Cortex

Aircraft

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Finch

T2
T3
Amphibious
Scout
radar
Metal
51
Energy
1450
Health
100
Speed
360
Damage
0
Buildpower
0
Weapons

Finch is a cheap and fast-moving air scout, that is not armed with any weapons, but a huge line of sight. It is used to gain intelligence on what your enemy is planning, and where he keeps his most important units. Information is the most valuable asset on the battlefield, knowing your opponent's plans you can prepare your counter strikes early, making his moves inefficient. In late-game a constant stream of scouts helps your artillery units, improving their aim. They can also be used as a cheap distraction swarm that takes the fire from anti-air during bombing runs.

How to use this unit

Shuriken

T2
T3
Amphibious
Light Paralyzer Drone
Metal
58
Energy
1300
Health
83
Speed
281
Damage
0
Buildpower
0
Weapons
EMP-BeamLaser

Shuriken are little drones armed with EMP beams. They can paralyze enemy units, but they can't deal any damage. They serve as great support for your attacks and can turn the tide of war easily. However, they have very little armor and die in one hit to even basic anti-air. Always try to hide them from enemy's radars—surprise is their strength.

Shuriken will auto-retarget to stun nearby enemies who haven't been stunned yet.

Be wary of certain units with EMP resistance such as amphibious tanks & spiders, as they can resist being stunned far longer. Also be careful of units that incorporate anti-air weapons, such as Jaguars.

How to use this unit

Valiant

T2
T3
Amphibious
Fighter
Metal
73
Energy
2800
Health
156
Speed
298
Damage
139
Buildpower
0
Weapons
MissileLauncher
How to use this unit

Hercules

T2
T3
Amphibious
Air Transport
transport
Metal
74
Energy
1450
Health
280
Speed
198
Damage
0
Buildpower
0
Weapons

The Hercules is an airborne transportation unit. It can pick up all T1 land based units and T2, with exception of heavy ones, like Fatboy or Tzar. Use it for unexpected unit drops bypassing your enemy's defense line, but don't forget to scout first for any anti air units. Drop your commander into their bases to D-gun all structures and humiliate your opponents. Can be used for transporting construction towers too, which enables you to move your build power where you currently need it.

How to use this unit

Bat

T2
T3
Amphibious
Seaplane Swarmer
Metal
90
Energy
4600
Health
220
Speed
316
Damage
240
Buildpower
0
Weapons
MissileLauncher

The Bat is a fighter seaplane, capable of air–to–air combat. It can also submerge underwater, which is useful for escaping enemy fighters and ambushing units like the Tsunami.

Use them to protect Seaplane Bombers or your naval units from enemy aircraft.

It is fast than its ARMADA counterpart, the Cyclone, but also has less health.

How to use this unit

Construction Aircraft

T2
T3
Amphibious
Tech 1 Constructor
Metal
115
Energy
3200
Health
161
Speed
201
Damage
0
Buildpower
60
Weapons

A Construction Aircraft is able to build basic T1 structures like the ones made by the Commander. Moreover it can build some more advanced land and air defense towers, advanced solar generators and most importantly the T2 Aircraft Plant. Due to their speed, the highest amongst constructors, it may be used for quick expansions and reclaiming in areas far from your base. It can also access the whole map, as it doesn't care about any natural obstacles. It has a very low HP, so keep away from enemy's anti air units. Due to little build power you may want to use multiple air cons at once.

Each Construction Aircraft increases the player's energy and metal storage capacity by 25.
How to use this unit

Watcher

T2
T3
Amphibious
Advanced Radar / Sonar Plane
radar
Metal
130
Energy
6900
Health
730
Speed
324
Damage
0
Buildpower
0
Weapons
How to use this unit

Construction Seaplane

T2
T3
Amphibious
Tech 1 Constructor
Metal
140
Energy
8200
Health
435
Speed
218
Damage
0
Buildpower
75
Weapons

The Construction Seaplane can build basic Tech 1 structures, like other constructors, but can also build additional naval structures. It’s great for repairing ships on the front line thanks to its speed.

Use multiple on a single structure to increase build power.

It’s similar to the T1 Construction Aircraft in that it can traverse both land and sea, however, it can also land on and submerge underwater. Each constructor also increases the player's energy and metal storage capacity by 50.

How to use this unit

Whirlwind

T2
T3
Amphibious
Bomber
Metal
150
Energy
4600
Health
680
Speed
234
Damage
93
Buildpower
0
Weapons
AircraftBomb

The Whirlwind is a bomber, designed for destroying buildings. It's DPS is higher than that of the Armada T1 bomber. It drops bombs over the target and makes a flyby to reload ammunition. It can strike every 9 seconds. Always scout first and combine with fighters to eliminate enemy's airwall before  bombing. Press A for attack and drag your RMB to execute a carpet bombing, or use area attack command to strike targets within a circle.

How to use this unit

Dam Buster

T2
T3
Amphibious
Seaplane Bomber
Metal
200
Energy
8200
Health
940
Speed
240
Damage
150
Buildpower
0
Weapons
AircraftBomb

The Dam Buster is a seaplane bomber with a payload of 12 bombs. It’s designed to hit slow-moving ships and static naval structures, and execute unanticipated bombing runs on land bases.

Target grouped units to benefit from the area of effect damage.

Always scout first to identify your targets and local anti-air, and send fighters ahead of your bombers to break through the enemy’s fighter air-wall. Remember to combine them with sonar planes to target underwater units.

How to use this unit

Cutlass

T2
T3
Amphibious
Seaplane Gunship
Metal
230
Energy
5400
Health
1010
Speed
152
Damage
72
Buildpower
0
Weapons
Cannon

The Cutlass is a light seaplane gunship with dual cannons.

Use in a group for fast surprise attacks on unsuspecting ships and naval bases.

It can attack both land and sea units, however, it is vulnerable to naval anti-air. They can plow straight through light missile turrets, but anything heavier is fatal.

How to use this unit

Monsoon

T2
T3
Amphibious
Torpedo Gunship
Metal
230
Energy
5500
Health
1070
Speed
266
Damage
68
Buildpower
0
Weapons
TorpedoLauncher

The Monsoon is a seaplane gunship that drops homing torpedoes into the water.

Use it to take out those pesky submarines without sacrificing your ships.

Being able to circle and strafe ships while dropping each torpedo, makes it more effective in narrow waterways where torpedo bombers tend to have trouble hitting their target.

How to use this unit

Nighthawk

T2
T3
Amphibious
Stealth Fighter
stealth
Metal
135
Energy
4750
Health
290
Speed
380
Damage
500
Buildpower
0
Weapons
MissileLauncher

Nighthawk is a fast moving fighter jet designed for eliminating air units. It is the most effective form of T2 air defense that can access all parts of the map to get rid of any air threats. Always put your fighters on patrol in front of your base, so they attack any aircraft moving in the vicinity. Send fighters with your bombing runs to disable opponent's fighterwall before your bombers come to deliver the final blow.

Its stealthy attribute makes it invisible to radars.

Due to that fact your enemy never knows how many you have without scouting. Faster but a little more fragile than its Armada counterpart.

How to use this unit

Condor

T2
T3
Amphibious
Radar / Sonar Plane
radar
Metal
180
Energy
8300
Health
990
Speed
321
Damage
0
Buildpower
0
Weapons

Condor is a radar and sonar plane that can locate land and underwater units. It has decent radar range and speed so it's the best unit you can use for scouting. Put a few in your fighterwall to have a permanent overview of the front, even when you lose the radars on land. Always send 1 or 2 with your bombing runs to locate targets for your strikeforce.

When hunting for a commander, the radar plane can locate it even if it’s cloaked. Its sonar ability can also be used to detect submarines and amphibious units.

How to use this unit

Hailstorm

T2
T3
Amphibious
Heavy Strategic Bomber
Metal
310
Energy
18500
Health
1520
Speed
248
Damage
238
Buildpower
0
Weapons
AircraftBomb

Hailstorm is a heavy and slow bomber that can deal great amounts of damage flying over units and structures.

It is mostly designed to destroy buildings, but used well it can also deal high damage to mobile units - try to intercept their movements.

It deals much higher damage than its T1 form (Whirlwind). As little as 3 Hailstorms can destroy a fusion powerplant on one flyby (4-5 for an adv. fusion). They can drop another round of bombs every 7 seconds. It is more expensive but also stronger than its Armada counterpart - Blizzard.

How to use this unit

Advanced Construction Aircraft

T2
T3
Amphibious
Tech 2 Constructor
Metal
360
Energy
11000
Health
205
Speed
182
Damage
0
Buildpower
100
Weapons

Advanced Construction Aircraft is a unit that opens you the window to most of the T2 economy and defensive structures. In most situations when you get one, start from updating your metal extractors, geothermal powerplants and then make fusion reactors and advanced metal makers. It has a higher buildpower than its T1 version and boosts your metal and energy storage by 50. As an air constructor it has the advantage of being able to quickly access all spots on the map. Use it in packs for faster expansion in remote areas. It has a lower buildpower than land constructors.

How to use this unit

Wasp

T2
T3
Amphibious
Gunship
Metal
370
Energy
6800
Health
1560
Speed
159
Damage
111
Buildpower
0
Weapons
MissileLauncher

The Wasp is a heavy rocket gunship. Compared to the Roughneck, it loses out in armor but is still plenty capable of surviving light T1 anti-air, and its rockets deal decent splash damage. As such, it's especially effective versus clumps of lighter units.

Their most common use is for defending your base or protecting your teammates within your air territory.

They are not effective at assaulting bases due to their low speed. For this purpose, use bombers. Wasps have some utility in sea warfare, particularly vs. raider ships with little to no AA cover, but true naval AA will cut them to pieces.

Avoid flak, fighters and heavier SAMs at all costs!
How to use this unit

Skyhook

T2
T3
Amphibious
Assault Heavy Transport
transport
Metal
370
Energy
6400
Health
1830
Speed
210
Damage
0
Buildpower
0
Weapons

Skyhook is an armored transportation aircraft. It can take on board even the heavier T2 units and easily withstand light anti-air defenses.

Use it to deploy your forces right on the front, especially slower units like Sumos.

It can load 4 small units (footprint 2x2) or a single big one. It's slower, but way more armored than its Armada counterpart.

Skyhooks can survive missile turrets and some mobile AA fire, but fighters, flak & heavier SAMs still kill them. Never overestimate their HP.
How to use this unit

Angler

T2
T3
Amphibious
Torpedo Bomber
Metal
410
Energy
8200
Health
1960
Speed
279
Damage
188
Buildpower
0
Weapons
TorpedoLauncher

Angler is a torpedo bomber. It has no weapon to fight against land units. However it is able to deal massive damage to any ship/submarine/amphibious unit. Torpedoes need a long open path to drop and accelerate in water. Therefore don’t try to drop them flying from the side of the shore line as they will just get stuck in sand.

Torpedo Bombers are able to attack underwater units without support since they are equipped with sonar and increased sight range.
How to use this unit

Dragon

T2
T3
Amphibious
Flying Fortress
Metal
5100
Energy
72000
Health
16700
Speed
115
Damage
725
Buildpower
0
Weapons
Flame, 4x BeamLaser, MissileLauncher

The Dragon breathes deadly flame (450 range) upon massed ground forces, while its quad laser cannons (575 range, 50 E/shot) pick off stragglers and those who avoid burning alive. Uniquely heavy armor keeps it flying even in the face of heavier AA fire.

It has medium AA (840 range), but is still very vulnerable to fighters, especially stealth fighters.

Dragons excel at chasing down and rapidly destroying higher-tier units, even T3s. The combination of supreme firepower with high armor lets it fight such foes while dealing with AA escorts.

How to use this unit