[Stream] iAmiAnC

I have limited RTS experience, having never competed online in an RTS game prior to the release of SC2. I played WoW at a fairly high level on the european realms securing several rank 1 titles on the prestigeous 'Cyclone' Battlegroup and playing a number of classes. WoW players may be familiar with my characters Korlic (Warrior) and Korlicbus/Kbus (Hunter). I played PvE at the highest level on my warrior with the guild Method, competing for 'World First' boss kills in PvE instances and experiencing all that WoW PvE content had to offer. I later focused more on the 'Arena' PvP side of WoW playing my hunter in the guild Hydramist. Those familiar with Hydra's stream may recall him streaming our efforts to gain rank 1 in the 5v5 ladder a while ago. I would say that my WoW playing helped me with quick decision making in Starcraft and familiarised me with mashing 1-0 on the keyboard

Despite not having played any online RTS prior to this, I have played RTS games casually for years. When I was very young I played through the original Command & Conquer and Red Alert games, and from that moment I was hooked on PC gaming. I then moved on to play Total Annihilation which is still my favorite RTS game of all time. That game was truely revolutionary and it introduced many features which are considered standard/essential in modern RTS games. TA is a great game and I recommend any1 who hasn't to check it out. The soundtrack is also absolutely epic and really enhances the experience.

Total Annihilation Soundtrack - Brutal Battle

Inexplicably I completely missed SC:BW. I watched the trailer that came with the Diablo CD and then I completely forgot about Starcraft untill the buzz surrounding the SC2 announcement started to reach me. I didn't take part in the beta and I only picked up SC2 in a store roughly a month after the release since everyone was trying it and the reviews had been great.

After completing the single player campaign I picked and began playing 1v1 ladder games. I was placed in bronze and steadily worked my way up to diamond league in the beginning of season 1. My RTS playstyle had tended to be very slow and laid back, which was how I tried to play Protoss too. I did huge amounts of queuing, expanded slowly and built up a death ball before a-moving it each game. I often didn't even research warp gate. 2 base 6 Robo tactics were the norm, I was just making up my build orders as I went along.

I got bored with Protoss and wanted to have a go at . After ~400 1v1 ladder matches I dropped Protoss and started a fresh with my new race. I prefer the more traditional macro mechanics of Terran and began to become increasingly interested in micro and build order refinement. I spent the next couple of seasons hovering between #1 diamond and low master league as Terran. I was playing very casually during this period since I was on the final year of my honours course at uni. Since graduating I've stepped things up and begun playing again in earnest, climbing up to top 8 master league and remaining up there (or there abouts) ever since.

EU ladder games ( POV) against master and grandmaster league opposition with commentary. I aim to have commentary at all times whilst streamong.

As far as commentary goes, I don't know - we'll have to see what comes out once I get going I will try to explain what my overall gameplan for each match is based on factors such as the map, the position etc. I will discuss scouting information and what I think it means, in addition to discussing how that information may influence my playstyle. I will be looking to analyse my play, discussing what is going right/wrong in the game and assessing my overall position in the match (am I behind, do I need to do something risky?).

The chances are it may devolve into ranting about how chargelots and pure ling are stupidly strong plus general moaning about Protoss. People I'm on skype with seem to find that entertaining.

I'll also be making an effort to answer any (sensible) questions in chat about my gameplay etc.

I'm currently exploring bio builds such as gasless FE 3 Barracks openings with fast Combat Shield. I had been playing mech but I've become increasingy frustrated with mech's early game vulnerabilities in addition to the terrible struggles to take 3rd (on maps with a shit 3rd) and 4th bases vs bio. I feel its very difficult to expand with mech as you're constantly spread too thinly and vulnerable to a concentrated bio attack. I also feel like it is very difficult to deny bases or press an advantage with mech. If you go to deny a base or attack the enemy head on they will simply avoid you and turn it into a herpderp base trade scenario at best (or hit a sick flank).

I don't like having to turtle on 3 bases to 200 supply (sometimes) with mech in order to be safe, being behind by 2-3 bases vs a bio player as result. Losing to midgame BCs vs a bio player due to a base disadvantage and the inability to deal damage quickly enough with the (briefly) superior composition is just annoying. I don't feel that mech plays to my strengths in the slightest and mech vs mech is also a complete sausagefest. Whoever sieges up the watch tower and sets up a sensible contain on the other player has like a 99% chance of winning...

So with that said I'm doing a bio opener with the following midgame transitions vs various playstyles

VS Pure Bio
Playing Marine + Siege Tank with an extremely early 3rd base which is a Planetary Fortress. Working on fast double upgrades for my Marines in addition to vehicle weapon upgrades.

Example VOD


VS Marine Tank
Playing a Marine + Siege Tank mirror and trying to take advantage again through a fast 3rd, good upgrades and better control.

Example VOD


VS Mech
I'm playing pure bio vs mech, focusing on making it extremely difficult for them to take their 3rd base whilst expanding heavily myself. I'm looking to do massive drops on their main and multi pronged attacks to abuse mech mobility. Later transitioning into hidden Vikings to grab air control followed by Battlecruisers supported by a superior economy following my early-mid game efforts.

(Bad) Example VOD

- Marine + Tank, attempting to transition into full bio. Later transitioning into getting a-moved by chargelot archon and losing.

- Cloak Banshee openers into 2 base Thor Banshee Marine all-in

- 2 Rax expand into standard bio play

(to be expanded)

Hellion expand into siege contain. Also working on marauder hellion timing pushes following a typical reactor'd factory expansion opening.

(to be expanded)