Does everybody fast expand nowadays?

[Wist]

I haven't played very many games recently. I played thirty or forty games on ICCup during the last season they had with its previous website, though. Before then I had pretty much stopped playing soon after the PGT went down so there are distinct gaps in which it looks like the game has changed a bit.

Is fast expanding the most viable strategy nowadays, for all the races I suppose? Aside from every one of my Protoss opponents doing a two gate proxy build on Blue Storm, nearly everyone seemed to fast expand. I remember one game where I went with a rush (FD? Joyo? I forget what it's called now, but I went out with 4 Marines, 2 SCVs, a Tank, and 2 Vultures of which one was being built but rallied) against a Protoss. I then set up a contain by pumping Tanks from my two Factories as I expanded. He asked me how I could have made enough Tanks to contain him while I was playing off of one base (while he had fast expanded). After that I just kept sending in Vultures to pick off Probes and draw fire as I brought up Tanks to attack the Photon Cannons he put next to his natural's Nexus.

We were both D level players so obviously this game isn't representative of the benefits and drawbacks of fast expanding or going with normal timing. I've just been thinking about this for a while.... Most of the games I won were games in which I defeated my opponent early in the game. I lost most matches which went past... maybe the ten or fifteen minute mark without much progress being made on either side?

I'm just rambling now, so I'll cut to my questions. Is fast expanding generally more viable than playing off of one base? Do most D players just not know how to counter a one base build while fast expanding or is playing one base a legitimate threat to any fast expander early in the game? If I get back into playing StarCraft, am I better off getting used to fast expanding if I hope to get past D or was fast expanding just a quirky trend that happened to take place during the month I got back into playing the game last year?

[DownMaxX]

I only play Zerg, so I'm not sure about TvP, but in ZvP and ZvT the most viable strategy these days for P and T players is fast expanding due to the popular heavy macro builds. T in TvZ can go with some sort of fantasy-style mech build off one base, or a 2rax, but FE is far more popular due to the economy needed to keep up with a Zerg who will try to take a quick three bases. It's just safer these days. If you don't and you get contained... well there's not much you can do.

In summary, in TvZ, yes you should definitely learn to FE (even if lower level Zerg players don't know how to counter one base play) because when you hit higher levels (even D+) you will definitely need to use it.

[Wist]

Okay, thanks for that explanation. I assume by a quick three bases you mean getting two expansions instead of a 3 Hatch with just the natural, right? I should probably look into some more recent replays or VODs to get an idea of the timing for these fast expand build orders for the three races. Is the well positioned Pylon and Forge block with a cannon or two that I've seen still the most effective way for a Protoss to defend while going for a fast expansion, or have you seen your opponents doing other things with any consistency?

[DownMaxX]

Well, it depends on the size of the map and your scouting. Send an early probe out to scout, generally after you build your pylon outside your natural. If the map is a smaller, two-player map or you scout the Zerg first, check to see what he's doing. If it's a 9-pool or an overpool you generally want to get that forge down first and place a cannon or two to prevent a runby. If you scout a 12 hatch though, you're free to place your nexus before your forge to speed up your eco. If you don't scout him first and it's a larger map, place your forge and wait for your scout to locate him to decide if you should build cannons first or go straight for Nexus.

You also want to place your gateway at your natural to help build a "sim city" thats difficult for the Zerg to run by with Zerglings, but this comes after the forge and Nexus, and possibly cannons depending on what you spotted with your scout. One gate is only viable if you're going for some one base one gate tech build and the map has a ramp to the main that can be defended with Zealots and probes easily. If you try to place your gateway first and defend your FE with Zealots, the Zerg will just run his lings by and harass your main freely.

As a Protoss it is VERY important to keep scouting, even if your initial scout dies. You should send a new probe out immediately until you are certain you know exactly what the Zerg is doing, and how to counter it. Zerg have many cheeses and all-ins against your Protoss FE. For example if you scout a really early den you can expect a hydra break at your nat. If you scout drones pulled from gas and a high number of lings, you can expect a 3 hatch speedling all-in.

As far as double expanding for Zerg goes, it is most popular and safe for a Zerg against a fast expanding Protoss, especially on maps with easily defended thirds like Othello or Medusa.

I highly suggest grabbing some recent replay packs and see what modern Protoss are doing. 90% of the time they will start with a fast expand (especially on higher ranks) because of the huge increase of early game economy. From there they will usually get an early sair or two for scouting, and then transition into either a stand PvZ ground army (zealot, goon, ht, archon) or mass corsair/reaver.

ZvP is my favorite non-mirror matchup, so I know more about it than standard ZvT. I really only like playing ZvT when my opponent goes mech. Do you generally play T or P, Wist?

[Wist]

Wow, thank you for your well detailed response; I very much appreciate it. At the moment I haven't any questions regarding the bulk of your post, but I'm sure I will once I have spare time enough to watch some replays and delve back into the game.

Originally Posted by DownMaxX

I really only like playing ZvT when my opponent goes mech.

Have mech builds become common enough that Zerg players are no longer necessarily surprised by it, or are mech armies just too much lacking in mobility overall?

Originally Posted by DownMaxX

Do you generally play T or P, Wist?

I generally play Terran, but, because I've not played the game much at all for a fair amount of time, I can't imagine there's much if a discrepancy between my Terran and my Protoss.