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Air / Cortex / Economy first / OBSERVED BUILD

Standard air

Cortex Air build order · Supreme Isthmus

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 · 555 distinct matches · 116 players · 79% of Cortex Air games · team won 47% of 624 · 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 555 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 · 6 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Solar
    3. Mex
    4. Wind ×2
    5. Energy storage
    6. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 1:52 · 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 · 25 steps
    1. HerculesLight transportfor Geo sea
    2. FinchFinchfor Geo sea
    3. HephaestusHeavy transportfor Beach sea
    4. FinchFinchfor Beach sea
    5. ValiantValiant
    6. Wind ×2
    7. Con turret
    8. ValiantValiant
    9. Wind
    10. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    11. Con turret
    12. Wind ×2
    13. Con turret
    14. HephaestusHeavy transportfor Pond
    15. Wind ×3
    16. HerculesLight transportfor Tech
    17. Wind
    18. HerculesLight transport
    19. Wind
    20. ValiantValiant ×4
    21. HerculesLight transport
    22. Wind
    23. Con turret
    24. ValiantValiant
    25. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mexdone 5:29 · typical 6:50
  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 · 346 steps
    1. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex ×2
    2. Solar ×2
    3. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    4. Bot LabBot Labdone 6:35
    5. Construction BotCon bot ×8
    6. Wind ×2
    7. Construction BotCon bot
    8. Wind ×2
    9. Construction BotCon bot
    10. Wind ×3
    11. Construction BotCon bot
    12. Wind ×3
    13. Construction BotCon bot
    14. Wind ×2
    15. Construction BotCon bot
    16. Wind ×4
    17. Construction BotCon bot
    18. Wind ×5
    19. Construction BotCon bot
    20. Wind ×5
    21. Con turret
    22. Wind ×13
    23. Con turret
    24. Wind ×10
    25. Con turret
    26. Wind ×2
    27. Converter
    28. Wind
    29. Con turret
    30. Wind ×5
    31. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 8:44
    32. Wind ×3
    33. Converter
    34. Wind ×2
    35. Converter
    36. Wind ×4
    37. Converter
    38. Wind ×3
    39. ValiantValiant
    40. Converter
    41. Wind ×4
    42. ValiantValiant
    43. Wind ×2
    44. Converter
    45. ValiantValiant
    46. Wind ×5
    47. Converter
    48. ShurikenShuriken
    49. Wind ×3
    50. Converter
    51. Wind ×2
    52. ShurikenShuriken
    53. Wind
    54. Converter
    55. Wind
    56. Converter
    57. Wind ×2
    58. ShurikenShuriken
    59. Wind ×3
    60. Converter
    61. Wind ×3
    62. ShurikenShuriken
    63. Wind
    64. Converter
    65. Wind ×3
    66. ShurikenShuriken
    67. Wind
    68. ValiantValiant
    69. Converter
    70. Wind ×2
    71. Converter
    72. Wind ×3
    73. ValiantValiant
    74. Wind ×2
    75. Converter
    76. Wind
    77. ValiantValiant
    78. Wind ×4
    79. Converter
    80. ValiantValiant
    81. Wind ×2
    82. Converter
    83. Wind ×2
    84. ValiantValiant
    85. Wind ×2
    86. Converter
    87. ValiantValiant
    88. Wind ×4
    89. Converter
    90. Wind
    91. ValiantValiant
    92. Wind ×2
    93. Converter
    94. ValiantValiant
    95. Wind ×3
    96. Converter
    97. ValiantValiant
    98. Wind ×2
    99. Converter
    100. ValiantValiant
    101. Wind ×3
    102. Converter
    103. ValiantValiant
    104. Converter
    105. Wind ×4
    106. ValiantValiant
    107. Wind
    108. ValiantValiant
    109. Converter
    110. Wind ×5
    111. ValiantValiant
    112. Converter
    113. ValiantValiant
    114. Con turret
    115. Wind ×3
    116. Converter
    117. Wind ×2
    118. Con turret
    119. Converter
    120. Wind ×3
    121. Con turret
    122. Wind ×2
    123. Converter
    124. ValiantValiant
    125. Wind ×2
    126. ValiantValiant
    127. Wind
    128. Converter
    129. Wind ×2
    130. ValiantValiant
    131. Wind
    132. ValiantValiant
    133. Converter
    134. Wind ×3
    135. ValiantValiant
    136. Wind
    137. ValiantValiant
    138. Wind
    139. ValiantValiant
    140. Wind ×2
    141. ValiantValiant
    142. Wind ×2
    143. Converter
    144. ValiantValiant
    145. Wind ×3
    146. ValiantValiant
    147. Converter
    148. Wind ×2
    149. ValiantValiant
    150. Converter
    151. ValiantValiant
    152. Wind ×5
    153. Converter
    154. ValiantValiant ×2
    155. Converter
    156. Wind ×3
    157. ValiantValiant
    158. Wind
    159. Converter
    160. Wind ×2
    161. ShurikenShuriken
    162. Converter
    163. ShurikenShuriken
    164. Wind ×3
    165. ShurikenShuriken
    166. Con turret
    167. Wind ×2
    168. Converter
    169. Con turret
    170. Wind ×3
    171. ShurikenShuriken
    172. Wind ×2
    173. Converter
    174. Con turret
    175. Wind
    176. Converter
    177. Wind ×2
    178. ShurikenShuriken
    179. Wind ×2
    180. ValiantValiant
    181. Wind
    182. Converter
    183. Wind
    184. ValiantValiant
    185. Wind
    186. ShurikenShuriken
    187. Converter
    188. Wind
    189. ShurikenShuriken
    190. Wind ×3
    191. Converter
    192. ShurikenShuriken
    193. Wind
    194. Converter
    195. ShurikenShuriken
    196. Wind
    197. ShurikenShuriken
    198. Wind
    199. ShurikenShuriken
    200. Wind ×3
    201. ShurikenShuriken ×2
    202. FinchFinch
    203. Wind ×2
    204. FinchFinch
    205. Wind ×2
    206. FinchFinch
    207. Wind
    208. FinchFinch
    209. Con turret
    210. Wind
    211. Con turret
    212. Wind ×2
    213. FinchFinch
    214. Wind ×3
    215. Con turret
    216. Converter
    217. Wind
    218. Con turret
    219. FinchFinch
    220. Wind ×4
    221. FinchFinch
    222. Wind
    223. Converter
    224. ValiantValiant
    225. Wind
    226. ValiantValiant
    227. Wind ×2
    228. ValiantValiant
    229. Wind
    230. Converter
    231. ValiantValiant ×2
    232. Wind ×3
    233. ValiantValiant
    234. Converter
    235. ValiantValiant
    236. Wind ×3
    237. ValiantValiant
    238. Wind
    239. Converter
    240. ValiantValiant
    241. Wind ×2
    242. ValiantValiant
    243. Wind ×2
    244. ValiantValiant
    245. Converter
    246. Wind
    247. ValiantValiant
    248. Wind ×2
    249. ValiantValiant
    250. Converter
    251. ValiantValiant
    252. Wind ×3
    253. ValiantValiant
    254. Wind
    255. Converter
    256. ValiantValiant
    257. Wind ×2
    258. ValiantValiant
    259. Converter
    260. Wind
    261. ValiantValiant
    262. Wind ×2
    263. Converter
    264. ValiantValiant
    265. Wind ×2
    266. ValiantValiant
    267. Wind
    268. ValiantValiant
    269. Wind ×3
    270. Converter
    271. ValiantValiant ×2
    272. Wind ×2
    273. Converter
    274. Wind
    275. ValiantValiant
    276. Wind ×3
    277. Converter
    278. Wind ×4
    279. Converter ×2
    280. Wind
    281. Fusion ReactorFusiondone 13:43 · typical 10:56
    282. Wind ×4
    283. Converter
    284. Wind ×2
    285. Converter
    286. Wind ×3
    287. Converter
    288. Wind
    289. Converter
    290. Wind ×3
    291. Converter
    292. Wind ×3
    293. Advanced Aircraft PlantAdvanced Aircraft Plantdone 14:03
    294. Converter
    295. Wind ×3
    296. Converter
    297. Wind ×3
    298. Converter
    299. Wind
    300. T2 converter
    301. Converter
    302. Wind ×2
    303. Converter
    304. Wind ×2
    305. NighthawkNighthawk
    306. Wind
    307. Converter
    308. Con turret
    309. Wind ×4
    310. Converter
    311. NighthawkNighthawk
    312. Wind
    313. Converter
    314. Wind ×4
    315. Converter
    316. Wind ×2
    317. NighthawkNighthawk
    318. Wind ×3
    319. Converter
    320. NighthawkNighthawk
    321. Wind
    322. Converter
    323. Wind ×2
    324. NighthawkNighthawk
    325. Wind
    326. Converter
    327. Wind
    328. HailstormHailstorm
    329. Converter
    330. Wind ×2
    331. Converter
    332. HailstormHailstorm
    333. NighthawkNighthawk
    334. Wind ×2
    335. Converter
    336. WaspWasp
    337. Wind ×3
    338. Converter
    339. Wind ×2
    340. WaspWasp
    341. Converter
    342. Wind ×4
    343. WaspWasp
    344. Converter
    345. Wind ×3
    346. Converter

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is Crazydogg's (36 OS, 22/08/2026); 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 2:06 · in 99% of games
  • Hephaestus1 Heavy transport to Beach sea or Pond or Techfirst at 2:26 · in 74% of games

You get

  • Wind Turbine3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo seafirst at 1:40 · in 64% 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 85% 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

624 games.

Show as table
ByMetal produced: This buildEnemy metal destroyed: This buildOwn metal lost: This build
1:0039300
2:0092500
3:00145900
4:002053051
5:00276573109
6:003759125167
7:005136190219
8:007017225290
9:009298258342
10:0011788328471
11:0014383440641
12:0017097606958
13:00199439331269
14:002265314171801
15:002554320602701
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

Crazydogg

35.5 OS · 22/08/2026

Open source match ↗

11 received units · includes a constructor
2088 metal received · 104441 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=624
Advanced Metal Extractor6:50Middle 50%: 6:21–7:26 · n=599
Fusion Reactor10:56Middle 50%: 10:03–12:16 · n=383

Played most by

DRM37games of this buildAdeus33games of this buildCentientWaffle32games of this buildNutzz28games of this buildImmort26games of this build