Feature: GGLastShadow Takes Down HongUnPrime in NA ZOTAC Cup #8
Nick 'GGLastShadow' DeCesare won himself $100 and a spot in the ZOTAC Cup monthly final, but that was just the tip of the iceberg. In the final round of the NA ZOTAC CUp #8, LastShadow came face to face with HongUnPrime. In a best of five series, LastShadow was able to take down HongUn displaying his wide range of skills.
Game 1 @ Tal'Darim Altar
GGLastShadow versus HongUnPrime
Replay Here
The first game of their match was played on Tal'Darim Altar. The map must have made HongUn feel quite comfortable as he went for a 1gate fast expand, but LastShadow had other ideas of how to play this map. He would put down two Barracks in the middle of the map which stayed hidden until HongUn put his scouting Probe at one of the watch towers. By the time HongUn discovered the proxy barracks it was too late, a Marauder was already on its way to HongUn's natural.
HongUn's scouting path worked very well for LastShadow since HongUn had scouted clock-wise, which gave LastShadow all the time in the world to produce his Marauders without interference. By the time HongUn had realized what was going on, it was too late as his 1gate FE had made him very vulnerable to LastShadow's proxy rush.
After a bit of fighting and microing with Probes, HongUn was forced to GG.
Game 2 @ Shakuras Plateau
GGLastShadow versus HongUnPrime
Replay Here
Game two was played on Shakuras Plateau and a macro game ensued. No cheese from either player as both of them took early expansions. HongUn did a fast expand into 4gate which has become quite popular on the Korean server.
LastShadow barely defended the macro push as HongUn pushed with a sizable force and even warped in Zealots on the high ground at LastShadow's natural. The offence from HongUn lasted quite a while, but he could not break LastShadow's defences. LastShadow attempted to retaliate by elevatoring up into HongUn's main, but HongUn was ready and LastShadow lost a handful of units as they were forcefield against a cliff and obliterated.
The game went back and forth as the two players attempted to gain an advantage over the other. It came down to a final battle in the center of the map where LastShadow ended up the victor. LastShadow would go up 2-0.
Game 3 @ Metalopolis
GGLastShadow versus HongUnPrime
Replay Here
The third game of the match was played on Metalopolis. Being down 2-0 HongUn would have to take three wins in a row to make a come back. With the match on the line, HongUn went 4gate against LastShadow. However, with a timely scan into HongUn's base to find the 4gate in progress. Seeing four Gateways turn into Warpgates, LastShadow quickly put up almost half a dozen bunkers to fight off the rush.
HongUn waited until his hallucination was finished researching and then attacked with a massive force of tier 1 units with half a dozen hallucinated Archons. Despite the large meat shields in front of his army, HongUn was unable to break LastShadow's Bunker Defence and gg'd after his failed 4gate. LastShadow took the match 3-0 against the Korean Protoss.
Interview with GGLastShadow
What were you thinking before the finals against HongUn and how confident were you?
GGLastShadow: Before the finals I was actually telling everyone I lost. I was going over builds w/ Juan(sixjaxTerran) on skype and trying to think what I would do. I needed Tal Darim in the mappool so I could do my 2rax proxy, so that was part of my veto strategy as well :D. And as far as the games went, I wasn't actually confident until game 2, where I beat him straight up.
Tell us a bit about how you felt being 2-0 in the third game and how confident you were.
GGLastShadow:In the third game, I noticed he went double gas, which was completely different than any game before. So I counted the gas, and it added up to something like 470, so I knew that like 150of that is gone due to warpgate/2stalkers, and the missing gas didnt add up for DT, so I knew it was 4gate sentry or VR. I went 5rax pure marine because that is a direct counter to VR. Then when I scanned the 4gate I got so happy because I knew I'd hold.
Placing the depots in front of the bunkers proved to be really helpful too, as he was zealot heavy, and that was just another nuisance in his way.
Alright, well thanks for the interview and congratulations on your win!
GGLastShadow: Np, and thanks.
Links
ZOTAC CUP NA - Source
Game 1 @ Tal'Darim Altar
GGLastShadow versus HongUnPrime
Replay Here
The first game of their match was played on Tal'Darim Altar. The map must have made HongUn feel quite comfortable as he went for a 1gate fast expand, but LastShadow had other ideas of how to play this map. He would put down two Barracks in the middle of the map which stayed hidden until HongUn put his scouting Probe at one of the watch towers. By the time HongUn discovered the proxy barracks it was too late, a Marauder was already on its way to HongUn's natural.
HongUn's scouting path worked very well for LastShadow since HongUn had scouted clock-wise, which gave LastShadow all the time in the world to produce his Marauders without interference. By the time HongUn had realized what was going on, it was too late as his 1gate FE had made him very vulnerable to LastShadow's proxy rush.
After a bit of fighting and microing with Probes, HongUn was forced to GG.
Game 2 @ Shakuras Plateau
GGLastShadow versus HongUnPrime
Replay Here
Game two was played on Shakuras Plateau and a macro game ensued. No cheese from either player as both of them took early expansions. HongUn did a fast expand into 4gate which has become quite popular on the Korean server.
LastShadow barely defended the macro push as HongUn pushed with a sizable force and even warped in Zealots on the high ground at LastShadow's natural. The offence from HongUn lasted quite a while, but he could not break LastShadow's defences. LastShadow attempted to retaliate by elevatoring up into HongUn's main, but HongUn was ready and LastShadow lost a handful of units as they were forcefield against a cliff and obliterated.
The game went back and forth as the two players attempted to gain an advantage over the other. It came down to a final battle in the center of the map where LastShadow ended up the victor. LastShadow would go up 2-0.
Game 3 @ Metalopolis
GGLastShadow versus HongUnPrime
Replay Here
The third game of the match was played on Metalopolis. Being down 2-0 HongUn would have to take three wins in a row to make a come back. With the match on the line, HongUn went 4gate against LastShadow. However, with a timely scan into HongUn's base to find the 4gate in progress. Seeing four Gateways turn into Warpgates, LastShadow quickly put up almost half a dozen bunkers to fight off the rush.
HongUn waited until his hallucination was finished researching and then attacked with a massive force of tier 1 units with half a dozen hallucinated Archons. Despite the large meat shields in front of his army, HongUn was unable to break LastShadow's Bunker Defence and gg'd after his failed 4gate. LastShadow took the match 3-0 against the Korean Protoss.
Interview with GGLastShadow
What were you thinking before the finals against HongUn and how confident were you?
GGLastShadow: Before the finals I was actually telling everyone I lost. I was going over builds w/ Juan(sixjaxTerran) on skype and trying to think what I would do. I needed Tal Darim in the mappool so I could do my 2rax proxy, so that was part of my veto strategy as well :D. And as far as the games went, I wasn't actually confident until game 2, where I beat him straight up.
Tell us a bit about how you felt being 2-0 in the third game and how confident you were.
GGLastShadow:In the third game, I noticed he went double gas, which was completely different than any game before. So I counted the gas, and it added up to something like 470, so I knew that like 150of that is gone due to warpgate/2stalkers, and the missing gas didnt add up for DT, so I knew it was 4gate sentry or VR. I went 5rax pure marine because that is a direct counter to VR. Then when I scanned the 4gate I got so happy because I knew I'd hold.
Placing the depots in front of the bunkers proved to be really helpful too, as he was zealot heavy, and that was just another nuisance in his way.
Alright, well thanks for the interview and congratulations on your win!
GGLastShadow: Np, and thanks.
Links
ZOTAC CUP NA - Source
