Byzantium (Part 2)

Of Honor and Deceit

While DOU was busy finishing off YC, a different battle being fought. Unlike the stealthy and backstabbing battle between DOU and YC, the battle between GAME and Pip was much more open and fierce. The battlefield of Byzantium was full of GAME's and Pip’s troops eager for battle. However, GAME was giving Pip a hard time to breathe in the game. The air was full of adrenaline as GAME was doing a hit and run maneovour against Pip’s expansions. Utilising the flexibility of his Zerg troops, GAME was toying with Pip as while the Protoss were fast, they were not as fast as the Zergs. As soon as Pip’s Protoss arrive at the area for a counter attack, GAME’s Zergs were already gone.

While Protoss buildings were well shielded, it would be only a matter of time before the shields wear out from GAME's hard hit attacks. “The shields will hold” thought Pip. At least he hoped for it. Wave after wave of attacks made Pip's realise that the Zerglings were slowly growing in numbers. Fortunately for Pip, the hit and run technique by GAME could not do enough damage to destroy his buildings. This provide him with an opportunity to strengthen his forces. The breaking point in the stale mate was when Pip had amassed the equivalent number of troops. Yes, if it was anything, no player in 419 could ever beat Pip in a game of massing for he was a player who could mass troops under any circumstances. It was to the horror of GAME's troops when they saw frenzied and seas of Protoss bursting out of the damaged buildings. The troops, like DOU, were hungry for blood. No amount of Zergs could compensate for the amount of damage done to their home.

Yet, GAME was not called the MVP of 419 for no particular reasons. Chancing upon the traps that DOU had earlier placed in the early stages of the game, GAME cleverly planned his escape route. The Zergs slowly retreated to the direction of the cleverly laid spider mines. As the Protoss troops approached closer to the spider mines, the mines sensors began to activate attacking the troops. While Protoss are honourable players they are blinded by their own pride at times. With the help of the mines, GAME had managed to escape safely. Pip lacked observers so it would be awhile before he could actually moved out of his base.

Push

The small lapse of time gave GAME time to build up his troops and expand his base. Eventually, GAME had multiple production sites and troops. GAME began to hatch a plan. A small squadran of Hydralisks was dispatched as a scouting party. But the group also served another purpose: bait. As the scouting made it within the line of sight of Pip's troops, the Protoss began to charge. Careful to ensure that the Protoss would not suspect anything, minimal ressistance was put up by the Hydralisk. Thinking that this was another typical hit and run manevour by GAME, Pip's troops charged towards the scouting party unaware that they were being led into a trap. The unsuspecting troops came to a huge wide area where a few dozens Hydralisks lie waiting for them. The two armies clashed.

However, GAME had the upper hand as his troops were easily replenished. The Zergs began applying pressure to the Protoss. For every Zerg that fell, three replaced the fallen. As the overwheling Zerg troops became even more vicious, Pip was forced to do what he hated most : retreat. It was a wrong move for Pip though – the sight of Pip's troops retreating made GAME go into a frenzied state like 419-ers do (except Druggy). Unlike other 419-ers which see blood only, GAME's spiteful state made his entire surroundings turned into red. All that GAME wants now is to see in his screen “Pip was eliminated”. Swiftly, he ordered the remaining Swarms to invade Pip's while at the same time, replenishing his fallen troops. Even without a single message being typed, the words “Die, Pip! Dieeeee!!!!” the sound of a maniacal evil player can be heard. A building fell, followed by another. Pip was slowly being pushed back to his expansion base with hordes of Zerglings and Hydralisks following him. Soon he will be cornered in his own base. “Blood..must have more blood” thought GAME. At this point of time, GAME's Zerg were slowly wearing down Pip's base defences. It was a pity that the Protoss didn't spill any blood for it was all what GAME wanted to see.

Pip breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the remaining forces of YC descending upon him at the his home base. The remaining forces of YC immediately set up a defensive parameter and barricaded Pip's forces. However, this was not enough to stop a Berserker like GAME. Carefully placing his troops away from the siege tanks away GAME began placing his second bait.

Seeing that the tanks are unable to reach the Zerg troops, YC immediately unsieged his tanks only to find that it was all GAME’s plan all along. Shock troopers willing to die for GAME charged towards the siege tanks focusing their fires on the tanks. The tanks perished amongs the troops but it was a small price to pay to wipe out the remaining ressistance in Pip’s base.

As the last of Pip's base fell, Druggy , an observer pleaded for mercy but unfortunately, GAME was still at a frenzied stage leaving nothing but destruction and ash at his trail….

Byzantium ( Part 1)

Byzantium. Home of the Emperors and where countless battles were fought. What more could be more fitting than a map worthy of the most powerful players in 419? The battle ground was set to determine who was the most elite players of 419 in terms of massing and pulling a surprise attack (backstabbing).

For Team A, we have the following players:-

• PIP ( Teal Protoss) – Well known player capable of massing basic and high levelled troops. Known for winning games using pure basic troops (not exceeding level 2 tier troops). Players would normally get very worried where Pip remains silent for the whole entire duration of the game.

• YC9999 (“YC”) ( Yellow Terran) – The upgraded YC99. Known to be a player who is capable to counter practically anything that his opponents throws at him. YC is the upgraded YC99 who has an unsatiated bloodlust and tends to go overboard. Where a player is down, YC will try and get rid of him despite pleas of mercy.

On the other hand, in Team B, we have the following players:-

• GAME (Brown Zerg)– Another mass player. While YC9999 is a player who is flexible in terms of countering against any forms of attack, GAME is a player is able to attack in many different forms of attack, in different combinations. While lacking in terms of micro, GAME makes it up by overwhelming his opponents.

• DOU (White Terran) – GAME’s nemesis. DOU had allied with GAME for the purposes of this skirmish in hopes of learning more of GAME’s strategy. In fact, the upcoming next few posts will show how DOU became the new emperor of Terran (or perhaps, 419 itself) .

Backstabber vs backstabber (frontstabber?).

The game started off with DOU scouting around the battle fields of Byzantium with his SCV, hoping to find a suitable prey. By chance, he stumbled upon YC who was prepping his base entrance with supply depot barriers and barracks. What made DOU happy was that YC was too pre-occupied building his base defences that he did not realise that he had built his defences at the lower ground of the terrain. DOU knew he had to be quick to take advantage of the situation as an opportunity such as this does not come too often.

Utilising his training skills he acquired from watching GOMTV, Raz swiftly instructed two marines to head towards YC base entrance and at the same time building a bunker outside. Such swift movements and thought have been made possible after the rigorous training and experiments DOU had undertaken. YC still unknown to what was happening to his surroundings did not realise that a bunker was slowly being constructed until the first shelling from DOU marines were fired.

This certainly had taken YC by surprise, but calmness soon prevailed he knew that two marines couldn’t do much damage unless they were fully supported by artilleries. YC was not known as the specialist for counter-attacks for nothing. He quickly instructed an SCV to repair the “damage” DOU had done. To further counter DOU’s bunker, factories were built to construct siege tanks to assault the newly constructed bunker.

Raz began to curse when the siege tanks began pummelling his bunker. “What a waste” he thought. The might of YC’s tank proved to be too overwhelming that the bunker began to burn.

Seeing that his temporary ally in a fix, GAME sent a swarm of cracklings to assassinate the siege tanks. Such an effort proved to be futile as YC’s defences were too well fortified. Seven lings fell, followed by five more later.

YC was laughing manically as Raz and GAME began to attack his fortifications. It was so easy for him to brush off such feeble attempts. Seeing that his opponent has an iron defence, DOU had no choice but to retreat to his base and began to plan again. It was not to his advantage to confront YC in the area where he is at his strongest. YC had the upper hand in that combat as it was his home ground and he could easily fend off everything that DOU could throw at him. What was needed was more of an indirect approach. Swiftly placing swift fortifications at the upper ground just outside YC’s base, DOU immediately began to fortify a passage that only a fly could only get through. Hopefully, YC will take the bait when his troop passes through to assist Pip.

Alas, luck was not a DOU’s side when a quick scan by YC revealed Raz’s plans. A further scan revealed a newly constructed base. Two drop ships were immediately commissioned to drop DOU’s newly constructed base. By passing DOU’s heavily fortified defences, the dropship began to unload their dangerous cargo: siege tanks and marines. The drop went so smoothly that the SCV’s did not even knew what hit them until it was too late.

Cursing his misfortune over the unexpected drop, DOU began to quickly unsiege his earlier fortifications. His vultures sped to salvage whatever that was left on his base. Unfortunately, YC’s siege tanks were heavily entrenched in the mineral patch. Despite their speed and mobility, the Vultures began to explode before they could even touch the siege tanks. The few surviving vultures that made it through the heavy siege bombardments were easily picked off by the marines. Easily.

As DOU slowly watched the Vultures perish, he immediately pulled back his remaining troops. DOU now needed to figure out a way to stop YC’s troops from doing further harm. The mineral patch provided a natural fortification for the tanks, but to DOU, every defence has its own weaknesses. The sight of YC’s dropship flying away from the battle field gave him an idea. A single dropship was then loaded with his own tanks. As the dropship flew to the mineral patch, YC’s troops began to fire frantically at the dropship. A similar sight was then shown to YC. His own strategy was used against him. While DOU’s dropship had already perished, it had successfully unloaded its cargo – two siege tanks. YC’s marines immediately fell to the assaulting tanks. The best part for DOU was that YC siege tank could not do a single thing against assault tanks at point blank range.

But DOU did not stop there. The spitefulness inside him had hardened him. He wanted more. Seeing a fleet of YC’s dropship approaching for a second assault made DOU see blood. To confront his enemy, DOU needed to bring out his strongest technique: Mass wraiths.

The tide of battles soon turned…..prey had become hunter and hunter becoming prey. After making short work of the dropships, the Wraiths travelled to YC’s base. Buildings began disappearing to unseen apparitions and troops began dying from short bursts of lasers

The victor in this battle had already been decided….

Coming up next: Battle of The Giants - Pip v GAME