How do I win against a Zerg on many bases as Protoss?

I started thinking after seeing this question, that most strategies involve aggression and better macro (true for any combination I suppose), but how do you come back if you are behind?

What if it has reached mid-game and you are 3 bases behind the Zerg player?

Solution 1:

So there is a certain amount of ebb and flow you're kind of overlooking here.

Taking a base constitutes an investment, and not a light one either. We're talking about 350+75*2+50*22(or possibly 30). Even on 2-3 Bases this constitutes a heavy investment that could have gone to troops. If you hit mid game and your opponent is suddenly on 5 bases and you're on 2, that means his army is going to be about 4800 minerals smaller than yours (approximately 75-90 supply for a Zerg). At that point it doesn't really matter what he has your army size should sort of crush him.

So given that an expansion is such a heavy investment its not hard to see why many players build an army before taking a 3rd or 4th base. Usually even early expansions are vulnerable to pressure early on.

Every time your opponent takes a base you should consider it an opportunity.

If they are taking 3 more bases than you have, that is 3 times the opportunity.

However, if you miss an opportunity like that, and they do get those 3 bases up and running their economy is going to start kicking in and the are going to bowl you over. This is why so many top players go for a Macro oriented game, because its the closest thing to a sure thing Starcraft really has.

Solution 2:

Look at this amazing Huk (P) vs Min (Z) on Scrap Station game.

Huk is definitely behind (economy-wise) but by using amazing scouting, small number of good counter units and staggering force field placements in beginning of the game, he is able to turn the tide of the battle. No disrespect to the zerg player, he tried everything in the book, but IMHO was just outclassed.