P~The be-all end-all anti-zerg defense

[Damiarch Tempest]

this is the best and sometimes only way to win on choke maps against the big z. first set your probes mining build one probe then another and another when the last probe warps build a pylon then build a forge and six cannons at the base entrance

in the early going these will be all you need as you build up your favorite strike-force. eventually the enemy will begin to drop forces but a healthy crop of cannons around your base will keep out the undesirables

however when the enemy hits hive things get more complicated. ultralisks can overpower lone photons so youll need at least three shooting at once to stay alive and guardians can bomb the hell outta the place. however with corsairs guards need not be a problem.

however with defilers things get very complicated very fast. your photons cant shoot under a dark swarm and your shields will become your only respite once the PLAGUE has finished its work
therefore keep an eye out for defilers and hunt them down on sight

tell me if you disagree!

[Hyarion]

Sounds like a nice strategy however the corasiar defence v guardians woudnt be so efficent i would rather get scouts.

[hunter_killer]

Hehe, Corsairs would be useless if they have Devourers supporting the Guardians. Scouts would give a good fight, though.

[Hot Action Akule]

cannons are really a waste of money. Build till ur supply at 8. Then pylon, scout around to find em, gateway (while 2nd is warping in) zealot zealot zealot cybercore dragoon dragoon. all ling rushes will fail to your zealots (holding position on entrance (walled so lings cant get in). The goons behind lots can shoot shit. Templars with storm are a must vs zerg, and you can get cannons now if u like. i suggest 2... 4 MAX on the cliff side so as they walk by they are hit. Go from there for your anti zerg assault team. I highly suggest templars... storm is a great asset... as is hallucination for distraction. 2 templars with storm and halluce can easily stop a faily large hydra rush.

[Damiarch Tempest]

i am the like the worlds leading expert on cannon warfare and i can tell you that they are NOT useless
corsairs do have a hard time against devourers ill give you that but with goon or archon support the corsair is simply a lower-end devourer
apart from guardians and defilers (in the hands of skilled players) this strategy can wall in a base like no other

[amrtin77]

if your using cannons as early defense against ling rush, you only need one or two behind buildings. later you will want a few cannons around base for detection. cannons are not meant to fiht a war. 6 early cannons is overkill and a waste of precious early money.

[Damiarch Tempest]

overkill my foot the only kill if you build six cannons will be your enemies armies

[amrtin77]

no way. its a waste of 900 early minerals. you knly need cannons as early rush defense and later detectors. cannons arent for wiping out entire armies. use dragoons... they do same damage ungraded as a cannon and they can move. movable defense is always best. 1-2 cannons behind buildings will stop any early zerg rush. then when they get hydras you should have zealots and cannons will only be assist. then get goons and other upgrades, but not 6 cannons blocking your exit.

[Geamanu]

Goons don't have the same damage as cannons because they have explosive damage while cannons don't.So a goon kills a ling in 4 shots (the cannon does this in 2 shots).
Also when defending against zerg you must use DA's for their melstrom ability.

[Hot Action Akule]

i dont use any at all... if you get zealots fast enough (if your good enough) you can very much kill off any ling rush. by the time the enemy gets hydras you should have dragoons....

cannons = waste.

D/A's really arent that good vs zerg... against terran i use only for MC of BC's and i'll only get 2, maybe 3 tops.

and if you can micro your goon you can kill off easily 6-8 lings with one goon and some lots.

Shoot run... shoot run... by the time the lings get (if they get) the goon your lots will be able to take em.

[tassadar920]

smart dk not bad, i do use DA's against zerg sometimes, mostly to mc any overlords about to drop units (combining an army of zerg units with toss units is very useful) this proves very good sometimes...

3 zealots v. about 6 zergs and ur zeals will win no matter what as long as you micro slightly so you don't get too hurt.

Once that's happened, build goons, then slowly get air to support them, and after that, support the air with ground, from there on, just live through any attacks, and defeat your opponent.

[Hot Action Akule]

i dont suggest air early on... i think dragoons will last you till u get temps... then go for air.

[tassadar920]

true but air is good goon support sometimes.

[~Screwed]

Originally posted by Damiarch Tempest
this is the best and sometimes only way to win on choke maps against the big z. first set your probes mining build one probe then another and another when the last probe warps build a pylon then build a forge and six cannons at the base entrance

in the early going these will be all you need as you build up your favorite strike-force. eventually the enemy will begin to drop forces but a healthy crop of cannons around your base will keep out the undesirables

however when the enemy hits hive things get more complicated. ultralisks can overpower lone photons so youll need at least three shooting at once to stay alive and guardians can bomb the hell outta the place. however with corsairs guards need not be a problem.

however with defilers things get very complicated very fast. your photons cant shoot under a dark swarm and your shields will become your only respite once the PLAGUE has finished its work
therefore keep an eye out for defilers and hunt them down on sight

tell me if you disagree!

Six cannons? Waste of money, and even bigger waste of time.

Swarm+Plague and a group of Zerglings can take down quite a few Cannons.

Even if you've placed the cannons near your mineral line, it's nothing that a few Mutalisks can't take care of, or sometimes a Zerg will even rush to Guardians(which works better than you think ZvT against an infantry Terran).

Corsairs are a good idea, but a Zerg player will have you awfully out numbered if you waste all that time and money on Cannons.

The way I choose to use Cannons is at my choke on LT. I build a Pylon, a single cannon and two Zealots to defend against early Zergling rushes.

I've seen cannons used offensively with Zealots and a Shield Battery, it works and it's nice early offense, but it's rather hard to pull off and if it fails you're set back quite a bit.

[(V)aster)V(ind]

Templar own all zerg PERIOD.
get 2, psi storm and then make em an archon
Normally I get 3 cannons to wall myself in, then after that..I wait until I get scouts and mass scouts (quite good when fully upgraded and in groups of 24)

[01356XO9]

i've done this before...what they really hate is when you use a dark archon and mind control one of there probes then you can hit them with a mix of guys very effective i've done it and i've had it done to me

[Geamanu]

Creep makes offensive cannons strat quite hard to pull off so it works better on terran and protoss.
It is risky of course and i don't use it often, it's safer to use cannons in defence but it's even safer to atack rather than building defences...

[01356XO9]

SAGGY FATTY MOFO

[Tidus]

Try rushing with zealots, or on some maps goons do better... Make sure you have a heavy force of cannons defending home before you attack or your screwed...

[Ubuu]

Originally posted by 01356XO9
i've done this before...what they really hate is when you use a dark archon and mind control one of there probes then you can hit them with a mix of guys very effective i've done it and i've had it done to me

I rather MC their attacking units like Tanks, Ultras, BCs, carriers, etc.(they cost more than building another base and is worth your DA). Getting another scv or drone is a risky and a waste of time and DA's energy. The worker you MC will probably die because of the defenses near their workers. And besides, building another base is not worth it. And you will need extra money to support your new race while you can use that on army funding. The enemy will attack you in the quickest and most effiecient and effective way as possible. They do not care if your still building up. They rather see you die in pain and agony. And mcing their workers makes it even worst.

On money maps, in No-rushes games, i would get about 30-40 Dark archons if my opponents is mostly terran or protoss. Why? Because there is a 90% chance they would go BCs or Carriers(its obvious... but if they go goons or gols, i'm screwed... but that never happened to me... yet). Anyways, i mced(it requires alot of hotkeying skillz and microing) all BCs and Carriers and used them on my opponent(i attack terrans first because they are more of a threat... carriers need time to build up the interceptors). My allies will usually go mass ground units so i'm all set. I'm still trying to find my replay of this match.