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 · 552 distinct matches · 116 players · 79% of Cortex Air games · team won 47% of 621 · 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 552 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 · 5 steps
1. 0:03Mex ×3
2. 0:31Wind ×4
3. 0:57Energy storage
4. 1:07Wind
5. 1:19Aircraft Plantdone 1:37 · 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 · 25 steps
1. 1:38Finch ×2for Beach sea
2. 1:50Light transport ×2for Geo sea
3. 2:10Finch
4. 2:11Shuriken
5. 2:18Wind
6. 2:23Finch
7. 2:34Valiant
8. 2:45Wind ×2
9. 2:57Valiant
10. 2:58Wind ×3
11. 3:18Valiant
12. 3:19Finch
13. 3:21Mex
14. 3:25Valiant ×3
15. 3:49Con aircraft
16. 3:50Finch
17. 3:55Wind
18. 3:56Con aircraft
19. 4:08Light transportfor Tech
20. 4:11Con turret
21. 4:15Wind
22. 4:19Light transport ×2for Tech
23. 4:36Wind
24. 4:53Con turret
25. 4:56Wind
3
5:00 to 10:00
5:00 – 10:00
Economy
- 20Wind
- 4Wind
- 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 · 365 steps
1. 5:05Con turret
2. 5:17Wind
3. 5:24Converter
4. 5:30Wind
5. 5:33Converter
6. 5:33Wind
7. 5:37Converter
8. 5:39Wind
9. 5:42Converter
10. 5:45Wind
11. 5:47Converter
12. 5:48Wind ×2
13. 5:54Converter
14. 5:56Wind
15. 6:02T2 mexdone 6:27 · typical 6:50
16. 6:05Wind
17. 6:07T2 mex ×2
18. 6:26Wind
19. 6:27T2 mex
20. 6:48Wind ×2
21. 7:14Bot Labdone 7:43
22. 7:34Con turret
23. 7:44Con bot ×5
24. 8:05Wind
25. 8:08Con bot
26. 8:10Wind
27. 8:12Con bot
28. 8:16Wind
29. 8:16Con bot
30. 8:17Wind ×2
31. 8:20Con bot
32. 8:23Wind ×2
33. 8:25Con bot
34. 8:27Wind ×2
35. 8:30Con bot
36. 8:33Wind ×2
37. 8:35Con turret
38. 8:35Wind
39. 8:39Con turret
40. 8:44Wind ×5
41. 8:48Aircraft Plantdone 8:55
42. 8:50Wind ×3
43. 8:57Valiant
44. 8:57Wind ×4
45. 8:59Valiant
46. 9:02Con turret ×2
47. 9:04Valiant
48. 9:07Wind ×3
49. 9:09Con aircraft
50. 9:10Wind ×3
51. 9:15Converter
52. 9:15Valiant
53. 9:17Wind ×3
54. 9:19Valiant
55. 9:20Wind ×4
56. 9:26Converter
57. 9:28Valiant
58. 9:28Wind ×6
59. 9:36Valiant
60. 9:36Wind
61. 9:38Converter
62. 9:39Wind
63. 9:40Valiant
64. 9:40Wind ×4
65. 9:43Valiant
66. 9:44Wind
67. 9:46Converter
68. 9:46Wind
69. 9:46Valiant ×2
70. 9:51Wind ×2
71. 9:51Valiant
72. 9:52Wind ×2
73. 9:54Valiant
74. 9:54Wind ×2
75. 9:56Converter
76. 9:56Wind
77. 9:56Valiant
78. 9:57Con turret ×2
79. 10:01Wind
80. 10:01Con turret
81. 10:03Wind ×2
82. 10:04Valiant
83. 10:05Con turret
84. 10:07Wind ×3
85. 10:07Con turret
86. 10:12Wind
87. 10:12Valiant
88. 10:14Wind ×3
89. 10:17Valiant
90. 10:19Wind
91. 10:21Converter
92. 10:22Wind ×4
93. 10:25Valiant
94. 10:26Converter
95. 10:28Valiant
96. 10:30Wind ×2
97. 10:31Valiant
98. 10:31Converter ×2
99. 10:32Wind ×3
100. 10:33Valiant
101. 10:35Wind ×2
102. 10:36Converter
103. 10:36Valiant ×2
104. 10:40Wind
105. 10:40Converter
106. 10:41Valiant
107. 10:42Wind ×3
108. 10:43Valiant
109. 10:45Converter
110. 10:45Wind
111. 10:46Valiant
112. 10:46Wind
113. 10:48Valiant
114. 10:49Converter
115. 10:51Wind
116. 10:51Valiant
117. 10:53Wind ×2
118. 10:53Valiant
119. 10:54Wind ×2
120. 10:55Valiant
121. 10:55Converter
122. 10:57Wind
123. 10:57Valiant ×2
124. 11:01Wind
125. 11:04Valiant
126. 11:04Wind ×2
127. 11:05Converter
128. 11:06Wind ×2
129. 11:06Valiant ×2
130. 11:08Wind ×2
131. 11:10Valiant ×2
132. 11:12Wind
133. 11:13Converter
134. 11:15Wind
135. 11:15Valiant
136. 11:15Wind ×3
137. 11:17Valiant
138. 11:18Wind
139. 11:20Valiant
140. 11:21Converter
141. 11:22Valiant
142. 11:22Wind
143. 11:24Valiant
144. 11:25Wind
145. 11:26Valiant
146. 11:26Wind
147. 11:26Converter
148. 11:27Wind
149. 11:28Valiant
150. 11:29Wind ×2
151. 11:30Valiant ×2
152. 11:33Wind
153. 11:34Converter
154. 11:35Valiant
155. 11:37Wind ×2
156. 11:37Valiant
157. 11:38Converter
158. 11:39Wind
159. 11:40Valiant
160. 11:40Converter
161. 11:40Wind ×2
162. 11:42Valiant
163. 11:44Wind
164. 11:44Valiant ×2
165. 11:47Converter ×2
166. 11:48Wind
167. 11:48Valiant
168. 11:49Wind ×2
169. 11:51Valiant
170. 11:51Wind ×3
171. 11:54Valiant
172. 11:54Converter
173. 11:54Wind
174. 11:56Valiant
175. 11:57Wind
176. 11:57Converter ×2
177. 12:00Valiant
178. 12:01Wind ×5
179. 12:03Valiant
180. 12:04Wind
181. 12:04Converter
182. 12:05Wind
183. 12:06Converter
184. 12:06Valiant
185. 12:08Wind
186. 12:09Converter ×2
187. 12:10Valiant
188. 12:12Wind ×3
189. 12:13Converter
190. 12:13Valiant
191. 12:14Converter ×2
192. 12:16Wind
193. 12:16Valiant
194. 12:17Wind ×2
195. 12:18Converter ×2
196. 12:20Shuriken ×2
197. 12:23Converter
198. 12:23Wind ×3
199. 12:24Shuriken
200. 12:26Wind
201. 12:26Converter ×2
202. 12:27Shuriken
203. 12:28Wind ×2
204. 12:30Shuriken
205. 12:30Wind
206. 12:32Converter
207. 12:32Shuriken
208. 12:34Wind ×4
209. 12:35Shuriken
210. 12:37Wind
211. 12:38Converter
212. 12:38Wind
213. 12:38Shuriken
214. 12:39Wind ×2
215. 12:41Shuriken
216. 12:42Converter
217. 12:43Wind
218. 12:44Shuriken
219. 12:45Wind ×3
220. 12:45Converter
221. 12:46Wind
222. 12:46Shuriken
223. 12:47Wind
224. 12:49Shuriken
225. 12:49Wind
226. 12:50Converter
227. 12:50Wind
228. 12:51Shuriken
229. 12:51Wind
230. 12:52Shuriken
231. 12:54Wind
232. 12:54Converter
233. 12:55Shuriken
234. 12:55Wind ×4
235. 12:57Light transport
236. 12:58Wind
237. 13:00Shuriken
238. 13:00Converter
239. 13:01Wind
240. 13:01Shuriken
241. 13:02Wind ×2
242. 13:03Shuriken
243. 13:03Converter
244. 13:04Wind
245. 13:05Shuriken
246. 13:05Wind
247. 13:06Converter
248. 13:06Shuriken
249. 13:07Wind ×2
250. 13:08Valiant
251. 13:08Wind ×2
252. 13:09Shuriken ×2
253. 13:12Wind
254. 13:12Shuriken
255. 13:12Wind ×2
256. 13:13Shuriken
257. 13:14Wind
258. 13:15Shuriken
259. 13:16Wind
260. 13:17Valiant
261. 13:17Wind ×2
262. 13:18Converter
263. 13:18Wind
264. 13:19Valiant
265. 13:19Wind ×2
266. 13:21Valiant
267. 13:22Wind ×2
268. 13:23Valiant
269. 13:24Wind
270. 13:25Valiant
271. 13:26Wind
272. 13:27Converter
273. 13:27Valiant
274. 13:28Wind ×4
275. 13:30Valiant
276. 13:31Converter
277. 13:32Wind ×2
278. 13:33Valiant
279. 13:34Wind
280. 13:34Converter
281. 13:34Wind
282. 13:36Valiant
283. 13:38Wind
284. 13:38Converter
285. 13:39Wind ×2
286. 13:39Valiant
287. 13:40Converter
288. 13:41Wind ×2
289. 13:42Valiant
290. 13:44Wind
291. 13:44Converter
292. 13:44Wind
293. 13:45Converter
294. 13:45Valiant
295. 13:45Wind ×2
296. 13:47Converter
297. 13:47Valiant
298. 13:50Wind
299. 13:50Valiant
300. 13:51Wind
301. 13:52Shuriken
302. 13:52Converter
303. 13:53Shuriken
304. 13:53Wind
305. 13:55Shuriken
306. 13:55Wind
307. 13:56Shuriken
308. 13:57Converter
309. 13:57Wind
310. 13:58Shuriken ×2
311. 14:00Wind
312. 14:01Converter
313. 14:01Shuriken
314. 14:01Wind
315. 14:02Shuriken
316. 14:04Wind
317. 14:04Shuriken ×2
318. 14:06Wind
319. 14:07Converter
320. 14:07Shuriken ×2
321. 14:09Wind
322. 14:10Shuriken
323. 14:11Wind
324. 14:11Shuriken
325. 14:12Wind
326. 14:13Converter
327. 14:13Shuriken
328. 14:14Wind
329. 14:14Shuriken ×2
330. 14:16Wind ×2
331. 14:17Converter
332. 14:17Shuriken
333. 14:19Wind
334. 14:19Shuriken
335. 14:21Wind
336. 14:21Shuriken
337. 14:22Converter
338. 14:22Wind
339. 14:22Valiant ×2
340. 14:25Wind
341. 14:26Converter
342. 14:26Valiant
343. 14:27Converter
344. 14:28Wind
345. 14:29Valiant
346. 14:30Wind
347. 14:30Valiant
348. 14:31Converter
349. 14:32Wind
350. 14:32Valiant
351. 14:34Converter
352. 14:34Wind
353. 14:34Valiant
354. 14:36Converter
355. 14:37Valiant
356. 14:37Wind
357. 14:39Converter
358. 14:39Fusionnot finished by 15:00 · typical 10:56
359. 14:39Wind ×4
360. 14:45Converter
361. 14:48Wind
362. 14:48Converter
363. 14:52Wind ×2
364. 14:53Converter
365. 14:53Wind ×4

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is FakeOS's (35 OS, 05/09/2026); 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 2:25 · in 75% of games

You get

3 Wind from Beach sea or Geo seafirst at 1:40 · in 65% 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

621 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	1458	0	0
4:00	2053	0	51
5:00	2765	73	109
6:00	3763	125	167
7:00	5136	190	219
8:00	7019	223	290
9:00	9335	256	341
10:00	11795	327	471
11:00	14399	440	641
12:00	17100	607	960
13:00	19948	932	1269
14:00	22664	1409	1805
15:00	25555	2059	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

FakeOS

35.1 OS · 05/09/2026

Open source match ↗

5 received units · includes a constructor
382 metal received · 57287 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=621

Advanced Metal Extractor6:50Middle 50%: 6:21–7:26 · n=596

Fusion Reactor10:56Middle 50%: 10:03–12:17 · n=381

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.

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↗Fullchord30/09/2026 · 36 OS↗Gieds29/09/2026 · 45 OS↗Immort29/09/2026 · 55 OS↗FakeOS05/09/2026 · 35 OS↗

32 more of 613, the most recent

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↗Adeus27/09/2026 · 36 OS↗HamoodLovesEstorage27/09/2026 · 49 OS↗Adeus27/09/2026 · 36 OS↗

Supreme Isthmus v2.1
Beyond All Reason test-31221-719595a
Naval balance tweaks on

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

FakeOS

Typical milestones

Played most by

Supporting games