Nova

Nova is a flying support combat unit that fires paired laser bolts which both damage enemy targets and repair allied structures. It is a unit-line named after celestial bodies and constellations and is a mobile, boost-capable craft that excels at localized repairs and hit-and-run tactics rather than sustained frontline combat. Novas can receive build/assist orders and can perform the rebuild action, allowing them to assist in construction, and they share the same firing sound as the Mega.

The Nova’s weapon fires two simultaneous laser bolts. Each bolt deals 13 damage and the official weapon documentation lists a repair effect of 5% of a block’s health per shot; some community sources describe the repair as roughly 10% per burst, which reflects different interpretations of burst vs. per-shot values. The weapon fires at a combined rate of 2 × 1.25/sec (0.8 s combined reload), has an effective range of about 19.5 tiles after recent nerfs, a bullet speed of 39 tiles/s, and a bullet lifespan of 0.5 s. Novas are capable of boosting to fly over terrain and avoid ground-only defenses.

Historically the Nova derived from the Version 4.0 Tau Mech upgrade of the player ship and has undergone several balance changes: its range was reduced progressively to 19 (from 24 and 21 in earlier builds), its movement speed was standardized (converted to 4.12 tiles/s), its command group limit was removed, and its build speed was heavily reduced to 30%, making it the slowest-building unit among build-capable units. Build 147 added the assist player and rebuild command options. Novas require access to higher-tier materials to manufacture and thus are not available in sectors lacking those resources.

Practical notes and strategies:

• Novas function best as defensive repair units and kiting support rather than primary attackers; their healing per shot can meaningfully repair single blocks faster than many early turrets, especially when multiple Novas focus fire a damaged block.
• They are fragile individually; low-cost, high-mobility units or splash/area-of-effect turrets (for example Arc- and Lancer-type defenses) punish groups of Novas because their group heals do not outpace heavy area damage. The Lancer’s high single-shot damage can one-shot a Nova and is an effective hard counter.
• In PvP, mass Nova pushes can be dangerous because boosting Novas can evade ground fire while accumulating repairs; defeating them requires a combination of anti-air and anti-ground defenses or units that can scratch them (Scatter-type fire) to allow follow-up clean-up.
• Use their boost to bypass choke terrain and target weak points in enemy lines, but be wary of strong anti-air turrets which exploit their flying vulnerability.
• Novas can assist construction at 30% build speed, making them the cheapest unit option that can reliably help build; however their slow building limits how consistently they contribute compared to faster builder units.
• After range nerfs, Novas lost the advantage of outranging Lancer turrets; their role shifted from offensive outranging to grouped defensive support and focused repair.

When facing Novas, prioritize area damage and high single-shot damage turrets to overcome their repair stacking. When using Novas, pair them with other units or support that can protect them briefly while they repair or kite, and avoid relying on them as primary offensive damage dealers.