Hotkeys Cheat Sheet

Everything below is the default layout. Since v24 every key can be remapped in Settings → Keybindings, and a few can be unbound entirely. On macOS, read Ctrl as Cmd.

”How is my opponent nuking me so fast?”

This is the question almost every new player eventually asks. There is no external tool or autoclicker required — it is two built-in mechanics:

1. Build-number keys arm a structure instantly. Press 8 and your cursor is already holding an Atom Bomb — no radial menu, no clicking through tiers. Left-click a target to launch.
2. Nukes stay armed after firing. When you place an Atom Bomb (8) or Hydrogen Bomb (9), the build “ghost” stays on your cursor, so you just keep left-clicking to drop bomb after bomb on different targets. Press Esc or right-click to stop.

So the “hold Shift and click to repeat” you remember from other RTS games is not the exact binding here — but for nukes the equivalent is even simpler: tap 8 once, then click, click, click. Every other building clears the ghost after one placement, so you re-tap the number for each one.

Build & unit hotkeys

Press the number, then left-click where you want it. This skips the radial menu completely and is how fast players spam buildings (and bombs) in the late game.

Key	Builds
1	City
2	Factory
3	Port
4	Defense Post
5	Missile Silo
6	SAM Launcher
7	Warship
8	Atom Bomb — stays armed for repeat fire
9	Hydrogen Bomb — stays armed for repeat fire
0	MIRV

• Enter — build the armed unit under the cursor (instead of clicking).
• Esc — cancel the build preview.
• U — flip the launch arc direction (up / down) of an armed Atom or Hydrogen bomb.

Mouse

Default scheme. You can flip the buttons in Settings → “Left click opens menu”.

Action	Result
Left-click enemy / unowned border	Attack, or auto-send a transport across water
Left-click your land with a build armed	Place that building
Right-click	Open the Radial / build menu
Ctrl + left-click	Open the Build menu at that spot
Alt + left-click	Open the emote menu
Shift + drag	Box-select multiple warships
Drag the Attack Ratio slider	Adjust the share of Troops sent per attack
Mouse wheel	Zoom
Middle-click drag	Pan the view

Keyboard

View & camera

Key	Action
Space	Alternate view (terrain / countries)
M	Toggle the coordinate-grid overlay
C	Center the camera on your nation
Q / E	Zoom out / in
+ / -	Zoom (fallback)
W A S D	Pan the camera
P	Pause / resume
, / .	Game speed down / up (single-player)

Combat

Key	Action
T / Y	Decrease / increase the attack ratio
B	Launch a boat (naval) attack toward the target
G	Launch a ground attack toward the target
Shift + R	Retaliate against the player who last attacked you
F	Select all of your warships
Shift + drag	Select multiple warships
U	Flip the arc direction of an armed nuke

Diplomacy

Key	Action
K	Request an alliance with the hovered player
L	Break an alliance

Misc

Key	Action
Esc	Close the menu / cancel a build preview
Enter	Build the unit under the cursor
Alt + R	Reset graphics

These are the v24 in-game defaults (Settings → Keybindings). If a key behaves differently for you, check whether it has been rebound.

Radial menu (reworked in v24)

Right-click your own land to open it. It is now multi-level: the core buildings sit on the ring, with SAM, Factory, warship, and upgrade options on the secondary level.

       Build City
            |
    Port -- ⊕ -- Defense
            |
       Missile Silo

The radial menu is great while you learn the icons — but once you know what you want, the build-number keys above are far faster.

Action combos

• Nuke salvo: 8 → click each target in turn (the Atom Bomb stays armed). Switch to 9 for hydrogen bombs.
• Coastal defense: 3 (Port) → place it, then 4 (Defense Post) → tuck it tight against the inside of the Port.
• Snap economy: 1 (City) → click open ground; the ghost clears, so tap 1 again for the next one.
• Alliance: hover the rival and press K, or click their avatar → Request Alliance.

Combat rhythm

Skilled players’ mouse work rotates through three areas:

1. The middle of your own land — building and upgrading (mostly number keys now).
2. The border — attacks and transports.
3. The minimap / player list — watching rivals’ expansion curves.

Whatever your play style, the core rule is don’t leave the battlefield view — OpenFront moves fast, and 10 seconds away can be enough for a City to change hands.