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Build rate

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Build rate is the attribute which determines how quickly a unit or structure can finish a construction project assigned to it. Therefore, its value is inversely proportional to the time required to complete the project in question and directly proportional to the amount of mass and energy spent per second.

To exemplify, a unit with a build rate of 30, such as an ACU equipped with a T2 engineering suit, would construct a factory six times faster than a T1 Engineer, which possess a build rate of 5, but would also drain resouces six times faster. Managing the balance between build force and resource drain is the key to prevent one's economy from stalling or generating waste.

Build rate also determines the speed of reclaiming, capturing and repairing.

Build Rate per Mass - Table and NotesEdit

The table below compares the build rate of several units and their respective cost in mass in order to determine their efficiency. Some observations of note:

  • T1 engineers are the most effient way to convert mass into build force. However, care should be taken when relying heavily on them, considering that:

1) They bump into each other. Large groups of engineers will maneuver poorly when operating in tight spaces, such as the interior of cramped bases. Employing fewer units with higher build rates can remediate such issues.

2) Veterancy. Massed T1 engineers will feed several kills to the enemy's army if attacked, which may greatly increase the threat presented by sturdier units, such as Experimentals. Use radar intel to identify potential attackers early and move your engineers accordingly, or Ctrl-K them as a last resort. (See photo below)

3) When assiting land factories, the engineers may get in the way of the built units as they get off the platform, slowing them down slightly. This can be easily prevented by moving the factory's movement waypoint (Shift + Left click).

  • It is actually cheaper to build a new TML silo than to assist an existing one with T1 engineers.
  • T1\T2 factories are more efficient than their T3 counterparts but should be upgraded as needed during longer matches.
  • Build rate is not always the reason why you would want to produce a certain unit, naturally: A Harbinger should be raiding an enemy's firebase instead of assisting factories, obviously. 
  • Some of the units below, quite simply, are not worth constructing for their build rate, if at all: A Fatboy, powerful and versatile as it may be, will rarely see the light of day aside from singleplayer and the most evenly-matched multiplayer games, due to the strain and time required to finish it. A SACU, despite its potential as a durable field engineer, is virtually useless when it's energy and mass cost is compared to cheaper units: In UEF's case, for less mass (Quantum Gateway included), one could build 10 Percivals or 40 Stingers.
Build rate Unit Mass cost per unit of build rate (3603)
Combat Units
1 Cybran T1 Assault Bot: Mantis 52
3 Aeon T3 Heavy Assault Bot: Harbinger Mark IV 280

Tech 1 Engineer

UEF T1 Engineering Drone: C-D1 "Rover" 24
UEF T1 Engineering Drone: C-D2 "Rover" 24

Tech 2 Engineer

UEF T2 Field Engineer: Sparky 22.5
15 Tech 3 Engineer 32.7 (24.5 for Aeon and Seraphim)
20 UEF T2 Engineering Station Drone: C-D2 "Rover-2"

Level 1 Kennel:27.5 (36.6)

Level 2 Kennel:26.25 (35)

Factories These are land factories (or all factories in 3603)
20 Tech 1 Factory 12
40 Tech 2 Factory 26
60 Tech 3 Factory 69.8
120 T3 Quantum Gateway 25
Hives with 3599 (3603)
Cybran T2 Engineering Station: The Hive (1) 22.5 (25)
Cybran T2 Engineering Station: The Hive (2) 23 (26.9)
Cybran T2 Engineering Station: The Hive (3) 20.7 (28)
10 ACU -
30 ACU with Tech 2 Engineering Suite 36
90 ACU with Tech 3 Engineering Suite 39
60 SACU 152
90 SACU with Engineering Upgrade 125
Aircraft carriers
150 Cybran T3 Aircraft Carrier: Command Class 24
150 Aeon T3 Aircraft Carrier: Keefer Class 26.6
150 Seraphim T3 Aircraft Carrier: Iavish 29.3
Experimental Units

UEF Experimental Mobile Factory: Fatboy

Cybran Experimental Megabot: Megalith 187.5
Aeon Experimental Aircraft Carrier: CZAR 250

UEF Experimental Aircraft Carrier: Atlantis


Aeon Experimental Battleship: Tempest 116.7
2160 Seraphim Experimental Missile Launcher: Yolona Oss 116.7
Missile launchers
80 UEF T2 Tactical Missile Launcher 10
Cybran 10.6
Aeon 8.75
Seraphim 10.3

Strategic missile launcher

Strategic Missile Defense 6.9
UEF T3 Strategic Missile Submarine: Ace 9.3
Cybran T3 Strategic Missile Submarine: Plan B 10.2
Aeon T3 Strategic Missile Submarine: Silencer 9.3
Seraphim T3 Battleship: Hauthuum 10.4

After rampaging for a little bit, this monkey has quite a few kills, making it much harder to kill

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