Wave

16 2 30

The Wave is a mobile electronic-warfare unit with an area attack. It freezes every unit except Peacemakers for 2 seconds, damages air targets only, and disrupts enemy attacks and movement. Targets: ground and air. Produced in: Factory.

Health	225
Damage	15
Attack interval	6
Speed	2

Sight range	9
Attack range	8
Target acquisition range	15

Who is the Wave?

If the conflict cannot be settled, it is time to make waves.

The Wave is a slow support unit that temporarily freezes part of the enemy army. It is built to control the battle: it breaks up enemy attacks, stops pursuits and covers allied maneuvers. The Wave deals no damage to ground units and cannot freeze the Peacemaker, but it both freezes and damages air units. Its value depends heavily on control and positioning: the more enemies caught in the attack and the better your army uses the freeze window, the greater its impact on the battle.

Wave strengths

Long range lets it attack from behind the main army and makes it especially dangerous to air targets.
Its wide area attack can cover a large part of the enemy army and stop affected units for 2 seconds.
No unit has a special damage bonus against the Wave, so it can absorb some damage on the front line when needed and give other units time to act.
It cancels the last order given to an enemy unit, disrupting retreats and focus fire.
A Worker can repair the Wave.

Wave weaknesses

Does not freeze Peacemakers or buildings.
Deals no damage to ground targets, making it a poor first unit against a ground army.
The Wave earns experience only by damaging air targets. Against a fully ground-based army, it cannot earn chevrons or their bonuses.
Long delay between attacks: a poorly aimed shot greatly reduces the Wave’s value in battle.
Low speed makes retreating difficult and leaves the Wave vulnerable to focused fire.
Loses effectiveness when attacking only one or two targets.

The Wave's role on the battlefield

The Wave’s main task is to support other troops and keep the enemy frozen for as long as possible. Ideally, it absorbs some damage and still survives to the end of the battle. It also has several other uses:

Intercept a Thunder or Balloon during a base raid and buy time for reinforcements.
Stop retreating Hawks, Lynxes, and Devastators so allies can finish them off.
Set up an ambush at the edge of the enemy’s sight range, or unload the Wave from a Balloon beside the enemy army.
Freeze the most dangerous part of the composition. For example, in an army of Peacemakers and Waves, enemy Lynxes are usually the priority target because they are especially dangerous to Peacemakers.

The Wave’s position depends on its task:

At the front, it will hit more targets but risks dying after the first shot.
On a flank, the Wave is easier to pull back and preserve for the next attack.
A single Wave is safer in the center or behind the army, though it usually hits fewer targets there.

A well-positioned Wave can stop key enemy units and decide a difficult battle.

Tips

Simultaneous attacks from several Waves do not stack freeze duration, so stagger their shots.
Sometimes it is better to hold the attack and let the enemy move two or three tiles inside the Wave’s maximum attack range so you can hit more targets.
Move the Wave between shots to find a better angle and protect it from focused fire.
Wait for the attack to be ready before loading the Wave into a Balloon: it does not reload on board.
Against a large air force, pull the Wave back early: the opponent will often move forward quickly to destroy it first.

Strategy: Wave + Peacemaker

If scouting reveals two enemy Heliports during the classic Devastator–Lynx–Hawk strategy, produce a Wave and a Peacemaker instead of the second Devastator. They will support your Hawks in the air battle. Then keep producing Hawks and add a second Heliport if needed.

Strategy: Wave and four Peacemakers in a Balloon

Note: Peacemakers with Overclock earn chevrons quickly. If you are confident in your squad control, prepare the next transport group in advance and leave the experienced Peacemakers to defend the base.

This unconventional strategy creates a mobile landing force of one Wave and four overclocked Peacemakers. The complete group, including the Balloon, uses 8 energy. All units required for it cost 76 ore.

Order: five Workers → Reactor → Barracks → sixth and seventh Workers → Factory → eighth Worker → second Reactor → two Peacemakers → Wave → Laboratory → continuous Peacemaker production → third Reactor → Heliport → Balloon. Reach eight Peacemakers, apply Overclock, and use the freed energy to produce a Devastator and a Lynx.

The Balloon carries this landing force around the map to intercept lone air units or a Lynx. When deployed near the target, the Wave freezes the enemy while four overclocked Peacemakers use their high damage per point of energy to finish the attack quickly. A Lynx and a Devastator remain at the base.

Which units pair well with the Wave?

Wave and Peacemakers: the freeze protects infantry from enemy Lynxes and helps focus fire.
Wave and Devastators: the Wave stops Lynxes, allowing Devastators to deal their bonus damage.
Wave, Titans, and Turrets: a strong combination for a direct fight against a large air force, though it cannot chase mobile aircraft.

Wave 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 Wave must deal a certain amount of damage to enemy units.

Upgrades in the Factory

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

Armor I

Armor II

Armor III

+10%, +20%, +30% to the health of Factory-produced vehicles.

Attack I

Attack II

Attack III

+10%, +20%, +30% to the base damage of Factory-produced vehicles.

	No chevrons	1 chevron	2 chevrons	3 chevrons
No upgrades	Health: 225 Damage: 15	Health: 248 Damage: 17	Health: 270 Damage: 18	Health: 293 Damage: 20
Attack I + Armor I	Health: 248 Damage: 17	Health: 270 Damage: 18	Health: 293 Damage: 20	Health: 315 Damage: 21
Attack II + Armor II	Health: 270 Damage: 18	Health: 293 Damage: 20	Health: 315 Damage: 21	Health: 338 Damage: 23
Attack III + Armor III	Health: 293 Damage: 20	Health: 315 Damage: 21	Health: 338 Damage: 23	Health: 360 Damage: 24

What does the Wave say?

I’m on a wave!
Don’t worry!
Slow and steady!
Go ahead!
Don’t move!
I hear you!
Coordinates received!
Don’t hurry!
Yes!
Calculations correct!
I’m a magnetic storm!
Arguing is useless!
That’s better!
Let’s go!

Frequently asked questions about the Wave

Does the Wave deal damage?

The Wave deals damage only to air targets. Its 2-second freeze affects every unit except the Peacemaker, aircraft included.

What can the Wave not freeze?

Peacemakers and buildings. The Wave’s freeze has no effect on them.

What should the Wave be combined with?

The Wave works best with Peacemakers, Devastators, Titans, and Turrets: its freeze protects the army from Lynxes and helps engage the enemy on favorable terms.

Why is the Wave a bad first unit?

It deals no damage to ground targets and depends entirely on the rest of your army, so early on it is better to produce a combat unit and add the Wave later as support.