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Air / Cortex / Economy first / OBSERVED BUILD

Standard air

Cortex Air build order · Supreme Isthmus

Economy-first air build: Aircraft Plant then Advanced Metal Extractor and Fusion Reactor, making transports and scouts for allies while transitioning into fighters and occasional bombers over the whole game.

Usually transports first (78%)

#eco #air #team support · 1496 distinct matches · 252 players · 80% of Cortex Air games · team won 46% of 1799 · Recently observed

HOW TO PLAY IT

Key timing: Aircraft Plant by 1:24

  1. Open 3 mex and wind, then drop Aircraft Plant early.
  2. Finish Aircraft Plant and start fighters for scouting and defense.
  3. Eat the Aircraft Plant once production needs outgrow it.
  4. Get Advanced Metal Extractor up to scale eco.
  5. Bring Fusion Reactor online and keep feeding transports, scouts, fighters to allies.

Phase by phase

TYPICAL OF ITS 1496 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 ~1:26, middle half 1:14–1:35

    Some games also: energy storage (38%)

    By 1:07 in all: 3 mex · 4 wind

    The example game in this phase · 2 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 1:07 · typical 1:26
  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
    • Hercules2 Light transport for allies
    • Finch2 Finch for allies
    • Finch1 Finch
    • Hephaestus1 Heavy transport for allies

    Some games also: shuriken (49%) · energy storage (45%) · converter (44%) · light transport (40%)

    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 · 51 steps
    1. Wind ×3
    2. HephaestusHeavy transportfor Beach sea
    3. Wind ×3
    4. FinchFinchfor Beach sea
    5. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    6. Con turret
    7. ValiantValiant
    8. Con turret
    9. Wind
    10. HerculesLight transportfor Tech
    11. Wind
    12. Mex
    13. Wind
    14. ValiantValiant
    15. Wind
    16. ValiantValiant
    17. Wind ×6
    18. Wind
    19. Wind
    20. Converter
    21. Wind
    22. Converter
    23. Aircraft PlantEat Aircraft Plantreclaimed for its metal
    24. Con turret
    25. Converter
    26. Wind
    27. Wind
    28. Wind
    29. Converter
    30. Wind
    31. Wind
    32. Wind
    33. Wind
    34. Converter
    35. Wind
    36. Wind
    37. Wind
    38. Wind
    39. Wind
    40. Converter
    41. Wind
    42. Wind ×2
    43. Converter
    44. Wind
    45. Wind ×2
    46. Wind
    47. Converter
    48. Wind
    49. Wind ×2
    50. Converter
    51. Wind ×2
  3. 3

    5:00 to 10:00

    Economy
    • Wind Turbine21Wind
    • Wind Turbine5Wind
    • Energy Converter6Converter
    Order
    1. Aircraft PlantEat Aircraft Plant
    2. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plant after 19 wind, 18 wind, 7 converterin 58% of games
    Builders
    • Construction Turret3 Con turret
    Army
    • Valiant9 Valiant

    Some games also: shuriken (48%) · fusion (38%) · con aircraft (35%) · light transport (31%)

    By 10:00 in all: 3 mex · 1 mex · 25 wind · 20 wind · 8 converter · 1 energy storage

    The example game in this phase · 397 steps
    1. Wind
    2. Energy storage
    3. Wind ×2
    4. Converter
    5. Wind
    6. Wind
    7. Wind
    8. Wind
    9. Converter
    10. Wind
    11. Wind
    12. Wind
    13. Wind
    14. Converter
    15. Wind
    16. Wind ×2
    17. Wind
    18. Wind ×2
    19. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex ×4done 6:26 · typical 6:54
    20. Con turret
    21. Bot LabBot Labdone 7:35
    22. Construction BotCon bot ×6
    23. Radar TowerRadar Tower
    24. Wind
    25. Construction BotCon bot
    26. Wind
    27. Construction BotCon bot
    28. Wind ×3
    29. Construction BotCon bot
    30. Radar TowerRadar Tower
    31. Construction BotCon bot
    32. Wind ×6
    33. Con turret
    34. Wind ×3
    35. Con turret
    36. Wind ×3
    37. Con turret
    38. Wind ×3
    39. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 8:51
    40. Wind ×5
    41. ValiantValiant
    42. Wind
    43. Bot LabEat Bot Labreclaimed for its metal
    44. Wind
    45. Wind
    46. ValiantValiant
    47. Wind
    48. ValiantValiant
    49. Wind
    50. Wind
    51. Wind ×3
    52. ValiantValiant
    53. Wind ×3
    54. ValiantValiant
    55. Wind
    56. Con turret
    57. Wind ×5
    58. ValiantValiant
    59. Wind
    60. Wind ×2
    61. HerculesLight transport ×2for Tech
    62. Wind ×3
    63. Wind
    64. Wind
    65. ValiantValiant
    66. Converter
    67. ValiantValiant
    68. Wind ×3
    69. ValiantValiant
    70. Wind ×2
    71. Wind
    72. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    73. Wind ×3
    74. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    75. Wind
    76. Wind
    77. T2 converter
    78. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    79. Wind ×4
    80. Wind
    81. Wind ×2
    82. ValiantValiant
    83. Wind
    84. Wind
    85. Wind
    86. ValiantValiant
    87. Wind
    88. ValiantValiant
    89. Wind ×2
    90. ValiantValiant
    91. Wind
    92. ValiantValiant
    93. Wind
    94. ValiantValiant
    95. Wind ×3
    96. ValiantValiant
    97. Wind
    98. Wind
    99. ValiantValiant
    100. Wind
    101. ValiantValiant
    102. Wind ×3
    103. ValiantValiant
    104. Wind
    105. Converter
    106. ValiantValiant
    107. Wind ×2
    108. ValiantValiant
    109. Wind
    110. ValiantValiant
    111. Wind ×2
    112. ValiantValiant
    113. Wind ×3
    114. ValiantValiant
    115. Wind
    116. ValiantValiant
    117. Wind
    118. Con turret
    119. Wind
    120. ValiantValiant
    121. Wind
    122. Wind
    123. Wind
    124. ValiantValiant
    125. Wind ×2
    126. ValiantValiant
    127. Wind
    128. Wind ×2
    129. ValiantValiant
    130. Wind ×3
    131. ValiantValiant
    132. Wind
    133. Wind
    134. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    135. Wind ×3
    136. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    137. Wind
    138. T2 converter
    139. Wind
    140. ValiantValiant
    141. Wind
    142. Converter
    143. Wind
    144. Wind
    145. Wind ×2
    146. ValiantValiant
    147. Wind ×3
    148. Wind
    149. Wind
    150. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    151. Wind ×3
    152. Con turret
    153. Wind
    154. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    155. Wind
    156. Con turret
    157. Wind
    158. ValiantValiant
    159. Wind
    160. Con turret
    161. Wind
    162. Wind
    163. Wind ×2
    164. ValiantValiant
    165. Wind
    166. ValiantValiant ×2
    167. Wind
    168. Wind ×4
    169. ValiantValiant ×3
    170. Wind
    171. ValiantValiant
    172. Wind
    173. Converter
    174. Wind
    175. ValiantValiant ×2
    176. Wind ×2
    177. ValiantValiant
    178. Wind
    179. Wind
    180. ValiantValiant
    181. Converter
    182. Wind
    183. ValiantValiant
    184. Wind ×2
    185. ValiantValiant
    186. Wind
    187. Wind ×4
    188. ValiantValiant
    189. Converter
    190. Wind
    191. ValiantValiant
    192. Wind
    193. Wind
    194. ValiantValiant
    195. Wind
    196. Converter
    197. ValiantValiant
    198. Wind ×2
    199. ValiantValiant
    200. Wind
    201. Wind
    202. ValiantValiant
    203. Wind
    204. Converter
    205. Wind
    206. ValiantValiant
    207. Wind ×2
    208. ValiantValiant
    209. Wind
    210. Wind ×2
    211. ValiantValiant
    212. Wind
    213. Converter
    214. Wind ×3
    215. Wind
    216. ValiantValiant
    217. Wind
    218. ValiantValiant
    219. Converter
    220. Wind ×2
    221. ValiantValiant
    222. Wind
    223. Wind
    224. ValiantValiant
    225. Wind
    226. ValiantValiant
    227. Converter
    228. Wind
    229. ValiantValiant
    230. Wind
    231. Wind
    232. Wind ×2
    233. ValiantValiant
    234. Wind
    235. Converter
    236. Wind ×2
    237. ValiantValiant
    238. Wind ×2
    239. ValiantValiant
    240. Wind ×2
    241. ValiantValiant
    242. Wind
    243. Converter
    244. Wind
    245. ValiantValiant
    246. Wind
    247. ValiantValiant
    248. Wind ×3
    249. ValiantValiant
    250. Wind
    251. Wind
    252. Converter
    253. ValiantValiant
    254. Wind ×2
    255. ValiantValiant
    256. Wind ×2
    257. ValiantValiant
    258. Converter
    259. Wind ×2
    260. Wind
    261. Wind ×3
    262. ValiantValiant
    263. Wind
    264. ValiantValiant
    265. Wind
    266. Converter
    267. Wind
    268. ValiantValiant ×2
    269. Wind ×2
    270. ValiantValiant
    271. Converter
    272. Wind ×2
    273. ValiantValiant
    274. Bot LabBot Labdone 13:17
    275. ValiantValiant
    276. Wind ×2
    277. ValiantValiant
    278. Converter
    279. PawnPawn
    280. Wind ×5
    281. ValiantValiant
    282. PawnPawn
    283. GuardGuard
    284. Wind ×2
    285. ValiantValiant
    286. PawnPawn
    287. Wind
    288. Converter
    289. ValiantValiant
    290. PawnPawn
    291. ValiantValiant
    292. PawnPawn
    293. ValiantValiant
    294. Wind
    295. PawnPawn
    296. GuardGuard
    297. ValiantValiant
    298. Converter
    299. PawnPawn
    300. ValiantValiant
    301. Wind
    302. PawnPawn
    303. ValiantValiant
    304. PawnPawn
    305. Wind
    306. ValiantValiant
    307. Converter
    308. Wind
    309. PawnPawn
    310. GuardGuard
    311. Wind ×4
    312. ValiantValiant
    313. PawnPawn
    314. ValiantValiant
    315. Wind ×2
    316. T2 converter
    317. PawnPawn
    318. ValiantValiant
    319. Wind
    320. Converter
    321. Wind
    322. GuardGuard
    323. Converter
    324. Wind
    325. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    326. PawnPawn
    327. Wind ×3
    328. ValiantValiant
    329. Converter
    330. Wind ×2
    331. PawnPawn
    332. ValiantValiant
    333. Wind
    334. PawnPawn
    335. Wind
    336. ValiantValiant
    337. PawnPawn
    338. Wind
    339. GuardGuard
    340. Wind
    341. ValiantValiant
    342. Converter
    343. Con turret
    344. PawnPawn
    345. Con turret
    346. Wind
    347. ValiantValiant
    348. PawnPawn
    349. ValiantValiant
    350. Converter
    351. Con turret
    352. Wind
    353. PawnPawn
    354. Con turret
    355. GuardGuard
    356. Wind ×2
    357. ValiantValiant
    358. Wind ×3
    359. PawnPawn
    360. Converter
    361. ValiantValiant
    362. Wind
    363. PawnPawn
    364. ValiantValiant
    365. Wind
    366. PawnPawn
    367. Con turret
    368. Wind ×2
    369. Converter
    370. TickTick
    371. ValiantValiant
    372. Wind
    373. GuardGuard
    374. TickTick
    375. Converter
    376. Wind
    377. Con turret
    378. TickTick
    379. ValiantValiant
    380. Wind ×4
    381. Converter
    382. TickTick
    383. GuardGuard
    384. Wind ×2
    385. Con turret
    386. Wind
    387. Converter
    388. Wind ×2
    389. ValiantValiant
    390. TickTick
    391. GuardGuard
    392. Wind
    393. ValiantValiant
    394. TickTick
    395. Converter
    396. LazarusLazarus
    397. ValiantValiant

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is Herbiderpi's (32 OS, 08/10/2026); 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 Beach seafirst at 2:06 · in 99% of games
  • Hephaestus1 Heavy transport to Beach sea or Pond or Techfirst at 2:23 · in 72% of games

You get

  • Wind Turbine3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo seafirst at 1:37 · in 64% of games
  • Wind Turbine3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo sea or Pondfirst at 1:42 · in 46% of games
  • Construction Bot1 Con bot from Techfirst at 2:23 · in 88% of games
  • Advanced Construction Bot1 T2 con bot from Techfirst at 6:05 · in 96% 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

01k2k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Own metal lost

01k2k3k
0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

1799 games.

Show as table
ByMetal produced: This buildEnemy metal destroyed: This buildOwn metal lost: This build
1:0039200
2:0092300
3:00145600
4:002052051
5:0027635173
6:003705102124
7:005088146167
8:006898190219
9:009278232270
10:0011753292384
11:0014351373538
12:0017061513781
13:00198507811102
14:002270012641689
15:002570818042405
WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

Standard air play wins less than half its games, with very low combat losses and kills since the role mostly supports rather than fights.

  • + Own metal lost stays very low, only 2701 by 15:00.
  • + Metal production reaches 25740 by 15:00, a strong support economy.
  • − Team wins under half of games (47%).
  • − Enemy metal destroyed stays low at 2097 by 15:00, showing little direct impact.
THE EXAMPLE YOU ARE READING

Herbiderpi

32.3 OS · 08/10/2026

Open source match ↗

5 received units · includes a constructor
1676 metal received · 126920 energy received

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

Typical milestones

Aircraft Plant1:26Middle 50%: 1:14–1:35 · n=1799
Advanced Metal Extractor6:54Middle 50%: 6:27–7:26 · n=1740
Fusion Reactor10:53Middle 50%: 9:47–12:18 · n=1151

Played most by

TheGeneraI114games of this buildDad_The_Speedrunner72games of this buildHunfore62games of this buildMilkdragon51games of this buildAdeus50games of this build
Standard air · Cortex Air build order · BAR Build Atlas