StarCraft 2: Is This REALLY The ULTIMATE Terran Army?! (Dark vs Cure)

Professional match of StarCraft 2 between Dark (Zerg) and Cure (Terran). While this game starts off with a Roach Ravager rush it quickly turns into a long macro game where both players make their ultimate armies.
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StarCraft 2 is a military science fiction real-time strategy video game developed and released by Blizzard Entertainment.
#StarCraft2 #SC2 #RTS
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[@danielskrivan6921]

I didn't sleep well last night, had a bit of a bad day. But "Hello, my name is Lowko" brought a smile to my face.

[@huyxiun2085]

Buddy, i'm litterally up since midnight and now it's almost 6am, sooo yeah... tumbs up and back to bed, i'll try to work today, thanks for reminding me it sucks being here at the wrong time.

[@NguoiGiaChoiGameSouls]

Me too :))

[@kr8867]

Hello, my name is Lowko - Best intro ever

[@somepeople3355]

Lowko = my mental health plan

[@reinereue9210]

I feel that homie. Hope you're feeling better

[@AndrewRomash]

20:28 this is probably the most exposed ghost of all times. Imagine being sent on a sneaky recon mission. You think you are cloaked but suddenly you see like 15 overseers staring at you with like 10 eyes each

[@nahruz.w3044]

Man do I wish there are more SC2 animation channel in youtube. This make for some nightmare fuel.

[@Hidden_Sage]

Classic intro always means it's going to be an awesome video!

[@meander112]

He said the thing!

[@spanishprotossstalker7475]

I'm seriously happy about how you constantly bring starcraft 2 content even to this day. Your comments are never boring to hear and you make every game just fun to watch! I got into starcraft 2 just early this year but i'm very happy with its community and specially you!!

[@HeroADI1]

Man, Dark is just an AMAZING zerg player!! Love the way he ''reinvented'' the broodlord style

[@CakesFam]

I agree!

[@tiktac69]

Here's what happened in late game to me: 1) Dark went for the mass broodlords strat, complementing it with mass infestors. From this point on, he tried to get value with this deathball by picking away bases and trying to force Terran to engage his main army. 2) Cure caught on pretty quickly and initially tried to gauge how much damage his army could deal at the other side of the map but realized that not only did Dark manage to deal an equivalent amount of damage on his side, he also rotated his army's position every time to force the fight of the deathballs. At this point, it still looked like Cure's strategy was working: sure he was trading bases, but it seemed like every zerg base he destroyed could not be built again because of Dark's slow army. 3) The more bases the zerg lost, the more it looked like he would run out of bases to produce units, but the Zerg was playing another game, which Cure took too long to react to: Dark was playing Zerg like a Terran would, he was turtling. 4) Cure kept on pushing and seemingly tried to "deal a killing blow": heading towards the main base of the zerg, aiming for his tech: Without his unit production due to the lost hatches AND without his tech, surely Dark would not be able to rebuild an army if they traded armies. 5) Dark was turtling though, and like a good Terran player would, he used the terran to his advantage, won a trade, by a lot. And then....started turtling again. 6) At this point Cure starts getting serious about using his mobility, the drops he didn't use earlier to snipe the Zerg's tech now came, and effectively got rid of the Zerg's tech. 7) Except at this point, looking at Dark's army movements and his turtling attitude, it did look like he already had planned for this late game. I imagine Cure must've had this uneasy feeling growing. Like he had been playing Dark's game all along, like all the victories he thought he was getting with his army's mobility weren't in fact relevant to the outcome of this game. 8) Eventually, Dark got pushed in a corner, a comfy corner, easy to defend with an army he had been turtling with all late game. The clash of the two armies was now inevitable, as the Terran could not go around the Zerg's army anymore. And this is when Dark used his Ace in the Hole. 9) This Ace in the Hole flew under Cure's radar (pun intended) in the battle at 29:10 in which he lost his army. And it flew under Lowko's radar as well, even though we saw it in every major fight from that point on: The infestors and the reason why Dark built this comp to counter the infamous Maru Terran late game army comp of ghosts/mech. At 34:35, 39:25 and again at 42:50, he uses them 2 by 2 in order to bait the terran's EMPs and to be able to land fungals, which every time denies the ghosts' snipes to be used efficiently in these fights. 10) Not only that, but this Zerg composition, as turtling as it is and micro intensive as it needs Dark to be to pull this counter against the ghost ALSO has one amazing strength which was Cure could not figure out all game long and why hitting the Zerg's base and tech didn't hurt it: You only need very little tech buildings which you can rebuild in the base you're turtling at AND most of all you don't need that many larva to reproduce it, because half of it comes from units you already have: the corruptors which can turn into broodlords while the infestors (and couple vipers) spawn from the limited amount of larvae. 11) Trading inefficiently against a turtling player, the Terran probably felt the pain all Zerg players have felt before, which I imagine must've been very satisfying to Dark. Being able to outvalue a Terran as a Zerg when trading armies AND eventually being the only player who can rebuild his army. Damn. Ending note: Had Cure figured out the Zerg's strategy, I think he wouldn't have traded the way he did. He could've followed up cornering the Zerg with nukes, with the slow, painful to watch (and play I imagine) strat of slowly but surely driving Dark's army against the wall with nukes until he would have to either eat one to the face or gotten sniped by trying to counter it because at this point, the Terran army would not have to engage, the Zerg's army would have to, with its limited movement and with his broodlords which can virtually not disengage from a fight against Terran due to their low mobility against the Terran's significant range of the ghosts' snipe ability. Dark seems to have come up with an army comp that allows him to turtle, which allows him not to engage this Terran late game army comp, which let's be honest, requires less micro from the ghosts than from the viper + infestors + broodlords having to play a back and forth abilities game at a disadvantage due to the snipes faster ability cast time. On top of that, if the Terran engages him, he runs into a fight in which he is under fire while facing a Zerg player that is already used to fighting the abilities' game at a disadvantage, and thus has already developed the necessary moves to win that game if he doesn't have to engage (infestors' rotation). This Zerg player managed to forced the Terran into a situation where they would have to micro has intensively as Zerg players have been forced to micro up until now. In my opinion, Maru's going to destroy that though because you know....ghosts. But I'm obviously biased in favor of the Zerg players in the current TvZ lategame matchup so my analysis is surely flawed.

[@nuttyboi6645]

I know this is 2 weeks too late but damn that was a good explanation it really helped me understand thanks

[@Neloish]

Dark is my favorite zerg, he plays a tanky zerg style that I think is unique and amazing. Hope he does great in GSL this season.

[@johnnyboy3357]

I thought dark archons also have a similar ability of stealing your opponents unit to your control, if a unit is both infected with neural and also dark archons ability, whose unit will it be? Lol

[@panampace]

@@johnnyboy3357 where would we be using dark archons

[@TheRightToFilmPolice]

@@johnnyboy3357 dark archon is in broodwar. But I can easily answer that for you....if the protoss player was being stolen by an infestor and the infestor was then under mind control the unit protoss unit under neural parasite would be returned to protoss sooner. Also a infestor taken over by protoss could be used to neural parasite other zerg units. The real question ❓ is if an archon was put on nueral parasite, could it then do mind control to another protoss unit and be given to the zerg, answer is yes it should, and the zerg player could now make a protoss army, just like protoss if it mind controls a drone.

[@huyxiun2085]

That ghost around 19:08 was walking up that ramp like Sarah was walking in a park called New Gettysburgh. Didn't end well.

[@LudosErgoSum]

4:22 Tears in my eyes. Just so beautiful and touching 🥲

[@maciej.ratajczak]

🥲

[@Arkeli5]

Still one of the best intros on the internet. Cure reminds me a bit of Showtime but in Terran form. He shows what's possible with good solid play. Dark is like an evil genius who's inventiveness keeps opponents on their toes and gives him some terrific wins. Exciting to watch 😁

[@315Darkwolf]

So even though I'm only in gold league as Terran, I always try and get ravens out in the late game. The anti armor missile does make a big difference against late game skytoss or late game broodlords

[@jaxenosborne1250]

I’m a Zerg and that’ll make me back off immediately 3/3 marines with stim already melt a lot of stuff but anti armour missile makes them unbeatable in a straight up fight perfect especially if you don’t have the apm for ghosts quite yet

[@hubertborusinski1647]

I don’t think it is about having 4 hands but rather about them having like 4 heads and being able to focus on multiple points on minimap

[@kennyawho6444]

41:21 i don’t know what winter uses but he has a total mineral mined next to the ressources lost in the units lost panel.

[@BlackRainRising]

so I would like to say that even in modern world they still "paint the target" where they need a dedicated laser/sensor on target that guides missile to its destination. It feeds a precision signal to the warhead to hone in on until the last moment, that's why the ghost is keeping a laser dot on the area, so if he dies, the guidance signal is lost and the missile just goes... somewhere

[@1lomi901]

Lowko : Now dark will transition to his favorite units pretty soon ! *Dark makes 12 drones* Ah yes ! Spore crawler !

[@jp7089]

THE INTRO!!!!!! Hearing you do that made my day. thx :)

[@chumpypoodle]

this had me on the edge of my seat the whole time. like jesus i wish i could play 1/4 that good

[@bobhockey2509]

"Hello everyone my name is Lowko!" is the best video opener for the most popular SC2 channel on youtube.

[@ermyhun]

39:30 Everyone: Dark how many brood lords would you like to engage with? Dark: Yes!

[@antto9218]

honestly i agree with sending some more workers to the outer bases earlier, get all you can there and then go back to the safety of your bases, but it gets risky if your oponent is very agresive as you are giving them the workers in their front door

[@AlejandroGonzalez-ks5ln]

So you agreed n then disagreed😂

[@antto9218]

@@AlejandroGonzalez-ks5ln i said i agree, even if i see the risk on doing so

[@bagahbread]

Lowko’s commentary sets him miles above the other casters. Had me laughing in this one🤣🤣 “minced Thors”😭

[@yamilabugattas3895]

Amazing game, and with the classic intro too! I agree about the ravens, I also think that they could add a lot of value in some situations.

[@uvaisansari6207]

the classic lowko opening keeps making me smile

[@MrJonyqwerty]

What a crazy (loco) game! Thank you Lowko for the great SC2 commentary as always ❤️

[@lionelriviere5331]

Yassss the ‘Hello my name is Lowko’ is back! Just made my day :)

[@downsauce]

Omg he did the intro, liked the video already

[@nitrousoxide1797]

Wish he used all his remaining energy at the end to repair with Mules during the fight

[@joshdrinkwater8074]

its good to see the pros doing this i have been using it aginst tsky toss too and its been working pretty well

[@Chevyguy723]

The "Army Values" chart is what I'm talking about... there's some serious balancing that needs to happen if those army values can compete against each other, which in this game they do, over and over. Over and over you see a less costly Terran Army hold up against a more costly Zerg Army. And both of these armies are supposedly the best end game armies. Doesn't make sense that the best Zerg end game army costs so much more than the best Terran end game army. Specially when Terran can instantly mine out an expansion late game.

[@sirmemes1225]

Seeing StarCraft 2 alive and well makes me feel so good. This game holds a massive place in my heart, as one of the first videogames I ever really played. It's one of the things I owe to my love of strategy games.

[@rogelioarichabala2959]

I'd love to see a video explaining how these top players micro. Is there any special equipment that makes that easier? Thanks for your vids. Always a good relaxing way to enjoy my breakfast.

[@TheAckattack13]

"That's the end of Brenda." Legit got me

[@waltonsimons12]

My son was delighted to hear "the intro" again. Thanks for bringing a smile to his face! 🙂

[@niida4120]

I agree about the reaven adition on late game terran, but I do also think 2-3 bcs would help with the broodlings, and the thors can cover from corruptors, and a bit less ghosts maybe, like about 7 instead of 15. I would also love for cure to scan the zerg base and drop mules in his patches to steal some of the zer's minerals in this mine out state of the game, taking advantage of zergs imobile and hard to split army

[@AsuRa2111]

Lowko you should upload more clip of you playing 1v1 as POV view.

[@RealBentusiII]

What a sick and close game.

[@xavierosorio28]

unbelievable i watch it all from beginning to the end at normal speed

[@majormajorasic]

Lowko I'm wondering if there are any pro games being played on non-meta/balanced maps, you know the type made more in line with SC1 maps where minerals and gas geysers aren't perfectly made in a semi circle around intended hatch/nexus/CC spot.

[@peaceonworldkiwi]

I think the problem with Ravens in pro level play really is just that the Zerg players are used to neuraling key units already, as well as abducting key units, so either the Raven wouldn't live long, or you've handed your enemy another trick like the EMPing ghosts trick.

[@spoonhoa6886]

i dont know why Lowko hasnt shown cure how to really play terran

[@AndrewRomash]

21:20 i think a nuke needs a laser spot from a ghost to steer to. If the ghost is dead - then nuke cannot steer and misses, exploding somewhere outside the map.

[@anthonyzarakikira1712]

love the intro man!!!

[@Vyhox2000]

I'm happy seeing the Lords getting used

[@hubijohn7451]

That game was insane!

[@flaccidactyl804]

Lowko: People always talk about their rank saying I'm high diamond low masters and it just means their high diamond... Also Lowko: I'm usually playing at high masters low GM We all know what you really mean...

[@Spartsou]

considering Data-C is underwater, the nuke that don't land, just missed the sea and hit the land above where they're playing.

[@CakesFam]

Thanks Lowko. nice video as always

[@enjolraslechimiste]

I think Ravens are plausible to REDUCE micro. No scan needed, micro the raven instead? As far as what is the best late TvZ army, I refuse to believe the answer exists. Brood War strategies are STILL evolving, to this day. This game is evolving. New strategies develop, counters develop, the best players learn ALL the plausible counters to ALL the strategies.

[@flaviusclaudius7510]

Gosh that ending was tense

[@theWobbler]

Here you go lowko: "cure is very good at not making mistakes" where as Maru just does whatever and then micros out of any mistakes/defeciet.

[@egoborder3203]

how about a "Lowko Recipe" video series? You suggest a build recipe and post it, then players can send you their replays to see how it played out

[@killersmile7180]

21:42 name doesn't really have anything to do with a sea of data, it's just a silly play on words of "under the sea" being pronounced similarly to "on Data-C" and is a refernce to the little mermaid disney film. I have 100% confirmation on this. Well, mostly because I came up with that play on words(and the map itself). I have yet to experience anything but groans after explaining it, so feel free to keep using your definition if you prefer it.

[@EARTH-rg7ec]

I don't remember what terran player said it but he said : "terran players don't build ravens in the late game because in an army hotkey ravens apear first before ghosts and you have to press tab so you loose time, put ravens in a new keybind? Add more complexity to your game and micro, just macro better and add orbitals for scans", if someone remember wich terran content creator here on youtube said that please remind me thanks

[@nahruz.w3044]

Huhh...I wonder if we can set control group unit priority in the future. That would be neat. Maybe there already is, but if not adding that to the game would be great

[@LowerParchment]

So Cure vs Dark is cool and all, but wheres my LowkoTV vs Serral best of 5?

[@ethancampball2916]

Yooooooooooooooooo

[@spoonhoa6886]

Lowko dont REALLY want people to know how OP he is....

[@shirtlessviking9225]

man i hope Lowko's gonna talk about ravens for IEM katowice 2023

[@BrellaGuy]

That into makes me happy😁

[@WiseWik]

Use the layover that Winter is using. That one tells you how many resources are mined in total.

[@khemeher]

I tell you this: Lowko should show some highlights of uThermal's Raven to Grand Master series. I have a feeling we'll see more ravens after that.

[@ThePsylopAt]

I think you are right, even just one Raven would be a good addition at least to clear the creeps as the army move forward and also to detect the Infestors but I think they are too hard to keep alive and that's why they are not used

[@tyraelgoo]

I actually think adding vikings along with liberators might be a really good edition to this army. Terran players already have experience kiting with vikings a lot, especially TvP and TvT, and both can be reactored out, so you wouldn't need to add a bunch of tech labs with ravens or cattlebruisers, and you might already have reactored starports for medivacs

[@Federico-1]

With the burn on cure i think you just meant he plays an honest game and is fundamentally good when dark for comparison is very crafty and one of dark’s strengths is how unique and cerebral his build orders can be

[@milletmongoose]

Maybe we can call the move where you mine out the perimeter bases first before your opponent gets to them "The Lowko Expansion" play.

[@fredgagne2548]

omg omg i missed your intro soooo much 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[@NastyVlocka]

Anyone has idea why broodlord mutate from aa unit? And why mutalisk dont mutate to anything? Its kinda easy to have ultimate zerg Army based on one unit mutated at anytime anyplace and still have option for both so easy

[@jasonlynch282]

Would be nice if mutalisk could mutate into something giving zerg more air options.

[@MadMan-7978]

HE DID THE THING

[@Dr_Zusse]

HE DID THE INTRO!!!!!!!! WOOT

[@m.a6416]

Its the AO2 logic of never taking the farther resources first. You secure the one near you to grow and build enough army to defend expansions. If you go for the further ones first, they're harder to defend early hence a big gamble.

[@themistercoolest]

i love the old intro! please use it more!

[@AngelofBanishment]

Hey Lowko, can you do some SC2 arcade game reviews? Or maybe make a pole about it. I play this one called Undead Assault Chronicles. Was wondering if you were awesome enough to do a solo survival run. Anyways, love your cast, been watching for years

[@painy6588]

its bonkers how well thors trade with broods

[@cctomyboss]

That was an epic game. So good!

[@mrlithium69]

loved that game

[@HalcyonLeuthcorps]

The arms of an angel lmao

[@michaelswain868]

Dark is known for early aggression, unorthodox strats and roach play.... He mixes up his openings and is willing to commit to hard early aggression.... Its just say unlike Gumiho he has more than one style of play.

[@edileon9737]

Espectacular intro Nice. Hello lowko.

[@PashaSlavaUkraine]

if ghost is sniped and it stops the nuke, the nuke obviously gets defused and safely lends with a paracute in the middle of Atlantic ocean

[@lazerith84]

Love the classic into always a like - always a comment

[@isoufo]

It's Lowko!!!

[@hisazul]

Nerf octopus. There is your win condition lol.

[@EpicFiddleGuy]

HE DID IT! HE SAID THE THING!

[@PedroGarcia-fl1fu]

tururuuuuu turururuuuuu... instantly like button press unlocked... (4:22)

[@jgentilucci]

I would love it if an interrupted nuke had a chance to fall randomly on the map somewhere without warning

[@Kroepoek82]

omg 32:27, did you hear that? The death sound from a loaded Medivac was from the Marines inside. That's literally the first time ever I noticed such a thing. Weird, maybe has something to do with the map?

[@thejollyviking8083]

No, it's been in the game for a long time, years at least if not from the very beginning.

[@proofofpower]

The difference with Maru is that he uses hellbats to offset the broodlings.

[@haxhunyadi5582]

Watching Dark here, I wonder why brood lords are not used as the new swarm hosts. He could have flooded or at least pinned the terran army with broodlings if he wanted to. Why not just start rallying them closer and closer to the thors while keeping attacking your own broodlings? Their effective range would reach far beyond the range of the thors, even with the lower firing range of the broodlords.

[@nahruz.w3044]

Blue flamed hell-bat shutdown your pin easily. Using the broodling trick meant dark has to stop multitasking as he has to always select control group for broodlords and click on the screen or the broodlord will timeout. Pro player has dozen of control group but only one screen and one cursor.

[@12yearswar91]

Can't wait for the day someone listens to your advice to mine out the further expo first!

[@gregoirec.6456]

i don't know why in those late games vs zergs, we never see terrans going for Vikings. They always try to counter broodlors and corruptors with marines and thors... obviously they got something wrong

[@aaroncheng3927]

21:05 lol how much overseer u need?

[@ForcedToPay23]

I like how Lowko is adding his epic reactions to his thumbnails

[@jjaldunc1]

yo Lowko, amazing work, but i cant watch your latest videos in 4k, is that intentioinal? thank u 4 ur amazing work!

[@raulhernannavarro1903]

I think a frontal attack with siege units doesn't work well. Nukes would be more suited to forcing the zerg into awkward situations.

[@saranteravatin1641]

Cure might not the the best of small or big tricks But he's the MOST SOLID FUNDAMENTAL play style. He can hold dark until late safely. That's already said its work Like an army. The famous are the general with tactic in sleeve. But the backbone of the war is Fundamental style, hold the line and fill the holes. Even the most weakest army can be annoy via the fundamental style, but ofcoz iy come with casualties.

[@getawaykid]

How Cure managed to draw the game out another 10 minutes after being 70 supply down (half Dark's army supply), much fewer workers, with 100 less apm, is insane.

[@stixinst5791]

Is ghosts

[@Phi1618033]

uThermal has shown how under-utilized ghosts and ravens are for Terrans.

[@guitogabriel]

I think he should have used the SVC to heal the Thors in the final engage he was winning. But, i loved this game, cure have my respect.

[@haoxus9413]

I like your new intro

[@canyonntt6969]

Why not vikings to deal with the broods with something else to kill any ground?

[@j.j.3113]

2:51 are we not gonna talk about that zergling being yeeted back to Char!? Edit: Okay, is that a map feature? Why’d half the units float up to Asgard when they died?

[@nahruz.w3044]

Yes it a feature. The map is set to be underwater. This map feature has always been in here for 4 consecutive 1v1 map pool already. Did you just started to play sc2? Or did you just play campaign, coop and custom. Well, anyway have fun

[@Buttersman]

Brood lords are so cool

[@bagasaperdana]

Lowko, where 4k quality?