Short Guide on the Desktop Keyboard Shortcuts
Welcome, Commanders! Whether you're navigating the chaos of battle or wrapping up a match, Echo Commander’s desktop keyboard shortcuts are here to keep you in control and your fingers on the action. Here's a quick rundown of every key you need to know to play smarter—and faster.
For screenreader users:
Using the Default Voice Lines
To turn on focus mode to play the game, Insert+Z in JAWS, NVDA+Space in NVDA.
To play the game using VoiceOver on Mac, you can use "Control+Option+q" to turn off single key commands, which will allow you to use the keyboard shortcuts listed below.
If you wish to use your screenreader voice
If you wish to use the screenreader voice with aria live, we recommend using the "N" key to toggle the default voice lines off. This will instead allow the screenreader to read out the current status of your ships and your opponent's ships.
During the Game – Controls
Move Around the Grid
- "W" or ↑: Move up
- "S" or ↓: Move down
- "A" or ←: Move left
- "D" or →: Move right
Fire & Actions
- "E" or Enter: Fire at the currently highlighted cell
- "F": Use Chain Lightning attack
- "T": Get a recommended target
- "G": Get a report on how many ships you and your opponent have left
- "Q": Use a sonar scan
- "K": Toggle auto-sonar, which uses sonar automatically when moving on the grid
Audio & Accessibility
- "M": Cycle through music volume levels (mute, low, medium, loud)
- "N": Turn on or off the default voice lines and use aria-live so screenreader reads statuses instead
Roguelike Upgrade Screen
- "W" or ↑: Move up the options
- "S" or ↓: Move down the options
- Enter or Space: Select an option
- Use the on-screen announcement toggle to disable announcements if you prefer screenreader-only updates.
When the Game is Over
- Enter (as host): Start a new game. If you're the host, it restarts the match; otherwise, it attempts to join the next match or next lobby.
- G (as host): Create a new game lobby (host only).
- Enter (as non-host): If the host makes a new game or lobby, pressing Enter attempts to join it.
- F: Return to the main menu.