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Stormgate Openings: Infernal Host

Volamel 2024-02-08 06:19:25

Looking for Stormgate openings for Infernal Host? We got you. Stormgate is the answer to the drought in the real-time strategy genre.  If you're looking to spawn in as the Infernal Host and take the ladder by storm, check out these Stormgate openings.  Stormgate's Open Beta during Steam's Next Fest lasts from February 5th to the 12th. The game's Early Access is slated to land in mid-2024.
About Me (why should i listen to you?) My name is Joseph "Volamel" Franco. I have 1,700 MMR Stormgate experience and a former Masters level Starcraft 2 player with hundreds of hours in the RTS genre. I've also analyzed professional Overwatch for broadcast and teams and am familiar with a myriad of strategies. These are build orders I'm actively testing during the "Elephant" Build of Stormgate and using to climb with. 

1 Vault/1 Conclave Expand


9/15 Imp 10/15 Iron Vault - Brutes can be produced from Iron Vaults. - However, Brutes are incredibly expensive and you won't be able to produce a ton.  - For each base you have actively mining Luminite, you want to have around an equal amount of Vaults.  9/15 Conclave - An early Conclave allows Infernal players to snowball off of creeps.  - Being able to infest neutral creeps and spawn Fiends gives Infernals a cheap way to gain a ton of extra resources. - This also allows us to efficiently scout the enemy player. 10/15 Imp  - Rally this 10th Imp to Therium. 10/15 Start Therium (Rocks) - This may seem odd to have one worker on your secondary resource, but this allows us to immediately create a Gaunt to assist in our creeping. 11/15 Meat Farm 11/15 Brute 14/25 Gaunt 15/25 Imp - Creep your close resource camp with Gaunt and Brute. - While the Brute alone can solo the camp, having the Gaunt spawn the Fiend is crucial. - Send this Fiend to scout the enemy.
TIP: Any camp will provide you with Luminte in Stormgate. Speed Camps are amazing to farm but you'll need a few units to clear them. With a few Gaunts, you'll begin to snowball quite quickly. However, if you're able to snag these camps, pay close attention to your supply cap. 
This opening build order is becoming the standard for Infernal Host players in all matchups.  It gives you the most flexibility to defend against any cheese or proxy play in Stormgate.  You're also not losing a ton on the economic side so long as your army is actively creeping around the map. The fact that you can be harassed while creeping means, at higher levels of play, the total amount of resources you're able to gain with your Gaunts will vary. With that in mind, this could be a criticism of this opening as your micro skills will be stressed against a higher opponent.  If you're looking for something more consistent, try this fast 1 Vault expansion Stormgate opening. 

1 Vault Fast Expand


9/15 Imp 10/15 Iron Vault 9/15 Imp 10/15 Imp 11/15 Meat Farm 10/15 Imp 11/15 Imp 12/25 Brute 15/27 Shrine  14/27 Imp 
~2:00 AFTER you clear the first camp, use Soul Sunder on your first Brute. - Use these Fiends to scout the enemy. ~ Make a Shroudstone at your natural base - We use this to defend against any early aggression.  - Vanguard players making use of S.C.O.U.T.s are quite popular and this adds more defence as you grow your economy. - Shroudstones are cheap so don't over-invest, the real cost is losing your Imps.
This forgoes any Therium (Rocks) production until after your first expansion is taken.  With some smart building placement and constant Brute production, this fast expansion opening is a nice way to get an economic advantage early.  This extra income can be used to advance into Tier 2 technology or for a strong timing push - the possibilities are endless!
TIP: Looking for other build orders for Stormgate? Check out this aggressive Infernal all-in here. 

Why Scout And How To Do It?


A word of advice; do not send your Imps to scout.  Unless you have a build order or strategy in mind, it's a risky and slow attempt at gaining information. Vanguard players will use their initial S.C.O.U.T. to kill your advancing Imp as they lose in a 1-on-1. Using an Imp to scout against another Infernal Host player is also difficult to make work. Between early Fiends, Gaunts, and Felhogs, you're sacrificing your economy for no reason.  Instead, remember that both Gaunts AND Brutes can produce Fiends.  Use these agile units to run past your opponent's defences and scout their entire base.  If you're adept enough, you might be able to harass your opponent and force them to make errors. 
Images via Frost Giant Studios.
 

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