I R teh Micro King!

[Palehorse]

Control Group 1: 15 Veteran Rodeleros and 5 War Dogs

Control Group 2: 4 Falconets and Explorer

Control Group 3: 4 Veteran Lancers


Dutch Enemy

20 Skirms + 10 Hussars


All I have to do is keep Group 1 between the Hussars and Group 2, and let Groups 2 and 3 kill the skirms.

1, 2, 3, ATTACK!

Back at the starting TC, I see my population stat plummet, and double tap "1", and watch the last of Group 1 after their frontal assault on the skirms ; the Hussars are doubling back to finish off Group 2, not having anticipated that 2 was moving towards them, without Group 1 support.

Group 3 is half a screen away attacking a TP.

DOH!

[Sporting_Lisbon]

LOL

Control groups sometimes make it more of a confusion, I don't use control groups at all :p

[I__CHAOS__I]

ROFL

control groups are fine, but always watch the battleground... it's where most games are won/lost

[Tatltael]

HAHA. awwww i never use control groups theyre too like o_O

[Soccerman771]

Ok, so now I'm confused. I've always been told that to be a much better player that I should master the control groups and now two of our best players say they don't touch em.

I use: 1 for ele 1 (Dumbo), 2 for ele 2 (Babar) and 3 for all three tc's when in age three so as to maximize my boom. 4,5, &6 are all random military groups if I need/want them.

Then I always use T/V for villie production in age I & II. Other than that, bleh

[Sporting_Lisbon]

I use them in rare occasions of big armies which doesn't happen a lot in 1v1s. I'm fast enough with the mouse to keep things good without hotkeys, even though they can make it easier. I think they are hard to get used with :\

[Navarone_Guy]

Basically I use a very simple scheme for my control groups.

1: Light inf (skirms, etc.) so I can hit and run constantly)
2: Heavy inf
3: Cav
4: Other random stuff (discs, explorer, cannons, etc.)

[Tatltael]

i think having a controlgroup for TC's help so queuing villagers is a press of a "V" away

[Navarone_Guy]

I just set hotkeys so that Z is select TC and X is make vil. I just hit ZX to make a vil.

[TheRam]

I don't see why anyone would find control groups not incredibly advantageous, what happens when your troops get all muddled up together, do you double click the unit you want to select all?... What about herding? Herd control groups can be incredibly helpful, I set a villager to 3, and another to 4 at the start of the game, get them on two hunts and then every 12 seconds shoot to em and herd some more, it's a matter of pressing one button, over moving your mouse onto the map clicking on where you want to go, and then getting your settler..
Of course, you can't be rigid with them, so I am quite frequently resetting them depending on what dies etc.

[luukje]

80% of the better players use control groups ... so there is 20% not using them, even some top 10 players.
Some people just got incredible mouse skills.

[I__CHAOS__I]

changing habits is very difficult though...
I use group 1 -> 5
wouldn't survive a game without

[rufio_eht]

5=tc,2=explorer,1=scout if applicable, once i have military li=1, second unit type=2, rax=4, 3=3rd unit type, 6=stable/art found until 2nd tc is made, 3 is sometimes 2nd rax if nec, 7=3rd tc/stable/art found if second tc has been made

wouldnt be that hard to work wtihout them, if my mind was functioning quickly enough to be ahead of the curve on what i need to be doing next. especially whenu r playing such early battles with small armies. still, everynow and then while im doing somethign eco wise, ill see colors on the mini map, being able to select by button allows me to react more quickly. id be willing to bet these talented players have their economies under better control, and have a better understanding of what they are looking for raiding wise, whereas ive got eyes wide open and ideas spinning at both ends.

[lordandcount]

Use hardly any hotkey, only thing is 2 for fire pit and / for explorer. Don't use any other, think I can improve there

[Sporting_Lisbon]

I use control+B, control+S, etc / for explorer, T and V for town center and vills, A for the asian explorer ability, E, B etc when picking house, rax to build it with the vill... I use a lot of them, I just don't use army control groups. The other are very important, that's true.