Aa

[NuQ]

You can have 4 vikings by the time the enemy has 5 mutalisks in your base.

I'll give you the rundown

***For Vikings***

Bldg Prerequisite/Cost(Min/Gas)/Build Time

Barracks 150/0 60
Factory 150/100 60
Starport 150/100 50
Reactor 50/50 50


Total(without reactor) 450/200 170
Total(with reactor) 500/250 220

***For Mutalisk***

Bldg Prerequisite/Cost(Min/Gas)/Build Time

Spawning pool 200/0 65
Lair 150/100 80
Spire 200/200 100

Total 550/300 245

So, as you can see, you can actually begin producing vikings before the zerg is producing mutalisks, and it's cheaper too. also take into account that a good zerg player will train a queen before upgrading to lair, so add an additional 150 minerals and 50 ticks build time before they are producing mutalisks. gives you about 75 ticks of breathing room to train vikings, which only take 42 to train.

 

[BANANAMAN]

Wouldn't this leave you vulnerable to ling/hydra/roach pushes?

 

[Sevion]

Yes it would. So, the only way you could do this if you successfully scouted him. And this is assuming he spends no minerals towards any lings or spines for early protection while he spires.

 

[BANANAMAN]

Then this build is either isn't that effective or I'm completely missing something in it's execution.

 

[Slapshot136]

Then this build is either isn't that effective or I'm completely missing something in it's execution.

well you have a barracks and a factory that could be producing marines/siege tanks/ other defenses while upgrading, because the research takes more time then minerals/gas, leaving you with minerals + gas + barracks + factory = standing army to defend vs ling/hyrda/roach pushes

the "vikings" path uses 500 minerals over 3 minutes and 40 seconds - you should be mining way more then that, same with the gas

 

[NuQ]

Yes it would. So, the only way you could do this if you successfully scouted him. And this is assuming he spends no minerals towards any lings or spines for early protection while he spires.

Well, look at the build order... thats the same heirarchy for the basic Marine/Marauder/Medivac strategy. so no, you're not vulnerable unless you just don't build anything else and let your resources pile up... you could do the MMM strat and you would have already built the prerequisites to switch gears to vikings, anyways.
this strategy makes for a perfect counter to the basic zerg cheese strategies. after you survive the expected ling rush from a 6/8/10 whatever pool rush, its pretty common that the player will start teching for mutalisks. a quick scanner sweep to see if they're building a spire and bingo, start training vikings.

 

[BANANAMAN]

Wouldn't this BO depend on the map size as well? I mean the time it takes for the mutalisks to arrive to your base would significantly change depending on the map size which could alter the time you need to have Vikings out to counter them.

 

[Whitesock]

Chances are if you're rushing vikings to counter mutas that fast you're going to be scouted and rushed anyways. =/

EDIT: And of course I just missed half of the conversation.

But yeah, I guess you guys are right, though I feel like zerg grabbing roaches and just burrow microing them or just plain micro would sill be extremely hard to beat.

 

[Slapshot136]

Chances are if you're rushing vikings to counter mutas that fast you're going to be scouted and rushed anyways. =/

EDIT: And of course I just missed half of the conversation.

But yeah, I guess you guys are right, though I feel like zerg grabbing roaches and just burrow microing them or just plain micro would sill be extremely hard to beat.

that's why the terrans should block off their entrances and scan if necessary with an orbital comm center (and also why they should keep a 50 energy reserve there)