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Commands 2.0
Control
Give you all the possible insight into the most useful commands inside of BAR. See sections below.
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Default select
Left-click on a unit to change your selection to that unit. Selecting a unit will deslect all other units. Left-click anywhere on the map to deselect all units.
Selection Box
Left-click and drag to draw a selection box.
All units within the white border will become your selection. Again, use shift to avoid deselecting your previous selection.
Add to selection
Hold shift to add units to your existing selection, without deselecting what you already have selected.
Remove from selection
Hold control to remove units from your selection, either by clicking or dragging.
The Move-Order is the most used and probably also the most versatile command.
You can combine move with various keyboard-keys or drag a line or queue up commands while holding down SHIFT very easily.
Move
Simple Right Mouse click. Move (hotkey: M) instructs units to travel to a waypoint. For factories, this sets a waypoint for units it constructs. Right-click on the map to give a move command to your selected units.
Right Mouse + Drag to "draw" a custom formation. Selected units will be given waypoints evenly spread along the line you drew. See, BAR is for artists too! So-called "custom formations" are the best way to spread out your units.
Move Line Drag is superior because:
A) you can avoid splash damage
B) you can put your units where they can shoot the enemy.
Move in formation
Ctrl + Right Mouse click wil let your move units in formation. Faster units will move at the speed of the slowest units in the group.
Normal Attack
When you have selected units that have a weapon, you can Right-Click on any enemy unit to order an attack. The attack command can be given on the map and mini-map. Once the targetted unit is destroyed the command will be removed.
Queue up multiple attacks
While holding down SHIFT you can issue multiple attacks in a row. All units will attack the set target in that order. When not in firing range, units will attack all other units that come into range. The attack command will ignore firing stances "Return Fire" and "Hold Fire".
Only for units that have the option to do area attacks.
For specific units only, like artillery and bombers.
Very useful for Bombers and Artillery.
Guard instructs a unit to persistently follow another unit.
When guarding other units, constructors will also repair them. If a constructor is guarding another constructor or a lab, they will also assist with construction.
The default behavior for right-clicking on your units (or an ally's unit) is to instruct the selected units to guard that unit. Note that constructors will instead repair damaged units.
Use this command to restrict Nano Turrets to assisting a high-priority lab/constructor. Note: Guard commands only end when the guarded units are destroyed!
Try to avoid using guard commands in the middle of an order queue.
Patrol between 2 (or more) points
When you have units in your selection you can press "P" for the Patrol Command. Click with your Left Mouse and your units with patrol between their current and the clicked position.
Patrolling units are in "Fight-mode" and will assault any enemy units in the area or their patrol.
Patrol is also very useful for construction- and resurrect-units. They will repair and reclaim metal and energy along the patrol-route, and only reclaim when resources are low.
TIP: You can set multiple patrolling waypoints while holding down SHIFT when placing the Patrol-commands.
Usually you first will use a Move command to the startposition of the patrol-route. Then, while holding down SHIFT, press "P" and the click all waypoints. Units will repeat this patrol route.
PS. Colors for movement-lines are green for Move, purple for Fight and red for Attack.
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Building Lines can be useful in various situations
Just hold down Shift and drag a line of the building or unit that you want to construct.
You can Quick-Insert a build order for a unit in an existing factory build-queue.
This way, you don't need to erase all previously queued units. You can even use this with Factories that are on "Repeat".
Use ALT and left-click on the unit you need.
The factory will produce that unit next, only once, and then will continue with the rest of the queue. Very useful!
Queues are very(!) useful
You can make sequences of orders like build, move, repair, guard etc. This is very helpful in planning a base expansion, as well as planning a strategical / tactical attack.
Shift
While holding down shift, issue your commands in your desired sequence. All commands will be executed one by one.
TIP: If you set Repeat ON (green), then the unit will repeat/loop the sequence forever.
If a construction unit has a (long) queue setup, but you need to quickly build an Anti-Air defense for example.
Use ''Space'' and issue the priority build order
This will build this order 'in front of the original queue'.
The construction unit wil immediately go to the new build-order, construct the AA defense, and it will keep the initial queue in it's memory. After completion, it will go back to it's initial build-queue.
Z, X, C, V - for quick building of most frequently used structures. Press multiple times to get all the choices (z, zz,zzz, etc). See the infographic above.
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Activate Repeat to make units continuously repeat their command or command queue.
This can be pretty handy, for example when you want to patrol without fighting, to stay on the move. This also helps with assist/repair bots, when used in combination with the Fight command » They will keep checking the area for things to do.
There are 3 Stances you can toggle between:
- Fire at Will
- Hold Fire
- Return Fire
Low Trajectory
Is the default and usually faster.
High trajectory
Optional setting which does more area damage, but can take longer to reload.
High Trajectory can be useful when terrain or other units/buildings are blocking.
The Wait command is very useful, since you can put factories or any unit on hold, without removing all of it's orders.
You can temporary pause Factories / Construction on hold to free up some resources.
You can also coordinate attacks/movement and let some units hold their positions, only to strike at the exact right time.
The Commander's Disintegrator Gun (DGun) is the ultimate weapon, destroying everything on contact.
Select this special attack with the "D" key, left-click to set a target, and watch your enemies melt in a ball of fire!
The DGun uses a significant amount of energy (500), and takes 1 second to reload.
Have a rez-bot selected, then hover over a resurrectable unit (wreck) and Drag a circle with your Right Mouse button.
All wrecks inside the circle will be resurrected in the most efficient order.
You can rotate the camera while in "Middle-Click-Pan-Toggle" mode, when holding ALT + Mouse movement.
