Jackluyt
Well-Known Member
I just put this Tip together for EPL. It is a subject that has mystified most players, me included - including a Moderator who I quizzed on the subject!
I think we have an almost-correct answer now; would any of you like to check it out and make comments / corrections / suggestions?
You are most welcome to share it with your friends and fellowships, if youlike it!
Here is a link to my Tip:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210157027582797&set=oa.1652024521719596&type=3&theater
WORLD MAP # 021 "How do they calculate the 'Ease or 'Difficulty' of a Province on the Map?"
A few months ago a new game change appeared. Provinces on the World Map are now labeled according to difficulty.
HOW ARE THESE LEVELS CALCULATED?
The labels (Easy, Medium, Hard, etc.) are calculated by the game computer by comparing the enemy unit size and strength against the players'.
If the player's squad size is better, then he / she gets an 'Easy' tag - and if the player's is weaker, then that tag becomes harder.
Both of these variables (player's and game's) can change independently of each other, thus altering the tag of difficulty that you see.
NOTE: The [very] easy, medium, [very] hard tags are entirely based on SQUAD SIZE RATIO - that is their squad size vs. your squad size.
It is the various factors that influence this ratio that vary, as you progress in the game...
The enemy squad is calculated directly from the cost to scout the province. As a player scouts more provinces the cost slowly increases and so do the enemy squad sizes.
When a player scouts a ring farther out from their city the opponent squad size takes a giant leap.
That is the sole factor in how the [very] easy, medium, [very] hard tags are calculated.
NOTE 2: These tags are only seen on provinces that you have not explored yet! And seeing that there are several factors that may change as the player progresses up the tech tree – so the labels can change too - upwards or downwards!!
Therefore the labels 'Easy' / 'Difficult' that you see for a particular province, may change as your game circumstances alter...
PLAYER FACTORS:
The player's contribution to the relative ease of a fight is determined by various factors which include:
- SQUAD SIZE - Increasing squad size will make fights easier;
- Troop level - Increasing troop level (I, II or III) will make fights easier;
- AW level - certain Ancient Wonders can affect and increase your fighting strength;
- Limited time buildings - These Event buildings can increase your fighting strength of certain units for a limited time before they expire (5 days).
THE GAME UNIT's contribution to the easy/difficult calculation can be changed by varying factors which include:
- The Ring number of the province - the higher the squad size and negotiation costs, (because the game designers expect advanced players to be stronger than newcomers);
- Advanced Scouts - This will reduce in size and strength all units that are Scouted AFTER this is activated. Any provinces scouted before will not change;
- Total Number of provinces Scouted - As you scout more provinces, each one becomes progressively a little more difficult....
RECALCULATION OF PROVINCE TABS
The calculation is a RELATIVE value, not an absolute one!
It is based on:
a. Completion of Advanced Scouts at the beginning of a chapter (decreases difficulty of fights and negotiations too)
b. The number of Provinces you have explored (increases difficulty gradually)
c. Your Squad Size (decreases difficulty appreciably)
d. The distance of the province from your city ('ring number'; increases difficulty dramatically)
When any one of these changes, the unexplored, scout-able province's labels on the map have their difficulty re-calculated ('Easy', 'Medium' etc.).
But NOTE: the enemy numbers within provinces you have already explored stay the same!
THE SYSTEM FAVORS 'THE AVERAGE PLAYER'!
1. The design team have run game simulations, to work out where 'the average player' should be game-wise in any given chapter.
As an example, in order to move from Chapter IV to Chapter V, one needs to complete 75 provinces on the World Map; and to move from Chapter V to VI one needs 100.
The relative game difficulty calculation for the provinces is based on the assumption that you are playing according to these guidelines!
So, in our example of a player in Chapter V, the provinces you explore will be rated 'Easy' - PROVIDED THAT you have not exceeded 100 total provinces explored! – and provided that you have taken every Squad Size upgrade that has been offered to you!
This is a CORE CONCEPT. If one ignores these guide-lines and 'over-Scouts' more than the chapter's recommended 100 maximum provinces, the rating you will see on the Map will be more difficult.
If you are a conservative player and not particularly interested in advanced game-play theories – then it is better not to 'over-scout'.
The more you deviate from the design team's vision of where the average player should be – the more likely you will be to run into difficulties!
So the simplest strategy is to:
i. Only explore the minimum number of provinces you need to get into a new Province;
ii. Do all the Squad Size increases that are available in that chapter;
iii. Leave exploring new provinces until relatively late in the chapter – and only explore the minimum number you need to get into the next chapter.
That is what the game designers expect you to do – so it is by far the safest strategy!!
2. Provinces that you explore BEFORE Advanced Scouts are not only more expensive to buy, in number of Coins – they also are more difficult to fight, and more expensive to Negotiate.
3. Provided that you have not over-explored, the RELATIVE and ABSOLUTE difficulty values of a province should be the same or similar.
=D
4. ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS: In later chapters you can safely deviate from 'the average path by skipping the squad size techs that are not required.
The reason for this is that the chapter unlocking requirement (number of provinces explored) maintains a stepping rate of 30, but the rings which cause large jumps in enemy squad size grow to much higher numbers.
Advanced players may consider switching from 'research all squad size increases' to 'do the mandatory ones only' in chapter 6 or 7.
NOTE: If you skip Squad Size increases – remember that some require Settlement Goods for the upgrade – so make sure you have enough in store before you sell that Settlement – in case you change your mind one day!
****
WHAT DETERMINES TOURNAMENT SQUAD SIZE – AND DIFFICULTY?
This is entirely different!
While World Map provinces become more difficult the further out you move from your city, and the higher your chapter level - the difficulty of Tournament provinces is directly related to your own Squad Size.
This was done deliberately to give all players an equal chance at Tournament play!
The further you go from your city, the bigger the numbers become – but the difficulty stays the same.
The Difficulty DOES alter each day though! Day Two provinces are about 20% more difficult than Day One; and Day Three are about 20% more difficult than Day Two, etc, etc
An ALTERNATIVE TOURNAMENT STRATEGY that some players use is to refuse ALL squad size increases – the ones that are not compulsory. By keeping their squad size low, they can win more easily in Tournaments, using fewer troops and less goods. But the price you pay for this, is that you will have to cater all your World Map provinces – because you will not win them with a tiny army...
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE TOURNAMENT STRATEGY is to do the exact opposite!
Take EVERY Squad size upgrade you can – which means you will win most World Map Fights easily (if you do not over-explore).
Players who opt for this solution only fight in the Map provinces – and only cater in the Tournaments.
Both are viable strategies!
One thing that is for sure, though – it is extremely difficult for an advanced player to be a demon fighter in both Tournaments and World Map fights; it is usually one or the other!!
My own Tournament fighting, since my Squad Size reached 2000, has become more and more difficult: Six months ago I was in the top 20 every week – now I struggle to reach the top 100...
Jack
I think we have an almost-correct answer now; would any of you like to check it out and make comments / corrections / suggestions?
You are most welcome to share it with your friends and fellowships, if youlike it!
Here is a link to my Tip:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10210157027582797&set=oa.1652024521719596&type=3&theater
WORLD MAP # 021 "How do they calculate the 'Ease or 'Difficulty' of a Province on the Map?"
A few months ago a new game change appeared. Provinces on the World Map are now labeled according to difficulty.
HOW ARE THESE LEVELS CALCULATED?
The labels (Easy, Medium, Hard, etc.) are calculated by the game computer by comparing the enemy unit size and strength against the players'.
If the player's squad size is better, then he / she gets an 'Easy' tag - and if the player's is weaker, then that tag becomes harder.
Both of these variables (player's and game's) can change independently of each other, thus altering the tag of difficulty that you see.
NOTE: The [very] easy, medium, [very] hard tags are entirely based on SQUAD SIZE RATIO - that is their squad size vs. your squad size.
It is the various factors that influence this ratio that vary, as you progress in the game...
The enemy squad is calculated directly from the cost to scout the province. As a player scouts more provinces the cost slowly increases and so do the enemy squad sizes.
When a player scouts a ring farther out from their city the opponent squad size takes a giant leap.
That is the sole factor in how the [very] easy, medium, [very] hard tags are calculated.
NOTE 2: These tags are only seen on provinces that you have not explored yet! And seeing that there are several factors that may change as the player progresses up the tech tree – so the labels can change too - upwards or downwards!!
Therefore the labels 'Easy' / 'Difficult' that you see for a particular province, may change as your game circumstances alter...
PLAYER FACTORS:
The player's contribution to the relative ease of a fight is determined by various factors which include:
- SQUAD SIZE - Increasing squad size will make fights easier;
- Troop level - Increasing troop level (I, II or III) will make fights easier;
- AW level - certain Ancient Wonders can affect and increase your fighting strength;
- Limited time buildings - These Event buildings can increase your fighting strength of certain units for a limited time before they expire (5 days).
THE GAME UNIT's contribution to the easy/difficult calculation can be changed by varying factors which include:
- The Ring number of the province - the higher the squad size and negotiation costs, (because the game designers expect advanced players to be stronger than newcomers);
- Advanced Scouts - This will reduce in size and strength all units that are Scouted AFTER this is activated. Any provinces scouted before will not change;
- Total Number of provinces Scouted - As you scout more provinces, each one becomes progressively a little more difficult....
RECALCULATION OF PROVINCE TABS
The calculation is a RELATIVE value, not an absolute one!
It is based on:
a. Completion of Advanced Scouts at the beginning of a chapter (decreases difficulty of fights and negotiations too)
b. The number of Provinces you have explored (increases difficulty gradually)
c. Your Squad Size (decreases difficulty appreciably)
d. The distance of the province from your city ('ring number'; increases difficulty dramatically)
When any one of these changes, the unexplored, scout-able province's labels on the map have their difficulty re-calculated ('Easy', 'Medium' etc.).
But NOTE: the enemy numbers within provinces you have already explored stay the same!
THE SYSTEM FAVORS 'THE AVERAGE PLAYER'!
1. The design team have run game simulations, to work out where 'the average player' should be game-wise in any given chapter.
As an example, in order to move from Chapter IV to Chapter V, one needs to complete 75 provinces on the World Map; and to move from Chapter V to VI one needs 100.
The relative game difficulty calculation for the provinces is based on the assumption that you are playing according to these guidelines!
So, in our example of a player in Chapter V, the provinces you explore will be rated 'Easy' - PROVIDED THAT you have not exceeded 100 total provinces explored! – and provided that you have taken every Squad Size upgrade that has been offered to you!
This is a CORE CONCEPT. If one ignores these guide-lines and 'over-Scouts' more than the chapter's recommended 100 maximum provinces, the rating you will see on the Map will be more difficult.
If you are a conservative player and not particularly interested in advanced game-play theories – then it is better not to 'over-scout'.
The more you deviate from the design team's vision of where the average player should be – the more likely you will be to run into difficulties!
So the simplest strategy is to:
i. Only explore the minimum number of provinces you need to get into a new Province;
ii. Do all the Squad Size increases that are available in that chapter;
iii. Leave exploring new provinces until relatively late in the chapter – and only explore the minimum number you need to get into the next chapter.
That is what the game designers expect you to do – so it is by far the safest strategy!!
2. Provinces that you explore BEFORE Advanced Scouts are not only more expensive to buy, in number of Coins – they also are more difficult to fight, and more expensive to Negotiate.
3. Provided that you have not over-explored, the RELATIVE and ABSOLUTE difficulty values of a province should be the same or similar.
=D
4. ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY FOR ADVANCED PLAYERS: In later chapters you can safely deviate from 'the average path by skipping the squad size techs that are not required.
The reason for this is that the chapter unlocking requirement (number of provinces explored) maintains a stepping rate of 30, but the rings which cause large jumps in enemy squad size grow to much higher numbers.
Advanced players may consider switching from 'research all squad size increases' to 'do the mandatory ones only' in chapter 6 or 7.
NOTE: If you skip Squad Size increases – remember that some require Settlement Goods for the upgrade – so make sure you have enough in store before you sell that Settlement – in case you change your mind one day!
****
WHAT DETERMINES TOURNAMENT SQUAD SIZE – AND DIFFICULTY?
This is entirely different!
While World Map provinces become more difficult the further out you move from your city, and the higher your chapter level - the difficulty of Tournament provinces is directly related to your own Squad Size.
This was done deliberately to give all players an equal chance at Tournament play!
The further you go from your city, the bigger the numbers become – but the difficulty stays the same.
The Difficulty DOES alter each day though! Day Two provinces are about 20% more difficult than Day One; and Day Three are about 20% more difficult than Day Two, etc, etc
An ALTERNATIVE TOURNAMENT STRATEGY that some players use is to refuse ALL squad size increases – the ones that are not compulsory. By keeping their squad size low, they can win more easily in Tournaments, using fewer troops and less goods. But the price you pay for this, is that you will have to cater all your World Map provinces – because you will not win them with a tiny army...
ANOTHER ALTERNATIVE TOURNAMENT STRATEGY is to do the exact opposite!
Take EVERY Squad size upgrade you can – which means you will win most World Map Fights easily (if you do not over-explore).
Players who opt for this solution only fight in the Map provinces – and only cater in the Tournaments.
Both are viable strategies!
One thing that is for sure, though – it is extremely difficult for an advanced player to be a demon fighter in both Tournaments and World Map fights; it is usually one or the other!!
My own Tournament fighting, since my Squad Size reached 2000, has become more and more difficult: Six months ago I was in the top 20 every week – now I struggle to reach the top 100...
Jack
Platinum Leaf is a public Facebook group for Elvenar players with 4300 members
and a large library of hundreds of Elvenar info-tips and videos.
You and your fellowship members are most welcome to join!
and a large library of hundreds of Elvenar info-tips and videos.
You and your fellowship members are most welcome to join!
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