Reactor

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The Reactor is a portable nuclear power unit that increases available energy.

Health	450
Provides energy	5

Sight range	8
Building limit	5

Research

Power I

Increases the Reactor’s energy output to 7.

Power II

Increases the Reactor’s energy output to 9.

What is the Reactor?

The Reactor sets the limit for army growth: ore pays for production, while energy determines how many units can be fielded at once. Expanding through several Barracks, Factories, or Heliports therefore requires the energy network to grow in advance. Without it, even a rich economy cannot quickly turn a stockpile of ore into the composition it needs.

How much energy does the army use?

To know when to build the next Reactor, you only need to know how much energy each unit requires. Buildings use no energy — the entire supply goes to the army.

Worker	1	Peacemaker	1
Devastator	2	Tank	2
Lynx	2	Wave	2
Thunder	2	Hawk	2
Balloon	2	Titan	4

One important detail: energy is reserved not only by finished units but also by orders waiting in building queues. If Titans are already ordered in two Barracks, there may not be enough spare capacity for a new order, even though those Titans have not appeared on the field yet.

Energy requirements by army composition

The number of Reactors you need depends on the chosen army. One Titan uses almost the entire output of a basic Reactor, while mass-producing infantry, vehicles, or aircraft quickly consumes the remaining capacity. Prepare a new energy source before starting another production line, not after insufficient energy begins blocking new orders.

A vulnerable part of the base

Tanks deal increased damage to buildings, so an attacker often focuses fire on Reactors during an assault. Losing several installations at once reduces available energy and disrupts production. Place Reactors inside the protected part of the base and have Workers repair them promptly.

What happens when you run out of energy?

An energy shortage does not shut down the base, but it stops army growth. Here is what happens:

New orders are blocked. You cannot order a unit unless enough spare energy capacity is available.
The game tells you why. When you try to place an order, a “Build more reactors” warning appears.
Your existing army works as usual. Units do not switch off or get weaker — only new production suffers.
Losing a Reactor hurts production. If the opponent destroys a Reactor, spare capacity drops immediately and queued orders can stall.
Recovery is fast. A new Reactor takes only 20 seconds to build, and Power I also takes 20 seconds to research — all you need is a free Worker and ore.

Reactor upgrades

Power I

Costs 10 ore and takes 20 seconds to research. Increases the Reactor’s energy output from 5 to 7 and fully restores the building’s health when complete.

Power II

Costs 12 ore and takes 20 seconds to research. Increases the Reactor’s energy output from 7 to 9 and also fully restores the building’s health when complete.

The most cost-effective way to build up energy

A new Reactor and both upgrades provide energy at different prices: the Reactor itself costs 10 ore for +5 (2 ore per point of energy), Power I costs 10 ore for +2, and Power II costs 12 ore for +2. This leads to a simple investment order:

First, build new Reactors until you hit the limit of 5 Reactors: this is the cheapest energy in the game.
Then research Power I on every Reactor. It gives the same increase as Power II but costs less.
Only then research Power II. Each Reactor must be upgraded separately and in order; you cannot research the second level immediately.
When all 5 Reactors are fully upgraded, only additional Centers provide more energy — they cost more, so save them for the late game.

Can an upgrade save a Reactor under fire?

Because an upgrade fully restores the Reactor’s health, Power I can act as an emergency repair, but the timing is strict. A Tank deals double damage to buildings: 60 damage every 2 seconds, or 30 per second. It destroys an intact 450-health Reactor in about 15 seconds, while Power I takes 20 seconds to research. Starting Power I only after a Tank begins firing is therefore too late. The tactic works if research started before the attack, if the attackers are Peacemakers or Thunders, which do not deal bonus damage to buildings, or if Worker repairs offset enough incoming damage to keep the Reactor alive beyond 20 seconds.

The tactic is highly cost-effective. Power I costs the same 10 ore as a new Reactor; if research finishes in time, the building remains in service and gains a permanent +2 energy instead of forcing you to rebuild and spend another 20 seconds without its output.

Reactor FAQ

When should you build the first Reactor?

The starting Center provides only 5 energy, enough for five Workers. Once you reach eight Workers on a standard base, you already need the first Reactor, so it is usually one of the earliest buildings.

How many Reactors do you need for your army?

Add up the energy your units use and subtract the 5 energy of the starting Center — the rest is covered by Reactors at 5 energy each. For example, an army of 4 Tanks, 8 Peacemakers, and 6 Workers reserves 22 energy, so you need at least 4 Reactors, and it is best to keep a small margin for orders in building queues.

What is the maximum energy you can reach?

65 energy. To picture the ceiling: 16 Titans at 64 energy, or a mixed force of 28 combat units at 2 energy each plus 9 Workers. Beyond that, the army can only be changed, not grown.

Does the Reactor have any build requirements?

No, the Reactor has no requirements — a Worker and 10 ore are enough. Construction takes 20 seconds, so you can expand your energy capacity at any point in the match.

Why are Reactors often destroyed first?

The Reactor has only 450 health — less than any production building — and Tanks deal double damage to buildings. That is why Reactors are placed deep inside the base and repaired by Workers before the damage becomes critical.