EPTHow to Train and Increase APM
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Optimate
251 Posts
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Highgamer
1473 Posts
I assume you use hotkeys any time you can (abilities, building/unit production, starting upgrades). What is your ctrl-group-setup in mid-/early-/lategame? Do you use all the numbers from 1 to 0? Do you try to build units only with keyboard for as long as possible? (By using ctrl-groups for your gateways/production buildings for as long as possible, until you have too many to assign numbers to them all) Do you know how to set up your F2-F4 keys to save screen-locations? Do you use it? Do you know how to use shift to add/remove units to/from your current selection or your control-groups? Do you know that you can add your current unit-selection to an existing control group by pressing shift+number of the group? Do you know about ctrl+click to select up to 12 units of the same type on your screen? Also: Always work on clicking/boxing very precisely rather than hastily so that you don't have to repeat the same move twice/multiple times. And don't give the same command multiple times out of bad habit when "you have nothing else to do". Otherwise you lose a lot of time and opportunity for multitasking without noticing. | ||
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Optimate
251 Posts
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Highgamer
1473 Posts
I'd advise you to practice your mechanics in the singleplayer, free of any concern about what your enemy is plotting. Focus on one thing/problem at a time, not everything at once. It's all about consistency, repeating the right way to do it over and over, drilling it into your brain/hands, not accepting when you fall back into a bad habit. The good thing is: Even if the stuff can seem bothersome or complex at first, when you're over the hill, it will make playing the game much easier. Our brains are good at doing stuff like that, taking repetitive tasks of our mind. | ||
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zimp
Hungary959 Posts
I think another part of high apm can come from knowing your build very well, this way you don't have to think a lot what to do at home, and you can continuosly scout or micro, while macroing too. That is effective because you are constantly doing two-three things at once, which will yield more actions. A good hotkey setup can help you with that. I recommend changing your hotkey setup, because the current one (1-6 buildings) seems bad, it doesn't allow you to effectively macro and micro using hotkeys at the same time (unless you hotkey your uniits to 7-0, which a few players do actually). For example, Nexus 4, GWs 5-0, Units 1-4 (if you have more than 4 ctrl of units, you overwrite the gws). This way you can macro and micro at the same time effectively. The other two nexai, you use F2-3-4 screens. You buy everything from hotkeys, and only go home to build buildings quickly and send the workers. You can even hotkey tech buildings to 7-8-9 etc. to start researches. ![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/C7qrcjy.png) Some players do 2 handed macroing from hotkeys, but i don't think it's necessary. You can just press the numbers with your left hand and click the unit buttons with your mouse, or with another finger on the left hand the hotkey. If you really want to increase your APM, you could set that automatic sound that notifies you to increase your apm, although it can be quite annoying sometimes. Having good mouse precision is also a must to achieve high effective apm. | ||
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NotJumperer
United States1371 Posts
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Counc1l
33 Posts
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GeckoXp
Germany2016 Posts
On August 28 2021 09:11 Optimate wrote: I have pretty bad hotkeys. Don't get it the wrong way around, e.g. training "hot key setups only". Know what you want to do first, then try to make it happen with a system that suits you best. There's no correct way, only what works for you. Get a routine into your game, e.g.: Step 1: select your army. Is it in danger? Is it going to be attacked? Step 1.1: If it is in danger: attack if you can win Step 1.2: If it is in danger: retreat if you can't win Step 2: Take a look at your supply limit Step 2.1: Enough supply for units? Yes -> move on to step 3 Step 2.2: If no (that kicks in if you're close „0<x<5 supply points“ ): build depots/overlords/pylons Step 3: Build workers in all your nexus / command centers (Zerg should think more about it, since they have a difficult larvae system) Step 3.1: Send trained workers to mine Step 4: Train units Step 4.1: Send your reinforcements to your main army / group them onto hotkeys Step 5: Take a look at the minerals: how much do you have? Decent amount: -> Repeat Step 1-5 Step 5.1: It rises although you trained units. Expand if you're in advantage or if the game is about to be a draw Step 5.2: If you're not in an advantage, or if your opponent could prevent you from expanding: build more production facilities / build tech buildings Step 6: repeat Step 1 – Step 6 Once you have that down, try to make it happen as fast as possible without forgetting a step. This way you won't learn how to spam and/or try to remember controls in real game instead of the appropriate actions you should perform. Huge difference and speeds up the process. See also: https://tl.net/forum/bw-strategy/104910-mechanics-of-starcraft | ||
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pebble444
Italy2503 Posts
Switching to late game Zerg, or Terran bio, will certainly increase your apm, because you will have to do more actions more control more macro more drag and click thingies | ||
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Piste
6183 Posts
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prosatan
Romania9381 Posts
Pro protoss players with high apm are Mini, Bisu and Rain (even if the last two play very little or even don't play) My setup is: Nexus on 0,9,8 to press fast 0p9p8p for probes Gates on 3,4,5 and after a while on 5 and 6 (and F3 key also on them) Army on 1,2,3,4 My scouting probe on 1 and 2 F2 for my main, F3 for the screen where my gateways are , when there are more and more (like in middle-late game), and F4 for my natural. But, in late game, when my nat is saturated i put F4 on the location where my army gathers (where the rally point of the gateways is). Hope it helps  | ||
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ZakRoM
Costa Rica54 Posts
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ajmbek
Italy460 Posts
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LML
Germany1794 Posts
If your current APM helps with achieving what you want, then be happy. There are S rank players with less APM than you. Chances are, your APM is not what is holding you back. Maybe you are rather looking to use more efficient hotkeys? Changing control groups and using more convenient custom hotkeys can help a lot with that. | ||
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iNstiN
16 Posts
Some people likes to spam and just in general have higher apm, and some people has lower and doesn't spam as much it's up to everyone. I can sit on 300 apm any race doesn't mean anything just sayin So don't worry about APM and just focus on ur game instead | ||
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Optimate
251 Posts
On September 03 2021 01:15 iNstiN wrote: I keep seeing that people think the higher APM you have the better you are and that's completely wrong i can spam the shit out of games and still not have eAPM = Effective APM which is the more important thing to focus on. Some people likes to spam and just in general have higher apm, and some people has lower and doesn't spam as much it's up to everyone. I can sit on 300 apm any race doesn't mean anything just sayin So don't worry about APM and just focus on ur game instead Not true at all. Main post was more about how I can more efficient than I already am. | ||
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TMNT
3378 Posts
On August 28 2021 07:44 Optimate wrote: How do I increase APM. I have had a solid 180 APM the last 10 years. I see Protoss players like Movie who had 400 APM. What mechanics can I work on to increase my keyboard speed? And is there ever anytime a Protoss would need to put his right hand on the keyboard to have both hands on keyboard at the same time? Thanks. I use control groups for unit movements and hotkeys for faster spell casting. What else can I use keyboard with to improve my APM without spam? Dont think anyone ever put both hands on the keyboard to be more efficient. Instead, if your mouse has extra buttons, you can assign some keys on your keyboard to your mouse, like the number 9 and 0. I find this really convenient because I dont want to stretch my left hand too far. | ||
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iNstiN
16 Posts
On September 03 2021 01:21 Optimate wrote: Not true at all. Main post was more about how I can more efficient than I already am. I told you to focus more on eAPM rather than APM. | ||
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Optimate
251 Posts
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JoinTheRain
Bulgaria409 Posts
Obviously I don't hotkey observers and I am severely limited late game when I've got arbiters, but that's the extend of what I can do. | ||
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