BROOD WAR SEASON I TOURNAMENT FINALS D22-soso vs. Chris_Low Game: Two Map: Dire Straits Players: D22-soso Protoss Purple Top Right Chris_Low Protoss Aqua Top Left Length of Match: 36:24

(4)Dire Straits

The islands of the Dire Straits chain are no strangers to conflict and with this terrain as the chosen battleground; both commanders elect to lead the noble Protoss on the field of battle. Nearly all known strategies of island conflict for the Protoss use the same initial order of building construction, and both players follow this formula to the letter. Both of them build a Pylon then an Assimilator, a Gateway and a Cybernetics Core in quick succession. D22-soso warps in his slightly buildings faster due to his detailed knowledge of Probe handling and inter-dimensional physics. The construction orders continue to appear uncannily similar, but D22-soso finally breaks from the mold by producing two fierce Dragoons to take the field of battle. Chris_Low produces some Dragoons of his own and when they both complete their Shuttles, the dance of the Shuttles commences. Chris_Low starts the festivities by attempting to drop a single Dragoon on D22-soso's isle, but the Shuttle is attacked by a Dragoon on it's approach and it veers off. At the same time D22-soso sends a Shuttle to the south and drops off a probe at the island just below him.

The Observer production has also begun on both sides and after scouting D22-soso's main base with an Observer, Chris_Low prepares an invasion wave of Dragoons and the Shuttles to transport them. On D22-soso's island Zealot and Reaver production has begun to pick up the pace. Both players continue to scout the map with Shuttles, but neither of them detects anything noteworthy. Chris_Low fails to notice the lone Probe on a nearby expansion island and not long after that failure, D22-soso's Probe begins to warp in the monolithic Nexus that becomes the center point of any Protoss base. That base is then shortly reinforced with a pair of Zealots and a pair of Dragoons shuttled over from the main island.

Chris_Low begins an expansion of his own and in a risky move he selects the island between the two combatants main bases for the new base, apparently daring D22-soso to attack. He shortly thereafter backs up his dare by dropping off 4 Shuttles full of Dragoons to defend the island. Very little time passes before D22-soso discovers this new expansion and in an unsurprising move he brings a pair of Shuttle packed with massive Reavers to this new enemy expansion. The Dragoons are waiting on the beaches when the Shuttles arrive and one of D22-soso's Shuttles filled with Reavers is destroyed and plummets into the sea, while the second Shuttle barely escapes. Chris_Low now discovers D22-soso's expansion, but a strong battery of Photon Cannons drives off his own attack.

Chris_Low decides to commit to an attack against D22-soso's main base, and sends four Shuttles full of Dragoons towards the large island with D22-soso's base. An Observer follows closely behind to keep a close eye on the battle. His forceful attack meets stiff resistance from three Zealots and four Dragoons. Four of the large robotic Reavers also slowly respond to the call for battle. The attacking Dragoons are rapidly destroyed, and the Shuttles return to Chris_Low's base to pick up another eight Dragoons ready for combat.

This time he loops the Shuttles around to the south and then eastward. While in the air the Shuttles spot an expansion of D22-soso's just warping in at the bottom center of the battlefield. The Dragoons drop at this new expansion, and raze the Nexus to the ground leaving nothing behind.

While his expansion is being destroyed, D22-soso proceeds to drop four Reavers on Chris-Low's main base. The Reavers destroy quite a number of Dragoons and a Templar before the defenders finally bring them down. Needing more resources to fill his war chest and maintain an edge over his rival, Chris_Low begins an expansion at the island just south of him.

Chris_Low's chances are starting to look slim as D22-soso gathers a legion of Reavers, Zealots and Dragoons on a remote corner of Chris_Low's base. The force is so large that two trips of four Shuttles are required to transport the entire force. With his host now gathered and ready for battle, D22-soso begins to push into Chris_Low's base. The massive ground firepower of the Reavers decimates a Starport and many defending Dragoon warriors. Only the skillful placement of Psionic Storm from nearby Templar and the return of Chris_Low's Shuttled Dragoon force manages to turn the tide.

This conflict gives D22-soso time to return to the once destroyed bottom middle base and build anew, but this time several Zealots and Dragoons are stationed nearby to serve as protectors. While D22-soso is building up in one place for another push, he is also being torn down in another when a lone Templar drops behind the minerals at his first expansion and Psionic Storms several probes into oblivion. The action enters a lull for a brief moment as both players rebuild their attack groups. D22-soso continues to make large numbers of the huge robotic Reavers and Dragoons to support them. Chris_Low on the other hand focuses more on the air, constructing the mighty Carriers as well as numerous High Templar and Dragoons for support.

The pause in the action is broken when D22-soso brings over five shuttles to Chris_Low's base loaded for bear. The six Dragoons and four Reavers that emerge engage the defenses and once more Dragoons and Psionic Storm tear in to the attackers. With the attackers better spread out by D22-soso and now less susceptible to the power of Psionic Storm, this attack will not be so easily stopped. Additional reinforcements also begin arriving by Shuttle to aid in the attack. The Dragoons and Templar defenders are simply overrun by the destructive power of the Reaver, with Carriers faring a little better but still unable to stop the advance.

This brutal attack crushes the defenders and levels the base in short order with D22-soso commanding as many as nine Reavers on the battlefield in this critical power play. With nothing left of Chris_Low's main base but ash and rubble, D22-soso still has five Reavers left on this now battle scarred island.

Chris_Low has lost his main base, but he is not yet out of the fight. He has two bases remaining to the center left and at the top center of the battlefield. Despite his recent crushing loss, Chris_Low's spirits still seem high, and he vows that he is not yet out of this fight. His optimism begins to wane when a massive force of Dragoons and Reavers lands on the center left expansion where Chris_Low is trying desperately to rebuild his tech tree. He will have to rebuild the key buildings once more, as D22-soso's Dragoons and Reavers rapidly destroy the Photon Cannons and everything else on the island in short order.

Chris_Low valiantly struggles on, and he drops a probe off at the bottom left island in an attempt to get minerals and gas flowing into his coffers again. The hope proves vain as D22-soso rapidly finds the expansion and obliterates any trace of a Protoss base from the terrain. In the confusion of the base's destruction a probe escapes to the north corner of the island and begins to create a hidden base there. Chris_Low appears to have a large amount of resources in reserve as the single probe begins to warp in three Stargates and a Fleet Beacon. When the structures all complete warping onto the island, Chris_Low orders three Carriers to begin production.

D22-soso is currently in the catbird's seat and he knows it, expanding several times while scouting the islands looking for any of Chris_Low's remaining bases. D22-soso knows about Chris_Low's base at the top center, but the island is so heavily defended with Photon Cannons D22-soso decides to leave that base's destruction for last. Knowing that a siege against the base must eventually occur to claim victory, D22-soso begins to produce Carriers of his own.

D22-soso's scouting shuttles finally find the hidden base in the bottom left corner and he unloads four Shuttles worth of Zealots, Dragoons and Reavers for the assault. In the midst of this attack, Chris_Low brings his few Carriers on to the scene to break up this attack. The Carriers and their waves of interceptors appear to halt the advance of the attacking ground force until six of D22-soso's Carriers arrive on the scene as well. After Chris_Low's Carriers are destroyed, he realizes he can no longer possibly win this battle and concedes this meeting to his Protoss rival.

Victor: D22-soso