Armada Frontline Defense Strategy

Defending Your Backline

As a frontline player with Armada, your primary role is to defend your backline, allowing eco-focused players to scale to higher-tier technologies, while also harassing the enemy backline to disrupt their economy. Armada's balanced and accessible units make this role straightforward for beginners. This play-by-play guide provides step-by-step instructions to establish a strong defensive line, protect your lane, and contribute to your team's success during the early to mid-game phases.

Frontline Defense Steps (Minutes 0:00 - 10:00)

1. Initial Setup (Minute 0:00 - 3:00): Follow the Early Game Economy strategy to secure initial resources. Queue 3 Metal Extractors and 3 Wind Turbines or Solar Collectors based on wind conditions with your Commander. Build a Bot Lab as soon as resources allow, prioritizing it over additional resource structures if metal is tight. Queue 3 Construction Bots for additional build power.
2. Early Unit Production (Minute 3:00 - 4:00): From the Bot Lab, queue 2-3 Ticks or Fleas for scouting the middle of the map. If enemy units are spotted, react immediately by queuing 10 more Ticks/Fleas to counter potential early aggression. Boost production by right-clicking the Bot Lab with your Commander to assist (note the high energy cost; ensure energy income supports this).
3. Commander Movement (Minute 4:00 - 4:30): Move your Commander towards the middle of the map by around 4:30 minutes to claim territory and establish a presence. Avoid stopping at every Metal Deposit; focus on forward momentum while one of your Construction Bots builds additional Metal Extractors or energy structures behind you.
4. Defensive Line Setup (Minute 4:30 - 6:00): Begin establishing a defensive line by placing Light Laser Turrets (LLTs) at strategic chokepoints near the map middle or your lane's edge. Position your Commander in front of the LLTs during construction to shield them from enemy D-Gun attacks (recent updates make Commander immune to D-Gun). Queue these builds with a Construction Bot or the Commander if available.
5. Support Structures (Minute 6:00 - 7:00): Build a second Construction Turret closer to the frontline to boost build speed for defenses. Place additional Wind Turbines within its radius to support energy needs. Deploy a frontline Radar to gain visibility into the enemy backline, allowing you to spot potential flanks or weaknesses for harassment.
6. Infantry Deployment (Minute 7:00 - 8:00): Queue 10-15 Pawns (Armada's default early infantry unit) from the Bot Lab to bolster your defensive line. Use Ctrl+Click to move them in formation towards the LLTs, ensuring they protect the structures and engage any incoming enemy units. Avoid overextension; keep units within your lane to prevent 1v2 or 1v3 scenarios.
7. Lane Defense (Minute 8:00 - 10:00): Focus on protecting your designated lane, especially if on the map edge where support is limited. Use scout intel from Ticks/Fleas to seal gaps in your line. If enemy units slip through, communicate with your team by pinging (use Tilde+Middle Click) and request assistance. Continue to build LLTs or Sentries as metal allows, reinforcing your position against early aggression.

Defensive Positioning

• Always place Light Laser Turrets (LLTs) at chokepoints to maximize their defensive impact; protect them during construction with your Commander.
• Avoid overextending beyond your lane, especially on map edges, as mistakes here can't be easily covered by teammates.
• Use Radar to gain intel on enemy movements, allowing for proactive defense adjustments or flanking opportunities.

Unit and Resource Management

• Prioritize Pawns for early defense due to their balance of firepower and health; queue them in bulk with Shift.
• Balance resource allocation between defense and economy; if Energy stalls, build additional Wind Turbines or Solar Collectors near Construction Turrets.
• Communicate with your team if under heavy pressure (e.g., 3v1 scenarios); buying time for backline scaling is critical.