The Big Picture on Macro and Micro
In our previous articles, In the Vernacular: Learning the Language of StarCraft (Part 1 and Part 2), we highlighted a small portion of the vocabulary that makes up the lingo StarCraft players use to discuss the game. Two of these terms, micro and macro, are among the most used yet they remain mysterious to many newer players. Your ability to execute macro and micro within a match can be the difference between a crushing defeat and a glorious victory on the battlefields of the Koprulu sector.
Let’s take a look at the broader definition of macro:
- Macro - Short for macromanagement.
- Macromanagement - A strategy that focuses on the "big picture" and typically refers to the simultaneous supervision of structure production, mineral/gas/supply counts, and general unit position.
In a previous discussion, The Price of Victory: Managing Resources, we asked for your advice on how to manage resources as part of the larger strategy and saw a lot of great discussion. Understanding the in-game economy, such as the true costs of production, in resources and time, all falls into the "big picture" that macromanagement covers. Add in core knowledge of what resources or defensible positions each map offers, and you begin to see how having a solid grasp of that big picture can be vital.
Let’s take a look at the broader definition of micro:
- Micro - Short for micromanagement.
- Micromanagement - A strategy that focuses on the skillful manipulation of individual or groups of units on the battlefield to successfully attack and defend against opposing forces.
There’s more to each match than the big picture, and any veteran player can tell you that without a solid grasp of micro, you're throwing units and resources away. Understanding unit positions, counters, and individual unit abilities can turn the tide in any skirmish.
Combine the macromanagement and the micromanagement needed to secure victory against a strong opponent and it begins to look like a tall order. Given time, practice, and a little advice from peers, what seemed like a daunting challenge can be whittled down to size and what seemed like an impossible balancing act can become second nature.
As a part of our ongoing discussions on player strategies, we wanted to ask you for your best advice for managing macro and micro. What tips can you share to help keep it all under control?
Comments (154)
macro>micro
2- try to keep building plyons/supplydepots/overlords with each new command/build cue
3- when you start training, DONT STOP TRAINING NEW UNITS!!!! playing against the AI has taught me that, then with the new units you do train, you can send them to help reinforce your current attack, cover an allies flank, or prepare a new wave if your other is about to die. no matter how you look at it it only makes sense to keep training, even when fighting, and i know how hard it is to keep up with buildings when you see em dropping banshees in the middle of a roach attack...
4? keep practicing!!!! no matter whether you win or lose, always look at it in a positive outlook, if you win, look back to see what you didright, and what could have gone wrong, if you won, look back and see what you could have changed, and adapt after that!
5- HAVE FUN!!! dont forget that this is indeed a game, and it is meant to be fun to play, so dont be afraid to go nuts and send a few jokes over all chat, its still ok to try to be friends
He means you can cue up actions using the shift key. For example, when leapfrogging tanks you could press the un-siege button, wait, right click where you want them to go, wait, then press the siege mode button. Alternatively you could press the un-siege button, then during the animation (and 4 second wait time) hold shift and right click where you want them to go, and (still holding shift) press the siege button. This gives you the option of looking somewhere else and managing somewhere else while your units carry out your orders, rather than watching them and waiting to give the next command.
It's also useful for ordering vikings to convert to ground mode when they get to their destination or creating a path for your dark templar around the enemy detectors.
2) Que actions to your workers, if you shift click commands you can string multiple commands together, so lets say you throw down 3 barracks at the same time, then you go attack your opponents. You can either have 3 workers idling outside your mineral line, or you can hold shift and click on your mineral line and have three productive and happy workers.
3) I'm sure this will be mentioned dozens of times in this thread, but you need to hotkey your production facilities and build while you are fighting. Constant troop production from any race can overwhelm opponents.
The post highlights the basic ideas, then describes them detail, and provides examples. It is even complete with replay coverage that shows the micro at work.
So if your seriously thinking of improving your micro, the URL for the post is:
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/627975325
It covers everything I could possibly think of.
It is, however, extremely long, but it highlights each thing and then describes it in great detail (if you kinda know what your doing you can probably just read the first few sentences of each to remind yourself).
So for those of your actually interested in getting a good micro, here's the link to my thread.
http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/627975325?page=1#18