[D][G] Flash's Concussive 3CC

September 1, 2012: added a more specific mention of Voidray all-ins to the Conditions section. Also added a replay which demonstrates the sting of the build (the initial suggestion of quick Barracks pressure) to great effect.

October 3, 2012: added a discussion of the supply block situation between 5:15-5:45, and a discussion of 4-gates as a result; also added a Korean-language YouTube VoD for anyone who wants to see the execution by Flash without paying for it.

10 Depot
12 Rax
*** Flash starts and abandons Depot #2 to wall-off @13 followed by resuming Rax; if so, finish Depot #2 before scouting (this allows him to deny a late scout and trap an early one)

14 Refinery (~2:15)

16 OC + Marine (Marine will take you to 17 supply)

17 TL on Barracks (~3:15)
*** once 75 gas AFTER starting TL, pull all SCVs out of gas
*** Marauder and Concussive when TL finishes
*** after Marauder, get only Marines

22-25 (4:05-4:45) -> start 2x CC in main, put SCVs back in gas
*** special note: if you don't queue up units/SCVs unnecessarily and build a Supply Depot after the 3rd CC, you will get supply blocked for about 15-16 in-game seconds... this is a function of how greedy the build is, and is unavoidable unless you cut SCVs, so don't freak out
*** further note: if you sense imminent danger and want to build an emergency Bunker before the two Barracks and the next Depot, the supply block will last 10 seconds longer, about 25 in-game seconds (again, this is unavoidable because you're getting the 3 CCs so stupidly fast)
*** if you go Flash's route, a basic 4-gate will be very hard to stop because of the delayed Bunker as well as the greediness of the build; scout very well and be absolutely sure to convince the opponent that it is 2-rax if you're worried




28-30 (5:15-5:30) -> 2 Barracks, then Bunker at front (~6:00)
*** note that this is much later than a typical 4-gate hits; Flash is relying on his continual pokes out and back with the 1 Concussive Marauder and 4-5 Marines to deny the forward pylons and possibly take down the Sentry or Stalker as they try to gain position
*** also note that if you get fortunate and take out a Zealot/Stalker poke utilizing your Marine/Marauder force, a 4-gate is pretty much dead in the water because the Protoss has ZERO map control
*** if your scout sees the Protoss chrono’ing out a Zealot Stalker or 3-Stalker Rush, you can swap the 2 Barracks and Bunker relative timings, getting the Bunker first, then the 2 Barracks (note that your Stim research start time will not be as clean with this ordering change)




Get Stim when affordable (~6:30) -> 2nd Refinery in main, then 2x Reactor on additional Rax

Factory @100 gas (~7:30) -> 2x Refinery @natural expo (keep up SCV/Marine production, delay the second natural Refinery if necessary to make that happen; macro is the key to this build)

Starport @100% Factory, Reactor (~8:30)
*** about now Stim will be close to finishing; start Combat Shields after Stim is done as long as it doesn’t delay Medivacs or other crucial tech

2x E-bay @100% Starport (~9:15-9:30)
*** push out with Marine/Marauder force in advance of Medivacs, rally Medivacs to bio force
*** land 3rd CC @ appropriate location
*** start 1-1 immediately when E-bays finish (you will be ahead of anything except a super greedy quick 3-base upgraded Warp Gate unit play)

2x Barracks when 3rd CC moves out to land
*** 2x Tech Lab when completed (conditional on Protoss tech and unit choices - if Colossi, Marauders, if HT or mass Gateway units, Marines [1 TL + 1 Reactor])

Add 3x Barracks as 1-1 is finishing
*** add-ons as appropriate (TL for heavy Colossi/Stalker count, Marine for Charge Zealot/HT force)




Take a 4th as you are approaching maxed supply.

Keep adding Barracks and Starports - you want as much re-max capacity as possible to deal with tech switches.

This is a very straightforward build: unlike certain 1-1-1 structures, there’s very little variance here. Early Concussive Shells to shut down Protoss aggression, quick 3CC for an economic lead, then ride the upgrade/macro edge to a win with overwhelming numbers and sustainability.

The critical stage of this build (as with almost all early expand or bio plays in TvP) comes right around the 10-11 minute Medivac window. Here is where you will see the Protoss tech of choice: is it Colossi, High Templars, or the slightly less common Archon/Chargelot mix? Adjust your tech accordingly. Assuming you haven’t missed the timing of getting your third and gases 5 and 6, you will have plenty of resources to immediately get a second Starport up for Colossi OR the Ghost Academy (for Templar tech - including Archons).

Don’t feel that an attack is necessary to win right then. Such an early third base will mean that you have a huge minerals edge, which translates into a lot of Barracks and a lot of Marines. It’s quite possible that if your Protoss opponent doesn’t realize what’s happened quickly enough, he won’t take a fast third and go for a more safe 10-12 minute third base. This is asking for death against a fast 3CC play, because you will get the Vikings or Ghosts, and you WILL be able to take a fourth much faster than he does. You can even multi-drop at this point, all the while building more and more Barracks and Starports at home to keep him on the back foot until you can crush him with multiple waves. In the Flash game below, notice how Flash floats 2k/1k while at maxed supply, and is down to 0 within a minute of a big fight wiping out both armies. That sort of remax capability combined with the early eco lead means a lot of won games if he doesn’t catch on.

What if Protoss 4-gates me?

A 4-gate is going to hit before this build puts down the Bunker. There are two ways to go about neutralizing a 4-gate with this build.

1. Actively use the Marauder plus 3-5 Marines to patrol the area near your base and check for poking Stalkers, Zealots, and eliminating any forward pylons. This is how Flash handled any Protoss pokes in the reference game below. Of course, if Protoss builds a few Sentries further away and walks towards you, you may still be in trouble, but I have a hard time believing Protoss would try a 4-gate against Concussive Shell.

2. Swap the Bunker order with your Barracks 2 and 3. This is ultra safe, but will still be only completing RIGHT as the 4-gate gets there. You really would need to combine scouting Marauder pokes with this, and only do it if you are convinced that some sort of Warpgate all-in is coming. Most times the threat of Marauder aggression should convince the Protoss to stay home.

If you build a Depot to minimize the supply block situation, this becomes pretty hard to hold even with the earlier Bunker of option 2. Just be careful with the scouting.

What if the Protoss 3-gate pressures me?

3-gate pressure (for an example see here) will come in at about 6:15-7:00, depending on the map and the Protoss’ ability to place a forward pylon. This is what makes the Marauder explorations out front so crucial. Imagine you have 1 Marauder and 5 Marines at 6:15 (perfectly reasonable with this build) poking around. Let’s say the Protoss went super safe and only tried to place the forward pylon with support from his intial 2 Zealots and the 2 Sentries that followed it (with the Stalker soon to arrive). *I make it that specific because you probably can find any dangerous forward pylons earlier with the Marauder pokes I was mentioning. If you are poking sufficiently with the Marauder force and see this, what will the outcome be? 2 Zealot and 2 Sentries get flattened by just 1 Marauder and 5 Marines. No contest. And in that situation, all you have to do is take out the Sentries and retreat away to the Bunker, because if he doesn’t have at least 2 Forcefields, he can’t break the front, which is what the true sting of 3-gate pressure is.

What about a 2-base 6-gate all-in?

That only hits at about 9:00 or so, and hopefully you will have seen some sign of it. Early warning signs include no robo but 3 gates present and a very high Sentry count with few Stalkers in the early game. If you get a good scout or a lucky Scan, you must drop additional Bunkers and keep maybe 1 Marine near the front to spot the incoming onslaught, giving you the crucial time to pull SCVs to the front of the Bunkers so that Forcefielding the workers away also blocks the Zealots from the Bunkers. You should have enough units to defend if you aren’t careless with them, and if the Protoss does happen to kill a bunch of workers but doesn’t kill you, you still have an excellent chance due to the 3 Orbital Commands pumping SCVs to replenish those you lost.

What about Nexus-first builds?

Nexus first is probably going to be very difficult for the Protoss, because the quick Concussive Shells allows you to put on pressure at the front, probably getting some Probe kills along the way. Just put light pressure on the front, kill a couple of units, and get as many Probe kills as you can.

3-stalker rush?

While rare in TvP, this needs to be identified pronto, because 3 Stalkers will come to your base when you have 1 Marauder and 3-4 Marines, which is a fight that will be almost impossible to win without exceptional positioning and timing. At best if you don’t identify it, your Bunker will be starting on the low ground, and you will have to probably cancel it and sack the SCV while retreating to the high ground and continuing to pump out units. The Protoss will probably end up behind IF you can deflect it.

Voidray all-in?

Well, buckle up, because this one is going to be hard. You have to get only Marines now, and hope that you can survive until Medivacs. Prioritize: keep units alive, and put up extra Bunkers and Turrets when you can. Don't let the Voidrays camp your production. Stim and Medivacs will solve your air problem, but you have to survive until then. Good luck.

Getting the early Concussive Shell Marauder completely shuts down any sort of Zealot/Stalker poke, and allows you to delay your Bunkers long enough to start the 3rd CC and get two more Barracks down. In addition, unless you let a Probe inside your base while the 3 CCs are building, your Protoss opponent MUST respect the possibility of a 2-rax or some sort of 1-1-1 play, proactively shutting down any quick 3-Nexus play. While a 4-gate will still hit with a bit of punch (and double proxy-gate will probably kill this because of a delayed scout and quick tech lab), the early CS really helps take down any Stalkers involved in a potential 4-gate, as well as slowing Zealots down to kill them or at least force more damage before they reach your defensive Bunkers.

http://drop.sc/246145 - Here is the build in action on Shakuras Plateau. My opponent goes for a Colossi mix and a slow third, which prevents me doing initial damage, but means that my economy/production lead ends up crushing him with MMM plus Vikings.

http://drop.sc/246146 - Another game on Tal'Darim Altar (which is far from the most ideal map for this build due to the entry to the natural and the difficult wall-off). My opponent goes for light Colossus and then tech switches to High Templar. I catch his third, but he pins my army and wipes it. Unfortunately for him, the massive Barracks count lets too many Ghosts EMP him into oblivion.

http://drop.sc/246147 - This is a game where I discovered how deadly a 3-Stalker Rush can be against this. My opponent gets a lucky 9-scout, then makes the snap decision to go for the three Stalkers, which, due to my failure to accurately read my scouting information and switch building ordering accordingly, leads to a painfully quick exit.

http://drop.sc/246308 - A beautiful demonstration of the potential ability of this build to throw off traditional or standard Protoss thought patterns. My opponent does a very normal 13-gate intending 1-gate FE, sending his initial Zealot to poke. His Probe is positioned to drop the Nexus, but he spots the Marauder, and instantly reacts by dropping another 3 gates, going up to a defensive 4, THEN expanding. This delays his forge, Robo tech, and puts him too far behind economically to recover with the slower advent of Colossi.

http://www.twitch.tv/ogn_star2/b/330240019?t=44m59s - the OSL game between Flash and San. Key features of note are the brilliance of Flash's initial infantry maneuvers to suggest more heavy pressure, and San's decision to concentrate on Archon/Colossus rather than Colossus/High Templar. OSL has since changed their policy regarding their stream channel and you must subscribe to watch this now.

- this is the Korean-language version of the VoD, and is free to watch.

Bomber's 1-rax FE 1 gas - A guide I wrote on the then-new refined 1-rax FE popularized by Startale's Bomber at the Red Bull Battlegrounds.