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Front / Armada / Economy first / OBSERVED BUILD

Gauntlet defence

Front builds a Gauntlet by around 5:30, well before the norm, to anchor a defensive line at middle while the economy develops, backing it later with Rattlesnake and more Gauntlets.

#defence #artillery · 84 distinct matches · 44 players · 6% of Armada Front games · team won 56% of 86 · Recently observed

THE CATCH, AND WHAT COMES WITH IT
  • GauntletEarly defence from 5:31 · 8% of role by thenOnly 8% of Front games have it by then; others who build it get it around 11:14

Where those units first fight, in 72 games with kill data: in the middle 100%.

Those units destroy a typical 620 metal of enemy units by 15:00.

Then transitions into rocketeer (12% of army), blitz (12% of army), Rattlesnake (9% of army).

HOW TO PLAY IT

Key timing: Gauntlet by 5:34

  1. Open double mex and wind into a Vehicle Plant for the usual eco-first start.
  2. Add Beamer and defensive turf like Dragon's Teeth while eco grows.
  3. Commit early to a Gauntlet well ahead of the normal timing.
  4. Bring Rattlesnake into the mix to hold the defensive line at middle.
  5. Transition into T2 constructor once the line is anchored.

Phase by phase

TYPICAL OF ITS 84 GAMES · AGAINST STANDARD FRONT
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
PLAY THE OPENING

Follow the example game's first 6:32 step by step: what to build now, what comes next, and where it goes. At 1× it keeps pace with your own game.

  1. 1

    Up to the Bot Lab

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor2Mex
    • Wind Turbine1Wind
    Order
    1. Bot LabBot Lab after 3 mex, 1 winddone ~0:45, middle half 0:39–0:55

    Some games also: Vehicle Plant (41%)

    By 0:28 in all: 2 mex · 1 wind

    The example game in this phase · 177 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Vehicle PlantVehicle Plantdone 0:50 · typical 0:47
    3. Construction VehicleCon vehicle
    4. RoverScout ×2
    5. JanusJanus
    6. Mex
    7. Wind ×2
    8. JanusJanus ×2
    9. Mex
    10. Construction VehicleCon vehicle
    11. Mex
    12. Construction VehicleCon vehicle
    13. Con turret
    14. Construction VehicleCon vehicle ×2
    15. Energy storage
    16. Construction VehicleCon vehicle
    17. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    18. Radar TowerRadar Tower
    19. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth ×3
    20. Wind
    21. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth ×3
    22. Wind
    23. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    24. Wind ×2
    25. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    26. SentrySentry
    27. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    28. Wind
    29. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    30. Wind
    31. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    32. Wind
    33. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    34. Wind
    35. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    36. Wind ×2
    37. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth ×2
    38. Wind
    39. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    40. Wind
    41. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    42. Wind
    43. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    44. Wind
    45. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    46. Wind ×2
    47. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    48. Con turret
    49. Wind ×2
    50. Con turret ×2
    51. Wind
    52. Construction VehicleCon vehicle
    53. Con turret
    54. Wind ×2
    55. Construction VehicleCon vehicle
    56. Wind ×2
    57. Con turret
    58. Wind ×4
    59. WhistlerMissile truck
    60. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mexdone 7:36
    61. Wind
    62. WhistlerMissile truck
    63. BeamerBeamer
    64. Wind ×3
    65. BeamerBeamer
    66. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth ×2
    67. Wind
    68. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    69. Wind
    70. Dragon's TeethDragon's Teeth
    71. Con turret
    72. BeamerBeamer
    73. Wind ×7
    74. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    75. Wind
    76. Con turret
    77. Wind ×3
    78. Converter
    79. Wind
    80. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    81. Converter ×2
    82. Wind ×2
    83. Converter
    84. Fusion ReactorFusiondone 10:29
    85. Wind
    86. Converter
    87. Con turret
    88. Converter
    89. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    90. Converter ×4
    91. Wind
    92. Converter
    93. Wind
    94. Converter
    95. Wind
    96. Converter
    97. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    98. Wind
    99. Converter
    100. Wind
    101. Converter
    102. Wind
    103. Converter
    104. Wind ×2
    105. Converter
    106. Wind
    107. Converter
    108. Wind
    109. Converter
    110. Wind
    111. Converter
    112. Vehicle PlantVehicle Plantdone 10:44
    113. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    114. Radar TowerRadar Tower
    115. Wind
    116. Converter
    117. Wind
    118. BeamerBeamer
    119. Converter
    120. Wind
    121. Converter
    122. Wind
    123. BlitzBlitz ×2
    124. Converter
    125. Wind
    126. BlitzBlitz
    127. Wind
    128. Converter
    129. BlitzBlitz ×2
    130. Wind
    131. Converter
    132. Radar TowerRadar Tower
    133. BlitzBlitz
    134. Wind
    135. BlitzBlitz
    136. Converter
    137. BlitzBlitz
    138. BeamerBeamer
    139. Wind
    140. Converter
    141. BlitzBlitz
    142. Wind
    143. BlitzBlitz
    144. Wind
    145. Converter
    146. BlitzBlitz ×2
    147. Wind
    148. Converter
    149. BlitzBlitz
    150. Con turret
    151. Sneaky PeteSneaky Pete
    152. Wind
    153. Converter
    154. BlitzBlitz
    155. Wind
    156. Con turret
    157. Converter
    158. Wind
    159. BlitzBlitz
    160. Wind
    161. BlitzBlitz
    162. Converter
    163. Wind
    164. BlitzBlitz
    165. Con turret
    166. Converter
    167. Wind
    168. Con turret
    169. Wind
    170. BlitzBlitz
    171. Converter
    172. BlitzBlitz
    173. Wind
    174. BlitzBlitz
    175. Converter
    176. BlitzBlitz
    177. Bot LabBot Labdone 12:15 · typical 0:45
  2. 2

    Bot Lab to Early defence

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor4Mex
    • Wind Turbine4Wind−2 vs standard
    Order
    1. GauntletEarly defence after 6 mex, 7 wind, 1 con turretdone ~6:37, middle half 6:07–7:10
    Builders
    • Construction Bot2 Con bot +2 vs standard
    Army
    • Sentry2 Sentry
    • Rocketeer3 Rocketeer +3 vs standard

    Some games also: tick (49%) · con turret (48%) · Lazarus (45%) · centurion (42%) · Radar Tower (36%)

    The standard build makes here, this one skips: 2 con vehicle · 3 janus

    By 5:31 in all: 6 mex · 8 wind · 1 con turret

    The example game in this phase · 1 step
    1. GauntletGauntletdone 4:05 · typical 6:37
  3. 3

    Early defence to 10:00

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor1Mex
    • Wind Turbine17Wind
    Builders
    • Construction Turret2 Con turret

    Some games also: energy storage (50%) · Dragon's Teeth (47%) · Beamer (45%) · converter (40%) · Sentry (38%)

    The standard build makes here, this one skips: 2 blitz

    By 10:00 in all: 7 mex · 27 wind · 1 energy storage · 4 con turret

    The example game in this phase · 198 steps
    1. Con turret
    2. Wind
    3. BlitzBlitz
    4. Converter
    5. BlitzBlitz
    6. Con turret
    7. Wind
    8. TickTick
    9. Converter
    10. BlitzBlitz
    11. TickTick
    12. Wind
    13. TickTick
    14. Con turret
    15. BlitzBlitz
    16. TickTick
    17. BlitzBlitz
    18. Wind
    19. TickTick
    20. BlitzBlitz
    21. TickTick
    22. Converter
    23. Wind
    24. TickTick
    25. BlitzBlitz
    26. Construction BotCon bot
    27. BlitzBlitz
    28. Converter
    29. Construction BotCon bot
    30. Wind
    31. BlitzBlitz
    32. Construction BotCon bot
    33. BlitzBlitz
    34. Wind
    35. Construction BotCon bot
    36. Converter
    37. BlitzBlitz
    38. Construction BotCon bot
    39. Wind
    40. BlitzBlitz
    41. BulwarkBulwarknot finished by 15:00
    42. TickTick
    43. Converter
    44. BlitzBlitz
    45. TickTick
    46. Wind
    47. BlitzBlitz
    48. TickTick
    49. BlitzBlitz
    50. Converter
    51. TickTick
    52. BlitzBlitz
    53. TickTick
    54. Wind
    55. TickTick
    56. BlitzBlitz
    57. Converter
    58. TickTick
    59. BlitzBlitz
    60. TickTick
    61. Wind
    62. TickTick
    63. BlitzBlitz
    64. TickTick
    65. BlitzBlitz
    66. TickTick
    67. Wind
    68. Converter
    69. TickTick
    70. BlitzBlitz
    71. TickTick ×2
    72. BlitzBlitz
    73. Wind
    74. Converter
    75. TickTick
    76. BlitzBlitz
    77. TickTick ×2
    78. BlitzBlitz
    79. Wind
    80. Converter
    81. TickTick
    82. BlitzBlitz
    83. TickTick
    84. BlitzBlitz
    85. TickTick
    86. Wind
    87. TickTick
    88. BlitzBlitz
    89. TickTick
    90. Converter
    91. BlitzBlitz
    92. TickTick
    93. Wind
    94. TickTick
    95. BlitzBlitz
    96. TickTick
    97. Converter
    98. TickTick
    99. BlitzBlitz
    100. Wind
    101. TickTick
    102. BlitzBlitz
    103. TickTick ×2
    104. BlitzBlitz
    105. Converter
    106. TickTick
    107. BlitzBlitz
    108. Wind
    109. TickTick ×2
    110. BlitzBlitz ×2
    111. TickTick
    112. Wind
    113. TickTick
    114. BlitzBlitz
    115. TickTick
    116. Converter
    117. TickTick
    118. BlitzBlitz
    119. TickTick
    120. Wind
    121. BlitzBlitz
    122. TickTick ×2
    123. BlitzBlitz
    124. TickTick
    125. Wind
    126. Converter
    127. TickTick
    128. BlitzBlitz
    129. TickTick
    130. BlitzBlitz
    131. TickTick
    132. Converter
    133. BlitzBlitz
    134. TickTick
    135. Wind
    136. TickTick
    137. BlitzBlitz
    138. Vehicle PlantVehicle Plantdone 14:05
    139. BlitzBlitz
    140. TickTick
    141. Wind
    142. Converter
    143. TickTick
    144. BlitzBlitz
    145. Wind
    146. TickTick
    147. BlitzBlitz
    148. Converter
    149. BlitzBlitz
    150. TickTick ×2
    151. BlitzBlitz
    152. Wind
    153. Converter
    154. TickTick
    155. BlitzBlitz
    156. TickTick
    157. BlitzBlitz
    158. TickTick
    159. Wind
    160. BlitzBlitz
    161. TickTick ×2
    162. BlitzBlitz
    163. TickTick ×2
    164. Converter
    165. BlitzBlitz
    166. TickTick ×2
    167. BlitzBlitz
    168. TickTick
    169. Wind
    170. TickTick
    171. Converter
    172. BlitzBlitz
    173. TickTick ×2
    174. BlitzBlitz
    175. Wind
    176. TickTick
    177. BlitzBlitz
    178. TickTick
    179. Converter
    180. BlitzBlitz
    181. Wind
    182. TickTick
    183. Converter
    184. TickTick
    185. BlitzBlitz
    186. Converter
    187. TickTick
    188. BlitzBlitz
    189. TickTick
    190. Converter
    191. BlitzBlitz
    192. TickTick ×2
    193. BlitzBlitz
    194. TickTick
    195. Converter
    196. TickTick ×2
    197. BlitzBlitz
    198. Wind

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is DRM's (42 OS, 23/09/2026); pick another.

Team trades

IN AT LEAST 30% OF ITS GAMES

You hand over

Nothing regular.

You get

  • Tidal Generator4 Tidal from Pondfirst at 0:19 · in 79% of games
  • Advanced Construction Bot1 T2 con bot from Geo or Techfirst at 7:23 · in 63% of games

How it plays out

Typical game of this build against the role’s standard build, running totals by minute

  • This build
  • Standard front

Metal produced

010k20k30k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Enemy metal destroyed

05k10k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Own metal lost

05k10k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

86 games.

Show as table
ByMetal produced: This buildMetal produced: Standard frontEnemy metal destroyed: This buildEnemy metal destroyed: Standard frontOwn metal lost: This buildOwn metal lost: Standard front
1:003333330000
2:0086284629213131
3:0016571624127140109105
4:0027052712435540302333
5:00387938688501188593813
6:00509650761444209910881526
7:00633763141987298417222459
8:00762976622705387122953365
9:00906090873544463228574312
10:0010927106663958530833545060
11:0013153126084497581943315701
12:0015864148155115631355116521
13:0018984174405686698165067256
14:0022200201836548758475798093
15:0025798226307050839486268939
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

Won less often than the standard build and destroyed noticeably less enemy metal, despite pulling ahead in metal produced by 15:00.

  • + Metal produced by 15:00 clearly ahead (23942 vs 22219)
  • + Own metal lost by 15:00 about even (8933 vs 8949)
  • − Team win rate below standard (51% vs 61%)
  • − Enemy metal destroyed by 15:00 well behind (6999 vs 8347)
THE EXAMPLE YOU ARE READING

DRM

41.8 OS · 23/09/2026

Open source match ↗

20 received units · includes a constructor
851 metal received · 85283 energy received

Allied construction assistance is unknown. Timings are observations, not a promise of solo reproducibility.

Typical milestones

Bot Lab0:45Middle 50%: 0:39–0:55 · n=57
Vehicle Plant0:47Middle 50%: 0:41–1:00 · n=54
Gauntlet6:37Middle 50%: 6:07–7:10 · n=72
Advanced Metal Extractor9:10Middle 50%: 8:15–10:41 · n=69

Played most by

Leohvm12games of this buildDRM7games of this buildCentientWaffle4games of this buildGodmother134games of this buildarmjanus3games of this build