Automating builders and the UI

So I started playing ZK recently, and although a lot of the tactics for playing successfully still escape me what I do have a pretty good handle on at this point is how to actually use the UI properly while playing. The various guides were pretty handy in getting to this point but one thing they did not even allude to, and which turned out to be completely unintuitive, was how to get builders to do things without orders. The only thing mentioned was factory assist. Getting builders to repair damaged units and such was extremely annoying as I had to order them to do it every time. As you all probably know, you get builders to think for themselves a bit by issuing them a fight or patrol command. This is completely unintuitive to a newbie.

In all the other RTS games I can remember playing, the patrol command just makes a unit move in a certain circuit, and if enemy units come into range they attack it. The fight command basically correlates to the Attack Move command in most games. Neither of these are things that you want your builders doing generally, so most people aren't going to think to issue these commands to them. This is especially unintuitive when it comes to the Caretaker and Strider Hub, since they can't move at all, and yet it's especially important here as if you directly issue an order to either one it will never assist or do anything else automatically again unless you give it a patrol or fight order. I was eternally frustrated by how useless caretakers were for anything specific until I figured out how to make them automated again after giving them orders. I was mildly boggled when I noticed a Caretaker had an order to patrol right next to where it was when it was built until I made the connection.

I don't know if it's possible to make the UI more explicit in this regard, but it would be extremely helpful if you could. In the meantime, some reference to this could be made in one of the guides. I can't imagine I'm the only one who's been confused by this.

There certainly does seem to be enough of that "secret" knowledge out there. In my opinion that Idle Nanos thing should really be turned on by default. Since they default to having a patrol order and therefore being automated when they're built in the first place, it was more confusing (and frustrating) to me as a new player that they didn't go back to being automated after receiving an order than it would have been the other way around.

Incidentally, is there any material difference between giving a nanoturret a patrol order as opposed to a fight order? Since they can't move and therefore can't fulfill either one, it doesn't seem like it. And if the answer othat first question is no, then why do they have both commands available?

I think if you hold alt and issue an area reclaim command the constructors will repair everything in the circle at all points in the future.

Use wait command.

But it is true the spring engine (and Zero-K) have at least 100 more hidden features. There is a thread somewhere where a lot of them got listed.

edit: i can't find the thread. So... to all: post your secret knowledge of spring and ZK here :D

Another one: Focus fire a fast and/or small unit.
It is almost impossible to click , for example, a gnat. To do this hit "A"(or your hotkey for attack) and click+drag. You'll see a small circle. It is easier to catch small units with those.

These area commands work with reclaim too. Hit reclaim, left click and drag to make a circle.

That Rogue thing is stupid. Summon the modelers to fix it.

A part of it is the new clump-together pathfinding, which has massively buffed AoE in the game as well.