Bryde

The Bryde is a long-range naval/sea unit that fires artillery shells and missiles to engage enemy forces from a distance. It is designed to operate in water and excels when routes of water lead directly to high-value targets such as the Core; in such layouts Bryde becomes one of the primary offensive options alongside Oxynoe and Cyerce. Bryde’s role centers on softening or destroying enemy formations before they can close to short range, and it pairs effectively with healers and Overclock-capable units to form a powerful, durable strike group.

Bryde was added in Version 6.0 and has received several balance adjustments since. Notable mechanical values recorded across updates include a health of 910, a footprint increased from 2×2 to 2.5×2.5, and an item capacity increased to 80. Its long-range artillery weapon was reduced in area damage from 80 to 70, and its range has changed between updates; recent values settled around the low 30s of tiles (range adjustments include reductions to 31 then increases back to 33 in later builds). Movement speed was standardized to 6.37 tiles/second in later builds. Early command limits were removed, and the Bryde no longer counts against a previous command cap.

Bryde mounts two distinct weapon systems: a large artillery cannon and dual missile launchers. The artillery weapon fires at a rate of 0.92 shots/sec, has an inaccuracy of about 3 degrees, deals roughly 70 area damage with an effective splash radius around 5 tiles, produces 1.5 knockback, applies the Blasted status effect, and its projectiles travel over terrain and blocks. The missile batteries fire at roughly 2 × 3 shots/sec (two tubes) with 5 degree inaccuracy, each missile dealing 12 direct damage and about 10 area damage with a splash radius close to 3.1 tiles; missiles are homing and increase Bryde’s effectiveness against moving targets.

Practical usage and interactions:

• Bryde out-ranges many common enemy units such as Cyclone, Swarmer, Meltdown, and Spectre; this allows Bryde to pick off units that cannot return fire effectively at that distance. Ripple is an exception and can outrange Bryde, requiring support units such as Cyerce or Retusa to counter sustained damage.
• Pairing Bryde with Oxynoe provides Overclock synergy for greater sustained damage output; pairing with a Cyerce supplies healing that keeps Brydes alive while they deliver long-range firepower. This combination forms a highly effective “death ball” on water-heavy maps without the need to heavily invest in high-tier structures.
• The enemy AI often pushes units directly into walls and does not always exploit Bryde’s range advantage, which can make Bryde overperform on maps with chokepoints or long water lanes. Large patches of deep water can make cornering difficult for enemies; however, enemy Ripples placed defensively can punish Bryde’s approach.
• Close-range turrets such as Fuse and Swarmer can quickly eliminate a Bryde that reaches the Core. Bryde is vulnerable to area-status combinations like Blasted and Freezing used against large groups; Blast Compound ammunition with larger splash radius is especially effective versus clustered Brydes.
• Artillery shells travel over blocks, allowing Bryde to hit targets behind terrain, while missiles provide homing capability for mobile threats. Its increased size (2.5×2.5) prevents certain carriers from transporting it, and its higher item capacity supports longer operations or ammunition-based synergies.

The unit’s name derives from Bryde’s whale, reflecting its naval theme and streamlined long-range presence on watery battlefields.