To split an army in Ashes of the Singularity II, select the units you want to detach and use Alt + right-click at the destination. The February Next Fest demo hotkey table describes this as a combined merge-or-split and move command for a selection of multiple units. Start with the subset you actually want to send away so the main force can keep its own assignment.
Select the detachment and give it a destination
- Select only the units that should leave the main army.
- Hold Alt and right-click a safe destination for the detachment.
- Check that the units you selected are heading to the intended position.
- Reselect the main army before issuing its next order.
Because the command can also merge units depending on the selection, check which units were selected if the result differs from what you expected. The documented February demo shortcuts describe these controls for that build.
Give each force one job
Use a split when you can name a task for the units leaving and a separate task for the units staying. For instance, detach part of a force to watch a nearby route while the main army holds a crossing. Sending the detachment first to a nearby position gives you a chance to verify the split and makes it easier to redirect the units if the situation changes.
Before detaching units, look at what the main army will have left. If the departing units were protecting its vulnerable troops, keep some protection in place or move the main force somewhere safer.
Check the result before issuing another order
If the game moves the whole force, check whether you selected the entire army instead of its intended subset. If the detachment has the right units but the main army is still selected, deliberately switch to the detachment before issuing its next command. Keep an eye on both routes if the two forces need to reunite later.
In the documented demo, a single tap of a numbered army key selects that army, and a double tap also moves the camera to it. Use those shortcuts for whichever army numbers your build shows.
FAQ
Does plain right-click split an army?
In the February demo table, right-clicking a non-hostile target with an army selected gives a move order. The separate split-or-merge command adds Alt and requires multiple selected units.
Does Alt-right-click always create a new army?
No. The documented action can merge or split units depending on what is selected. Check the result before giving another command.
How do I put detached units into an existing army later?
Select the detached units and use Ctrl + the receiving army’s number in the documented demo controls.