Battle Report

Battle Report: Bloodbath on Hunters by Vorlon

Map : Hunters

Game : 5 FFA (fastest speed)

Position : Middle-right position

As usual, I was Terran and all my opponents (Worf, Khan, Destroyer and Rip)
were Zerg.

I used my favourite build-order for fast siege tanks, Marine-hordes and tech
power-climb.

Scouting early, my SCV found Rip at the bottom-middle position. His zergling
chased my SCV and I lead it right into Khan's base at the top-left position.
The close encounter was of course a fatal attraction for the two Zergs.

In the meantime, I got Marine range, Stimpak and 1 weapon upgrade. With 24
Marines, I decimated Destroyer's expansion at the top-right position. The
weakly defended base collapsed under a mayhem of stim-crazed carnage. Seized
the resources and bunkered up there.

With a torrent of Marine output, I assailed Rip's single expansion north of his
main base. The raging barrage of Marine gun-fire wielded a razor-sharp edge
that sliced through Zerg body parts. The expansion was crushed beyond hope of
redemption.

With terminal velocity, my Marines hounded in on the kill and raced southwards
to shred apart Rip's last stand. Mid-way through the demolition, Worf's Hydras
came barging in and swiped blows with my furious Marines.

Blasted two-thirds of Worf's Hydras before my Marines got chewed up. Worf
proceeded to usurp glory for Rip's demise.

Worf's triumph was transient as my avenging Marine-mobs arrived to kick Zerg
ass back to Char.
Secured my conquest with bunkers at the choke point and mined for all it was
worth (at Rip's sole expansion).

After a brief calm of consolidation before the storm, Worf struck the coveted
expansion with 2 Guardians and a troop of Hydras. My bunkers were battered to
pieces which exposed the base for an easy Zerg feasting.

Of course I could not let Worf's merriment be at my expense so I xoomed in with
6 cloaked Wraiths to laser-toast the Hydras and a Science Vessel (SV) to
irradiate the Guardians. When the shrill screams ceased, I re-grouped back at
my main base to ponder my next move.

Around this moment, Destroyer got purged by Khan. Khan was plagued by chronic
losses from titanic clashes with Destroyer who was sited at the top-middle
position, right next to Khan. Khan's earlier 3 efforts at expanding were
trampled by Destroyer. To remove the irksome thorn by his side, Khan massed
huge forces to inflicted wholesale slaughter on Destroyer.

I suspected Worf was far too strong to confront as he had expanded
uncontrolled. I chose to hit Khan's vital expansion with 24 Marines. My troops
got ambushed by tonnes of Hydras who surrounded and mowed them down.

Mourning my valiant men, I sent a Ghost to scout Khan's true strength. Found 4
dozen Hydras guarding the choke point to his base. The feared "nuclear launch
detected" message promptly lighted up the screen. I purposely mislead Khan by
messaging to all : "A nuke taste good, doesn't it  Worf ?"

With lowered caution, one nuke transformed Khan's formidable defence into a
smothering graveyard of broken bones. A blazing funeral pyre to commemorate my
Marines.

Waves of Marines pounded Khan's base but encountered stubborn resistance from 2
Guardians and 12 surviving Hydras. Rushed 6 Goliaths from my expansion to break
the deadlock. Khan's was helpless as his base bled to death.

Throughout my duel with Khan, Worf kept harassing my main base with Guardian
hit-and-run tactics. No serious damage as my SVs and Wraiths effectively
countered each raid.

Khan's oblivion did not signify my closer attainment of victory as I had
totally exhausted the resources in my 2 bases. Scouting SCVs stumbled upon one
of Worf's base at the middle-left position.

An immense force of Hydras was stationed there. Too late they sprang into the
offensive and charged straight for my main base. Prepared for the inevitable
onslaught as best I could.

The roaring Hydras clashed head-on in a ruthless hammering of my frontline.
Scores perished from intense Shock Cannon bombardment but the relentless Zerg
clawed forward unabated. In the ensuring chaos of desperate self-preservation,
our forces mutually annihilated each other.

Violated and exposed, my base was doomed from the Worf's impeding dark minions.
I surrendered.

Lessons learnt :

1. SCV scouting. These little buddies are faster and tougher than Marines. In
early game, they are perfect scouts capable of outrunning almost anything.
Finding the enemy is essential for launching the first strike.

2. Seize the day. Once you get 12-24 Marines and a few tanks, attack ! The
longer you wait, the more certain the enemy will find and attack you. The best
time for offense is after getting Stimpak and your first infantry weapon /
armour upgrade.

3. Sow seeds of discord. Introduce your enemies to each other and let them
fight it out while you reap the harvest.

4. Say East, hit West. Pretend to nuke someone else and watch the true target
engulfed in flames.