Cortex's combat doctrine relies on overwhelming firepower, tough frontline units, and conventional artillery. Key features include tough, reliable and fairly cheap main battle tanks; armed & armored metal extractors; static long-range plasma cannons covering longer distance with devastating power; small-scale tactical nuclear missile silos; and nigh-invincible experimental units that can annihilate entire armies by themselves.

Siege warfare is Cortex's specialty—on either side. Less mobile and adaptable than Armada, Cortex instead excels in both taking ground and leveraging it, softening enemies up with artillery before crushing them under their tank treads. Cortex forces tend to require more metal, but less energy to build and operate than their Armada counterparts, which favors the commander who can control the battlefield and reclaim wrecks.

Their forces focus more on Bots by Tier 2, matching firepower with versatility; while their vehicles maximize health and damage, both face-to-face and with artillery. Their air force is less varied than Armada's, but enjoys somewhat higher stats, including deadlier fighter craft and bombers with much higher damage. On defense, Cortex creates a brutal bolt-grinder of flame turrets and multi-weapon fortresses.