unit-elude

Elude is a light, fast hover unit used for hit-and-run and skirmish roles. Introduced in Build 136, it is a low‑armor, highly mobile attacker equipped with a homing weapon that fires two shots (effectively 2 × 1.5/sec) dealing 12 damage per hit. The Elude is themed around evasion and disruption and is unique among similar craft in that it is a hovercraft rather than true flying ship; it also emits a cosmetic particle trail while moving.

Eludes excel at rapid responses, scouting, and picking off vulnerable targets such as unprotected production or ammo lines. Their high top speed makes them well suited to cover wide areas, react to incoming raids, and exploit gaps in defenses; they can also use terrain (liquid pools, for example) to escape unfavorable engagements. Because their projectiles home but travel in a wide, curved arc, Eludes are better used at range rather than point-blank: shots are likely to miss very close targets. They pair especially well with ground tanks like the Stell — the tanks soak turret fire and distract targets while Eludes sneak around to destroy ammo or support structures — and can be produced alongside the flying Avert to form mixed ground/air forces that selectively eliminate dangerous turrets without relying on high-tier wiring resources.

Despite their speed, Eludes are fragile: their armor was reduced in Build 141 (from 3 to 1) and their weapon damage was lowered in the same update (18 → 12). They are blocked by solid obstacles, so chokepoints and walls are effective counters; walling off approach routes denies them access and reduces their threat. Against other tier‑1 units there is a rough rock–paper–scissors relationship: Eludes use mobility to outmaneuver Merui projectiles, Meruis handle grouped Stells with area and range, and Stells’ armor reduces Elude damage significantly. When using Eludes, micromanagement pays off—dodging shots and rapidly severing ammo or production lines gives them their best value, while larger formations or frontal assaults against prepared defenses are less effective.

Practical notes:

• Weapon: homing projectiles with a curved trajectory; avoid engaging at very close range.
• Best roles: raiding, hit‑and‑run, rapid response, scouting, pair with tanks or flyers for complementary attacks.
• Weaknesses: very low armor (vulnerable to focused fire), blocked by terrain/obstacles, less effective in large-scale frontal fights.
• Misc: cosmetic movement trail; available early (before tungsten in current builds), and is the fastest ground unit in the game.