I attempted to find some more battlereport material on May 15th so that I could start reporting again immediately after exams. I thought that 1.08 wasn't coming out any time soon, so that would be convenient for me. Testosterone was once again happy to star in another battlereport, but who would play against him? I found random people in channel clan x17, but all of the games were so ridiculously one-sided that no report could be considered.

I was about to give up, when Fizban- showed up in ~nohunters. The following battlereport is of their epic 45-minute warm-up game on the River Styx. Sit back, let the images load, and go back in time with me to Starcraft 1.07, where spawning pools cost 150, where morphing sunken colonies didn't crash the game, and where one-hatch lurker rushing was a viable strategy vs. terran.

Player Introductions:

Testosterone has an overall record of 3-0 in my battlereports. He won the 7 game series with DrAwesome, defeated (Tiamat)'s 14 CC, and totally dominated the 7-way FFA on Continental Divide. He rarely makes any tactical mistakes and can macro as well as anyone with all three races.

Fizban- is Mr. Old School. He's not too old school to use zerg spellcasters, though. In my last battlereport, he put down Testosterone's larger zerg force with excellent use of plague, dark swarm, and ensnare. That game could've been different if Fizban- wasn't stuck in the northeastern corner of the map. How will he fare 1on1? We shall see.

Both competitors randomed, and the game began.

Fizban- drew zerg and started at the northeastern start position. He sent his overlord to the southwest, and 9-pooled. A conservative build for this map, yet the pool is early enough to maybe cause some damage.

Calvin&Hobbes) (referred to as Testosterone from now on) drew protoss and started at the southwestern start position. He began to warp in a pylon just left of his Nexus and scouted northeast with the probe. It finds Fizban's Spawning Pool almost halfway completed and Testosterone warps in 2 Gateways and another pylon at his main in a way that would force incoming zerglings to either go in between structures single file to reach the probes or to go around the right side of the Nexus to reach them.

When the Spawning Pool completes, Fizban takes his three idle larva and begins to spawn six zerglings. Fizban sends them to Testosterone when they hatch and he begins to morph in another Hatchery at his main, and an Extractor when he gets the minerals.

The zerglings arrive when Testosterone gets his second and third zealots. Fizban danced around with his zerglings, damaging a gateway, moving, damaging a pylon, etc. Fizban destroyed a probe when the opportunity presented itself, which, wasn't often. This continues for 45 seconds until Testosterone gets two more zealots. The two remaining zerglings retreated with the 5 zealots in pursuit. Fizban hastily morphs in two Creep Colonies in preparation for the counter, while Testosterone warps in an assimilator.

The zealots arrive at the zerg main to find two Creep Colonies morphing into Sunkens, two zerglings, and a morphing Lair. He charges the morphing Colony... when both Sunkens finish at the same time. The zealots tear into a sunken, but they quickly fall, and two zealots limp away. Testosterone begins to warp in a Cybernetics Core, climbing up the tech tree to deal with zerg lair units. He also begins to warp in a Forge, since he was behind in tech.

Fizban attempts to zergling harass again. Ten zerglings on speed move around Testosterone's zealots stationed by the southern bridge and target a pylon west of the mineral patches at his main. They are quickly boxed in by the zealots, though, and Fizban retreated past them, unable to destroy any structures. Four zerglings are torn apart as they retreat.

Fizban decides to morph in a Hydralisk Den, perhaps working toward lurkers. Testosterone was tired of the constant zergling harassment, and built three Photon Cannons by his minerals. Before they could warp in, though, Fizban sent 8 more zerglings across the north central bridge. They pass through the zealots waiting there, and they proceed southward to Testosterone's main. They join the 6 zerglings that harassed before, and attack any targets of opportunity. The Forge on the northern end of his main quickly fell, and Testosterone sent his probes to try to distract the zerglings and draw them into the photon cannon range. This succeeded in killing enough of them so that zealot/dragoon/probe micro could finish off the remaining zerglings.

Fizban was in serious trouble. Instead of sending his zealots home to deal with the zerglings harassment, Testosterone sent them to Fizban's main. Nine zealots tear into two Sunken Colonies, two hydralisks, and two zerglings. More Creep Colonies are thrown down, more hydralisks are hatched, drones harass the zealots, hydralisks dance. Fizban stops the attack, but not before losing half of his drones and his hydralisk den.

Testosterone warped an expansion Nexus at his eastern natural. He also warps in a Forge and Citadel of Adun. He wasn't going to be able to keep those, though. Before the hydralisk den fell, Fizban researched lurker aspect. Three hydralisks, two zerglings, and two lurkers move to Testosterone's main. The hydralisks and zerglings attack the one Photon Cannon on the northern end of the base while the lurkers burrow. It quickly falls and the two surviving hydralisks pull back behind the burrowed lurkers and they begin to morph into lurkers themselves.

While the four lurkers crept forward, Testosterone frantically warped in a Robotics Facility. Fizban destroyed the Forge, Citadel of Adun, and two Gateways before Testosterone could get an Observatory and observer. Fizban took advantage of this disruption. He dual-expanded to his western natural and his mineral-only south of his main, and he also began morphing two Evolution Chambers and a Queen's Nest.

Testosterone killed the lurkers, and was content to rebuild his tech and stay in his base and lick his wounds. He rebuilt most of his destroyed tech at his expansion and started to increase his troop count again, as many troops were lost skirmishing with lurkers. After sending scouting probes to Fizban's mineral-only and main, Testosterone decided to expand himself to his mineral-only north of his main.

Fizban began morphing a Hive about 1 minute after the Queen's Nest completed. Why the delay? Well, this question was answered when two loaded, speedy overlords headed toward Testosterone's natural.

The overlords begin to drop their cargo - 8 zerglings each - on the north side of Testosterone's natural. The zerglings popped out one-by-one each charging the walled-off 1 photon cannon and 5 dragoon defense. They die quickly, and only manage to destroy the photon cannon.

Expecting a counterattack, Fizban hastily morphs in sunken colonies, about 3 per base. He also starts another Hydralisk Den, as pure cracklings won't be able to carry the day. The counter was coming, but it didn't come immediately, since protoss ground troops had to weave their way from Testosterone's natural, since the Gateways were rebuilt there.

Twelve dragoons and eight zealots charge into Fizban's mineral-only. They hack down the 2 1/2 control groups of zerglings there and the front sunkens, but more and more zerglings arrived, and the adrenal glands upgrade turned the tide of the battle in Fizban's favor.

Current upgrades:
Fizban: 1/1 melee ground
Testosterone: 0/0/1 ground (attack)

Fizban built a Spire during the last combat, and he began morphing it into a Greater Spire. Perhaps he could catch Testosterone without any easy counter.

At this point, a shuttle speeds toward Fizban's natural expansion. Time to see one of those psi-raids that we hear so much about, right?

Well, not quite. But the two zealots and the archon in the shuttle could potentially kill a lot of drones. The sunkens placed there stop the attack and arriving hydralisks destroy the shuttle, though.

Both competitors mined out their main, and were harvesting resources from their naturals and their nearby mineral-only bases. Fizban attempted to stake claim on the middle of the map by morphing a Hatchery at the central upper mineral-only base. Seven hydralisks and nine zerglings stood guard there.

Fizban built a Nydus Canal at his natural to enable units there to avoid traveling any significant distance. Anal? On this map, maybe. But if he was able to hold his newest expansion attempt, it would win him the game. When the Hatchery finished, he built the other end of the Canal there.

He also started to produce queens at his main. Ensnare, Broodling, and Energy was researched in preparation for a potentially drawn-out game. All other things being equal, spellcasters can potentially turn the tide of the game.

Action picks up again when Fizban sends four guardians into Testosterone's natural. Three high templar arrive, and they attempt to eliminate the guardian threat with storm. The guardians dance around, missing many storms. More templar arrive, though, and kill three of the guardians. The remaining one moves and holds position over four templar. One of the off-screen high templar must've still been moving to cast his storm, because he threw a storm on the guardian which killed it and three templar.

Current upgrades:
Fizban: 1/2 melee ground (armor/attack)
Testosterone: 1/0/2 ground (armor/shields/attack)

Testosterone didn't let his storming issues bother him. He had more pressing issues, like killing Fizban. Twenty-four zealots, 2 high templar, 6 dark templar, and two dragoons proceed across the south central bridge, to create as much carnage as possible. Psionic storm was cost-effective this time for Testosterone, as the high templar quickly stormed away the blocking zerglings in the middle of the bridge. This force quickly eviscerates Fizban's newest expansion - Fizban didn't even bother to Nydus any troops from his natural.

The lack of resistance is because Fizban was planning on finishing off Testosterone as well. Four guardians and four overlords filled with zerglings arrived at Testosterone's natural at the same time as Testosterone's attack. This base was totally defenseless, the zerglings leveled it very quickly. While the protoss army marched northward and the zerg swarm scurried westward, both of the armies obtained level 2 armor upgrades.

Testosterone's massive zealot/dt/ht/goon/archon army tears into Fizban's mineral-only directly south of his main. Instead of countinuously throwing troops at the protoss juggernaut, Fizban ensnares most of the zealots and left a small harassment force of hydralisks to buy him time while he better organized himself at his main. There was only about 1300 minerals collectively at that base at that point, so it was somewhat expendable. Testosterone warps in a Nexus at the central lower mineral-only base at this time.

Finished with Testosterone's natural, the zerglings at his natural move on to his main. They encounter a few photon cannons, and take them down before beginning to take down the other structures. The guardians, however, move back to Fizban's main in an attempt to stop the protoss force and stave off elimination.

Testosterone's force vaporizes Fizban's first mineral-only expansion, and it charges into Fizban's main. The zealots were ensnared, and the zerglings there charged. Fizban didn't have much, though, and the defending zerg units were killed with eight zealots, four high templar, one dark templar, and one archon still alive. Two hatcherys fall, and Testosterone attempts to destroy the Greater Spire. The four guardians arrive back home, and they dance around storms to kill many zealots. One good storm catches and kills three, and forces the retreat of the other one, though. Reinforcement zerglings are hatched frantically, though, and successfully defend the Greater Spire.

Testosterone begins to mine fully at the south central mineral-only base. He takes his newly hired zealots and eliminates the zergling infestation from his main. They save a Pylon and three Gateways. No more tech. He has Gateways and two Stargates now. If he could hold on to the middle, though, the advantage would be his.

Testosterone flys corsairs around and attacks any idle overlords they find. After peeking at Fizban's natural, they move to Fizban's main. They see ten zerglings, and that prompts Testosterone to dispatch five zealots there across the north bridge. One died from the partially-injured guardian on the path that retreated from there earlier. Corsairs quickly eliminate the guardian while the zerglings eliminate the zealots.

The only base still collecting minerals is Testosterone's south central mineral-only expansion. During the zergling/zealot fight, Fizban attempted to morph a Hatchery at the northern mineral-only expansion on the southern bridge while Testosterone began to warp in a Nexus at the mineral-only expansion south of Fizban's main. You know, the one that had about 1300 minerals. He canceled it after seeing Fizban's troop count.

Fizban's hatchery completes, and he quickly morphs in three sunken colonies. When he had eight zerglings there, he attempted to use them to kill probes, and possibly the Nexus at Testosterone's mining expansion. They were unsuccessful, as there was a matching number of zealots waiting for them. Half of the zerglings retreated alive.

They didn't live long, as a dark templar followed them and killed them at Fizban's new expansion since no overlords were present. Corsairs drive away the first few overlords that arrive to deal with the dark templar, but Fizban eventually sets it up so that twelve hydralisks arrive when two overlords hatch there.

After setting up some photon cannons at his mining expansion, Testosterone once again set out to deprive Fizban of his northern mineral-only expansion on the southern bridge. Sixteen zealots, four corsairs, one dark templar, and one archon charge into Fizban's expansion. They meet up with twelve hydralisks, six zerglings, and two sunken colonies. The zealots stream in, and die. They continue to push, though, and the dark templar push the remaining hydralisks back since the corsair killed the nearby overlords. Reinforcement zealots tear down the Hatchery, making the situation grim for Fizban.

Fizban desperately needed minerals, so he rebuilt a Hatchery at the minal-only expansion south of his main. Yes, the one with about 1300 minerals. All of his zerglings and hydralisks are send to guard that. Testosterone attempts to bust the game wide open by warping in a Nexus at the northern mineral-only expansion on the southern bridge. Fizban had an ace up his sleeve, though.

Fizban knew that Testosterone was attempting to take that resource node, since he flew his queens by there, periodically broodlinging, ensnaring, and parasiting the zealots stationed there. He began to morph three lurkers. Testosterone had no observers at this time!

The lurkers burrow in front of the sixteen zealots stationed there, and there was nothing Testosterone could do to prevent the loss of his new Nexus. A hatchery quickly begins to morph on the ruins. Meanwhile, Testosterone rebuilds a Cybernetics Core, then a Robotics Facility, then an Observatory. How soon would he be able to deal with the lurkers, though?

Fizban drops eight zerglings at the site of Testosterone's old natural. They speed toward the one pylon and three gateways at Testosterone's old main. One gateway falls, but Testosterone had quickly reacted by sending enough zealots to deal with the threat. Two zerglings burrow there, though, and Testosterone had to keep a few zealots behind since he didn't have any observers.

Testosterone mined out his mineral-only expansion, and once again had no source of minerals. Fizban just began to mine his mineral-only expansion. Testosterone wins if he gets his observers before Fizban reaps enough minerals from his expansion, because he can take his superior troop count and shove his forces up Fizban's throat.

Fizban knew this, and continued to disrupt Testosterone when he had the chance. The constant broodlings from the queens started to take a toll on his troop count. Fizban also dropped a lurker north of the southern mineral-only expansion on the south bridge. It kills mostly probes, since an Assimilator was placed on the gas mine there and Testosterone sent most of his probes to mine it. Normally, this drop may not have made a difference, but hey, probes could be significant at this point.

Fizban slowly collects minerals. They are spent, but not to increase zergling or hydralisk count.

Observatory warping in... Fizban has time to cast three more broodlings.

After what seemed like an eternity, Testosterone gets an observer. A corsair checks Fizban's troop count at Fizban's mining expansion, and notices no troops to speak of at the mineral-only base south of his main. Testosterone's forces charge across the southern bridge. Twenty-four zealots and one archon tear into eight zerglings, three hydralisks, and two lurkers.

Fizban's mineral-only expansions were falling quick.

So what was Fizban spending his money on when he had an expansion?

Yep, he hoarded away twelve mutalisks. After the mutalisks spread out and killed the archon, they had free reign on the zealots and structures. What happened to all of the corsairs? Testosterone never had a high count, and the ones he had were killed by hydralisks when they chased overlords and queens.

With no money and no way to deal with the mutalisks, Testosterone concedes this hard-fought game.

Winner in 45 minutes, 59 seconds: Fizban

Overview
Units
Structures
Resources

Random thoughts:
Thanks to both competitors for allowing me to observe, and for allowing me to pause three times to move screenshots. ./me falls down and thanks Blizzard for 1.08 replay for future reports.

If you guys don't like the font/background, sorry. =/

I don't have any flash skills. I don't have the graphical ability of a Testosterone, Breeze, or WilliamWC3. I don't have the originality of a Drefsab or DivvyO. I don't have the tactical knowledge of Fox^1 or Casper... I don't have the humor of The..Scarab. ... but if people still read my reports, then damnit, I'm still going to make them!

This is a CrackHeadJeb production.