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fnatic.Space		WE.suhO

suhO is generally considered to be one of the weaker players in WE’s lineup. He has struggled against players like Insolence and strifecro. Coming into this match he has a great deal to prove, especially since he is faced with one of the strongest undead players in the world, Space.

That isn’t to say that Space’s reputation is untarnished so far in the league. While he has taken down powerful players like Soju he was defeated by both the german ace undead HLA and the finn elfittäja. Perhaps not a grudge match exactly, but the player winning this match will prove himself while doubt will continue to gnaw on the loser.

Game 1 (TM): Elf vs undead on TM is a classic matchup. The map has great expansion opportunities for both, and macro matches are common. Space spawns at the 10 o clock position and suhO at 5 o clock.

This is fortunate for suhO as it takes slightly longer for Space to travel to his base. Space starts out with DK/ghouls and goes on the offensive. The BM is however rather well suited for handling ghoul harassment this early on and Space doesn’t get much done.

Space backs off and starts creeping a mercenary camp but he is intercepted by suhO in the middle of it. Space gives some proof of his great micro abilities as he pulls his ghouls away from sight and lures suhO closer to the trees with his hired mercenaries and his DK.

Then he quickly sends his ghouls down toward SuhO's archers, forcing them to run away again. Bad situation averted. Meanwhile both players tech to tier 2. suhO builds a tree of life at 6 o clock and builds two lores while Space straight-techs to tier 3. Space also begins fiend production.

This is a questionable move. Even if a fiend army with tier 3-support (orb, destroyers) usually beats a BM-led mass army this map provides too many expansion opportunities. SuhO can clear expansion spots and have a macro war which Space can impossibly win with such a slow-moving army.

I've got so much money...

Space hires a naga and has a small-time battle in the middle, sniping a few archers and dryads while losing all three of his mercs. Space attempts to follow up the harass, but instead he loses his naga and a fiend.

This makes it very easy for suhO to clear the expansion spot. Since the fiend/naga build is quite specifically used to stop this kind of expansion things are look rather bleak for Space right now. The trick is to separate the bleak situation from all the bleak that generally surrounds the undead base and army. It doesn't look like Space does this however.

Space recruits an orb-armed lich and creeps his way towards the 6 o clock spot. SuhO’s macro plans are in motion as he sets up another expansion at the 3 o clock spot while he brings his army over to harass Space’s base.

Note that it at this point doesn’t matter whether or not he manages to do much damage. He has an expo! He can burn tps, he can let units die to towers as long as his expos keep popping up. The tally is 5 ghouls and an aco. Sure, suhO loses a few units as he runs away, but under the circumstances that doesn’t matter much. The 9 o clock spot gets a ToL too.

Space runs over and destroys the 6 o clock expansion, but suhO simply rebuilds it and clears space for the 3 and 9 o clock ones. SuhO picks hawk over quill beast at lvl 5 to make sure that he can harass Space’s acos perpetually even if his ground units can’t get at them.

Mockingly, suhO even builds an expansion at Space’s natural. While his base gets mangled Space takes down one expansion after the other, but they are rebuilt just as quickly. SuhO employs sappers and wreaks havoc on Space’s ziggurats.

...my dogs live better than you, boy!

Space has powerful heroes by now from all his creeping, but they can do close to nothing against the damage suhO continues to do to his economy. After a few more hit n run attacks suhO’s beastmaster reaches lvl 6, and few things are as useful for destroying bases as stampede. SuhO now has 4 expansions running and 2 more building.

When suhO arrives and stampedes Space’s base Space has been unable to afford a tp-scroll. Suho’s macro victory is complete, and with most of his base in ruins Space surrenders.

Game 2 (SV): The fountains on secret valley requires both players to make quick and sharp decisions. How to react when the elf heals his bears at them? How to stop gargs from healing there? Fiends?

If you fight at the fountain while too weak you might get destroyed without killing anything, and if you don’t you will be faced with a fully healed enemy army. Quick decisions are incredibly important here.

The first few minutes of the game are identical to the last. DK/ghouls, BM/archers, tech, undead harassment. After the initial attack Space’s DK is quite wounded, so he pulls his ghouls over to creep the lower fountain while his DK heals. SuhO creeps a merchant.

This game Space is going for gargs, and this fact is scouted by suhO. This doesn’t really alter the basic strategy of mass dryads however. Space manages to cancel one of suhO’s lores allowing for a few extra seconds of free flying time before the skies become too unfriendly.

Once the first few gargs arrive Space creeps the lower fountain dragon. SuhO hires a panda and creeps the left expansion with it while he creeps the right with his BM. When an opponent can pretty much get at you no matter where you are on the map you might as well force him to choose what to harass.

Space snags a few archer kills, but doesn’t manage anything major like killing the panda. SuhO places his expansion at the right spot and continues to creep while Space does his best to harass wisps. Space prepares to kill off suhO before he becomes too powerful by researching ghoul frenzy.

If you at all can...

However, it might already be too late as suhO’s panda is already lvl 3 and his BM lvl 4 AND the red camp gave him brilliance aura which is awesome for his strenght heroes. Regardless, Space hires a lich and goes looking for suhO’s army.

Both players micro rather well. Space statue-dodges the pandas fiery breath, and suhO staffs home focused dryads. Still, the hunter-killer focused army of Space isn’t something suhO can deal with just yet and he is forced to tp.

...do keep in mind to try these things if you can. THIS is the path to improving your game!

Space discovers suhO’s expo before it gets running, but even as he kills loads of dryads suhO is able to kill off his lich and force him to retreat. Fighting Space at the fountain is more than he can manage however which is a large blow to him considering half of Space’s gargs were in the red.

Space takes an unnecessary risk when he returns to the battlefield without some kind of lifesaver item for his DK. SuhO notices and kills it with focus fire. Closely behind follows several gargs which brings suhO’s BM up to lvl 5.

I think the deathknight could go for a Lifesaver right about now...

To win a lategame warcraft match you need an advantage in 2 of 3 major areas: tech, economy and hero levels. SuhO now has economy and hero levels tightly secured, and the tech advantage is only exploited in small part by Space. Victory is imminent for the elf.

Space’s lich is hunted down and killed shortly thereafter, and even though Space has now fielded a couple of abominations it isn’t nearly enough to stop suhO from rampaging through his base. The game is over.