by Henry “Stormfront” Bowsher

TRUE vs Bunny Review

On day 1 of the GSL Code A we saw PSISTORM Gaming’s TRUE come back from 0-2 Deficit to beat CJ Entus Bunny in the BO5 for a place in GSL Code S. Now we will analyse how TRUE fell behind, and more importantly how he came back when the odds were firmly against him to be able to snatch a code S spot from Bunny.

Coming into the match, the general consensus was that Bunny was the favourite. With his team being able to provide KESPA level practice more easily. I predicted a 3-2 victory from TRUE in my preview whilst TL predicted a 3-1 victory for Bunny and Artosis also siding with Bunny for a 3-2 win. TRUE has been vocal about his lack of confidence in ZvT both on his personal stream and it was mentioned in the cast that he was doubting his chances just before the match started.

On game 1 TRUE opened with a 1 base cheese, using overlord drop, ling bane to try and take an early lead in the series whilst Bunny opted for a reaper expand into reactor marines. Bunny was able to finish making his bunker, causing TRUE’s initial baneling attack to be ineffective and Bunny’s units to be safe. As a result, TRUE felt he needed to regroup and get another drop into Bunny’s main to recover, but the slow overlord was shut down by the additional marines. This meant the rush was over. TRUE attempted to transition into a standard game, but Bunny was able to push out with a 1 base hellbat, marine and medivac push. This push was too powerful for TRUE and he was forced to GG.

Heading into game 2 it seemed likely that TRUE would fall back to a more standard game. Most expecting to see his infamous ling bane style, however once the two base spire was out it was clear that TRUE had something else in mind. Before TRUE’s spire was even finished he had placed double evolution chamber and roach warren down. It has to be said, Spire rushing followed by roach tech is not a strategy employed by many.

Bunny matched TRUE’s base count with both players on a 3 base economy, the emphasis was on the Zerg player to do damage or fall behind. TRUE only made five mutalisks, with only three making it to Bunny’s base. This muta rush failed in dealing any significant damage towards Bunny, leaving TRUE at an economic disadvantage and his own build path forcing him to transition into a roach ravager composition. Roach ravager on even bases vs upgraded bio wasn’t much of a fair fight, Bunny crushed TRUE’s army just as his first ultralisks popped. Despite the best efforts of the Ultras, TRUE had to GG once they eventually died.

Heading into game 3 on King Sejong Station TRUE decided to go for a 3 base ling bane bust as Bunny moves out with a double medivac drop. The timing helps the PSISTORM gaming zerg to bust down the front door and force a lift on the natural base.

After some time, Bunny is able to eventually retake his natural and rebuild the wall. Both players follow up with harass as TRUE baneling drops and Bunny pressures with medivac drops, both killing a similar amounts of workers. However, TRUE gained the overall worker lead.

TRUE follows with two additional baneling drops, amassing twenty-eight worker kills and checkmating Bunny. TRUE quickly follows up with another ling bane attacking which rolls over Bunny, GG is called and its 2-1 to Bunny with TRUE still having a long way to go.

Game four was on Frost, with the players spawning in close horizontal locations, the game started as most ZvT’s do. The first real decision coming from Bunny as he decides to go for a 6 hellbat plus marine medivac push. TRUE was able to catch four of the hellions as they moved across the map before they could be transformed into hellbats. TRUE was able to make enough banelings and queens to hold the push with relative ease as Bunny made a number of small micro mistakes and the attack was cleaned up before a single drone could be killed. This left Bunny at a disadvantage going forward. Those kinds of attacks need to do damage to the zerg economy to be worthwhile.

Following the failed hellbat push momentum was firmly on TRUE’s side, he uses this momentum to go for another baneling bust. Cancelling the third base and breaking the depot wall outside the natural. TRUE doesn’t let up with the aggression as he prepares another baneling bust, this time breaking through with enough units and with SCV pulled off the line quickly followed by another GG from Bunny. This match made it 2-2 in the series where everything came down to the final map.

The last game of the series is on Lerilak Crest, a four player map no longer on the ladder. The players spawn across from it each other, with the longest rush distance. TRUE again will be the aggressor this game and goes for an early lair. The early lair is to allow for his Nydus attack. As he places the nydus perfectly in the fog of war in Bunny’s base he is still unaware of the incoming attack. As the lings and Queens spill from the nydus, Bunny pulls his SCV’s to defend, as he does this his reactor starport finishes building two medivacs which save the marines and allow bunny to push back the attack and put TRUE behind.

TRUE follows up with yet another nydus attack, in the same location which is in full view of Bunny, he loads the nydus with queens at the beginning so they can transfuse the worm and allow the rest of the units to make it out. This time TRUE has banelings and lings, which allows him to punish the SCV pull and poor spread of bunny. The Zerg player is able to kill fifteen workers and give himself an eight worker lead. Following this attack bunny moves out to deny TRUE his third base.

TRUE then researches baneling speed and goes for another set of overlord drops, this deals massive, potentially fatal, damage killing thirteen SCV’s and forces Bunny into an attack with his army outside TRUE’s third. Despite good pre splits TRUE’s ling banes overpower the army and force the retreat. At this point the game is strongly in the favour of TRUE, he pushes across the map massacring the workers until Bunny has seven workers. After considering his position for a few seconds he GGs. TRUE wins 3-2.

TRUE’s play throughout the series changed massively as the games progressed, starting out with cheese isn’t crazy, but not something you necessarily expect to see. However, game two was very unlike TRUE. Normally TRUE sticks to ling bane before going into ultras, but in this game he rushes five mutalisks on two bases before teching into roach ravager. This is the complete opposite of TRUE’s playstyle. My opinion is TRUE’s lack of confidence in the matchup meant he played styles and builds which he normally wouldn’t play, and after they didn’t work for two games he reverted to what he knows best, his ling bane style. TRUE showed incredible mental fortitude being able to play from 0-2 down and still take the win.

TRUE-ly an awesome comeback. (Sorry not sorry).