If you’re playing Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era seriously, learning hotkeys is not optional. It saves time every single turn, and over a full match that adds up a lot more than you think. Once you get used to these, your turns become smoother and you stop wasting clicks on basic actions.
I’m just going to walk through them exactly how you’d use them in a real game.
Global Map Controls
This is where you spend most of your time, so these are the ones you want to get comfortable with first.
- Delete Stack → Ctrl + D
- Decline Selection → Esc
- Confirm Selection → Space
- Select Skill or Subskill Level Up → 1 / 2 / 3
- Open Laws Screen → L
- Display Alt Information → Alt
- Open Marketplace → M
- Open Observatory → O
- Open Spellbook → B
- Turn Spellbook Pages → < and >
- Select Reward → 1 / 2 / 3 / 4
- Show or Hide Area Borders → Z
- Show or Hide Dangerous Zones → X
- Show or Hide Map Grid → C
- End Turn → E or Enter
- Interact with Nearest Object → Space or Num5
- Next Hero → Tab
- Previous Hero → Shift + Tab
- Move Hero → Arrow Keys
- Move Hero Diagonally → Numpad 1 to 9
- Continue Movement → G
Dialogues and Tutorial Controls
These are simple, but still useful when you’re moving fast.
- Select Answer → 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
- Skip Dialogue Selection → A
- Skip Dialogue → E
- Next Tutorial Window → Space or →
- Previous Tutorial Window → Backspace or ←
- Menu → Esc
City Controls
When you’re managing towns, these shortcuts save a lot of clicking.
- Stop Camera → Click Mouse Button
- Open Construction Menu → B
- Open Recruit Menu → C
- Open Upgrade Menu → U
- Open Tavern → H
- Open Marketplace → M
- Open Artifact Merchant → A
- Open Creature Building → G
- Next City → Tab
- Previous City → Shift + Tab
- Open Laws Screen → L
- Open Observatory → O
- Recruit All → X
- End Turn → E or Enter
- Recruit Base Creature → Shift + Right Mouse
- Recruit Upgraded Creature → Ctrl + Right Mouse
- Recruit Alt-Upgraded Creature → Alt + Right Mouse
Battle Controls
This is where speed matters the most. If you hesitate here, you lose tempo.
- Select Creature Ability → 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5
- Wait → W
- Skip Turn → D or Space
- Select Hero Ability → 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 0
- Heroic Strike → F
- Surrender → R
- Flee → E
- Open Spellbook → B
- Turn Spellbook Pages → < and >
- Open Battle Log → L
- End Tactics Phase → Space or Enter
Hero and Garrison Panel
Managing armies quickly is a big part of efficient play. These shortcuts make that process way faster.
- Split 1 Unit → Ctrl + Left Mouse
- Fill All Slots with Units → Ctrl + Shift + Left Mouse
- Merge All Units into One Slot → Ctrl + Shift + Right Mouse
- Delete Stack → Ctrl + D + Left Mouse
- Divide Units Equally → Shift + Left Mouse
- Move Stack to Another Line → Ctrl + Alt + Left Mouse
- Move All Except Selected → Ctrl + Alt + Right Mouse
- Move Hero to Another Line → Space
- Open Hero Interaction Screen → Q
Hero Interaction Screen
This is where you’ll manage transfers between heroes.
- Swap Full Army and Artifacts → Tab
- Transfer Full Army and Artifacts Left → Ctrl + 1
- Transfer Full Army and Artifacts Right → Ctrl + 2
- Transfer Selected Artifact → Ctrl + Right Mouse
- Transfer All Artifacts Except Selected → Ctrl + Alt + Right Mouse
- Transfer Selected Stack → Ctrl + Right Mouse
- Transfer All Stacks Except Selected → Ctrl + Alt + Right Mouse
- Transfer Full Army Except 1 Unit → Ctrl + Alt + Left Mouse
Arena Draft
- Select Skill, Spell, Artifact, or Creature → 1 / 2 / 3
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to memorize everything at once. Start with the essentials like hero switching, end turn, and basic army management. Once those feel natural, add more as you go.
The real difference comes when you stop thinking about controls and just play. That’s when your turns get faster, your decisions get cleaner, and you actually feel in control of the pace instead of fighting the interface.