Starcraft strategy: Timing

It is time for me to read my own article again, the first one in this blog. Lots of good advices there. But, somehow, I write about one thing, and play something else.

I can say that I know the game, I am good at strategy, I understand the rules, principles and game flow. This is kind of military academy. But when you put me on battle field... I break the rules, abandon the principles, forget to do something important, and I loose. I could win the game about 20 times, just if I force myself to do the right thing. This time i will not write about what to do. Lets see what are some common mistakes in approaching to battle, or better, what are possible wrong perception. This time I will discuss time...

Timing

For everything in this game you need time. You need time to build something, to go from point A to point B, to destroy something. Everything needs time. How long the game lasts is kind of general time. Inside game time is different.

Imagine two players building exactly same building order. In matter of resources and timing they are even. If one attacks they may not be so even because factors of terrain and microing skills are entered so this may change the balance.
But one small attack with maybe single marine who kills enemy's SCV makes that time difference. If you are one SCV ahead you will need less time to get another marine. Every build is investing a small piece of time. Whenever something is destroyed you also loose that time and resources invested. Simple.

Considering this, you can benefit from attacks, at right place and right time. What I usually do wrong, I don't believe in single marine. Mi mind is set wrong. Once I have one I don't even try to do something right away.

"Ok, I have my single marine. Well, he is weak, maybe I should wait for another one. Ok here it is. Hmm, by now my opponent may have two of them too. Lets bring some Marauders in, just in case. Whoops I am high on minerals, lets make Engineering bay. Hey, missing Tech lab on barracks...c'mon SCVs, I need that gas. Ok, Tech lab started, I will lay down factory now. maybe I should allready attack. Hmmm, don't think so, he may have some stronger forces... Ok, tech lab done, gogo marauder! And lets upgrade them. No gas again??? Dang, I feel like I am behind. Ok, 4 Marines and 2 Marauders, upgrading weapons at engeneering... Should I push now? Nah, will wait until upgrade is done. Ok, done. Well, what if opponent have more marines. Lets make some more, well, just in case..."

And so building goes on and on. Every time I wait for something I give opportunity to my opponent to invest his resources and time in something. He doesn't wait for me to be build for first push. His APM may be better, he may build faster then me, "clicker". Being afraid to attack is devastating. Only way to diminish opponents investment is to attack and to destroy something he invested, make him to build this again, to delay some other actions. My common mistake is waiting for proper force, whenever I reach desired level I doubt that my opponent did the same and maybe even better. This way I trapped myself in a loop of trying to make more then my opponent based on pure prediction. It doesn't end well for me.

Then watching your my replay I can see pure truth. When I was having two marines, he was having none. When I would reach his base he would have barely one. I am sure that I would kill him and several SCVs before he get me. But I wait for other things to be build just to be sure. After several minutes, my strong army was nothing as he goes mech and air, as my macro was lousy.

Some (not all) timely important actions

So right on time, send a scout. Not to early because you will see nothing, and maneuvering your scout until he start to build something will be only distraction to you. If you can't multitask (like I can't) it will be loss of time. Do not scout to late because he will get killed. If you cannot get it right then better send him early. In mid game and later scout all the time, loosing scout in mid game is not that important as it is in early game. Also your mid game scouts can be fighting units, invisibles atc.

If your strategy and map terrain allows you to develop some neat strategy, go for it. Otherwise, try to push. You may see something interesting, and if you cannot push through, retreat. Don't get killed, it was your initial investment, so don't give your opponent free gifts. I am not pushing at all, it is wrong.

Always have in mind unit and building loses. Many times we see that unsuccessful attacks are followed with counter attack. It is logical, especially in early game. If you bring your forces there, and lost them, what else can you have in base. So if you are in position to defend from rush and you won, with not so many loses, then go go go!, and rally some more units for backup. It is worth. Have in mind that if you destroy opponents mineral line, it is not time to wait. He iy busy establishing economy back, so you should have firepower advantage. He cannot be stronger then you if you are producing marines while he is producing SCVs. That feeling about current balance in game is so hard for me to get. If I make heavy loses to my opponent, he may scare me with few stronger units. I usually go for regroup instead of insisting in pressure. Whenever I play good, any part of game, I always give my opponent enough time to recover and do necessary transitions. Not that I am generous. I am dumb.

Proxy rushes are neat. But proxy rush is an investment in enemy territory. It may be powerful but vulnerable as well. If you go for proxy go right away, time is crucial here. If you are defending against proxy, have in mind that your opponents base has nothing to defend. All minerals are invested in proxy as it is most important thing to defend. If and when you solve your proxy problem, counter at once.

I will quote Sun Tzu's wisdom again again: He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

Brilliant moves are good, but wins come from taking opportunities when our opponent makes a mistake. Every single thing in Starcraft 2 should be done on time. If it is not it produces delays. And delays take everything with them. You are late with forces, you are late with buildings, you are late in defense and in attack, you are late in decisions, actions and reactions.

Accumulating delays sets you behind. You actually win every game but your opponent wins before you. You are out of time.