Control group/micro question

Ramza

I'm allergic to splitting up my units so I use the good ol' everything on one hotkey and a move lol

I realize that this is in no way adequate, but my hands don't like the idea of being out of their comfort zone and using diff control groups for units etc, so I'm trying to break the habit

I use one for CC
2 for all unit producing facilities
3 for scout/drop harass/any constantly changing task that goes into no category
4 was usually my whole army

1.) Now, what is the best way to split up a terran army? Usually what I do for TvT tank viking is ground army and tanks on control group 3 , so when my tanks are sieged they cannot move anyway ^^ and 4 for air

I seem so slow sometimes when trying to micro multiple unit types, instead of using multiple fingers in one position I have a terrible habit of using just one finger all the while being uber slow (I'm comfortable in my macro as I have it all down to muscle memory). My baby finger I usualy rest on A for attacking but it's very lazy and has a tendancy to coil up sometimes, I just need to train ^^

2.) How do I actually engage with a bioball? Like I know this sounds stupid, but hear me out. For example in TvP, I got MMM, how should I split up army? Do I need to? I was thinking marines on one key to deal with Immortals, marauders/medivacs on another, and the whole army on another? Do I attack move or move back, attack move repeat, my whole army? Kind of confused so any info would be appreciated ^^

RoyalMarine

as zerg, i use 2 as my melee units, 3 as my ranged units, 4 as my air units and 5 as my queens etc so i can inject from the mini map.

as toss, i use 2 as my melee, 3 as my ranged, 4 as my upgrades and 5 as my nexus to crono boost etc.

as terran, i use 2 as my marine/marauder, 3 as my medi, 4 as viking and 5 as cc's.

i always bind everything together on 1 so i can select them all if needed.

only starting doing this lately and its seriously improved my game.

IRL_Sinister

Ramza wrote: »

I'm allergic to splitting up my units so I use the good ol' everything on one hotkey and a move lol

I realize that this is in no way adequate, but my hands don't like the idea of being out of their comfort zone and using diff control groups for units etc, so I'm trying to break the habit

I use one for CC
2 for all unit producing facilities
3 for scout/drop harass/any constantly changing task that goes into no category
4 was usually my whole army

1.) Now, what is the best way to split up a terran army? Usually what I do for TvT tank viking is ground army and tanks on control group 3 , so when my tanks are sieged they cannot move anyway ^^ and 4 for air

I seem so slow sometimes when trying to micro multiple unit types, instead of using multiple fingers in one position I have a terrible habit of using just one finger all the while being uber slow (I'm comfortable in my macro as I have it all down to muscle memory). My baby finger I usualy rest on A for attacking but it's very lazy and has a tendancy to coil up sometimes, I just need to train ^^

2.) How do I actually engage with a bioball? Like I know this sounds stupid, but hear me out. For example in TvP, I got MMM, how should I split up army? Do I need to? I was thinking marines on one key to deal with Immortals, marauders/medivacs on another, and the whole army on another? Do I attack move or move back, attack move repeat, my whole army? Kind of confused so any info would be appreciated ^^

PM me online (Sinister.947), or IRC (UV`Sinister) and we'll work on this in-game :_)

The_Keeper

First I'd like to say that my way is far from ideal but don't have the commitment to change at the moment.

1 is CCs
2 is Production Structures
3 is main army
4 can be either spell casters, or air depending on what build i've gone
5 will be a drop or diversion attack (hopefully still not linked to my main army)

From watching pros and casts, I should probably have 1-4 as separate army units, then have 5-7 as CC / Production / Upgrades. But I have committed to muscle memory my way so I don't see that changing any time soon.

RoyalMarine

sinister, bad idea to post e-mail addresses.. its a public forum and it attracts all unwanted attention for both you and for boards.ie

NeoSlicerZ

5 Nexii
6 Gates then Robo/SGs when WG is done.
1 Zealots + sentry if PvT/PvP
2 Stalkers + sentry if PvZ(if blink, no sentries)
3 Units that need attention, colossi, VR, HT etc.
4 Scout/obs/HTs if VR/Colossi on the field, kinda variable.

My T hotkey setup is still very much up in the air as T seems to require more bundles of units everywhere. But still 5 CCs, 6 production.

In battle micro after attack move, I generally box units.

Columc

I suggest watching the Day9 daily #252. It's all about control groups, mouse positing and screen poisiting, very good episode to learn a small bit extra.

Link: http://day9tv.blip.tv/file/4712303/

Sabre0001

For me:
Early game
1 - Probe (Scouter)
2- Probe
4 - Nexus
5 - Gateway
6 - Robo / Stargate

Later I still keep a Probe hotkeyed for Pylons, etc. I tend to do full army as well. But after watching the daily #252, I'm going to go for Zealot - Stalker split.

F69Baal

For TvP pure bioball, snipe the sentries then use your superior mobility (thanks to stim) to kite the zealots then just proceed on killing the rest.

whatever you do KEEP YOUR MEDIVACS IN THE BACK!

Grimebox

Don't have your medivacs in the same control group as your whole army. Well, at least have them in a separate group. I don't play much terran but i seem to remember if you attack move your army with medivacs in the group, they will just fly over the enemies army while getting killed and not healing your units. This, is bad.

PurpleFistMixer

Grimebox wrote: »

Don't have your medivacs in the same control group as your whole army. Well, at least have them in a separate group. I don't play much terran but i seem to remember if you attack move your army with medivacs in the group, they will just fly over the enemies army while getting killed and not healing your units. This, is bad.

The medivacs are quicker than any of the other units so they'll get there first and be slaughtered while waiting for the rest of the army. Whenever I play terran (badly) I put the medivacs in a separate group and tell them to follow the largest unit in the main army (thor or whatever is likely to not die quickly), then forget about them.

String

1 zerglings
2 main army/banelings
3 mutas etc
4 hatcherys
5 - 9 queens

This is all in theory though The longer the games go on the worse I am at using controll groups properly :P

Grimebox

I suppose ill post mine anyways, as protoss.

4-nexus
5-gateways until warp is done, then its robo/stargate
6-forge

1-main army (usually all units)
2- any units with that army that require special attention. colos/voids
3-usually a smaller force for counters or harrass

phisku

Since i play with the grid mode i have all my army on
1(bioball);
2(tank/ghost);
3(viking/drop);
4(CC/OC/PF);
5(Rax);
6(fact);
7(star);
8(upgrades).

But i usualy end up using only 1 for my army and tottaly forget the upgrade

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

I put all my production buildings on one hotkey, so ill have rax, fac, starport on 7.. i find it alot quicker

7ddaaaaTABsTABdd

rather than 7 ddaaa 8s 9 dd or whatever the case would be

phisku

i tried the all in 1 + tab but i "can't" see wich build is selected, also when i'm in battle tab take more time.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

there is a little box that highlights the group of buildings you're tabbed into, rax, factories or starports but to each their own

Ramza

I think it's just my little finger, I'm not used to using it at all

I have started using 4 5 and 6 for army, and using my pinky on A to attack, it's really hard and I keep ****ing up

Any ideas on where would be best to practice my micro, don't want to lose ladder games because of it

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

google for the unit tester

small little area where you can create any unit and set them at each other, handy to practice microing v banelings

seraphimvc

zerg:

1/2/3: army, i tend to group different movespeed units in different groups.
4:hatcheries
5:queens (i do backspace+v for injection)

i am starting to use terran lately and i am using 1 for army and 3 for all production buildings :pac: seeems fine to me atm.

Kirby

1 : zerglings
2 : Banelings. If no zergling / baneling combo..... 1 and 2 is roach /hydra instead
3 : Muta
4 : Infestor
5 : All hatcheries
6 : usually nothing.
7 : Always Nydus when I make one
8 : Overseers
9 : Queen group 1
0 : Queen group 2. Usually have 2 in each

Tbh the fact that people can have moderate success with terran by just having their army on CTRL 1 and Attack moving makes me mad at balance. Its so prevalent in this thread.

phisku

Actually against zerg i'm really focus on my control group

Grimebox

I put everything in group one and tab through till I get the unit/building I want. I have yet to win any games.

Jonny7

If I play Terran Protoss or Zerg, 1 is always my CC, Nexus or Hatchery

Since I play with Zerg most here are the hotkeys I use, I find them very fast and intuitive

1 - 1st Hatchery
2 - First overlord for scouting
3 - Scouting drone

then later on

1 - First hatch
2 - 2nd hatch
3 - army, usually just zerglings or roaches

then when I hit 3+ hatches and lategame

1 - All hatches
Tab - cycle between the hatches (to queen spit each one)
2 - still second hatch

3 - army
4 - army

5 - overseer


I find it very nice and intuitive to hit 1 szzzz then 2 sdddd, just feels nice on the keyboard.

To have 3 as scouting drone and army has trained me to instinctively hit it as soon as I see something on the mini map or just to move around while rehitting 1 sddd and 2 sddd to drone up while fighting

If I could buy a keyboard with replaceable 'tall' keys I would - can be hard to find the '5' key by touch somethings. There's an idea for a gaming keyboard..