I still prefer cyclones over goliaths when facing Protoss or Terran air comps. Yea, Yamato is still going to hurt, but dang if it isn’t satisfying to kill liberators while constantly moving out of there kill zones.
As for mutators, they’re actually great at dealing with environmental mutators. While Herc/tank is still preferred when dealing with ground comps, the cyclone can avoid lava spouts, fireworks, fiery death thing, etc. all while killing enemies, ESPECIALLY flyers. Something the Goliath can’t do as easily. How many times will this come up? Not very often, but if we’re talking about optimisations, then knowing when and how to use them makes you a better player on that CO.
Maybe one day I’ll try to upload some of my gameplay.
You should, I don’t think I’ve seen yours yet (that I can recall). Always been curious as I believe you main Swann? It’s mostly for my own curiosity lol
Sorry, had a 13 hour work day and wife aggro when I got home. It’s midnight, but here 'ya go. Not the best I’ve ever done, I should have got the bonus’s but meh. Maguro Map, solo, RtK against Protoss air with carriers and voidrays. P1 Swann. Oracles are scary, but have short range. You can almost kite them with the Cyclones, splitting them from the rest of the wave, then dive back in and finish everything else off.
EDIT! I figured out how to post a link!
Fun fact, I included the screenshot of both Maguro’s overlay, and the score screen at the end. The Drill had more kills, but the Cyclones dealt more damage (Probably due to the Shards). If anyone plays mass Cyclones, I’d recommend setting the Lock-On key to rapidfire.
In all my years of using Swann, I’ve never even thought about simply researching Fire Suppression. A simple, cheap, yet super effective way for the Factory.
This is why I love watching people’s replays. Here and there, you can pick up a neat little trick or two . Thanks for uploading .
Wrathwalkers are normally slow to fire with high damage and cyclones are high damage over time. They’re really similar in kiting ability, but cyclones are a little trickier to use due to larger numbers and body-blocking but are immune to air-to-air.
Yes, and they also work fine… just slower push is all. Viable is a evolving process (unlike what many seem to believe).
I used to think Herc/Tanks/Goliaths was the only answer for Swann, but as I expanded and practiced with other units (basically got better) I understood the difference.
Swann doesn’t have a non-viable option unless you’re forcing it with Hellbat into Hellion against air units… even then you can get away with lots depending on the prestige.
Regardless what Strat I use, I always make some Firebats in early game and perhaps more in late game to keep the waves/hybrids busy. As fodders they last a bit with some sci-vessel backing them.
I really like Thor/Hellbat against Explosive Threats which is one of the hardest comps in SC2 coop. The Thor’s can survive or be rebuilt when abducted and the Firebats tank/kill the ground stuff very well. Thor’s do bonus damage vs flying light (scourge/mutalisk) and heavy ground (aberration).
Was just having a look and it takes 2-3 hits for Thor’s to kill Scourge depending on upgrades. At 0 weapons vs 1 Armour it takes 3 but 1 vs 1 it’s 2, 2 vs 2 it’s 2 and 2 vs 3 it’s 2. Point might be to prioritise somewhat getting weapons upgraded to protect your Science Vessels! (At least level 2 weapons).
Thor’s are great against certain comps, AND on certain maps. Aside from Mutas, they suck against air units, ESPECIALLY capital ships. Don’t use them against enemy air comps. When pushing into enemy bases, try to pick off the big flyers manually with your drill. Otherwise you’ll find 12 Thor’s tickling a Battlecruiser while every other enemy unit pounds you.
Now, as for maps. Thor’s are GREAT at dealing with enemy waves that warp right on top of you. Tired of all those small waves targeting your truck on CoD? Throw a barrage on their landing area. Holographic warriors spawning on top of that bonus or suppression tower your next too on Malwarfare? A few barrages can clear all of them before they even materialize. They’re kind of like a walking spawn camper in that regard. Just learn to lead your barrages when enemy waves are running at you.
I also usually have a few Hercules flying around to quickly bring Terra l reinforcements to the front lines. Otherwise, it’ll take half the mission time for them to walk all the way to the front.
I was thinking: one element often forgotten about Swann P3 is the tactical jump earned by Science Vessels.
Do the users of this prestige sometimes load stuff in their transport, gather them with Science Vessels, make a jump, unload units, then spam defensive matrix on the units?
Or do SV end up just being around for repairs, if not unused?
Something I’ve done occasionally is teleport a Science Vessel to an ally and drop a Defensive Matrix on their important unit(s) to save them.
For general play Defensive Matrix is the difference between taking attritionional losses and no losses at all with basic micro. It isn’t even terrible to throw Irradiate onto bio forces if you’ve Sieged your tanks already and are waiting for a wave to arrive (and have above average APM perhaps).
You can even do offensive warps by using Defensive Matrix first and then warping in to drop your tanks on top of Amons face (if you are certain of your Critical mass).
Just be sure to bind it to rapid fire to quickly spread the Matrix around.
thats almost the p3 playstyle in a nutshel. except spaming defense matrix is not necessary. you tactical jump close to the next encounter. get the first volley off with no dmg inc, beacause you got the tank range advantage. as soon as the units start to engange your army, you can see which units is going to be attacked first. then you cast def matrix or prepare to load the attacked unit into herc. i think in big fights 3-4 def matrix is a realistic number
As a general observation from my own experience and watching my allies play Swann. Those who use SV and used them well generally do better than those who simply have them as nothing but a robotic medic.
If you are new to swann, try get & Play his P1, put all mastery in drill, then kite the POO of everything, or ask your protoss ally to spam observers, zerg creep.
Yes it is easy but not worth doing it unless it’s a defense map, better just spam thors/goliaths. Hercs are cheap meatshields, even if you don’t plan use their cargo, just build a few and at front, they have very high aggro level, so enemy yamatos don’t kill all your vessals.
You don’t have to micro them all day, Spam A move, they will re-select targets,though they will waste a lot of damage overkill. Once you hit critical mass, they delete everything, don’t use them against vipser, and don’t ask how I know.
as I believe you main Swann? It’s mostly for my own curiosity lol 
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