Byzantium II

I would not have thought that I would like this map. For one it is just to big and I like small maps. I might have thought that it would be a cool 2v2 map, but for 1v1? Not a chance.

But I had decided that it was time to get back into ladder play on iC Cup and a quick /motw revealed that I didn't like any of the current maps. So I decided to study this one as I do like the twilight tileset a lot. So I played it a bit against the Entropy mod and finally ventured online to play.

So far I have played 3 real games on the map and won the 2. Such a win ratio is due to the fact that I do ban players, that obviously is better than me (C+ Players joining a game called something with D- are just rude) and luck. My first win was against a Zerg, that did insist on going mutalisks even after he saw my 6 corsair. If I were him I had either gone scourges or simply expanded and gone for a late game defiler and ultralisk combo. But he sure did like his mutalisks.

My loss was entirely my fault. I had over estimated the distance between to starting positions and was raped by a guy who went 2 gateways and pumped units. 4 zealots and 2 dragoons beats one dragoon with no looses. Embarrassing defeat I would say, and I know I suck, but not making units is just plain dumb.

Yesterday I won against a Terran (Around level D, rating 1850) despite making a lot of mistakes in the early game. For instance I made two robotics facilities rather than one and a support bay. This seriously delayed my attack, but on the other hand I got two reavers for my drop rather than one. I also learned that reaver bombing is more expensive and less effective than zealot bombing and I think I finally understand the value of keeping the shuttle and the reavers alive!

Now his push came. I spotted an scv trying to built a turret close to my natural expansions several times and killed it, but the push was still coming towards me. We met for the first time in the middle of the map and he narrowly won that encounter. Probably because his unites were together and mine was more spread out.

He started to lay siege to my natural and I kept it away by regularily attacking with a lot of units. At one point I pumped zealots from 9 gateways at the same time and I had the feeling that I was seeing to few terran units. My scouts could see his scvs looking at possible expansions, but the only place that was not discovered was my 3rd expansion. I think that was pretty lucky and a key to my eventual victory.

I did manage to break out several times, but then his reinforcements would arrive and drive me back into my base. At some point my scouts spotted a new base in the upper right corner of the map and when I broke out of his siege I decided to continue up towards his new expansion rather than trying to hold the ground. I was a bit nervous about that decision, but in the end I think it was the right one. His expansion fell to my zealots easily and I decided to leave a couple of dragoons to make sure he didn't take it back.

Now I also needed to expand again as I was only mining from one base. I quickly made two new bases in the lower left corner and the game changed. Now he was trying to raid my new expansions while I was trying to gain map control. But my advantage in bases and more importantly in production facilities was starting to make a difference and he soon surrendered after a little less than 30 minutes of play.

My heart rate had reached a new level of activity without any physical movement. Impressive.

Replay: duxx (Terran) vs me (Protoss)