zk has allot of variation in the early game and its made me wonder why some new players are making 8 solars before getting a con and collecting mex on the front-lines.
so i decided to make a short post about the very early start game.
not to mention providing an alternative to the current forum rage wars
my thoughts and advice are that of a player that has allot to learn so expect some flaws.
1. Defense: 1 lotus + 1 defender
the fastest someone can rush raiders or scouts allows you to delay a lotus until after you have at-least 2 mex and a solar but covering all angles around your eco can be hard so a 'defender' is often just as useful for warding off units like scorcher/pyro that can evade the commander and use buildings to block lotus los
radar can also be used along with your own fast scouts to neglect all base defenses provided nothing slips past your forward detection nets. but defenses should not be neglected at the base completely
this strategy also requires good micro and the use of building priority to allow ninja defenses/unit counters
2-3 lotus are able to resist almost any instant bum rush when coupled with the commander however its too costly imho and its better to create a riot or counter raiders that can at-least help to push if no rush appears.
2. economy: 1 constructor
fast capture of mex at the start is huge and is only overshadowed by steady reclaim mid-game
if you place a constructor on high priority expanding 2 mex 1 grid solar until Energy tanks are empty then switch to a 1 mex 1 solar ratio this seems to be the fastest possible metal ecco expansion method but is of-course risky unless your also pumping out units to protect the expansions
the commander can hold his own when expanding and should be put to work expanding even naked if nothing else
my personal rapid expansion:
i use no defenses and only units.. so risky if your not good at micro or they have a scythe rush.
plop, com makes mex, fac makes con, com finishes mex and assists finishing con before building a solar next to mex..
factory set to low priority with produced cheap units guarding base area but mainly guarding the constructor. constructor high priority collect mex, commander collect mex and place a solar next to each collected mex..
once metal begins to pool up make the high priority con place a solar next to each collected mex.. in a 1-1 ratio
keep spamming units.. i try to aim for a mex + single solar on each point. a strong front-line of troops and lotus spam at choke points. as soon as i can afford a second con ill get it to solar the lone mex and return to guard factory for more units.
if any reclaim becomes visible i will make ridiculous efforts to get the reclaim. reclaim is so op its like an early-game nuke.
