I was originally saving this for some occasion but didn't get around to playing much and with HotS around the corner, I figured this would be a good time to share the little trick with you guys.
In this post, I will demonstrate how to effectively gain vision over any ramp that has been forcefielded once with the help of only one low energy sentry. Practically, this means that any Blink all-in build in PvP will be able to blink in your main at 7:00-7:10 provided that only one forcefield is used.
Good Protoss players know that there is only one way to correctly place an FF on your ramp when dealing with a blink all-in.
If placed too high (1), a single zealot or probe moved to a corner of the FF will gain high ground vision (trying this with a stalker will cause the vision to glitch on and off and you will be unable to blink in). A stalker forcefielded at the corner of the first forcefield will aslo gain vision in this configuration.
If placed too low (2), stalkers are able to blink over and provide vision
(3) is the only correct way to place your FF to deny vision up the ramp
After extensive testing, I have figured out a way to gain vision, even if the FF is in position (3).
I use a zealot in this video but it also works with a stalker
Place your zealot or stalker in the corner of the FF and hold position (so he doesn't move back when units shoot at him)
Forcefield right behind him so the border of your own forcefield reaches the middle of the ramp while still trapping your zealot
Wait for his first FF to wear off and blink up the ramp
This technique works as long as your zealot/stalker doesn't get killed by the units on top of the ramp (send your zealot 8-10 seconds after the initial FF to minimize exposed time). It works even if your opponent stacks his FF. Seemingly, earlier FFs have priority over later FFs when deciding by which FF the zealot is going to be pushed.
Practical uses include improved 4 gating if your opponent uses positions (1) or (3) to FF his ramp, or improved blink all-ins against Stargate builds or greedy tech builds.
Example of pro games (SPL) where this could have been used to change the outcome of the game: HerO vs Rain@7:15 ingame time Mini vs Wookie@7:10 ingame time
4 gate considerations: This technique can also be used to 4 gate in PvP, however this will not work if opponent places his FF as in (2) or lower.
Can't understand what's happening exactly - your FF behind the zealot causes his future FFs to not be low enough? He can't place new FFs at the "right" spot anymore? Is that it? Thanks for the find!
It looks to me in the video that his second FF is higher than the first - is this enforced by what you did?
Sentry defenses are a lot weaker in HotS anyway. Still this is huge for now. And yet, you will have 2 units less with your Blink no obs all-in. That might just be enough to lose to 1 Immo and a few Gateway units.
This technique works as long as your zealot/stalker doesn't get killed by the units on top of the ramp (send your zealot 8-10 seconds after the initial FF to minimize exposed time). It works even if your opponent stacks his FF. Seemingly, earlier FFs have priority over later FFs when deciding by which FF the zealot is going to be pushed.
This reminds me of the find where a unit created most recently would win in a 1v1 (in which if they attacked at the same time, and therefore should be a tie, but it always goes to the "youngest" unit). I wonder if there's a connection in how the game is coded.
This technique works as long as your zealot/stalker doesn't get killed by the units on top of the ramp (send your zealot 8-10 seconds after the initial FF to minimize exposed time). It works even if your opponent stacks his FF. Seemingly, earlier FFs have priority over later FFs when deciding by which FF the zealot is going to be pushed.
This reminds me of the find where a unit created most recently would win in a 1v1 (in which if they attacked at the same time, and therefore should be a tie, but it always goes to the "youngest" unit). I wonder if there's a connection in how the game is coded.
On February 10 2013 00:34 rEalGuapo wrote: Sentry defenses are a lot weaker in HotS anyway. Still this is huge for now. And yet, you will have 2 units less with your Blink no obs all-in. That might just be enough to lose to 1 Immo and a few Gateway units.
Just one unit in fact. This works with a stalker (and you should do it with a stalker) so when you get vision you can blink the stalker used to gain vision up as well.
thanks for sharing!! another thing i love about starcraft, people are still discovering tricks in this game almost 3 years since it came out! another testament to the beauty of starcraft
As a grandmaster protoss player I know the 3 good positions of the forcefield.
Resulting from that trick, against a 4 gate you can only place "middle forcefields" and "low forcefields", if you place a forcefield too high, he'll just gain vision of your high ground and warp in. (note: you need to stand on one of the edges of the high forcefield with a small unit such as a probe or a zealot (not stalker) to gain vision to the high ground). This trick brought many victory many times against people who weren't that knowledgeable in the placement of the forcefield and then I just warped up the ramp and the game was over.
And you always need to place the perfect middle forcefield against observerless blink pressures. As a phoenix player I experience them a lot and it's a priority skill to have as a phoenix player to place that forcefield just right against a blink pressure. Also you must know in advance of it coming but you won't have enough time to forcefield when he's already near your ramp. This means you need to keep a scouting unit either at Xel'naga tower or if not possible at the bottom of the ramp to see those blink stalkers coming and put a middle forcefield to hold them.
Nice trick though, it will might make 4 gate harder to hold on sentry relying strategies and allow to bypass forcefield for an obless blink player.
On February 10 2013 05:15 Adonminus wrote: As a grandmaster protoss player I know the 3 good positions of the forcefield.
Resulting from that trick, against a 4 gate you can only place "middle forcefields" and "low forcefields", if you place a forcefield too high, he'll just gain vision of your high ground and warp in. (note: you need to stand on one of the edges of the high forcefield with a small unit such as a probe or a zealot (not stalker) to gain vision to the high ground). This trick brought many victory many times against people who weren't that knowledgeable in the placement of the forcefield and then I just warped up the ramp and the game was over.
And you always need to place the perfect middle forcefield against observerless blink pressures. As a phoenix player I experience them a lot and it's a priority skill to have as a phoenix player to place that forcefield just right against a blink pressure. Also you must know in advance of it coming but you won't have enough time to forcefield when he's already near your ramp. This means you need to keep a scouting unit either at Xel'naga tower or if not possible at the bottom of the ramp to see those blink stalkers coming and put a middle forcefield to hold them.
Nice trick though, it will might make 4 gate harder to hold on sentry relying strategies and allow to bypass forcefield for an obless blink player.
???
But this trick shows that even a perfect middle forcefield doesn't hold a blink all-in ?