Geo / Cortex / Economy first / OBSERVED BUILD

Whirlwind rush

Geo pivots into an Aircraft Plant for Whirlwind bombers around 7 minutes, striking into the enemy base instead of the usual bot/vehicle push to front.

Usually blows up the commander for T2 (72%)

#air #rush #raid · 18 distinct matches · 15 players · 5% of Cortex Geo games · team won 56% of 18 · Recently observed

THE CATCH, AND WHAT COMES WITH IT

T1 air bombers from 7:06 · 8% of role by thenFrom the Aircraft Plant. Only 8% of Geo games have it by then; others who build it get it around 7:20
Aircraft Plant in 100%17% of all Geo games by then
Valiant in 72%11% of all Geo games by then
Finch in 67%8% of all Geo games by then
Valiant in 50%6% of all Geo games by then

Where those units first fight, in 18 games with kill data: in the middle 56%, in the enemy base 44%.

Those units destroy a typical 1,980 metal of enemy units by 15:00.

Then transitions into Sheldon (12% of army), valiant (8% of army).

HOW TO PLAY IT

Key timing: Aircraft Plant by 7:01

0:00Open standard Geo eco with Bot Lab and geothermal into T2 con.
3:09Get geothermal running to fund the air switch coming up.
6:57Build Aircraft Plant right after advanced geothermal finishes.
7:06Send Whirlwind bombers straight into the enemy base.
8:21+Add Valiant fighters and Finch scouts to round out the air force.

Phase by phase

TYPICAL OF ITS 18 GAMES · AGAINST STANDARD GEO

1
20:50
35:00
47:03
59:30

PLAY THE OPENING

Follow the example game's first 8:06 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 Bot Lab
0:00 – 0:50
Economy
- 2Mex
- 4Wind+2 vs standard
Order
1. Bot Lab ~0:50after 2 mex, 4 winddone ~1:06, middle half 0:53–1:18
By 0:50 in all: 2 mex · 4 wind (standard 2)
The example game in this phase · 4 steps
1. 0:03Mex ×3
2. 0:38Solar
3. 0:48Wind ×2
4. 1:01Bot Labdone 1:18 · typical 1:06
2
Bot Lab to 5:00
0:50 – 5:00
Economy
- 2Mex
- 5Wind
- 7Converter
- 1Energy storage
Order
1. Geo ~2:26after 4 mex, 5 wind
Builders
- 6 Con turret
- 4 Graverobber
- 2 Con bot
- 1 Con bot for allies
- 1 Graverobber for allies
By 5:00 in all: 4 mex · 8 wind · 1 geo · 7 converter · 1 energy storage · 6 con turret
The example game in this phase · 24 steps
1. 1:19Wind
2. 1:21Graverobber ×2
3. 1:41Grunt
4. 1:47Graverobber
5. 1:55Graverobberfor Beach sea
6. 2:03Con botfor Beach sea
7. 2:12Con bot
8. 2:21Graverobber
9. 2:26Con turret
10. 2:29Graverobber
11. 2:37Mex
12. 2:51Geodone 3:31 · typical 3:08
13. 2:55Energy storage
14. 3:34Converter
15. 3:34Con turret
16. 3:44Converter
17. 3:53Con turret
18. 3:56Converter
19. 4:04Con turret
20. 4:07Converter ×3
21. 4:21Con turret
22. 4:25Converter ×2
23. 4:33Con turret
24. 4:44Wind ×8
3
5:00 to T1 air bombers
5:00 – 7:03
Economy
- 6Wind+5 vs standard
Order
1. Advanced Geothermal Powerplant ~5:49after 14 wind, 9 converter, 6 con turretin 61% of games
2. Aircraft Plant ~6:59after 16 wind, 9 converter, 7 con turretin 78% of games
3. T1 air bombers ~7:03after 14 wind, 9 converter, 7 con turret
Builders
- 1 Con turret
Some games also: converter (44%)
The standard build makes here, this one skips: 3 converter
By 7:03 in all: 4 mex · 14 wind · 1 geo · 1 Advanced Geothermal Powerplant · 9 converter (standard 12) · 1 energy storage
The example game in this phase · 9 steps
1. 5:00Wind ×5
2. 5:22Con turret
3. 5:23Wind
4. 5:30Energy storage
5. 5:39T2 mex ×2done 6:19 · typical 5:30
6. 5:49Advanced Geothermal Powerplantdone 6:55 · typical 6:57
7. 6:35T2 mex
8. 6:57Aircraft Plantdone 7:07 · typical 6:59
9. 7:08Whirlwinddone 7:17
4
T1 air bombers to Advanced Bot Lab
7:03 – 9:30
Order
1. Advanced Bot Lab ~9:30after 15 wind, 10 converter, 9 con turretdone ~9:55, middle half 9:09–10:15
Army
- 14 Whirlwind +14 vs standard
- 11 Valiant +11 vs standard
Some games also: finch (50%) · con turret (39%) · wind (39%)
The standard build makes here, this one skips: 3 converter
By 9:30 in all: 4 mex · 17 wind · 1 geo · 1 Advanced Geothermal Powerplant · 10 converter (standard 17) · 1 energy storage
The example game in this phase · 14 steps
1. 7:17Whirlwind
2. 7:20Radar Tower
3. 7:23Whirlwind ×7
4. 7:48T2 mex
5. 7:52Whirlwind ×5
6. 8:25Finch ×3
7. 8:31Valiant ×6
8. 8:45Bot Labdone 8:51
9. 8:46Valiant ×4
10. 8:57Con bot
11. 9:02Vehicle Plantdone 9:09
12. 9:05Finch ×5
13. 9:18Beaver
14. 9:18Con vehicle
5
Advanced Bot Lab to 15:00
9:30 – 15:00
Some games also: con turret (50%) · Radar Tower (50%) · wind (44%) · converter (39%) · Sheldon (33%)
By 15:00 in all: 4 mex · 28 wind · 1 geo · 1 Advanced Geothermal Powerplant · 15 converter (standard 20) · 2 energy storage
The example game in this phase · 135 steps
1. 9:30Advanced Vehicle Plantdone 9:50
2. 10:19Jaguar ×6
3. 10:53T2 con vehicle
4. 10:58Pawn
5. 11:02Wind
6. 11:02Pawn
7. 11:05T2 con vehicle
8. 11:07Pawn
9. 11:08Wind
10. 11:11Pawn
11. 11:16Jaguar
12. 11:16Pawn
13. 11:16Wind
14. 11:20Pawn
15. 11:22Jaguar
16. 11:25Pawn
17. 11:26Wind
18. 11:28Jaguar
19. 11:30Pawn
20. 11:33Jaguar
21. 11:35Pawn
22. 11:36Wind
23. 11:39Pawn
24. 11:39Jaguar
25. 11:42Pit Bull
26. 11:43Starlightdone 12:00
27. 11:44Pawn
28. 11:45Wind
29. 11:47Beamer
30. 11:49Pawn
31. 11:53Dragon's Teeth ×3
32. 12:00Beamer
33. 12:00Pawn
34. 12:03Starlight
35. 12:03Dragon's Teeth
36. 12:05Wind
37. 12:06Pawn
38. 12:09Dragon's Teeth ×2
39. 12:11Pawn
40. 12:13Dragon's Teeth ×2
41. 12:17Beamer
42. 12:20Dragon's Teeth
43. 12:23Starlight
44. 12:23Pawn
45. 12:26Wind
46. 12:26Dragon's Teeth ×2
47. 12:30Sentry
48. 12:33Dragon's Teeth
49. 12:35Pawn
50. 12:36Dragon's Teeth
51. 12:38Beamer
52. 12:40Dragon's Teeth ×2
53. 12:44Sentry
54. 12:45Pawn
55. 12:47Wind
56. 12:47Sentry
57. 12:48Dragon's Teeth
58. 12:48Sentry
59. 12:49Jaguar
60. 12:51Sentry
61. 12:52Dragon's Teeth
62. 12:55Pawn
63. 12:55Dragon's Teeth
64. 12:56Sentry
65. 12:56Jaguar
66. 12:59Dragon's Teeth
67. 13:00Sentry
68. 13:03Dragon's Teeth
69. 13:04Jaguar
70. 13:06Pawn
71. 13:09Dragon's Teeth
72. 13:10Overwatch
73. 13:12Wind
74. 13:13Dragon's Teeth
75. 13:13Pawn
76. 13:14Jaguar
77. 13:14Con turret
78. 13:14Tidal
79. 13:25Dragon's Teeth
80. 13:25Jaguar
81. 13:26Sentry
82. 13:28Dragon's Teeth
83. 13:31Tidal
84. 13:32Anti-nukedone 14:32
85. 13:32Dragon's Teeth
86. 13:33Wind
87. 13:35Dragon's Teeth
88. 13:35Pawn
89. 13:39Dragon's Teeth ×3
90. 13:47Sneaky Pete
91. 13:47Tidal
92. 13:47Wind
93. 13:49Dragon's Teeth ×2
94. 13:53Wind ×2
95. 13:57Dragon's Teeth
96. 13:59Wind
97. 13:59Starlight
98. 14:00Dragon's Teeth
99. 14:02Pawn
100. 14:04Dragon's Teeth
101. 14:04Wind
102. 14:06Tidal
103. 14:07Dragon's Teeth
104. 14:09Wind
105. 14:11Dragon's Teeth
106. 14:12Bulldone 14:38
107. 14:15Wind ×2
108. 14:19Dragon's Teeth
109. 14:20Wind
110. 14:20Tidal
111. 14:21Pawn
112. 14:22Dragon's Teeth
113. 14:26Wind
114. 14:26Dragon's Teeth
115. 14:30Wind
116. 14:30Pawn
117. 14:31Dragon's Teeth
118. 14:33Wind
119. 14:34Dragon's Teeth
120. 14:36Pawn
121. 14:37Tidal
122. 14:38Dragon's Teeth
123. 14:39Aircraft Plantdone 14:52
124. 14:39Bull
125. 14:41Dragon's Teeth
126. 14:41Pawn
127. 14:42Wind
128. 14:45Dragon's Teeth ×2
129. 14:51Wind
130. 14:52Dragon's Teeth
131. 14:52Tidal
132. 14:54Scout plane
133. 14:56Dragon's Teeth
134. 14:56Pawn
135. 14:57Wind ×2

Counts are medians over the build's games: half of them build more, half fewer. The example game is PRO_HYDRA's (54 OS, 11/09/2026); pick another.

Team trades

IN AT LEAST 30% OF ITS GAMES

You hand over

1 Graverobber to Beach sea or Suicide frontfirst at 2:11 · in 78% of games
1 Con bot to Beach sea or Suicide frontfirst at 2:39 · in 89% of games

You get

1 T2 con bot from Techfirst at 4:52 · in 94% of games
12–13 Valiant from Air or Suicide frontfirst at 8:31 · in 33% of games

How it plays out

Typical game of this build against the role’s standard build, running totals by minute

This build
Standard geo

Metal produced

020k40k

0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Enemy metal destroyed

05k10k

0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

Own metal lost

02.5k5k7.5k

0:005:0010:0015:00

metal

18 games.

Show as table

By	Metal produced: This build	Metal produced: Standard geo	Enemy metal destroyed: This build	Enemy metal destroyed: Standard geo	Own metal lost: This build	Own metal lost: Standard geo
1:00	331	335	0	0	0	0
2:00	803	859	0	0	0	0
3:00	1530	1497	0	0	0	0
4:00	2734	2662	0	0	0	0
5:00	3666	3756	0	0	0	0
6:00	5699	5674	0	0	0	0
7:00	7997	7986	0	0	0	0
8:00	10583	11034	0	0	0	0
9:00	13209	14080	660	31	138	74
10:00	16577	16922	1896	334	1963	258
11:00	19377	19769	2662	1255	2711	720
12:00	22010	22648	3472	2499	3618	1538
13:00	25097	25512	5132	4316	3810	2629
14:00	27817	28497	6116	6003	5172	4360
15:00	30091	31747	8637	8264	6099	6299

WHAT THE NUMBERS SAY

Won more often than the standard build while dealing much more damage from 10:00 onward for similar losses.

+ Enemy metal destroyed far above standard by 10:00 (1896 vs 406) and 15:00 (9707 vs 7969).
+ Team win rate above the standard build's 45%.

− Own metal lost climbs above standard by 10:00 (1963 vs 260).
− Aircraft Plant this early is a big deviation Geo rarely attempts (17% by then).

THE EXAMPLE YOU ARE READING

PRO_HYDRA

54.3 OS · 11/09/2026

Open source match ↗

95 received units · includes a constructor
2087 metal received · 31316 energy received

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

Typical milestones

Bot Lab1:06Middle 50%: 0:53–1:18 · n=18

Geothermal Powerplant3:08Middle 50%: 3:01–3:29 · n=18

Advanced Metal Extractor5:30Middle 50%: 5:23–6:02 · n=17

Advanced Geothermal Powerplant6:57Middle 50%: 6:51–7:45 · n=13

Aircraft Plant6:59Middle 50%: 6:42–7:15 · n=18

Advanced Bot Lab9:55Middle 50%: 9:09–10:15 · n=11

Played most by

zeus_on_god3games of this build Immort2games of this build [GerBoyz]Stinkfisch1game of this build DukeofStars1game of this build Gieds1game of this build

Supporting games

Pick a game to read and play it above.

zeus_on_god20/09/2026 · 37 OS↗[GerBoyz]Stinkfisch13/09/2026 · 36 OS↗zeus_on_god12/09/2026 · 38 OS↗PRO_HYDRA11/09/2026 · 54 OS↗LobsterMeat08/09/2026 · 40 OS↗zeus_on_god08/09/2026 · 38 OS↗Viltrum04/09/2026 · 42 OS↗Immort30/08/2026 · 53 OS↗

10 more

mnt23/08/2026 · 35 OS↗Immort22/08/2026 · 54 OS↗DukeofStars21/08/2026 · 55 OS↗Nutzz21/08/2026 · 43 OS↗Gieds19/08/2026 · 43 OS↗IMBALANCED11/08/2026 · 37 OS↗N2G08/08/2026 · 44 OS↗Tregan04/08/2026 · 37 OS↗PlatinumBlonde04/08/2026 · 51 OS↗Nazarid02/08/2026 · 37 OS↗

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

Whirlwind rush

Phase by phase

Up to the Bot Lab

Bot Lab to 5:00

5:00 to T1 air bombers

T1 air bombers to Advanced Bot Lab

Advanced Bot Lab to 15:00

Team trades

You hand over

You get

How it plays out

Metal produced

Enemy metal destroyed

Own metal lost

PRO_HYDRA

Typical milestones

Played most by

Supporting games