WCSYAKS is a fast hotkey setup for zerg (Yet Another hotKey Setup), updated for LOTV
The idea was to make a hotkey layout, which would feel natural, not hard to learn, comfortable for the hand and would make your most common tasks as easy as possible.
- Don't hurt your hand anymore
- Micro your armies easier
- Use more army hotkeys to better deal with what the game throws at you
- Make larva injects faster
- Drone faster
- Have base cameras directly available
- Get more done in the same amount of time
This is done by:
- Have all the keys closer to the modifier keys CTRL + SHIFT
- Dedicate fingers to their column
- Use the thumb by incorporating SPACE for many spells
- Minimize reaching of the hand
- Minimize repeating the same finger again
Here is a short overview of the setup:
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/bXyWSdw.png)
and here is the complete overview of the setup, but maybe first read the rest of the post
Complete overview:
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full overview:
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/T8yhDtO.png)
Units and buildings:
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/TrzghDl.png)
The idea:
As a Zerg player, there are many things you need to think about:
- Larva injects
- Droning
- Producing army units
- Spreading creep
- Controlling your armies
And the rest that needs your attention
This is a continuous cycle. We have tried to make all these things as quick and easy as possible. Thus allowing you to process more of the game in the same time. This is done by doing 3 things:
1) by minimizing the hand movement around the keyboard
2) by making all these movements with as much of finger repetition as possible
3) by incorporating all the nice tricks that are around
1)minimizing hand movement:
We have chosen to put the default finger positioning close to the standard typing position for touch typing (ASDF). If you already can do touch typing, then this will be quick to learn. Also, all the fingers have dedicated columns, among others your pinky that gets to do some of the cool stuff, as well as for stopping your army.
In YAKS, the thumb is also heavily used, and OMG it is so useful! On the SPACE bar are all of your most needed and favorite spells positioned. And you will use the thumb also for controlling the ALT modifier key.
2) reduce finger repetition
We have also chosen to make the most important combinations without using finger repetition:
Z,X,C
CTRL+Z,X,C to scroll through your bases
Q,W,E and 1,2,3 to scroll through your armies
Your control groups are left of your commands and spells, making it easy to select a control group and issue a command to them
A,S,S (so basically A, hold S) for droning
3) all the nicest and best tricks
2 Larva inject methods
Boxing Queens
This method is recommended by pros because it doesn't produce wondering queens. However it is slower than the cam inject method. I use it in early game, and in later game, when other stuff is asking for my attention, I tend to switch to the cam inject method.
- Use Cam hotkeys to go to your hatchery.
- Drag a selection box to select your Queen(s)
- Press SPACE to select inject larva
- Click the hatchery
Cam Inject method
This is the fastest reliable way of injecting your hatcheries with the least possibilities of wandering queens.
Have your queens hotkeyed to SHIFT+A by adding queens through CTRL+A. Then:
SHIFT + A -- select queens
Z,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 1
X,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 2
C,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 3
CTRL (hold)
Z,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 4
X,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 5
C,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 6
release CTRL
you have injected 6 hatcheries.
Now, to get the timing right between hitting space and injecting your hatcheries, it is good to train it. I made a little site where you can actually train it: https://yaksinjecttrainer.netlify.com/
This is the method recommended by pros, as it is both fast and accurate:
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Other inject methods:
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Although not recommended, there are other inject methods possible as well with YAKS. It will cause more wandering queens, BUT it will have 1 step less per hatchery (Selecting the spell)
Shift cam inject
SHIFT+A -- selects queens
SHIFT+SPACE -- selects inject larva
SHIFT+Z,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject hatch 1
SHIFT+X,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject hatch 2
SHIFT+C,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject hatch 3
SHIFT+ALT+Z,SHIFT+ALT+CLICK -- inject hatch 4
SHIFT+ALT+X,SHIFT+ALT+CLICK -- inject hatch 5
SHIFT+ALT+C,SHIFT+ALT+CLICK -- inject hatch 6
Shift base cam inject
SHIFT+A -- selects queens
SHIFT+SPACE --selects spell
SHIFT+TAB,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject first hatch
SHIFT+TAB,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject second hatch
SHIFT+TAB,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject third hatch
etc.
Micro like a boss
Have all the micro hotkeys readily available, without reaching:
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D – Attack
G – Hold
CapsLock – Stop
TAB – Cancel
T – Patrol
Have all you army hotkeys readily available at:
Q, W, E, 1, 2, 3
Have all your spell hotkeys readily available at:
SPACE, R, S, F, 4
G – Hold
CapsLock – Stop
TAB – Cancel
T – Patrol
Have all you army hotkeys readily available at:
Q, W, E, 1, 2, 3
Have all your spell hotkeys readily available at:
SPACE, R, S, F, 4
Cast spells like a boss (includes rapid fire)
Use Rapid Fire and Precision spells the way you like it
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Rapid Fire
Rapid fire is a technique that allows you to spam an ability very fast. This is useful in many instances. With a rapid fire enabled key, you can still decide to only tap it once and use it as normal. To rapid fire up properly, go into your keyboard settings and minimize the delay of your keystrokes.
The rapid fire key is bound to S. This includes:
- Corrosive Biles (Ravagers)
- Infested Terrans (Infestor)
- Creep (Creep) (CTRL click creep tumors, then (CTRL+) S and wave your mouse 😊)
- Consume (Viper)
- Caustic Spray (Corruptor)
- Contaminate (Overseer)
- Spines (Select Drones and hold S)
To setup rapid fire optimally, you want to increase the repeat rate of your keyboard. There is a nice tutorial on sc2swam on how to do that for windows: https://sc2swarm.com/2017/10/20/windows-settings-for-reducing-delay-and-increasing-repeat-rate-when-holding-down-a-key/
Precision spells
You don’t always want to be spamming, but sometimes you need to be precise, for example with blinding clouds on siege tanks. In that case you can simply hold the blinding clouds key down SPACE and click on all the places that you want to be blinded.
All the rapid fire enabled spells and abilities also have an alternative spell to be more precise, for example, you can also use corrosive biles with the SPACE key.
Some spells can be autocasted by using the keyboard. (currently only unburrow on burrowed banelings) The keyboard shortcut to do so is: ALT+key. So for example, when you burrow some banelings, you can set unburrow on autocast (press ALT+4), making them landmines.
rapid fire anything
If you want to rapid fire anything, you can do so by SHIFT selecting the spell and then press the rapid fire key S. Issue a RIGHT CLICK command to get out of the SHIFT enabled spell.
precise fire rapid fire bound spells
If you want to NOT rapid fire a spell bound to S, you can do so by SHIFT+S selecting that spell, then release the keyboard and click with your mouse on the places that you want to click. Issue a RIGHT CLICK command to get out of the SHIFT enabled spell.
Droning
A,S,S or A,SPACE,S
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What this does:
A select your hatcheries
S Select larva
S Build drone
This way you always make, without any mistakes, your drones correctly. If there are no larva, no problem, because the select larva also has a binding to S. Thus you don't need to spam S,S as a crazy guy, but can just comfortably hold S, and when a larva pops, it immediately turns it into a drone. This is also true for overlords, which you create by the letter D).
A select your hatcheries
S Select larva
S Build drone
This way you always make, without any mistakes, your drones correctly. If there are no larva, no problem, because the select larva also has a binding to S. Thus you don't need to spam S,S as a crazy guy, but can just comfortably hold S, and when a larva pops, it immediately turns it into a drone. This is also true for overlords, which you create by the letter D).
Setup Queens hotkey group
(Control) click a Queen and press CTRL+A to add to Queens hotkey group.
Setup new hatcheries and cameras:
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Click hatchery
Press, (CTRL+) ALT+A,F -> adds to hatchery control group and centers on hatchery
Press ALT+Z,X,C -> Make camera hotkey for 1-3
Or
Press CTRL+ALT+Z,X,C -> Make camera hotkey for 4-6
Press, (CTRL+) ALT+A,F -> adds to hatchery control group and centers on hatchery
Press ALT+Z,X,C -> Make camera hotkey for 1-3
Or
Press CTRL+ALT+Z,X,C -> Make camera hotkey for 4-6
Use cams
React to harass fast and easy with:
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Z,X,C to go to cams 1-3
CTRL+Z,X,C to go to cams 4-6
Super fast army reinforcements
CTRL or ALT for adding to your control groups, SHIFT for creating control groups. Why? read on:
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Why would you turn around this fundamental principal of the game? Because the game does it wrong.
So you want to create some units, to join the battle, and you don't want them to just pop out, but want to put them in the right control group. How to do this?
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Old style:
press CTRL
click the egg portraits
press SHIFT
press dedicated hotkey
(4 steps)
YAKS style:
press CTRL
click the egg portraits
press dedicated hotkey
(3 steps, >25% faster)
Or, you have a mixed group and quickly want to add them to designated control groups
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Old style:
press CTRL
click the unit type to select them all
press SHIFT
press dedicated hotkey
(4 steps)
YAKS style:
press CTRL
click the unit type to select them all
press dedicated hotkey
(3 steps, >25% faster)
Or, you have a group with a few wrong units in it, and want to split it in its own control groups
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Old style:
box all units
press SHIFT
click the ones who don't belong in it
press CTRL
press dedicated hotkey
(5 steps)
YAKS style:
box all units
press SHIFT
click the ones who don't belong in it
press dedicated hotkey
(4 steps, >20% faster)
box all units
press SHIFT
click the ones who don't belong in it
press CTRL
press dedicated hotkey
(5 steps)
YAKS style:
box all units
press SHIFT
click the ones who don't belong in it
press dedicated hotkey
(4 steps, >20% faster)
Control groups
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Note that that SHIFT and CTRL keys are swapped (for easier assigning units).
Also note that by default the add groups will steal units from other groups! This is done to make it easier to split of groups, and help you micro in battle.
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Armies:
1: Q (add-steal CTRL+Q, add (CTRL+)ALT+Q, create-steal SHIFT+Q, create SHIFT+ALT+Q,CTRL+SHIFT+Q)
2: W (add-steal CTRL+W, add (CTRL+)ALT+W, create-steal SHIFT+W, create SHIFT+ALT+W,CTRL+SHIFT+W)
3: E (add-steal CTRL+E, add (CTRL+)ALT+E, create-steal SHIFT+E, create SHIFT+ALT+E,CTRL+SHIFT+E)
4: 1 (add-steal CTRL+1, add (CTRL+)ALT+1, create-steal SHIFT+1, create SHIFT+ALT+1,CTRL+SHIFT+1)
5: 2 (add-steal CTRL+2, add (CTRL+)ALT+2, create-steal SHIFT+2, create SHIFT+ALT+2,CTRL+SHIFT+2)
6: 3 (add-steal CTRL+3, add (CTRL+)ALT+3, create-steal SHIFT+3, create SHIFT+ALT+3,CTRL+SHIFT+3)
Tech buildings:
7: ALT+S (add CTRL+ALT+S, add-steal SHIFT+ALT+S, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+S, CTRL+SHIFT+S)
8: ALT+D (add CTRL+ALT+D, add-steal SHIFT+ALT+D, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+D, CTRL+SHIFT+D)
Queens:
9: SHIFT+A (add CTRL+A, create CTRL+SHIFT+A)
Hatcheries:
0: A (add ALT+A,CTRL+ALT+A, add-steal SHIFT+ALT+A, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+A)
Also note that by default the add groups will steal units from other groups! This is done to make it easier to split of groups, and help you micro in battle.
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Armies:
1: Q (add-steal CTRL+Q, add (CTRL+)ALT+Q, create-steal SHIFT+Q, create SHIFT+ALT+Q,CTRL+SHIFT+Q)
2: W (add-steal CTRL+W, add (CTRL+)ALT+W, create-steal SHIFT+W, create SHIFT+ALT+W,CTRL+SHIFT+W)
3: E (add-steal CTRL+E, add (CTRL+)ALT+E, create-steal SHIFT+E, create SHIFT+ALT+E,CTRL+SHIFT+E)
4: 1 (add-steal CTRL+1, add (CTRL+)ALT+1, create-steal SHIFT+1, create SHIFT+ALT+1,CTRL+SHIFT+1)
5: 2 (add-steal CTRL+2, add (CTRL+)ALT+2, create-steal SHIFT+2, create SHIFT+ALT+2,CTRL+SHIFT+2)
6: 3 (add-steal CTRL+3, add (CTRL+)ALT+3, create-steal SHIFT+3, create SHIFT+ALT+3,CTRL+SHIFT+3)
Tech buildings:
7: ALT+S (add CTRL+ALT+S, add-steal SHIFT+ALT+S, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+S, CTRL+SHIFT+S)
8: ALT+D (add CTRL+ALT+D, add-steal SHIFT+ALT+D, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+D, CTRL+SHIFT+D)
Queens:
9: SHIFT+A (add CTRL+A, create CTRL+SHIFT+A)
Hatcheries:
0: A (add ALT+A,CTRL+ALT+A, add-steal SHIFT+ALT+A, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+A)
Cameras
Cameras easily available
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Cam 1: Z (create ALT+Z) main
Cam 2: X (create ALT+X) 2nd
Cam 3: C (create ALT+C) 3rd
Cam 4: CTRL+Z (create CTRL+ALT+Z) 4th
Cam 5: CTRL+X (create CTRL+ALT+X) 5th
Cam 6: CTRL+C (create CTRL+ALT+C) 6th
Want to set up a cam on a place of interest (ramps, army gathering, creep, etc.?) You can do so by:
CTRL+V,B or ALT+V,B to set up cams on the V and B key.
Free cam 7: V (create CTRL+V or ALT+V)
Free cam 8: B (create CTRL+B or ALT+B)
Base cam: SHIFT+TAB
Having the cameras quickly at hand makes things like worker transfer much easier.
Cam 2: X (create ALT+X) 2nd
Cam 3: C (create ALT+C) 3rd
Cam 4: CTRL+Z (create CTRL+ALT+Z) 4th
Cam 5: CTRL+X (create CTRL+ALT+X) 5th
Cam 6: CTRL+C (create CTRL+ALT+C) 6th
Want to set up a cam on a place of interest (ramps, army gathering, creep, etc.?) You can do so by:
CTRL+V,B or ALT+V,B to set up cams on the V and B key.
Free cam 7: V (create CTRL+V or ALT+V)
Free cam 8: B (create CTRL+B or ALT+B)
Base cam: SHIFT+TAB
Having the cameras quickly at hand makes things like worker transfer much easier.
Other niceties
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-Select all idle works at: CTRL+ALT+CAPS LOCK
-To build a new hatchery, press S,D
-Next subgroup: Back mouse button (You know, those side buttons on your mouse)
-Previous subgroup: Forward mouse button (You know, those side buttons on your mouse)
-Need to split off a small group of your army to harass another base. select a part of army and press SHIFT+3 (for example) to remove this group from the previous group and go and harass the other base, while still controlling your main army.
-CTRL+CAPS LOCK to select all army units
-CTRL+CLICK a unit to select all units of that type in the screen. This is faster than double clicking the unit and because the CTRL key is close at hand in YAKS, it is also easy to do
-To build a new hatchery, press S,D
-Next subgroup: Back mouse button (You know, those side buttons on your mouse)
-Previous subgroup: Forward mouse button (You know, those side buttons on your mouse)
-Need to split off a small group of your army to harass another base. select a part of army and press SHIFT+3 (for example) to remove this group from the previous group and go and harass the other base, while still controlling your main army.
-CTRL+CAPS LOCK to select all army units
-CTRL+CLICK a unit to select all units of that type in the screen. This is faster than double clicking the unit and because the CTRL key is close at hand in YAKS, it is also easy to do
How to start your games:
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On the loading screen:
press S(hold)
click hatchery (builds your first drone)
release S
send overlord away (I use SHIFT+1 to add it to control group)
SHIFT+TAB: base cam
click hatchery
ALT+A,F: add hatchery to its own control group and center cam on main
ALT+Z to create cam on main
Press A,S,D to create your OL
Press A,S,S to create your 2nd drone
then go to all your possible expansions and press:
ALT+X to create cam 2
ALT+C to create cam 3
CTRL+ALT+Z to create cam 4
CTRL+ALT+X to create cam 5
CTRL+ALT+C to create cam 6
press S(hold)
click hatchery (builds your first drone)
release S
send overlord away (I use SHIFT+1 to add it to control group)
SHIFT+TAB: base cam
click hatchery
ALT+A,F: add hatchery to its own control group and center cam on main
ALT+Z to create cam on main
Press A,S,D to create your OL
Press A,S,S to create your 2nd drone
then go to all your possible expansions and press:
ALT+X to create cam 2
ALT+C to create cam 3
CTRL+ALT+Z to create cam 4
CTRL+ALT+X to create cam 5
CTRL+ALT+C to create cam 6
How to setup up a new hatchery:
After deploying the hatchery, click the hatchery and do one of the following:
first 3 hatcheries:
ALT+A,F to add it to hatcheries group and make camera center on the hatchery
ALT+Z or X or C, set it on the proper camera key
next 3 hatcheries:
CTRL+ALT+A,F to add it to hatcheries group and make camera center on the hatchery
CTRL+ALT+Z or X or C, set it on the proper camera key
upgrades
Upgrades are bound to a key:
SPACE - speed upgrades
S - melee attack upgrades
D - missile attack upgrades
R - armor upgrades
Possible adjustments:
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if you don't have back and forward buttons on your mouse, I recommend to bind the following:
- Previous subgroup: CTRL+S
- Next subgroup: CTRL+D
If you find the upgrades on the hatcheries (Burrow and Overlord speed) to far away (F4 and F5), you can also put them on 4,5
We love YAKS, and hope you will do too. Please tell us what you think about it, and if you use it, please tell us your experiences with it!
Click here to download YAKS for zerg!
How to install:
- Click the link, Click 'Download Zip' and save the 'YAKS 2019.SC2Hotkeys' file in the folder '(My) Documents\StarCraft II\Accounts\[some number]\Hotkeys'
- Start SC2
- Go to 'Menu->Options->Hotkeys'
- Under 'Selected Profile', select YAKS 2019
How to learn
print out overview pictures:
full overview:+ Show Spoiler +
Units and buildings: + Show Spoiler +
hotkey trainer: To learn the new key bindings quickly, you can use the 'Hotkey Trainer LotV' in the arcade (custom > arcade)
injects: Learn to inject properly on this site: https://yaksinjecttrainer.netlify.com/
test build order: Make a custom game against very easy AI and do your normal build order, but this time use YAKS hotkeys
