Overcoming too much micro to focus on actual Strategy

Hey guys, long time TA/SC fan here.

One of my favorite aspects of that series' design philosophy is RTS controls that cater to strategic play over micro.

I felt SC only scratched the surface in terms of advancing these concepts which TA started.

I'm wondering what ideas have come up in PA design in this category.

To give an example, it still bugs me that in RTS the AI is capable of creating automated attack groups and sending them at the player, but players can't do the same.

What if the player could design his own automatic attack groups. You basically set the factory orders, determine the attack group size and compilation, and then give it orders that it will execute automatically once the attack group is completely built. It will rinse and repeat until modified or paused.

Stuff like that. You can create these attack groups and leave them be so you can put pressure on your opponent while focusing your micro efforts elsewhere.

Thoughts from any veterans? Cheers.

I'm not sure if this is what you're suggesting but it may be similar: Smart Combat.

So basically u want to be able to have the factories make groups like in supcom in an automated fashion? If so i like it bec itll be easy to make even numbered groups and possibly to have these groups have good composition.

Orders As First Class Entities.

Just have an order that is; "make me squads of { these tanks }, and keep making them until I say stop."

So a repeating factory build que?

Thanks; cool link veta.

It seems to deal with a different aspect of micromanagement; namely that thread wishes to reduce clicking and dragging required for your units to be effective in an engagement.

It also offers a different approach to micromanagement challenges; namely that thread suggests giving some player control to the AI.

I'm thinking along different lines.

1. I want an RTS to reduce the micromanagement of repetitive orders. Examples:

I want to build some dudes and send them to attack this area...
I want to build some dudes and send them to attack this area...
I want to build some dudes and send them to attack this area...

or

I want to build some dudes to reinforce my air patrol in this zone...
I want to build some dudes to reinforce my air patrol in this zone...
I want to build some dudes to reinforce my air patrol in this zone...

2. I think an interesting solution is the ability to create "Plays" your units will carry out later.

To me this follows from the innovation that started with TA: which was the ability to tell your factories to continually produce units and give them movement or patrol orders before they're built. Or in SC: the ability to queue up units before the factory is even built.

I say "Plays" but this would be similar to queuing up orders in such a way that is already supported by most RTSes.

Example:

>> I click a factory and create a new attack force template called "Strike Alpha"
>> Strike Alpha is comprised of 3 tanks, 2 artillery, 1 mobile radar and 1 missile truck
>> Strike Alpha's orders are to move to waypoint 1 in formation, then break formation and attack-move to waypoint 2, then finally rejoin formation and patrol around waypoint 3
>> I set the factory to continually produce Strike Alpha groups
>> If I want to, I can change Strike Alpha's orders and all the units already built will respond in real-time

[Edit: In case it's not clear, what's new from TA/SC here is the fact that the factory will wait until the Strike Alpha group is completely built before the units perform their orders, rather than performing them every time 1 unit pops out of the factory.]

Make any sense to anyone? A little complex to explain, I know

good explanation, it sounds interesting.