StarCraft 2: Dark's SWARM HOSTS vs Maru?!

Professional match of StarCraft 2 between Maru and Dark. Maru has been playing a turtle style of Terran versus Zerg lately, and because of that Dark decides to give the most underused Zerg unit a try: The Swarm Host.
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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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[@ipodsucksballs]

I can't believe Dark killed 30 SCVs and Maru still has me wondering how he will win it.

[@MauroDraco]

Hahahaha! In-deed!

[@tosemusername]

I'm sure Maru wondered the same thing at that moment.

[@danielfrohlich9040]

Right?! When I saw the ghosts I was just thinking "Uhoh, Dark's in trouble". Unfortunately it was too late, but Maru does have this effect lol

[@PappaAbe]

What I saw is that Dark was using the Hosts as a siege unit, constantly harassing his opponent, and wearing him down. Loved it, truly medieval 🏰

[@KingsNerdCave]

I never get tired of watching Dark play, he takes such bizarre builds and cleverly makes them vicious. Heck even just corrosive bile'ing the jumping battlecruisers was epic.

[@DrakeyC]

Speaking as a gold-league hero - I think I get why Dark went Swarm Host. With Swarm Hosts, Ravagers, and the Nydus Network, any expansions of Maru's were under constant threat of getting sniped, and he knew that since Maru had gone Battlecruisers, his army was not very mobile at the time, so either Maru would have trouble securing an expansion, or he'd have to move his army out and the Swarm Hosts would go for his base while he's out, or they'd ambush his army. Plus he kept sniping the Siege Tanks, which were both expensive and the best defensive unit Maru had to push back that kind of army. Thus Dark had a, let's say a "psychological contain" going, the threat of Swarm Host play kept Maru from moving out, and Dark used that time to flood the map with creep and deny Maru expansions with it, choking his economy. And given that Dark later had seven bases against four, I'd say it worked.

[@ThePsylopAt]

What a game, I would have crumble under the first locust waves but no the mad man endured it until the end, creep at the front door, no problem theses dudes are crazy good

[@EsportsStoryteller]

You should cast one of Dark vs Byun recent games, Dark showed some really creative micro with blords and broodlings

[@rbw9692]

I enjoyed your story about has 🙂

[@EsportsStoryteller]

@@rbw9692 thanks!

[@valdo2323]

Man I saw that clip! He was making INFINITE broodlings!

[@LowkoTV]

Thanks for the recommendation! Will have a look

[@joeblack5253]

@@LowkoTV insane game. Dark is genius. Its definitely not end of the ghosts+mech but at least best zergs now have a viable strat

[@BONKwhatup]

Swarm hosts are such an cool unit I wish they were utilized more often

[@ashra8281]

Swarm hosts are such a cool unit, but I wish they were removed from the game

[@elbalerto]

i remember games where i used locusts as decoys to distract the hellbats/tanks while i roll in banes/roaches. i would love to see what a pro could do with that strat

[@GrimdEGaming]

They are just too expensive

[@sevenpolar3483]

I see them all the time. Pros very often misclick and make a single swarm host as they rush around with their millions of APM

[@PhuVinh030609]

@@ashra8281 or changed

[@shybard]

Maru genuinely makes mech look viable.

[@xitaris5981]

eh. He seemed to be on the back foot while playing mech and I don't think he would have ever been put in that position if he'd played bio

[@TritonTv69420]

Battlemech is a pretty good strat against zerg.

[@user-tb7ml8kz7h]

Only because Dark did misplay after misplay with the swarm hosts: Sending a locust wave alone is so much weaker than sending it as part of an attack with the army. And even the 'resources lost' shows that - when was the last time (before this game) that a pro zreg went swarm hosts, and wasn't ahead in the resources lost?

[@Terracronz]

Depends on the map, if he goes straight into mech or transitions late game, and how well his opponent plays against it. It’s safe to say it’s viable, he beat Reynor with both starting as mech and transitioning into mech on the new map pool.

[@Daniel-rd6st]

@@xitaris5981 Well i doubt that Dark would have played swarmhosts vs bio, so yes the game would have turned out totally different.

[@Arkeli5]

Absolutely fantastic game. Maru really is a beast. My heart cries tears of pain sometimes for Zerg though. I mean just look at the amount of map control and how far ahead Dark was at points and still almost lost this one. I reckon Pro Zergs suffer from PTSD of the ghost snipe sound 😂

[@nemigazhogynincsszab]

I think the problem was that too many locust waves were sent into hellbats. The attack at 16:10 should have been repeated several times. But of course, they know better than me. :)

[@TomeDesolus]

We are the Knights who say... 5:22

[@InnerRevolutionProject]

xD

[@NikksTV]

This series was actually insane. U have to watch all the game

[@SamyKalem]

Just wanted to say thanks for the amazing casting you have been doing for your videos. I miss this game being everywhere! Thanks for keeping it alive :D

[@GutGekon]

Nice video Lowko!

[@donmutanda]

Lowko don't worry about math mistakes, I personally like it when you get a bit more technical to make a point

[@Spartsou]

holy cow! great cast, Lowko!

[@12-343]

I've been waiting for a swarm host game (you may remember me asking about it in your twitch chat) for a long time. Let's go!

[@Neront90]

Okay okay hear me out What if swarm host became energy based and have 2 speells: 1) Locusts with limit time 2) Scourge or anti-air locusts

[@ralfkinkel9687]

I'ld agree with it being energy based, but not sure if having free anti-ground and anti-air options in the same unit would be too strong

[@ashra8281]

So you could save up like 8 swarm hosts and activate them like 3 times? Or just have it kapped at one activation but make them feedback and emp able

[@ledrash6079]

Or might be possible for them to have lowkosts (sorry, i just had to) that cost minerals like a carrier and still have options between scourge (air) or normal (ground). :)

[@dotraj8704]

Zerg already have a lot of spell casters to juggle though

[@jesusbarrera6916]

@@ralfkinkel9687 energy based would make them mi h less spammy

[@JonZeroMenace]

The fly by at 11:36 lol

[@truqzztv3848]

i always make em but always forget to get the borrow upgrade 😂😂

[@jonsmith5058]

Does anyone know why Terrains dont mix in a single Raven to help clean up creep early on? Feels like it would save a butt ton of scans for mules and pay for itself super fast. I see eventually one was added, but it doesnt seem common.

[@InnerRevolutionProject]

I was asking me that myself quite often

[@TheTrueReiniat]

its because you have to swap the Starport for a TechLab (and back), so your entire build has to account for this and then the Raven dies super easily if you dont micro properly. Techlab first for 2 Banshees and then Raven for missiles against Roaches is super common in Diam and low Master tho.

[@jonsmith5058]

@@TheTrueReiniat but the starport was already on a tech lab for a battlecruiser

[@TheTrueReiniat]

@@jonsmith5058 yeah and building a Raven then makes you lose a whole BC :P I guess it would be helpful afterwards when transitioning out of BCs

[@jonsmith5058]

@@TheTrueReiniat hmm ok, I guess timing etc is super useful, but I just figure denying that creep to maybe force them to fight off it or have queens waste some energy on rebuilding tumours that could otherwise be heals. In this match maybe it could’ve push Zerg further back rather then them camping right next to the terran base. The pros are obviously that for a reason though so it must not be valuable if they dont use it.

[@MrNxou]

Awesome match

[@flaccidactyl804]

I don't get why for the early locust waves Maru doesn't just unseige the tanks. If you have hellbats you don't need the tanks to clear the wave and then end up doing more damage than the locusts themselves.

[@MsHojat]

That might open up an opportunity to bring in roaches/ravagers to deal even more damage. But maybe not.

[@bagahbread]

Nice. More Lowko

[@csmlouis]

Must have been an exhibition match. Both the pros are doing fan-service with swarm hosts and battlecruisers.

[@davidchoi9674]

Heyo Lowko can you cast the bonkers GSL finals between herO and Maru, or does the GSL not release their replay packs?

[@mantas9259]

The infantry armor got denied 1.3 SECONDS before it finished... Damn

[@lyolev6628]

Those two guys are real titans, wonderful game. :)

[@ZirJo]

Such a great Game!! Loved it

[@MauroDraco]

Wow! That was exciting!! Dark is a legend.

[@sonyvegas9838]

11:27 that was so cool

[@johnclasing4627]

That game was sick.

[@Neloish]

What a great game.

[@manuelperez-hv4je]

What a crazy game!!!

[@michaelbarton7075]

5:23 NEAT!

[@Mammel248]

Hahaha throwback to HotS! Swarmhosts are a really cool unit

[@jlke45]

“He sees things before they happen.” - Qui-Gon Jinn on Maru

[@Rizso1]

that game was so zerg. constant waves of monsters!

[@GothicTech]

I really love Swarm hosts they are so fun to watch

[@hisazul]

More like Dark spotted mech and went full troll.

[@LordChaos36]

Even Lowko has to admit how cool this game was, cause they were SHs

[@cristhian3460]

Such a great match. Dark sieged Maru wonderfully and Maru resisted brilliantly. And this 25:35 was kind of satisfying to watch.

[@theanti-hypemonitor9079]

17:45 and i was like "well that game is over" BUT IT PROCEEDS FOR 10 MORE MINUTES HOW

[@richardbeard9391]

hell yea

[@immortalkhang8294]

Maru is now a protoss player I like it make big ball murder everything 👌

[@chenling2937]

A protoss (herO) is playing like Zerg. Will Zerg start playing like Terran?

[@V3x0r]

Maru's ability to live past his expiration date is unparalleled.

[@killumallification]

Feel like we don’t see mutas or hydras anymore too

[@d.n.4027]

12:02 omg o.O

[@hoot2416]

Nice! Time to try swarm hosts again on the ladder... and then lose. lol.

[@TubeTAG]

Man, when’s the last time you put up a TvZ where Maru lost?

[@skynzdlol7455]

He did litteraly any possible upgrade for ultralisk and didn’t even get 1…. I’m tilted.

[@Neront90]

He was not expect to maru start producing mass ghosts with little economy

[@ironmonkey1512]

I think he was counting on a good baneling hit on the ghosts it never happened

[@hiddentruth1982]

swarm hosts are brood lords that can't fly. basically the semi automatic version of brood lords. just as good and they move faster but you really need to magic tunnels to use them the best.

[@kwanako]

That corrosive biles to BC is 🔥💥🥹

[@noreavad]

More Lowko casting and commenting, analyzing, entertaining us on other YT channel. !!!!!

[@MsHojat]

Dark didn't even get any ultralisks. What was he expecting? more Battlecruisers? Marines?

[@MrTacoSr]

After getting all the upgrades I was wondering why Dark wasn’t sacrificing swarmhosts slowly to move into ultra ling bane or broods…

[@MasterOssy]

Not a starcraft player, but this was a really good match to watch.

[@keenanzeller9215]

Dark is pulling the sickest Gorilla Hit and Run tactics all over this map!

[@F4c2a]

Hellbats countered the hell out of those swarmhosts, Maru played amazing but let's be honest Zerg struggled again simply because their lategame units are rubbish.

[@mrlithium69]

10 ghosts left but only 3 SCVs, maru you madman

[@Tomagotchiify]

26:05 is a great explain of utility. A couple of swarm host to soften them, scouting and flanking, save resources then grow a specific army to solve the problem, then sent the real swarm once they got surrounded and got hurt. 🤌

[@dediprakosa7727]

Im confused about one thing. If maru already knew dark used swarm host why still tried to build tanks, why not just build more Bc? Or at least hunt the swarm host?

[@sparkyk24]

Maru is so good, and those locust defenses were insane, but his battlecruiser harass was not top tier. I’d say a little sloppy even. I think he may have won if not for that. I don’t even understand how he almost killed dark, he adapts his unit comp like a zerg. Always exciting to watch these two

[@gavinruggero6038]

Click the keys fast

[@ShadowTheHedgehogCZ]

The Hellbats completely neutralize the Locust waves almost every single time...

[@Vargas3499]

Maru playing out of his mind

[@goldensea03idk51]

If maru won that I would have been dumbfounded

[@Arhatu]

When you see swarmhosts be aggressive.

[@mertdundar7659]

Man terrans really should make like 6 7 BC to one shot a base with yamato guns. It would be an awesome tactic

[@nicktan205]

18:16 self thinking- dark is prepared because he’s knows maru’s plays. Maru needs a minor dose of changes to throw todays meta off even further

[@Varuga]

Is this from GSL semi-fianls?

[@meandmyself1600]

I think there were no swarm hosts in GSL (was waiting for them, since they found their way to valencia)

[@behwen6057]

maru is just crazy

[@EdgarTheOnion]

If Mary went with a bio army I think he could’ve won haha

[@SwrdBreak]

The second i saw swarm host in the title i had to click IMMEDIATLY

[@erictillybs1500]

Noob speaking here but why didn't Maru just jump on the swarm hosts with the battle cruisers? Swarm hosts were basically unprotected big part of mid game but could continue to send swarm after swarm.

[@billl.2441]

Dark my all times favorite zerg player.

[@billmurray2592]

Is this not game 4 from dream hack Valencia finals?

[@1987retroman]

Abusing grossly overpowered ghosts "you madman!"

[@YourSooFakeSauce]

I swear I remember you casting a game in the past month or so where swarm host were used by scarlet and she trashed a protoss. Anyways. Wouldn't scourge be the least used? I vaguely remember them being in wings of liberty but u could be wrong... I don't think I've ever seen a player use them.

[@jaxenosborne1250]

They don’t exist in ladder I’m not sure if they did in previous versions or not but they don’t currently

[@knivesoutcatchdamouse2137]

@@jaxenosborne1250 no, they're only in Brood War and SC2 co-op

[@shiprecords]

Hi @Lowkotv I just wanted to let you know that I hit the like button for you

[@garrymontano4705]

Yeah its "low cost" =)

[@knivesoutcatchdamouse2137]

LOL mech. Come on, Maru. Go back to shredding with bio with a handful of siege tanks and leave those Hellbats and Cyclones where they belong...in pieces at the factory.

[@mylesprospero8105]

when did Maru start losing?

[@andrewwood1364]

Mary only ever loses in style

[@dylanwatts9344]

(Plays protoss BTW) I think Swarm host need to launch quicker (x3) and the swarm move (135% current) faster while flying, but have half the duration and less armor while flying (-4). This would make it so they are a little more scrappy, needing to be a little closer to fights to get good durations while at the same time the swarm being able to be picked off easier. While good launches from nearby allowing more damage. Also, having tech in it so they can become very good if you dump the large amount of resources for it. I like the idea of them, but they are very niche at the moment due to how they are at the moment,

[@AlexanderVRadev]

Or hear me out... No free units. Make locust good with your suggestions, but once the swarm host lunches he dies.

[@dylanwatts9344]

@@AlexanderVRadev I like it for game purposes, but thematically the zerg are suppose to be this endless body. So the free units make sense. Anyways, terrans have free units too. And Protos have exploding orbs of doom. So taking away free units means removing those too. You aren't wrong, but it would be a massive shift to the game to get rid of free units.

[@AlexanderVRadev]

@@dylanwatts9344 I have no issue removing the disruptor. It is just as bad to play against as swarm hosts, only high level players are controlling them correctly, and Protos already have enough AOE options. And I am saying that as a Protos player. I have no idea though what you mean by Teran has free units. Teran most definitely does not have free units. They have mules which deos not attack and they have turrets which do not move and both cost energy.

[@dylanwatts9344]

@@AlexanderVRadev So what would you give protoss to buff them after the disruptor is gone? They have a lot of AOE but their attack speed can't handle a wave of full upgrade Zerglings, let alone marines if they are jumped. And they don't have on command vision like terrans. Maybe a tanky unit but low damage that slows? So they cost energy rather than on a timer, energy just being an alternate timer that can allow multiple casts. They are still as free as swarm host. Uthermal is even doing a Raven to grand master which is showing how sickening the auto turret can be. And Mules? You can kill every SCV and a terran can get back into the game with an orbital by calling free harvesters. So how would you balance terrans? It's a massive can of worms at this point, and to fix will require a large and surgical rework. I run D&D games, and questioned the base rules, and even changed them for short periods only to come back around to allowing them as is due to the fact it's just how the game works the best at the moment and to fix it would require all of the connecting functions to be rebalanced too. So as much as that you aren't wrong, you're wanting to bring a sledge hammer to a surgery XD

[@AlexanderVRadev]

@@dylanwatts9344 Protos does not need anything to replace the disruptor. Protos did well before it was added and never needed it. As for zerglings and marines.... 2 words - Zealot, Colossus. For casting with energy you need to first build up the energy you don't start with it. The max energy limits the max amount of turrets/mules. And even if you can cast multiple with one raven, the energy bar is just one so it recharges the multiple casts one at a time. And those are not moving unit that can be used to charge the enemy, so you can disengage. Very different. And free units being bad is why I said the swarm host must be killed to spawn the locusts. As for sledge hammer to a surgery.... Its a funny way of putting it but ultimately a false one. This is not a surgery it's a very stale game at this point where one strategy/composition is optimal and everything else is barely used. I'd say it time someone brings a sledge hammer to it and mix things up. SC has been on life support for over a year so it's not happening though. And even if it wasn't Blizzard would be too squeamish to do anything fun with the game at this point.

[@Seldomheardabout]

Anyone watching in 2022 knows what a swarm host is lowko. Know your audience lol.

[@Malpheron]

Res please.

[@Seldomheardabout]

@@Malpheron Just walk ffs

[@Hisu0]

I think swarmhost has to be both buffed and balanced. 1. It has to be rooted to generate locusts. If rooted when burrowed, it gains +3 armor, but generates locusts at 50% speed. 2. When rooted, it can't move, burrow, unburrow, or drop locusts. 3. Locusts are generated one by one instead of the whole clutch at once. 4. When dropped, locusts automatically move towards the nearest visible target or hang in the air, waiting for command. They can only be given a command _once._ 5. Locusts double in number but deal half of current damage and have 75% of current HP.

[@coreywilliams6118]

the match needed better camera work.

[@johnermactavish1162]

This match must have been *INCREDIBLY* uncomfortable to watch for viewers with trypophobia. The swarm hosts and even the ridges of the map are riddled with holes.

[@SeanofAllTrades]

"What occurred that suddenly makes this a playable game for the terran player" That's so easy. Terran is broken. Zerg has to do infinitely more to barely win.

[@Kaiyuni]

I think they should buff up swarm hosts a bit. Either make them cost less supply or make them generate the little locust swarms more often so they can be a more proper siege unit.

[@milletmongoose]

The swarm host is the most used unit in diamond level 4v4... and it sucks lol. I'd say 7 out of 10 games the team with the swarm host loses. Maybe it's because it's the same guy that's always doing it... 🤔🤔🤔

[@RuanAntunes7]

I wish this game was on Mobile. I used to play Starcraft on PC back in the day. The Zerg was my favourite to use

[@chamber20projects]

How are you gonna play SCII on a phone or tablet? Good luck.

[@kalashydra9016]

22:04 terran is op thats how

[@creeperkingdom3190]

I can't understand how dark had a unit which literally produces free units uses them perfectly guts his economy to do so. And yet is still Sligh less cost efficient than the terrain army who say home trading against free units. it boggles the mind.

[@hivetech4903]

l2p. TvZ match within 2% of perfect balanc at pro level.

[@Tomagotchiify]

this is my third time watching

[@LuisEmilioSanchezAguilar]

:D

[@bestofwarden8558]

6th

[@dj_me655]

First

[@hivetech4903]

*Obligatory idiot KZbin comment* complaining that Swarm Hosts are OP despite almost never being made and Zerg is OP despite being the weakest race according to pro balance stats on aligulac. See you in future comments sections - what shall I complain about next?

[@AlexanderVRadev]

Close game? This was a zerg playing with it's food for 25 minutes Lowko. Free units man. It's not about if your army can beat the other army, its about the ability to build stuff faster than the enemy can kill it an killing the enemy faster than they can build their stuff, and nothing is moire powerful than free army. Well getting the enemy army to kill him is more powerful but infestors are also zerg bullshit so.... ;D

[@martynas5757]

lmao no, zer barely had any resources at the end, thats not called playing with your food if youre barely able to produce army units yourself

[@AlexanderVRadev]

​@@martynas5757 Barely able? Swarmhost produce free units! Teran barely managed to kill 1 out of 6 or 7 bases and lost the whole army for it that was being build up all game. And obviously he "barely had any resources". That is called spending your income. Anyone above platinum will rarely have more than 1000 resources at any time unless maxed out on a high tech army in a late game split map scenario. That was my whole point. Zerg had 4 or more bases that could be actively mined and remaxed instantly, traded well then remaxed again. All game. While the teran was contained all game and spend the entire mid game fighting to get a single saturated minig base to build a maxed army and attempt a desperation push. Locusts would trade army for free and when teh base would go up, and time he got any mining he would get hit by locust from the one side, defend them jsut to get the minig base and the workers wiped by ling bane. At one point locusts were even killing the production in the main. And swarmhosts are just average as far as zerg bullshitery goes. ;)