Thunder

14 2 30

The Thunder is a ground-attack aircraft armed with homing missiles. It attacks ground targets only. Effective against Tanks, Devastators, and Lynxes. Ineffective against Peacemakers, Titans, and Hawks. Produced in: Heliport.

Health	188
Damage	21
Attack interval	1
Speed	4

Sight range	11
Attack range	8
Target acquisition range	15

Who is the Thunder?

The Thunder is a strike aircraft from the Heliport. It attacks ground targets only, flies over obstacles, and is especially effective on large maps. It needs Hawk support against enemy aircraft.

Thunder strengths

Can attack many ground units that cannot fire back.
Effective on large maps thanks to decent movement speed and the ability to fly over any obstacles.
Can attack non-overclocked Peacemakers while retreating without taking return damage, provided no Wave is nearby.
With control of the sky, it can constantly attack the enemy economy and reinforcements.
Dangerous in large numbers in the early game.
Can quickly destroy the opponent’s economy if it is not protected by a Turret.

Thunder weaknesses

Weak against Turrets.
If the opponent has a Heliport, Thunders are vulnerable to air interception without Hawk support.
Without support from other units, the Thunder is extremely vulnerable to Titans early in the game, especially on small maps.
Ineffective against large groups of Peacemakers.
Cannot attack air targets.

Thunder strategies

Below are two early-game strategies based on attacking with Thunders.

Strategy 1. Early attack with a hidden Heliport

Produce two Workers.
Build a Barracks as soon as you have 12 ore.
Build a Factory when you have 16 ore.
Once the Factory is complete, build a Reactor at your own base.
Build a Heliport at the opponent’s base where they will not notice it.
Produce a Thunder and attack the opponent’s economy. If the opponent builds a Heliport in time, produce a Hawk as your second unit.

Strategy 2. Two-Heliport attack

Produce two Workers. As soon as you have 12 ore, build a Barracks.
While the Barracks is under construction, save another 10 ore and use the second Worker to build a Reactor.
Once the Barracks is complete, start building a Gate and produce two more Workers.
Save 16 ore and build a Factory.
Once the Factory is complete, build two Heliports and a second Reactor.
Use a Hawk to scout the opponent’s composition. If they have a Heliport, add two or three more Hawks. Otherwise, produce Thunders and establish air superiority.

Thunder chevrons: what they are and how they work

Chevrons are curved stripes shown above the unit. They have three levels:

+10% health and damage
+20% health and damage
+30% health and damage + regeneration

To earn one chevron, the Thunder must deal a certain amount of damage to enemy units.

Thunders with chevrons above their hulls at the map edge

Upgrades in the Heliport

Each upgrade adds 10% of base damage or health to Heliport units. The cost rises in sequence: 10, 20, and 30 ore.

Armor I

Armor II

Armor III

+10%, +20%, +30% to aircraft health.

Attack I

Attack II

Attack III

+10%, +20%, +30% to the base damage of aircraft.

	No chevrons	1 chevron	2 chevrons	3 chevrons
No upgrades	Health: 188 Damage: 21	Health: 207 Damage: 24	Health: 226 Damage: 26	Health: 245 Damage: 28
Attack I + Armor I	Health: 207 Damage: 24	Health: 226 Damage: 26	Health: 245 Damage: 28	Health: 264 Damage: 30
Attack II + Armor II	Health: 226 Damage: 26	Health: 245 Damage: 28	Health: 264 Damage: 30	Health: 282 Damage: 32
Attack III + Armor III	Health: 245 Damage: 28	Health: 264 Damage: 30	Health: 282 Damage: 32	Health: 301 Damage: 34

Massed air force

The air force is built around a large number of Thunders protected by Hawks. The tactic is especially effective on large maps.

The main counters are a larger Hawk force or a ground army made up of Peacemakers, Titans, and Waves.

Air + ground

On large and medium maps, a mixed army often consists of Lynxes, Hawks, and Thunders. On small maps, Lynxes are more often replaced with heavier ground units: Tanks, Waves, Titans, Devastators, and Peacemakers.

When both players use similar army compositions, the advantage goes to the one who adapts in time by adding more counters to the opponent’s army.

If the opponent has a Heliport, Thunders almost always need Hawk support.

Takeoff and landing

Air units can land and take off again. Landing and takeoff each take 2 seconds. During the transition, the unit cannot move or carry out other commands.

Landing

Landing requires a free space on the ground. Once the landing is complete, the air unit becomes a ground unit, cannot move, and has its view range halved. The Thunder and Hawk also stop attacking.

Takeoff

After takeoff, the unit can move again and regains its full view range. The Thunder and Hawk can attack again. Take off in advance: during the two-second transition, the aircraft cannot defend itself.

Landing lets the unit escape an enemy Hawk: the Hawk attacks only air targets and cannot fire at a landed unit. However, aircraft on the ground become vulnerable to ground forces. In return, a Worker can repair them while they are landed.
Do not leave a Thunder on the ground without a reason: the reduced view range hampers scouting.

Thunder view range after landing: 11 → 5.

What does the Thunder say?

Thunder and lightning!
Thunder ready!
Ahahaha!
Already flying!
Be there soon!
It’s raining death!
Anyone order a chopper?
Catch this missile!
How disappointing.
Here I am!
Cruel.
The sound of thunder!
What next?

Thunder FAQ

Can the Thunder attack air targets?

No, the Thunder hits only ground targets, so it needs Hawk support against enemy aircraft.

How do you counter Thunders?

Use Turrets at the base, large groups of Hawks in the air, and Peacemakers, Titans, or Waves on the ground. On small maps, an early Titan is especially dangerous.

What bonuses do chevrons provide to the Thunder?

Each chevron adds 10% to base health and damage, and at three chevrons the Thunder starts regenerating health.

When should you produce Thunders?

On large maps and when you have air superiority, a hidden early Heliport or a two-Heliport attack can cripple the opponent’s economy before Turrets appear.