Reaper Expand into Marine/Tank TvT

Safe and Standard TvT

Introduction:
Solid build orders allow you to advance quickly up the ladder and also help you to train decision making and mechanics. In this build we will open up with a reaper expand and then proceed into a marine/tank/medivac push at around 9:30. There are a few key decisions that must be made with the scouting information we get and I will go through all of the major decision points in detail.

This build can be used by anyone at any level and this is my go to TvT build as well as the 1st TvT build I teach my students.  Hope you guys enjoy it!

Build Order:
10 Supply Depot
12 Barracks
13 Refinery
16 Orbital + Tech Lab on Barracks
17 Depot
17 Reaper
@400 Minerals Commander Center (Around 4:05-4:10)

20 Combat Shields
24 2x Barracks

@100% Command Center -> 2nd Refinery + Bunker
@100% 2x Barracks -> Double Reactor
@100% Combat Shields -> Stim Pack

33 Engineering Bay -> Get +1 Infantry Attack
35 Factory
@50% Factory -> 3rd gas

~60 Starport + siege tanks + siege mode -> make two tanks and two medivacs

Push out with 2 tanks 2 medivacs and all of your marines.  You should have stim/combatshields/+1 attack and siege mode completed.

 

Build Modifications
There are 3 common openers in TvT:

-Gas First Openings
-Standard Gas Openings
-Gasless Openings

We will modify our build slightly based on our initial scv scout + reaper scout and scan.

Gas First Opening
Make a command center on the high ground unless you are very confident in your micro.  There is a very high chance of pressure coming.   If you suspect an elevator push with marines/hellions/medivac (one gas) make a few more marauders and have depots around your main to spot the elevator attempt. If you suspect fast banshee/cloak (two gas) make more marines, get a turret up in each mineral line/near your rax and get a viking as soon as you can.  You may need to scan to determine what he is doing.

Standard Gas Opening
If your opponent opened with a standard 13gas, scan with the 1st 50 energy on the 2nd Command Center instead of mule-ing. If he is doing some sort of gas into expo (reactor expand/reaper expand) then proceed as normal. If  he is being more aggressive with a marine/tank/banshee push try to stall for stim to finish then pull all the scvs at your natural and split/focus fire.  If he is going for a cloak banshee opening get turrets up and rush towards a viking. Make sure you don't lose too many scvs.

No Gas Opening
Confirm it is a 1rax FE not a 2rax then go for 3 reapers and try to do some damage. If you can kill 2-3 SCVs then you will be ahead. If you can get 10 scvs that is indirectly game ending. You can use your reapers to hit the main while you do your main push at the front later.  Do not suicide your reapers for SCV kills, they will be useful tactically later!

 

Executing the Attack:

Against pure marines:
Stim + A-move with your marines, seige your tanks and focus fire clumps of units. If you have any reapers left send them into the mineral line. Stutter step forward when you feel like you are winning to kill all of his medivacs as he tries to retreat.

Against marine/tank:
Same thing as above, except make sure you focus fire with your marines on the tanks (one or two volleys should take them out). Spread out your marines if his tanks are too far back to hit.

Against mech:
Scan ahead, look for an opening. Generally you cannot attack a mech player on two base. Wait till he takes a 3rd base then start harassing him like you would in TvP when the protoss takes a 3rd base. Drop his main, and try to pull his army out of position. If you can snipe his 3rd base you will be in great shape for late game. Make sure you throw in more mauraders than normal when fighting mech!

 

Follow-up:
- Build 3rd command center (either at natural or at 3rd depending on the situation)
- Build an armory and a 2nd engineering bay to continue with upgrades
- Build 3 more barracks and 1 factory to ramp up your production
- Build a reactor on your starport to pump out medivacs
- Start a turret ring to protect against drops

 

Why you should use this build:
It is safe and it hits a sharp timing that often can win you the game and even if it doesn't it puts you in a good position for late game. This build is safe against cheese and is useful at all levels of play for developing a solid defensive macro style of play. All of the build timings are relative to each other allowing you to easily learn the build as well as modify it on the spot to the in-game circumstances.

 

Conclusion:
I hope you guys enjoyed my guide to safe and standard terran vs terran. If you have any questions feel free to PM me or leave a comment, I would love to help you out!

 

Replays:

http://drop.sc/257001 In this game my opponent goes for a pretty quick expo into marine tank.  My initial attack gives me an advantage that I am able to hold onto the whole game.  My tank count is constantly higher than my opponent's, which really helps during the large fights.  I also have a slight upgrade advantage.

http://drop.sc/257002 In this game my opponent goes for a very fast cc and double gas.  I notice he is being very greedy so I attack with 3 reapers and do quite a bit of damage.  I am able to elevator a large portion of my army into his main and because of my good positioning I am able to get a large mid-game advantage which carried over to late game.