I've noticed that I can save a lot of time by forgoing the chokepoint and building supply depots/barracks 2-3 grid spots away from the CC. It's helped me with a lot of tier 1 rushes on team games. My question is whether or not this build order is useful or in the plat/gold ladders 11/11 SCVS Barracks Supply 12/19 SCV 13/19 Marine Barracks 14/19 SCV 15/19 Marine Supply Barracks At 4:20 I'll have 7-8 marines to attack with and 13 SCVS on minerals Structures: 3 barracks and 2/3 supply depots, no refineries or add-ons. Afterwards I build a 4th barracks, and supply depot as needed, spitting out marines and have them join the attack force in 4 unit increments. If the initial rush fails, I grab reactors and tech labs to start busting out marauders to defend myself from a counter. I only done this on team games, so I typically have ling/zealot meatshields. It works great on that end, but I don't know how it holds up in solo matches.
I usually build my supply depot at 9 units, and don't rush until I have 15 or 20 marines. You are just wasting resources if you go in much earlier than that. Okay for early game, but at what point do you advance on the tech tree or upgrade unit abilities?
3 rax means I can grab shields and concussion shells no problem if the initial attack fails - which I can see usually at around 5-6 min into the game. If it fails I just try to destroy as many buildings as I can to slow down the counter while I grab another rax, rebuild forces, and tech up. I can get rid of production buildings/supply easily with the right micro. Though TBH the only thing I've been able to adapt to on that was an MMM without wasting too much time.
I am a strong believer that economy runs the game, in saying that i useually create a seccond base ASAP!.. (5mins) Obviously no game is the same so i try to defend the first wave of impatient rushes and counter hard with 15-20 marines 4 siege tanks and 1 ghost... (10mins) This can be done in 13 mins.. i have timed myself.. If the target survives that, they you should spam Vykings ASAP!! and destroy there expansions..
My build order: 9/11 depot 11/19 barracks 12/19 depot 15/19 barracks, orbital command, refinery I would say exactly the opposite, waiting until you have 15-20 marines is just wasting time. Early confident rushes with only a few marines have definitely won me games. Saving up until you have a large force is a sure way to get trapped into your base and not have enough influence on the map. Even a failed attack puts pressure on your opponent and forces them to do two things at once. I usually attack once I have a few marines and a marauder, or even just 3 or 4 marines. Sometimes you can catch your opponent off guard and actually do some damage, other times you just annoy them and hopefully throw off their game. In any case, take charge of your opponent, don't let your opponent take charge of you.
