Does anyone else sometimes uses a calculator to play the games? I sometimes would like to calculate the overall probability of many different orders. Or calculate the enemy's army per turn on big maps. Just wondering if anyone else does this.

*tentatively raises hand*

I've used a calculator before. I also frequently do calculations in my head to figure out probabilities on various orders succeeding. I've known other players who I've teamed with who have done the same. This game is half numbers, half intuition. Might as well maximize your chances on the number aspect.

You don't have to actually whip out a calculator though in most situations. Just use the analyze tool.

analyze tool is the best tool on warlight :)

i use notes

i don't use any notes or calculators...just guess and estimate really. I do utilize the analyze tool though

I just kind of click around randomly until the Commit button lets me send orders.

More seriously, I do like watching all of the turns play out since in a 1v1, it's useful to watch every move no matter how minor.

But at the same time, I get anxious about finding out what's going to happen with certain critical attacks, such as if there are big stacks of mine attacking or big stacks of the enemy that might be attacking later in the turn. So I'll often open a calculator while the attack is playing out and do a quick multiplication by .6 or division by .7 or whatever.

There's also things where the analyze tool doesn't help. For example, if you suspect the enemy will attack you, and you want to know "If I can counter-attack after their attack, how many armies do I need to take the territory?" This is a multi-part calculation, since you have to subtract how many each party lost in the first attack to figure out what will be left over afterward.

"I just kind of click around randomly until the Commit button lets me send orders"

glad I'm not the only one.

I've never thought about calculating anything, by machine or in head. But, I will take a guess at what they are going to do. Kinda of similar I guess, but you can completely ignore logic and just shoot from the hip. Being unexpected is clearly the easy way out in my opinion.

I did when I was really too lazy to divide by .6 or .7 .
Usually calculus comes into my consideration, mostly using mean values, not precise probabilities, as long as the luck factor is set to 16%. It's enough to micro-manage with some efficiency (like 9 instead of 8 on an attack is not always useful because the mean casualty is 5.4 instead of 4.8, so if the expectation is a defense of 5, an 8 should be enough, if safety on your charge can be delayed to give you some other profit with the extra troop... Just an example).

It's mostly about maximizing remainder rolls on attack and defense. The first week I played WL I made a simple Excel spreadsheet with 1-500 in columns 1 and 3 and then multipliers of .6 and .7 in columns 2 and 4.

That way I could immediately see how big an attack had to be to take or defend a territory with zero luck (my preferred mode). If I played on 16% luck, I'd add columns and factor in the ranges on the luck factor, so I would still know the what yields 100% probabiolity of taking a spot or defending a spot.

The math is pretty simple and it's been posted many times in the forum. Using a spreadsheet lets you save very quickly adjust for different luck and see the answer for any number of armies (without having to repeatedly pull out a calculator). I think it's a very useful approach for newbs. After awhile you can intuit the answers pretty accurately.

I always use my head to calculate things.

If things get really complicated, for example: what if he uses maximum deployment, he attacks and kills maximally possible with 16% luck, how much do I need to take his territory with a counterattack, then I sometimes use a paper.

I do calculate a lot though and I often don't calculate on purpose to confuse my enemies.