EPTYAKS is an economic and fast hotkey setup for zerg (Yet Another hotKey Setup), updated for LOTV
YAKS is made with the intention to feel natural, not hard to learn, comfortable for the hand and would make your most common tasks as easy as possible.
- Larva injects are as fast and reliable as possible
- Managing engagements is of the uttermost importance
- Being able to use the keyboard in a good way, instead of fighting it with weird hand positions.
- Army reinforcements as quick as possible
- Easy to learn
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
- Base cameras readily available
Here is a short overview of the setup:
![[image loading]](https://i.imgur.com/R3ZuJza.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/YqtrXJo.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 4 things:
1) by making it easy to learn
2) by minimizing the hand movement around the keyboard
3) by making all these movements with as little of finger repetition as possible
4) by incorporating all the nice tricks that are around
1) Easy to learn
Migrating to a new layout will always take some effort. But there are a few reasons why YAKS is easier to learn than most other layouts:
- It is on the normal side of the keyboard, where you already have muscle memory build up
- Your fingers are dedicated to the columns, preventing you from making mistakes
- Although it is compact, there are few rules to be learned. For example, the creation, and recalling combinations are generalized and thus intuitive
- Spells and upgrades are organized by functionality on the same key. If you want to upgrade 'roach speed', you know it will be on the SPACEBAR, as SPACEBAR contains all speed upgrades
- There is a simple yet effective inject trainer to practice injecting with YAKS (on https://yaksinjecttrainer.netlify.com/ )
2) Minimizing hand movement:
YAKS is a very compact and economic SC2 hotkey layout.
- The default finger position is close to the standard typing position for touch typing (ASD). If you already can do touch typing, then this will be quick to learn.
- The fingers have their own dedicated columns. This makes it faster to learn and prevents you from making mistakes.
- The SPACEBAR is used for your most favorite spells and because the thumb is basically always resting on the SPACEBAR, it is really fast to deploy those spells.
- The layout is tucked in nicely to the CTRL and SHIFT key, meaning that using the modifier keys (for adding to control groups, queuing commands or other actions) is not weird to do.
3) Reduce finger repetition
We have also chosen to make the most important combinations without using finger repetition:
Z,X,C,V,B,N 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
4) All the nicest and best tricks
Two 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+ALT+A. Then:
SHIFT + A -- select queens
Z,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 1
X,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 2
C,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 3
V,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 4
B,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 5
N,SPACE,click -- inject hatch 6
you have injected 6 hatcheries.
In case your queens start wandering, you can press CAPS LOCK to stop them
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+V,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject hatch 4
SHIFT+B,SHIFT+CLICK -- inject hatch 5
SHIFT+N,SHIFT+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.
YAKS is optimized for micro
Have all the micro hotkeys readily available, without reaching:
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D – Attack
CapsLock – Hold
` – Stop
TAB – Cancel
T – Patrol
Have all you army hotkeys readily available at:
Q, W, E, 1, 2, 3
Spell hotkeys are organized by functionality:
SPACE: Ground area of attack spell
S: Targetted spells - disable attack
R: Air attack spells - enable attack - morph
F: Burrow/unload
4: Unburrow/load
Upgrade hotkeys are organized by functionality:
SPACE: Speed upgrades
S: Melee attack upgrades
D: Air attack upgrades
R: Armor upgrades
F: Burrow upgrades
CapsLock – Hold
` – Stop
TAB – Cancel
T – Patrol
Have all you army hotkeys readily available at:
Q, W, E, 1, 2, 3
Spell hotkeys are organized by functionality:
SPACE: Ground area of attack spell
S: Targetted spells - disable attack
R: Air attack spells - enable attack - morph
F: Burrow/unload
4: Unburrow/load
Upgrade hotkeys are organized by functionality:
SPACE: Speed upgrades
S: Melee attack upgrades
D: Air attack upgrades
R: Armor upgrades
F: Burrow upgrades
Cast spells efficiently (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 CTRL + the spell key. This allows you to easily decide when you want to use rapid fire, or when you want to not use it, per spell! There is also a dedicated rapid fire key on G.
the G rapid fire key is bound to:
- Corrosive Biles (Ravagers)
- Neural Parasite (Infestor)
- Creep (Creep)
- Consume (Viper)
- Caustic Spray (Corruptor)
- Contaminate (Overseer)
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.
Super fast army reinforcements
In YAKS the way CTRL and SHIFT work with the control groups are swapped. CTRL or ALT is used 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)
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, zerglings, roaches, hydras, swarmhosts and mutalisks).
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, zerglings, roaches, hydras, swarmhosts and mutalisks).
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. Use CTRL+ALT+S and CTRL+ALT+D to put it at the less used ALT+S and ALT+D groups to not interfere with your main army hotkeys
-CTRL+TAB 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
-It is slightly more comfortable when you rotate your keyboard 10-30 degrees
-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. Use CTRL+ALT+S and CTRL+ALT+D to put it at the less used ALT+S and ALT+D groups to not interfere with your main army hotkeys
-CTRL+TAB 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
-It is slightly more comfortable when you rotate your keyboard 10-30 degrees
Setting up your games
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 1)
SHIFT+TAB: base cam
click hatchery
CTRL+A,D: add hatchery to its own control group and center cam on main
CTRL+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:
CTRL+X to create cam 2
CTRL+C to create cam 3
CTRL+V to create cam 4
CTRL+B to create cam 5
CTRL+N 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 1)
SHIFT+TAB: base cam
click hatchery
CTRL+A,D: add hatchery to its own control group and center cam on main
CTRL+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:
CTRL+X to create cam 2
CTRL+C to create cam 3
CTRL+V to create cam 4
CTRL+B to create cam 5
CTRL+N to create cam 6
Setup Queens hotkey group
(Control) click a Queen and press CTRL+ALT+A to add to Queens hotkey group.
Setup new hatcheries and cameras:
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Click hatchery
Press, CTRL+A,D -> adds to hatchery control group and centers on hatchery
Press CTRL+Z / CTRL+X / etc. -> Make camera hotkey for 1 / 2 / etc.
Press, CTRL+A,D -> adds to hatchery control group and centers on hatchery
Press CTRL+Z / CTRL+X / etc. -> Make camera hotkey for 1 / 2 / etc.
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 / split off home armies / pool of overseers:
(use as if there is only the extra ALT key)
7: ALT+S (add-steal CTRL+ALT+S, create-steal SHIFT+ALT+S, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+S)
8: ALT+D (add-steal CTRL+ALT+D, create-steal SHIFT+ALT+D, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+D)
Queens:
9: ALT+A or SHIFT+A (add-steal CTRL+ALT+A, create-steal SHIFT+ALT+A, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+A)
Hatcheries:
0: A (add-steal CTRL+A, create: CTRL+SHIFT+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 / split off home armies / pool of overseers:
(use as if there is only the extra ALT key)
7: ALT+S (add-steal CTRL+ALT+S, create-steal SHIFT+ALT+S, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+S)
8: ALT+D (add-steal CTRL+ALT+D, create-steal SHIFT+ALT+D, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+D)
Queens:
9: ALT+A or SHIFT+A (add-steal CTRL+ALT+A, create-steal SHIFT+ALT+A, create CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+A)
Hatcheries:
0: A (add-steal CTRL+A, create: CTRL+SHIFT+A)
Cameras
Cameras easily available
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Cam 1: Z (create CTRL+Z) main
Cam 2: X (create CTRL+X) 2nd
Cam 3: C (create CTRL+C) 3rd
Cam 4: V (create CTRL+V) 4th
Cam 5: B (create CTRL+B) 5th
Cam 6: N (create CTRL+N) 6th
Cam 7: M (create CTRL+M) 7th
Cam 8: , (create CTRL+,) 8th
Want to set up a cam on a place of interest (ramps, rally point, creep, etc.?) You can do so by:
CTRL+ALT+Z or CTRL+ALT+X to set up cams on the CTRL+Z and CTRL+X key.
Free cam 8: ALT+Z (create CTRL+ALT+Z)
Free cam 7: ALT+X (create CTRL+ALT+X)
Free cam 6: ALT+C (create CTRL+ALT+C)
Note that free cams and base cams do overlap, as they both take up the slots for cams 6-8. You can use one of the 2, but not both.
Base cam: SHIFT+TAB
Having the cameras quickly at hand makes things like worker transfer much easier.
Cam 2: X (create CTRL+X) 2nd
Cam 3: C (create CTRL+C) 3rd
Cam 4: V (create CTRL+V) 4th
Cam 5: B (create CTRL+B) 5th
Cam 6: N (create CTRL+N) 6th
Cam 7: M (create CTRL+M) 7th
Cam 8: , (create CTRL+,) 8th
Want to set up a cam on a place of interest (ramps, rally point, creep, etc.?) You can do so by:
CTRL+ALT+Z or CTRL+ALT+X to set up cams on the CTRL+Z and CTRL+X key.
Free cam 8: ALT+Z (create CTRL+ALT+Z)
Free cam 7: ALT+X (create CTRL+ALT+X)
Free cam 6: ALT+C (create CTRL+ALT+C)
Note that free cams and base cams do overlap, as they both take up the slots for cams 6-8. You can use one of the 2, but not both.
Base cam: SHIFT+TAB
Having the cameras quickly at hand makes things like worker transfer much easier.
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+F
- Next subgroup: CTRL+4
Installation
How to download
Click here to download YAKS for zerg!
How to install:
- Click the link, Click 'Download Zip' and save the 'YAKS LOTV.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 LOTV
How to learn
print out overview pictures:
full overview:+ 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
