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[D] Control group compositions for Protoss

Forum Index > StarCraft 2 Strategy
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Hertzy
Profile Joined September 2011
Finland355 Posts
November 06 2011 19:45 GMT
#1
Right off the bat, I'd like to make it clear that this is not a "which key should I bind my army to" thread. Searching found plenty of those. What I'd like to discuss is a more in-depth look into what exactly goes into an "army" control group. Also note that this one is for Protoss.

I find it intuitively clear that you'll want your control groups to contain the units that you always want moving in the same direction or standing in the same spot. Here's the groups I generally use (and what I choose to call them):

Meatshield: Zealots and Immortals, plus Sentries to drop guardian shields on them. Also, Archons if I warp any in, to get them in range of the enemy.
Stalkers: Keep them in their own group, so I can blink without sending anything else going the long way round.
Siege: Colossi. I want to keep them on a-move as opposed to focus-firing, and generally standing back from the rest of the army.

And here's a few other group compositions and why I stopped using them:

Ranged: Stalkers, Sentries and Immortals. First, I realized Immortals work better when you explicitly send them to the front lines, and then I realized sentries are more useful if I keep moving them with zealots.
Robo: I rarely used both Immortals and Colossi at the same time, so whichever I used was going under one control group. Defunct since now I tend to use both units.

If my opponent is going for cloaked units, I usually put a few observers among the army mix, in keeping with the principle outlined above. There's a few units I didn't mention, and they usually go into their dedicated control groups.

I'd like some feedback on my reasonings. One thing I'm unsure about is whether my Archons wouldn't work better in the ranged group or as a dedicated group.
My dotabuff: http://dotabuff.com/players/94774350
rEalGuapo
Profile Joined January 2011
Germany832 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-06 20:27:28
November 06 2011 20:21 GMT
#2
I think you should focus an doing positioning etc with the mouse, I feel that its faster and more accurat, since you always want a spread for a good concave.
I think deathball in a ball is far worse than a nice spread so that all colossi can attack at once and don't block each other etc.
I personally almost never use said "deathball" composition but when I do/did, I felt like it was better that way since you can always restrict moving with forcefields.

My groupings are:
1 - Zealots/Sentries/Archons/Immortals
2 - Stalkers
3 - Templar/Colossi

Reasons:
I want to be able to use the spells as fast as possible.
I hit one to cast forcefields
2 to Blink
and 3 to storm

These hotkeys are lategame, early on I have like my main army on one and harrassment on 2.
So pretty much the same for other reasons


In a fight I rarely use the hotkeys to move, if I chase for example I only want to move the Zealots back that used charge and then run in again to negate kiting. Also it is all about the concave and you will only achieve that using the mouse.
If a portion of your army is blocked, let's say like 5 of your 20 Stalkers block 3-4 Archons and a few Zealots, you don't want to move/blink all Stalkers only these five -> mouse.



On November 07 2011 04:45 Hertzy wrote:One thing I'm unsure about is whether my Archons wouldn't work better in the ranged group or as a dedicated group.

Since they have so low range it is important to have them very close to the front so group 1 is the way to go I think. A fourth hotkey would distract me too much in fights to micro efficiently, don't know about you but I think I would be in trouble, also the effect is almost non-existent.
Elden
Profile Joined June 2011
Canada22 Posts
November 06 2011 20:53 GMT
#3
I tend to keep main army on 1 This is basically everything except templars. With well spreading before and a fast mouse hand its all I need.
high templars on 2
gateways on 3 ( mostly pointless but they there for early game and I just keep the hot key as im to use to pushing it instead of w to check on wg cool downs )
4 is robo/stargate (they get swapped out during the game as im usually producing from one or the other. never both.)
5 nexus's
6-8 warp prisms.
9 forges ( gotta keep them upgrades coming)
You cannot always get what you want. But if you try real hard you can get what you need.
Corazon
Profile Blog Joined November 2011
United States3230 Posts
November 28 2011 01:18 GMT
#4
This is my hotkey set-up. I'll let you know that I'm only in Platinum, but this is what I like to go with. It seems weird but I'm used to it.

1-Main army
2-Harass (Warp Prism)/Alternate Forces
4-Nexus (4 is right next to E)
6-Robo/Stargate (one or the other)
7-Stargate (If I have Robo as well)
8&9-Second and Third Observers
0-Scouting Probe and First Observer

I think I am going to overhaul this very soon.

My optimal hotkey set-up would be:
1-Zealots/Immortals/Archons/Stalkers
2-Sentries/HT
3-Collosi
4-Nexus
5-Robo
6-9-Scouts
0-Warp-in Pylon
Grubby's #1 Fan
InvXXVII
Profile Joined March 2011
Canada242 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-28 01:38:07
November 28 2011 01:32 GMT
#5
On November 28 2011 10:18 cDgCorazon wrote:
This is my hotkey set-up. I'll let you know that I'm only in Platinum, but this is what I like to go with. It seems weird but I'm used to it.

1-Main army
2-Harass (Warp Prism)/Alternate Forces
4-Nexus (4 is right next to E)
6-Robo/Stargate (one or the other)
7-Stargate (If I have Robo as well)
8&9-Second and Third Observers
0-Scouting Probe and First Observer

I think I am going to overhaul this very soon.

My optimal hotkey set-up would be:
1-Zealots/Immortals/Archons/Stalkers
2-Sentries/HT
3-Collosi
4-Nexus
5-Robo
6-9-Scouts
0-Warp-in Pylon


I highly suggest that you give stalkers their own control group as they're scouts, they're mobile (can easily use them to blink back into your base to defend), and they're weak. The fact that they're both fast and weak often results in having them in front of your army when you 1-a (and you never want that). Personally I don't think you need three hotkeys for scouts. A max of 2 is enough.

This is my set up (feel free to critique, I feel like there is something missing in my setup):

1-2 Nexus
3-obs, phoenix, scouting probe, warp prism
4-stalkers
5-zealots, sentries, immortals, archons
6-HT, colossi, vr
7-obs
8-in-base force to protect myself against mutas or drops
9-stargate
0-robo

None of my army hotkeys are overlapping (i.e. if I send everything to attack, I 4-a 5-a 6-a) and I also use camera hotkeys.
A good loser is still a loser.
najo
Profile Joined August 2011
United States75 Posts
November 28 2011 01:37 GMT
#6
All on 1 and 1a.
ZenithM
Profile Joined February 2011
France15952 Posts
November 28 2011 01:40 GMT
#7
On November 28 2011 10:37 najo wrote:
All on 1 and 1a.


This man said it all.
ZikO
Profile Joined April 2006
United Kingdom27 Posts
November 28 2011 02:02 GMT
#8
I have redefined my keyboard but I used this combination:
4 For some reasons, I prefer to have main army here; it works perfectly with A command pressed by pinky
1 High Templars--1 works with T and F
2 Stalkers/Collosi--2 also works well with B for me
3 Sentries (it's a special caster ;p)--3 and F are close and use very often
paintfive
Profile Joined September 2011
785 Posts
November 28 2011 02:11 GMT
#9
my setup

1 - my units
Tazerenix
Profile Joined December 2010
Australia340 Posts
November 28 2011 02:12 GMT
#10
I use the grid hotkey setup and wrap my control groups around my hotkeys.

1 for Zealot/Sentry/Immortal/Colossus/Archons
2 for Stalker
3 for High Templar/Dark Templar/Phoenix/Void Ray
4 for Warp Prism/Observer/Phoenix/Void Ray
5 for Warp Prism/Observer
6 for Nexuses
Y for Gateways
H for Robos
N for Stargates
Spacebar is for my forges and cybernetics cores.

I changed my tilde (~) to my warp gate hotkey and use F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 etc. for my base camera hotkeys.

It's pretty sweet and means I don't need to move my hand around much to reach every hotkey (unlike having control groups on 0 and shit lol)
mizU
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States12125 Posts
November 28 2011 02:27 GMT
#11
I don't think Protoss needs as many different hotkeys as Terran lategame, but I suppose it depends. Also, Zergs complain about one A, but I have yet to see a Zerg us more than 1 hotkey for their army besides muta ling.

Rebound ~ for warp prisms and templar
1- Main army - stalkers and templar
2 - observer or blink stalkers

That's it.
if happy ever afters did exist <3 @watamizu_
iSoAksys
Profile Joined October 2011
18 Posts
November 28 2011 02:33 GMT
#12
It has always been easy for me to use mouse control (maybe because i played a TON of brood war)
but I rarely hotkey more then 2 unit groups:
1- Army in general -> zealot, stalker, sentry, collololo, immortal, archon
2- High Templar

My play is extremely high templar focused so obviously i have those on a separate hotkey so i can just forcefield and then storm right away, but i use the Ctrl key a lot, and if u hold ctrl and click a unit, all of the same unit will be clicked, and so my usage of shift and ctrl are very heavy.

For example, right before a fight, I will ctrl+click a zealot and then move them all in front of the army.

I always found it a pain to have more then 2 hotkeys, since you're constantly making units and have to continually rebind each time u make a round of stalkers, or something like that.
xlava
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
United States676 Posts
November 28 2011 03:11 GMT
#13
I'm trying to get used to
1 - zealots sentries
2 - stalkers
3 - hts

but its really tough -_-
ypslala
Profile Joined April 2011
Burma545 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-28 03:19:53
November 28 2011 03:11 GMT
#14
i use grid.

nexi on "4"
warp-in on "alt"
alternative key for "x" is "space-bar".
this way e.g. guardian shield and storm is on spacebar. guadian shiled goes up extremly fast.
base camera on "circumflex" so i can cycle throw all nexi fast

i cycle throw the gateway units with tab. this is fast enough imo.

DTs, HTs, phoenix, voidrays in a seperated controll group.

thats it.

robo etc on a hotkey ofc.
best SC2 game of aaaaaaall time: vibe vs avilo (don't miss the end!!): https://youtu.be/mygH92WzKV4
Spray
Profile Blog Joined July 2011
United States402 Posts
November 28 2011 03:30 GMT
#15
for me i put zealots sentries imorts archons and colosi on 1 stalkers on 2 HT's on 3 ezpz
HuK Fighting~~!
KitKat
Profile Joined June 2011
Mexico23 Posts
November 28 2011 03:48 GMT
#16
Mine is : 1ealots,Stalkers, Sentries. 2: Templar (Any other spellcasters) 3: Upgrades or Robo 4: All my Nexi 5: Obs 6-8: is usually anything else i need, since protoss only needs about 1 button to make there army (W and spam what you want to make) i dont need that many control groups for buildings.
Me: "I smell cheese!" Cheddar: "I play a straight game."
Zergrusher
Profile Joined November 2011
United States562 Posts
November 28 2011 03:53 GMT
#17
so most of the time toss uses 1 hotkey for there army?

so it would be hard for them to deal with multi pronged attacks? hmmm
ZenithM
Profile Joined February 2011
France15952 Posts
November 28 2011 03:57 GMT
#18
On November 28 2011 12:53 Zergrusher wrote:
so most of the time toss uses 1 hotkey for there army?

so it would be hard for them to deal with multi pronged attacks? hmmm


Nope, Protoss players generally have a better multitasking and are faster, don't worry
Zeetee
Profile Joined December 2010
United States153 Posts
November 28 2011 03:59 GMT
#19
you say you want to keep your colossus on a-move instead of focus fire... are you sure about that?

focus firing colossus is almost always more effective. select colossus, a-click on bunched up units, way more effective.

is there something i don't know? i thought everyone focus fired w/ colossus and that it was one of the most important parts of colossus micro
chipman
Profile Joined February 2011
United States139 Posts
November 28 2011 04:05 GMT
#20
Try putting everything other than ht's into 1, stalkers on 2, and hts/robo play unit on 3.
Doesn't Afraid of Anything
ZenithM
Profile Joined February 2011
France15952 Posts
November 28 2011 04:07 GMT
#21
On November 28 2011 12:59 Zeetee wrote:
you say you want to keep your colossus on a-move instead of focus fire... are you sure about that?

focus firing colossus is almost always more effective. select colossus, a-click on bunched up units, way more effective.

is there something i don't know? i thought everyone focus fired w/ colossus and that it was one of the most important parts of colossus micro


Depends on their number. If you have 4 or less, focus fire bunched up units. If you have 8 or more, let them do their work ;D
mizU
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States12125 Posts
November 28 2011 04:14 GMT
#22
On November 28 2011 13:07 ZenithM wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 28 2011 12:59 Zeetee wrote:
you say you want to keep your colossus on a-move instead of focus fire... are you sure about that?

focus firing colossus is almost always more effective. select colossus, a-click on bunched up units, way more effective.

is there something i don't know? i thought everyone focus fired w/ colossus and that it was one of the most important parts of colossus micro


Depends on their number. If you have 4 or less, focus fire bunched up units. If you have 8 or more, let them do their work ;D


when the eff is there ever 8+ colossi?!!?

you don't want to a-move when you're pushing a base. they'll get stuck in the back killing buildings.
if happy ever afters did exist <3 @watamizu_
SkyBlaze
Profile Joined August 2010
Canada191 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-28 05:28:45
November 28 2011 05:26 GMT
#23
HotKeys as fellows:

1 - zealot , sentry , immortal and colossus
2 - Stalkers
3 - HT
4 - Nexus'
5 - robo
6 - stargate
7 - forward ob (sometimes n/a)
8 - mid ob (sometimes n/a)
9 - base ob (sometimes n/a)
0 - forges

F2 - Main base
F3 - 2nd base
F4 - 3rd base
F5 - 4th base
| (╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻ | ┻━┻ ︵╰(°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
Zerksys
Profile Blog Joined August 2009
United States569 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-28 05:43:30
November 28 2011 05:39 GMT
#24
I use a really inefficient hotkey setup and I don't know how to break out of it.

1 - Main army
2 - Infestor
3- Mutas/Lings (depending on if I go muta heavy or roach heavy)
4 - all hatcheries
5 - queens
6 - third base
7 - evo chambers
8 - Scouting overlord/overseer late game
9 - Scouting lings
0 - any burrowed units.

Can someone tell me a better setup for zerg?
What's that probe doing there? It's a scout. You mean one of those flying planes? No....
ZenithM
Profile Joined February 2011
France15952 Posts
November 28 2011 05:42 GMT
#25
On November 28 2011 13:14 mizU wrote:
Show nested quote +
On November 28 2011 13:07 ZenithM wrote:
On November 28 2011 12:59 Zeetee wrote:
you say you want to keep your colossus on a-move instead of focus fire... are you sure about that?

focus firing colossus is almost always more effective. select colossus, a-click on bunched up units, way more effective.

is there something i don't know? i thought everyone focus fired w/ colossus and that it was one of the most important parts of colossus micro


Depends on their number. If you have 4 or less, focus fire bunched up units. If you have 8 or more, let them do their work ;D


when the eff is there ever 8+ colossi?!!?

you don't want to a-move when you're pushing a base. they'll get stuck in the back killing buildings.


Haha, in team games? *wink*
Darclite
Profile Joined January 2011
United States1021 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-28 05:46:26
November 28 2011 05:45 GMT
#26
Optimally:

1 - Main Nexus
2 - Natural Nexus
3 - Robos
4 - Whole army
5 - Depends on composition (could be blink stalkers, zealots + immortals, all ranged, etc.)
6 - Whatever isn't in 5, usually high templar or colossi
7 - Observers
8 - Double forge
9 - 3rd nexus
0 - 4th nexus, possibly 5th and 6th.

I realize this is very unusual, but I have gotten used to using ctrl click and tab and just selecting individual units for my micro. I also like being able to go to whatever base is under attack with the hotkey if I'm dropped, run by, etc. I use W for gates and I hate stargates.
They're fools. You should eat them.
Heff87
Profile Joined November 2011
United States106 Posts
November 28 2011 06:16 GMT
#27
I like the 1 - Zealot/Archon/Immortal, 2 - Stalkers, 3 - Colossi, 4 - HT approach, if I have phoenix I'll most likely put them on 6. It's whatever works best for you though, you really only NEED to separate units into different hotkeys if you have more than 1 spellcasting unit on that hotkey.
VGTA
cactusjack914
Profile Joined March 2011
United States183 Posts
November 28 2011 06:28 GMT
#28
I use a really inefficient hotkey setup and I don't know how to break out of it.

1 - Main army
2 - Infestor
3- Mutas/Lings (depending on if I go muta heavy or roach heavy)
4 - all hatcheries
5 - queens
6 - third base
7 - evo chambers
8 - Scouting overlord/overseer late game
9 - Scouting lings
0 - any burrowed units.

Can someone tell me a better setup for zerg?



1 - entire army
2 - ling/bane
3 - Mutalisks/air
4 - special units / infestors
5 - Hatcheries
6 - queens


f1 main f2 f3 expansions
change your ctrl group 0 to the tilde key, and use that for your scouting overlord or lings
"starcraft isn't a hobby, its a lifestyle."
Heff87
Profile Joined November 2011
United States106 Posts
November 28 2011 06:30 GMT
#29
Note the title of the thread, probably a similar thread for Zerg elsewhere fellas.
VGTA
cactusjack914
Profile Joined March 2011
United States183 Posts
November 28 2011 06:31 GMT
#30
youre right heff, shouldnt have answered him. shame on me.
"starcraft isn't a hobby, its a lifestyle."
Arachne
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
South Africa426 Posts
November 28 2011 06:37 GMT
#31
1 all army units (I micro select with tabs, ctrl select and double clicks... When i get it right, FEAR ME!)
2 is drop defense/obs
3 is drop defense/home obs
4 is nexii
5 is stargates
z is robo
caps are forges.
q are warp gates.
If I were a rich man, I wouldn't be here
InvXXVII
Profile Joined March 2011
Canada242 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-28 06:41:33
November 28 2011 06:37 GMT
#32
On November 28 2011 14:39 Zerksys wrote:
I use a really inefficient hotkey setup and I don't know how to break out of it.

1 - Main army
2 - Infestor
3- Mutas/Lings (depending on if I go muta heavy or roach heavy)
4 - all hatcheries
5 - queens
6 - third base
7 - evo chambers
8 - Scouting overlord/overseer late game
9 - Scouting lings
0 - any burrowed units.

Can someone tell me a better setup for zerg?


Use search function for zerg hotkeys. This thread is for toss. The way z bind their buildings and army is way different.

Just wondering, has anyone taken note of how the pros bind their units and buildings?
A good loser is still a loser.
HellRush
Profile Joined March 2011
Canada68 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-28 13:49:41
November 28 2011 13:46 GMT
#33
Hello fellow brotoss,Note that my hotket setup changes the more the game progress, also i am not saying this is the optimal one, just wanted to share it with you guy's

1- Building probe
2- scouting probe
3- --
4- Nexus
5- gates
6- Robo
7- Stargate

---

1- Main Army
2- Harassement / drop defense (depending on the situation you are in)
3- Caster's / colossi
4- doesn'T change from ^^^
5- " "
6- " "
7- " "


But rly i think that your hotkey setup is rly personnal(preference) if you are a new player and you are looking for a hotkey setup for toss, just pick one posted in this tread and than pratice with it until you get use to it, or just go with what you are confortable with.
More gg more skils ... WhiteRa
Irby
Profile Joined May 2011
United States55 Posts
November 28 2011 17:33 GMT
#34
Logic dictates that using a deathball style is bad because you are exponentially increasing the value of your opponents AoE abilities.

As of recent my setup has been [2] for my entire army, so I can maneuver through the minimap without ever having to position my camera on the army. [3] for blink stalkers. and [4] for all other spell casters. I also like to use [1] for harrass units (warp prisms/phoenix).

The best way to get an army spread is mouse control though, so trying to accomplish spreading through hotkeys, I feel is, is inferior.
Live every day to make the world a better place :)
Frostfire
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
United States419 Posts
November 28 2011 17:40 GMT
#35
1- Gateway units (excluding templars)
2- Scouting probe--> Immortals, voids, carriers
3- HT, Colossus
4- Harrassing units + Warp prism (DT's and such)
5- Nexus
w- Warpgates
I don't hotkey my main buildings, idk why I just use space to go to my base
"In solitude, we are least alone"
ApocAlypsE007
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
Israel1007 Posts
November 28 2011 17:52 GMT
#36
I try to work out of the 1 ctrl group syndrome. I use army hotkey setup similar to huk's:
1. Zealots, Sentries, Immortals, Archons
2. Stalkers+ Accompanying Observer
3. Colossi and HT's (Air units when in use)
Macro
4. Gateways
5. Nexus
6. Robo
7. Task Building (when I need to know the timing)
8. Stargate/Mommaship
0. (I binded it to ~) Proxy Pylon/Warp Prism
So far my army control is abyssmal but i'm working on it
I'm playing the game, the one that will take me to my end, i'm waiting for the rain, TO WASH-- WHO I AM!!!
mothergoose729
Profile Joined December 2010
United States666 Posts
November 28 2011 18:06 GMT
#37
It think the macro mechanics for protoss are less demanding then terran or zerg... not a criticism of the race, it just a kind of true. I think good protoss players should be using at a minimum 4 hotkeys for their armies, and be comfortable only having a few productions buildings as hotkeys (probably all the nexus on one and the forges on another). If protoss split their army into different segments, and then had seperate hotkeys in the middle of that for stalkers maybe, colossus, whatever, then splitting against EMP, or banneling drops, or whatever would be a lot easier and more effective. If a robo is idle for 10 seconds during a battle to make that happen its probably ok. It makes me sad when code S caliber protoss still play with everything on 1 or 2.
chipman
Profile Joined February 2011
United States139 Posts
November 28 2011 20:20 GMT
#38
A lot of people in code a and code s, terran, toss and zerg alike use at most 3 control groups for their units and then get around to less frequented parts of the map (like when attacking or harassing) by clicking on the mini map or boxing units with the mouse.


Think about it, if you have a group of high templars, a group of sentries, and a group of everything else, it takes like 2-3 emps to hit nearly everything useful, but if you drag boxes around with the mouse you can create a concave and actually split your spell casting units. It's actually more useful to get good at clicking on the minimap and controlling *much* of the battles with the mouse, while control groups are even more important, I'm just saying you would actually be better off controlling with the core mouse/ctrl/shift and up to 3 ctrl groups than having 10 ctrl groups for your army, like back in brood war when you could only select up to 12 units or w/e at a time.
Doesn't Afraid of Anything
cactusjack914
Profile Joined March 2011
United States183 Posts
November 29 2011 02:48 GMT
#39
interesting that not many people use "w" for warp gates. I used to keep my gates and robo on the same hotkey to free up more convenient hotkeys for army and then tabbed when i needed the robo. When I found out you could use W i was shocked and definitely think more people should implement that into their setup.
"starcraft isn't a hobby, its a lifestyle."
Silidons
Profile Blog Joined September 2010
United States2813 Posts
November 29 2011 03:08 GMT
#40
you're only going to have a few colossus, i always put mine with my zealots, its very easy to micro 3-5 colossus just by clicking on them.

zealot/sentry on their own key, stalker (if I have blink) on their own, HT on their own, VR/phoenix on their own, warp prism on their own.
"God fights on the side with the best artillery." - Napoleon Bonaparte
Skyro
Profile Joined May 2010
United States1823 Posts
November 29 2011 04:03 GMT
#41
my setup is:
1 - All Nexi
2 - Robo + Stargates
3 - Main army - Zealot/Sentry/Colossi
4 - Stalkers or Phoenix
5 - High Templar
6 - Warp Prism
7 - Observers

-I micro colossi individually or by ctrl-clicking
-I use tab to go b/w Robo and Stargates for production
-I use the 'w' hotkey for warpgates
-I use the screen capture hotkeys for my bases or for proxy pylons or areas of harass
junemermaid
Profile Joined September 2006
United States981 Posts
November 29 2011 04:10 GMT
#42
sentries zealot archon immortal (1)

stalkers (2)

colossi and templar (3 & 4)

for sake of completion:

pylon for warping in on 5

Robotics facilities on 6

observers on 7 & 8

warp prism on 9

nexus on 0
the UMP says YER OUT
ApocAlypsE007
Profile Blog Joined January 2011
Israel1007 Posts
November 29 2011 15:04 GMT
#43
On November 29 2011 11:48 cactusjack914 wrote:
interesting that not many people use "w" for warp gates. I used to keep my gates and robo on the same hotkey to free up more convenient hotkeys for army and then tabbed when i needed the robo. When I found out you could use W i was shocked and definitely think more people should implement that into their setup.

I think it's because the "w" hotkey doesn't allow to check on additional gates building unlike binding it to a key.
I used the "w" key for long to check on my warpgates, but I worked out of this to put them in ctrl group 4 to keep track of my additional gates that are building and warping them without the need to return the camera to the base. Out of habit to warp unit I still press "w" before the warpin.
I'm playing the game, the one that will take me to my end, i'm waiting for the rain, TO WASH-- WHO I AM!!!
Cracy
Profile Joined October 2011
Poland221 Posts
November 29 2011 15:35 GMT
#44
I was thinking on creating another tread but maybe someone here will be able to help me. I am newbie and the question is very basic but I haven't found the answer anywhere.

I would like to know how that the shooting AI works - this is closely related to hotkeys and its usage.
How does the computer chooses the target to attack? When in PvZ the you are attacked by roach-ling at the beginning and you get the Immortal out - will it target roaches first as it is the most effective or attack the closest? I guess the latter as other wise 1A would be enough...

But if so, I guess you should have zealots and immortals under different hotkeys? And when we're on that topic, how to target particular units effectively? Shift+right click, shift+A or you shouldn't queve them?

Thanks for your help.
HF

Oderint dum probent
schwza
Profile Joined September 2011
67 Posts
November 29 2011 15:53 GMT
#45
Lowly gold, but this is what I'm currently doing:

1 - whole army
2 - varies
3 - scouting probe
4 - sentries ("four-ce field")
5 - gateway/warpgate. I thought about trying to get used to using W but a lot of times I wind up adding gateways to my control group and then when I hit 5 later I have them ready to make WGs.
6 - robo
7 - stargate
8 - nexuses
9 - forges
0 - observers

Having colossi on their own group sounds smart. I sometimes look at replays and realize that my stupid colossus was shooting a supply depot during the whole fight.

If I have robo and stargate on 6, can I make units out of both? I've never tried it.

I've also thought about having one group of nexuses that I want to produce probes from and one group for all of them (for chrono).

How do you set up camera hotkeys? Sounds pretty useful.
Mikkerthebhu
Profile Joined May 2010
Denmark154 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-29 16:30:48
November 29 2011 16:26 GMT
#46
This controlgroup setup I am about to propose is for the gamer who wants to be really, really, really good. You must be able to change the control groups on the fly considering what situation you are in. I use 1-4 control groups for units and 5+6 for buildings.

5: All nexus.
6: All army producing facilities.
f1 - f5 is for save location: f1, f2, f3 and f4 are for every nexus you have. f5 is for your aggressive warp in pylon. Notice how having f5 and control group 6 close to eachother will help out your push immensely by saving so much time.

The standard deathball scenario:
1: Main melee army.
2: Main Ranged army
3: Main caster army.
4: A unit or group that needs unique attention. A scout/harrassing unit/observer/colussus/group of defending units, etc.

The Multitasking scenario, where you have to defend a drop, harrassing with some units, and maintain a major push.
1: Main melee army
2: Ranged + spell casters.
3: Defensive group of units.
4: Harrasing group of units.
note: Having trained "tab-circling units" will help you a lot!

The chaos scenario, all hell is loose.
Arrange control groups after the units position on the map.
1: furtherst left,
2: second furthers,
etc.


Con and Pro's for doing this setup:
Cons: This setup is one of the hardest to learn, and is both an intellectual and physical challenge.
Pros: It gives the possibílity of multitasking on more than just 2 groups. You can easily defend a drop while harrassing while doing your major push effectively. Once you master this, go try and outplay a player with just 2 or 3 unit hotkeys. It feels amazing to actually be able to say that you outplayed someone technically.
Carpe Diem
Mikkerthebhu
Profile Joined May 2010
Denmark154 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-29 17:00:59
November 29 2011 16:58 GMT
#47
On November 28 2011 14:39 Zerksys wrote:
I use a really inefficient hotkey setup and I don't know how to break out of it.

1 - Main army
2 - Infestor
3- Mutas/Lings (depending on if I go muta heavy or roach heavy)
4 - all hatcheries
5 - queens
6 - third base
7 - evo chambers
8 - Scouting overlord/overseer late game
9 - Scouting lings
0 - any burrowed units.

Can someone tell me a better setup for zerg?


I hope you see this, but I used to play zerg, and depending on how good you wanna be there are some different sets of hotkeys that might suit you.
There is a hotkey that lets you browse through all of your hatcheries (I believe it is backspace). Find it and bind it to somewhere that fits you. Select all your queens. Hold shift and press the inject button. Click on your browse hatchery button, click on every hatchery while you browse them all. EG.Machine uses this way of injecting, and you won't believe how fast he is, it is absolutely amazing.

For the beginner:
1: Main army.
2: Infestor
3: All hatcheries
4: All queens.

Advanced:
1: Melee units.
2: Ranged units. If you use this hotkey for mutalisks, then put roaches and hydras into control group 1.
3: spell caster.
4: All hatheries
5: All queens.

The very hard and very good:
1: Melee units
2: Ranged units:
3: spell casters
4: Harrassing/defending/scouting/burrowed unit that requires unique control.
5: All hatheries
6: All queens.

Note: control group 3 won't be used as infestors before we are pretty far into the game. Until then you can easily use it as a scouting overlord etc.
With the control groups you currently got, I strongly believe you should try the last one I mentioned. You could even make 0 as your evolution chamber and enhance it according to your style (which I would be very interested to see).
Carpe Diem
Nuclease
Profile Joined August 2011
United States1049 Posts
November 29 2011 20:44 GMT
#48
On November 07 2011 04:45 Hertzy wrote:

Siege: Colossi. I want to keep them on a-move as opposed to focus-firing, and generally standing back from the rest of the army.



Actually, if you look at the games of progressive and skilled Protoss players (Creator, Sage, Alicia kind of, and Oz especially) then you will find that they use force fields and focus fire small clumps that they create by herding with FFs. Moreover, they will focus fire important units because 3 Colossi one-hits everything they are a counter to. So, you should use this control group to focus fire.

Other than that I agree with you for the rest of your control groups, and mine are very similar.
Zealots, not zee-lots. | Never forget, KTViolet, Go)Space. | You will never be as good as By.Flash, and your drops will never be as sick as MMA.
Balgrog
Profile Blog Joined March 2011
United States1221 Posts
Last Edited: 2011-11-29 23:27:39
November 29 2011 23:27 GMT
#49
My set up changes on my unit comp and what not so I will give you a few examples (seems odd but works well for me)

Opening
1-scouting probe
4-worker probe
5-nexus

Mid game w/ air
1-ground force (usually just stalker w/ no blink, sentry, zealot)
2-air units
3-stargate
4-worker probe
5-nexus


late game
1-main army
2-warp prism and the units within it (usually templar or sentries) or overall harrass
3- High Templar
4-worker probe
5-nexi
6-robo

I have great micro and control with mouse so manuvering my army with it being on 1 is no big deal, I tab between sentries and stalkers. I ALWAYS focus fire my collos to make sure they are doing maximum damage or I can shut down some flanking roaches really fast. then if I get in a oh shit moment to move my whole army minus templar which I want to always have a designated hotkey for, is just as easy as taping "1" and moving them.
The only way to attack structure is with chaos.
Amui
Profile Blog Joined August 2010
Canada10567 Posts
November 29 2011 23:44 GMT
#50
I prefer to have my army seperated everything except stalkers and HT in one group, stalkers in one group, templar on one group, and then 78 are for observers.
Porouscloud - NA LoL
Kharnage
Profile Joined September 2011
Australia920 Posts
November 30 2011 00:25 GMT
#51
On November 28 2011 12:53 Zergrusher wrote:
so most of the time toss uses 1 hotkey for there army?

so it would be hard for them to deal with multi pronged attacks? hmmm


The best way to deal with multiprong attacks is warpin a bunch of zealots at the right location since you pretty much need your army together.
It's hard to havea hotkey for the units you haven't created yet.
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