This is the May 2019 entry of Metagame Build Orders. 

This entry features builds used by SpeCial in his great run in WCS Spring 2019.

Terran can play bio or mech in all match ups. A good way to make the most out of it is to use ambiguous builds that can transition to either bio or mech. Keeping the opponent guessing is the key to success for Terran in the current metagame.

Vs. Protoss

14 – Supply Depot
15 – Refinery
16 – Barracks
@100% Barracks – Reaper and Orbital Command
@400 mineral – Command Centre (@100% – Orbital Command)
@100 gas – Factory
@100% Reaper – Reactor (@100% – Constant Marine production)
22 – Supply Depot, then Refinery
@100% Factory – Starport, swap Factory onto Reactor for 2x Hellion, build Tech Lab with Barracks
@100% 2x Hellion – 2x Hellion
@100% Starport – Swap it onto Tech Lab for Cloak research and Banshee
@100% 2x Hellion – Swap Barracks onto Reactor (Marine production), build Tech Lab with Factory, Supply Depot
@100% Tech Lab – Cyclone or Factory (depending on opponent’s build)
@100% Banshee – Banshee
@300 mineral – 2x Barracks

This build opens up with a Reaper expand, then it goes into Hellions and Banshees. If you show me the build order, I would have thought this is a TvZ build. You almost never see Hellions and Banshees together in TvP builds. If you go for more than two Hellions, you will want to have a Medivac (and not a Banshee) to drop them in the main because Protoss players usually wall off the natural when they scouted the Hellions. If you go for Banshees, you want to have units to defend. Hellions are not good defensively in TvP. GuMiho recently showed some mech builds in TvP using Banshees, so it is likely that the opponent would think you’re going for mech when they see Hellions and Banshees.

The Hellions and Banshees have great potential to kill Probes, and that is likely the primary concern Protoss players have when they see the Terran units. Even when the Protoss player is diligent in scouting, the production set up with Reactor Barracks, Tech Lab Factory, and Tech Lab Starport is ambiguous. Terran can put down down either a third Command Centre for mech or two more Barracks for bio. In fact, even if the opponent scouted the third Command Centre, it is still possible to go for bio.

Vs. Terran

14 – Supply Depot
15 – Refinery
16 – Barracks
17 – Refinery
@100% Barracks – Reaper, Orbital Command and Factory
20 – Supply Depot (pull 2-3 Scvs out of Refinery)
@100% Reaper – Reaper
@100% Factory – Hellion
@400 mineral – Command Centre (put the Scvs back in to saturate both geysers)
26 – Supply Depot
@100% Reaper – Reaper
@100% Hellion – Hellion
@150 mineral – Starport
@100% Hellion – Tech Lab
@100% Reaper – Reactor
@100% Tech Lab – Cyclone
@100% Starport – Tech Lab
@100% Command Centre – Orbital Command and Refinery
@100% Tech Lab – Raven

This is the same build I shared in the January MBO. You start with a double Refinery Reaper expand, and then you have three Reapers and two Hellions. you proceed to get a Cyclone and a Raven. The Raven is so good in TvT that it is normal to get two. When you can afford it, put down the third Command Centre. You can put down two Barracks or two Factories to transition to either bio or mech. In the second game between SpeCial and MaSa, SpeCial put down two Factories for mech. The timing of the Refinery at the natural is note worthy. For bio, you can delay the fourth Refinery by putting down the two Barracks first. For mech, however, you want to get the fourth Refinery before you add the Factories.

You can download the replay pack of WCS Spring 2019 HERE.

Vs. Zerg

14 – Supply Depot
16 – Barracks
16 – Refinery
@100% Barracks – Reaper and Orbital Command
@400 mineral – Command Centre (@100% – Orbital Command)
20 – Supply Depot
@100% Reaper – Marine
@100 gas – Factory, then Refinery
@100% Marine – Reactor
@100% Factory – Starport, swap Factory on Reactor for 2x Hellion, Marine
@100% Marine – Tech Lab
@100% 2x Hellion – 2x Hellion (continuous Hellion production)
@100% Starport – Liberator
44 – Supply Depot
@100% Tech Lab – Stim
@400 mineral – Command Centre

This is a common TvZ build with Reaper expand into 1-1-1 and Reactor Hellion. The choice to go for Liberator is just one of many options Terran have with this set up. In this game (see vod below), SpeCial faked that he was going for bio with the Stim upgrade at a standard timing, and he cancelled the upgrade after it was scouted. He even re-started the Stim upgrade when Serral ran a Zergling into his main to confirm it. I wonder if SpeCial intended to go for bio and he changed his mind in the game as a response to Serral’s scouting. SpeCial made a Marine instead of a Tech Lab straightaway after he started his Starport. The two Marines aimed to deter scouting Overlords. Of course, you could argue that was part of the plan to sell he was going for bio.

The other detail in selling that he was going for bio is the number of Hellions he made. With a Reactor Hellion opening, Terran usually stop at six Hellions for bio transition, but they continue Hellion production for mech transition. SpeCial swapped the Barracks on the Reactor and the Factory on the Tech Lab for Marines and Siege Tanks. This move has three purposes. First, it was to sell that he stopped Hellion production at six. Second, he continued to sell that he was not making a mech transition by showing his Marines and Siege Tanks in a push at Serral’s supposedly fourth Hatchery. Third, the Marines and Siege Tanks were disposable for his mech transition, and the push provided room for him to harass with two Liberators at Serral’s other bases.

Just want to take the opportunity to thank Romulo for donating again today! Also, thanks for the big tip, Marc! You’re inducted into Hyperion’s Cantina.

This article is translated and posted on scboy by large_wide.

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