BAR / BUILD ATLAS
SUPREME ISTHMUS / 8 VS 8

Know your ground.
Build your advantage.

Openings found in real games.
Follow the sequence. Understand the role.
Find your next first move.

THE OPENING BOOK

Builds from the battlefield15

MOST COMMON FIRST · WHAT SETS EACH BUILD APART · TYPICAL TIMINGSEVIDENCE
01
Suicide frontEconomy first#rush#raid#artillery

Janus skirmish rush

Vehicle Plant first with a Rover raid, then Janus skirmishers pushed to the middle by 1:18 to fight there well ahead of the usual timing, transitioning into Blitz/Whistler later.

T1 vehicle skirmishers from 1:18 · 6% of role by thenVehicle Plant in 100%Scout in 99%Blitz in 59%

Vehicle Plant → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGWind Turbine→Vehicle Plant→Wind Turbine→Metal Extractor ×3×3→Sentry→Metal Extractor ×2×2→Sentry ×2×2→Wind Turbine ×5×5

5% of Armada Suicide front games · team won 59% of 104 · Then: blitz, missile truck · Last seen 25 Sept

103MATCHES19 players
02
Beach seaEconomy first#raid#amphibious#rush

Hovercraft raid

Player rushes a Hovercraft Platform by 1:10 and pushes out Seeker hovercraft as an early raid by 2:13, well before the shipyard which is delayed to around 4:16, using the raid to harass while sea presence catches up later.

Hovercraft Platform in 100%Seeker in 99%

Hovercraft Platform → Shipyard → Destroyer → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×3×3→Solar Collector→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Energy Storage→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Hovercraft Platform→Sentry→Metal Extractor ×5×5

11% of Armada Beach sea games · team won 53% of 70 · Then: destroyer, seeker, dolphin · Last seen 24 Sept

70MATCHES27 players
03
GeoEconomy first#raid#rush

Blitz raid

Geo rushes a Vehicle Plant and pushes out Blitz tanks from 4:14, well before the usual T2 focus, fighting forward in the middle rather than sitting on defence, then transitions back into the normal Starlight/T2 economy.

T1 vehicle raid from 4:14 · 6% of role by thenVehicle Plant in 100%Blitz in 65%

Bot Lab → Geothermal Powerplant → Vehicle Plant → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×3×3→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Bot Lab→Construction Turret→Metal Extractor→Geothermal Powerplant→Wind Turbine ×2×2→Construction Turret

5% of Armada Geo games · team won 51% of 65 · Then: Starlight, Jaguar, Platypus · Last seen 23 Sept

64MATCHES20 players
04
GeoArmadaEconomy first#raid#air

Centurion push

Geo builds Centurion bots very early (from 2:39) and gets a transport from Air, moving into an early Aircraft Plant with bombers and fighters instead of the usual T2 rush; despite the name, units only reach the middle rather than being…

T1 bot riot from 2:39 · 7% of role by thenLight transport from an ally in 75%Aircraft Plant in 50%Bomber in 48%

Bot Lab → Geothermal Powerplant → Advanced Metal Extractor → Advanced Geothermal Powerplant

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×2×2→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Bot Lab→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Metal Extractor ×2×2→Geothermal Powerplant→Wind Turbine→Energy Storage

5% of Armada Geo games · team won 57% of 60 · Then: Starlight, blitz, bomber · Last seen 23 Sept

60MATCHES12 players
05
PondArmadaEconomy first#raid#rush

Blitz raid

Pond skips straight to a Vehicle Plant by 3:37 and pushes a Blitz-led tank raid into the middle from around 4:14, with units reaching the enemy base in over half its games, before settling into the usual eco transition.

T1 vehicle raid from 4:14 · 5% of role by thenVehicle Plant in 98%Blitz in 74%

Vehicle Plant → Bot Lab → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGTidal Generator ×10×10→Metal Extractor ×4×4→Energy Storage→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Vehicle Plant→Construction Turret ×3×3→Wind Turbine→Construction Turret

6% of Armada Pond games · team won 64% of 53 · Last seen 23 Sept

53MATCHES30 players
06
Suicide frontLegionQuick factory#rush#raid

Standard suicide front

Quick Bot Lab into Vehicle Plant to project force at middle early with Ballista, Satyr, Decurion and Lance, transitioning into Barrage artillery and an Advanced Metal Extractor as the game develops.

Legion Bot Lab → Legion Vehicle Plant → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGMetal Extractor→Legion Bot Lab→Wind Turbine→Metal Extractor→Pharos→Metal Extractor ×3×3→Pharos→Wind Turbine

79% of Legion Suicide front games · team won 50% of 26 · Then: Ballista, Satyr, Decurion · Last seen 24 Sept

26MATCHES14 players
07
GeoEconomy first#air#raid

Stormbringer bombers

Geo builds an Aircraft Plant and pushes out Stormbringer bombers from 6:41 with fighter escort, striking directly into the enemy base rather than sending T2 units to front, a clear detour from the standard Geo job.

T1 air bombers from 6:41 · 10% of role by thenAircraft Plant in 92%Valiant in 79%Scout plane in 50%

Bot Lab → Geothermal Powerplant → Advanced Metal Extractor → Aircraft Plant

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×2×2→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Bot Lab→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Metal Extractor ×2×2→Energy Storage→Wind Turbine→Geothermal Powerplant

2% of Armada Geo games · team won 79% of 24 · Then: Starlight, Jaguar · Last seen 21 Sept

24MATCHES13 players
08
FrontCortexEconomy first#raid#artillery#push

Lasher skirmishers

Vehicle Plant opens instead of Bot Lab, and by 2:08 the player commits to Lasher missile trucks (with early Incisor raiding) that push straight to middle and fight there, well ahead of the role's usual T2 constructor timing.

T1 vehicle skirmishers from 2:08 · 9% of role by thenVehicle Plant in 100%Incisor in 100%Lasher in 82%

Vehicle Plant → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×3×3→Wind Turbine ×2×2→Vehicle Plant→Wind Turbine→Metal Extractor ×2×2→Guard ×2×2→Twin Guard→Metal Extractor ×2×2

7% of Cortex Front games · team won 59% of 17 · Then: incisor, brute · Last seen 23 Sept

17MATCHES11 players
09
AirCortexEconomy first#rush#raid#air

Whirlwind bomber rush

Skips the usual transport-first routine to build Whirlwind bombers from an Aircraft Plant as early as 5 minutes, sending them to hit the enemy base and middle well before the front stabilizes, before easing back into the normal…

T1 air bombers from 5:04 · 7% of role by thenAircraft Plant in 47%Whirlwind in 47%Light transport in 42%

Aircraft Plant → Advanced Metal Extractor → Fusion Reactor

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×3×3→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Aircraft Plant→Wind Turbine ×10×10→Metal Extractor→Thistle ×2×2→Construction Turret→Wind Turbine

3% of Cortex Air games · team won 63% of 19 · Then: valiant, fighter · Last seen 24 Sept

19MATCHES12 players
10
Suicide frontCortexEconomy first#push#raid#artillery

Pounder assault push

Vehicle plant into an early Pounder riot line by 1:16, backed by Rascal raiders, Wolverine artillery and Brute assault tanks, pushing into the middle earlier than the norm.

T1 vehicle riot from 1:16 · 10% of role by thenVehicle Plant in 100%Wolverine in 84%Rascal in 79%

Vehicle Plant → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×2×2→Wind Turbine ×2×2→Vehicle Plant→Metal Extractor→Guard→Metal Extractor→Guard→Radar Tower

3% of Cortex Suicide front games · team won 63% of 19 · Then: brute, wolverine, Rattlesnake · Last seen 24 Sept

18MATCHES6 players
11
PondArmadaEconomy first#raid#amphibious

Seeker hover raid

Pond rushes a Hovercraft Platform by 3:21 and sends Seeker hovercraft raiding from around 4:04, reaching the enemy base in a large share of its games.

Hover raid from 4:04 · 2% of role by thenHovercraft Platform in 95%Seeker in 65%

Hovercraft Platform → Bot Lab → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGTidal Generator ×12×12→Metal Extractor ×4×4→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Energy Storage→Hovercraft Platform→Energy Converter→Sentry→Metal Extractor ×2×2

2% of Armada Pond games · team won 50% of 20 · Last seen 15 Sept

20MATCHES9 players
12
GeoArmadaEconomy first#raid#amphibious

Seeker hover raid

Geo builds a Hovercraft Platform very early and raids with Seeker hovercraft from 4:44, reaching the enemy base in most games, a distinct detour from the usual T2-first Geo plan.

Hover raid from 4:44 · 1% of role by thenHovercraft Platform in 100%

Bot Lab → Geothermal Powerplant → Hovercraft Platform → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×2×2→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Bot Lab→Solar Collector→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Metal Extractor ×2×2→Energy Storage→Geothermal Powerplant

1% of Armada Geo games · team won 79% of 14 · Then: Starlight, Jaguar, bomber · Last seen 12 Sept

14MATCHES10 players
13
PondCortexEconomy first#raid#push

Thug bot assault

Pond opens a Bot Lab by ~3:15 and pushes Thugs into the middle from just after 4 minutes, fighting forward instead of the usual pure economy start.

T1 bot assault from 4:03 · 4% of role by thenThug in 75%Bot Lab in 50%Grunt in 42%

Bot Lab → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGTidal Generator ×9×9→Energy Converter→Metal Extractor ×4×4→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Energy Storage→Wind Turbine ×4×4→Bot Lab→Construction Turret

5% of Cortex Pond games · team won 50% of 12 · Last seen 18 Sept

12MATCHES9 players
14
PondArmadaEconomy first#air#raid

Banshee air

Pond opens an Aircraft Plant by ~2:57 and commits to Banshee gunships with Falcon support from around 3:15, an unusual full air-focused build for the role with dedicated repeat players.

T1 air gunships from 3:15 · 2% of role by thenAircraft Plant in 100%Fighter in 71%Fighter in 57%

Aircraft Plant → Bot Lab → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGTidal Generator ×9×9→Metal Extractor ×4×4→Energy Storage→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Aircraft Plant→Construction Turret→Wind Turbine ×7×7→Metal Extractor

2% of Armada Pond games · team won 33% of 21 · Then: blitz, fighter · Last seen 12 Sept

21MATCHES7 players
15
FrontCortexEconomy first#raid#artillery#push

Brute assault

Vehicle Plant with early Rascal raiding and Wolverine artillery builds into a Brute-led push from 3:13, sending tanks forward into the middle and sometimes into the enemy base well ahead of the role's normal tempo.

T1 vehicle assault from 3:13 · 5% of role by thenVehicle Plant in 100%Rascal in 100%Wolverine in 92%

Vehicle Plant → Advanced Metal Extractor

OPENINGMetal Extractor ×3×3→Wind Turbine→Vehicle Plant→Wind Turbine ×3×3→Metal Extractor ×2×2→Wind Turbine→Metal Extractor→Wind Turbine

5% of Cortex Front games · team won 42% of 12 · Then: incisor, wolverine · Last seen 23 Sept

12MATCHES5 players
Initial collection in progressHow builds are found ↗
01 / OBSERVE

Real games. Real sequences.

02 / RECOGNISE

Repeated openings, made readable.

03 / ADAPT

A starting point for your own game.