BAR / BUILD ATLAS
← All builds
Air / Cortex / Economy first / OBSERVED BUILD

Standard air

Cortex Air build order · Supreme Isthmus

The role's baseline: Aircraft Plant immediately, transports and scouts for the team first, Advanced Metal Extractor and Fusion Reactor on a normal timeline, transitioning into Valiant fighter coverage over the game.

Usually transports first (72%)

#eco #team support #air · 583 distinct matches · 119 players · 79% of Cortex Air games · team won 47% of 655 · 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 583 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 ~1:24, middle half 1:13–1:35

    Some games also: energy storage (39%)

    By 1:03 in all: 3 mex · 4 wind

    The example game in this phase · 5 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Wind ×4
    3. Energy storage
    4. Wind
    5. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 1:35 · typical 1:24
  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 · 34 steps
    1. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    2. FinchFinch
    3. FinchFinchfor Beach sea
    4. Mex
    5. FinchFinchfor Geo sea
    6. HephaestusHeavy transportfor Beach sea
    7. HerculesLight transport
    8. HerculesLight transportfor Tech
    9. Con turret
    10. ValiantValiant ×2
    11. Wind ×2
    12. Wind
    13. Wind
    14. ValiantValiant
    15. Wind ×2
    16. Wind
    17. Con turret
    18. ShurikenShuriken
    19. Wind
    20. Wind
    21. Wind
    22. Wind
    23. HerculesLight transport
    24. Wind ×2
    25. Con turret
    26. Wind ×2
    27. Con turret
    28. Converter
    29. Wind
    30. Converter
    31. Wind
    32. Converter ×2
    33. Wind
    34. Converter ×2
  3. 3

    5:00 to 10:00

    Economy
    • Wind Turbine20Wind
    • Wind Turbine4Wind
    • Energy Converter6Converter
    Order
    1. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plant after 18 wind, 17 wind, 6 converterin 57% of games
    Builders
    • Construction Turret4 Con turret
    Army
    • Valiant9 Valiant
    • Shuriken1 Shuriken

    Some games also: con aircraft (35%) · fusion (34%) · 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 · 342 steps
    1. Wind ×2
    2. Converter
    3. Wind ×3
    4. Converter
    5. Wind ×2
    6. Converter
    7. Wind ×2
    8. Converter ×2
    9. Wind ×2
    10. Converter
    11. Wind ×5
    12. Converter
    13. Wind
    14. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mexdone 6:25 · typical 6:48
    15. Converter
    16. Con turret
    17. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    18. Wind ×2
    19. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    20. Wind
    21. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    22. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 7:23
    23. Con turret
    24. Wind
    25. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    26. Con turret
    27. Wind
    28. Converter
    29. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    30. Converter
    31. Wind
    32. Con turret
    33. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    34. Converter
    35. Wind ×2
    36. Converter
    37. Wind ×3
    38. FalconFighter
    39. Wind
    40. Converter
    41. Wind ×3
    42. Converter
    43. Wind
    44. FalconFighter
    45. Con turret
    46. Converter
    47. FalconFighter
    48. Wind
    49. Converter
    50. FalconFighter
    51. Con turret
    52. Wind
    53. FalconFighter
    54. Wind
    55. Converter
    56. FalconFighter
    57. Converter
    58. Wind
    59. Con turret
    60. FalconFighter
    61. Wind
    62. Converter
    63. FalconFighter
    64. Converter
    65. Wind ×2
    66. FalconFighter
    67. Wind ×3
    68. Converter
    69. Wind ×2
    70. FalconFighter
    71. Wind ×2
    72. FalconFighter
    73. Wind ×3
    74. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 9:17
    75. Wind ×3
    76. FalconFighter
    77. Wind ×6
    78. Converter
    79. FalconFighter
    80. ShurikenShuriken
    81. Wind ×3
    82. Converter
    83. Wind ×2
    84. ShurikenShuriken
    85. Wind ×2
    86. ShurikenShuriken
    87. FalconFighter
    88. Wind ×2
    89. ShurikenShuriken
    90. Converter
    91. Wind ×3
    92. ShurikenShuriken
    93. Wind ×3
    94. Con turret
    95. FalconFighter
    96. Wind ×5
    97. ShurikenShuriken
    98. Converter
    99. Wind ×4
    100. FalconFighter
    101. ShurikenShuriken
    102. Wind ×2
    103. Converter
    104. ShurikenShuriken
    105. Wind ×2
    106. FalconFighter
    107. Wind
    108. ShurikenShuriken
    109. Wind
    110. Converter
    111. Wind ×2
    112. FalconFighter
    113. Wind
    114. ShurikenShuriken
    115. FalconFighter
    116. Converter
    117. Wind ×3
    118. ValiantValiant
    119. Wind ×2
    120. FalconFighter
    121. Converter
    122. ValiantValiant
    123. Wind ×3
    124. FalconFighter
    125. Wind ×3
    126. ValiantValiant
    127. Converter
    128. Wind
    129. FalconFighter
    130. Wind ×2
    131. ValiantValiant
    132. Converter
    133. Wind ×3
    134. ValiantValiant
    135. FalconFighter
    136. Wind
    137. Converter
    138. Wind ×2
    139. ValiantValiant
    140. Wind ×3
    141. Converter
    142. FalconFighter
    143. ValiantValiant
    144. Wind ×3
    145. ValiantValiant
    146. FalconFighter
    147. Wind
    148. Converter
    149. Wind
    150. Con turret
    151. ValiantValiant
    152. Con turret
    153. Wind
    154. FalconFighter
    155. Wind
    156. Con turret
    157. Wind ×2
    158. Con turret
    159. Wind ×2
    160. ValiantValiant
    161. Wind
    162. Con turret
    163. Wind ×3
    164. FalconFighter
    165. Wind ×2
    166. ValiantValiant
    167. Wind ×3
    168. FalconFighter
    169. ValiantValiant
    170. Wind ×2
    171. FalconFighter
    172. Wind
    173. ValiantValiant
    174. Wind
    175. FalconFighter
    176. Wind ×2
    177. ValiantValiant
    178. Wind
    179. FalconFighter
    180. Wind
    181. Converter
    182. ValiantValiant
    183. Wind
    184. FalconFighter
    185. Wind
    186. ValiantValiant
    187. Wind ×2
    188. Converter
    189. FalconFighter
    190. Con turret
    191. Wind
    192. ValiantValiant
    193. Wind
    194. FalconFighter
    195. Converter
    196. Wind
    197. ValiantValiant
    198. Wind
    199. FalconFighter
    200. Con turret
    201. ValiantValiant
    202. Wind ×2
    203. Converter
    204. FalconFighter
    205. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    206. Wind ×2
    207. StormbringerBomber
    208. Wind
    209. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    210. Wind ×2
    211. Converter
    212. StormbringerBomber
    213. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    214. Wind ×2
    215. StormbringerBomber
    216. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    217. Converter
    218. Wind
    219. StormbringerBomber
    220. Wind
    221. WhirlwindWhirlwind
    222. Converter
    223. Con turret
    224. Wind
    225. StormbringerBomber
    226. Wind
    227. Converter
    228. Wind
    229. ValiantValiant ×2
    230. Wind ×2
    231. Converter
    232. Con turret
    233. ValiantValiant
    234. Wind ×2
    235. ValiantValiant
    236. Converter
    237. Wind ×2
    238. ValiantValiant
    239. Wind
    240. ValiantValiant
    241. Wind
    242. Con turret
    243. ValiantValiant
    244. Wind
    245. Converter
    246. Wind
    247. ValiantValiant
    248. Wind ×2
    249. ValiantValiant
    250. Wind ×3
    251. Converter
    252. ValiantValiant
    253. Wind ×4
    254. ValiantValiant
    255. Wind ×2
    256. ValiantValiant
    257. Wind ×4
    258. Converter
    259. ValiantValiant
    260. Wind ×3
    261. ValiantValiant
    262. Wind ×4
    263. ValiantValiant
    264. Wind
    265. Converter
    266. Wind ×3
    267. ValiantValiant
    268. Wind ×2
    269. ValiantValiant
    270. Wind
    271. ValiantValiant
    272. Wind ×2
    273. Converter
    274. ValiantValiant
    275. Wind ×3
    276. ValiantValiant
    277. Wind
    278. ValiantValiant
    279. Wind ×2
    280. Converter
    281. Wind
    282. ValiantValiant
    283. Wind ×2
    284. ValiantValiant
    285. Wind ×2
    286. ValiantValiant
    287. Wind ×3
    288. Converter
    289. ValiantValiant
    290. Wind ×2
    291. ValiantValiant
    292. Advanced Fusion ReactorAdvanced Fusion Reactornot finished by 15:00
    293. Wind
    294. ValiantValiant
    295. Wind
    296. Converter
    297. Wind ×2
    298. Converter
    299. Wind ×2
    300. ValiantValiant
    301. Wind
    302. Converter ×2
    303. Wind
    304. ValiantValiant
    305. Wind
    306. Converter
    307. Wind
    308. Converter
    309. Wind
    310. ValiantValiant
    311. Wind
    312. Converter
    313. Wind ×2
    314. Converter
    315. Wind
    316. ValiantValiant
    317. Wind ×2
    318. Converter
    319. Wind ×2
    320. ValiantValiant
    321. FinchFinchfor Tech
    322. Wind
    323. Converter
    324. Wind ×2
    325. FinchFinch
    326. Wind
    327. Converter
    328. Wind ×2
    329. Converter
    330. Wind ×3
    331. Converter
    332. Wind ×5
    333. Converter
    334. Wind
    335. ValiantValiant
    336. Wind
    337. Converter
    338. Wind
    339. Converter
    340. Wind ×3
    341. Converter
    342. Wind ×3

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is Fakepilot's (36 OS, 02/10/2026); 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 2:25 · in 75% of games

You get

  • Wind Turbine3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo seafirst at 1:39 · in 65% of games
  • Wind Turbine3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo sea or Pondfirst at 1:44 · in 49% 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

655 games.

Show as table
ByMetal produced: This buildEnemy metal destroyed: This buildOwn metal lost: This build
1:0039300
2:0092500
3:00145900
4:002055051
5:00276673116
6:003769125167
7:005146190219
8:007021226290
9:009346260342
10:0011817328467
11:0014409438638
12:0017109605950
13:00199519421277
14:002267214281816
15:002558320892709
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

Fakepilot

35.8 OS · 02/10/2026

Open source match ↗

6 received units · includes a constructor
246 metal received · 79622 energy received

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

Typical milestones

Aircraft Plant1:24Middle 50%: 1:13–1:35 · n=655
Advanced Metal Extractor6:48Middle 50%: 6:21–7:25 · n=629
Fusion Reactor10:55Middle 50%: 9:56–12:17 · n=401

Played most by

DRM38games of this buildAdeus33games of this buildTheGeneraI32games of this buildNutzz28games of this buildImmort27games of this build