Hey guys, Hato here. While working on the SSC, I was browsing the forums and noticed that Jon made this! So, I figured i'd help to newbies out by explaning how to properly use groups. What are groups? Groups are set keys that you can assign to a certain amount of units (12 max) to increase battle micro. This is extremely important in a fight, and if your opponent doesn't know crap about it, then you've got an easy win. But first, you've got to know WHAT to put into groups. GROUP TYPES: Anti-Melee-Infantry (EX: Flying Units) Anti-Ranged-Infantry (EX: Strong Melee Units) Anti-Air (EX: Goliath) Anti-Buidling (EX: Siege Tanks) Anti-Vehicle (EX: Zergling) Detector (EX: Observer) Scout (EX: Probe) How do I set groups? Setting groups is simple. To assign a group to some units, click and drag over 12 units that you want in the group. With all the units selected, press Ctrl + a number. You can use the numbers 0-9 ONLY. You should have your units in groups based on the group types. Good Example of a Group: 12 Zealots Bad Example of a Group: 6 Zealots, 3 Dragoons and 3 Scouts Good Example of a Group: 12 Hydralisks Bad Example of a Group: 4 Queens, 6 Zerglings and 2 Mutalisks Good Example of a Group: 12 Marines Bad Example of a Group: 3 Marines, 5 Siege Tanks, 2 Wraiths and 2 Firebats You can easily tell why the Good examples are good, and the bad examples are bad. Obviously, good groups are based upon the groups above. Bad groups, are based upon what is NOT above. Now that you understand that, i'll explain group micro! Understanding Group Micro To micro these properly, you need to know what kills what. If you don't, you should dig up some research and find out what fares best against what. The best of course, is having units that your enemy's units can't attack. Therefore you have a HUGE advantage over your enemy, as you can kill more of his units than yours. For example, if in an open-area battle, and your enemy has Firebats, and you have Scouts - who do you think would win? Obviously the scouts, because the Firebats cannot attack air units. If you backup the scouts with a few Zealots, the fight is an easy win, simply because you are dealing more damage to the enemy than you are recieving. Now, let's pretend we're in a large skirmish. The game is Protoss versus Terran. I am Protoss, and my opponent is Terran - I have large knowledge of groups, and my opponent knows nothing. I have the following groups set: Group 1 - 12 Zealots Group 2 - 12 Dragoons Group 3 - 4 Reavers Group 4 - 8 Archons Group 5 - 4 High Templars Group 6 - 3 Arbiters Group 7 - 1 Observer Group 8 - 2 Dropships Carrying my 4 Reavers Group 9 - 1 Probe My opponent, has the following units. 10 Marines 8 Firebats 4 Siege Tanks 6 Vultures 5 Wraiths 2 Ghosts (With Nukes) 2 Battlecruisers 2 Science Vessels My opponent quickly swarms my base with a beginning firebat attack. I press 1 and send my 12 zealots at his, along with my Arbiters, which cloak my Zealots, allowing them to take no damage. He then sends in his marines and wraiths for anti-air. I then press 2 to bring my dragoons to support the fight, and 4 to bring my archons for anti-air. The marines and wraiths are easily killed off. He then sets up siege tanks, along with his vultures, and they start firing. I quickly press 5 and command all my high templars to use psi storm, which kills all of the siege tanks and Vultures. I then hear a "Nuclear Launch Detected" noise, and press 7, and send my observer to find the ghosts, which happens quickly, and I press 1 to send my zealots to kill them before I get nuked. The opponent sends in his battlecrusiers, and my Archons quickly destroy it. He is left with Science Vessels, and I have won easily. That's how you'd use Micro. Now, as you noticed probably, I did not include the use of my Reavers in the skirmish (as I would've used them after to destroy his bases). This should give you a basic idea of the power of knowing how to use groups. With this, you can easily defeat your enemy. Hope it helps. That is all! If you need more help, post here. Enjoy, - Hato
Um... just a noob question... how do you "de-group" a group of units? I mean, if your inital group of dragoons die out and leave only 4 goons, and if you want to use the hotkey that is grouping them, let's say "9", to group zealots only. So how do you clear the hotkey "9"?
I'm bugged with the lack of programmable hotkeys in SC. How am I supposed to mass-produce units across 8-10 gateways/barracks/stargate/etc AND control an army of near or over 100 units? I don't get how the progamers do it.
@ Cataclysm1c, you just set 9 as something else and it changes it to that, just select the zealots and ctrl 9 likt the key wasn't assigned.
