Tau Cross

[e][h]Tau Cross

Map Information

Creator:

변종석 (Rose.of.Dream.)

Tileset:

Ice

Size:

128x128

Spawn Positions:

3 at 1, 5, 9

Versions:

1.1

Competition Span:

Aug 2006 – Sep 2007,
Jan – Apr 2009

Leagues Featured:

• 2006 Shinhan Bank OSL Season 2
  
• 2007 Shinhan Bank Proleague Round 1
  
• 2007 IEST
  
• ASL Season 4
  
• 2018 Hangzhou StarCraft Carnival

Description

Tau Cross made its debut in 2006 SKY Proleague and the 2006 Shinhan Bank OSL Season 2. It quickly became one of the most popular maps played due to its simplicity and macro focused game play. Tau Cross was also a Courage map. It remained popular long after it was discontinued from Progaming use. Tau Cross was brought back for the 2009 Shinhan Bank Winners League and following GOMTV's policy of using only Proleague maps also subsequently used in the 2009 GOMTV Averatec-Intel Classic Season 3. The World Cyber Games also used Tau Cross for their Grand Final in Cologne in 2008.

Notable Features

• Cliffed Natural Expansion - This allows Siege Tanks to wreak havoc if dropped there.
• No Ramps - There are no ramps on this map from the main to natural.
• Blockable Route - The path from the main to the natural is blockable by a single Supply Depot (and partially blocked by a Pylon.) This allows many options for cheese (primarily against Zerg.)
• Rush Distances - the rush distances are slightly longer than on a typical map.
• Small Natural Choke Point - This favors the use of heavy macro oriented builds by allowing easier defense of Fast Expansions.
• Buildable Center - This allows Terran to build Turrets in the center of the map when pushing against Protoss, or allows players to proxy in the center.
• Open Center - This allows for easier flanks and tends to help PvT and ZvP.

Strong Build Orders

Protoss vs. Protoss

• 1 Zealot into Fast Expand

Protoss vs. Terran

• 10/15 Gateway Dragoon Rush - Due to the very large entrance into the expansion area, 10/15 Gateway has become the most used build on Tau Cross. It only has 2 builds that can counter it, and it is so powerful the Terran is forced to use those builds or risk getting destroyed by the early Dragoon pressure. Countered by Fake Double Fast Expansion (with a bunker at the expansion), or Siege Expanding

• 12 Nexus - This build that has become very strong due to the recent trend of 10/15 Gateway Goon Rushing. Both build used to counter the 10/15 Gateway play are ineffective against the huge economy boost 12 Nexus play provides. If the way the game is played switches from 10/15 dominated play, this build could become ineffective due to the hard to defend expansion. Countered by 8 Rax or other early aggressive play.

• 2 Gateway Observer - This build is also used based on the current way the game is played, as it is very problematic for Terran's using a Fake Double Build.

• 1 Gateway into Reaver Harass - One weakness of the Fake Double build is it's inability to deal with early Reaver play due to the VERY late turrets and Armory. If this build goes undetected the Reaver can go unopposed for a long time. This becomes stronger because of the very open layout of the main bases and expansions, so the Shuttle has plenty of places to look for an opening.

• Early Dark Templar Drop - Many of the same reasons as the 1 Gateway Reaver is strong is why an early Dark Templar drop is strong. Both Siege Expanding and Fake Double builds normally have very late turrets and thus cannot cover all the possible areas for a drop.

Terran vs. Protoss

• Fake Double Fast Expansion - Without a doubt, Fake Double (FD) is the strongest build for TvP on Tau Cross. It is the only build that has an answer for the most common build Protoss will use, the 10/15 Gates. However if the Protoss is going with the 10/15 Gates you MUST put a bunker at your expansion.

• Siege Expand - Due to Tau Cross being wallable Siege expanding is a viable, safe build. It is able to deal with Dragoons early pressure as even one sieged tank behind a wall can handle a large number of Dragoons. However the push out into the expansion must be timed very, very carefully as you are not coming from a high ground down, it is level land so the Protoss will be able rush in when the Barracks does its liftoff.

• 2 Factory Play - If the Protoss does not go with a 10/15 Gateway build 2 Factory play can be very good due to the lack of ramps. However standard 2 Factory is not recommended, the Terran should go with tricky 2 Factory play like Fake Fake Double, or something unexpected.

Zerg vs. Terran

• Overpool or 9 Pool into 2 Hatchery Mutalisk - Video - The early Zerglings defend against any kind of Bunker Rush, plus forces the Terran on the defensive, allowing time to get very fast Mutalisks and start harassing.

Protoss FE wall-ins

• 

  2 o'clock

• 

  5 o'clock

• 

  10 o'clock

Terran wall-ins

Main

2 o'clock

5 o'clock

10 o'clock

Natural

2 o'clock

5 o'clock

10 o'clock

Zerg building positions

Main

ZvZ: 1-base defensive building positions at 5 o'clock

Notable Games

• Anytime vs. NaDa, 2006 Shinhan Bank OSL Season 2 Final
• Guemchi vs. Leta, 2008-09 Shinhan Winners League
• Jaedong vs. Flash, WCG 2010 Semifinal, 2nd set

Recent Games

This automatically generated table shows the 10 most recent games with VODs and can be modified here.

Date	Time	Tournament	Opponent	Vs. Opponent	VOD
2018-07-14		Chilean StarCraft League Season 1	tOsKY	KNiF  KNiF
2018-05-23		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	rem	gestalt gestalt
2018-05-23		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	derkavich	navane navane
2018-05-23		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	bossross	AgGe AgGe
2018-05-23		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	InTact01	view view
2018-05-11		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	vikseven	insomniac insomniac
2018-05-11		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	prodygy	tossrandir tossrandir
2018-05-11		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	fox	ayatsuri ayatsuri
2018-05-11		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	badugi	rem rem
2018-05-11		[[Coach_Pupil_League_S2/Second_Leg|]]	Connor5620	aweawe aweawe

Statistics

		vs.				vs.				vs.				Mirrors
Map	#	Σ			%	Σ			%	Σ			%
Tau Cross	765	182	95	87	52.2%	207	114	93	55.1%	188	102	86	54.3%	63	64	61