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Multi-task is fail: Command Group tips

16 Jan 2013, 14:51 PM
#1
avatar of OllyL

Posts: 30

Hi all,

I've been playing CoH for about 6 months now and I've reached the point that I usually reach with RTS games where I know the general theory, I know the maps and the units (ish) but my ability to move the mouse and click the buttons is starting to really let me down.

I'm using hotkeys well now, I use queued commands, and I'm also using the strat map quite a lot but one area where I know I'm very poor is in using command groups. Are there any techniques that you've found to help yourself use these? I found with the hotkeys that if I mentally stopped myself clicking the pictures in the UI and then pressed the hotkey instead then it really helped me to work them into my game so I was wondering if there were similar tricks/tips for command groups?

Cheers!

Olly
16 Jan 2013, 14:57 PM
#2
avatar of NuVioN

Posts: 246

Make a mental map of how your command groups will be early, mid, and late game. Early game, have volks in 1-2, mg in 3 and sniper in 5, while mid game have pumas/stugs in 1-3, support in 4 and sniper and nebels in 5-6. General rule of thumb, I put main fighting units in 1-3, support later, and in the end sniper and nebels, and other arty.
16 Jan 2013, 15:56 PM
#3
avatar of GeneralHell
Honorary Member Badge

Posts: 1560 | Subs: 1

Not every (top) player uses the control groups btw. Some find them useful, others avoid them. Personally I only use them for snipers and on-map arty pieces for quicky access (snipers on 1, arty on 2). And sometimes I put my tanks on a control group when I want to use them for a big attack.

16 Jan 2013, 16:16 PM
#4
avatar of Twister
Honorary Member Badge
Patrion 39

Posts: 2072 | Subs: 1

I always do it like this: 1 snipers 2 support (bike/puma) 3 infantry 4 tanks 5+ artillery. However quite often before a flank I put different infantry groups on different control groups, especially in the early game (ie if I do a 3 way flank, control group 2, 3 and 4 are all attributed to different infantry squads). After the flank I reorganize my control groups back to normal.
16 Jan 2013, 16:20 PM
#5
avatar of Pepsi

Posts: 622 | Subs: 1

I started to use control group just recently, and now, I'm using it during every game, so I had to get used to it.

I started and use only command groups for snipers and vehicles. This way, it helps me a lot to coordinate my moves while keeping my eyes on the action.

Example training:
- Sniper (1), Jeep (2) => go for a counter sniper
- M8 (3) => rush a pak with rifles then bring your m8 in the fight
- Sniper (1), M8 (3) => snip a pak and bring your m8 in
- Arty (5) => spot anything cool with rifles, instant arty it

Setting your basic infantry in control group isn't really necessary.

Now, I'm starting to set my mgs in control group so I can coordinate pushes based on volk/gren + aggresive mg.
16 Jan 2013, 16:28 PM
#6
avatar of Basilone

Posts: 1944 | Subs: 2

What I do:

#1 Snipers

#2 Armored Cars, usually replaced by multi purpose tanks later

#3 57mm/Pak/ATHT/Tank Destroyer

#4 Mortar/Artillery

#5 PE Panthers if I have an ATHT- I prefer to keep that on #3 for some reason

As Wehr early game #1 and #2 for MG/bike combo. I don't usually hotkey basic infantry, but if I'm PE sometimes I'll put my blob on 1. If I have tank destroyers and AT guns, I prefer to hotkey the tanks instead. Sometimes I'll put Rangers or Airborne on #1 if I don't have snipers, or #2 if I don't have a M8 or tanks.
16 Jan 2013, 16:44 PM
#7
avatar of StephennJF

Posts: 934

I've always used control groups since I started playing CoH. They help me a ton and I've always kept the same system. Going by the streamers I think I use them one of the most. Games that go mid-late game I generally use all of them.

The system I use to organise my control groups is:

Infantry = 1-4
Vechiles = 5-6
Engineers = 7-8
Snipers = 9

The number is also so relevant to the position on the map. So for infantry as an example, #1 is far left, #2 left/center, #3 right/center and #4 far right. This helps me keep a clear hand eye coordination of where all my units are.
16 Jan 2013, 17:36 PM
#8
avatar of Waffleticket

Posts: 65


The number is also so relevant to the position on the map. So for infantry as an example, #1 is far left, #2 left/center, #3 right/center and #4 far right. This helps me keep a clear hand eye coordination of where all my units are.


I like this I think I might try it. Change up the numbers maybe but i like the idea.
16 Jan 2013, 18:19 PM
#9
avatar of Inverse
Coder Red Badge

Posts: 1679 | Subs: 5

Whatever you do, be consistent with it. I personally use 1 for vehicles, 2 for AT guns, 3 for sniper, and 4 for artillery, with slight modifications based on the game.

The strongest tool for multitasking, though, is the minimap. You should be looking at the minimap more than you look at the main game screen. CoH is a low unit count game, and those units are almost always spread out unpredictably. Focusing on the minimap allows you to instantly identify threats and quickly move to control your units in those situations.

Most players develop tunnel vision during engagements, and have a difficult time doing other things while units are fighting. You have to do other things while units are fighting. This notion is much more important than using control groups effectively when it comes to improving your multitasking.
16 Jan 2013, 18:42 PM
#10
avatar of Pepsi

Posts: 622 | Subs: 1

jump backJump back to quoted post16 Jan 2013, 18:19 PMInverse

Most players develop tunnel vision during engagements, and have a difficult time doing other things while units are fighting. You have to do other things while units are fighting.


And this is how your opponent fast nade tech gave him the free win !

Tactical map is good to use in early game for capping duty and just before critical engagements to send your eng/pio to cap something away from the main fight and to remind you, as inverse said, that there is a map around you.

But command groups are better during fights - because it's faster than going through the tacmap.
17 Jan 2013, 07:52 AM
#11
avatar of MVGame

Posts: 429

doesnt matter what numbers you use just every game use the same numbers. the only unit i like on a group is snipers and pioneers.
17 Jan 2013, 14:54 PM
#12
avatar of OllyL

Posts: 30

Thanks for the replies, interesting to hear that I'm not the only one battling with these :)

I already grouped snipers, mortars and artillery, I'm okay at that as it's very useful to ensure that these units are always active (or when you want to fire at something in a hurry).

My rationale behind grouping all my units though is just to extend this same philosophy so I can keep all my units active and so I can always know what my army composition looks like.

It might be overkill as some of you say so maybe I'll scale back and not group EVERYTHING. For example I tried grouping MGs and ATGs yesterday but I didn't find it particularly useful since you need to micro these around any way.

17 Jan 2013, 21:46 PM
#13
avatar of StephennJF

Posts: 934

Yeah I don't ever put mgs/atgs on control gorups either. They arn't really micro heavy units, just place and shoot.
18 Jan 2013, 03:05 AM
#14
avatar of MVGame

Posts: 429

Yeah I don't ever put mgs/atgs on control gorups either. They arn't really micro heavy units, just place and shoot.

nooob :D
18 Jan 2013, 16:11 PM
#15
avatar of Porygon

Posts: 2779

Yeah I don't ever put mgs/atgs on control gorups either. They arn't really micro heavy units, just place and shoot.


MG are micro heavy units in Wehr. However, if US get a MG42, you doesn't really need to babysit them since Wehr are tends to blobing anything

I don't use control group exclusively, only use for Ket, bike, sniper, arty, vehicles, and early game capping unit.
Still manage to execute a 4 way flank without control group.

Starcraft 2 trained my mechanical micro well :P


1: Blobs, whatever, it just used in reinforcing time
2: Repairing units
3: Light Vehicles
4: Heavy Vehicles
5: Snipers / Ket / Recon squad
6~0: Indirect fire stuff
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