Cloack EMP unit

They are much more effective if you position them ahead of time, and against some things (see: Outlaw) they're just not going to work very well.

Venom?

The EMP field is even permanent and relocatable.

Tick is useful, but probably inferior to roach (180'd that I know). It's worth noting that cloaky as a factory is buffed merely by having the option to make ticks even if they are never produced. Opponents have to be worried about walking into tick traps, and this means longer raiding routes, splitting up firepower, wasted time screening etc.

All in all a positive addition to the factory, thought more difficult to use than glaives or zeus for example.

Ironically ticks being non-lethal is also their asset since you are not as punished for having them run with your army. Thus I would not say that it is strictly inferior but somewhat different in use. Its a bit like comparing a glaive and bandit.

Sure they are hard to use but so are roaches. Is their fair use rewarded? Heck yeah it is! Look up the games I have already linked to in my previous posts where ticks are basically my leverage over my opponents.

SnuggleBass I absolutelly agree. I think the person that has done in the past the most was Aquanim and his llt tick traps. Where he would put a tick almost on the llt and let the raiders come close to deal with said laser tower. Tick would go off stunning the llt and the raiding force and Aquanim's reaction force would mop up. This heavily discouraged an opponent from attacking at all to be frank.

Woah bot pathing really? huh. That makes sense I guess to prevent over-the-hill roaches in your base.

Also, I've been assuming roaches do 2k dmg for a long time. That's ticks. MB.

Yeah ticks have a few advantages. Being cheaper is huge. Specifically, I think they're better for the raider game and for particular types of baiting (like in the example with a lone lotus -> leaves more reclaim). Roaches feel more like a ball killer or combo piece.

I kept using Tick and it kept feeling strictly good. That is why it may be the most consistently nerfed unit. Tick should not be the all-encompassing solution to the defensive raider game. It would basically kill raiding against Cloaky. I still see Tick used, sometimes well, and that is where it should be.