How often do you use the Group Movement and Sentry Commands?

korn469 · March 12, 2002, 17:09

The two commands are new in 1.17f and i was wondering how often people used them. Here are the commands in question.

Sentry command: y = wake whenever next to friendly or enemy unit(s) / shift+y = wake whenever next to enemy unit(s).

Stack Movement: Hitting 'j' will produce the goto cursor. Once you select a destination, every unit of the active unit's type in that square will move to the specified location. Air units of the same type will attempt to rebase.

player1 · March 12, 2002, 17:47

Stacked movment always (worker, workers...), sentry never.

korn469 · March 12, 2002, 17:51

i don't use either, but it is mostly because i don't really find myself in situations where they would be useful

Gramphos · March 12, 2002, 17:53

Where is the: "I've haven't played the game long enough to get as many units to make the commands usefule since 1.17f due to massive school work, and will not have time to play for another three weeks" option?

lokifalling · March 12, 2002, 17:57

The sentry command has saved Civ3 for me. I use it all the time for units guarding my frontiers.

korn469 · March 12, 2002, 17:57

damn! i knew i forgot something

Arrian · March 12, 2002, 18:03

Stack movement yes, sentry no., though I really should sentry the line of destoyers I use as "eyes" off my coast. I forget the command is there, though, and just end up fortifying them.

-Arrian

simwiz2 · March 12, 2002, 22:41

stack move is really helpful in moving around those stacks of 30 artillery and 20 infantry in the mid industrial age.

sentry is useful in fortifying artillery, i used to have to reload because i would hit end turn and then remember i forgot to activate my artillery and bombard that stack

notyoueither · March 13, 2002, 01:31

Stacks all the time, as soon as I have 2 units of a type moving around together. Have to be a little careful not to get things scr*wed up though when two *stacks* end the turn in the same square and both require new orders the next turn (rare).

Seldom use Sentry. Fortify is more useful on ac**** of the defense bonus. I think I'll remember when I see an AI landing on my coast, so I don't need units waking up to prompt me. Although, I will say that AI turns run in about 2 minutes tops on my system. Even in the late game, so I can stay awake to pay attention. If I had a slower comp, I'd use Sentry much more so that I could shovel the snow while the AI moved (or so I've heard).

Salve

Whoha · March 13, 2002, 01:33

what, no i use it every time i want to unload units from an army option?

Dienstag · March 13, 2002, 02:16

Stack movement = yes.
Sentry Command = every time I felt the need to, I couldn't remember which key they made it. The 'y' key, you say?

....must remember...'y'....'y'.....'y'....ok, better now!

Tingkai · March 13, 2002, 02:39

I never use the sentry command. I just never think about it.

The group movement command is a godsend, particularly for moving workers around to clean up pollution and for moving artillery.

Harovan · March 13, 2002, 04:56

Stacked movement often, sentry not (yet). Every game I start, I think it's time to use this command, but when the time has come, I forget about it and fortify the units. This may be, because I prefer to control the units by mouse and there's no sentry button. Same, btw, with stacked movement, but the increasing annoyance when moving many units reminds me, that there is a solution.

planetfall · March 13, 2002, 19:36

Haven't got used to the stack movement yet, so not quite comfortable with it.

The sentry options are great. I like them better than fortify because when I put units on sentry, I can forget about them until they are suddenly in the active queue. Then I know the AI has made some movement near my borders or important line and I need to review to see if I am prepared for their action. Sometimes it is just a worker, and I put back on sentry. Othertimes it is one turn advance warning "here comes the horde". Like the idea of less micromanagement.

Just wish stack was a button so I would remember to use it more. I have a hard time remembering the stack command and it is easier to move separate pieces than to find
the notes. Let's see, stack, 'S' right?, no,
caravan, 'c' right?, no. group, 'g' right?, no.
oh phooey, dumb game engineers, back to moving one piece at a time.

Skanky Burns · March 13, 2002, 19:53

I'm the opposite to Planetfall: I can never remember the sentry command, but use the stack command fairly often.