What is a control group?

 

 

Its a key on your keyboard from 1 to 0 and F1 through F5  that groups units or buildings together (not originally! please see  the "Remaping" article for more details) that you can use in-game to recall unit-groups, specific buildings or locations to speed up your play.
It is important to use control groups not only to easily access your groups/buildings/locations, but for maintaining constant production throughout the match.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Setting up Control Groups

 

 

   Setting up a control group is simple: select the unit(s) or building(s) you wish to set to a group, then hold Ctrl and tap the  # key you want to use for that specific unit(s)/building(s)/location. You can extend your control group(s)  (not applicable to location hotkeys!) by holding Shift and taping the same # key button. For this reason I rarely use Ctrl since Shift does the same job and eliminates an extra button to use.

 

 In example:

 

  If I want my Command Center(s)/Hatchery(\(\(\(ies)/Nexus to assign to #1, then I select the building(s), than hold Ctrl or Shift AND tap 1 on the keyboard.
 

 This works with unit(s) the same way:

 

  If I want all my Zealots on #4, but all my Stalkers on #5 and my whole army on #6, then I either hold Ctrl and click on a Zealot (this will select all Zealot) or double click on a Zealot (this will also select all Zealot), then hold Shift/Ctrl and tap 4, then I'll select all Stalkers and hold Shift/Ctrl and tap 5, after all that, I select all my army (there is a button for that in HotS, but since its F2 I reassigned it to a location key along with F1, read more about that in the "Remaping" article below) and hold Shift/Ctrl to assign it to #6. Since #6 is my whole army I will most likely want to add the newly produced units to this group as well. To do that I will select the units I want to add to the group and hold SHIFT - NOT CTRL, that only assigns hotkeys, does not extend them! -  and tap #6.
 Now i should have my Nexus on #1, Zealots on #4, Stalkers on #5 and my whole army on #6. If I want to jump to my Nexus from the other side of the map (i.e. I failed an attack and want to use my mothership's recall ability) I simpy double-tap #1 or if I only want to select it to make more probes, I'll tap #1 once, than "E" for probe without ever looking at my Nexus helping me focus on other areas of the map.

 

 

 We can similarly hotkey location(s) on the map, these are the "Positional Hotkeys":

 

  I use 5 positional hotkeys: F1, F2, F3, F4 and F5.
To hotkey a location click on the location on the minimap and hold Shift/Ctrl, then tap F# (where # is 1-5).
When we want to recall that location, simply tap on the corresponding F#.

 

   In example:
 
    I want my main base on F1, my second base on F2 my third base on F3, fourth base on F4 and my ramp (early on) on F5, then when the game starts I make a worker, then type "Hi gl hf :)", hold Shift, tap #1 and F1 (this will hotkey my CC/H/N to #1 and it's location of it to F1). I click on the minimap to call up my ramp's location, hold Shift, hit F5, then I click on the location of the natural expo (2nd base) on the minimap and hold Shift, tap F2, I tap #1 then "E/S-D/S" to start another worker.Whenever I'm ready to build the 3rd base I click on the Minimap for the location of my 3rd base and hold shift, tap F3.I'll do the same at my 4th base location by holding Shift then taping F4.

 My F5  hotkey ususally is a wonderer, since throughout a game it changes location several times (to proxy pylon, harass locations and so on.)

 

 

 

Removing unit(s)/building(s) from groups

 

 

   There are several ways to remove units/buildings or entire unit/building types from a control group, however the final phase of the action is the same: to reset the hotkey with the newly created army/structure group. Let's take a look at a few of them.
 

  In exampale:

 

   I have 2 Forges and the Twilight Council set to #8, but I want to remove the Twilight Council form the group (no more research needed) I will have to tap #8 to call up the group, then hold Shift and click on the TC or it's wireframe,
then hold Ctrl and press #8 once again. Now I will have only the Forges in this group.
 The other and might be easier way to do this is to recall the group, hold Ctrl, click on the wireframe of a Forge, then hit #8 since there are more of the same type I want in the group then what I don't need.

 

 Another example is to extend or reassign the same type of units/buildings from a group to a different group.
 

  Lets say I have all my units hotkeyed to #4 -Zealots and Stalkers- but now i want the stalkers to be assigned to a new group as well.
What I will be doing is hitting #4, then I'll hold Ctrl and click on the wireframe of a stalker -this will select all the stalkers- and finally still holding Ctrl I'll tap #5 for example to assign all my stalkers to group 5. Though now I'll have my Stalkers on #5 I should  also have my Zealots AND Stalkers on #4.

 

If we so desire we can even completely separate types of units from our group (this method works better for groups with 3 or more different  unit/building types in them.

Using the same example;  I have an army of Zealots and Stalkers, but I extended it with some Sentries and hotkeyed all to #4, however I wish to separate my Sentries from this group entirely.

The method I'd follow is: to recall my #4 hotkey, then holding BOTH CTRL and SHIFT, I would click on a wireframe of a Sentry to remove all Sentries, then release Shift -but keep holding Ctrl-  I'd hit #4 to reset the hotkey. Now its  a Sentry free group of army.

 

  You may go against the A.I. first, just to figure out the basic control groups  -without feeling any pressure- you might feel the most confortable with; Your army, main structure, production buildings (queens for Zerg) and locations.

 

 

   Control group sets can be very different from player to player so don't just follow someone's set, but experiment what works best for YOU personally. Make up a set for yourself than play 10-15 games with that setup and adjust it as nessesary.
For example its very unconfortable for me to use #1 for my army, because I find it hard to press 1 then "A" to attack, but that might not be the case for you...

 

 

 

Using the TABING METHOD[TM] 

 

 

 

 

 

  The TAB button allows us to switch between unit/building TYPES in a group. For instance, if I have my High Templars and my Stalkers grouped on #5, than I can simply hit TAB (than T) to cast a storm then tap it quickly again (and press B) to blink where I see fit.
 Another way to use it is with buildings; in example: if I have both armories and Engineering Bays on #8, I can simply "Tab" between them to start or check upgardes.
Pros use the "Tabing Method" very frequently not only for their army, but their buildings as well.

 

 

Be sure to integrate control groups, hotkeys, and the Tabing Method in your play to improve!

 

 

 

My Control Group Setup

 

 

   I am a right-handed player. These hotkeys are confortable for me, but that doesn't mean it will be for you too! Please experiment what works for YOU the best! Give a 10-15 game trial period (it will rarely feel right for the 1st game) for each layout you come up with and if it still doesn't feel right then change and play another 10-15 games and so on till you perfect it to YOUR likings! My fingers are placed on the home keys (ASDF-Space bar). I remaped 9 and 0 to "Q" and " ` " (used to be the talk button)  buttons respectively for easier access. I use the "TAB METHOD" or [TM] to switch between buildings or unit types.

 

 

 

   Here are my control group sets that work for me. You can use them as something to start out with or as a reference.By the time you adjust and play around with them, they probably will look totally different, but THAT IS GOOD!
That means you found out what is the most confortable control group play for YOU!

 

 

 

Terran Control Groups I use:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F1-F4 are the base locations, F5 is entrance, then later on other important location like rally point etc.

 Primary Force includes Control Group 5, 6 and 7 as well.

 

 

 

          1=Command Centers (Orbitals/Planetaries)

 

          2=Barracks/Tech Labs [TM]

 

          3=Factory/Starport [TM]

     

             4=Primary Army

             5=Secondary Army (Tanks, Widow Mines etc...)

             6=Vikings/BC

             7=Special Units (Ghosts/Ravens...) [TM]

      

         8=Engineering Bays/Armories

 

         9=Dropship

 

         0=SCV (Scout/ Supply Depot Build)
 

 

 

 

Zerg Control Groups I use:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

F1, F2, F3, F4, F5  is used to recall bases 1-5 as Zerg. Vision is gained by creep and Overlords, I simply jump to the interested location via the minimap. Larva injects done by taping #2, recall the base location and tap "V" for inject, click on Hatchery or the like. (#2, F1-v-Click, F2-v-Click, F3-v-Click, F4-v-Click F5-v-Click) Another way to do larva injects is to hit #2 then backspace-V. Backspace jumps between Hatcheries/Nexus/CCs, but it does it in an ordered fashion, meaning you can't jump from your main (F1) to your 4th (F4) rather you have to cicle to it: main to natural to 3rd than to 4th.

Primary Force includes Control Group 5 and 6 as well.

 

 

             1=Hatcheries/Lairs/Hives

 

             2=Queens

 

             3=Scout Overloard (early on, then becomes an Overseer that spawns changelings for scouting purposes)

 

               4=Primary Force

               5=Secondary Force (Infestors/Swarm Hosts...) [TM]

               6=Air

               7=Decoy Force

 

             8=Evolution Chambers/Spire/Roach Warren etc... [TM]

 

             9=Mutalisk

 

             0=Scout Drone

 

 

 

Protoss Control Groups I use:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After Warp Gate tech is available no hotkeys used for Warp Gates, instead "W" will recall on all WG freeing up a key.

F1-F4 are the base locations, F5 is entrance, then later on other important location like proxy pylon etc.

Primary Force includes Control Group 5 and 6 as well.

  

 

             1=Nexus

 

             2=Mothership Core

 

             3=Gateways (early on)/Robotics Facilities/Stagates (using CTRL instead of shift to hotkey Robo in order to remove Warp Gates from the group) [TM]

 

               4=Primary Force

               5=Secondary force (High Templars/Senteries etc) [TM]

               6=Air units

               7=Warp Prism

 

             8=Forges/Cyber Core etc.. [TM]

 

             9=Probe (Scout/Proxy Build)

 

             0=Observer 

 

            W=Warp Gates  
 
I recommend you to use no more than 7 Control Groups  at first to get used to them:  
 -1 for Nexus/CC/Hatchery, 1 for whole army, 1 for production buildings, 1 for Queens if Zerg and 4 location hotkeys; one at a each(3) base plus 1 wonderer.

 

 

 

Train! Strain! Innovate!

Good Luck and Have Fun!

 

 

 

 

Matterials to check out:

 

 

Team Liquid: http://wiki.teamliquid.net/starcraft2/Micro,

Artosis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lveweL8kcL4,