Question regarding trades

[pookywb]

I see high up players saying that when comparing trades between units, you should take into account the amount of wits it would take to recreate that unit in that same position.

Should we also include the wits we use to kill those units?

For instance, I recently used 6 wits to kill a 4-wit soldier and a 2-wit runner. This will open my opponent to use 2 wits to kill a 3-wit soldier.

Does this mean that I came out on top as I killed 6 wits worth of units and my opponent can only kill 3 wits worth?
Or does my opponent, due to a net gain of 1 wit, win the trade over my net gain of 0 wits?

[connor3491]

I think he came out on top depending on if he had spent other wits that you didn't know about on those units. It's hard to tell because there are strategic factors like map control etc

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Also when you say you used 6 wits, does that mean you sacrificed units? Or are those 6 wits of units still alive? Or did you spend 6 wits moving and attacking?

[pookywb]

I spent 6 wits moving and attacking to kill 6 wits worth of my opponent's units.

They spent 2 wits moving and attacking to kill 3 wits worth of my units.


I have been very happy with my map awareness in this game. I've been able to track and/or predict every move so far. So I suppose in that sense, I am doing well, regardless.

[CombatEX]

Well, usually when looking at trades I do include the wit it takes to attack. Wits used to attack are worth just as much as those used to create and move the units so there's no reason to leave them out when determining if a trade was worthwhile. As for calculating trades like this in general however, there are many other factors to consider that go beyond pure wit usage. Who 'comes out on top' can't simply be determined by wits. Positioning and taking out key units at certain crucial points of the map can be worth it despite losing more wits in a trade. A simple example involves a sniper. Say your opponent has a sniper defending a wit space 4 spaces from a spawn. When you take it out and calculate the trade, it favors your opponent by... say, 3 wits. However even though you lose out wit-wise in the engagement, it will take your opponent FOUR turns to get the sniper back to that key position giving you time to mount an attack there. This is just one of many examples of things to consider besides pure wit trade values.

[wonderpug]

You also have to think about unit spawning as a resource itself. Say you take out a medic next to a spawn point. It only takes your opponent 3 wits to put a medic right back in that spot, but if that's his only spawn point, it would mean spending a turn without producing an offensive unit at that point. Depending on the map, the situation, and how aggressive you're being, it might take them a long time to get that opportunity.

[Alvendor]

I agree with the above posters that there is a lot of other things to consider apart from wit value. But I use wit counting a lot to get a feel for different situations. Take the attached image as example:

   

I have a chance to take out his bottom soldier with my soldier together with a newly spawned runner.

My wit costs: *edit* 8.5 *edit* (guess it is nice if you can add while doing this..)
Attack with soldier 2
create and attack with runner 3
replace soldier 3,5 (it really costs 4 but I wouldn't assume just one tile north is worth one extra wit)

Opponent's wit costs: 7
Replace soldier 3
Kill my soldier 3 (he will propably move down his heavy, attack and then have to move it back again.
Kill my runner 1 (he can do it the same time as replacing the soldier

So it is not a good idea for me to attack his soldier unless my attack give me an advantage in any other way.