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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 · 4 steps
    1. Mex ×3
    2. Wind ×7
    3. Energy storage
    4. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 1:52 · 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 · 20 steps
    1. FinchFinchfor Geo sea
    2. HerculesLight transportfor Geo sea
    3. FinchFinchfor Beach sea
    4. HephaestusHeavy transportfor Beach sea
    5. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    6. Con turret ×3
    7. Mex
    8. HephaestusHeavy transportfor Pond
    9. Wind
    10. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    11. Wind ×6
    12. ValiantValiant
    13. Wind ×2
    14. HerculesLight transportfor Tech
    15. Wind
    16. ShurikenShuriken
    17. HerculesLight transportfor Pond
    18. Wind ×2
    19. ValiantValiant
    20. Wind ×3
  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 · 294 steps
    1. Wind
    2. Converter ×3
    3. Wind
    4. Converter
    5. Wind
    6. Converter ×2
    7. Wind ×2
    8. Converter ×2
    9. Wind
    10. Converter ×2
    11. Wind ×2
    12. Converter
    13. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex ×3done 6:20 · typical 6:48
    14. Con turret ×2
    15. Advanced Metal ExtractorT2 mex
    16. Con turret ×4
    17. Wind
    18. Con turret
    19. Wind ×3
    20. Con turret
    21. Wind ×4
    22. Con turret
    23. Wind ×2
    24. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantdone 8:40
    25. Wind ×3
    26. Construction AircraftCon aircraftfor Tech
    27. Wind ×2
    28. Construction AircraftCon aircraft
    29. Wind ×3
    30. ValiantValiant
    31. Wind
    32. ValiantValiant
    33. Wind ×2
    34. ValiantValiant
    35. Wind ×2
    36. ValiantValiant
    37. Wind
    38. ValiantValiant
    39. Wind
    40. ValiantValiant
    41. Wind
    42. Converter
    43. ValiantValiant ×2
    44. Wind ×2
    45. ValiantValiant
    46. Wind
    47. Converter
    48. ValiantValiant
    49. Wind ×2
    50. ValiantValiant
    51. Wind
    52. Converter
    53. ValiantValiant
    54. Wind ×2
    55. ValiantValiant
    56. Wind
    57. ValiantValiant
    58. Converter
    59. Wind ×2
    60. ValiantValiant
    61. Wind
    62. ValiantValiant
    63. Wind
    64. Converter
    65. ValiantValiant
    66. Wind ×2
    67. ValiantValiant
    68. Wind
    69. Converter
    70. ValiantValiant
    71. Wind ×2
    72. ValiantValiant
    73. Wind
    74. ValiantValiant
    75. Converter
    76. Wind ×2
    77. ValiantValiant
    78. Wind
    79. Converter
    80. Wind
    81. ValiantValiant
    82. Wind
    83. Converter
    84. ValiantValiant
    85. Wind
    86. ValiantValiant
    87. Wind
    88. Converter
    89. ValiantValiant
    90. Wind ×2
    91. ValiantValiant
    92. Converter
    93. Wind ×3
    94. ValiantValiant
    95. Wind ×2
    96. Converter
    97. ValiantValiant
    98. Wind ×2
    99. ValiantValiant
    100. Wind
    101. Converter
    102. Wind
    103. ValiantValiant
    104. Wind
    105. Con turret
    106. ValiantValiant
    107. Converter
    108. Wind
    109. ValiantValiant
    110. Wind
    111. Converter
    112. ValiantValiant
    113. Con turret
    114. Wind
    115. ValiantValiant
    116. Wind
    117. ShurikenShuriken
    118. Converter
    119. ShurikenShuriken
    120. Wind
    121. ShurikenShuriken
    122. Con turret
    123. Wind
    124. Converter
    125. ShurikenShuriken
    126. Wind
    127. ShurikenShuriken
    128. Con turret
    129. Wind
    130. ShurikenShuriken
    131. Converter
    132. Wind
    133. ShurikenShuriken
    134. Wind
    135. Con turret
    136. Converter
    137. ShurikenShuriken
    138. Wind
    139. Converter
    140. Wind
    141. ShurikenShuriken
    142. Converter
    143. ShurikenShuriken
    144. Wind ×2
    145. ShurikenShuriken
    146. Converter
    147. ShurikenShuriken
    148. Wind ×2
    149. ShurikenShuriken
    150. Wind ×2
    151. ShurikenShuriken
    152. Converter
    153. Wind ×2
    154. ShurikenShuriken
    155. Wind
    156. Converter
    157. Wind
    158. ShurikenShuriken
    159. Wind ×2
    160. ShurikenShuriken
    161. Wind ×2
    162. Converter
    163. ShurikenShuriken
    164. Wind ×3
    165. ShurikenShuriken
    166. Wind ×3
    167. ShurikenShuriken
    168. Converter
    169. Wind
    170. ShurikenShuriken
    171. Wind
    172. Con turret
    173. ValiantValiant
    174. Wind
    175. Converter
    176. Wind
    177. ValiantValiant
    178. Wind ×2
    179. Converter
    180. Con turret
    181. Wind
    182. ValiantValiant
    183. Wind
    184. Converter
    185. Wind
    186. ValiantValiant
    187. Wind ×3
    188. Con turret
    189. Wind
    190. ValiantValiant
    191. Wind
    192. Con turret
    193. Wind
    194. ValiantValiant
    195. Wind
    196. Con turret
    197. Wind ×2
    198. Con turret
    199. ValiantValiant
    200. Wind ×3
    201. ValiantValiant
    202. Wind ×2
    203. Con turret
    204. Wind ×2
    205. ValiantValiant
    206. Wind ×2
    207. Con turret
    208. Wind
    209. ValiantValiant
    210. Wind ×4
    211. ValiantValiant
    212. Wind
    213. Converter
    214. ValiantValiant
    215. Wind
    216. Converter
    217. Wind
    218. ValiantValiant
    219. Wind ×2
    220. Converter
    221. ValiantValiant
    222. Wind ×3
    223. Converter
    224. ValiantValiant
    225. Wind ×2
    226. ValiantValiant
    227. Wind ×2
    228. Converter
    229. ValiantValiant
    230. Wind ×3
    231. ValiantValiant
    232. Converter
    233. Wind ×2
    234. ValiantValiant
    235. Wind ×2
    236. ValiantValiant
    237. Wind
    238. Converter
    239. ValiantValiant
    240. Wind
    241. ValiantValiant
    242. Wind ×2
    243. ValiantValiant
    244. Wind
    245. ValiantValiant
    246. Wind ×2
    247. Converter
    248. ValiantValiant
    249. Wind ×3
    250. Converter
    251. ValiantValiant
    252. Wind ×2
    253. Converter
    254. ValiantValiant
    255. Wind
    256. Converter
    257. Wind
    258. ValiantValiant
    259. Wind ×3
    260. Converter
    261. Wind
    262. Fusion ReactorFusiondone 13:54 · typical 10:55
    263. Converter
    264. Wind ×4
    265. Converter
    266. Wind
    267. Converter
    268. Wind ×4
    269. Converter
    270. Wind ×3
    271. Converter
    272. Wind ×3
    273. Converter
    274. Wind ×3
    275. Converter
    276. Wind ×3
    277. Converter
    278. Wind ×2
    279. Converter
    280. Wind ×2
    281. Converter
    282. Fusion ReactorFusion
    283. Wind
    284. Converter
    285. Wind ×2
    286. Converter
    287. T2 converter
    288. Wind
    289. Converter
    290. Wind
    291. T2 converter
    292. Wind ×5
    293. Aircraft PlantAircraft Plantnot finished by 15:00
    294. Wind ×3

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is Dad_The_Speedrunner's (35 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

Dad_The_Speedrunner

35.3 OS · 02/10/2026

Open source match ↗

6 received units · includes a constructor
141 metal received · 86548 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