Dash behind an opponent after it commits to a dangerous attack or when a side change opens useful weapon pressure. Normal recharge is six seconds, or five with Afterburner. Dash changes position; it does not make you invulnerable.
Use the warning as information
Slam and Pounce commit to positions during their wind-up. Moving after that commitment can leave the attack aimed at where you were. Against Overload, Dash can interrupt its charge for two seconds. The opening tutorial freezes on a real Rage warning to teach this timing.
Pressing Dash simply because the button is ready gives up the option to answer a later threat. Watch the enemy’s warning and your current position before deciding whether the side change helps.
Turn a side change into pressure
Rear core damage gains 25% and bypasses ordinary frontal Shield interception. Dash can create that exposure, but both machines retain facing and turn delays. Your weapons still need to face and reach the enemy to use the opening.
Walls can turn the maneuver into a shoulder-check rather than a clean crossing. A slow-turning chassis may also spend part of the new position rotating. Watch the full exchange after the Dash rather than assuming that crossing sides always improves it.
Practice one timing at a time
Replay a familiar fight and identify the attack that hurts most. Try holding Dash for that commitment, then compare remaining core health and weapon uptime. If you still take damage, inspect the source: another projectile or follow-up can hit because Dash gives no blanket invulnerability.
Afterburner reduces the ordinary recharge by one second through Wheels or Hover with Thruster. Later mobility can alter Dash behavior too. Check the equipped build instead of treating the base cooldown as universal.