A Scouting Question

[DeletedUser19723]

I am 3/4 through Orcs and Goblins. I finished all but 4 provinces for the next chapter. I've scouted 8 provinces, so I'm good. My question - I can see 25 provinces that I could still scout that are Easy. Should I keep scouting? I'm curious as to whether these Easy provinces will become Very Easy when I do the Advanced Scouts for Woodelves.

 

[StarLoad]

In most cases I would say Yes but I have found on my own that just having the "easy" ones showing does not always mean that completing the advanced scout will lower them to Very Easy.

When I completed Woodelves I was exactly on for scouting 220/220 and the ring was green and stayed Green after completing the advanced scouts. I will complete the required tech for squad size upgrade and see if it changes then

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

Advanced Scouts makes the cost of scouting cheaper.. Researching Squad Upgrades makes the difficulty displayed change.

 

[DeletedUser19723]

Advanced Scouts makes the cost of scouting cheaper.. Researching Squad Upgrades makes the difficulty displayed change.

I didn't know that! I thought that both cost and difficulty went up together, be it through squad upgrade research or advanced scouts.

Here's a follow-up question - If the province goes from say medium to easy, does it ever go back to medium or even up to hard because of something a player might do?

 

[Enevhar Aldarion]

I didn't know that! I thought that both cost and difficulty went up together, be it through squad upgrade research or advanced scouts.

Here's a follow-up question - If the province goes from say medium to easy, does it ever go back to medium or even up to hard because of something a player might do?

No, I have never seen a province get harder, only easier.

 

[DeletedUser19723]

No, I have never seen a province get harder, only easier.

My daughter plays. This has happened to her three times since she began playing about 4 months ago. BTW, she's currently on chapter 5, about halfway. She would complete advanced scouts and a bunch of provinces would change from medium to easy, or easy to very easy. She would scout 2 or 3, then sign off till the next day. When she went back to the map the next day they were all back to what they were before they became easier. I would not have believed it, but she showed me. Not having played that long myself, I thought maybe it was a time thing. Like maybe the change to easier was only good for a day, or a number of scouts. This has never happened to me. Do you think her game had (has) a bug or some such? I think it's really strange.

 

[Sir Squirrel]

I have also seen some go from easy to medium, usually after scouting and completing enough for an expansion. Although I am not sure what exactly triggers it..

 

[Vergazi]

I've seen this happen as well. Mostly at the lower levels was it more common. I've been wondering if one's city score might affect it at all?

 

[Pheryll]

I've seen this happen as well. Mostly at the lower levels was it more common. I've been wondering if one's city score might affect it at all?

No it is merely that the cost for the next scout goes up each time you scout a province. Then each ring has its own multiplier, so at higher rings the change after scouting a province seems proportionately minute.

 

[Mykan]

I am 3/4 through Orcs and Goblins. I finished all but 4 provinces for the next chapter. I've scouted 8 provinces, so I'm good. My question - I can see 25 provinces that I could still scout that are Easy. Should I keep scouting? I'm curious as to whether these Easy provinces will become Very Easy when I do the Advanced Scouts for Woodelves.

Once scouted the difficulty only changes based on military tech upgrades, mainly squad sizes. The difficulty shown is just an indication based on the ratio of enemy squad size compared to your own. Inno did mention some other factors could be at play like unit techs but no one has a formula. Regardless squad size is the major driver for difficulty. So when you research advanced scouts you won't see a change to those already scouted, those squad sizes won't change now. Only your squad size can change to reduce the difficulty

Whether you scout or not is up to you. While many people will say scout as often as you can there is a benefit to patience. You sound like you are near minimum provinces, as you get through those chapters you will see more and more blue provinces, entire rings of them. As each hex has more provinces per ring this can be helpful come the last 2 chapters where there is no advanced scout tech. Check the tech tree but I think elemental is currently the last advanced scouts. Every chapter the amount you can comfortably scout above minimum gets bigger and bigger, so you just need to determine what is comfortable for you. Once you reach that last scout tech there is certainly no reason not to scout hard enough to cover the next few chapters provinces.

Here's a follow-up question - If the province goes from say medium to easy, does it ever go back to medium or even up to hard because of something a player might do?

To my knowledge no. I believe this is what Enevhar Aldarion referred to in terms of provinces getting harder. Based on the mechanics we know of it just isn't possible for already scouted ones to get harder. Yet to be scouted can based on your other scouting activities. Difficulty/cost of a province is based on the cost to scout it, higher the cost the harder/more costly it is.

 

[DeletedUser19723]

Whether you scout or not is up to you. While many people will say scout as often as you can there is a benefit to patience. You sound like you are near minimum provinces, as you get through those chapters you will see more and more blue provinces, entire rings of them. As each hex has more provinces per ring this can be helpful come the last 2 chapters where there is no advanced scout tech. Check the tech tree but I think elemental is currently the last advanced scouts. Every chapter the amount you can comfortably scout above minimum gets bigger and bigger, so you just need to determine what is comfortable for you. Once you reach that last scout tech there is certainly no reason not to scout hard enough to cover the next few chapters provinces.

Thanks, Mykan. This whole scouting, difficulty, cost thing seems to defeat me every time I think I've gotten it. Currently, I scout and complete provinces only as necessary. I find this part of Elvenar the most burdensome for me. If I fight, it costs a lot of troops, if I cater, it costs a lot of goods. I guess I must be a skinflint at heart. I hate to spend more than I need to. (Case in point - I'd like to complete Orcs soon. I have 50+ portal profits of varying %s. I don't want to spend them in case I need them more in future chapters. Should I be getting counseling? )

 

[Socrates28]

Thanks, Mykan. This whole scouting, difficulty, cost thing seems to defeat me every time I think I've gotten it. Currently, I scout and complete provinces only as necessary. I find this part of Elvenar the most burdensome for me. If I fight, it costs a lot of troops, if I cater, it costs a lot of goods. I guess I must be a skinflint at heart. I hate to spend more than I need to. (Case in point - I'd like to complete Orcs soon. I have 50+ portal profits of varying %s. I don't want to spend them in case I need them more in future chapters. Should I be getting counseling? )

You do not need counseling and only you can determine when to use them or not.
Like you I like to have more in inventory than less. I have had to learn that just having them, while comforting, goes directly aginst the purpose of haveing them - which is to use them.
Again, it is your decision to use them or not and yet that is exactly why you have them.
Decisions, decisions, decisions!

 

[DeletedUser23318]

You do not need counseling and only you can determine when to use them or not.
Like you I like to have more in inventory than less. I have had to learn that just having them, while comforting, goes directly aginst the purpose of haveing them - which is to use them.
Again, it is your decision to use them or not and yet that is exactly why you have them.
Decisions, decisions, decisions!

I always like to have some stock of them to have in case, better to have and not need, than to need and not have as they say. Some chapters they are needed in more than others.

 

[DeletedUser19723]

Again, it is your decision to use them or not and yet that is exactly why you have them.
Decisions, decisions, decisions!

Well said!

 

[Fayeanne]

Something that has already been mentioned but I wanted to reiterate: Every time a scouting process completes, all unscouted provinces go up in difficulty slightly (which might or might not be enough for the rating to visually change). Note that this change in difficulty happens when the scout finishes, not when it begins; so when you first confirm to scout a province, you won't see a change. What has happened to me a number of times is: I have a whole bunch of unscouted provinces showing as "Easy" rating. I think, wow, I have lots that I can clear. I start scouting one of them and go away for a bit. Come back after the scouting has finished to find all of the remaining unscouted provinces have shifted to "Medium." It's rather deceptive and I almost would prefer for the difficulty to switch immediately upon confirming the scouting since I don't think it's possible to cancel scouting anyway.

So yes, unscouted provinces can (and do) increase in difficulty, but I don't think(?) already-scouted ones ever can.

 

[Socrates28]

I always like to have some stock of them to have in case, better to have and not need, than to need and not have as they say. Some chapters they are needed in more than others.

I certainly agree in every aspect of your observation and at the same time if a player is struggeling, either in reality or in their own minds, to finish a chapter the decision to prolong the pain or use the PPs is exactly the point I am making. We decide which we want to endure: take longer to finish the chapter (or research) or not have the PPs?
What use does a useful item have when we can use and do not? Philosophical question whose answer only the individual player can choose
This whole game is a decision making process.

 

[DeletedUser19723]

I certainly agree in every aspect of your observation and at the same time if a player is struggeling, either in reality or in their own minds, to finish a chapter the decision to prolong the pain or use the PPs is exactly the point I am making. We decide which we want to endure: take longer to finish the chapter (or research) or not have the PPs?
What use does a useful item have when we can use and do not? Philosophical question whose answer only the individual player can choose
This whole game is a decision making process.

Yes, the game is all about decision-making. That's what I find challenging. It also allows for differences in player style. There is absolutely no one right way to play. You can take from the game what works for you and your city. There are lots of choices.

In thinking about useful items, such as PPs, it's all about where and when you want to use them. They are still useful if used now, or later. It is driven, too, by what chapter you are in and how many chapters ahead of you are going to also benefit from using them. Also, how easily obtainable an item is will affect it's use. If I had 100 PPs and knew I could get more without too much effort whenever I ran out, there would be no issue. As I see it now, PPs are obtainable, but they don't grow on trees. For example, work hard to get a fire phoenix to level 9 or 10 to get 1 portal profit every 48 hours.

I've been playing 9 months. Except for chapter 1 which was quite easy, in early chapters I always seemed to be needing goods, supplies, KP, coins.....everything. I believe this is why I now feel the need to have more than enough of everything. Comfort level. I'd like to have a devil may care attitude. You know - what the heck - it's there, use it - there will always be more down the line....... Um....I'm not there yet

 

[DeletedUser23318]

Yes, the game is all about decision-making. That's what I find challenging. It also allows for differences in player style. There is absolutely no one right way to play. You can take from the game what works for you and your city. There are lots of choices.

In thinking about useful items, such as PPs, it's all about where and when you want to use them. They are still useful if used now, or later. It is driven, too, by what chapter you are in and how many chapters ahead of you are going to also benefit from using them. Also, how easily obtainable an item is will affect it's use. If I had 100 PPs and knew I could get more without too much effort whenever I ran out, there would be no issue. As I see it now, PPs are obtainable, but they don't grow on trees. For example, work hard to get a fire phoenix to level 9 or 10 to get 1 portal profit every 48 hours.

I've been playing 9 months. Except for chapter 1 which was quite easy, in early chapters I always seemed to be needing goods, supplies, KP, coins.....everything. I believe this is why I now feel the need to have more than enough of everything. Comfort level. I'd like to have a devil may care attitude. You know - what the heck - it's there, use it - there will always be more down the line....... Um....I'm not there yet

Completely agree, And thank god for the last FA giving out Phoenix Artifacts, I was able to get my phoenix from 8 to 10. I would have been happy with just getting it to 9 to stop the coin rains and start the pp's lol.

 

[Socrates28]

Yes, the game is all about decision-making. That's what I find challenging. It also allows for differences in player style. There is absolutely no one right way to play. You can take from the game what works for you and your city. There are lots of choices.

In thinking about useful items, such as PPs, it's all about where and when you want to use them. They are still useful if used now, or later. It is driven, too, by what chapter you are in and how many chapters ahead of you are going to also benefit from using them. Also, how easily obtainable an item is will affect it's use. If I had 100 PPs and knew I could get more without too much effort whenever I ran out, there would be no issue. As I see it now, PPs are obtainable, but they don't grow on trees. For example, work hard to get a fire phoenix to level 9 or 10 to get 1 portal profit every 48 hours.

I've been playing 9 months. Except for chapter 1 which was quite easy, in early chapters I always seemed to be needing goods, supplies, KP, coins.....everything. I believe this is why I now feel the need to have more than enough of everything. Comfort level. I'd like to have a devil may care attitude. You know - what the heck - it's there, use it - there will always be more down the line....... Um....I'm not there yet

You will get the Trading Outpost which will produce a 5% PP every 2 days. That will help in making you more comfortable going forward.

 

[Deleted User - 3932582]

You will get the Trading Outpost which will produce a 5% PP every 2 days. That will help in making you more comfortable going forward.

Comfort levels are quite subjective, but I don't think 1-2 Trading Outposts in the grand prizes would produce enough PPs for comfort in the later chapters (you my want a LOT of PPs there). I didn't see TOs as a daily this time around (not yet at least). That's where you can really hoard up to comfort levels.