How would you feel about auto-control-group option for units?

Age of Empires IV IV - Discussion
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Drongo brought this up in a video about how some RTS games have options where new units you make can be automatically set to a control group without you having to manually do it. Personally I would love this, as it would make micro’ng a little eaiser, and especially when you have multiple types of units in a single group where double clicking isn’t as easy to do during hectic moments and managing rally points. For example, being able to put all my Spearmen and Men-at-Arms automatically on 1, all my Archers, Crossbowmen and Hand Cannoners on 2, and all my light, heavy and king cavalry on 3 without me having to specifically target them upon their production would be immensely helpful, such as for raiding multiple areas on the map at once. Even more beneficial for multiple siege units like Springalds + Mangonels.

There was another thread on this topic made in 2020 that people seemed to respond positively to, but the discussion died so I’d like to revive it: https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/auto-control-group-option/76089

I can understand the arguments against things like auto-queuing villagers or military units, but would auto-control-grouping be in the same vein?

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I loved it. It’s little additions like this that will take RTS to the next level. I’m rooting for the devs to see your post and implement this feature into the game.

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Yeah I think it would be nice.

In case you’re unaware though you can already do this specific example.

There are built in hotkeys for all melee infantry, all ranged, and all cavalry.

You could assign those to 1, 2, and 3 if that’s how you always want it.

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This feature is already available

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Not quite. Auto selecting all cavalry units, for example, also includes Scouts. Sometimes I’d also like to have Archers and Crossbows/Handcannons on separate keys automatically. Or sometimes I want a mix of Man-at-Arms and Archers on 1, together, while Spearmen are on 2. There’s a lot of things that aren’t available in AoE4.

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Your idea cannot be realized. Because your needs are endless. For example, I hope to have a team of organ guns and crossbowmen. But most civilizations do not have organ guns. For example, I hope the camel archer and the knight will form a unit. But most civilizations don’t have camel shooters

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Don’t other games have this exact feature by letting you determine which unit you produce goes into which control group in the Production building menu in-game?

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Not really. Age of Empires 4 is perfect for a similar feature. That kind of vision is completely incompatible with the gameplay style of Age of Empires 4.

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I’m not sure why you think that. Care to elaborate? What makes AoE4 incapable of adding a simple feature like designating certain unit types into preset control groups on a per-match basis from Production buildings? Or do you think it shouldn’t be added because perhaps it will lower the skill ceiling a bit and that managing newly produced units is part of the competitive skill required to enjoy the game at higher levels? Which is a fine argument too, I’d just like to hear more on your opinion of it

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