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

0:03Take 3 mex and open straight into Aircraft Plant.
by 1:23Finish Aircraft Plant, start pumping Valiant for escort duty.
5:58Get T2 constructor going to scale eco alongside air production.
6:50Add Advanced Metal Extractor to keep pace with team's economy.
10:57Bring Fusion Reactor online, keep making Hercules and Finch for allies.

Phase by phase

TYPICAL OF ITS 555 GAMES

10:00
21:03
35:00

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
Up to the Aircraft Plant
0:00 – 1:03
Economy
- 3Mex
- 4Wind
Order
1. Aircraft Plant ~1:03after 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 · 4 steps
1. 0:03Mex ×3
2. 0:32Wind ×4
3. 0:56Energy storage
4. 1:11Aircraft Plantdone 1:29 · typical 1:22
2
Aircraft Plant to 5:00
1:03 – 5:00
Economy
- 1Mex
- 9Wind
- 3Wind
Builders
- 2 Con turret
- 1 Con aircraft
Army
- 5 Valiant
- 2 Finch for allies
- 2 Light transport for allies
- 1 Heavy transport for allies
- 1 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 · 36 steps
1. 1:30Wind
2. 1:31Valiant
3. 1:36Wind
4. 1:45Light transportfor Beach sea
5. 1:46Wind
6. 1:56Finchfor Beach sea
7. 2:01Wind
8. 2:05Finchfor Geo sea
9. 2:12Con aircraft
10. 2:16Wind
11. 2:28Valiant
12. 2:32Wind ×2
13. 2:42Con turret
14. 2:47Valiant
15. 3:00Wind
16. 3:04Whirlwind
17. 3:04Shuriken
18. 3:05Wind
19. 3:10Shuriken
20. 3:11Wind
21. 3:16Shuriken
22. 3:22Mex
23. 3:34Valiant ×3
24. 3:58Con turret
25. 3:59Wind
26. 4:06Valiant
27. 4:07Light transportfor Tech
28. 4:19Light transport
29. 4:30Valiant
30. 4:30Converter
31. 4:31Wind
32. 4:38Valiant
33. 4:43Con turret
34. 4:49Wind
35. 4:57Con turret
36. 4:59Con bot
3
5:00 to 10:00
5:00 – 10:00
Economy
- 20Wind
- 5Wind
- 6Converter
Order
1. Aircraft Plant ~8:11after 18 wind, 17 wind, 6 converterin 58% of games
Builders
- 4 Con turret
Army
- 9 Valiant
- 1 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 · 415 steps
1. 5:08Wind
2. 5:09Con bot
3. 5:12Con turret
4. 5:26Wind
5. 5:26Converter
6. 5:32Anemone
7. 5:33Converter
8. 5:38Wind ×7
9. 5:56Mexfor Suicide front
10. 5:57Wind ×5
11. 6:07Con turret
12. 6:08Mexfor Suicide front
13. 6:13Wind ×2
14. 6:16Con turret
15. 6:20Wind
16. 6:22Mexfor Suicide front
17. 6:25Shipyarddone 6:58
18. 6:26Wind ×2
19. 6:31T2 mexdone 6:44 · typical 6:50
20. 6:32Wind ×3
21. 6:48T2 mex
22. 6:51Wind ×2
23. 6:59Submarinefor Geo seadone 7:19
24. 7:01T2 mex
25. 7:07Wind
26. 7:13T2 mex
27. 7:14Wind
28. 7:20Con shipfor Geo sea
29. 7:21Wind ×2
30. 7:32Bot Labdone 7:36
31. 7:33Skaterfor Geo sea
32. 7:36Con bot
33. 7:37Wind
34. 7:40Con bot
35. 7:42Dolphinfor Geo sea
36. 7:43Con bot
37. 7:44Wind
38. 7:47Con bot
39. 7:49Dolphinfor Geo sea
40. 7:51Con bot ×2
41. 7:56Dolphinfor Geo sea
42. 7:58Con bot ×2
43. 8:03Dolphinfor Geo sea
44. 8:05Con bot
45. 8:06T2 mex
46. 8:08Con bot
47. 8:10Dolphinfor Geo sea
48. 8:11Wind ×2
49. 8:12Con bot
50. 8:14Wind
51. 8:17Aircraft Plantdone 8:36
52. 8:19Con bot
53. 8:21Wind ×2
54. 8:35Con bot
55. 8:36Mex
56. 8:37Wind ×2
57. 8:42Con bot
58. 8:43Naval Radar / Sonar Tower
59. 8:44Wind
60. 8:49Con bot
61. 8:50Wind ×2
62. 8:53Valiant
63. 8:56Wind
64. 8:57Valiant
65. 8:58Wind ×2
66. 9:02Valiant
67. 9:03Wind ×4
68. 9:09Con aircraft
69. 9:11T2 mex
70. 9:11Wind ×2
71. 9:15Con aircraft
72. 9:15Wind ×2
73. 9:15Con turret
74. 9:18Wind ×2
75. 9:20Con turret
76. 9:24Wind ×3
77. 9:26Con aircraft
78. 9:27Wind
79. 9:29Con turret
80. 9:30Wind ×4
81. 9:34Con aircraft
82. 9:34Con turret
83. 9:35Wind ×2
84. 9:38T2 mex
85. 9:39Wind ×2
86. 9:39Con turret
87. 9:40Wind
88. 9:40Shuriken
89. 9:41Wind ×2
90. 9:44Shuriken
91. 9:44Wind
92. 9:45Shuriken
93. 9:46Wind ×3
94. 9:47Shuriken
95. 9:49Wind
96. 9:50Shuriken
97. 9:50Wind ×4
98. 9:52Shuriken ×2
99. 9:56Wind ×3
100. 9:58Shuriken
101. 9:59Wind ×2
102. 10:00Shuriken
103. 10:02Wind ×2
104. 10:03Shuriken
105. 10:03Converter ×2
106. 10:05Wind
107. 10:06Con aircraft
108. 10:07Converter ×3
109. 10:08Wind ×5
110. 10:11Valiant
111. 10:11Wind ×2
112. 10:13Valiant
113. 10:15Wind
114. 10:16Valiant
115. 10:16Wind ×3
116. 10:18Valiant
117. 10:19Wind ×2
118. 10:20Valiant
119. 10:21Wind
120. 10:22Valiant
121. 10:23Wind ×2
122. 10:24Valiant
123. 10:25Wind ×3
124. 10:27Valiant
125. 10:28Wind ×2
126. 10:29Valiant
127. 10:30T2 mex
128. 10:31Valiant
129. 10:32Wind ×4
130. 10:33Converter
131. 10:34Valiant
132. 10:34Wind ×2
133. 10:36Valiant
134. 10:36Converter
135. 10:37Wind
136. 10:38Valiant
137. 10:39Wind ×2
138. 10:40Valiant
139. 10:42Wind ×2
140. 10:44Valiant
141. 10:46Wind
142. 10:46Converter
143. 10:46Wind
144. 10:47Converter
145. 10:47Wind
146. 10:47Valiant
147. 10:47Wind ×2
148. 10:49Converter
149. 10:49Wind
150. 10:50Valiant
151. 10:50Wind
152. 10:50Converter
153. 10:52Wind
154. 10:54Valiant
155. 10:58Wind ×2
156. 11:03Converter
157. 11:05Wind ×3
158. 11:10Valiant
159. 11:10Wind ×2
160. 11:14Converter
161. 11:16Wind
162. 11:22Valiant
163. 11:23Converter
164. 11:24Wind ×4
165. 11:25Converter
166. 11:27Valiant
167. 11:30Wind
168. 11:30Valiant
169. 11:31Converter
170. 11:32Wind ×2
171. 11:32Valiant
172. 11:33Wind
173. 11:33Converter
174. 11:33Wind
175. 11:34Valiant
176. 11:35Converter
177. 11:36Valiant
178. 11:38Wind
179. 11:38Valiant
180. 11:39Wind
181. 11:39Advanced Bot Labdone 12:17
182. 11:40Wind ×2
183. 11:40Valiant
184. 11:41Wind
185. 11:42Valiant
186. 11:43Converter ×2
187. 11:44Valiant
188. 11:45Wind
189. 11:46Valiant
190. 11:47Wind ×4
191. 11:48Valiant ×2
192. 11:52Wind
193. 11:52Valiant
194. 11:52Converter
195. 11:54Wind ×2
196. 11:54Valiant
197. 11:55Wind ×2
198. 11:56Valiant
199. 11:57Converter
200. 11:58Valiant
201. 11:59Wind
202. 12:00Valiant
203. 12:01Converter
204. 12:02Wind ×3
205. 12:02Valiant
206. 12:02Wind
207. 12:03Converter ×2
208. 12:04Valiant ×2
209. 12:08Wind
210. 12:08Valiant
211. 12:09Wind ×3
212. 12:10Valiant
213. 12:11Wind
214. 12:11Converter
215. 12:12Valiant
216. 12:12Converter ×2
217. 12:14Shuriken ×2
218. 12:16Wind ×3
219. 12:17Shuriken
220. 12:18Welder
221. 12:18Wind ×2
222. 12:19Shuriken ×2
223. 12:21Converter
224. 12:22Shuriken
225. 12:22Converter
226. 12:23Wind ×2
227. 12:23Shuriken
228. 12:24Wind ×2
229. 12:25Shuriken
230. 12:25Wind
231. 12:26Shuriken
232. 12:26Radar bot
233. 12:28Shuriken
234. 12:29Converter
235. 12:29Valiant
236. 12:30Wind ×3
237. 12:31Valiant
238. 12:32Wind
239. 12:32Jammer bot
240. 12:32Wind
241. 12:33Converter
242. 12:33Valiant ×2
243. 12:36Converter
244. 12:37Wind
245. 12:37Valiant
246. 12:37Wind ×2
247. 12:38Sniper botnot finished by 15:00
248. 12:39Wind ×2
249. 12:39Valiant
250. 12:39Sniper bot
251. 12:41Valiant ×2
252. 12:43Sniper bot
253. 12:44Wind
254. 12:44Converter
255. 12:45Wind ×2
256. 12:45Converter
257. 12:45Valiant
258. 12:45Converter
259. 12:46Wind ×2
260. 12:47Valiant ×2
261. 12:51Wind
262. 12:51Valiant
263. 12:52Wind ×2
264. 12:53Converter
265. 12:53Wind
266. 12:53Valiant
267. 12:54Wind
268. 12:55Valiant
269. 12:55Converter ×2
270. 12:57Valiant
271. 12:58Wind
272. 12:59Valiant
273. 13:00Wind ×4
274. 13:01Valiant
275. 13:01Con turret
276. 13:01Converter
277. 13:04Con turret
278. 13:05Converter
279. 13:06Wind ×4
280. 13:08Con turret
281. 13:08Wind
282. 13:08Shuriken
283. 13:11Valiant
284. 13:12Converter
285. 13:12Con turret
286. 13:13Converter
287. 13:14Wind ×3
288. 13:14Con turret
289. 13:14Wind ×2
290. 13:16Shuriken
291. 13:17Con turret
292. 13:19Valiant
293. 13:21Wind ×2
294. 13:21Shuriken
295. 13:21Wind ×2
296. 13:22Valiant
297. 13:23Wind
298. 13:23Converter ×2
299. 13:24Shuriken
300. 13:24Converter
301. 13:25Valiant
302. 13:26Shuriken
303. 13:27Valiant
304. 13:27Shuriken
305. 13:28Wind ×2
306. 13:29Shuriken
307. 13:29Wind ×2
308. 13:30Shuriken
309. 13:31Wind
310. 13:31Shuriken ×4
311. 13:34Converter ×2
312. 13:35Wind
313. 13:35Shuriken ×2
314. 13:36Wind
315. 13:37Shuriken
316. 13:37Wind
317. 13:37Converter
318. 13:37Wind
319. 13:38Shuriken
320. 13:38Wind
321. 13:39Shuriken ×4
322. 13:42Wind
323. 13:43Shuriken
324. 13:43Wind
325. 13:44Shuriken
326. 13:44Wind ×3
327. 13:45Shuriken
328. 13:45Converter
329. 13:46Shuriken
330. 13:46Converter
331. 13:47Shuriken
332. 13:47Converter
333. 13:48Shuriken ×2
334. 13:49Wind
335. 13:50Shuriken
336. 13:50Converter
337. 13:51Wind
338. 13:51Shuriken ×2
339. 13:52Wind ×3
340. 13:53Shuriken ×4
341. 13:56Converter
342. 13:57Shuriken ×2
343. 13:58Wind ×4
344. 13:59Shuriken
345. 13:59Wind
346. 14:00Shuriken ×2
347. 14:01Converter
348. 14:02Shuriken ×3
349. 14:04Converter
350. 14:05Shuriken
351. 14:05Wind ×3
352. 14:06Shuriken
353. 14:06Wind ×2
354. 14:07Shuriken
355. 14:07Converter
356. 14:08Shuriken ×5
357. 14:12Converter
358. 14:12Wind
359. 14:13Shuriken
360. 14:13Wind ×3
361. 14:14Shuriken ×2
362. 14:15Wind
363. 14:16Shuriken
364. 14:16Bot Labdone 14:19
365. 14:17Shuriken
366. 14:18Converter
367. 14:18Shuriken
368. 14:19Converter
369. 14:20Wind
370. 14:20Shuriken
371. 14:20Wind ×3
372. 14:21Shuriken
373. 14:22Wind
374. 14:22Shuriken ×2
375. 14:23Converter
376. 14:24Shuriken ×3
377. 14:27Wind ×2
378. 14:27Shuriken ×2
379. 14:28Converter
380. 14:29Wind ×2
381. 14:29Shuriken
382. 14:29Converter
383. 14:29Wind
384. 14:30Shuriken
385. 14:31Valiant
386. 14:32Converter
387. 14:33Valiant ×2
388. 14:34Wind
389. 14:36Valiant
390. 14:36Wind ×2
391. 14:36Graverobber
392. 14:36Wind ×2
393. 14:37Valiant
394. 14:38Converter
395. 14:39Graverobber
396. 14:41Valiant
397. 14:42Converter
398. 14:43Wind
399. 14:45Converter
400. 14:45Wind
401. 14:46Grunt
402. 14:47Wind
403. 14:47Valiant
404. 14:48Wind
405. 14:48Grunt
406. 14:48Wind
407. 14:50Grunt ×2
408. 14:52Wind ×2
409. 14:53Grunt
410. 14:53Converter
411. 14:54Wind
412. 14:54Converter
413. 14:55Grunt
414. 14:55Wind ×2
415. 14:57Grunt ×2

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is StoicMoose42's (35 OS, 11/09/2026); pick another.

Team trades

IN AT LEAST 30% OF ITS GAMES

You hand over

2 Finch to Geo sea or Beach seafirst at 1:51 · in 96% of games
3 Light transport to Tech or Geo sea or Geofirst at 2:06 · in 99% of games
1 Heavy transport to Beach sea or Pond or Techfirst at 2:26 · in 74% of games

You get

3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo seafirst at 1:40 · in 64% of games
3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo sea or Pondfirst at 1:44 · in 48% of games
1 Con bot from Techfirst at 2:20 · in 85% of games
1 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

By	Metal produced: This build	Enemy metal destroyed: This build	Own metal lost: This build
1:00	393	0	0
2:00	925	0	0
3:00	1459	0	0
4:00	2053	0	51
5:00	2765	73	109
6:00	3759	125	167
7:00	5136	190	219
8:00	7017	225	290
9:00	9298	258	342
10:00	11788	328	471
11:00	14383	440	641
12:00	17097	606	958
13:00	19943	933	1269
14:00	22653	1417	1801
15:00	25543	2060	2701

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

StoicMoose42

35.5 OS · 11/09/2026

Open source match ↗

27 received units · includes a constructor
510 metal received · 42734 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 build Adeus33games of this build CentientWaffle32games of this build Nutzz28games of this build Immort26games of this build

Supporting games

Pick a game to read and play it above.

Lexosis01/10/2026 · 38 OS↗krtf01/10/2026 · 45 OS↗UsurpeR30/09/2026 · 45 OS↗WaterBoy30/09/2026 · 36 OS↗Gieds30/09/2026 · 46 OS↗DRM30/09/2026 · 44 OS↗MischievousDragonGF30/09/2026 · 43 OS↗NFX_Scurvy30/09/2026 · 36 OS↗StoicMoose4211/09/2026 · 35 OS↗

32 more of 616, the most recent

Fullchord30/09/2026 · 36 OS↗Gieds29/09/2026 · 45 OS↗Immort29/09/2026 · 55 OS↗Nutzz29/09/2026 · 42 OS↗Nutzz29/09/2026 · 42 OS↗Gieds29/09/2026 · 45 OS↗NFX_Scurvy29/09/2026 · 36 OS↗[MooDeng]NongJohn29/09/2026 · 41 OS↗NFX_Scurvy29/09/2026 · 37 OS↗Hummell28/09/2026 · 46 OS↗Hummell28/09/2026 · 46 OS↗Adeus28/09/2026 · 35 OS↗zeus_on_god28/09/2026 · 37 OS↗Nutzz28/09/2026 · 42 OS↗Lexosis28/09/2026 · 37 OS↗matje2o28/09/2026 · 35 OS↗Lexosis28/09/2026 · 36 OS↗_Hawkey_28/09/2026 · 61 OS↗Hummell28/09/2026 · 46 OS↗Hummell28/09/2026 · 46 OS↗NFX_Scurvy28/09/2026 · 37 OS↗NFX_Scurvy28/09/2026 · 37 OS↗_Hawkey_28/09/2026 · 61 OS↗EpicTyrannus28/09/2026 · 42 OS↗Hummell28/09/2026 · 45 OS↗Hummell28/09/2026 · 45 OS↗Tregan28/09/2026 · 39 OS↗Hummell28/09/2026 · 45 OS↗Tregan28/09/2026 · 39 OS↗Rysica27/09/2026 · 35 OS↗Immort27/09/2026 · 57 OS↗HamoodLovesEstorage27/09/2026 · 49 OS↗

Supreme Isthmus v2.1
Beyond All Reason test-31251-0ceadc7
Naval balance tweaks off

Standard air

Phase by phase

Up to the Aircraft Plant

Aircraft Plant to 5:00

5:00 to 10:00

Team trades

You hand over

You get

How it plays out

Metal produced

Enemy metal destroyed

Own metal lost

StoicMoose42

Typical milestones

Played most by

Supporting games