Beta

Beta is a light Serpulo Core combat unit introduced in version 6.0 (Build 120). It functions as a fast, short-range skirmisher with a paired autocannon-style weapon that fires homing bullets which travel a fixed distance before despawning. Beta belongs to the set of early-game mobile units named after Greek letters and shares a distinctive fixed bullet travel distance behavior with Alpha and Gamma.

Beta's mobility and core stats have been refined across updates: its movement speed was standardized to 24.75 tiles/second (converted from earlier arbitrary units), and its command limit was removed, allowing unrestricted ordering. Its effective weapon range was tightened during 7.0 development from 23 blocks to 22 blocks, and its bullets are programmed to despawn after traveling 22 tiles. When player-controlled and the "Double-tap/click to mine" option is enabled, Beta can mine sand. Weapon behavior has been adjusted repeatedly: bullets are homing, their velocity is affected by the unit’s own velocity (restored after an earlier change), and the gun no longer rotates when aiming; instead, the unit rotates toward its target when firing.

Beta’s armament fires in two mounts at a modest rate and deals moderate unit damage while doing minimal structural damage. Key weapon stats: two firing points, each effectively producing three shots per second combined; 11 damage per bullet to units, 0.11 damage to buildings due to a -99% building-damage penalty; 0 inaccuracy; and homing behavior. Because bullets have a fixed travel limit, positioning and engagement distance are critical—targets beyond the bullet travel distance cannot be hit even if within theoretical range.

Practical usage and tactics:

• Use Beta as a fast, hit-and-run skirmisher against enemy infantry and light vehicles; homing bullets help track small, maneuvering targets.
• Avoid relying on Beta for base sieges or against heavily armored structures, as its bullets do only 0.11 damage to buildings.
• Position Betas close enough so their bullets reach moving targets reliably; the 22-tile travel cap makes them less effective at long standoffs.
• Because bullet velocity is affected by unit movement, kiting or moving while firing can change effective projectile behavior—test movement patterns to maximize hits on fleeing enemies.
• When controlled by a player with sand-mining enabled, a Beta can clear sand patches, giving limited utility outside combat.
• Beta’s small size and speed make it useful for scouting forward and quickly contesting map objectives, but it lacks durability for prolonged frontline engagements; use swarms or support with heavier units for sustained fights.

Trivia: the unit’s name comes from the Greek letter Beta (Β, β), the second letter of the alphabet. Beta, together with Alpha and Gamma, is notable for having bullets that travel a fixed maximum distance rather than despawning purely by lifetime.