Usage of Dante

I'd like to hear opinions on what the use of Dante is. Right now it feels rather... meh. Like there is always a better unit for whatever you're thinking of doing.

But I don't use it much and I usually forget the missile special, so maybe I'm overlooking something.

A single dante don't do much, you need something more than that,

you need 2 together.

Dante hardcounters the rover fac pretty definitively

I see Dante as pretty much a Firewalker on steroids. It's all about hit and run with the d-gun and abusing its target overshoot. That way it can easily kill all kinds of skirmishers, especially Phantoms. The goal is to always stay in the safety of your own lines and never let an enemy get close. For cost, Dante doesn't nearly have the DPS or HP to stand its ground in close quarters.

I don't see it built much in my recent 1v1s since most maps are wide open with no corners for it to retreat behind. Also in bigger games there are more specialized tools for the job of killing skirmishers.

As already stated many times - pretty much rocket salvo is main thing, found out this too. It overshoot a lot, might expect it to deal 500+ burn damage (caretakers may repair faster than unit get damaged, but they don't switch their target so others can burn to death if not microed). Good for tactics, but you cannot babysit it forever. When in doubt -"have strider hub, but don't know what to build next"- dante is the choice. Heatray gun sucks, and inherently everything with heatray sucks too, but flamer is a good compensation. Shares weaknesses with your average riot unit - for example a couple of dominatrices in right hands will deal with it no problems.
At least that what i found out. Overall doesn't feel 'meh' but rather 'pretty good'.

I have never once in my life succeeded to actually make dominatrix work against dante in 1v1. And this is as a dominatrix enthusiast who captures up-dad commanders all the time. I just don't believe it as a thing. Need to see the evidence.

Dante ir close combat unit which can melt most enemy in close combat. If there is no direct counter then dante can melt its way very fast and be game ender. You may use it as assault strider to soften enemy lines and then follow with other units when dante is dead or its retreating with low hp for repair.
Other way to play dante is focus only napalm salvo shooting and retreating. This is more supportive role but can keep enemy many time back because they don't want to get missiles in face. This startegy also works vs cloaked unit ball and cloked stealth units. Its less risky as using charge dante.
Most effective way is combine dante with cloaker, get close to target and then unleashe its power or just spam missile salvo.
Dante is hard to support with other units because it tends to burn everything nerby. So tactics like flea circle will suffer greatly. Best support for dante maybe is air who disarm enemy unit formations or orc cluster or bomb them.


Strong vs: raiders, most assaults, riots, skirmishers (with salvo), light porc clusters, also vs domi balls with its salvo, it have good decloaking capability with salvos, can grill badgers formations with good salvo, very fast grill building nearby.

Weak vs: lance is ultimate erasier for dante, scorpion, cyclops, massed minotaurs, two widov can stun it and then its good as ded, cloaked zeus ball if it gets nearby and stun it very fast, skuttle if dante is fighning other things, ultimatum, paladin, carefully managed phantoms, emmisarry, grizlly, heavy laser turrets and more heavy turrets, bombers, racketeers, crab spikes, d gun commandes also vs sniper type commander.

Most important thing is understand when build dante and why build it. Otherwise it will be great metal investment in enemy team units or just metal waste. Some people think that dante is bad but i disagree with that. Its very niche unit.