My experience with TvZ
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Now before I start the build discussion I'd like to explain my reasons for this post. I am a Platinum level terran player. TvZ has always been my worst match up. I have tried countless number of openings against zerg. I did a reactor hellion build, mass thor, banshee openers pretty much everything and anything that I found on TL. On a lot of these posts many people talked about how marine tank was so incredibly strong. It seemed to be a consensus of higher level players that this was the build to go. I searched for marine tank using the search function. There were many threads that discussed marine tank but nothing to my satisfaction that really gave "instruction" on the build order as well as how to execute this. I slowly began to incorporate a marine tank build into my play. It was nothing short of a disaster. I would get my base destroyed by mutas, my marine tank composition would get rolled over by baneling zergling.
When trying a few custom games toying with new ideas I tried to do a 1 base bio factory play to try and win the game fast. I realized i did not have enough gas for mauraders and tanks so i just built marines. When I went to attack i realized " hey, I have enough for an expansion" This is a build that resulted from my just winging a build that used marines and tanks and was slowly refined.
After watching some players stream I began to just play custom games experimenting some of by theoretical builds until I found one that began to work on some sort of a consistent basis. Some posts on here did give build orders, but my problem was how to use my units once I had them.
The basic build order.
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As with all builds in SC2 you need to scout. Once I find the zerg I put my scouting SCV on a patrol around their base as well as sending him to check the natural for an expansion. You need to check for some kind of cheeze build so you know if it is coming ahead of time.
This is not an "all in" build. So you need to be constantly making scv's, supply depots, as well as units. (hotkeys really help)
10 Supply depots
12 Rax
13 Gas
16 OC
@100 gas Factory. Add techlab as soon as it is complete
20 2nd Gas
Constant marine production. At 4 marines build a Techlab on the Rax
Use the worker who built the factory to build a 2nd Rax as soon as the factory is finished.
As soon as the techlab on the Rax is finished research stim.
When the techlab on the factory finishes build a tank.
At your next 100 gas research siege mode
Around the time your first tank is done build an engineering bay. When it finishes you should have enough gas to research attack+1
Add a 3rd Rax when you could afford it. (Mine tends to be around 50 supply or 7:30-7:45 game time)
You should be pushing out of your base around the 9:30 mark. With your push you should have 4 tanks and about 15 marines
After stim is finished, when your 4th tank is already started I try to get combat shield when I have enough gas.
As you are pushing out you should have enough minerals to throw down an expansion.
At your base you have 3 rax and a factory. Those are the production facilities this build OPENS with. After that what you want to do is pretty much up to you. As well as a result of what units he is making What I like to do is to get a starport for medivacs especially in the case of infestors. They can also be used to harass their main base with drops. If the game goes on long/ far enough get a few more rax, another factory and an armory as well for thors to deal with mutas.
Continuing to get upgrades is also highly recommended!
** Not EVERYTHING in the BO is required. If you are a player still working on your macro you might want to skip the upgrades for now if you feel like you can't afford them.This is a style that can be changed based on what you are most comfortable with. This is just how I play and what works best for me.
Using marine tank effectively (Engaging the zerg army)
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This is the part of my game that has taken me a very long time to learn. Often have the supply and army advantage can still mean a loss if you do not properly engage a zerg army. At this point in the game here is what I think it usually looks like: zerg is on 2 bases. They have a few spine crawlers at the front. They have an army of banelings and zerglings. They may have teched up to either mutas or infestors (much more popular post patch) If a zerg is greedy, they may have taken a third.
On your way to the enemy base, walk past the towers and clear them out. When you approach the enemy base get your tanks near the edge of creep and siege up. This I think is crucial. It is very difficult to win an engagement if you are fighting on creep. The ling baneling army will be too fast for your marines to run from. You should have saved up enough energy on your OC for a scan or two. Grab a small group of marines and scan for creep tumors. Kill them off with your marines. With your reinforcing tanks as well as your sieged up tanks slowly leapfrog them forward killing creep as you continue forward. The important part of moving your tanks is to not unseige them all at the same time. Leapfrog them. Meaning- take the tank at the back and move it to the front. Do not move multiple tanks at once. Slowly advance forward one tank at a time.
Constantly reinforce your army with marines, tanks, and eventually thors and medivacs if the game gets to that point.
Once your army gets close enough you will have your opponent with their back against the wall. They will have 2 choices:
1. Lose their expansion
2. Attack out your contain with everything they have.
Chances are your opponent will attack with their entire army. At this point garb your marines. Run them away and stim to avoid banelings. Tanks should get most of the banelings since your tanks should be spread out. Then the marines are free to just clean up the rest.
From here you have them on one base. You will have plenty of minerals to take a third. You slowly contain, slowly push into his base and there is the GG.
On your way to the enemy base, walk past the towers and clear them out. When you approach the enemy base get your tanks near the edge of creep and siege up. This I think is crucial. It is very difficult to win an engagement if you are fighting on creep. The ling baneling army will be too fast for your marines to run from. You should have saved up enough energy on your OC for a scan or two. Grab a small group of marines and scan for creep tumors. Kill them off with your marines. With your reinforcing tanks as well as your sieged up tanks slowly leapfrog them forward killing creep as you continue forward. The important part of moving your tanks is to not unseige them all at the same time. Leapfrog them. Meaning- take the tank at the back and move it to the front. Do not move multiple tanks at once. Slowly advance forward one tank at a time.
Constantly reinforce your army with marines, tanks, and eventually thors and medivacs if the game gets to that point.
Once your army gets close enough you will have your opponent with their back against the wall. They will have 2 choices:
1. Lose their expansion
2. Attack out your contain with everything they have.
Chances are your opponent will attack with their entire army. At this point garb your marines. Run them away and stim to avoid banelings. Tanks should get most of the banelings since your tanks should be spread out. Then the marines are free to just clean up the rest.
From here you have them on one base. You will have plenty of minerals to take a third. You slowly contain, slowly push into his base and there is the GG.
Analysis of build
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First and foremost: I am not saying this is original. I am not saying I came up with this. I am saying that after manyyyyyyy hours of struggling, this is just a build that I think is:
1 Not very difficult to execute.
2 Not requiring a high amp
I only have about a 50 apm (actions per min) this is a build that does not require a high amp to pull off
3 Economic- This build opens with an expansion around the time when you push out (9:30- 10 min) Even if the zerg is able to break your contain you have them on two bases. You should have been able to get up a third or fourth. You also should have been constantly making scv's. He was forced to make alot more units and less drones so you should have the economic advantage.
As I said in the opening blurb about this build, I intended this post to be for lower level players. I am only platinum so my play still needs improvement. But I believe some mid- higher level players could benefit as well. I am also willing to accept any constructive criticism about this build with the mindset of improving it. The only thing I ask is that you watch a replay before suggesting changes.
1 Not very difficult to execute.
2 Not requiring a high amp
I only have about a 50 apm (actions per min) this is a build that does not require a high amp to pull off
3 Economic- This build opens with an expansion around the time when you push out (9:30- 10 min) Even if the zerg is able to break your contain you have them on two bases. You should have been able to get up a third or fourth. You also should have been constantly making scv's. He was forced to make alot more units and less drones so you should have the economic advantage.
As I said in the opening blurb about this build, I intended this post to be for lower level players. I am only platinum so my play still needs improvement. But I believe some mid- higher level players could benefit as well. I am also willing to accept any constructive criticism about this build with the mindset of improving it. The only thing I ask is that you watch a replay before suggesting changes.
Replays
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http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/158794-1v1-terran-zerg-gutterhulk
Diamond
http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/158795-1v1-terran-zerg-gutterhulk
Diamond
http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/158797-1v1-terran-zerg-gutterhulk
Plat
http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/158807-1v1-terran-zerg-backwater-gulch
Plat
http://www.sc2replayed.com/replays/158798-1v1-terran-zerg-gutterhulk
Gold
The first two replays are ones when I was just just sticking with mass marines and tanks with the build. I do not ever get a starport or an armory.
The third replay shows a 2 bases roach play with mutas. This was not a "pretty game" but it shows that it can handle roaches. play includes medivacs and teching to thors
The fourth replay shows you can punish a zerg who decides to take a fast third.
The last replay shows a game that is my most recent. It includes faster medivacs,drops, as well as thors.
Hopefully some of you will find this helpful.
GL,HF, GG
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