• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 01:14
CEST 07:14
KST 14:14
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners7Code S Season 2 (2026): RO4 and Finals Preview12TL.net Map Contest #22 - Voting & Ladder Map Selection7Code S Season 2 (2026) - RO8 Preview8[ASL21] Finals Preview: Two Legacies21
Community News
ZeroSpace at Steam NextFest - Last free demo16Weekly Cups (June 8-14): Clem and Solar double, PTR tested0RSL: S6 Finals played at BlizzCon 202611Douyu Cup 2026: $20,000 Legends Event (June 26-28)10[BSL22] Non-Korean Championship from 13 to 28 June4
StarCraft 2
General
StarCraft II 5.0.16 PTR Patch Notes may 26th Daily SC2 Player Grid - feedback wanted J188 – Nhà Cái Cá Cược Trực Tuyến Đẳng Cấp Châu Á Code S Season 2 (2026) - RO8 Preview TL Poll: How do you feel about the 5.0.16 PTR balance changes?
Tourneys
GSL CK #4 20-21th June Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2) Crank Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League Douyu Cup 2026: $20,000 Legends Event (June 26-28)
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
Work In Progress Melee Maps [D]RTS in all its shapes and glory <3
External Content
Mutation # 530 One For All The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 529 Opportunities Unleashed Mutation # 528 Infection Detected
Brood War
General
STARCRAFT MOVIE - Last Night at the Command center BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Battle cruiser feet vs Carrier fleet Fact based Zerg Upgrade Tier List vespene.gg — BW replays in browser
Tourneys
CSLAN 4 is Coming! [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Small VOD Thread 2.0 The Casual Games of the Week Thread
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Relatively freeroll strategies Creating a full chart of Zerg builds Why doesn't anyone use restoration?
Other Games
General Games
Path of Exile ZeroSpace at Steam NextFest - Last free demo Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread ZeroSpace Megathread
Dota 2
Looking for a Dota Mentor Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
Vanilla Mini Mafia {D-2} Late to making 20.06.2026 memorable [p]94718
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread [H]Internet/Gaming Cafe Tips and Tricks The Games Industry And ATVI UK Politics Mega-thread
Fan Clubs
The HerO Fan Club! The herO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Movie Discussion! [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books [TV/BOOK] *SPOILERS* Game of Thrones Discussion
Sports
2024 - 2026 Football Thread McBoner: A hockey love story TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 Formula 1 Discussion Cricket [SPORT]
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread Facing Challenges in Mobile App Development
TL Community
The Automated Ban List
Blogs
How To Predict Tilt in Espor…
TrAiDoS
An Exploration of th…
waywardstrategy
I'm an arrogant trash talke…
FlaShFTW
Gauntlet SC2: A Retrospectiv…
Ctone23
Why RTS gamers make better f…
gosubay
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 8418 users

Positioning = Macro?

Blogs > Phyre
Post a Reply
1 2 Next All
Phyre
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States1288 Posts
January 24 2009 01:41 GMT
#1
So the Dawn of War 2 Beta just came out and I was perusing the Relicnews forums when I found this gem:

Person1: "You do understand that Cover adds to micro as you have to actually think about where you place units and if you attack you have to consider flanking to negate that cover?"
Person2: "THAT IS MACRO. POSITIONING YOUR TROOPS, IT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MICRO. Are you really that stupid?"

Person1: "Positioning is the epitome of micromanagement. You just don't need to click umpteen billion times to do it."
Person2: "I bet any Korean with decent apm could be doing it with one hand and masturbating with other."

http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?t=212538

The worst part is that I think Person2 actually watches the Starcraft pro-scene but it just too stupid to understand basic concepts. That or he's trolling. Either way I found it pretty hilarious in a sad kind of way.

*
"Oh no, I got you with your pants... on your face... That's not how you wear pants." - Nintu, catching 1 hatch lurks.
uriel-
Profile Joined August 2007
Singapore1867 Posts
January 24 2009 01:45 GMT
#2
lol official forums
Heyoka
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
Katowice25012 Posts
January 24 2009 01:46 GMT
#3
Macro has a lot of really bizarre definitions in RTS games that aren't starcraft, DoW people tend to be the worst at explaining what they mean by it.
@RealHeyoka | ESL / DreamHack StarCraft Lead
Nytefish
Profile Blog Joined December 2007
United Kingdom4282 Posts
January 24 2009 01:46 GMT
#4
The blizzard official forums aren't any better though~
No I'm never serious.
Divinek
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
Canada4045 Posts
January 24 2009 01:47 GMT
#5
positioning isnt micro. Positioning is positioning.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
Oh goodness me, FOX tv where do you get your sight? Can't you keep track, the puck is black. That's why the ice is white.
Raithed
Profile Blog Joined May 2007
China7078 Posts
January 24 2009 02:19 GMT
#6
lol dow rts.
PH
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States6173 Posts
January 24 2009 03:07 GMT
#7
On January 24 2009 10:47 Divinek wrote:
positioning isnt micro. Positioning is positioning.

Positioning is unarguably a part of micro...

-_____-;;
Hello
KaasZerg
Profile Joined November 2005
Netherlands927 Posts
January 24 2009 03:28 GMT
#8
I can't imagine DOW being about strategy. It is about hard counters, armycompostion and capturing listeningposts. Add terraincover for flavour. It has hardly any depth. I tried it. How can this game be any more than random destruction and a bit of sqaud tactics.

p.s. Yes postioning is a part of micro unless the units are maneuvred in a void.
uriel-
Profile Joined August 2007
Singapore1867 Posts
January 24 2009 04:18 GMT
#9
dow has a fair bit of gameplay depth if you play it enough (you evidently don't), but the laughable balance is what kills it
NonY
Profile Blog Joined June 2007
8751 Posts
January 24 2009 04:19 GMT
#10
i could imagine terminology where all tasks are separated between unit control and base management, both of which are then separated into micromanaging tasks and macromanaging tasks. unit position would be a macromanagement task of unit control
"Fucking up is part of it. If you can't fail, you have to always win. And I don't think you can always win." Elliott Smith ---------- Yet no sudden rage darkened his face, and his eyes were calm as they studied her. Then he smiled. 'Witness.'
Phyre
Profile Blog Joined December 2006
United States1288 Posts
January 24 2009 04:58 GMT
#11
On January 24 2009 13:19 Liquid`NonY wrote:
i could imagine terminology where all tasks are separated between unit control and base management, both of which are then separated into micromanaging tasks and macromanaging tasks. unit position would be a macromanagement task of unit control

Could you explain that a bit? I'm not sure I understand how you can have macro-management tasks within unit control. While the definition of macro is a bit fuzzy for me I've always considered anything regarding unit control to be micro.

Roughly, I'd consider macro to be stuff that influences your economy and unit production but I'm sure people could find exceptions to that.
"Oh no, I got you with your pants... on your face... That's not how you wear pants." - Nintu, catching 1 hatch lurks.
BanZu
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States3329 Posts
January 24 2009 05:13 GMT
#12
On January 24 2009 13:58 Phyre wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2009 13:19 Liquid`NonY wrote:
i could imagine terminology where all tasks are separated between unit control and base management, both of which are then separated into micromanaging tasks and macromanaging tasks. unit position would be a macromanagement task of unit control

Could you explain that a bit? I'm not sure I understand how you can have macro-management tasks within unit control. While the definition of macro is a bit fuzzy for me I've always considered anything regarding unit control to be micro.

Roughly, I'd consider macro to be stuff that influences your economy and unit production but I'm sure people could find exceptions to that.

NonY's just looking at the literal meaning behind macro, rather than the accepted definition. Macro within an army would have to actions on a large scale, which would generally include moving of an army. However, positioning a lurker in a mineral line such that a cannon does not hit is more micro.

Really depends on the situation...
Sun Tzu once said, "Defiler becomes useless at the presences of a vessel."
Divinek
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
Canada4045 Posts
January 24 2009 05:55 GMT
#13
On January 24 2009 12:07 PH wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2009 10:47 Divinek wrote:
positioning isnt micro. Positioning is positioning.

Positioning is unarguably a part of micro...

-_____-;;


It is quite arguable in fact. Because micro really only occurs during action between two players units really. Is there such a thing as pre battle micro? No there isnt.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
Oh goodness me, FOX tv where do you get your sight? Can't you keep track, the puck is black. That's why the ice is white.
PH
Profile Blog Joined June 2008
United States6173 Posts
January 24 2009 06:04 GMT
#14
On January 24 2009 14:55 Divinek wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2009 12:07 PH wrote:
On January 24 2009 10:47 Divinek wrote:
positioning isnt micro. Positioning is positioning.

Positioning is unarguably a part of micro...

-_____-;;


It is quite arguable in fact. Because micro really only occurs during action between two players units really. Is there such a thing as pre battle micro? No there isnt.

In Korea, they say "control" instead of "micro". Beyond that, the way I see it is that "micro" refers directly to how you control your units...their movement, positioning, what have you. Anything you do with a unit once it pops out of the factory, gateway, rax, whatever is all part of micro.

Just because what you do with a unit isn't immediately involved in a battle doesn't make it not "micro"/"control". Controlling units in a battle, and battles in general are only a small part of a game in the first place.
Hello
fusionsdf
Profile Blog Joined June 2006
Canada15390 Posts
Last Edited: 2009-01-24 06:21:18
January 24 2009 06:20 GMT
#15
On January 24 2009 14:55 Divinek wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2009 12:07 PH wrote:
On January 24 2009 10:47 Divinek wrote:
positioning isnt micro. Positioning is positioning.

Positioning is unarguably a part of micro...

-_____-;;


It is quite arguable in fact. Because micro really only occurs during action between two players units really. Is there such a thing as pre battle micro? No there isnt.


yes there is

controlling units = micro

putting my units in formation is NOT macro
SKT_Best: "I actually chose Protoss because it was so hard for me to defeat Protoss as a Terran. When I first started Brood War, my main race was Terran."
TheYango
Profile Joined September 2008
United States47024 Posts
January 24 2009 06:34 GMT
#16
Reading the thread, its actually about the lack of micro in DoW2. From that standpoint, its a fair point. DoW2 is not really micro-heavy compared to other RTSs, especially Starcraft. Stuff like cover adds more complex micro, but the fact that you can only control squads and not units really reduces the total amount of micro you can do.
Moderator
Divinek
Profile Blog Joined November 2006
Canada4045 Posts
January 24 2009 08:32 GMT
#17
On January 24 2009 15:20 fusionsdf wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2009 14:55 Divinek wrote:
On January 24 2009 12:07 PH wrote:
On January 24 2009 10:47 Divinek wrote:
positioning isnt micro. Positioning is positioning.

Positioning is unarguably a part of micro...

-_____-;;


It is quite arguable in fact. Because micro really only occurs during action between two players units really. Is there such a thing as pre battle micro? No there isnt.


yes there is

controlling units = micro

putting my units in formation is NOT macro


Just because it's not macro doesnt make it micro. It's not like there's only one or the other. I mean you could want to look at it that way. But positioning doesn't very much seem like micro in any sense that the word is commonly used.
You never heard "look at that sick micro" when someone positions an army.
Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.
Oh goodness me, FOX tv where do you get your sight? Can't you keep track, the puck is black. That's why the ice is white.
EmeraldSparks
Profile Blog Joined January 2008
United States1451 Posts
January 24 2009 08:44 GMT
#18
On January 24 2009 17:32 Divinek wrote:
You never heard "look at that sick micro" when someone positions an army.

Boxer spread siege?
But why?
Plexa
Profile Blog Joined October 2005
Aotearoa39261 Posts
January 24 2009 09:19 GMT
#19
On January 24 2009 12:07 PH wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2009 10:47 Divinek wrote:
positioning isnt micro. Positioning is positioning.

Positioning is unarguably a part of micro...

-_____-;;
ya, there are two kinds of micro imo
a) in-battle micro
b) pre-battle micro

or rather
a) Micro Techniques
b) The art of engagement

The art of engagement includes both positioning and picking the right place and time to fight
Administrator~ Spirit will set you free ~
InRaged
Profile Joined February 2007
1047 Posts
January 24 2009 10:24 GMT
#20
On January 24 2009 14:13 BanZu wrote:
Show nested quote +
On January 24 2009 13:58 Phyre wrote:
On January 24 2009 13:19 Liquid`NonY wrote:
i could imagine terminology where all tasks are separated between unit control and base management, both of which are then separated into micromanaging tasks and macromanaging tasks. unit position would be a macromanagement task of unit control

Could you explain that a bit? I'm not sure I understand how you can have macro-management tasks within unit control. While the definition of macro is a bit fuzzy for me I've always considered anything regarding unit control to be micro.

Roughly, I'd consider macro to be stuff that influences your economy and unit production but I'm sure people could find exceptions to that.

NonY's just looking at the literal meaning behind macro, rather than the accepted definition. Macro within an army would have to actions on a large scale, which would generally include moving of an army. However, positioning a lurker in a mineral line such that a cannon does not hit is more micro.

Really depends on the situation...

You're right overall, except the first sentence, which should be

"NonY's just looking at the literal meaning behind macro, rather than the accepted among Starcraft players"

I haven't played dow2 but I would imagine for the game with very little base management breaking unit management into macro and micro would make a lot of sense
1 2 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 5h 46m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Nina 94
StarCraft: Brood War
Mind 181
NaDa 45
Icarus 6
Dota 2
LuMiX0
League of Legends
JimRising 690
Counter-Strike
summit1g11065
Other Games
WinterStarcraft800
ViBE186
RuFF_SC2101
Organizations
Dota 2
PGL Dota 2 - Secondary Stream2756
Other Games
gamesdonequick995
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 17 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH233
• practicex 29
• Kozan
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• sooper7s
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
StarCraft: Brood War
• RayReign 29
• Diggity8
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
• BSLYoutube
League of Legends
• Lourlo1448
• Stunt373
• HappyZerGling58
Upcoming Events
WardiTV Spring Champion…
5h 46m
GSL
6h 46m
Maru vs Reynor
Lambo vs Solar
IPSL
10h 46m
Hawk vs Julia
Patches Events
11h 46m
BSL22 NKC (BSL vs China)
13h 46m
Dewalt vs Messiah
Bonyth vs Mihu
TerrOr vs XuanXuan
eOnzErG vs Messiah
Jaystar vs Mihu
Dewalt vs XuanXuan
Bonyth vs TerrOr
Replay Cast
18h 46m
WardiTV Weekly
1d 5h
Monday Night Weeklies
1d 10h
Sparkling Tuna Cup
2 days
The PondCast
3 days
[ Show More ]
Douyu Cup 2020
3 days
Oliveira vs Trap
Jieshi vs XY
soO vs FanTaSy
TY vs Coffee
Douyu Cup 2020
4 days
Neeb vs Impact
MacSed vs Cyan
Scarlett vs Kelazhur
INnoVation vs Dear
Douyu Cup 2020
5 days
Maestros of the Game
6 days
herO vs Classic
Maru vs Serral
BSL22 NKC (BSL vs China)
6 days
Douyu Cup 2020
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-06-19
uThermal 2v2 2026 Main Event
Heroes Pulsing #2

Ongoing

IPSL Spring 2026
Acropolis #4
CSCL: Masked Kings S4
YSL S3
BSL 22 Non-Korean Championship
CSL Season 21: Qualifier 1
SCTL 2026 Spring
Maestros of the Game 2
WardiTV Spring 2026
Murky Cup 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026
Asian Champions League 2026
IEM Atlanta 2026
PGL Astana 2026
BLAST Rivals Spring 2026
IEM Rio 2026
PGL Bucharest 2026

Upcoming

CSL Season 21: Qualifier 2
CSL 2026 Summer (S21)
CSLAN 4
Blizzard Classic Cup 2026
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
RSL Revival: Season 6
CranK Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League
HSC XXIX
Douyu Cup 2026
BCC 2026
Light HT
Heroes Pulsing #3
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.