Stormgate | Hedgehog Opener Vs Vectors & Collaboration Announcements

Nice little game. Once you get to hedgehogs it really feels like that kind of rush doesn't stand a chance. Also congrats on the collabs, a lot of great names on that list!

Although promote was definitely too strong in general, I really feel like it was particularly a problem with this unit matchup in particular and the biggest reason why Celestial players tended to be pretty salty about hedgehogs. They actually do have a pretty good answer to them but promote means there's still this period in the early game where all of the hedgehogs are max promoted and you still end up losing if you trade even if you have the right unit in numbers that would otherwise be enough.  Of course, there is the problem that if celestials go to harass with vectors, the hedgehog is also the Vanguards only real early game answer (lancers too slow, scouts/exos get shredded, vulcans work but you need one per base and the timing doesn't work out). I have a vague concern that it may be a problem to have a matchup where it feels somewhat obligatory for both sides to utilize their fast skirmishing units as their primary battleforce but I'm not sure what exactly the problem would be. Regardless I kind of hope that some change could be introduced to the early game of this matchup. Possibly if Cabal could be produced earlier, Celestials at least would have more options as the slow would be pretty nasty against hedgehogs in small numbers. As for this game in particular, I'm surprised he still continued streaming across the map after the first engagement went so well for you and that when the dog scouted his arcship he didn't land immediately. Sure the position wouldn't have been optimal but the odds of him getting another chance were always going to be pretty low and there was no way he'd be able to take the fight without it.

Vanguard does seem a bit OP to me. Watching Mixu win every single game and abuse Vulkan play is fun, but I feel like right now Vanguard is very, very strong.

Vanguard has to have a better response to vectors than Hedgehogs. OR Celestials need a better response to Hedgehogs than Vectors (into Kri). Otherwise Van vs Cel devolves into one build all the times 🙄🙄 Anyway: your opponent in this video clearly misplayed - apparently because of lack of understanding of his faction. All he needed to do was expanding and making more Vectors (eventually starting Kri production). A well deserved defeat.