Cleroi

The Cleroi is a mid-tier Erekir mech unit introduced in build 136. It combines a short-range area-damage main weapon with a rapid point-defense secondary, giving it a role as a frontline skirmisher that can both dish out splash damage to clustered enemies and intercept hostile projectiles near the unit. Cleroi are part of the Merui/Cleroi line of beetle-themed mechs and are notable among Erekir units for possessing point-defense capability.

The primary armament is a twin plasma-shell style weapon that fires two projectiles at a combined rate of 2 × 0.9 shots/sec (reload 0.55 s, 33 ticks). Each projectile deals 22.5 damage and produces area damage of 43 (approx. 3.7 tiles) with an effective range of about 17.32 tiles; projectile speed is 26.25 tiles/sec and lifetime is 0.66 s. The main barrels do not alternate and do not independently rotate. The secondary consists of two point-defense barrels firing at 2 × 3.33 shots/sec (reload 0.15 s, 9 ticks) with a rotation speed of 20°/tick; these produce ~28.5 damage to incoming projectiles and have roughly 12.5 range against projectiles.

Cleroi behavior and role

• Cleroi excel when fielded in groups that can mutually protect one another; their point defense is most effective in dense formations (deathballs) where many units overlap fields of fire.
• Because the main weapon deals area damage, Cleroi are effective at clearing clustered infantry and weaker vehicles at medium range, but they must be kept from walking directly over enemy turrets whose projectiles are not always intercepted by point-defense.
• Unit speed was reduced in build 149 (from 5.25 to 4.5 tiles/sec), slightly lowering their mobility compared to similar mechs.

Practical strategies and matchups

• Cleroi requires fewer resources for offensive power than purely single-target mechs because the splash and point-defense complement each other; however, they benefit substantially from reaching a local critical mass. Example thresholds for turret-heavy engagements are: Beryllium Breach — 2 Cleroi, Tungsten Breach — 3, Titan — about 10 for innermost Cleroi to take no damage.
• Against Avert and Obviate, Cleroi perform well: they can handle equal numbers of Averts at suitable distances and two Cleroi neutralize an Obviate’s attack. Against Locus, Cleroi struggle unless supported by distractions or allied tanks, because railgun projectiles bypass point-defense; hiding tanks beneath or behind Cleroi or keeping mechs at range mitigates this weakness.
• On Erekir, many turrets and some map hazards are not affected by point defense; diffuse or ozone Sublimate turrets counter Cleroi effectively early on. Late-game turrets with high firepower also outmatch Cleroi when the point-defense is overwhelmed.
• Spread formations using Loci or Anthicus in a concave can tear apart Cleroi deathballs by reducing overlapping defensive coverage. Unit missiles and other projectile weapons that are not intercepted by point-defense are strong counters.

Design notes and trivia

• The Cleroi name is derived from the beetle superfamily Cleroidea, reflecting the unit’s slender profile. The Merui-family naming scheme references beetle taxa. Cleroi, together with Oxynoe and Aegires, are among the few units with point-defense weapons; Cleroi is the only Erekir unit that possesses point defense.