Introducing the new era...

of Zerg versus Zerg

I am currently trying out the new styles of ZvZ and I want you to be encouraged to try it out yourself.
While making my way up to the one thousand points I faced alot of Zergs totally destroying me with this "new" style which was performed on EG.IdrAs and MǂStephanos Stream and tournament performances. It's all about heavily upgraded Lings, Infestors and - later on - Ultralisks.

So let's break the basic gameplan down.

(click to enlarge)

We want to start the game of by either agression or passiv defense. It's personal preference but I tend to go for an early aggression opening 'cause it's easy to win the game right there and then but if you are not confident in those Ling Baneling chesswars you should not try it and just stay save with an early spine and defend.
Here is my particular starting BO I am currently perfecting in the Ladder.

I am opening up 14 Gas 14 Pool into an 21 expansion (really the 20th drone to the nat = perfect expansion timing) I am pulling out 3/3 Drones out of the gas when I hit 100 and I imidiately follow it up with Speed 4 Lings and 1 Queen (totally standart). After the first Queen is finished you pull back 2/3 Drones back in gas and start the 2nd Queen asap (21 supply). The Queen build in the Main is going to go down to the natural to kill potential Overlords that were forgotten by your enemy. You build Drones up to 25 Supply (you build an Overlord at 24) and from there on out you only build Lings (34 Overlord). You have to hide the 4 Lings next to the enemy Base and build 4 Banelings and keep 2 Banelings home to moprh defensive Banelings. Drone behind it. 
This is a Replay of me just winning with my opening: CLICK ME  

After you survived the earlygame (or gained a significant lead) you are free to transition into the style of choice!

The transition we are going to follow it up with...

(Click to enlarge)

We are going to transition in the following way: (I am not quiet sure how to follow it up properly yet or rather what's better - I saw 2 different builds in Replays - I am focusing on the one I trained)
As soon as we are ready to transition (when the aggression of our oponent is starting to get senseless and you are save - defensive Banelings + Spine - and we are having the proper amount of drones - enough to still have 16 on each mineralline) you build 2 Evolutionchambers and add 4 Gas and plant a 3rd Hatch and a Macrohatch and Spines (depending on the way your opponent transitions).
If he tries to secure his 3rd with Ling and Banes you are pretty save to win the fight for the 3rd 'cause you are having more Lings and probably better upgrades.
 If he goes 2 Base Roaches you have to be aware of a Nydus (see Picture) and build a sh*tload of Spinecrawlers in order to survive the hardcounter to this build. (Roach +1 Banelingbust)

Great - I survived the early - What's next?

Okay so here is what you have to do:
Here is an easly prioritylist to follow throughout the game (after planting the double evochamber)

+1 Melee +1 Carapace >>> Base 3 and Macrohatch >>> Lair >>> Infestationpit >>> 7 - 8 Infestors (As soon as the Infestors spawn you are save. There is nothing that can kill you at this early stage of the game that can't be defended with this amount of Infestors and Spines) >>> +2 Melee +2 Carapace >>> Banelingspeed (Why is this so important? Simply because you need Banelings to kill Hydras which is the Hardcounter to your T3 "Endgame" Tech) >>> Hive >>> Ultralisk Caverns >>> +3 Melee +3Carapace >>> Ultraliskcarapace >>> Adrenalinglance 

That's it, you won!

So I just camp the entire game?

(click to enlarge)

This statement is not entirely correct. You apply alot of pressure with Lings that runby to your opponents third Base (deny that base as long as possible) and Main etc. You can also (if you are on 4Base) split up a little group of infestors to harass your opponent with Infested Terrans.
What's important to note is that you don't have to saturate your 3rd overeager because you kill his 3rd which puts him behind anyways. If you overdrone your 3rd he can simply kill it and put you on equal footing which is pretty bad with no "highertech" Units (Lings with +2+2 are not even close to Roaches +2+2) You have to outmass him! As soon as the 3 - 5 Ultralisk spawn you can take on an ulimited amount of Roach Infestor. The only counter to your composition are alot of high DPS Hydralisk. You always have to keep a small amount of Banelings with your attack to kill those keyunits. 

Sounds pretty easy isn't it?

Not at all. It's way harder to "perfect" as supposed to the normal Roach style. You have to micro your heart out in order to make your Lings costefficient. What that means is you have to split your Lings like a champ WHILE injecting like one. It's really hard to keep up with those injects and even I (as 1000 pts dude) am having trouble to keep the energy below 100 which is a shame. It is really hard to play so don't cry about people doing it. I actually lost to a Zerg that just pumped 2Base Roaches eventhough me killing his 3rd several times. I could not get out enough Lings and enough injects to finally crush his push so it kept on growing.

Final words:

I am just starting to transition over to this style and this "Guide" is still pretty basic and nothing special so I am not entirely right in my post yet but I am trying to play it moreoften (I actually neglected to use Roaches for the past days just to get a feeling for this new Build). I already uploaded some of my "new" ZvZs to Drop.sc and I am posting them in the end of this post just to give you guys a quick first impression to what this build is.

I hope you enjoyed this Guide and I hope you still enjoy my writings.
~Take care Myu


CLICK ME (My style vs a Nydus)
CLICK ME (New Style vs Roach)
CLICK ME (Same as above)