Tempest Rising Unit Tier List: Matchup Counters and Practical Picks
A matchup-focused Tempest Rising unit tier list covering weapon and armor counters, GDF versus Dynasty examples, and defensive options.
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How to read this Tempest Rising unit tier list
A unit that looks dominant can lose quickly when its weapon type runs into the wrong armor. This Tempest Rising unit tier list helps you compare units through the matchup examples available, so you can see how weapon types and armor resistances affect combat. Those interactions matter in the campaign, against AI opponents in Skirmish, and in multiplayer.
Tempest Rising uses six weapon types: Rifle, Rocket, Explosive, Cannon, Fire, and Sniper. Units and buildings have different resistance values against each type. A Havoc’s rockets, for example, are effective against targets with low rocket resistance, but are a poor answer to Dynasty light infantry, whose armor resists rockets.
The examples below explain specific counter relationships described in a player video. Check the in-game tooltips to see a unit’s weapon type and armor resistances before using those examples to assess a matchup.
Weapon and armor basics
A unit’s weapon type affects the damage it deals; its armor resistances affect how well it takes each type of attack, which is why the Tempest Rising unit tier list depends on the matchup. You can inspect both through the unit’s stats: hover over the gun icon for weapon information and the shield icon for armor resistances.
| Weapon type | What to check | Example from the player video |
|---|---|---|
| Rifle | The target’s rifle resistance | Rifle attacks threaten Dynasty light infantry and Drone Operators |
| Rocket | The target’s rocket resistance | Rockets threaten Tempest Rigs, GDF harvesters, and drones in the cited matchups |
| Explosive | The target’s explosive resistance | Matchsticks can damage Drone Operators and Sentinels |
| Cannon | The target’s cannon resistance | Boar tanks can threaten Sentinel and Hunter tanks |
| Fire | The target’s fire resistance | Havocs have strong resistance to fire attacks |
| Sniper | The target’s sniper resistance | Havocs have strong resistance to sniper attacks |
The table summarizes specific examples, not a rule that every unit in a broad class has the same armor. The player video says Havocs are highly resistant to rifle, fire, and sniper attacks, while the Sentinel has 50% resistance to rifle, fire, and sniper attacks. It also says GDF Sentinel and Hunter tanks have no default armor resistance to cannon attacks. These examples show why checking the target’s armor can change which weapon type is useful.
A good approach is to compare the attacking weapon with the resistance values shown in the tooltip. For instance, a Havoc’s rocket attack is a poor counter to Dynasty Guards, whose armor is best against rockets; the Dynasty Guard’s rifle attack is also a poor counter to Havocs, whose armor is most resistant to rifle attacks. The same Havocs can threaten light vehicles such as Tempest Rigs, which have low resistance to rockets.
Matchup-focused unit tiers
These tiers describe situations in which a unit or group has a useful counter relationship, as shown in this Tempest Rising unit tier list’s matchup examples.
| Combat example | Unit or group | Matchup detail | Limitation described in the player video |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle pressure | Boar tanks | Cannon attacks can destroy GDF Sentinel and Hunter tanks; Boars can also run over Drone Operators | Their cannon fire is ineffective against infantry |
| Anti-drone options | Missile Troopers, Havocs, or Dragonflies | Their rocket weapons can bring down drones | Other units may still be present in the enemy force |
| Explosive attacks | Matchsticks | Explosive attacks are effective against Drone Operators and deal area damage to Sentinels | Other units may also need to be addressed |
| Early vehicle harassment | Havocs | Rocket attacks can threaten Tempest Rigs and GDF harvesters, which have low rocket resistance in the cited examples | Dynasty light infantry resist rockets well |
| Attacks on operators | Hammerhands or Matchsticks | Rifle or explosive attacks can hurt Drone Operators, whose armor has no resistance to those types in the video’s example | The video notes that getting units close to Drone Operators can be difficult |
| Infantry pressure | GDF Sentinels | Rifle fire threatens Dynasty light infantry, including Dynasty Guards, Missile Troopers, and Engineers | Their weapons are less effective against Dynasty light vehicles |
| GDF combined force | Drone Operators, Sentinels, and Hunter Tanks | Cannon and rocket damage pressure Dynasty light vehicles, while Sentinels attack light infantry | Boar tanks and Matchsticks can challenge this combination |
The examples in the table come from a player video about Tempest Rising’s weapon and armor interactions. They describe matchups, including which attacks work against specific targets and where those attacks are less effective.
GDF and Tempest Dynasty counters
A GDF group of Drone Operators, Sentinels, and Hunter Tanks can cover different target types, as illustrated in this Tempest Rising unit tier list. Sentinels use rifle weapons that threaten light Dynasty infantry. Drone Operators add cannon attacks from the operators and rocket attacks from their drones. The player video says those attack types are more dangerous to light vehicles such as Havocs and Pillagers than to light infantry.
| If you see… | Consider… | Why it can help |
|---|---|---|
| Sentinels with Drone Operators | Boar tanks and Matchsticks | Boars can crush operators and use cannon fire against Sentinel and Hunter tanks; Matchsticks deal explosive area damage |
| Drone swarms | Missile Troopers, Havocs, or Dragonflies | Their rocket weapons are effective against drones in the described matchups |
| Drone Operators | Hammerhands or Matchsticks | Their rifle or explosive attacks target the operators’ low resistance to those types |
| Havocs attacking your economy | Missile Troopers | They resist rockets and use rocket weapons against Havocs |
The player video describes a Boar tank spearhead supported by Matchsticks against the GDF combination. It also names Missile Troopers, Havocs, or Dragonflies as options for attacking the drones, and Hammerhands or Porcupine MLRS for dealing with remaining units. Boars can run over Drone Operators; their cannon weapons can attack Sentinel and Hunter tanks, which have no default resistance to cannon attacks in the examples. Matchsticks deal area damage with explosive weapons, a type of attack to which Sentinels have 25% armor resistance.
The video also says that air units in both factions have practically no armor. It identifies them as vulnerable, using the phrase “glass cannon” to describe their role. That is the limit of what the source says about their armor; it does not give specific resistance figures for individual air units.
Protect your economy and command center
Havocs can punish exposed harvesters because Tempest Rigs and GDF harvesters have low resistance to rocket attacks in the cited examples, as this Tempest Rising unit tier list matchup illustrates. A missile turret can help, but the player video notes that Havocs can move out of its limited range. Missile Troopers offer another option: they resist rockets, use rocket weapons, can Dash after Havocs, and cannot be run over by light vehicles such as Havocs.
| Threat | Defensive option | Detail from the player video |
|---|---|---|
| Havocs harassing harvesters | Missile Troopers | Their rocket resistance helps against Havoc attacks, and their rockets can threaten the vehicles |
| Havocs near a missile turret | Missile turret | It fires rockets, but has limited range |
| An Engineer trying to capture your Command Center | Pack the Command Center into an MCV | It cannot be captured while in vehicle form |
| A Command Center at its starting location | Pack it up and move it | Relocating it makes it harder for the opponent to find |
| Engineers approaching the structure | Barriers or nearby defenses | Walls or buildings can block access; turrets or a garrisoned GDF barracks may also help |
The player video describes an Engineer capture attempt in multiplayer and gives several ways to defend against it: move the Command Center from its starting location, pack it into an MCV if an opponent is trying to capture it, or block physical access with walls or buildings. It also mentions turrets around the Command Center and a GDF barracks garrisoned with Field Scouts as possible defenses.
The video describes another GDF threat: a Skycrane transport carrying Drone Operators, Drone Maulers, or Engineers. Engineers inside can repair the Skycrane while drones attack alongside it. The video says Havocs may destroy the drones, but those drones respawn quickly, and it does not identify a guaranteed early counter.
For more player experience about favorite units and how players describe using them, see the Tempest Rising Steam community discussion. The thread includes individual comments about units such as Assault Gunners, Shieldmaiden, Trebuchets, and Boars. Those comments record personal favorites and experiences; they do not provide a unit ranking.
Weapon and armor examples in practice
The player video illustrates that a unit’s effectiveness can change with its target, a core distinction in this Tempest Rising unit tier list. Havocs encountered a Dynasty Guard and Engineer during a Command Center capture attempt. Because Havoc attacks are rocket-based and those infantry units have strong rocket resistance, the Havocs were a poor counter to them. The same rocket weapons can deal substantial damage to Tempest Rigs and GDF harvesters, which the video identifies as weak against rockets.
A second example is the GDF combination of Drone Operators, Sentinels, and Hunter Tanks. Sentinels’ rifle attacks threaten Dynasty light infantry, while the operators’ cannon weapons and drones’ rockets are effective against Dynasty light vehicles. The video describes Boar tanks and Matchsticks as part of a response to this force, with rocket-armed units targeting drones. These are separate interactions within the same matchup, rather than evidence that one weapon type works equally well against every unit in the group.
The video also gives details about Drone Operators’ armor: it has no resistance to rifle, fire, sniper, or explosive attacks. Matchsticks and Hammerhands use explosive and rifle attacks, respectively, while rifle, fire, and sniper weapons are also described as effective against the operators. The video notes that getting Dynasty Guards or Pillagers close enough to attack the operators is difficult. A good approach is to use the stated weapon and armor information to compare a possible attack with the unit you are targeting.
FAQ
Is there one best unit in the Tempest Rising unit tier list?
The examples do not establish one unit as best in every matchup. They show that attacks interact differently with different armor resistances, as with Havocs against harvesters compared with Havocs against Dynasty light infantry.
What is the fastest way to check a unit counter?
Hover over the gun icon for weapon information and the shield icon for armor resistance. Compare the attacking weapon type with the target’s resistance values.
Which Dynasty units can help against GDF drones?
The player video names Missile Troopers, Havocs, and Dragonflies as rocket-weapon options against drones. It also describes Matchsticks and Hammerhands as options against Drone Operators, whose armor has no resistance to explosive and rifle attacks.
Are Havocs useful against infantry?
The cited examples say Dynasty light infantry have strong resistance to rocket attacks, making Havocs a poor counter to them. Havocs can threaten targets with low rocket resistance, including Tempest Rigs and GDF harvesters.