Zangief General Thread: Our Russian Skies Are Protected

Guys, I need help. I just lost to 4 Birdies in a row. I’ve always depended on my jabs but I keep getting outjabbed by him. All his pokes just seem to have so much more reach than mine. Even armor keeps falling victim to his sweep and when I do manage to catch him in a flex, he’s too far away to do anything else. Then when I hang back, I keep getting caught by his jumping chain grab, especially the EX version. What’s your strategy for a Birdie match-up?

Someone messaged me to post video of V-skill to SPD vs 3 frame jab mash (I used HP SPD since you have to be in close range, the first time I wasn’t fast enough) :

https://youtu.be/Krfa3dmQvzw

Are you 100% sure ryus is mashing jabs in fastest speed ??:neutral:
I tried this also but failed

I use a FC4 and it has a turbo mode…I don’t know how to do any faster than that. You have to time the v-skill correctly. You have to input SPD really fast.

Use v-skill like parry timing for Ryu. You want to tap MP+MK where you can release quick enough to go to SPD but you also want to tap long enough where you can absorb 2nd hit in case they cancel to another move. You don’t want to hold because flex will release after 2nd hit if you hold.

https://youtu.be/cNqo-CMq3jI

Except LP SPD isn’t your furthest range attack.

Sazabi Zangief VS Tokido demonstrates the use of V-Skill quite good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fb0MlTqOExA

Except he’s going to Crouch MK when he should use LP SPD, as LP SPD outranges Crouch MK

Once all the input lag is fixed, if we need to V-Body beyond LP SPD range, we need to go to:

Stand HP
Stand HK
Stand MK

For what it is, I feel V-Skill, a very reactive move (and thus detrimental to input lag), is strong in V. Because it would be hard to counter. They have to be in throw range, given, SFV’s very stubby/short throw range. Or try to bait it out and whiff punish it. Not easy, given that we have 60 frames to turn it off, or go to the next Level. If Big Z uses his V-Skill like a SF3 parry and predominantly on the fly, he’ll be able to bring on the take down. Could be the inspiration of Japanese parry videos. =)

Great videos on Stupendeous winning WNF.
He never uses RBG, not even once, whereas SnakeEyez still incorporate RBG occasionally.

But why both of them always dashes after a full VT for EX air SPD combo? Is the dash somehow makes it easier?

@Gemini_hk

By the way, I wanted to point out for the second video I timed the v-skill too early. Even though it worked because of cancel to Shoryuken, had I been looking to punish a jab mash or another light poke with SPD like on my first video it would have failed.

This is why I say time v-skill like Ryu parry. You don’t want to be hit at the beginning of the animation where he brings his arms up. You want the v-skill to absorb when his arms are down like in my first video…

This is what gives you the frame advantage to do SPD and they can’t even jump out of it. If you absorb at beginning of animation you have to wait for it to complete before you are able to input a move. I hope that makes sense if you haven’t been able to do it yet.

**Edit: **
Here is video of 3 Frame Jab then jump. As you can see I don’t have timing down perfectly yet, but it is possible. Like I mentioned above you want the armor to absorb at the end of startup animation.

I believe it’s mostly for looks/style. It’s abit harder to do dash then Air EX SPD in my case.


To ALL:

I actually bought a fightstick a month ago for my first fighting game (SFV) but I was so anxious to play against people that it made me not play at all only go to training mode and that newbie fightclub on Reddit. Finally decided to man up and actually start playing the damn game online and improve even in loses.

Anyways, alot of my opponents respect me too much and always plays the “poke and run” game and I can deal with that but when someone rushes me down, I feel like I just breakdown and outright go to stun and lose the game. I guess it’s safe to conclude that my defense sucks. Is there anyway to improve this or is this more of like “Learn their blockstrings and SPD”? Thanks.

Oh and for the last couple of games I learned (though most might know it already)

• If Chun is waiting for that EX Spinning Bird when you’re airborne(from a jump-in), you can actually Air SPD it.
• Ken’s fullscreen HK Tatsu can be Air SPD-ed aswell.

To get them a little closer to the corner (You’ll see Snake Eyez hold forward when using full duration V-Trigger on hit), and for some small mixup opportunities.

When the EX BD connects, it binds the opponent to Zangief’s CURRENT horizontal position (X axis). You can gain the most ground (corner carry) by adding a forward dash into instant EX BD. But a 3/4 jump arc into late EX BD, gives you slightly less (~5%), but comparable positioning to the forward dash, but it could be easier for some. In contrast, neutral jump EX BD gives you 20% less screen corner carry.

Excellent information again Evan! You’re a genius dude.

Yup, you know it. Time to quit my day job and overdose on cocaine (whilst playing Street Fighter of course) LOL

Yeah. Your definately on to something. If we commit early with the V-Skill, we get more frame advantage, and a much more potent parry.

Just waiting for the input lag to be fixed. After that event in the timeline, it is foreseen that the Choosen One, of an ancient Jedi prophecy, will bust out onto the US tournament scene, and use Z’s V-Skill to V-Body EVERYTHING and EVERYONE. Probably Snake Eyez, unless Stupendous gets there first. Big Z will then climb three rungs on the ladder.

Thanks. We are all here to help each other and I am at the point where I don’t want to make excuses anymore…

I have had some success with using v-skill to SPD vs Jump-In attacks as well, but I am wondering if using v-skill to Lariat would make the ultimate AA (similar to SFIV). but I haven’t tried it out yet.

@all: use frametrapped to see hitboxes and frame data: http://frametrapped.com/

I would like to have a V-skill (just Iron Body, not Flex) guide to help know when to use this tech. Starting with Nash, the hardest moves obviously will be st.LP, st.LK, st.MP, and st.MK because I will need to find effective inputs to counter these 4 combos:

st.LP, st.MP (rapid punch)
st.LK, st.MK (rapid kick)
st.MP, st.LK, st.HP (wind shear)
stMK, st.HK, st.MK (raptor combo)

Also, some attacks have more optimal setups after v-skill. For instance, his Knee Bazooka (f+LK) has 18 recovery frames. If you V-skill as I have outlined then you can do st.HP for crush counter which you can follow up with SPD for 2 Hit combo.

Tokyo button mashers started. Notable zangief players there: Itazan, kent4ro, hotaru and KBTIT.

Edit: hotaru lost his first match against reiketsu and kent4ro lost his first match against dashio. That was fast.
Edit2: all the gief players eliminated in pools.

Hopefully this will be a helpful video. At the beginning of a round, some Nash players will throw out MK Sonic Scythe (usually if you are walking forward). It is pretty safe for them because even though it should be -8 on block (assuming you are able to), and a lot of times it causes pushback which doesn’t leave you with a lot of punish options, if any.

V-skill changes things drastically. As usual you can SPD from the V-skill but because of range you will probably be limited to LP SPD. However, this combo does similar damage and leaves them quite a bit of stun :slight_smile:

https://youtu.be/k06W2sO3YMk

Literally only putting this here to brag

https://www.twitch.tv/giantgrowingvixen/v/70586449 1:09:54 to 1:23:00

Thanks. I love your VT setups.