I believe a great way to help out Terran without destroying the match ups, is to reduce the cost of Hellions. Now some will say, how is reducing the cost of hellions going to help TvP, and TvZ, without making it imbalanced?
First, Hellions are already weak to Zealots, Adepts, and Stalkers; likewise they are weak to speed lings (in multitude), queens, and roaches. All 6 of these units are quickly punched out, and can be punched out faster than the Terran can remake the hellions which are suicided into the mineral lines of the opponent.
Hellions are almost always used only to harass mineral lines. Their cost of 100 minerals (especially when doubly produced off of a reactor), truly delays a third command center for the terran. We all know TvP and TvZ Terran will always be behind one base, assuming equal economic openers. TvZ with Zerg ahead one base, is normal. PvT Terran is always behind one base, and if they try to go for an early third, and are scouted, they die.
The hellion should be reminiscent of the Terran Vulture in Broodwar. It is a fast scout unit, and is a great follow up to a reaper scout. Yet, the hellion should not sink the Terran economy for the sake of harassment alone.
An interesting note, is that in broodwar each worker reaps 8, (eight!), minerals or gas, per rotation from each node/gas; and for Terran, the vulture costed 75 minerals.
Here in SCII the workers reap 5 minerals, or four gas, per rotation, and the Hellion costs 100 Minerals. Of course this makes sense because of the 12 worker start allows for an economic boom larger than 4.
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Why should the Hellion be reduced down to 75 Minerals per car, from 100?
Whether it is 6-8 mustered up with a reaper, or four dropped from a medivac, there are already quick counters to the hellions by usage of warp gate for stalkers via local pylons, and queens as a first line of defense to buy time for roaches or speed lings.
Going for Hellion harassment in order to equalize Terran vs Alien economy, delays the Terran third. If the Terran goes for an early third without harassment, they are delayed in military, because the economy of the opponent grows faster.
If the hellions costed 75 minerals instead of 100, then:
- Terran can keep up with the opponent’s production by being able to afford another Barracks, or Factory, or Starport
- Terran can keep up with the opponent’s economy by saving up minerals for an earlier third.
If opponents are already skilled enough to quickly counter the hellions, then the Hellion has now become a poor investment.
Reducing Hellion Costs will inject Mass Hellions into the Meta
This is true, it is an option, yet it is easily shut down with proper shield battery and queen placement, even recalls if you have to. Just don’t forget to leave some defenses in your base. Hot key different groups, it is unwise to have everything in one hot key.
If they go for early hellions, you will know they will delay any other tech, albeit it won’t be as delayed as they would be with current 100 minerals per hellion cost. You are responsible for scouting this, as the opponent is responsible for scouting adept all-ins, and roach ravager all-ins.
Let me know what you think.