) at 3 and teal terran (G.A.M.E) at 9



Raz started with an early expansion and by 4:15, his expansion is well-secured. As with most battles, early skirmishes are like appetizers. This first skirmish sees Team B doing a raid on Freefrag’s base at 5:09, which then Team A will counter and this go on until something comes up. Raz went for early expansion while Freefrag took up the way of the “machine”, and soon mines start popping up. This interrupted the flow of the skirmish and the stalemate starts hereon, BUT this is also where numb3rs comes in.

Numb3rs = KILL KILL KILL



Seeing this, Pip thinks to himself “numb3rs ehh, okay then, numb3rs it is then”, see 11:37. How wrong Pip to assume that was was enough because right smack in the center, a marines only rave party, organized by G.A.M.E. was really coming up nicely, see 11:52. While Pip was busy expanding, messing with numb3rs and totally forgetting scanners, Raz just waltz right in with a lurker and hydras, denied Pip’s expansion and even reached the main base, see 13:16.



To disrupt the rave party, at 16.31, Freefrag began his “machine” siege run on Raz, but from behind they come, the marine rave party, high on stimpacks and trigger happy, started emptying their gauss rifles like water and really chewed the machines. Pip tried to provide backup but seriously, an overdosed marine rave party is not something you want to mess with, see 17:00. By 18:12, the marine rave party, still high on stimpacks arrived at Pip's expansion and its KILL KILL KILL.



The rest is history, Pip left the game soon after and the rave party is soon joined by lurkers’ war party at 21:00, camping outside Freefrag’s base and chanting KILL KILL KILL. Kudos to Freefrag in putting a stop to drug abuse and dispersing these two parties, but unfortunately, given the odds against Freefrag in terms of resources and numb3rs, he would not be able to stop rave party round 2, organized by Raz, titled lurkers’ night out, see 22:05.



Note 1: numb3rs, love it if you have it, hate it when you don’t …
Note 2: next update … KILL KILL KILL Vol. 2, Starconomics of scale

419 Diplomacy - Nuclear Rain

“Accept the damn replay. Accept it. Damn it.”

G.A.M.E on MSN Messenger

Such was the fate of this poor writer. To the victor, the spoils of war. To the loser, the bitterness and spitefulness of defeat. Being threatened by G.A.M.E and Raz, I am now forced to tell this tale of onslaught

In Starcraft, the greatest threat to all of the races is the impending doom of a nuclear launch. It is no wonder that whenever a nuclear launch has been detected, a warning will be given to the player. The aftermath of a nuclear launch in Starcraft can be quite frightening as a player will suffer heavy losses and at the same time, being open to attacks.

In this replay, the number of nuclear launches amounted to 5. As always, it will be difficult to cover the entire game in this blog, so only the preparation of the nuclear launch will be shown. The map is Lost Temple, the players and their positions are as follows: G.A.M.E (6) & Raz (3) vs Pip (3) and Druggy (12)

Phase I - The Wipe Out of Druggy – Nuclear Rain.

The first apocalypse began when Raz dropped a stealthy ghost at Druggy's base. The problem with this was that Druggy had no observers or detectors. The horror started when the phrase "Nuclear launch detected" appeared.


What followed next was of course, the destruction of the Druggy's base:-

Author's note: Notice the destruction that a nuclear warhead causes.

The launch of the first nuclear warhead brought despair to the forces of Druggy. But this was no time to despair, for a second nuclear warhead was on its way......



The aftermath of the second nuke took out most of the remaining shields of Druggy's buildings. The base was now utterly defenseless. "Druggy must die.....no matter the cost" thought Raz. While the entire production line and buildings has been crippled, there was still a problem ...the problem of survivors. To do this, a third nuclear warhead was dispatched to Druggy's base......


Note: Boom! Sayornara Druggy~!!!!

Phase II - The Elite Ghost

With Druggy out of the way now, Raz turned towards his sight at Pip's base. G.A.M.E had did an excellent job in holding back Pip. While Raz was busy sending nuclear warheads to Druggy's base, G.A.M.E had been engaged in battle with Pip. All that was needed to be done now was to team up with G.A.M.E and wipe out Pip. But Raz had other plans....a quick scan revealed that Pip had forgotten to set up detectors at the front of his base. Upon seeing this, Raz quickly sent an Elite Ghost to Pip's base:-


Note: Can anyone see a Ghost unit in this pic?

The Elite Ghost carefully waltz's through 5 tanks, avoiding any detection:-


Knowing that there was still an active communication scan able to de-cloak him, the Ghost had to do something to avoid detection. A sinister thought began to unfold to Raz. "Perhaps, the most dangerous place is the most safest place for the Elite Ghost?". He had found the ideal place to position the Elite Ghost:-


The Elite Ghost steadily placed his cross hair over Pip's supply line and soon a message popped up on Pip's screen "Nuclear launch detected". Due credit for the photos below goes to G.A.M.E, who manage to save the replay on Raz greatest moments. The pics below show Pip's base before and after the holocaust:-


Note: Before.......



Note: After......

Phase III - The Fall of The Elite Ghost????
An annoying problem still exists. There was one more surviving command centre Pip has. It had to be destroyed. Swiftly, the Elite Ghost carefully placed his cross hair over the surviving command centre. However, there was a problem. The energy level of his cloaking device is tremendously low and there was a dozen marines searching for him, eager for revenge over what he had done to their home....


"Come on, come on!" thought the Ghost. His cloaking device was no more. Pip's marines scurried to his location, aiming their Gauss rifle at the Elite Ghost. The Ghost turned to them, smiled and said "Too late, my friends". While he had fallen, the Elite Ghost had brought down with him one more command centre......

Note: You're going down with me !!!!!!!!

(Phew, someone can do the next post. Who wants to do YC vs Pipboy???)

What the stress of working life does to you...

Macro v Micro - A Simple Game To Show Why Numbers Matter......

Note: The above 2 screenies show the following:-

• An evil tactic being executed- notice the blue shiny ray being warped into the battlefield.
• The number of troops that safeguard Pip's Fortress.

Ah yes, the battle against MACRO and MICRO. The 8th Post of depicts a tale of how at any given day, Starcraft is a MACRO game. If you notice from the above 2 screens, you can see the number of troops that GAME and Pip have. Readers will also find Razrigz signature move being executed in its final form - the Cannon Rush. However, while the Cannon Rush move utilises an opponents blind spot, this also serves as a double edge sword as well. The builder is blinded with the number of troops their opponent has (such as in this case).

Anyways, Raz began issuing orders to Druggy to harrass Pip while the Cannons were building. Druggy obeyed with his zerglings being the meatshields for Raz probe to continue building more cannons. The prelude and aftermath of this can be illustrated below:-

As you can all see, the Marines dished out punishment severly on the Zerglings as well as taking out nearly all of the cannons that were being built. Truly, Pip was the "Mass King" in all terms when he took out the Zerglings and Cannons as well.

But the post does not stop here, the armies of Pip rallied with the armies of GAME in the middle of the map. Wiping out the cannons and zergling was one thing, now all that remains was to gather and reinforce their position so that they won't be ambushed. True enough, a dozen zealots from Raz base rushed to the middle of the map only to be encountered with gauss rifles and propane flames. Druggys' troop also rushed to the middle of the map only to be sent to oblivion. The cries of zergling and sound of protoss warriors can be heard through out the entire game. But this was soon drowned by the maniacal laughter of GAME and Pip.

Note: "Burn Raz! Burn! Let me show you how well Protoss honor does against hot lead and propane tanks!" cried Pip.

Shortly after the onslaught of carnage, Pip began messaging GAME:-

"Plan C. Plan C" Pip typed.

"Roger" GAME responded.

Please refer below for an explanation of what "Plan C" is in GAME and Pip's language:-

Excerpts from the life of a Spiteful Person…..

It was a long day for M today when he unlocked the door to his house. Administering justice through paperwork was a tough job as one had to be vigilant to ensure justice was duly served.

“Air” He coughs. Walking down to the corridor of his house and into his room. Lighting his first cigarette, he breathes a sigh of relief into his nicotine contented room. Here the atmosphere was just right, oxygen amounted to 30% of the content of the atmosphere while nicotine, 70%.

The room was filled with the latest gadget and wizardry ever imagined to mankind. But the centralized core of the equipment was none other than the Computer itself.

Equipped with the most unfathomable 36” Liquid Crystal Display screen ever known to the 419 circle, it allowed the user to catch the slightest glimpse of movement in a game. It was no wonder, M was the reigning champion of 419 now. Next to the screen was a processor, (with unknown specs, but assumingly powerful) and beside it, a wireless keyboard and mouse. Being a game junkie, M also liked to play other console games. To utilize the full potential of the monitor, a small little wire can be seen streaming through the heavy equipment and into a gadget known as “PS3”.

With his trembling hands, he reached to his pocket and lighted a second cigarette. It was going to be 11 p.m. soon. The lights in his modem were flickering steadily due to his downloads which, will be soon completed. Soon, he will have to pause them and prepare for battle. Suddenly, a small pop-up window came out and displayed “Asia ?”

“Asia” he typed.

Moving his cursor over the list of his favourite icons, he clicked the icon “Starcraft : Broodwar”. At last, he will have his revenge ...