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Beach sea / Armada / Economy first / OBSERVED BUILD

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.

Hovers first

#raid #amphibious #rush · 70 distinct matches · 27 players · 11% of Armada Beach sea games · team won 53% of 70 · Recently observed

THE CATCH, AND WHAT COMES WITH IT
  • Hovercraft PlatformHovercraft Platform in 100%14% of all Beach sea games by then
  • SeekerSeeker in 99%14% of all Beach sea games by then

Then transitions into destroyer (30% of army), seeker (21% of army), dolphin (10% of army).

HOW TO PLAY IT

Key timing: Hovercraft Platform by 1:10

  1. Open with mex and wind instead of straight shipyard.
  2. Build a Hovercraft Platform right after your initial eco.
  3. Push out a Seeker raid to harass enemy sea entry early.
  4. Put down the shipyard once the raid is out.
  5. Add Corsair and settle into standard sea play from here.

Phase by phase

TYPICAL OF ITS 70 GAMES · AGAINST STANDARD BEACH SEA
  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
PLAY THE OPENING

Follow the example game's first 6:00 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 Hovercraft Platform

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor3Mex
    • Wind Turbine4Wind+3 vs standard
    Order
    1. Hovercraft PlatformHovercraft Platform after 3 mex, 4 winddone ~1:41, middle half 1:37–1:52

    Some games also: energy storage (46%) · wind for allies (39%)

    By 1:10 in all: 3 mex · 4 wind (standard 1)

    The example game in this phase · 3 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Wind ×7
    3. Hovercraft PlatformHovercraft Platformdone 1:55 · typical 1:41
  2. 2

    Hovercraft Platform to Shipyard

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor3Mex
    • Wind Turbine5Wind+4 vs standard
    Order
    1. ShipyardShipyard after 6 mex, 10 winddone ~4:16, middle half 4:00–4:43
    Builders
    • Construction Hovercraft3 Con hovercraft +3 vs standard
    Army
    • Seeker7 Seeker +7 vs standard

    The standard build makes here, this one skips: 2 tidal · 2 con ship · 2 skater · 2 dolphin

    By 3:56 in all: 6 mex · 10 wind (standard 2) · 1 energy storage

    The example game in this phase · 13 steps
    1. Windfor Beach sea
    2. Wind
    3. Windfor Beach sea
    4. Construction HovercraftCon hovercraft
    5. Windfor Beach sea
    6. Wind ×2
    7. SeekerSeeker ×4
    8. SeekerSeeker ×2for Geo
    9. Construction HovercraftCon hovercraft ×2
    10. Mex
    11. Construction HovercraftCon hovercraft
    12. Mex ×2
    13. ShipyardShipyarddone 4:36 · typical 4:16
  3. 3

    Shipyard to 10:00

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor4Mex
    • Wind Turbine13Wind
    Builders
    • Construction Turret1 Con turret
    • Grim Reaper1 Grim Reaper
    • Construction Ship1 Con ship
    Army
    • Sentry2 Sentry
    • Dolphin3 Dolphin −2 vs standard
    • Corsair3 Destroyer
    • Skater2 Skater
    Other
    • Naval Radar / Sonar Tower1 Naval Radar / Sonar Tower

    Some games also: Harpoon (47%) · tidal (41%) · Naval Construction Turret (37%) · converter (36%) · frigate (36%)

    By 10:00 in all: 10 mex · 23 wind (standard 15) · 1 energy storage · 1 con turret

    The example game in this phase · 237 steps
    1. Mex ×2
    2. Radar TowerRadar Tower
    3. SkaterSkater ×2
    4. Mex
    5. DolphinDolphin ×5
    6. SkaterSkater ×2
    7. Con turret
    8. Grim ReaperGrim Reaper
    9. Mex
    10. BeamerBeamer
    11. CorsairDestroyerdone 7:08 · typical 5:58
    12. Tidal ×3
    13. Mex
    14. Wind
    15. BeholderBeholder
    16. Tidal
    17. Wind
    18. Mex
    19. Wind
    20. BeholderBeholder
    21. Wind
    22. CorsairDestroyer
    23. Wind
    24. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mexdone 8:16 · typical 9:28
    25. DolphinDolphin
    26. Wind
    27. BeholderBeholder
    28. DolphinDolphin ×2
    29. BeholderBeholder
    30. SentrySentry
    31. Naval Radar / Sonar TowerNaval Radar / Sonar Tower
    32. BeholderBeholder
    33. Wind
    34. SentrySentry ×3
    35. DolphinDolphin
    36. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    37. Wind
    38. DolphinDolphin
    39. Wind
    40. DolphinDolphin
    41. Wind
    42. DolphinDolphin
    43. Wind ×2
    44. CorsairDestroyer
    45. Wind ×2
    46. Bot LabBot Labdone 9:57
    47. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    48. Naval Construction Turret
    49. Naval Radar / Sonar TowerNaval Radar / Sonar Tower
    50. PawnPawnfor Pond
    51. Construction ShipCon ship
    52. Naval Construction Turret
    53. Wind ×2
    54. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 10:58
    55. Naval Construction Turret
    56. Wind ×2
    57. PawnPawnfor Pond
    58. Wind ×3
    59. Construction ShipCon ship
    60. Wind
    61. Construction ShipCon ship
    62. PawnPawnfor Pond
    63. Tidal
    64. Wind
    65. Construction ShipCon ship
    66. ShurikenShuriken
    67. Wind ×2
    68. PawnPawnfor Pond
    69. Con turret
    70. Construction ShipCon ship
    71. Tidal
    72. Wind
    73. Construction ShipCon ship
    74. DolphinDolphin
    75. Wind
    76. ShurikenShuriken
    77. Naval Radar / Sonar TowerNaval Radar / Sonar Tower
    78. PawnPawnfor Pond
    79. Wind
    80. DolphinDolphin
    81. Tidal
    82. Wind
    83. Con turret
    84. DolphinDolphin
    85. Wind
    86. DolphinDolphin
    87. Tidal
    88. Wind
    89. PawnPawnfor Pond
    90. ShurikenShuriken
    91. DolphinDolphin
    92. Wind
    93. Con turret
    94. DolphinDolphin
    95. Wind
    96. Tidal
    97. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    98. Wind
    99. DolphinDolphin
    100. Tidal
    101. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    102. Wind
    103. PawnPawnfor Pond
    104. ShurikenShuriken
    105. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    106. Naval Energy Converter
    107. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    108. PawnPawnfor Pond
    109. DolphinDolphin
    110. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    111. ShurikenShuriken
    112. Tidal
    113. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×5
    114. Naval Energy Converter
    115. PawnPawn
    116. Wind
    117. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×4
    118. ShurikenShuriken
    119. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×2
    120. DolphinDolphin
    121. Tidal
    122. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    123. Construction BotCon bot
    124. Naval Energy Converter
    125. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    126. ShurikenShuriken
    127. Wind
    128. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×5
    129. Tidal
    130. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    131. DolphinDolphin
    132. Naval Energy Converter
    133. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    134. Construction BotCon bot
    135. Naval Radar / Sonar TowerNaval Radar / Sonar Tower
    136. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    137. ShurikenShuriken
    138. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    139. Naval Energy Converter
    140. Tidal
    141. DolphinDolphin
    142. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×2
    143. Wind
    144. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    145. Construction BotCon bot
    146. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×2
    147. ShurikenShuriken
    148. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    149. Naval Energy Converter
    150. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    151. Tidal
    152. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    153. Construction BotCon bot
    154. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    155. ShurikenShuriken
    156. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×2
    157. Naval Energy Converter
    158. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    159. Construction BotCon bot
    160. Tidal
    161. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    162. ShurikenShuriken
    163. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×2
    164. Construction ShipCon ship
    165. Wind
    166. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×4
    167. Naval Energy Converter
    168. Construction BotCon bot
    169. ShurikenShuriken
    170. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×2
    171. Tidal
    172. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×3
    173. Construction BotCon bot
    174. ShurikenShuriken
    175. Naval Energy Converter
    176. Construction ShipCon ship
    177. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth ×2
    178. Construction BotCon bot
    179. Wind
    180. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    181. ShurikenShuriken
    182. Tidal
    183. Shark's TeethShark's Teeth
    184. Wind
    185. Construction BotCon bot
    186. Naval Energy Converter
    187. Construction ShipCon ship
    188. Wind
    189. ShurikenShuriken
    190. Wind
    191. Tidal
    192. Construction BotCon bot
    193. ShurikenShuriken
    194. Seaplane PlatformSeaplane Platformdone 14:31
    195. Naval Energy Converter
    196. Wind ×2
    197. Construction BotCon bot
    198. Tidal
    199. Construction ShipCon ship
    200. ShurikenShuriken
    201. Naval Energy Converter
    202. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    203. Wind
    204. Construction BotCon bot
    205. Tidal
    206. ShurikenShuriken
    207. Naval Energy Converter
    208. Construction BotCon bot
    209. Wind
    210. ShurikenShuriken
    211. Tidal
    212. Naval Energy Converter
    213. Construction BotCon bot
    214. ShurikenShuriken
    215. Con turret
    216. Construction BotCon bot
    217. Tidal
    218. Wind
    219. Construction ShipCon ship
    220. Naval Energy Converter
    221. ShurikenShuriken
    222. Wind
    223. Construction BotCon bot
    224. ShurikenShuriken
    225. Tidal
    226. Naval Energy Converter
    227. Construction BotCon bot
    228. ShurikenShuriken
    229. Wind
    230. Construction BotCon bot
    231. ShurikenShuriken
    232. SabreSabre
    233. Wind
    234. Advanced ShipyardAdvanced Shipyardnot finished by 15:00
    235. Tidal
    236. Naval Energy Converter
    237. ShurikenShuriken

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is KingBenjai's (47 OS, 24/09/2026); pick another.

Team trades

IN AT LEAST 30% OF ITS GAMES

You hand over

  • Wind Turbine3 Wind to Airfirst at 1:44 · in 46% of games

You get

  • Finch1 Finch from Airfirst at 1:46 · in 57% of games
  • Valiant1 Valiant from Airfirst at 1:50 · in 30% of games
  • Lazarus1 Lazarus from Geofirst at 2:02 · in 51% of games
  • Advanced Construction Bot1 T2 con bot from Techfirst at 8:03 · in 80% of games

How it plays out

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

  • This build
  • Standard beach sea

Metal produced

010k20k30k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Enemy metal destroyed

05k10k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Own metal lost

02.5k5k7.5k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

70 games.

Show as table
ByMetal produced: This buildMetal produced: Standard beach seaEnemy metal destroyed: This buildEnemy metal destroyed: Standard beach seaOwn metal lost: This buildOwn metal lost: Standard beach sea
1:004044040000
2:009389380000
3:00152815810000
4:002347254051515150
5:0036813724444251255125
6:0050625148885564566300
7:006484671912411146851596
8:00799983061869167512541089
9:00947699702428249417151726
10:0011217118023433362021882438
11:0013274141054083457127193269
12:0015620168284667538432783986
13:0018348195795014631238804936
14:0021091222186387706849945841
15:0023236252206667821454246711
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

Won more often than the standard build with a similar economy but far more early kills by 5:00.

  • + Enemy metal destroyed hit 444 by 5:00 vs 180 standard.
  • + Own metal lost stayed lower at 15:00 despite the raid.
  • − Metal produced trails standard by 10:00 and 15:00.
  • − Enemy metal destroyed by 15:00 falls behind standard (6667 vs 8279).
THE EXAMPLE YOU ARE READING

KingBenjai

46.9 OS · 24/09/2026

Open source match ↗

10 received units · includes a constructor
320 metal received · 6382 energy received

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

Typical milestones

Hovercraft Platform1:41Middle 50%: 1:37–1:52 · n=70
Shipyard4:16Middle 50%: 4:00–4:43 · n=58
Corsair5:58Middle 50%: 5:28–7:17 · n=54
Advanced Metal Extractor9:28Middle 50%: 9:01–10:50 · n=58

Played most by

KingBenjai17games of this buildRysica10games of this build[ADS]Kackbarren5games of this buildAdeus4games of this buildCentientWaffle4games of this build