With shift clicking to select multiple targets, it would avoid having to repeatedly hit the hotkey for the skill you wanted to use, so it would be faster and (assuming you want to use the skill more than twice) less key presses.
16. In multiplayer with people, everyone can fight in RTS battles, or there could be some with nothing to do for possibly multiple battles in a row each turn. In the advanced option in the lobby for multiplayer or a single player custom campaign, you can select whether or not unaligned AI will be involved in RTS fights.