How do I beat Insane AI in 5 minutes?

Question

Here I asked how to beat AI in 5 minutes on medium level.

I played as Terran. The key was to start barracks building close to opponent base (and use small map). I was successful on Medium, then on Hard...but on Very Hard my best time with Terrans was 5m2s... but usually it takes 5m30s, 6m15s... I couldn't find the quicker way... So I switched to Protoss...

Finally, I've beaten the A.I. in 4m40s, and now I'm itching to beat the A.I. on Insane level. I did that with a lot of effort on Very Hard, but I'm afraid that my strategy won't work for Insane.

I will probably try to cannon rush, but I'm not sure if it will help.

Please advise: what race, what strategies?

I haven't tried it myself yet, and I don't see any good strategy.

On Very Hard with Protoss against Terran I played in such way:

In the very beginning build new Probe - it will go to build a Pylon close to enemies base; build Pylon, Gateway, Gateway, Gateway - 3 gateways. Why? In order to get enough zealots quicker. After building 3rd gateway my probe is going to disturb their SCVs. It is not actually too successful, but it is boring to sit and wait for 1st zealot. When 1st gateway is completed you should have enough money for 1st zealot. it should go to opponent base and run close to Barrack/SCVs. While there are no marines - kill SCVs (don't get them to surround you. when marine appears - kill him with zealot. Keep producing zealots, when you reach supply limit - send your probes to die - you will get 1 more zealot. If you have money you can build 1 more pylon and train more zealots, but 6 was enough for me (2Pylons=>18 food - 6 probes=12/2 = 6 zealots).

I found this tactic almost from 10 attempts, and final time was 4m40s.

I did that on... the 1st map in the list (please let me know what it's named, I don't remember that).

I don't think that will work on Insane. Probably I need to build 2 gateways and get 3 probes with myself to push AI...?

P.S. BTW, such practices help to improve your micro: handling those zealots/probes against SCVs/marines :)

Answer 1

I've beat Terran with Protoss using photon rush.

1. Build probes constantly, 1st build probe will go to opponent, all others - go to minerals; 10-12 actually should be enough.
2. Build the 1st pylon outside of the opponent's start location - if you build it in the opponent base (after the choke) he will attack the pylon with large amount of SCVs. The Pylon should be built as close to the opponent base as possible.
3. Build 1 forge.
4. Build 2 cannons close to the opponent base - they will shoot up the ramp soon.
5. When these cannons are almost complete, send a probe to the opponent's base and build 1 cannon (you 1st pylon should give enough space for 1-2 cannons).
6. Opponent will try to attack your building cannon, but your first 2 cannons should be able to protect them. Keep you probe from being killed by SCVs/marines.
7. Build new pylon close to new cannon, once the new pylon is done, build 1-2 additional cannons not to far away from the 3rd cannon; it should be able to protect the new building. The new cannons should also be able to attack the command center.

After the last cannons been build they will start shooting the command center. The AI will give up quickly.

I did the above and finished sometime around 4:30.

Answer 2

I was able to beat TvT on very hard in under 5 minutes using a Planetary Fortress Rush. Haven't done insane yet, but it might work there also. You need to do this on the Scrap Station map, it is the only one with starting points close enough together.

Answer 3

I've beaten the insane AI in less than 5 minutes a bunch of times as Z v Z. Build a spawning pool at 7-8 drones, rush two drones to the enemy base. Build a spine crawler on the far side of the computer's minerals. You need to place it in a crack between the minerals where only 1 enemy drone will attack it from that side, the other drones will just crowd around it. Once the first one is building and safe you can place the second one next to it or in a similar position relative to the minerals.

As soon as the first spine crawler finishes the workers usually run away, then the queen appears, your two spine crawlers will be able to kill her and then they will attack the hatchery. The computer might come back with its drones (and they all die) but it usually just gives up then.

You might also build 6 zerglings while your spine crawlers are building, to help solidify the victory.

Answer 4

I did it almost exactly as you described (although as soon as I got my gateways made I built an extra pylon). The thing to remember is that the only difference between very hard and insane is that the enemy gets a mineral bonus. As you're trying to take them out as soon as possible the bonus isn't going to have time to make much of a difference to you.

Answer 5

The fastest way to beat insane AI is using Protoss. Works best vs. Terran but it can also work against all the other races.

1. At the start, put all your probes to mine but one. Send that one to the enemy base.
2. Build 2 probes (or maybe 3, I don't remember exactly) in the time that the probe takes to get to the enemy base.
3. Put you probe in the OPPOSITE side of the enemy command center. Build a Pylon in the low ground by the wall, and then a forge.
4. Move your probe to the upper ground and build two photon cannons just above the pylon. Put both cannons at the same time.

At the very second that you start to build something in the high ground, enemy units will attack your Pylon. At that point they will have only workers, and before they can destroy the Pylon or Forge, the cannons will finish building. After some workers get killed, they more than likely will GG.

Using this technique I always get times under 3:30. My best personal time is 3:01.

Answer 6

VERY easy way to do it :

You might have to redo it a few times but you will eventually get it (and score a win in each attempts)

MAP : Agria Valley, Protoss Vs Terrans

At start send 1 probe just outside of enemy base (if you go inside their ramp they will attack you). With that probe build a pylon close to the terran ramp.

At your base you wanna build 2 probes only at start and they will all go in minerals.

Once your pylon is done you have 8/18 pop, 1 probe outside enemy base and 7 in minerals.

Build a gateway as soon as you can, then an other one as soon as you can. Once the second gateway starts to build, send your probe back to your base to add a miner. You will have 2 gateway in construction at the same time.

Then all you have to do is spam zealots with ur gateways, dont forget to chrono boost. Most of the time when u get ur first zealot then gonna send a marine in, take him out then bring ur zealot back to ur gateways. You want to attack with 3 zealots, and raly the other one right into their base (keep chrono boosting). Focus marine first, then swarm into workers. When they are out of marines and some workers are down, their SCVs will go crazy (run away, no more minning), have 1 zealot chasing SCV then attack the command center with the other 2 (or 3-4) remaining zealots.

You will score a win everytime and depending on how fast they surrender you are looking at 4:15-6 min wins.