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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 · 1515 distinct matches · 252 players · 81% of Cortex Air games · team won 46% of 1820 · 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 1515 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 · 6 steps
    1. Mex ×2
    2. Wind
    3. Mex
    4. Wind ×3
    5. Energy storage
    6. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 1:28 · 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 · 34 steps
    1. Wind
    2. FinchFinchfor Beach sea
    3. FinchFinch
    4. HerculesLight transportfor Beach sea
    5. Wind
    6. ValiantValiant
    7. ShurikenShuriken
    8. ValiantValiant
    9. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    10. HerculesLight transportfor Tech
    11. Mex
    12. Con turret
    13. ValiantValiant ×2
    14. Con turret ×2
    15. ValiantValiant ×2
    16. Wind ×3
    17. HerculesLight transport
    18. Wind ×8
    19. Converter
    20. Wind
    21. Aircraft PlantEat Aircraft Plantreclaimed for its metal
    22. Wind
    23. Con turret
    24. Converter
    25. Con turret
    26. Wind
    27. Converter
    28. Wind
    29. Converter
    30. Wind ×2
    31. Converter
    32. Wind ×3
    33. Converter
    34. 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 (47%) · 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 · 326 steps
    1. Wind
    2. Converter
    3. Wind ×4
    4. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mexdone 5:34 · typical 6:54
    5. Wind ×2
    6. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    7. Wind
    8. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    9. Wind ×2
    10. Bot LabBot Labdone 6:18
    11. Construction BotCon bot
    12. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    13. Wind
    14. Construction BotCon bot
    15. Wind
    16. Construction BotCon bot
    17. Wind
    18. Construction BotCon bot
    19. Con turret
    20. Wind
    21. Construction BotCon bot
    22. Con turret
    23. Wind ×7
    24. Con turret
    25. Wind ×4
    26. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 7:28
    27. Bot LabEat Bot Labreclaimed for its metal
    28. Wind ×2
    29. Con turret
    30. Wind ×5
    31. ValiantValiant
    32. Wind ×3
    33. ValiantValiant
    34. Wind ×4
    35. ValiantValiant
    36. Wind ×3
    37. Converter
    38. Wind
    39. ValiantValiant
    40. Wind ×2
    41. ValiantValiant
    42. Wind ×3
    43. ValiantValiant
    44. Converter
    45. Con turret
    46. Wind ×3
    47. ShurikenShuriken
    48. Wind ×4
    49. ShurikenShuriken
    50. Con turret
    51. ShurikenShuriken
    52. Wind
    53. ShurikenShuriken
    54. Wind
    55. Converter
    56. ShurikenShuriken ×2
    57. Wind ×2
    58. ShurikenShuriken ×3
    59. Wind
    60. ShurikenShuriken
    61. Converter
    62. ShurikenShuriken
    63. Wind ×2
    64. ShurikenShuriken
    65. Wind
    66. ValiantValiant
    67. NettleNettle
    68. ValiantValiant ×2
    69. Wind ×2
    70. Converter
    71. ValiantValiant
    72. Wind
    73. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    74. Wind
    75. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    76. Wind ×2
    77. ValiantValiant
    78. Wind
    79. Converter
    80. Wind
    81. ValiantValiant
    82. Wind
    83. ValiantValiant
    84. Wind
    85. ValiantValiant
    86. Wind
    87. ValiantValiant ×2
    88. Converter
    89. Wind ×2
    90. ValiantValiant
    91. Wind ×2
    92. ValiantValiant
    93. Wind
    94. FinchFinch ×2
    95. Converter
    96. FinchFinch
    97. Wind ×3
    98. FinchFinch
    99. Converter
    100. ValiantValiant
    101. Wind
    102. ValiantValiant
    103. Wind
    104. ValiantValiant
    105. Wind ×3
    106. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    107. Converter
    108. Wind
    109. ValiantValiant
    110. Wind
    111. ValiantValiant
    112. Wind
    113. ValiantValiant
    114. Wind
    115. ValiantValiant
    116. Con turret
    117. Wind
    118. Converter
    119. ValiantValiant
    120. Wind ×2
    121. ValiantValiant
    122. Wind ×3
    123. ValiantValiant
    124. Radar TowerRadar Tower
    125. ValiantValiant
    126. Wind
    127. ValiantValiant
    128. Wind
    129. ValiantValiant ×2
    130. Converter
    131. Wind
    132. ValiantValiant
    133. Wind
    134. Converter
    135. ValiantValiant
    136. Wind ×3
    137. ValiantValiant
    138. Converter
    139. Wind
    140. ValiantValiant
    141. ThistleThistle
    142. Con turret
    143. ValiantValiant
    144. Wind
    145. ValiantValiant
    146. Wind
    147. ValiantValiant
    148. NettleNettle
    149. Con turret
    150. Converter
    151. Wind ×2
    152. ValiantValiant
    153. Wind
    154. ValiantValiant
    155. Converter
    156. Wind
    157. ValiantValiant
    158. Wind
    159. ValiantValiant
    160. Wind ×2
    161. ValiantValiant
    162. Converter
    163. Wind
    164. Con turret
    165. Wind
    166. ValiantValiant
    167. Wind
    168. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    169. Wind ×2
    170. Converter
    171. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    172. NettleNettle
    173. Wind
    174. ThistleThistle
    175. Wind
    176. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    177. Wind ×3
    178. Converter
    179. Wind
    180. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    181. Wind
    182. Converter
    183. Wind
    184. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    185. Wind ×5
    186. Converter
    187. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    188. Wind
    189. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    190. Wind ×3
    191. Converter
    192. Wind ×2
    193. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    194. Wind ×2
    195. Converter
    196. Wind
    197. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    198. Wind ×3
    199. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    200. Wind
    201. Converter
    202. Wind ×2
    203. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    204. Wind ×3
    205. Converter
    206. Wind
    207. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    208. Wind
    209. ThistleThistle
    210. Wind ×2
    211. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    212. Wind ×3
    213. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    214. Wind
    215. Converter
    216. Wind ×4
    217. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    218. NettleNettle
    219. Wind ×2
    220. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    221. Wind ×2
    222. Converter
    223. Wind ×3
    224. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    225. Wind ×2
    226. Con turret
    227. Wind
    228. Solar
    229. Wind ×2
    230. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    231. Wind ×3
    232. ValiantValiant
    233. Wind
    234. ThistleThistle
    235. Wind ×2
    236. ValiantValiant ×2
    237. Wind
    238. ValiantValiant
    239. Wind ×3
    240. Converter
    241. ValiantValiant
    242. Wind
    243. ValiantValiant
    244. Wind ×2
    245. ValiantValiant
    246. Wind ×2
    247. ValiantValiant
    248. Wind
    249. Converter
    250. ValiantValiant
    251. Wind
    252. Con turret
    253. Wind
    254. ValiantValiant
    255. Wind ×2
    256. ValiantValiant
    257. Con turret
    258. Wind ×2
    259. Converter
    260. Wind
    261. ValiantValiant
    262. Wind
    263. ValiantValiant
    264. Wind
    265. Con turret
    266. Wind
    267. ValiantValiant
    268. Wind ×2
    269. ThistleThistle
    270. ValiantValiant
    271. Converter
    272. ValiantValiant
    273. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 13:50
    274. Wind ×2
    275. ValiantValiant
    276. Wind ×2
    277. Converter
    278. ValiantValiant ×2
    279. Wind
    280. ValiantValiant
    281. Wind
    282. Advanced solar
    283. ValiantValiant ×2
    284. Wind
    285. ValiantValiant
    286. Converter
    287. ValiantValiant ×2
    288. Wind ×2
    289. ValiantValiant ×4
    290. Wind
    291. NettleNettle
    292. Converter
    293. ValiantValiant ×2
    294. Wind
    295. ValiantValiant
    296. Wind ×2
    297. ValiantValiant ×2
    298. Wind ×2
    299. ValiantValiant ×2
    300. Converter
    301. ValiantValiant ×3
    302. Wind
    303. ValiantValiant
    304. Wind
    305. ValiantValiant ×2
    306. ThistleThistle
    307. ValiantValiant ×3
    308. Wind
    309. Converter
    310. NettleNettle
    311. ValiantValiant ×2
    312. Wind
    313. ValiantValiant ×4
    314. Wind
    315. ValiantValiant ×3
    316. Wind
    317. Wind ×2
    318. ValiantValiant
    319. Converter
    320. ValiantValiant
    321. Wind
    322. ValiantValiant ×2
    323. Wind
    324. ValiantValiant ×3
    325. Wind
    326. ValiantValiant

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is bob7's (31 OS, 14/10/2026); pick another.

Team trades

IN AT LEAST 30% OF ITS GAMES

You hand over

  • Finch2 Finch to Geo sea or Beach seafirst at 1:50 · 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 71% 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

1820 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
6:003709102124
7:005089146167
8:006903190219
9:009285231271
10:0011765292380
11:0014373367535
12:0017074512780
13:00198647751095
14:002271012621682
15:002573918112415
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

bob7

31.0 OS · 14/10/2026

Open source match ↗

4 received units · includes a constructor
2253 metal received · 35698 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=1820
Advanced Metal Extractor6:54Middle 50%: 6:27–7:26 · n=1760
Fusion Reactor10:52Middle 50%: 9:45–12:16 · n=1165

Played most by

TheGeneraI114games of this buildDad_The_Speedrunner72games of this buildHunfore62games of this buildDRM52games of this buildMilkdragon52games of this build