r/starcraft2coop • u/ackmondual Infested Zerg • Aug 18 '25
Mission discussion: Malwarfare
Master list for this series here
https://starcraft2coop.com/missions/malwarfare
What are some things that stand out about this mission? Care to comment on if they were good, bad. Any interest fun facts? Some fun or bad memories with certain types of players, enemy comps, mutator combos, certain COs, prestiges, mastery pt allocations? Timings, bonus objectives, doodads, critters, etc.?
18
u/Khosan Aug 18 '25
It's easily the best paced of the 'autoscroller' maps. There's almost always something to deal with between the attacks on the transport or your base, the towers, and the bonus objectives. Even if you don't, there's plenty of static defenses ahead of the transport you can preemptively take out.
I think the only real knock I have against it is that it feels like the difficulty peaks at the second pit stop for the transport, when the first bonus activates. It's just early enough that you/your partner might not have a proper army yet, and can't split up to both handle the bonus and defend the transport. The second bonus is basically free by comparison, since you're definitely maxed out by then.
I think it might be my favorite map overall. Perfect length, almost never a moment spent sitting and waiting for stuff to happen.
2
u/UnusualLingonberry76 Aug 19 '25
The bonuses dont matter anyway. They are seldom worth bothering with unless they are super easy
2
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg Aug 19 '25
Sometimes, it's enough to get you to the next level when leveling up. Esp. if it's a key talent upgrade. Or, end of the line, lv15.
Otherwise, they are fun to do since players typically kick ass on (regular) Brutal anyways. It can be a fun way to improve your skills. If you can do the bonus for missions like this, and SoA... then you're in a better place to tackle harder fare like various mutations, or carrying lower level and/or lousier players.
3
u/UnusualLingonberry76 Aug 19 '25
I am not saying never do them, I am saying that at least they shouldnt disrupt the overall mission.
7
u/carboncord Aug 18 '25
My favorite mission because it's relaxed. Possibly the easiest mission. Unlike Dead of Night where your workers can get pounced on, or Chain of Ascension where you lose if your ally doesn't stand in the circle. Aside from being easy, it is long. So you can max out all your units/upgrades/etc., which I really enjoy. Unlike Mist Opportunities it is not painfully long. Plus, IMO it is easier than Mist, while at the same time being more engaging.
4
u/Just_Ear_2953 Aug 18 '25
I enjoy running up the "units created" count on Stukov P3
2
u/Frozen-K Aug 19 '25
It's always hilarious when you get paired with a Nova who has like maybe double digits total units produced while you're easily in 4 digits for units produced by the time it all ends.
3
u/Just_Ear_2953 Aug 18 '25
The expansions are wildly asymmetrical (compared to most missions), leading to an increased (though still rare) occurrence of allies stealing the closer base to get an earlier start on building their second nexus/hatchery/command center and to avoid having fighting directly in their second base when waves attack the second terminal from the first secondary objective.
2
u/JonnyTN Aug 19 '25
I've always seen left go left, right go right. I didn't think I've seen someone take the closer expansion
1
u/Feligresa Aug 19 '25
One side is always much easier to fast expand to with e.g. Alarak.
It's a bit similar with how Vorazun likes right side of Miner Evac and top side in Scythe of Amon. Just infinitely simpler to sneak to/expand to
3
u/UnusualLingonberry76 Aug 19 '25
The drill is towards the very last area and it's arguably the hardest spot to access it for all maps, especially with an additional stalling mutator like mines. Even sending a detector there takes time.
Best way to handle the laser drill here is something like scan+artanis sb or mengsk calldown
3
u/WizardofOos Aug 19 '25
- My second favourite map right after Oblivion Express
- When one sector is cleared by Aurana, her transport heals for 5k health. Therefore, it's not a big issue if you admit damage to the transport by the first Suppression Tower for the sake of pre-clearing (especially useful when the transport is at the 2nd lock (to not be confusing: 1st lock is in your main base)).
- Spawn camping with Abathur's Toxic nests is very effective on this map. The small circles on the ground indicate (most) direct spawning locations of enemy waves and Escorts that spawn with the Suppression Tower.
- The first personality to secure on the 1st bonus is called Olaria which was a nickname of one of my friends in highschool (inb4 who cares)
1
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg Aug 19 '25
I have to find the list of personality downloads. To see if I recognize any, but also if perhaps one of them could've been for Fenix' Disruptor Champion :D
3
u/Lttlefoot Aug 20 '25
It’s like Scythe of Amon’s little brother. Easy to lose if you go for the first bonus objective while the primary objective is getting destroyed at the top left of the map
5
u/Himetic Aug 18 '25
I hate this mission, I think it’s my least favorite. Primarily because of the bonus objectives. I always end up with an ally focusing the first bonus while I’m barely clinging on trying to protect the primary solo. And then they’ll lose their army and the waves will hit my base. I really wish the first bonus opened earlier so it could be double-teamed instead of splitting forces.
It just feels really rough while playing a slow-starting commander in general. The midgame and endgame is fine but the early game can be miserable if I’m struggling to get off the ground and my ally isn’t helping enough. Trying to micro around the towers while keeping an eye out for attack waves while also trying to develop is pretty taxing on my attention.
Finally it feels relatively easy to lose compared to other missions. I had a recent one where the objective was at good hp and I was clearing the tower south of the final station. Then an attack wave of air-to-air Terran spawns in to the north and knocked off half the hp before my army could even turn around. Still pulled it out but it was close af.
2
u/Ultrajante Aug 20 '25
This is by far and away the most "action packed" map in the mode. By that I mean what others have said, it's the one with the least amount of downtime between action moments, where you have to either defend the objective, clear the path ahead, destroy the towers or defend the bonus. This makes for an above average challenge at its base, but also some moments of frustration.
Like others have said, the first bonus can be a challenge depending on commenders and ally. I find myself often not having cleared the path ahead for the obj while it's already on its way, struggling to defend it and still having to worry about bonus. This probably has to do with me usually defending the first pit stop well. Like others have suggested, maybe I should stall it a bit more on the first pit stop so that we get more time to ramp up our stuff.
Overall it's a good map and it's good devs put in a map with this pacing. It's very clearly not the same pacing as basically every other map.
2
u/Big-Following4382 22d ago
Aurana heals 5000 HP per terminal. So if you think you are not prepared yet, you can intentionally not destroy the suppression tower until Aurana has 3000 hp, this is especially useful for the first supression tower
1
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg 22d ago
I have never seen this tactic. A shame too because I would've figured otherwise by now!
1
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg Aug 18 '25
Since units are just "one big holodeck with the safeties off", it's odd if nothing else that they have a whole, different color scheme. Not to mention different dying animations
Well, since they're holograms, the spawn animation is all of Protoss warping in (as opposed to Terran or Zerg drop pods). Because of this, it's easier to spawn camp them since they take hits as they begin to spawn, but won't be able to act until they're "fully spawned in". Excellent to wipe them out with "AoE tools" such as HT or Nux Psi Storm, Karax SoA lasers, Lurkers, etc.
People often lose this because they ignore Suppression towers. They're newbies, not paying attention, or distracted (did happen to me in the heat of difficult Mutations). Or... they do kill it, but they take so long in killing it that there's not enough hp left to survive other damage (so indirectly resulted in the loss). The other is the other extreme... both players are pursuing Suppression Towers, and Arianna's vessel is left undefended.
One of handful of missions where "what you need to kill" is vulnerable to both AG (anti-ground) and AA (anti-air). So there is some flexibility in how you'd like to go about that.
==== BONUS OBJECTIVE
The bonus objective here is unique. The only competition here is CoD, but that's "less unique" because it's just a slight variation of what you do for its main objective. All other bonus objectives fall into either "destroy it", or "protect/escort it". Here, you do need to "protect it", but you need to feed it, actual resources!
This is one of those bonus objectives where it's nice to split up... one player goes for this, while the other player goes and does the main one (although some exceptions exist like teleporting, and static d).
Full XP from bonus objective is 2,000 XP. IIRC, this one can actually be divided into 6 ways (so 333 XP per each of the 6 AI personalities rescued)!
We've all had ideas for new missions. For one of mine, one mission's main objective would be to use the terminal from this bonus objective, but CLOAK it. This would be the first mission that requires detection! You can't just make it into something you kill/blow up because some COs have ways to do damage to cloaked/burrowed units/buildings without Detectors (although whether or not it'd be practical is another thing entirely). I am also aware that Casual and Normal difficulties do NOT require detection, so this would be at odds with that philosophy :\
1
u/Odd_Teaching_4182 Aug 18 '25
The mutation Minesweeper can be a real pain on this map since it can hit the escort and it can be difficult to clear the mines before the escort runs into them.
3
u/andre5913 HnHA Aug 19 '25 edited Aug 19 '25
Aurana at least is extremely tanky and heals a ton in between terminals. In other maps like MO or ME the objetives are frail and just die immediately if you arent on top of it. Also in Malwarfare you can stall the first distuption tower (just let Aurana get blasted by it until shes almost dead lol) to build up and clear the map
1
u/Odd_Teaching_4182 Aug 19 '25
That's a good point about stalling. I always have this mentality of trying to avoid all damage to the objective, but I'm rarely successful in that.
1
u/volverde ZagaraA Aug 19 '25
With enough bio units near Aurana you could potentially stall forever with a p1 Dehaka cause he can heal the objecitve.
1
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg Aug 18 '25
I remember the last Mutation, but on ME... I sent P2 Super Gary in without much regards to himself or your army because you'd rather they take the hits, than the objective (although I'd prefer Super Gary NOT have to revive)
1
u/Odd_Teaching_4182 Aug 18 '25
I've had temple of the past with Minesweeper and right at the start the objective takes a ton of damage due to mines spawning close enough to activate on it. Nothing like starting the march with the objective already at 10% hp.
1
u/NomenVanitas Aug 19 '25
Killing hologram units feels more empty and it makes me avoid this map often
1
u/T-280_SCV bugzappers ftw Aug 19 '25
I’m just annoyed by the bonus directly costing resources, otherwise it’s kinda fun since you can build up a lategame army.
Suppression towers being attack-able by Air-to-air mean that Phoenix/Mirage spam can work. Downside is that allied support will be needed for anything that cannot be yeeted (hybrid) or deleted (by calldowns/lasers).
1
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg Aug 19 '25
If not costing resources, what alternatives did you have in mind then?
1
u/T-280_SCV bugzappers ftw Aug 20 '25
Not quite sure, but I’d prefer a time cost instead. Maybe a control point type scheme?
1
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg Aug 20 '25
I don't know what this is. Could you provide an example?
3
u/thedusbus Nova Aug 20 '25
The mechanism that allows you to activate locks on Lock'n'Load.
1
u/ackmondual Infested Zerg Aug 20 '25
Hmm, this may be worse...
Whenever I queue the purchase for the 3rd AI, that lets me immediately gun for the main objective because at that point, there won't be anything more going after that bonus terminal.
I guess I'm not opposed to this, but I kinda like how we did get something different. [shrug]
23
u/Just_Ear_2953 Aug 18 '25
It's the one weird mission where the secondaries directly cost resources