Quick Answer
Do not rebuild the entire hotkey file on day one. Start with the keys that directly reduce idle time and panic clicks: select all Town Centers, create villager, find idle villager, build houses/farms, and control groups 1-5. These few changes make both economy and combat steadier.
First Five Hotkey Groups
| Priority | Hotkey type | Purpose | Practice goal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Select all TCs | Keep villager production moving without camera jumps | Requeue villagers every few seconds |
| 2 | Create villager | Reduce icon clicking | Avoid idle TC time in Dark Age and Castle boom |
| 3 | Find idle villager | Return workers to resources fast | Press after raids, alarms, or task changes |
| 4 | Build house / farm | Prevent housing and food stalls | Add houses before the cap and farms when wood allows |
| 5 | Control groups 1-5 | Split scout, army, siege, monks, and production | Stop every unit from moving as one blob |
Suggested Control Groups
| Group | Put this here | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Scout or early raiding unit | Keeps scouting active without searching the map |
| 2 | Main army | Most direct combat control starts here |
| 3 | Siege | Prevents Mangonels and Rams from wandering with the frontline |
| 4 | Monks or special control units | Conversion, healing, and relic play need separate attention |
| 5 | TCs or production buildings | Helps keep villager and unit queues active |
Practice Loop
- Start a standard-map game against the AI.
- Every 10 seconds, press select all TCs and create villager.
- After any attack or scout movement, press idle villager once.
- When population space drops to 1 or 2, build houses immediately.
- Put scout on 1, main army on 2, siege on 3, and avoid panic-selecting everything.
Common Questions
Should I Copy a Pro Player’s Hotkeys?
Not at the start. Pro hotkeys are built around that player’s hand shape and years of habits. Keep the default grid logic if it feels readable, then move only the high-frequency keys to comfortable positions.
Why Am I Still Idling With Hotkeys?
Because the loop is not automatic yet. Hotkeys help only when you build a rhythm: select all TCs, create villager, check idle villagers, add houses, then return to scouting or fighting.
What If I Cannot Remember Many Groups?
Use only 1, 2, and 3 first. Put scout on 1, main army on 2, siege on 3. Add 4 for monks and 5 for production once those feel natural.
