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mdagli1
13th Oct 05, 9:15 AM
OK, there seems to be a lot of short cuts and tricks not included in the instructions that comes with the game. I've managed to pull together everything and I'll post it here:

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The Mouse Commands

Auto Production (Overwatch)

Right clicking a unit upgrade will make the upgrade flash and constantly upgrade/re-enforce that unit up to maximum strength. It will become deactivated ones that unit is at full strength.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/mdagli1/WA/Overwatch1.jpg

Right click a unit in a building to make them continuously produce. This will make the unit flash and will forever continue even when at full "Pop" and out of resources. However, being at full "Cap" will grey out the button and effectively disabled overwatch. (E.g. Guardsmen will keep spewing out of their bunkers but commissars won't. When 1 of your 3 deployed commissars die, you will have to manually build another.)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/mdagli1/WA/Overwatch2.jpg

To pause/unpause or stop all of the auto-productions, click these buttons next to the mini map. Stopping all Overwatch will effectively remove all of the flashing icons from every building and unit.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/mdagli1/WA/Overwatch.jpg


Changing the Ping Mode

Right click this button (top button in the box) next to the mini map to change the ping mode. (Ping modes that are available are: ping, attack here, defend here, resource here and capture here.)
Left click this button (bottom button in the box) to make it ether a global ping, or an allied ping:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/mdagli1/WA/Ping.jpg


Changing Stance Mode

You can cycle through these by left clicking or right clicking to cycle backwards. The left button will determine how aggressive the unit is. They can ether: hold ground, defensive (pursue for short distance then retreat), aggressive (move towards the closest target), ceasefire (useful for stealth units), attack buildings (same as defensive stance but buildings are targeted over units) and question mark for selected units with mixed modes. The right button determines the Combat mode for ether close combat or shooting. Mixed if many units selected with different modes.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/mdagli1/WA/Stance.jpg


Setting Rally points for buildings

Selecting a building then right clicking anywhere on the map will set your rally point. Once a unit has been made from the building, they will automatically go to that rally point. Rally points can be put anywhere. Units, buildings and SP's. When applying a rally point to a unit or object, a red ball will appear above it. (Note: with SP's there it a trick where if you place a rally point over one that is in FoW, newly deployed units will immediately capture that point, despite no red ball appearing. Of course, once you remove the FoW over the SP, the red ball will then appear.) Rally points will also change where the unit will deploy around the base. If you place one above the base, the unit will "appear" above the base then move to the rally point. When applying a rally point to a unit such as a Command squad, when that Command squad moves, so does the rally point with them. (The red ball above their head follows them around.) If you rally to a building that can garrison squads, then the deployed units will automatically embark inside them.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/mdagli1/WA/Rallypoint.jpg


The Keyboard commands

Multi-selecting

Hold the Ctrl key down and select the units you want. You'll now be able to command the selected units with one click.
To deselect one unit from the selected multiple units, hold down the Ctrl key and deselect that unit to take it out of the selected.


Grouping Multiple Units to a Number

You can give a unit a number to quickly select them when pressing a key with their number.
To give a unit or a group of units a number, press and hold the Ctrl key and press a number between 0 and 9.
You can also assign multiple unit numbers. Simply select the unit or group of units and do the same thing as stated above.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v612/mdagli1/WA/Unitnumber.jpg


Patrol Movement (non looping)

Select a unit or a group of units. Then hold the shift key down and right click the different areas of the map. That unit or group will move to the different points you have selected in the order you have selected the points. This is very useful when collecting strategic points. (Note: the unit will not move onto the next point until they regain squad coherency. aka, they need to be all together.)


Autobuild (non looping)

With a builder unit selected or a group of builders, hold the shift key and select a building to build from the builders' menu. You'll be able to put down more than one of the same building without having to go back to the builder's menu. The builder will then build those buildings in the order that you laid them down. To make even more buildings but different ones, let go of the shift key, then hold it down again. You'll then be able to go back through the builders' menu. Select that different building and the builder will build that one to after the first buildings.
The same principle can be used when fixing buildings/vehicles.


Auto Follow

Auto follow makes the camera follow the unit at all times.
Whilst having a unit or a group of units selected, use the # key to look directly at the individual unit members. Taping the key multiple times will alter the zoom and change the unit member.
When you have taped the # key, "auto follow" mode will be active. To deactivate it, just move your screen sideways.
Whilst in auto follow, you can rotate and zoom the camera.
This feature is very useful when you want to get a 1st person feel of the game when observing them.
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If I have missed anything, please make a post and I'll update it. ^_^

--- Edit --- (Yes, an edit for a 2 year old post.)
various spelling improvements and clarity. 21/11/07

BloodHawk123
13th Oct 05, 9:56 AM
If you have several units selected and you want just a single other unit. Hold shift and click on the unit and it will add it to your currently selected units. Great for control grouping giants mobs of guys.

boohog
13th Oct 05, 10:35 AM
isn't there a trick for getting a unit to attack another unit but if say you miss click they do nothing? Z click or something I seem to remember someone saying, although it doesn't seem to work for me (and I guess wouldn't with gridhotkeys)

mdagli1
13th Oct 05, 10:45 AM
isn't there a trick for getting a unit to attack another unit but if say you miss click they do nothing? Z click or something I seem to remember someone saying, although it doesn't seem to work for me (and I guess wouldn't with gridhotkeys)
yeh. All it is, is charging the enemy into close combat.
The short cut is on the back of the instruction guide :P

troff
8th Nov 05, 10:59 PM
Quote:
Setting rally points for buildings

Selecting a building then right clicking anywhere on the map will set your rally point. Once a unit has been made from the building, they will automatically go to that rally point.

You can add above to also rally to a unit. I right-click on my commander so when units pop out they automatically go for him.

This applies to all unit producing buildings.

You can also right-click to another building. E.g. My mech building reinforces straight to the orbital relay, so that it goes inside ready for immediate drop.

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