Ashes of the Singularity II Controls and Input Options

Play Ashes of the Singularity II with a mouse and keyboard: left click selects, right click issues move orders, and the E hotkey issues an attack-move — and the official Steam page lists only partial controller support, so a full gamepad control scheme is not the intended way to play.

What input the game is built around

Ashes of the Singularity II is a PC release on Windows 10/11, scheduled to unlock on Steam on November 10, 2026. As of the page checked on 2026-11-05, the official Steam page lists the game under Windows only, with "Partial Controller Support" and an "Xbox Controllers" section among its Steam features.

Partial support means a controller can be used to some degree, but a mouse and keyboard remain the primary input. That fits the developer's stated design, since the game deliberately avoids rewarding fast reflexes or heavy micromanagement. Stardock and Oxide have also emphasized new interface and control features for handling the game's huge maps and vast armies, so the UI does much of the order-heavy work for you.

Confirmed basic controls

The official Getting Started gameplay walkthrough demonstrates the following commands on screen. These are the concrete, confirmed input mappings for the current build:

A few of these deserve a closer look because they change how you actually play.

Attack-move with E. When you select an army and press E (or left click a target area), the units move toward that point and automatically attack anything hostile they encounter on the way — then resume their move after the fight. This is the default way to advance into contested territory, and in the walkthrough the Razor squad clears skirmish defenders around a power relay without any further input.

Shift-queued construction. After opening the building construction menu, hold left Shift while placing to queue several buildings in one pass — the walkthrough uses this to drop multiple derium extractors on resource nodes at once.

Left/right click counting. In the recruit screen, left click raises the unit count (the walkthrough bumps a new army to four rifle squads) and right click lowers it. The same screen lets you reinforce an existing army later, adjusting its composition up or down at any time.

Orders the UI handles for you

Several "controls" in Ashes II are really one-click commands rather than hotkeys:

• Rally points. A new army spawns at a numbered banner (its initial rally point). Move that banner and every unit that spawns from the barracks automatically marches to where the army currently is — and follows it if you move the point again.
• Auto-replenish. In an army's recruit screen, click the replenish button or toggle auto, and killed units are replaced automatically as resources allow. Note the walkthrough's caution: replenishment consumes resources each time, so running too many armies on auto-replenish drains your economy.
• Army-level pathfinding. The developer FAQ says pathfinding runs at the army, unit, and element levels with separate algorithms per tier, so you issue orders to armies rather than steering individual units.
• Technology and orbitals. The technologies button sits at the top right and glows when an unlock is available; you can browse the tech trees while the game is paused. Orbital abilities (such as spawning recon drones or infantry drops) are activated from their own buttons.

Learning the interface in game

You do not need an outside cheat sheet to pick up the controls. Stardock's FAQ confirms the tutorial is woven directly into the campaign: new mechanics and systems are introduced step by step as you play, with no separate training mode.

In skirmish, the Getting Started walkthrough shows that on your first session a tutorial popup appears explaining parts of the interface. If you close it, you can bring it back at any time by clicking the question mark button near the bottom-right corner of the minimap.

A low-pressure way to practice these controls: from the main menu choose Skirmish, keep the default Twin Lakes map, and leave the opponent as the trainy AI — described as a very easy, almost sandbox-style opponent — then hit start and drill the orders above.

1. Start a safe practice match

   From the main menu, select Skirmish, hit Next on the Twin Lakes map, and start against the trainy AI.

2. Close, then reopen the tutorial

   Dismiss the first-session tutorial popup if you like; reopen it anytime with the question mark button near the bottom-right minimap.

3. Drill the core orders

   Select your Razor squad with left click, right click to move, then use E for attack-move into a nearby region.

4. Practice construction flow

   Open the building menu, place a barracks in an owned region, then hold Shift to queue several derium extractors on nodes.

5. Set rally and replenish

   Click a barracks to recruit a new army, drag its rally banner to the front, and toggle auto-replenish on one army to see how it drains resources.

Camera and accessibility input options

The Steam page's accessibility features confirm several input-related options: adjustable text size, adjustable difficulty, the ability to save anytime, and playability without timed input (no quick-time events). Custom volume controls and stereo/surround sound round out the list. Steam Deck compatibility is listed as Unknown as of 2026-11-05.

The camera supports Strategic Zoom, letting you move seamlessly from orbital command views down to frontline combat — the core way you navigate the continent-sized maps. On the Quarter To Three forums, a player asked whether the camera can drop to a parallel ground-level view to appreciate unit scale; the thread reflects community interest, but the exact camera key bindings have not been confirmed.

Next steps

• New to the game overall? Our beginner guide builds on these controls with economy and expansion strategy.
• Want to practice the inputs in a structured setting? The demo walkthrough covers the Next Fest demo content where these commands first appeared.
• Once orders feel natural, the defenses guide shows how to use blocking units and mortar emplacements at choke points.

FAQ

What are the Ashes of the Singularity II controls?

The confirmed basics are: left click to select, right click to move, E to attack-move, Shift held while placing to queue buildings, and left/right click in the recruit screen to raise or lower unit counts. The full bindings list has not been published as of 2026-11-05, so check the in-game options menu for anything beyond these.

Can I play with a controller?

The official Steam page lists Partial Controller Support and an Xbox Controllers section among its features, but a mouse and keyboard are the primary input; no full gamepad control scheme has been described.

Is there a separate tutorial mode?

No. Stardock's FAQ states the tutorial is woven into the campaign, introducing mechanics step by step, and a help popup in skirmish can be reopened anytime via the question mark button near the minimap.

Does the game reward fast clicking and micromanagement?

No. The developer states victory comes from planning, logistics, and terrain rather than speed or reflexes, with features like auto-replenishing armies and army-level rally points removing most build-and-rally busywork.

Check note: control facts come from the official Getting Started walkthrough video (YouTube) and the official Steam store page for Ashes of the Singularity II; tutorial and interface statements come from Stardock's official FAQ. The complete key bindings list and exact camera controls remain unconfirmed in official material as of 2026-11-05.