Strategy (2on2)
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Introduction
2v2 is the only other game type apart from 1v1 that has been played professionally, and is arguably one of the most popular game types both on ladders as well as in public games. 2v2 is very different from playing 1v1 and emphasis is usually on micro, team work and map control. In order to properly understand the 2v2 metagame it is important that you understand several key terms, or concepts. Please note that no specific map is in mind and that these concepts as such are universal to 2v2.
Map control
Map control is important in 1v1, but in 2v2 it is the one factor that overshadows almost all the others. It is absolutely vital that your team manages to take map control, since this will allow you to both double one of your opponents as well as help each other out in case of an attack. You never want to face two armies by yourself, but if your opponents have managed to separate you from your ally you sometimes have very little choice. The reason why you will almost always see at least one zerg player on each team in any serious 2v2, is that zerg is perfectly suited to gain map control throughout the entire game. Early game it’s with mass Speedlings and later on it’s with Mutalisks. Both of these units are extremely fast, which enables them to be anywhere on the map within seconds where they can help defend their ally, assist in an attack, harass the mineral line while your ally threatens the ramp, and so on. Zerg is amazing in 2v2 and it all comes down to map control. If your team loses the ground battle you can still maintain some degree of map control by other means, such as relying more on drops or mass air units. Relying on drops is not recommended, but the important thing is that you’re able to attack and defend in tandem with your ally.
Team work
A concept completely alien to 1v1, team work can be the difference between a mediocre team and an amazing team. Agreeing on a plan and being able to execute it properly is key to winning any game, but it’s much easier said than done. Different people think in different ways, and having an ultra aggressive player paired with an ultra defensive player might not make for a very good team, regardless of their individual skill. Microing a combined army properly together with your ally can be very difficult since it’s hard to know exactly what your ally has in mind and how he wants to fight a battle. Only experience can truly give good team work, so find a partner and stick with him as much as possible and you’ll get much better results. As overall rules though, always help defend your ally, always help your ally attack and always make sure that your unit combo makes sense. Speaking of unit combos!
Unit combos
Some units work really well together and compliments each other incredibly well in 2v2, while others are absolute garbage and incredibly easy for the opposing team to counter. A good way to expand upon this issue is to make an example. Arguably the most imbalanced matchup in 2v2 is TZvPP and this is all due unit combos and the map control that comes with it. Early on PP will seek to rush with Zealots, but once vultures enter the fray these effectively become obsolete. To counter the vultures PP needs Dragoons, but Zerglings are a pretty good counter to goons, so PP still can’t move out. Later on TZ will have Ling/Muta and Tank/Vult, and the Protoss counters to this are wildly different. Corsairs and Archons are great againt Mutas but royally suck against Terran mech armies, leaving PP stuck either trying to each counter their separate thing or trying to overwhelm TZ with sheer mass. The point here is that unit combos will keep the TZ team in control throughout the entire game and enable them to get easy map control and double whoever they wish of the Protosses. In all matchups these unit combos and counters should be carefully considered before a path is chosen.
Matchups
The two standard teams of 2v2 is TZ and PZ, with ZZ also sometimes seeing play, although ZZ is generally considered imbalanced and was banned from the Proleague back when 2v2 games were part of the team matches (You could still have one of your players go random and hope for him to draw Zerg, but this was pretty uncommon). PT can also be somewhat viable, but not enough that it was ever played in professional play, except for extremely rare situations. In lower levels, a possible solution is if the team is PP, TT, or PT, the most experienced Zerg player should go over to Zerg and the other should remain his/her race.
Early Game Mindset
The 2v2 early game mindset is rather simple. When attacked you have 2 options. Either you save your ally that is being attacked or you counter the opponents undefended base. Never let you ally fall in vain, as it means an unfavorable 2v1 matchup, and in most cases a loss. In the case you decide to counter you must be as effective as possible as the opponent may choose to pull back and defend, you can do that by destroying key buildings (pylons, tech) or going for the workers. Your opponent may choose to try to finish off your ally, in that case you must finish your opponent, this will end in 1v1 where 1v1 strategy applies. If you decide to counter and your ally repels the attack you will be in great advantage.
