What are your thoughts on the phase 2 advancements? Which ones are you getting/planning to? Or are you sticking with phase 1 upgrades?

Specifically, If anyone has gotten “increase AP” or “increase idle time”, how much are the level 2 upgrades (after the initial)?

And if anyone has statistics level 2, how much does is level 3?

Sometimes the cost goes down after the initial upgrade, and other times it goes up
right away so I’m trying to figure out what seems like the best use of AP.

Depends ...

Are you playing for the long game? If so, do the "Increased AP".

Are you playing for immediate in game benefits? If so, do "Increase draft size".

Are you playing for WZI Battles? If so, do "Auto-conquer".

@JB
Stats advancement level costs are 1st:50, 2nd:100, 3rd:150, and 4th:200

Edited 12/1/2020 18:55:58

@Jb

Increased AP costs 1218, 200, then +100 for each level thereafter. So all-in you pay 7718 to get to 25%, and to earn that back you need to earn ~30,000 AP.

So not sure if it's worth it tbh. Only if more levels are added, a way to rest AP earning is added, and you also plan to play a LOT OF FUTURE MAPS. Else you'll never achieve ROI.

Also, if you want to beat maps quicker or win WZI Battles, Increased AP does nothing for you (might even be disadvantageous if it ends up getting you targeted).

In another post, JK learned that once you've beaten all of the levels, you can reset them. Essentially getting a New Game+

OH REALLY ??

Thanks @Splat. I’m a numbers person, so the statistics are tempting. I want the level 3 stats.

I think I’ll keep hoarding for the increase AP advancement, since getting more AP means more upgrades. It’s hard not to spend it on the ones I can already afford, though.

Stats are good. Get it to L4 so you can see all the Tech upgrades. That helps you plan the level, else you get surprised on what alloys & items are required for each new item you uncover.

Or is it worth getting auto conquer right now? What do you get from the challenge levels?

I like Mercenary Discount, Draft Size, Crafter Speed, Army Camp Discount in that order.

I haven’t done Auto-Conquer but the new battles might have me dabble here. Can always reset if I don’t end up battling.

I originally thought that Increased AP could be a good one, especially if it’s combined with a reset down the road. However after giving this a little more thought I’m think the four mentioned above are more effective at driving AP per minute/hour/day by allowing you to beat levels faster.

@JB

Challenge levels give you AP when you win one. Only the first win on each level gives the reward.

If NG+ is true then it is worth to go waste everything in bonus AP's, but for now I am playing idle for 4 hours, come in, click click, go idle again.
So far I have myself 40% army camps, 20% bonus cache money, 25% joint strike (maximum), 30% additional mercenaries, statistics lvl 1 (at first thought to max it out, then understood it doesn't matter to me because of my long, inefficient gamestyle, like, real idle, almost no activity and strategy planning), idle time 150 minutes (will probably grind it till total idle time gets around 8 hours without artifacts)

For what I think will benefit me a lot is decreasing mercenary cost from second phase, because usually I end worlds before buying out last 2 camps, because their cost is so high, can't just reach that amount of money and also will put 1 point in smelter's and crafter's speed upgrades, because 10% feels nice, but too much speed is not needed for me :D
Absolutely don't want to go into those auto stuff, because they begin from VERY VERY LOW values (like 5% of money or 2hours of time before something changes), that sucks :D

Mercs are fun, going into bonus mercs wasn't bad at all, Joint Strike is the best advancement I have seen yet. Nothing can beat its profitability. Together with hospitals they save more than half of total gained armies.

I am now playing at Fort Harbor (17-th map) :-)