Zerg Macro/Building Hotkey Advice Request

I play exclusively zerg and have recently realised that my largest shortcoming is the way I handle my hatcheries and queens. As such I was wondering if some more competent zerg players could give me some advice as to how they hotkey and use their hatcheries and queens for macro and unit production. Ideally I would like to be able to do this while not having to move my screen away from the ensuing battle.

At the moment I have been trying to have all my hatcheries set to 4 and all my queens set to 5. Then when I want to build units I go 4sddzz for example to build 2 drones and 2 zerglings (well 4 lings, but 2 larvae). When I need to refresh my spawn larvae I press 5, then press r click on a hatchery from minimap, press r click on second hatchery on minimap etc.

The downsides I have noticed is that I obviously can't easily tell which hatcheries will build which of the units I queued up. Also sometimes I need to click the mini map a couple of times to hit the hatchery when I'm using the spawn larvae.

I was thinking of keying each hatchery and queen individually, but this seems like once I hit midgame with 3+ hatcheries it would be quite painful.

Note that if someone has replied with how they do things and it is different to how you do it. Feel free to add yours as well, it may be that one way suits me better than the other.

Thanks in advance!

Hotkeying them individually might be a good option if you are good with the keyboard. That helps you quickly center on the hatchery you need in case you get attacked. Reaction time is key for pros.

You can put Queens in the same control group as hatcheries. They are the first in the control group, so you can just hit the hotkey (I put them on '0'), press 'r' and then then click on the Hatchery icon in the control group display.

If you have 2 hatcheries (your main and your natural) and a Queen at each Hatchery, you can just press '0', click 'r', then click on the two hatchery icons in your control group display and the Queens will just do their thing :].

If you want to build units, you just hit '0' (or whatever hotkey you like using), press tab, then it's the same 's' followed by whatever hotkeys of units you want to build.

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Originally Posted by GRUNT

You can put Queens in the same control group as hatcheries. They are the first in the control group, so you can just hit the hotkey (I put them on '0'), press 'r' and then then click on the Hatchery icon in the control group display.

If you have 2 hatcheries (your main and your natural) and a Queen at each Hatchery, you can just press '0', click 'r', then click on the two hatchery icons in your control group display and the Queens will just do their thing :].

If you want to build units, you just hit '0' (or whatever hotkey you like using), press tab, then it's the same 's' followed by whatever hotkeys of units you want to build.

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This sounds alot better than clicking the minimap lol. I will try this out tonight ater work, thanks for the advice. I think I might leave the hatcheries as a second group for bunit production though (as in one group of queens+hatcheries and one of just hatcheries).

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Originally Posted by GRUNT

If you have 2 hatcheries (your main and your natural) and a Queen at each Hatchery, you can just press '0', click 'r', then click on the two hatchery icons in your control group display and the Queens will just do their thing :].

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as the scale of this grows to more than 2 hatcheries, it is advisable to hold shift while giving the spawn larva order, that way you just press 'r' one time and then click each hach as you hold shift; this appears to send the queen thats closest with energy to do the job - one at a time when needed.


also, unless you use very many hotkeys for your unit groups and find it too cumbersome, it can help to have only the hacheries in one group still - on top of having them along with the queens. that way you can spawn new units in a pinch, without having to tab-past the queens.

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Originally Posted by Zortex

This sounds alot better than clicking the minimap lol. I will try this out tonight ater work, thanks for the advice. I think I might leave the hatcheries as a second group for bunit production though (as in one group of queens+hatcheries and one of just hatcheries).

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It is indeed amazing once you get used to it - you can macro up without needing to return to base :p.

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Originally Posted by Todie

as the scale of this grows to more than 2 hatcheries, it is advisable to hold shift while giving the spawn larva order, that way you just press 'r' one time and then click each hach as you hold shift; this appears to send the queen thats closest with energy to do the job - one at a time when needed.

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Alternatively, if you have say, 4 hatcheries, each with a Queen, you could select the control group and do R+click, R+click, R+click, R+click.

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Originally Posted by Todie

also, unless you use very many hotkeys for your unit groups and find it too cumbersome, it can help to have only the hacheries in one group still - on top of having them along with the queens. that way you can spawn new units in a pinch, without having to tab-past the queens.

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This is advisable also because when changing the military-unit rally point for your hatcheries, you don't want to be sending your Queens on a walkabout :].

Quote:

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Originally Posted by GRUNT

It is indeed amazing once you get used to it - you can macro up without needing to return to base :p.

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Can we say "get rid of the macro mechanics" again? :rolleyes:

Not sure if I'd consider myself a highly competent Zerg player, but I have established a pattern (or plan to) which works out well for me. Typically I'll hotkey each hatchery in succession from 1-5 in the order of creation. You could simply bind them all to one key and mass produce them, but I found that individualizing them affords greater control in unit allocation. If the hatcheries are in close proximity you may wish to consolidate them on one key to save it for other use.

Then from there I plan on hotkeying my queen to 0, evo chamber to 9, and nydus canal to 8. That leaves any leftover keys for on-the-fly unit grouping.

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Originally Posted by Norfindel

Can we say "get rid of the macro mechanics" again? :rolleyes:

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Hey, it helps, but it's by no means easy :p. I still see top Platinum players frequently getting their Queens to 200 Energy if it becomes a longer match, just because they're too busy with other stuff :p.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Todie

as the scale of this grows to more than 2 hatcheries, it is advisable to hold shift while giving the spawn larva order, that way you just press 'r' one time and then click each hach as you hold shift; this appears to send the queen thats closest with energy to do the job - one at a time when needed.

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Thanks for the shift comment, sounds easier than going r+click 3 times. Just to confirm do i need to hold shift before I press r or after the r and before the clicks?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Todie

also, unless you use very many hotkeys for your unit groups and find it too cumbersome, it can help to have only the hacheries in one group still - on top of having them along with the queens. that way you can spawn new units in a pinch, without having to tab-past the queens.

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I think I'm going to go with this option, I found that I kept forgetting to tab when trying to produce units.


Thanks to all for the helpful advice, I was half expecting a L2Play thread ;)

What I do for zerg is

1 - Melee units and roaches
2. Hydras and Infestors
3. Muta/Other air units
4. All hatcherys that exist on the map( all of them have the worker rally set to my newest base, and the rally points set to a good netrual location
5. All hatchery's that have queens near them(So usally like 2-3 hatchery's with 2-3 queens grouped)

When I want to make units I use the 4 hotkey and when I spawn larva I use the 5 hotkey and the Shift click strat to make the queens go puke on all the hatchery's near them without having to go back to base.

How do I remember to puke larva? 2 ways!

1. You tend to get a burst of larva right after the timer expired, I notice the fact that i have a bunch of larva when I go to macro units and tell her to use spawn larva after making them

2. I try to make a constant note to go back to that 5 control group EVEN if its not time to do so, and just do the shift clicks anyway - this way if i missed one or if the timer dose pop then they'll get busy, otherwise nothing will happen and i'll come back 10 seconds later and do it again.

Its not perfect but it works for me, also I would not reconmend a queen for every hatchery unless your pretty confident in your macro - I use usally only 2 queens at my main and natural with one hatchery inbetween. I dont add queens to my other bases usally - I SHOULD but as my macro improves i'll start to add some queens there.

Another thing about spawn larva inbetween your natrual in main, for awhile your queen is going to be walking back and forth before you have 2 and even then if you use my "trick" they will be walking between bases. MAKE sure your 2nd and 3rd overlord are put in between your natural and main so that the second lair pops you can create a creep path to make ure queen walk faster.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Zortex

Thanks for the shift comment, sounds easier than going r+click 3 times. Just to confirm do i need to hold shift before I press r or after the r and before the clicks?



I think I'm going to go with this option, I found that I kept forgetting to tab when trying to produce units.


Thanks to all for the helpful advice, I was half expecting a L2Play thread ;)

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you can start holding shift after youve pressed r.



... i only play a bit vs AI, but i group my stuff similarly to islandsnake; melee/roach in 1 baneling in 2 hydra in 3