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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 (73%)

#eco #team support #air · 525 distinct matches · 115 players · 79% of Cortex Air games · team won 47% of 590 · 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 525 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 ~1:21, middle half 1:13–1:34

    Some games also: energy storage (37%)

    By 1:02 in all: 3 mex · 4 wind

    The example game in this phase · 5 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Solar
    3. Mex
    4. Solar
    5. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 1:38 · typical 1:21
  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
    • Shuriken1 Shuriken
    • Hephaestus1 Heavy transport for allies

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

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is NotReal's (40 OS, 30/08/2026); 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 2:05 · 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 1:39 · in 66% 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 6:04 · 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

590 games.

Show as table
ByMetal produced: This buildEnemy metal destroyed: This buildOwn metal lost: This build
1:0039300
2:0092400
3:00145800
4:002050051
5:00276373102
6:003766125150
7:005129176219
8:007014219285
9:009298248341
10:0011788315470
11:0014397439639
12:0017105603950
13:00199438701236
14:002263713511806
15:002549320022670
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

NotReal

40.2 OS · 30/08/2026

Open source match ↗

21 received units · includes a constructor
380 metal received · 53891 energy received

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

Typical milestones

Aircraft Plant1:21Middle 50%: 1:13–1:34 · n=590
Advanced Metal Extractor6:50Middle 50%: 6:22–7:27 · n=566
Fusion Reactor10:55Middle 50%: 10:03–12:16 · n=355

Played most by

DRM36games of this buildAdeus32games of this buildCentientWaffle32games of this buildImmort25games of this buildNutzz25games of this build