I'm at a point in the game where I'm trying to shave off as much APM clutter as possible. On maps where it takes two Supply Depots to complete an early block, I've been experimenting with placing both in a Control Group to cut the process down to two actions; the control group and R. I used to be lazy about it and just leave the depots down in the mid-late game so that my rallied troops could stream out constantly. Nowadays, I'm trying to use the depot control group so that if I spot activity on the mini-map at my ramp I can just raise them without having to change the screen POV. Wondering if anyone else does this? Looking to hear back from Platinum/Diamond players on this subject.
Typically I wall off with a bigger building because that provides a stronger wall. For example, I wall off with a barracks early game and switch to an engineering bay if I want to add a tech lab/reactor. As far as the control group idea goes, it seems perfectly reasonable. I usually just close myself off whenever I am not moving anything in/out.
you def have the right idea, the better you get with your control groups the better you will get overall ... i think its def a good idea to have ur walled depots as a control group to allow easy access to and from your base.
I'm only Bronze and I do this. It's much easier to hit the control group key for the 'Supply gate' and hit R to open/shut them fast as needed.
I think it's a good idea for some people, a bad idea for others. For some people, trying to find which of their many control groups is the "gate" key will slow them down. For others, hitting the number keys is much easier/faster than clicking on depots individually to lower/raise them. As for lowering it as you rally troops... I feel it's better to pool your troops near your gate, in which case I'd leave it down. The main reason is because while rally-walking they are spread out, few in number, and NOT set to attack-move. So they are easy pickings for whichever enemy finds them along the way. What better place than right behind your wall in? If you're talking mid-game when you want your natural expansion protected. What about putting down a new wall of bunkers/barracks to protect that, and making just behind it your new rally point? Barracks can always be salvaged to open up when you're ready to attack.
