Essential BAR Settings Every Player Should Know — Build Menu, Maps, and Keybinds
Quick fixes for common Beyond All Reason questions that trip up newer and returning players alike.
How to show all buildings in your build menu
After installing Beyond All Reason, the build menu may only show a small subset of structures. This comes down to the keybind preset chosen after first launch. Go to In-Game Settings and set Control to use the legacy keybind preset. This swaps you back to the full, category-based build menu familiar from SpringRTS days, giving you access to every building in one scrollable view.
We recommend doing this before your first multiplayer game. The default preset hides buildings behind keyboard shortcuts that take time to learn, so switching early removes the friction while you build game sense.
Finding a map name from an in-game screenshot
One question we see constantly in BAR chats is "does anyone know what map this is?" with a screenshot attached. The map database at beyondallreason.info/map/ covers every official map. Maps like Industrial Revolution have distinctive features, including overhead structures and canyon layouts that give them away.
When you cannot identify a map from the thumbnail, checking the map page for screenshots and terrain descriptions saves time. Most community regulars can name any map after a few matches, but the map database makes self-service lookup easy.
Why you shouldn't DGun static walls
Some newer players ask why they cannot simply walk their commander in and DGun a defensive wall. Commander lives matter enormously in Beyond All Reason. Using your com to dismantle fortifications trades a high-value asset at extreme risk. Static defenses exist at a fraction of the metal and energy cost of a commander rebuild if things go south.
The right approach uses artillery, siege mechs, or air to punch through walls from a distance. Your commander should hold back and support rather than serve as the primary siege tool.
Creed of Champions
Learning settings, keybinds, and basic tactical principles goes a lot smoother when the community around you welcomes questions rather than mocking them. We believe every player deserves to ask "what does this menu do?" without feeling bad about it.
Crd is the first really comfortable community I have been a part of. Everyone is nice and kind, the atmosphere is relaxed, and I am not getting yelled at for not being optimal.