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Air / Cortex / Economy first / OBSERVED BUILD

Standard air

The usual Cortex air game: Aircraft Plant just after the start, Advanced Metal Extractor around 7 minutes and Fusion Reactor around 11 minutes, making transports and fighters for the team while scaling economy normally.

Usually transports first (72%)

#eco #team support #air · 547 distinct matches · 115 players · 79% of Cortex Air games · team won 47% of 615 · Recently observed

HOW TO PLAY IT

Key timing: Aircraft Plant by 1:23

  1. Take 3 mex and open straight into Aircraft Plant.
  2. Finish Aircraft Plant, start pumping Valiant for escort duty.
  3. Get T2 constructor going to scale eco alongside air production.
  4. Add Advanced Metal Extractor to keep pace with team's economy.
  5. Bring Fusion Reactor online, keep making Hercules and Finch for allies.

Phase by phase

TYPICAL OF ITS 547 GAMES
  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 Aircraft Plant

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor3Mex
    • Wind Turbine4Wind
    Order
    1. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plant after 3 mex, 4 winddone ~1:22, middle half 1:13–1:35

    Some games also: energy storage (38%)

    By 1:03 in all: 3 mex · 4 wind

    The example game in this phase · 4 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Solar
    3. Wind ×4
    4. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 1:25 · typical 1:22
  2. 2

    Aircraft Plant to 5:00

    Economy
    • Metal Extractor1Mex
    • Wind Turbine9Wind
    • Wind Turbine3Wind
    Builders
    • Construction Turret2 Con turret
    • Construction Aircraft1 Con aircraft
    Army
    • Valiant5 Valiant
    • Finch2 Finch for allies
    • Hercules2 Light transport for allies
    • Hephaestus1 Heavy transport for allies
    • Shuriken1 Shuriken

    Some games also: energy storage (45%) · light transport (44%) · converter (39%) · con turret (33%)

    By 5:00 in all: 3 mex · 1 mex · 13 wind · 3 wind · 1 energy storage · 2 con turret

    The example game in this phase · 30 steps
    1. FinchFinch ×2for Geo sea
    2. Wind
    3. HerculesLight transportfor Geo sea
    4. Wind
    5. HerculesLight transportfor Tech
    6. Wind
    7. ValiantValiant ×2
    8. Mex
    9. Wind
    10. ValiantValiant
    11. Wind
    12. ValiantValiant
    13. Wind ×2
    14. Energy storage
    15. Con turret
    16. ValiantValiant ×2
    17. Con turret
    18. ValiantValiant
    19. Wind
    20. Converter
    21. ValiantValiant
    22. Converter
    23. ValiantValiant ×2
    24. Wind
    25. HerculesLight transport
    26. Wind ×2
    27. HerculesLight transportfor Tech
    28. Converter
    29. Wind
    30. Converter
  3. 3

    5:00 to 10:00

    Economy
    • Wind Turbine20Wind
    • Wind Turbine5Wind
    • Energy Converter6Converter
    Order
    1. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plant after 18 wind, 17 wind, 6 converterin 58% of games
    Builders
    • Construction Turret4 Con turret
    Army
    • Valiant9 Valiant
    • Shuriken1 Shuriken

    Some games also: con aircraft (36%) · fusion (33%) · light transport (31%)

    By 10:00 in all: 3 mex · 1 mex · 24 wind · 20 wind · 8 converter · 1 energy storage

    The example game in this phase · 335 steps
    1. Converter ×4
    2. Con turret ×2
    3. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex ×4done 6:00 · typical 6:50
    4. Con turret
    5. Bot LabBot Labdone 7:06
    6. Con turret
    7. Construction BotCon bot ×2
    8. Con turret
    9. Construction BotCon bot
    10. Con turret
    11. Wind
    12. Construction BotCon bot
    13. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 7:48
    14. Wind
    15. Construction BotCon bot ×2
    16. Wind ×5
    17. Hardened Energy Storage
    18. FalconFighter
    19. Wind
    20. FalconFighter
    21. Converter
    22. Wind
    23. FalconFighter
    24. Wind ×3
    25. FalconFighter
    26. Converter
    27. Wind ×4
    28. Converter
    29. Wind
    30. Advanced solar
    31. Wind ×6
    32. Con turret
    33. FalconFighter
    34. Wind ×2
    35. FalconFighter
    36. Wind ×3
    37. FalconFighter
    38. Wind ×2
    39. FalconFighter
    40. Wind ×2
    41. FalconFighter
    42. Wind ×2
    43. FalconFighter
    44. Wind ×3
    45. FalconFighter ×2
    46. Wind
    47. FalconFighter
    48. Wind ×2
    49. FalconFighter
    50. Wind ×2
    51. FalconFighter
    52. Wind
    53. FalconFighter
    54. Wind ×2
    55. FalconFighter
    56. Wind ×2
    57. FalconFighter ×2
    58. Wind
    59. FalconFighter
    60. Wind
    61. FalconFighter
    62. Wind
    63. FalconFighter
    64. Converter
    65. Wind
    66. FalconFighter
    67. Wind ×3
    68. FalconFighter
    69. Converter
    70. Wind
    71. Converter
    72. Wind
    73. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    74. Wind ×2
    75. FalconFighter
    76. Con turret
    77. Wind ×2
    78. Converter
    79. Wind ×2
    80. Con turret
    81. FalconFighter
    82. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 10:59
    83. Wind ×2
    84. Con turret
    85. Wind
    86. Converter
    87. Wind
    88. FalconFighter
    89. Con turret
    90. Wind ×2
    91. Con turret
    92. Wind
    93. FalconFighter
    94. Wind
    95. Converter ×2
    96. ShurikenShuriken
    97. Wind
    98. FalconFighter
    99. ShurikenShuriken
    100. Wind
    101. FalconFighter
    102. ShurikenShuriken
    103. Converter
    104. FalconFighter
    105. ShurikenShuriken
    106. Converter
    107. Wind ×2
    108. FalconFighter
    109. ShurikenShuriken
    110. FalconFighter
    111. Converter
    112. ShurikenShuriken
    113. FalconFighter
    114. Wind
    115. ShurikenShuriken
    116. FalconFighter
    117. ShurikenShuriken
    118. Wind ×2
    119. Converter
    120. FalconFighter
    121. ShurikenShuriken
    122. Wind
    123. FalconFighter
    124. ShurikenShuriken
    125. Wind
    126. FalconFighter
    127. Wind
    128. Converter
    129. Wind
    130. FalconFighter ×2
    131. Wind ×2
    132. FalconFighter ×2
    133. Wind ×2
    134. FalconFighter ×2
    135. Wind
    136. Converter
    137. ValiantValiant
    138. Wind
    139. FalconFighter
    140. ValiantValiant
    141. Wind
    142. FalconFighter
    143. ValiantValiant
    144. HephaestusHeavy transport
    145. Wind ×2
    146. FalconFighter
    147. Converter
    148. Wind ×2
    149. ValiantValiant
    150. Wind
    151. FalconFighter
    152. Wind
    153. ValiantValiant
    154. Converter
    155. FalconFighter
    156. Wind ×2
    157. ValiantValiant
    158. FalconFighter
    159. Wind
    160. ValiantValiant
    161. Wind
    162. FalconFighter
    163. Wind
    164. ValiantValiant
    165. Converter
    166. FalconFighter
    167. Wind
    168. ValiantValiant
    169. Wind
    170. FalconFighter
    171. Wind
    172. ValiantValiant
    173. Wind
    174. FalconFighter
    175. Converter
    176. ValiantValiant
    177. Wind
    178. FalconFighter
    179. Wind
    180. ValiantValiant
    181. Converter
    182. Wind
    183. FalconFighter
    184. Wind
    185. ValiantValiant
    186. Converter
    187. FalconFighter
    188. Wind
    189. ValiantValiant
    190. FalconFighter
    191. Wind ×2
    192. ValiantValiant
    193. FalconFighter
    194. Converter
    195. Wind
    196. ValiantValiant
    197. FalconFighter
    198. Wind
    199. ValiantValiant
    200. FalconFighter
    201. Wind ×2
    202. Converter
    203. ValiantValiant
    204. FalconFighter
    205. Wind
    206. ValiantValiant
    207. FalconFighter
    208. Converter
    209. Wind
    210. Converter
    211. FalconFighter
    212. ValiantValiant
    213. Wind ×2
    214. FalconFighter
    215. Wind
    216. ValiantValiant
    217. FalconFighter
    218. Wind
    219. Converter
    220. FalconFighter
    221. Wind
    222. ValiantValiant
    223. Wind
    224. ShurikenShuriken
    225. FalconFighter
    226. Wind
    227. ShurikenShuriken
    228. Wind
    229. FalconFighter
    230. ShurikenShuriken
    231. Wind
    232. Converter
    233. Wind
    234. FalconFighter
    235. ShurikenShuriken
    236. Wind
    237. FalconFighter
    238. Wind
    239. ShurikenShuriken
    240. FalconFighter
    241. Wind
    242. Converter
    243. FalconFighter
    244. ShurikenShuriken
    245. Wind
    246. FalconFighter
    247. Converter
    248. ShurikenShuriken
    249. Wind
    250. FalconFighter
    251. Wind
    252. ShurikenShuriken
    253. FalconFighter
    254. ShurikenShuriken
    255. Wind
    256. Converter
    257. FalconFighter
    258. ShurikenShuriken
    259. Wind ×2
    260. FalconFighter
    261. ValiantValiant
    262. Converter
    263. Wind
    264. FalconFighter
    265. ValiantValiant
    266. Wind
    267. FalconFighter
    268. Converter
    269. Wind
    270. ValiantValiant
    271. FalconFighter
    272. Converter
    273. ValiantValiant
    274. Wind
    275. FalconFighter
    276. Wind
    277. ValiantValiant
    278. FalconFighter
    279. ValiantValiant
    280. Converter
    281. FalconFighter
    282. Wind
    283. Converter
    284. Wind
    285. ValiantValiant
    286. FalconFighter
    287. ValiantValiant
    288. FalconFighter
    289. Wind
    290. ShurikenShuriken
    291. FalconFighter
    292. Wind
    293. ShurikenShuriken
    294. Converter
    295. FalconFighter
    296. Wind
    297. ShurikenShuriken
    298. FalconFighter
    299. Converter
    300. ShurikenShuriken
    301. FalconFighter
    302. Wind
    303. ShurikenShuriken
    304. Wind
    305. Converter
    306. FalconFighter
    307. ShurikenShuriken
    308. FalconFighter
    309. Wind
    310. ShurikenShuriken
    311. FalconFighter
    312. Wind
    313. ShurikenShuriken
    314. Converter
    315. FalconFighter
    316. Wind
    317. Converter
    318. ShurikenShuriken
    319. FalconFighter
    320. ShurikenShuriken
    321. Wind
    322. FalconFighter
    323. Wind
    324. ShurikenShuriken
    325. FalconFighter
    326. Converter
    327. ShurikenShuriken
    328. Converter
    329. FalconFighter
    330. Wind
    331. ShurikenShuriken
    332. FalconFighter
    333. Wind
    334. ShurikenShuriken
    335. Wind

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is _Hawkey_'s (61 OS, 28/09/2026); pick another.

Team trades

IN AT LEAST 30% OF ITS GAMES

You hand over

  • Finch2 Finch to Geo sea or Beach seafirst at 1:51 · in 96% of games
  • Hercules3 Light transport to Tech or Geo sea or Geofirst at 2:06 · in 99% of games
  • Hephaestus1 Heavy transport to Beach sea or Pond or Techfirst at 2:25 · in 75% of games

You get

  • Wind Turbine3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo seafirst at 1:40 · in 65% of games
  • Wind Turbine3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo sea or Pondfirst at 1:44 · in 48% of games
  • Construction Bot1 Con bot from Techfirst at 2:20 · in 84% of games
  • Advanced Construction Bot1 T2 con bot from Techfirst at 6:03 · in 94% of games

How it plays out

Typical game of this build, running totals by minute

Metal produced

010k20k30k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Enemy metal destroyed

01k2k3k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Own metal lost

01k2k3k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

615 games.

Show as table
ByMetal produced: This buildEnemy metal destroyed: This buildOwn metal lost: This build
1:0039300
2:0092500
3:00145800
4:002052051
5:00276573109
6:003755125167
7:005136190219
8:007019220290
9:009335250341
10:0011795327471
11:0014399439641
12:0017100619962
13:00199489301269
14:002264113951807
15:002553020492701
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

This is the role's standard support job, winning less than half its games while producing little combat impact but reliably feeding transports and scouts to teammates.

  • + Reaches Aircraft Plant almost immediately (1:23), fast T2 constructor by 5:58.
  • + Keeps own losses low (2789 by 15:00) versus other roles.
  • − Destroys only 2027 enemy metal by 15:00, minimal combat contribution.
  • − Fusion Reactor only completes in 57% of games, some games stall on eco.
THE EXAMPLE YOU ARE READING

_Hawkey_

61.0 OS · 28/09/2026

Open source match ↗

4 received units · includes a constructor
189 metal received · 169398 energy received

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

Typical milestones

Aircraft Plant1:22Middle 50%: 1:13–1:35 · n=615
Advanced Metal Extractor6:50Middle 50%: 6:21–7:26 · n=590
Fusion Reactor10:56Middle 50%: 10:03–12:14 · n=375

Played most by

DRM36games of this buildAdeus33games of this buildCentientWaffle32games of this buildNutzz28games of this buildImmort26games of this build