Great Team Liquid Thread:

http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=263636

It talks about the Protoss Warp in Mechanic and things you may not have thought about concerning it. He claims it broke Protoss, I don't agree with that opinion, but the content does make think about certain aspects of the game and how Protoss differs from the other 2 races because of this mechanic.

NASL Grand Finals Puma vs MC

Grand Finals
MC vs Puma
PvT

This will be a best of 7 series, no idea of the maps that will be used. My bet will be on these:
Xelnaga Caverns, Metalopolis, Taldarim Altar, Terminus, Shattered Temple, Crossfire, and Backwater Gulch. Not necessarily in that order.

Game 1
First map is Metalopolis. Players spawn in close air positions in the southern portion of the map. MC spawning in the south and Puma in the West. Standard play coming out, Fast factory coming out and floats up and lands in the base of MC for some Helions. MC already grabbing a Stargate and not grabbing Voidrays, but Phoenixs instead. Puma grabbing his Command center in preparation for an expansion. It seems Puma is favoring heavy Bio units and MC begins his expansion as well. food counts are about even at the ten minute mark, 80- 76 of MC. I lost the internet, just for a second but it was enough for me to miss the drop in the base of MC but i dont think it did much. MC did throw down a Templar archives at some time, and grabbing a few Archons and favoring alot of Zealots like he has in the past. MC also epxanding behind this big aggression he is doing as well. EMP's go off and completely nulify the forcefields of the Sentries which wont go down now. MC is forced to retreat as his Zealots are eliminated. Puma expands after this to his 3rd, and attempts another drop but it is spotted early. MC, after now taking full advantage of his 3rd base, is now leading the food count by 40, 150-110 at the 18 min mark. Colossus are now coming into the game as 2 Robo Facilitiys are down and producing. A lot of Ghosts are out now as well, and they get some great EMP's off, nullifying Storms. He pushes through and eliminated the army of MC and MC is forced to gg after the overpowered emps just cripple him....

Game 2
Shattered Temple is the next map and again both players are spawning in close air positions in the south. MC in the West, Puma in the South. Puma looks to be going for 3 Barracks, and MC going for an early expansion. Puma also putting down an expansion as well. Puma looking to be favoring bio units again. MC is grabbing a late 2nd gas and a Stargate and Puma this time doesn't have a Viking to help fend off the Phoenix's. Puma trys a drop but flys right into the Phoenix's of MC, MC holds it off, but his Stargate tech is delayed. Another Ghost Academy is out, so probably some Nuke play, Charge also coming up as well as more Phoenix play. Templars are coming up so we can expect some Storm play. Puma makes a drop and manages to delay the mineral line and snipe the twilight council that was making Charge. This Cripples him and now MC loses his Zealots and is forced to GG. Puma is up 2-0

Game 3
Xelnaga Caverns is the map. MC spawning in the south, Puma in the North. Standard play again. Early 2nd gas is being taken from MC. MC going for a Stargate again, hes favored this build in every game we have seen here in the finals. A Voidray is coming out as well, and a 2nd after that, MC defends Pumas early pressure so well, his entire force is eliminated. MC now goes on the offensive with the 2 Void Rays that have still not been revealed yet. He is picking off alot of buildings and forces Puma on the defensive and establishes hiw own expansion in the mean time. MC is leading the food count by 20 at the 11 min mark, 80-60. MC is going for 7 Phoenixs now and a drop from Puma is on the way. but MC picks it off with no trouble, Puma drops again, this time on MC's Twilight Council and again picks it off right before Charge Finishes. Storm is done however, and 4 Templars are on the field ready to do damage, no Ghosts to counter these and MC pushes Puma all the way back with no trouble slowly eliminating the Terran army, Puma gg's and MC takes game 3, 1-2.

Game 4
Map is Backwater Gulch. Puma is spawning in the Bottom Right corner, and MC is in the Top left. MC opening up with a Robo Opening for the first time in this series. No Stargate tech looks to be coming out. Looks to be a 3 gate Robo. Banshees looking to be coming out as well with Cloak. He trys to do some Harras but it doesnt work as MC fends it off. Puma throwing a Ninja Expansion down in the top Right corner.  Colossus are also on the way in as well. Puma also takes his Natural. Puma now favoring heavy bio units. MC going for Stalkers and Colossus. Blink is out, Charge and Storm both on its way. MC not making more than 3 Colossus. Storm as canceled it looks like.Ghosts are now in play, great EMP's go off, MC's army is destroyed, and Puma will take game 4, 3-1.

Game 5
Terminus RE is the map. Looks like im 5 for 5 in map guessing. Cross Positions are spawned, MC in the East Puma in the West. Early expansions go down. Probably a 4 gate push coming in. it is rebuffed, and a Banshee is out, with cloak, makes it across the map and picks off 9 probes. It seriously delays the economy of MC, but Puma has not done anything to take advantage of his natural. Puma is still on one base. He is just now taking his 2nd at the 10 minute mark, but Cloaked Banshees are harrasing all around the map. Chargelots are coming up. Templar Archives are up as well, with Storm most likely following, Puma is retaining map control. He makes a drop and again delays the mineral line of MC. Puma is just dominating MC and beings taking his 3rd. MC also taking his 3rd and defending against the drops very well. MC makes a push but doesnt do much except pick off 2 more drops from Puma. Puma trying to drop again. The stream is lagging. The drops of Puma are forcing MC to stay near his base and he is just not able to go on the offensive. He holds off a big attack with a key storm that changes the tide of this battle, MC IS NOW IN THE LEAD, hes got Puma running! He denys Pumas 4th and proceeds to head back and tech up. MC looking to make a few Colossus. The Archons are helping him absorb that damage and MC is even taking his 5th as well M C almost loses his 3rd, it was 4 HP away from death, and Puma is on the death march and trys to engange, Archons are getting pushed back and picked off. Puma makes a drop and picks off the 3rd, the main army of Puma is also eliminated and both sides are looking to rebuild. we are now at the 25 min mark and its 4 bases against 5. Puma charges in and Great storms go off to delay that. Colossus are now on thier way into the field MC picks off another drop and is in the lead with food by 20, Great Storms go off, Colossus now on the front lines, Puma is on the run, food count is in favor of MC by 50, EMPs go off but aren't enough. Puma gg's and MC takes game 5, 2-3.

Game 6
Taldarim Altar is the map. 6 for 6 on maps selection woot. MC spawning in the bottom Left, Puma spawning in the Bottom Right. Standard play from both sides. MC going for a fast Twilight Council. Blink is coming down, and no Dark Templar Shrine so probably a big Blink Stalker push. MC appliues alot of pressure, and really delays the mineral line with alot of early game Blink stalker pressure. 21 workers killed several of which were Mules. Stimpack has been delayed, Charge now on its way and MC expanded behind all this pressure. and is now grabbing his Templar Archives and is grabbing storm. Both players are now expanding to thier 3rd. No storm coming out, but Archons are on thier way. Ghosts are also being made. MC defends against Pumas first drop pretty easily. Storm is now on its way, as well as a 4th base for MC. No concussive shell is out, Storms go odd as Puma enganges, MC is forced to retreat, this could be it for MC, he loses his army, but a great lag spike causes me to miss how he turns it around!!!! Puma is pushed back, a great storm goes off and MC is alla round the map picking of anything he can. but a drop from puma picks off MC's 3rd, MC doing a great job at defednig it now, MC picks off a big drop! MC storms another drop Feed backs go off, Archons charging in, Puma engage but is severely at a desadvantage, Immortals in play, MC is forced back, but he is still leading in the food count, so much going on, so much lag, its getting bad.....Another big pickoff from MC stalkers take out one, feedback on the other. MC is at 200 army, Puma at 120 at the 27 min mark. Still no concussive shell is out. MC is cleaning up Puma. Puma trying to drop but it does nothing. Puma gg's and mc takes the series to 3-3. INCREDIBLE PLAY, CMON MC!!!!You can do it!!!!!!!

Game 7
Last match! Map is Crevasse! Spawn points are on the Left side of the map. MC in the bottom and Puma in the top. Early expansion going down. MC going for a 3 gate Proxy Pylon push but it doesnt do so well and is rebuffed. He loses alot of units, and only Marines and SCV's in his opponents base to hold it off. Puma going heavy Bio, Concussive Shell and Stimpack going down. Twighlight council coming up, Food count is 88-72 in favor of Puma. Puma engages, Forcefields so well, and holds off Pumas attack, he loses almost everything and MC is back in this game. Chargelots in, 6 gateways down, and no Medivacs yet, but Ghosts are in play. Dark Shrine is now coming up. Food counts are now about even, but Puma takes the advantage again and MC loses a big part of his army after trying to push up.3rd bases are coming up and Dark Templars do sneak in. Puma has very little detection and MC has alot of map control. Puma pushes out, takes out the proxy Pylon and the Ghosts of Puma EMP the sentries of MC and MC loses his army and gg's, Puma is the NASL Champion!

NASL Grand Finals Day 2 Puma vs Squirtle

Match 1 Day 2
Puma vs Squirtle

Metalopolis, Crevasse, Typhon Peaks

Game 1

First map is Metalopolis, and players spawn in southern close air positions. Both players are playing pretty standard. Puma going for Tanks and Marines on one base and Protoss going early expand with Stalkers. However Puma is going for a one base all in and sends 75% of his Scvs in to help absorb the damage and take Game 1. Puma takes it 1-0.

Game 2

Crevasse is a macro oriented map so we will definitely see a long game. Both players expand to their protected nautrals, and get the typical buildings, Puma however seems to be favoring Marines for now, but throws down a Factory. Squirtle decides going for a 7 gateway push with a Proxy Pylon, but it gets spotted and shut down. Squirtle is favoring units more than upgrades and attempts to break the front door by sending a Hallucinated Warp prism to the back to create a distraction and it doesnt work, but Squirtle still manages to break through, destroys the Bunkers, the defending troops and takes game 2, GO SQUIRTLE!!!!

Game 3

This map, Typhon Peaks is another macro oriented map most of the time, but at times it can create some interesting timing pushes. Cross positions have been spawned and Puma puts down a Tech lab on his Barracks, but cancels it after its scouted by Squirtle in favor of Factory and Starport units. Squirtle throws down a Twilight Council and a Dark Shrine, and also expands. He spawns a few in and gets in 2 Dark Templars with no way for Puma to detect it as he Muled and scanned pretty heavily before they went in. Puma loses quite a few SCV's but Squirtle loses some workers as well. Puma drops again into the mineral line and pushes in as well and causes Squirtle to lose now 47 workers against the 27 Squirtle was able to kill for Puma. The drop plays continue and Squirtle looks to be losing all map control as he is forced to stay in his base. Puma makes a push at the main, but it gets forcefielded and seperated by Squirtle and now Squirtle regains map control and pushes in but as he sees what hes up against in Pumas main, he falls back. Drops continue from Puma continue.

Wow some incredible play just happens Templar are now in play with storm, Pumas third is a Planetary Fortress. Emp is also used, They go off, Forcefields go off, Squirtle blocks Puma in his base, storms the remnants, eliminates the natural, trys to push back, but Puma drops in Squirtles main and eliminates alot of probes, crippling the economy of Squirtle and Puma catches him off guard and out of position he is forced to retreat, but creates more templars to help defend Pumas next push, it holds it off, but Puma Drops AGAIN back in his main, even though Squirtle is able to gain the advantage in the field, the combinded economic disadvantage and the drop in his main, Squirtle is forced to GG, Puma moves on with a 2-1.

HOLY SHIT those were good games.

NASL Grand Finals Day 2 Starts in just 30 minutes!!!

I'm hoping to see some Best of 5's today. Yesterday was best of three, but if they mimic the GSL's format in anyway, the Quarterfinals and Semifinals will be Best of 5's. Also, out of all the matches yesterday, I have to say the MC vs Boxer match was my favorite. MC just played an awesome game with Archons, Templar, and Stalkers. We got some good matches today, even though half the Protoss players are now eliminated. Only Squirtle and MC remain. But on the bright side, only 2 Terrans are still in the running. Nice change from what we see in the GSL(98% Terrans). Out of the original 8, only 4 Zerg remain. So we will have 2 ZvZ's, and 2 PvT's First match of the day will be Puma vs Squirtle.

GO SQUIRTLE!!!!!

NASL Standings