Crexis vs H.O.T.486~[Free]
3 Game Series

This is a report on a 3 game series that took place on November 20th for the i2e2 Brood War tourney. For more great reports check out BattleReports.com

Game 1: Four Minute Roller Coaster Ride

Well Crexis being higher seeded than H.O.T486~[Free] decides the map he'll play on will be "Bridge Over the River Styx". Both players choose zerg, Crexis getting the bottom spot, while H.O.T gets the top.

Crexis 4 pools...	H.O.T486~[Free] double hatches before pool

So now we have 6 of Crexis's zerglings tearing across the map hungry for blood, while in H.O.T486~[Free]'s base the drones are blissfully mining away. Obviously H.O.T486~[Free] didn't expect Crexis go for such an early rush in the very first game. At first I didn't see Crexis make any drones and thought for some reason he wasn't taking the game seriously. Finally I realized his tactics as the spawning pool was formed.

The only thing that was gonna stop these lings is if this bridge collapes under their weight. Cause at this point in time H.O.T486~[Free] has got nothing to stop them.

As the zerglings arrive into H.O.T486~[Free]'s base it's not looking good. The spawning pool was only about half completed and unless Crexis did something foolish like made all his lings attack a hatchery or something, this game was over.

Welcome to Hotel Smack Down.

Well after H.O.T486~[Free]'s spawning pool goes down he finally admits defeat and like a good sportsman no harsh word's are exchanged as he surrenders.

Later on, in the chat room we see H.O.T486~[Free] congratulating Crexis on a good rush, meanwhile Crexis utters what one might say to be a "sarcastic comment" of sorts...



And now some post game comments from the one and only battlereports.com mascot, Rook!

"Perhaps H.O.T486~[Free] needs to upgrade to Pentium power. Or maybe just get a good cooling fan if his 486 is so hot."

Game 2: Vengeance of H.O.T486~[Free]

The next game was to be played on Lost Temple. This was the map that H.O.T486~[Free] choose, as Crexis chose the first map. I was sensing a grim resolve in H.O.T486~[Free], one thing was for sure no four pool rush was going to take him down this game. Crexis spawns in as zerg at 9 o clock, while H.O.T spawns in at 3.

Crexis manages to find H.O.T's base first, and like the sneaky devil he is starts morphing a creep colony on H.O.T's creep! But before it has a chance to evolve into the deadly sunken colony a few drones come over to attack it, forcing Crexis to cancel it.



The relentless Crexis has another surprise in mind! Here come's that same pack of zerglings that ended the game in game 1, can they do it again?

You can almost see their little tongue's wagging as they trot into H.O.T's base.

But having learned his lesson from last game, H.O.T has 8 zerglings ready to defend the overmind. Outnumbered, Crexis's forces are dispatched easily leaving a pool of acidic blood to tell the tale. No player had the advantage at this point in the game. Crexis had gone 9 pool, gas, then an extra hatchery, while it seems that H.O.T did about the same build, sacrificing an early ling force for more drones. Crexis had more lings back in his base, but the length of time it took to traverse the map allowed a 6 ling versus 8, with H.O.T winning easily.

3 lings live to tell the tale... and revel in the blood of their fallen enemies!

Things are looking bad for Crexis.. H.O.T has upgraded to lair and has a much better economy pumping. Crexis seems to have sacrificied a good economy for another early rush attempt. Crexis attacks with a squad of 12-14 zerglings, but once again H.O.T is prepared and wins by a small margin, mostly because of his lings fighting from a good position at the top of the ramp. As Crexis's lings ascend the ramp H.O.T's lings are able to get more hits in by surrounding them.

The final battle!

Knowing this he is way behind in tech and economy, Crexis concedes the game.

"Geez these battles should be called 'How to Zergling Rush 101'"

Game 3: This one's for all the marbles

Well Slev and I were a bit dissapointed thus far. We both expected to watch Crexis the terran master and his mad skills, but he informed us that he hadn't played in 2 months and he sucked now. That explains the early 4 pool in game one, and his lack of confidence in game 2 to pull off a comeback victory. Game 3 took place on one of my favorite maps Fading Realm. This time Crexis picks protoss and H.O.T sticks with his favorite race, zerg. Crexis is at bottom right, and H.O.T is at the top left to start.


Crexis decides to take advantage of the protoss ability to build anywhere, and warps in a couple pylons and gateways just up right of the middle of the map, at a large choke point. This turns out to be a brilliant move, as H.O.T scouts with his overlord making a beeline from his base to Crexis's main. But when the ovie gets to his main there is nothing there but a Nexus! Meanwhile, H.O.T starts off with a double hatch build with a late spawning pool.

Crexis sticks his gateways close to the zerg base making it possible to rush the zerg without traveling the length of the map.

Crexis test's H.O.T's defenses with his first 4 zealots out of the gates. They kill a few drones and some lings, but they retreat seeing 12 lings about to hatch. The zealots make their way back to H.O.T's ramp where Crexis has started erecting some cannons to contain the zerg.

These zealots are tired of being slimed on by the drones, so head back to reinforce the ramp.

Crexis is now in a good position. He has the zerg effectively contained with 4 cannons and 8 zealots at the zerg's ramp. H.O.T decides to make a large amount of hydralisks to break the containment. As he attacks the fortified ramp he realizes the futility of doing so and wisely retreats. Crexis sees that his opponent went for mass hydra and starts to tech to templar. Crexis puts all his tech buildings at the fortified ramp, leaving his main base empty for now.

Mama larvae didn't hatch no fool! The hydras wisely retreat and bide their time.

Crexis has started an expansion nexus at the bottom left position. He "maynard transfers" some probes over to it to get it going. Damn Maynard must glow with pride whenever he hears that term used don't ya think? Meanwhile H.O.T decides enough is enough and gets the transporting sacs for his overlords. He doesn't bother getting speed, and luckily he is not spotted as he moves some hydras to the middle of the map.

H.O.T finds the shortest distance between two points and sends his non-speed-upgraded overlords across with a bunch of hydras.

H.O.T charges his hydras from the middle into Crexis's main hungry for blood, while at the same time Crexis attacks H.O.T's main with zealots and goons. H.O.T defends the attack with some newly hatched hydras while meanwhile at Crexis's base H.O.T turns tail and runs. Crexis's main would have easily fell, but it was almost mined out and there were only a few pylons and a some cannons, so H.O.T decided not to waste his hydras on it presumably.

It was a close battle, but using some fancy hydra dancing H.O.T was able to beat back Crexis's offensive.

Snap, Crackle, Pop!

H.O.T takes his hydras in the middle and finally notices where Crexis has his gateways. He decides he'll just take down these defenseless gateways... But oh wait! Psi-Storm crackles through the air, dropping the hydras like a bad rash. But H.O.T is getting severely resourced, and Crexis has 2 bases going. Slev and I debated who was going to win, Slev thought H.O.T still had a good chance, but my money was on Crexis at this point. But wait, H.O.T has 5 ovies weighed down with hydras headed for the bottom left expansion! Seems we're gonna witness some bloodshed...

DEATH TO THE PROBES!!! MUAHA MUAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!!

"Jesus Vegas, what's with the maniacal laughter? Chill out dude and finish the report!"

Storm, storm and more storm allows Crexis to win this little scuffle.

H.O.T defends his main from a bunch of archons, zealots and high temps, mainly due to the large number of lurkers he has defending, and Crexis is currently without observers. H.O.T decides it's time for some action and sends a large attack force at Crexis's newly constructed expansion at top right. There is a very short lull in the acton as H.O.T claims the bottom left expansion for himself as well as already having claimed the 9 oclock spot, this leaves both players with 2 running expansions. Crexis has the top right and 3 oclock expansion sites.

Giant Crabs Attack New York City!!

H.O.T has upgraded to greater spire and starts harrassing Crexis with gaurdians at his 3 o'clock expansion. With a few psi storms and a hastily produced Corsair, Crexis is able to fend them off. Not before many probes and a few high temps died however.

H.O.T makes a gutsy move and expands to the center location. A very hard to defend expansion, which Crexis will prove soon enough. Crexis sends in some zealots and archons to take it out but is assaulted by rows upon rows of spines from the dreaded lurkers defending. H.O.T must have had 6 or more lurkers, but they were mostly cleared out with a few well placed psi storms. At this time Crexis has some observers, so he proceeds to the cleanse the earth with his protossian force. (hehehe.. he said protossian)

All aaaaah board!! Now boarding train to Smack Down City!!

H.O.T is in bad shape now, but he's still got 2 expansions. Crexis decides that it's time to end it as he roll's in a doom squad of zealots, archons and quite a few high templar killing both expansions in short order.

That's all she wrote folks....

H.O.T's mined out main base is all that is left standing, and as Crexis charges in he gg's are exchanged by all and H.O.T concedes... Crexis advances to the next round!

Good game fellas

"And remember folks, you izz all my homies! Party at my house, cmon' over, I'll supply the malt liquor, and you supply the honies."