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?
