Splitting is a micro technique that requires attention and lots of precise mouse control, especially for smaller units like zerglings, banelings and marines. It is useful when combating units with splash damage.
Patrol splitting is the simple technique of using the patrol command to split your units without using as much mouse control or attention.
For zerglings or banelings, you will issue a shift+attackmove command after the patrol command. This creates somewhat of a splitting effect. It may be safer for ling/baneling to always travel around the map in this way, as it significantly reduces the losses when encountering widow mines. When marines are behind the widow marines, your lings will clump up around the marines and can still suffer major splash damage. To avoid this, box the first 10 lings or so and move command them behind the enemy marines. It will be much easier to box the first bunch of lings compared to without the split.
For marines, you should select the marines, shift+patrol a few times nearby(each time about 3 range away), then hold position when you're satisfied with the spacing. Then you are pre-split against ling/baneling and can magic box your marines forward. You can also leave them to patrol if you have tanks sieging the zerg.
Next tip/guide will probably be on mutalisks vs widow mines, because I really hate widow mines.
On May 27 2013 20:38 vol_ wrote: Awesome trick, thanks! hmm, now to find an easier key than 'P' to bind patrol to, been meaning to do it for a while :\
i did rebind patrol to 'N'. Very convenient location i think, at least way better than 'P'
Here's another way. It's basically the same thing except that after issuing the first patrol command you box smaller groups and patrol them in different directions for greater spread then shift patrol in the direction you want to head. This makes me wish starcraft had formation movements. I think that would add some more depth to the game.
On May 27 2013 21:48 ManiacTheZealot wrote: This makes me wish starcraft had formation movements. I think that would add some more depth to the game.
On a smaller scale, magic box is formation movement.
When your selection is larger than the magic box, you can attackmove on the minimap as far as possible in the direction you want to move. The further the target, the more 'in formation' your units will move, just like how the sun's rays appear parallel because it's kinda far away from us.
I haven't really used that yet, but it seems like it could be practical if practised.
Maniac the whole point is to lower the actions needed, you can just manually split 5 lings and only lose them, but in a game you want it to be as simple as possible.
Anyways I really like the videos, patrol splitting was known for splitting versus Banelings, but I guess there is no reason to use it in other matchups as well I am sure there a lot more things that can be carried over from race to race, just need to think out side the box.
On May 27 2013 22:07 moskonia wrote: Maniac the whole point is to lower the actions needed, you can just manually split 5 lings and only lose them, but in a game you want it to be as simple as possible.
Anyways I really like the videos, patrol splitting was known for splitting versus Banelings, but I guess there is no reason to use it in other matchups as well I am sure there a lot more things that can be carried over from race to race, just need to think out side the box.
Well if you're moving a large group not just 5 and you don't know where the mines are or there's marines with the mines to kill your lings if you only send a couple this would be less effort.
EPT
I am sure there a lot more things that can be carried over from race to race, just need to think out side the box.
