Reactor vs. Tech Lab

[Blazur]

Having watched BR4, I think it was brilliant how DKim initially built a factory with an attached reactor to pump out a pair of Hellions for some early harass, and then repositioned the buildings later on to take advantage of a tech add-on.

Anybody know if add-ons are salvageable? If so then it seems ideal to attach a reactor to your initial rax so you can pump out marines until you've harvested enough gas to begin taking advantage of the tech add-on (assuming that's your plan).

Against Zerg players, I can see double-pumping Hellions is a great strategy into the middle of the game. Their speed and AOE damage would be ideal for mopping up weaker ground troops.

Attaching a reactor to both a rax and starport makes for quick recruitment of M&M's, a strategy I predict will be used in excess by Terran players to overwhelm opponents or quick raid attacks against economy.

What are people's strategies in regards to these two building enhancements, and how do you see them working into your build orders? I find the whole dynamics of these simple buildings fascinating in terms of what they can do to Terran strategy.

[DemolitionSquid]

Both the Reactor and Tech Lab are Salvageable.

[Zero]

One strategy that I like to use and the pros seem to use as well is the building of a Barracks with an add-on (either one), and when their Factory is almost finished, the Barracks is lifted off and moved to another location, and the newly completed Factory is dropped and attached to the pre-built add-on. Doing this saves the time of making your Factory build a fresh add-on, and if you're teching straight to tanks, you can use a pre-built Tech Lab to start early.

[Blazur]

One strategy that I like to use and the pros seem to use as well is the building of a Barracks with an add-on (either one), and when their Factory is almost finished, the Barracks is lifted off and moved to another location, and the newly completed Factory is dropped and attached to the pre-built add-on. Doing this saves the time of making your Factory build a fresh add-on, and if you're teching straight to tanks, you can use a pre-built Tech Lab to start early.

Oh good call...never even thought of that. This could allow you to amass Hellions in numbers that much sooner.

[Bisso]

Well.. that's the first thing I thought when we first heard of the "shared" addons.

for even faster Hellions, build a rax, then build addon, lift, build 1 more addon, lift, build 2 facts where the 2 addons sit. build hellion x4

[Tigger]

Well.. that's the first thing I thought when we first heard of the "shared" addons.

Same here, I thought that was entire point of the shared add-ons, LOL.

[newcomplex]

Definitely, I think this is probably one of the coolest things they added to starcraft macro. It would open up TONS of new build orders, each with their own advantages and disadvantages.