Avert

Avert is a light aerial attack unit introduced in Build 136. It functions as a fragile, short-range skirmisher that fires a spiraling pattern of primary bullets which split into frags on expiry. Averts appear from the Intersect production line and are used primarily for early scouting, harassment of lightly defended bases, and as cheap interceptors against other air ordnance. Their role complements heavier or longer-range flyers by trading survivability for cost and firing rate.

The Avert’s main weapon has a fast reload and does not rotate; it fires a short-lived projectile that travels outward and releases two frag bullets. Sources list the following baseline parameters: a reload of 35 ticks (0.583s), an effective primary projectile lifetime of 18 ticks (0.3s) with a speed of 37.5 tiles/s (reported as speed 5.0 in engine units by Chinese data), and an effective range around 11.25 tiles. The fandom weapon table lists the primary damage as 25.5, with each frag doing 15 damage. The Chinese unit sheet concurs on the reload, lifetime and a primary damage of 25.5, two frags, and frag properties such as frag speed and lifetime. Version history records a later balance change in Build 158 that altered these numbers: the main projectile damage was reduced to 22 and its building-damage multiplier lowered to 0.5x, while frag damage was reduced to 10 and their building-damage multiplier was increased to 1x. Earlier builds increased range (Build 147) and rotation speed (Build 149). Consult your game version to determine which weapon values apply.

In practice, Averts are best used in concentrated, aggressive hit-and-run groups. Their low range and fragging pattern reward:

• Closing to point-blank distances and focusing fire on specific enemy blocks; ordering units to move close first then target a block helps ignore intervening structures.
• Early-game scouting over ground where Elude cannot reach; they reveal and press lightly defended resource lines.
• Harassment of backline economy blocks when supported by other units or when enemy defenses lack high-area or piercing damage.

Averts are vulnerable to area and piercing weapons and cannot sustain against most turrets. Effective counters include:

• Disperse turrets and other high-area or piercing weapons such as Sublimate and Afflict; these turrets outrange and out-damage Averts when set up.
• Ground interceptors like Elude or Stell units that can concentrate against air threats; Merui cannot target air and thus is ineffective.
• Simple defenses such as Breach or Diffuse can buy time if managed properly.

Against other units, Averts can contest other ships and help intercept missile-based threats like Quell and Disrupt; their firing rate and low cost make them suitable for swarm interception. They perform poorly versus ground armies that neutralize or ignore their projectiles (for example, units that remove incoming projectiles or take minimal damage), where they lack a reliable response.

Development notes and balance history are important: the unit was added in Build 136, received range and rotation speed buffs in later builds, and saw notable projectile damage adjustments in Build 158. Weapon behavior details (reload ticks, projectile lifetime, frag counts) are consistent across technical sources, but absolute damage and building-damage multipliers depend on version.