diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 6b9f8e1..3ab429e 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ OBJECTS=\
 main.o \
 drawutils.o mathutils.o timer.o itos.o \
 graph.o gamedata.o player.o \
+menubutton.o \
 mainevent.o gamestate.o game.o titlescreen.o
 
 all: $(PROJECT)
diff --git a/game.cpp b/game.cpp
index 84dce84..e41ca49 100644
--- a/game.cpp
+++ b/game.cpp
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ bool Game::init()
 	return false;
     }
 
+    move_button = MenuButton("Move", font, 155,  display->h - 95, BUTTON_MOVE);
+    attack_button = MenuButton("Attack", font, 260, display->h - 95,
+			       BUTTON_ATTACK);
+    build_button = MenuButton("Build", font, 155, display->h - 50,
+			      BUTTON_BUILD);
+
+
     return GameState::init();
 }
 
@@ -112,15 +119,43 @@ void Game::render()
     }
 
     // draw the rest of the bottom menu
+
+    // horizontal line across the whole thing
     DrawUtils::draw_line(display, 0, display->h - 100,
 			 display->w, display->h - 100, 2, 0x000000);
+
+    // vertical line to separate info pane from button pane
     DrawUtils::draw_line(display, 150, display->h - 100, 150, display->h, 2,
 			 0x000000);
 
+    if (data.get_current_vertex() != NULL)
+    {
+	draw_button(&move_button);
+	draw_button(&build_button);
+	draw_button(&attack_button);
+    }
+
     SDL_Flip(display);
 }
 
 
+void Game::draw_button(MenuButton* button)
+{
+    int colour = 0x000000;
+    ButtonAction action = button->get_action();
+    Mode mode = data.get_mode();
+
+    // fixme - there's really got to be a better way...
+    if ((action == BUTTON_BUILD && mode == MODE_BUILD) ||
+	(action == BUTTON_ATTACK && mode == MODE_ATTACK) ||
+	(action == BUTTON_MOVE && mode == MODE_MOVE))
+	colour = 0x0000ff;
+    else if (button->is_at(cursor_x, cursor_y)) colour = 0xff0000;
+
+    button->draw(display, colour);
+}
+
+
 void Game::draw_stats(Vertex* v)
 {
     int num_lines = 4;
@@ -171,6 +206,14 @@ void Game::on_key_down(SDLKey sym, SDLMod mod, Uint16 unicode)
 #endif
 }
 
+
+void Game::on_mouse_move(int mX, int mY, int relX, int relY, bool left, bool right, bool middle)
+{
+    cursor_x = mX;
+    cursor_y = mY;
+}
+
+
 #ifdef DEBUG
 void Game::print_debug_info()
 {
diff --git a/game.h b/game.h
index b6b53d1..2580747 100644
--- a/game.h
+++ b/game.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include "gamedata.h"
 #include "gamestate.h"
+#include "menubutton.h"
 #include <stack>
 #include <SDL_ttf.h>
 
@@ -31,19 +32,30 @@ class Game : public GameState
     void on_lbutton_down(int x, int y);
     void on_rbutton_down(int mX, int mY);
     void on_key_down(SDLKey sym, SDLMod mod, Uint16 unicode);
+    void on_mouse_move(int mX, int mY, int relX, int relY, bool left,
+		       bool right, bool middle);
 
  private:
     void draw_stats(Vertex* v);
+    void draw_button(MenuButton* button);
 
     // data
     GameData data;
-
-    static int NODE_RADIUS;
+    // the x,y position of the mouse cursor
+    int cursor_x;
+    int cursor_y;
 
     // surfaces containing textures to draw
     SDL_Surface* background;
     TTF_Font* font;
 
+    // menu buttons
+    MenuButton move_button;
+    MenuButton build_button;
+    MenuButton attack_button;
+
+    static int NODE_RADIUS;
+
 #ifdef DEBUG
     void print_debug_info();
 #endif
diff --git a/menubutton.cpp b/menubutton.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..500c917
--- /dev/null
+++ b/menubutton.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+#include "menubutton.h"
+#include "drawutils.h"
+
+
+MenuButton::MenuButton(string text, TTF_Font* font, int x, int y,
+		       ButtonAction action)
+{
+    this->text = text;
+    this->x = x;
+    this->y = y;
+    this->font = font;
+    this->action = action;
+
+    hover = false;
+}
+
+
+void MenuButton::set_hover(bool is_hovering)
+{
+    hover = is_hovering;
+}
+
+
+void MenuButton::draw(SDL_Surface* display, int colour, int background_colour)
+{
+    SDL_Rect pen = {x, y, 100, 40};
+
+    SDL_FillRect(display, &pen, background_colour);
+
+    int temp_colour = 0x000000;
+
+    DrawUtils::draw_text(display, text, x + 50, y + 20, font, colour, 1, 1);
+}
+
+
+bool MenuButton::is_at(int test_x, int test_y)
+{
+    return test_x >= x && test_y >= y && test_x <= x + 100 && test_y <= y + 40;
+}
diff --git a/menubutton.h b/menubutton.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3c96fef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/menubutton.h
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/* A clickable button widget
+ * 
+ */
+
+#ifndef _MENUBUTTON_H_
+#define _MENUBUTTON_H_
+
+#include <SDL.h>
+#include <SDL_ttf.h>
+#include <string>
+
+using std::string;
+
+// fixme: there's probably a better way to do this, but SDL's event model
+//        has me hard-pressed to figure out what it is.
+enum ButtonAction {BUTTON_BUILD, BUTTON_ATTACK, BUTTON_MOVE,
+		   BUTTON_BUILD_ATTACKER, BUTTON_BUILD_DEFENDER,
+		   BUTTON_BUILD_PRODUCER};
+
+class MenuButton
+{
+ public:
+    MenuButton(string text = "", TTF_Font* font = NULL, int x = 0, int y = 0,
+	       ButtonAction action = BUTTON_BUILD);
+
+    // Selectable buttons change colour for the duration they are selected,
+    // and should ignore clicks while selected
+    void set_hover(bool is_hovering);
+    void draw(SDL_Surface* display, int colour = 0x000000,
+	      int background_colour = 0x888888);
+
+    bool is_at(int test_x, int test_y);
+    ButtonAction get_action() const { return action; }
+
+ private:
+    string text;
+    int x;
+    int y;
+
+    bool hover;
+
+    TTF_Font* font;
+
+    ButtonAction action;
+};
+
+#endif