Aircraft Squad Guide (Season 3)

Aircraft in Season 3: Full Weapon Arsenal

Aircraft squads enter Season 3 with their most complete toolkit yet. Carlie's Exclusive Weapon (introduced in Season 2) is now standard, DVA's Energy Master is at high levels, and Murphy's Mitigation Master continues to make the Murphy Exception the default formation. With Spice Wars demanding strong PvP squads twice per week, Aircraft remains the premier offensive force.

What Changed from Season 2

Carlie's Exclusive Weapon Is Now Mature

Carlie's Exclusive Weapon was introduced in Season 2. By Season 3, most Aircraft players should have it at Level 20+:

• Approximately 10% increase to HP, Defence, and Attack per level — Carlie becomes a legitimate tank with offensive contribution
• Players running the standard formation (Carlie in front) now have a much stronger front line
• Even Murphy Exception players benefit from Carlie's weapon if they run her in specific content

Full Exclusive Weapon Coverage

By Season 3, Aircraft squads potentially have weapons for DVA, Murphy, and Carlie:

• DVA's Energy Master — the core DPS weapon, should be at Level 20-30
• Murphy's Mitigation Master — enables the Murphy Exception, should be at Level 20+
• Carlie's Exclusive Weapon — strengthens the standard formation significantly
• Having three heroes with Exclusive Weapons gives Aircraft squads an enormous power advantage

Spice Wars Demand

Spice Wars runs Wednesday and Saturday. Aircraft squads are your primary offensive tool:

• DVA's burst damage is ideal for cracking building garrisons
• The Murphy Exception front line survives counter-attacks during building assaults
• Rally coordination with your faction requires your Aircraft squad ready twice per week
• See the Spice Wars Strategy Guide for full details

Desert Protectors

Desert Protectors add a new layer to Aircraft combat:

• Troop losses from Spice Wars offence generate Protectors — aggressive play has a silver lining
• Enemy garrisons may include Desert Protectors (10x stronger) — scout before committing
• Your own Protectors can bolster your garrison when your Aircraft squad is defending

The Squad: Season 3 Formations

Murphy Exception Formation (Standard Meta)

The Murphy Exception remains the optimal Aircraft formation with all weapons available:

Carlie Formation (With Exclusive Weapon)

For players who did not build Murphy for the Exception, Carlie with her Exclusive Weapon is now strong enough to anchor the front line effectively:

Playing Aircraft in Season 3

Spice Wars Offence

Aircraft is your primary Spice Wars attack squad:

• Target secondary buildings first — each one steals 5% of enemy Spice. DVA's burst can crack weaker garrisons quickly
• Rally against the Alliance Center — when pushing for the 10% steal, coordinate Aircraft rallies with your faction
• Morrison's armour shred is critical against garrisons reinforced with Desert Protectors — their 10x strength includes high defence
• Schuyler's stuns prevent garrison defenders from using defensive abilities during your assault window

Spice Wars Defence

While Tanks are better garrison defenders, Aircraft has a role:

• DVA's burst can eliminate incoming rally carries before they deal significant damage
• If you are garrisoning a secondary building (not the Alliance Center), Aircraft can hold with burst deterrence
• Murphy Exception players contribute Tank-level durability to any garrison they reinforce

Against Desert Protectors

Enemy Desert Protectors in garrisons change your approach:

• Scout before rallying — a garrison with Desert Protectors is dramatically harder to crack
• Morrison is essential — his armour shred partially negates the 10x stat advantage of Protectors
• Concentrate force — do not spread attacks across buildings with Protectors. Rally with your faction to overwhelm one building at a time
• Your own losses generate Protectors — aggressive offence is not wasted even if you lose troops

CR-Gated PvE

Aircraft squads are strong rally participants for CR-gated content:

• DVA's burst eliminates key season monster threats quickly
• Morrison's defence shred amplifies the entire rally's damage
• Join rallies led by your highest-CR player — see the Curse Resistance Guide

Hero Investment Order (Season 3)

1. DVA (Maintenance)

DVA should already be your strongest hero by Season 3:

• Energy Master at Level 20-30
• Continue starring up toward 5 stars
• No new investment changes — she is already at peak priority

2. Murphy (Maintenance — Murphy Exception)

Murphy should be heavily invested from Seasons 1-2:

• Mitigation Master at Level 20-30
• Continue any remaining star and skill upgrades

3. Carlie (Weapon Priority — Standard Formation)

If running the standard formation, Carlie's weapon investment continues:

• Push Exclusive Weapon toward Level 30 if not there yet
• Her defensive stats with weapon make the standard formation competitive

4. Morrison / Schuyler / Lucius (Maintenance)

Continue maintenance-level investments on remaining heroes.

Common Season 3 Aircraft Mistakes

1. Not adapting to Desert Protector garrisons — scouting before attacking is mandatory in Season 3
2. Missing Spice Wars rounds — your Aircraft squad is needed Wednesday and Saturday every week
3. Neglecting Morrison's armour shred — it is more valuable in Season 3 than ever with Protector-reinforced garrisons
4. Using your Aircraft squad for PvE when it should be preserved for Spice Wars — manage your troop losses
5. Not generating Protectors between rounds — fight PvE content on Tuesday and Friday to top off your Protector's Field

Related Guides

• Season 3 Overview — full Season 3 introduction
• Spice Wars Strategy Guide — faction warfare and offensive strategy
• Curse Resistance Guide — CR mechanics for PvE participation
• Season 3 Tank Squad Guide — the squad type you counter
• Season 3 Missile Squad Guide — the squad type that counters you
• Season 3 Hero Guide — updated hero tiers
• Season 1 Aircraft Guide — Aircraft formation evolution reference