We don't want our opponent to get any information about our plans, while on the other side we try to get as much as possible information about him. More information we have, better we can prepare. Having no information may lead to wrong strategy and finaly to lost battle.
Now what about having false information. I would really like to see more deception tricks in starcraft games. It is not easy in Starcraft to do any bluffs. We shuld always be enough analytic to understand if some information we get is wrong and double check what is true and what false. But, some deceptions were pretty common and logical in Starcraft games. What noob thinks about it....
What do I build?
On large bases players like to hide some important building in some corner, hoping that opponent will check only the center. The same goes with proxy objects. It sometimes work and sometimes not. Terran can build everywhere. Protoss need to have a pylon to build anything so it is more exposed, and Zerg is kind of binded to it's crap. Again, terran can lift up some of his buildings which makes things even easyer. He can hide many things, even to spots that cannot be discovered.
In early game it can be kind of deception, because it is not only intention that some hidden object cannot be attacked until it is discovered. It clearly may give wrong information to opponent in strategic decisions. If you build your starport out of your central area, your opponent may miss it thinking that you are not working on air at all. This may lead him to false conclusion, and push his build in wrong direction.
Now there are some things to have in mind. Deceptions doesn't work well for unexperienced players. They don't make any valid conclusions. They just play. Once you get more experience, and know the game, timings and values then decaptions can get to full effect. Meaning of deception is to use opponents analytic abilities to get wrong conclusions. So, putting starport on the edge of the base may be a good idea, but if you dont build something in the middle smart opponent will be suspicious, and will double check. He will understand that he sees less then should have in particular phase of the game. You have probably seen different proxy cases that kind of decept your opponent until he scouts your main base and see that you dont have anything there. Sometimes this deception last just long enough to get you win. It is also common not to expand on your closest natural expansion but somewhere else, island, other side of the map etc. giving the wrong picture that you must be low on resources. What about buildings that use only for upgrade like armories, engeneering bay? Do I upgrade my units or not. You can find this by clicking on unit, but this is just a result.
Building order deception also have other side. You if you are full of resources can expose your starports, without using them, while pumping marauders on some hidden place. Your opponent may be decepted and start fast building anti-air, which will spend its resources and he will lack ground defense. This example is just an idea and realy depends on circumstances, map and your opponent.
Where are my units?
Many players, including myself, will try to hide their units. Specialy air. While you leave some of them in base, for defense and to be exposed on purpose, you keep pumping them to different spot. This may give your opponent false image of your strength, while unist are alway on hand for eventual backup. Also it forces your opponent for often scan/scout scattering his attention to its own build. Overlords usually float somewhere over the highground. Flying units are usualy hidden over highgrounds or over the water and gaps in map. Zergs with burrow ability have their natural deception weapon which can be used very efectively for scouting and ambushes. So is the same for different cloakable "units". There are more built-in deceptions. Sentry's hallucination, which makes you just look stronger then you are, without additional power, Zergs changeling who pretends to be someone else, giving sight to the area
What will I do?
What are enemies intentions is the most important question? What will be his target, when, and with what forces. We should try to have this questions answered all the time during the match so we can adjust our plans. This brings us to tactics. Tactical deceptions can realy make big difference. Splitting army, attacking expansion with one group to pull defense there and then hit the main base or other important spot with even greater force. It is common on high level games. You can see many neat deceptions if you check shoutcasters commentaries on pro gaming. You don't want your opponent to focus on your main base while you pumping your force. Skilled players are multitasking all the time. Their units constantly move arround the map to get big picture and to cover their real intentions. There are hundreds of small actions that forces opponent to be concentrated. Examples? Here are some that I noticed while watching bunch of pro replays.
- large group of units gets scanned by terran. Under scan, group move towards enemy direction until scan is over, and then return back. The same is for passing watch tower and kill unit that occupies it. kind of "now you see me, now you don't" gameThis may force the one who scanned or own Watch tower to expect large attack, regroup for no reason, or be distracted other way
- pushing with small group and then retreat, faking that you are weak, while your backup waits behind
- all kinds of small attacks, that doesnt do any serious damage but just makes your opponent uncomfortable
- I have seen a Terran who constantly launched nuclear missile on unsignificant target and canceled it. This puts lots of preasure on opponent, as some of attacks are real, and some are not
- constantly deploying and moving groups through safe area
- provoking attacks with small groups to force energy spending for scans and abilities, before major attack
- shift-setting movement path for confusion
- laying down two gasses while scout worker is there and before first combat unit is produced, then killing scout cancel gasses and pump tier 1 units, great chances that opponent will have wrong opening when you rush
If you find another one send it to me I'll update the list.
Different deceptions and bluffs realy doesn't do too much physical damage. It is more psychological factor, because our opponent is human. We want him to see what we give him to see, not what he wants to see. We would like to pretend and make false information on our forces, plans, directions, targets as this may help to catch enemy unprepared.
To counter deceptions, scouting must become part of everyones game life. Scout all the time, never stop. If you cant multitask, use cheap units and place them everywhere to detect movement. If something is wrong, or looks wrong, check again. Learn the game so you can tell if what you see is reasonable or not. If you don't see Battlecruisers after five minutes it is ok, but if you dont see barracks - load your weapons, or at least put your finger near G key on your keyboard (for pressing twice).
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