Shift+order to que unit commands... Please help!

[Super Fegelein]

So today, some goober in warchat was trying to explain to me how players can que up multiple commands using the shift key. I have done this in previous RTS games, and am quite aware of how useful this play style is.

I seem to have figured out how to que up the move/unload/retreat trick for transport helos. But this guy says to turn off the "auto evac winchester" setting, and que up moves for planes as well. I have long sought a way to make my planes NOT EVAC OVER THE ENEMY LIKE IDIOTS, and increase their survivability.

Problem is, this trick does not seem to work with planes. Or at best, yields mixed results. I seem to be able to convince planes to follow general waypoints, but as soon as they drop ordinance, it seems they forget any other qued orders I had given (retreat, evac). Instead, they continue on, aimlessly, some even turn around and strafe things, much to my frustration. So can someone please set the record straight for me? Step by step? Cause I've been looking all day for the answer, but the concept is only breifly mentioned in a "hotkey guide" or YT vid, but never a walkthrough. Should you hold the shift key the whole time? Let go between commands? Why doesn't this work? Thanks in advance.

[Commander 6]

The trick for plane units that you want to que order with an attack in it is to turn OFF its main cannon. The reason is because planes ALMOST ALWAYS DOUBLE strafe with their main cannon despite being only ordered to attack a unit or 'Fire POS' a position ONCE. If your plane has bombs on it, it does not matter what else it has (e.g. air-to-air missiles, AGMs, etc.) so as long as the main cannon is off the plane will drop its ordnances and then immediately follow its next order (whether it is going to a following waypoint, and/or then evacuating). Unfortunately I do not know how to make a plane unit only strafe once with its main cannon so if you wanted to que order attack with the main cannons of a plane without it double strafing I don’t know how to help, sorry.

When it comes to que ordering in general you ONLY need the shift key held just BEFORE you give a que order. So you can hold shift, give orders, let go of shift, and if you needed to give more orders just hold shift again, give the ADDITION que orders, and then let go again; redoing the process as much as necessary. To give NEW que orders altogether give an order FIRST WITHOUT shift THEN shift click the rest of the orders.

Hope this helps!

[Super Fegelein]

Thanks for the reply. I'm in a 10v10 as I type, and I'm seeing how this works. It seems that even with the cannons off, it still does not work properly. I can set all the commands, attack, move, evac, but as soon as the plane drops its ordinance, it says evac ordered, disregarding the 1 or 2 post-attack waypoints I had set before hand. So in effect, it is actually the same thing as evac winchester anyway! What am I missing?

[Commander 6]

Just in case you didn't already, make sure Auto Winchester evac is turned off in the game settings. After that make sure that after the ordinances are dropped you shift click to move your plane then shift click the evac button hotkey.

Also after some testing right now it seems that planes ONLY double strafe so they can drop their ordnances first then use their main cannon. So BEFORE engaging a target or area either have the ordnances weapon system of a plane off (granted it has any) OR turn off the main cannon of a plane (if it has one) and then the plane should not double strafe anymore and follow queued orders. Hope this helps!

[Super Fegelein]

Oh I know how to switch the setting. But I still have the same problem. After I drop the payload, I can waypoint around if I want to, but whenever I que up an evac command at the end of it all, it evacs immediately. I'm pretty sure I'm the only person I've ever seen in-game who is using/experimenting with turning off the "auto evac winchester" setting. Probably why nobody does this stuff, cause it doesn't work.

[Commander 6]

I use the strategy of manually moving and evacuating planes after dropping payloads, and it works fine for me. :p
Sorry I couldn't help.

[Super Fegelein]

I see. Well I guess the best we can do is que up a retreat order after the attack order, and not que an evac oder. At the very least, the plane will evac bingo if you forget about it. But again, I have been learning this game for maybe 2 months or so, and I have never even once seen any player do this with planes. Looks like I will have to do some experimenting, trial, and error to see if this playstyle is for me. Thanks, though.