Hello friends. I'm a GM Zerg player who plays on the NA server. I wanted to showcase an opener that I created in order to counter the current TvZ Meta of the 2/1/1 stim drop utilizing the Queen range buff. It is a very macro oriented build and I believe it would also help newer players train their mechanics.
So without further ado, I present to you:
The Gasless Three Base!
Build Order
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The build order is super basic:
17 Pool
17 Hatch
@100% Pool Queen + pair of Zerglings
Use these Zerglings to scout
22 OL
22 Hatch
@3:30 two extractors
@100 Gas Zergling Speed
@75 Gas 2 Evo Chambers - this makes it so that you can start your double upgrades as soon as the evo chambers finish.
@250 Gas +1/+1 Upgrades
@100 Gas Lair
At around the 5:30 mark you should also be starting a 4th base and a macro hatchery. While you are following this build order you are making up to 9 queens. 6 for defense and 3 for hatcheries.
At around the 5:00 mark you should have 6 queens, around 56 drones (16x3 mineral saturation and 6 on gas, and upgrades, lair, and a fourth base on the way.
17 Pool
17 Hatch
@100% Pool Queen + pair of Zerglings
Use these Zerglings to scout
22 OL
22 Hatch
@3:30 two extractors
@100 Gas Zergling Speed
@75 Gas 2 Evo Chambers - this makes it so that you can start your double upgrades as soon as the evo chambers finish.
@250 Gas +1/+1 Upgrades
@100 Gas Lair
At around the 5:30 mark you should also be starting a 4th base and a macro hatchery. While you are following this build order you are making up to 9 queens. 6 for defense and 3 for hatcheries.
At around the 5:00 mark you should have 6 queens, around 56 drones (16x3 mineral saturation and 6 on gas, and upgrades, lair, and a fourth base on the way.
Execution
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Your objective is to be consistently spreading creep. To ramp up the creep spread process I like to use my first queen to create a tumor extending from the main and the second queen to come out of the main hatchery as my first injecting queen.
This build was designed with the purpose of stopping the ever so popular double medivac stim drop that Terran does at the 5:20 mark. Massive amounts of creep and queens scare the Terran away from being too aggressive with their push and you have an excellent defensive perimeter to stop any incoming aggression. Your ling speed should be finishing as the Terran is trying to push in, but slow lings on creep coupled with queens should be more than enough to deal with the push. Just be sure to fight in favorable positions and avoid chokes if possible.
3 Rax Reaper response
In the case of 3 Rax Reaper, all you need to do is throw down a roach warren and two extractors once you confirm it is a 3 Rax Reaper (which you'll be able to confirm relatively early with your first pair of scouting zerglings. Defending while doing this opener is very difficult and will boil down to how effectively you can micro your units and how good your decision-making is when it comes to building drones.
This build was designed with the purpose of stopping the ever so popular double medivac stim drop that Terran does at the 5:20 mark. Massive amounts of creep and queens scare the Terran away from being too aggressive with their push and you have an excellent defensive perimeter to stop any incoming aggression. Your ling speed should be finishing as the Terran is trying to push in, but slow lings on creep coupled with queens should be more than enough to deal with the push. Just be sure to fight in favorable positions and avoid chokes if possible.
3 Rax Reaper response
In the case of 3 Rax Reaper, all you need to do is throw down a roach warren and two extractors once you confirm it is a 3 Rax Reaper (which you'll be able to confirm relatively early with your first pair of scouting zerglings. Defending while doing this opener is very difficult and will boil down to how effectively you can micro your units and how good your decision-making is when it comes to building drones.
Transitions
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This opener is very open ended and allows for players to comfortably switch into whatever tech path they wish. I am most comfortable with Hive Rush so that will be explained in slightly more detail.
Hive Rush
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Ling/Bling/Spire
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Roach Ravager
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Hive Rush
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Upon my Lair finishing, I like to add my Infestation pit, baneling nest, and two more gases.I prefer to rely solely on static defense, Queens, and Zerglings (later banelings) to defend any pushes coming my way. Start your 2/2 upgrades as soon as your 1/1 finishes as well.
When my infestation pit finishes I start my hive, a spire, and I take the rest of my gases at my two remaining bases. I also take a fifth behind it. Starting your spire at the same time as your hive means both will finish at the same time and you can start your greater spire as soon as your hive finishes.
Once Hive is finished, get adrenal glands and go down your preferred tech route between Brood Lords or Ultralisks or both if you're feeling extra cheeky.
When my infestation pit finishes I start my hive, a spire, and I take the rest of my gases at my two remaining bases. I also take a fifth behind it. Starting your spire at the same time as your hive means both will finish at the same time and you can start your greater spire as soon as your hive finishes.
Once Hive is finished, get adrenal glands and go down your preferred tech route between Brood Lords or Ultralisks or both if you're feeling extra cheeky.
Ling/Bling/Spire
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I hesitate to call it Ling/Bling/Muta because sometimes you wanna go corruptors to counteract Liberators and they do just as good of a job at killing medivacs if not a better job.
When you are getting your lair simply take all of your gases instead of an additional two. Start your spire as soon as lair finishes and play Ling/Bling/Spire as you would in previous metas. Get a huge economy and overwhelm your opponent with nonstop aggression. You may wish to take your fifth base before starting your hive.
Transition to Hive when you are comfortable or win the game on Lair tech. It's up to you.
When you are getting your lair simply take all of your gases instead of an additional two. Start your spire as soon as lair finishes and play Ling/Bling/Spire as you would in previous metas. Get a huge economy and overwhelm your opponent with nonstop aggression. You may wish to take your fifth base before starting your hive.
Transition to Hive when you are comfortable or win the game on Lair tech. It's up to you.
Roach Ravager
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I have absolutely zero experience transitioning into roach ravager using this build (as I don't like to play roach ravager) but I feel the concept is pretty much the same. When you are getting your 1/1 upgrades you may opt for +1 Ranged Attack instead of +1 Melee.
Still rely on Queens and Lings to defend pushes at the 5:20 mark. As yo're starting your lair, however, start a roach warren as well and take the appropriate number of gases to support a roach ravager army.
Still rely on Queens and Lings to defend pushes at the 5:20 mark. As yo're starting your lair, however, start a roach warren as well and take the appropriate number of gases to support a roach ravager army.
Replays
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http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815976 - King Sejong Station
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815977 - King Sejong Station
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815978 - Galactic Process
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815979 - Galactic Process
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815983 - Galactic Process
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815980 - Frost
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815981 - New Gettysburg
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6815982 - Frozen Temple
http://ggtracker.com/matches/6816908 - Frozen Temple
Let me know your thoughts, criticisms, etc. Happy laddering!
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