Heart of the Swarm Pic of the Day

[DemolitionSquid]

I've come to find Carrier/Tempest kinda "meh." There's only 3 situations you'd realistically build that composition:
1. You've already won
2. You're insane
3. You're oGsSK.MC

You really need Phoenix and/or Void Rays to round it out in a viable manner.

[TheProgramer]

HotS PotD #7: Phoenix lifting Swarm-Hosts up from the safety of their burrowed hole.

HotS PotD #7.jpg

[sandwich_bird]

I've come to find Carrier/Tempest kinda "meh." There's only 3 situations you'd realistically build that composition:
1. You've already won
2. You're insane
3. You're oGsSK.MC

You really need Phoenix and/or Void Rays to round it out in a viable manner.

Could be ok ish in late game pvp I believe. It would force the other guy to tech switch out of collo and into huh mass stalkers?

[DemolitionSquid]

Could be ok ish in late game pvp I believe. It would force the other guy to tech switch out of collo and into huh mass stalkers?

Colossi into mass Stalker isn't a tech switch in late game. Its a round or two of warp-ins from the dozen Gates the P has regardless, because he's been using them to support his Colossi. Tempest/Carrier is extremely vulnerable in PvT and PvP because Stalkers and Vikings are so cheap and accessible. The only matchup it might stand a chance is PvZ, and only if the Zerg has gone a Roach/Hydra or Ling/Ultra route, with no Vipers to pull the Tempests/Carriers into Hydra range. If Zerg has a Spire, the Toss is pretty screwed from a few waves of Muta/Corruptor.

As to picture #7, Phoenix really are a great unit - even if I wish they had just kept the Corsair.

[sandwich_bird]

Colossi into mass Stalker isn't a tech switch in late game. Its a round or two of warp-ins from the dozen Gates the P has regardless, because he's been using them to support his Colossi. Tempest/Carrier is extremely vulnerable in PvT and PvP because Stalkers and Vikings are so cheap and accessible. The only matchup it might stand a chance is PvZ, and only if the Zerg has gone a Roach/Hydra or Ling/Ultra route, with no Vipers to pull the Tempests/Carriers into Hydra range. If Zerg has a Spire, the Toss is pretty screwed from a few waves of Muta/Corruptor.

As to picture #7, Phoenix really are a great unit - even if I wish they had just kept the Corsair.

Carriers are garbage in pvz. 1 fungal = no more interceptors(unless they changed that?). Plus, it's nearly impossible to tech to air without getting attacked or the zerg mass expanding.

I agree in pvt, vikings destroys any kind of tempest harass and marines annihilate carriers.

As for pvp, I'm not convinced. In late late game, yes, you're probably right. But as soon as both players reach max I think the air toss might have the advantage. At this point, the standard toss shouldn't have that many gates to reinforce and you definitely need 2 round of gate units to destroy a +/-130 supply carrier/tempest/earlyGameLeftOvers army.

[DemolitionSquid]

I just can't see it being viable in PvP unless you're always over space where his Stalkers can't reach. The countering P will be using his Observers or Oracles to scout you, and once he sees you're going big air, his Colossi production will halt and he'll switch into mass Stalker to prep. The advantage of T/C in this situation is just their range. Once you're forced to position your T/C army over or near solid ground, the countering P will Blink Stalker you to oblivion. You need VR support to counter that.

[Alar]

I will say this... having Tempests AND Carriers makes me feel like Protoss has a better ability to dominate via the air. It might be redundant, but I think it gives just enough variance to make it interesting. A full-on air only Protoss force seems like it would be pretty strong now.

[TcheQuevara]

[QUOTE=sandwich_bird;185328]Carriers are garbage in pvz. 1 fungal = no more interceptors(unless they changed that?). [QUOTE]

They did.

[TheProgramer]

HotS PotD #8: The Mothership Core and a group of Zealots stopping a Battle Hellion drop from doing any more damage.

HotS PotD #8.jpg

[DemolitionSquid]

What do you mean "stopping?" There's no way 10 Probes, 6 Zealots, and a MSC could kill 2 BH healed by a Medevac. The Protoss is boned.




(For those unaware, I'm joking of course... kinda. A single Stalker or Photon Overcharge would kill the Terran force, but not before the BH + M kills all the Probes.)