Mastering the Mustang: Mechabellum’s Adaptive Light Tank

Deployment & Core Value

• Chaff Annihilation: Obliterate Fangs, Crawlers, and Wasps with high-DPS bursts.

• Early Air Defense: Intercept early aerial units like Drones with focused fire.

• Tech Flexibility: Customize for anti-swarm (Explosive Ammo), range extension (Advanced Optics), or late-game scaling (Damage Overdrive).

• Flank Patrol: Use speed to reinforce vulnerable lanes or protect pushes.

Strategic Timing & Matchups

• Early Game:

  • Dominate chaff-heavy starts (Fangs/Crawlers).

  • Pair with Hackers or Rhinos to counter armor/shield threats.

• Mid-Game:

  • Tech Explosive Ammo for AoE chaff clear or Range Boosters to outpace snipers.

  • Avoid overcommitting—3-4 packs are optimal before pivoting to support units.

• Late Game:

  • Damage Overdrive: Turn leveled Mustangs into hyper-carries, but shield them with Fortresses or Steel Balls.

  • Replace if countered by armor/giant units (e.g., Armored Sledges, Scorpions).

Countering Mustangs: Exploit Their Fragility

• Early Counters:

  • Arclights: AoE burst melts Mustang clusters.

  • Sledgehammers: Tank shots while closing the gap.

  • Stormcallers: Bombard Mustangs paired with slow chaff.

• Mid-Game Counters:

  • Armor Tech: Armored Sledges or Barrier Fortresses absorb fire.

  • Giant Units: Scorpions or Rhinos draw aggro, letting chaff swarm freely.

• Late Counters:

  • Vulcan + EMP: Strip shields with EMP, then incinerate with Melting Point + Incendiary Bomb.

  • Phoenix Swarms: Overwhelm with air units if Mustangs lack anti-air tech.

Mustang Builds: Precision & Flexibility

1. Explosive Chaff Clear:

   • Tech: Explosive Ammo (AoE splash).

   • Role: Clear swarms while damaging mid-line units.

   • Synergy: Pair with Rhinos to lock enemies in blast zones.

2. Flank Patrol:

   • Tech: Turbo Chargers (speed boost).

   • Role: Rapid-response unit to defend multiple lanes.

   • Synergy: Support with Hackers to disable armored threats.

3. Anti-Air Specialist:

   • Tech: Targeting Uplink (prioritize air units).

   • Role: Shut down early Wasp/Drone rushes.

Key Philosophy

The Mustang is a swiss-army knife—adaptable but never self-sufficient. Dominate early chaff wars, pivot to mid-game flexibility, and transition to a support role late. Always pair with units that cover its weaknesses (armor, shields, giants), and never let opponents dictate the tempo.

Mobility - Ground
Giant - No
Cost - 200
Unlock cost - 0
Units - 12
HP - 343
Attack - 37
Target - Air & Ground
Attack Interval - 0.4s
Splash Damage - No
Burst Damage - 444
Max DPS - 1110
Range - 95m
Speed - 16m/s

Aerial Specialization (300)
ATK increases by 90% to aerial units, increases range by 30 when attacking aerial units

Tech Upgrades

Armor-Piercing Bullets (300)
Increases ATK by 50%

Missile Intercept (200)
Mustang will attempt to intercept enemy missiles within 150m (battlefield skills cannot be intercepted) and continuous interception over a long time decreases the success rate of interceptions

High Explosive Ammo (150)
Increases splash damage range by 7m, but reduces ATK by 30%

Range Enhancement (300)
Increases attack range by 40m