Messing around last night with a flock of mutas, I noticed that their movement AI was actually affected by having an overlord in their group.
Without an overlord, mutas will spread out quickly in a line formation. With an overlord, mutas will spread out slowly in a small circle.
Here's a video where I demonstrate the differences:
Performing this technique is very simple: 1. Group an overlord (or any other unit that moves) with your mutas. 2. Fly your mutas around by clicking near your group.
Benefits: Mutas will group up more, allowing you to more easily single out enemy units. Because the group is smaller, you will be able to more easily dodge enemy units/turrets.
I really see no significant downsides to this technique. It's still not as good as Brood War muta stacking, but it's better than nothing. Obviously you wouldn't want to do this against thors or other units with splash, but you can just take the overlord out of your group once they come into play.
Have Fun!
Edit: Apparently Nestea has been doing this for quite a while. People probably thought he was trolling. =) + Show Spoiler +
Phoenixes also stack better with an observer added to their group, which is helpful when microing against mutas. Just make sure you watch out for infestors!
I don't really see that much difference between the two. In fact, I feel like you were just clicking more in front with the second control group, which caused the Mutas to spread out a bit less.
On March 05 2012 10:43 denzelz wrote: I don't really see that much difference between the two. In fact, I feel like you were just clicking more in front with the second control group, which caused the Mutas to spread out a bit less.
Don't worry, i tried it about 50 times. You can try it yourself if you don't believe me. The difference is real.
On March 05 2012 11:14 Murlox wrote: I don't get this.
You can aslo stack with a building in your group. Still makes no difference in my eyes?
Dude that sounds even more awesome, you just stack your mutas with an evo chamber or the spire and you can check your upgrades while muta microing like a baws
On March 05 2012 10:57 XRaDiiX wrote: Its a neat trick but it would be bad in most match-ups because AOE (archons,Fungals,Storms,Thors are mutas worst enemy). Other than marines.
Matchups aren't really what would make it "bad", it's more of players and situations. In Brood War Protoss had Corsairs, which were Pheonix with splash. Terran had Irradiate from the Science Vessel. These are ridiculous compared to Storm/Archon.
On March 05 2012 10:57 XRaDiiX wrote: Its a neat trick but it would be bad in most match-ups because AOE (archons,Fungals,Storms,Thors are mutas worst enemy). Other than marines.
Matchups aren't really what would make it "bad", it's more of players and situations. In Brood War Protoss had Corsairs, which were Pheonix with splash. Terran had Irradiate from the Science Vessel. These are ridiculous compared to Storm/Archon.
I worded that wrongly sorry. It's pretty much dangerous in all situations because of the closer clumped mutas would be more vulnerable to AOE .
I could see it being good very early game before too much AOE is out Though. There might be a window against Protoss/Zerg where this would be put to good use before infestors/storm/archon.
But vs Terran Thors are usually out pretty early.
It would making sniping stalkers faster i assume but there are other factors we must consider like how many mutas might of hit stalkers beside the stalker it was hitting instead of hitting an overkill shot. I've always wondered how this works.
Because if the Mutas that are further down the Flying Muta Flock arc probably hit different stalkers than it might not cause as much overkill damage when the Glaives hit the first stalker?
its not as useful because the muta range is 1 and the thor range is 999.
it would be so much more awesome if it worked aa bit better and you would be able to snipe things out of range of other things more specifically if that makes sense. this is kind of useful earlygame against terran or maybe toss.
you can actually see nestea add an overlord to the control group every time as well on the IM stream vods.
are you sure? the first half, you did the magic box trick. the second half, you were clicking inside the magic box. that's why they were not spreading as much? this is like the opposite situation to magic boxing.
On March 05 2012 11:31 cLunAsTyY wrote: its not as useful because the muta range is 1 and the thor range is 999.
it would be so much more awesome if it worked aa bit better and you would be able to snipe things out of range of other things more specifically if that makes sense. this is kind of useful earlygame against terran or maybe toss.
you can actually see nestea add an overlord to the control group every time as well on the IM stream vods.
Just know where the Thors are and go where they aren't.