Game One

The first game started off with both players choosing random (I think). I shall refer to the players by their races. A shiny red Terran command centre landed at the 2:00 position of the ever popular Bob'sObs The Lost Temple, while a dull brown Protoss nexus warped in at 12:00. The stage is set for an exciting battle. Exciting, that is, if you are as bad at Terran as I am.

Both players set their peons to mining with commendable speed. At almost the same instant an SCV and a probe begin the constructions of a walling-in supply depot, and one of those pylons which the Protoss require to power all their buildings. The depot is soon finished, and the Terran commander sends the SCV off to scout for the enemy. By chance he happens to send it directly towards the Protoss encampment. Even while the SCV is still on its way, the Protoss begin warping in a gateway and send one of their probes quietly hovering straight towards the Terran base.

First contact comes as the two scouts pass each other by below the ramp to the Protoss outpost. Even just before the scouts meet, the Terrans start building a refinery to collect the precious vespene gas from. As the scouts pass, Protoss command is electronically notified by the probe of the enemy's nature. It is unclear whether the SCV remembers to radio back to base until he actually came upon the Protoss buildings, but that is soon in any case. Each general now knows what he is up against.

The SCV begins harassing the probes who are busy at their mining, but when they start to return the attention he flees back towards his home. Meanwhile another SCV has is almost halfway through construction of a barracks at the top of the Terran ramp. At about this time another gateway is started in the North, followed by a pylon. The scouting probe arrives to see the new barracks, and directs its particle beam towards the busy worker, but in turn flees once more SCVs arrive to drive the marauder off. Both sides withdraw their scouts for the moment.

Finally the first real combat unit of the game is produced - a zealot! It starts waddling towards the enemy lines, but even as it descends the Protoss ramp a factory is being constructed. A second gateway warps in. As the zealot makes his way towards the Terran camp, another of those versatile SCVs begins construction of a supply depot to complete the wall-in of the Terran base. The beacon for a third gateway(!) is placed, and the zealot takes its psi blades to the scv which is building the new depot. The SCV falls quickly, being too slow to move to the other side of the building, even as another is coming to take its place. This one manages to finish the job its workmate started, but after it completes the job it too is trapped on the wrong side of the building. The zealot ignores it and goes to work on slicing up the depot. One of its brethren has been sent to join it also, and then a third zealot warps in.

The terran commander is quick to decide that in order to deal with this threat: more war machines will be needed, so he orders another factory built. The first has been completed, and is adding an extension with some more advanced machinery. As the first zealot continues to pound upon the depot, an SCV starts repairs on it. This greatly slows the rate of damage which the depot is suffering, but were things to continue this way long enough the zealot would eventually destroy the depot. Its brethren are currently delayed with chasing the SCV which earlier got trapped on the wrong side of the wall, which is going on a suicidal scouting mission to find out what the Protoss command has planned. The new zealots eventually abandon their attempt to chase down the fleet-footed peon, leaving it to observer a new pylon warping in and a beacon for a Protoss vespene assimilator.

Action is still intense back at the wall-in, with now three scvs fighting to repair the damage being caused by two zealots. Things look worrying when another two zealots arrive on the scene. But the factory has finally finished building a machine shop, and production of a tank has started, with some research in progress at the shop also. In the protoss base a cybernetics core is begun. The SCV is still in position to notice the new building and relays the information back to his command. Zealots and SCVs are still fighting over the wall-in when the first tank pops out. The zealots quickly retreat. A vulture joins the tank in defense of the now repaired wall-in.

Protoss technology has now advanced sufficiently to include two goons in the ranks of the Protoss army, and the SCV spy has been exterminated, allowing the protoss to choose a technology which might surprise the Humans. The Terran commander on the other hand has two fully operational factories with machine shops now, and is researching again. Soon both siege mode and spider mines are available, and boosters for the vultures are decided upon for the next upgrade. Anticipating the spider mines, a robotics facility is warped in in order to allow observers to be constructed. The terrans are concentrating on maintaining enough supplies to feed the growing army of tanks and vultures. Mainly vultures, in fact.

Time for a minimap update:

Notice the SCV parked in the Protoss base and the zealots camping in the gully entrance

A third factory is begun as a probe is sent towards the mesa the Protoss commander knows lies to the West. Noticing the zealots lingering in the 3:00 gully, the driver of a siege tank sieges up and lobs some arclite fire at the 4 zealots stationed in the gully. The zealots retreat further, which appears to be a signal for the barracks to lift off, allowing the vultures egress. As the observatory is constructed, the defence of the Terran mineral line is supplemented by depots and spider mines, in case of nasty drops. A forge which was built some time ago is now used to build a cannon near the protoss mineral line, in case of vulture or wraith hit and run tactics. On the western mesa a probe lays beacons for a nexus and a pylon.

Some more action finally occurs as the vultures plant some mines around the base of the terran ramp, then move to engage the zealots at the mouth of the gully. The zealots retreat and are joined by the two goons which had previously been stationed at the protoss ramp. The vultures continue laying a minefield to confound enemy assaults. The protoss commander does not have so many troops now, due to the expansion attempt. He is beginning to tech towards carriers, with the construction a stargate at the expansion. However, he can spare enough minerals for three zealots and a dragoon. Additionally, the first Protoss observer has arrived on the battlefield. The observer apparently remains stationed at the Protoss ramp along with the other new troops, unfortunately.

Unfortunate, that is, for their fellows, who are lured by vultures into siege tank fire from the cliff above and a net of spider mines. As the mines do their work, the protoss forces seem to evaporate into nothingness.

Well, there were a couple puddles of blue goo.

The terran commander has no use for marines apparently, for he sends his barracks floating towards the southern cliff above his gully. Further, having dealt with the first invasion force, and finding it rather puny, he sends his vultures off to see what damage they can do at the Protoss main, and also to gather some intelligence if possible. The vultures zip up the ramp, but are damaged in the process, and what with splash damage from the spider mines, all the vultures are soon vanquished. This is no more than a minor setback for the Terrans apparently, for they move to occupy the choke point of the gully against any further invasion. There is a spy in the Terran base now - an observer! What it would see if it wandered around just a little more is no less than 3 operational factories and a command center to float down to the natural expansion.

The other observer is also being moved towards the 3:00 gully for important reconaissance on the enemy troop movements. Finally the protoss expansion finishes warping in, and a second stargate is constructed alongside the first. Unfortunately, the Terran chooses this moment to send a scouting vulture To look for just such an expansion as this one. Another is dispatched to suicidally peek at the protoss main, but is despatched by 3 goons before getting much of a look. It leaves a small legacy of a spider mine at the protoss natural expansion spot.

Finally the scouting vulture comes upon the new expansion, as a the warp field for a fleet beacon is being generated. It wreaks havoc on a couple of the few probes there, then begins beating down the shield on the assimilator. Quickly the entire Terran force is sent to deal with this menace before it grows into anything even More menacing. The few Protoss troops are sent West in anticipation of such a move, however, they are spread out even more than the Terran forces, and less numurous besides, and so die mostly pointless deaths. Yet another zealot is wasted in finding the Terran defence is still fairly strong in tanks and spider mines.

The conclusion is inevitable now. As the first Terran contingent rips up the remnants of the expansion, a squad of tanks with a vulture or two for support charge towards the Protoss base. Zealots and Dragoons delay the Army slightly, but arclite, framentation grenades, and spider mines quickly prevail, as the second force comes to rejoin the first in razing the Protoss base to the ground.

GGs were said, and a rematch was arranged; Same races, same map, same observer. ^^

Game Two

Since this game was similar in many respects to the previous game, so I will try to highlight the differences. The Protoss base was this time at 2:00, while the Terran command centre was at about 7:00. This time, each knowing which race the other had, both players opted for slightly different build orders, and both went for supplies (of course), and early gas, almost simultaneously. The Terrans once again decided they were safer behind a wall of buildings, but the Protoss, expecting this, were hoping to build some quick Dragoons to tear down the wall this time.

Both players scouted again, but this time the probe was sent to the wrong base at first, while the SCV scouted the Protoss camp first try. The SCV is just in time to see a gateway warping in. "Wow fast gas ^^", says the Terran player. The SCV which was scouting is left to wait on the edge of the Protoss plateau for further scouting missions. A cybernetics core and a barracks are being constructed, with the Barracks much close to completion (of course).

Minimap

The probe finally arrives at the Terran base just after the barracks is completed, and goes to annoy the SCVs working at the refinery. The Terrans begin construction of a barracks. The Protoss commander may have been busy with ordering a second gateway, for the probe is almost murdered by some irritated SCVs before it manages to escape. The cybernetics core has just finished warping in. The probe leaves the base, and an SCV begins the final depot in the wall, stranding it there. The probe, feeling slighted, decides to take its particle beam to the SCV, but the SCV doesn't give it enough of a chance to do much damage. Then the SCV finishes and finds itself trapped on the outside of the wallin with an irate probe! The barracks lifts off, and the SCV rushes back into the safety of the Terran base. The probe follows, the barracks lands, and the Protoss commander abandons the probe to its fate; indeed it is despatched quickly when it tries to harrass the SCVs at the mineral line again.

The first factory is completed, and an add-on in progress as a dragoon makes its way towards the Terran base. The second gateway and another pylon finish warping in. A second dragoon charges towards the Terran base after its fellow. However, they arrive outside the bottom of the ramp and just wait there! A tank has been built, and another machine shop is in progress by the time a third dragoon arrives. There is still no action. And a fourth dragoon arrives.

The Terran command decides this might be a good opportunity for the scouting SCV to take another peek at the Protoss base, but despite its speed, it is noticed, and blown up by a dragoon. The Terrans are reassured however that the Protoss do not have any surprising and dangerous new technology. More depots and some vultures and dragoons are appearing on the map. A Citadel of Adun is called for, apparently, for a beacon for one can clearly be seen. When the terran has 5 vultures a move is finally made. The vultures and the one tank charge down the ramp. Mines are laid right beside the pack of dragoons, then pop down and up again, wreaking havoc on the tightly packed forces. While 4 vultures are lost, the 6 goons finally destroyed are more expensive. When two more goons arrive, the vulture is destroyed and the (badly damaged) tank retreats up the ramp, where another tank awaits. The dragoons do not press the attack, but once again wait for reinforcements.

More tanks are made, and an SCV comes to repair the damaged one. Also, a new factory is being built. One of the tanks sieges and starts firing on the dragoons below, the dragoons charge towards the foe, but then retreat in confusion. Two new vultures are made, and the Terran force decides it is time to wreak some more destruction on those hapless goons. Spider mines and arclite dispose of the goons very quickly indeed.

The Protoss troop count is now 2 goons, 1 severely damaged goon, and 1 high templar with psionic storm - will it be enough to turn the tide of the intermittent battles? Three vultures move out and dispose of the damaged goon with their fragmentation grenades, then suffer a casualty in killing the other with mines. On they continue to the final goon and the high templar. Mines make short work of the goon again, and the vultures attack the templar. The templar casts a psionic storm, which kills.. one vulture. Then it dies. Apparently the Protoss have decided that since goons are doing so badly against the vultures (which are in fact being used very effectively), zealots might do better. Zealots did you say? Yeah right.. Many more vultures have been made, and are now scouting the map in case the Protoss are trying one of those sneaky expansions somewhere, while a few zealots move towards the mouth of the 6:00 canyon. When one zealot attacks the 8 vultures, one mine manages to kill the zealot, and 4 vultures. The remaining vultures fare better, and soon manage to wipe out the remainder of the zealots (about 6), before dragoons drive them away.

Both players now try to take their natural expansion. A command centre had already been prepared on the mesa, and is now floated towards the appropriate spot, while a beacon has been placed for a nexus and supporting pylon. The Terrans are wary of the possibility of a drop, and so have some tanks and spider mines at the mineral fields. I suspect a zealot drop would kill the tanks off and perhaps a few workers, but no shuttle has yet been built. Workers are maynarded to both expansions, and the number of factories is being increased to FIVE. And here is a robotics facility, opening the possibility of a drop.

Once again the terran forces start to roll and hover towards the Protoss forces. They meet out in the middle of the map somewhere, and spider mines prove their worth all over again. The robotics facility, it emerges, is actually for construction of observers again. The barracks which has not made a marine the entire game, is now being used for scouting over the cliff of the Protoss natural. Machines press forward, and the Protoss valiantly hold them off, for a long time, but they are trapped in defensive mode now. Eventually the expansion falls, and the winner is obvious. In desperation, a high templar is landed on the cliff above the Terran natural, where it slays a few SCVs, but it is far too late to do any real damage. The surviving SCVs are moved to the Terran mineral only expansion, where there is now another command centre.

GGs again.

Summary

These games were won almost by pure power of spider mines. The scores were much closer in the second game, with neither side having much of a resource advantage until the late stages. In neither game did weaponry upgrades feature, nor very much variety of units. Somewhat impressivly, no comsats, academies, or engineering bays were built too. Hopefully this is as educational to some other people as it was to me (Very!).

Helpful feedback would include which pictures you liked more than others, how to improve my writing style, and how to find properly exciting games to report. :)

IG_Parchandri