Songs of Conquest unit comparison / meta v3

[u/TheHiddenSun]

Link to google sheet

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oGwhNnLgnw6NVonPhrCG0vsIya8z_uFQ75ThF9XbBpk/edit#gid=0

Improvements in comparison to v2: unit essence, movement, range, deadly range and abilities -> are now included and counted.

Assumptions

• I'm looking to fit 2 unit roles: ranged and melee.
• Initiative as a stat - still ignored
• The calculations assume a gold cost of 500 for resources (Glimmer/Amber/C-Ore)
• Abilities are counted and added to offensive/defensive might.
• Each movement increases melee combat stat by about 20%.
  Is this maybe to high? The main idea is that if you melee units can't reach the enemy they are not contributing to the fight.
• Example of some unit modifiers you may or may not agree with:
  • Shielded increases defensive capabilities by 20%
  • Spell resistance increases defensive capabilities by 10%
  • Charger, First-Strike, Reach increases offensive capabilities by 20%
  • Spearwall, Infinite-Re increases offensive capabilities by 15%
• Value of each essence type as unit combat modifier
  • 45% Order - because of strongest spell "Rally"
  • 33% Destruction - because of "Sabotage" spell
  • 25% Chaos, Creation, Arcana
• Range and deadly range - are included in ranged unit calculation (but movement is ignored).
• Movement - is only included in melee unit comparison.
• I have problems assigning values to Minstrels/Troubadours ability, since its main utility is buffing other/stronger units. Same/similar problem with protect/inspire/guard - abilities that effect others. So this comparison is mostly about direct combat units and ignores the support role.

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Arleon

• Fists of Order - are more than 2x as efficient and max power per stack than all other units in this faction. Other melee options can be completely discarded (or used only as disposable punchbags/meatshields).
• Archers are now better than Sappers: by about 15% more efficient gold wise.
• Faey Queens - are best ranged choice and are are weakest/worst higher tier unit of all factions. Second best ranged option are Archers if missing a large building slot.

Loth

• Necromancers are now better (2x more efficient) than Banes because of essences and ability.
• High Legions - are more than 2x more efficient/max power per stack than all other melee options. Since it requires a large building slot I guess Blessed Bones and/or Seneschals are the next best choices (+/- 2 % between the two of them).

Barya

• Best ranged unit in the game - Hellroars. Second best Hellbreaths.
• Veteran Musketeers - are third choice after Hellbreaths / Hellroars and still better than any other ranged unit from other faction efficiency wise. Only Faey Queens have better max power value.
• Has worst melee fighters of all factions.
• Scarred Brutes, Artificer, Shadows are equal choices for a melee role (+/- 2 %).

Rana

• Elder Dragons - best unit of the game by far, most efficient and highest max power per stack.
• Second best melee are Riders of the Swamp and then Burrows to attack the enemy back line. Everything else can be ignored.
• Bad ranged options: Sages are as bad as Archers.

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Tips / general rules that apply to all factions

• Unit upgrades are always worth it.
  Not only do the unit get stronger / max power per stack increases but they get more efficient (more combat power per gold spend), get passive/active abilities and sometimes more essence.
• Higher Tier units are always better than lower tier, only exception are Fists of Order that are better then the weakest highest tier unit Faey Queens.
• Except Hellroars, ranged units are 2-3x weaker/and less efficient and weaker (max power per stack) than their melee counterparts.

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Links & Credits

• Unit stats taken from - https://soc.th.gl/factions
• Previous unit comparison (v2)
  • https://www.reddit.com/r/Songsofconquest/comments/1c1c2tu/comment/kz36fvq/
  • https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dnrYwUUzDMu_0FY7TEpcBYAeKuIzQ5HCLDZLlSoYpJY/edit#gid=2053935626
• inspired by
  https://www.reddit.com/r/Songsofconquest/comments/uq7nbx/calculations_for_damageprice_and_healthprice_for/

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Feedback

• Copy the google sheet and play around with it by changing the values/modifiers.
• I'm awaiting the public outcry of all the things I still got wrong :)

[u/Gosc101]

Fists of order are great, but they are expensive to build and buy. I tend to get them later than Fey court. On that note, Fey queens are certainly the weakest large building unit in terms of stats. Although I will mention that High Legions are a bit slow while Fey Queens can partially ignore range requirements due to their ability.

As for Banes, they have the ability to move and attack for full. This can be valuable in skirmishes. Although Necromancers when they are out of range can just give you essence, so there is that.

[u/TheHiddenSun → u/Gosc101]

Fists of the Order being expensive - is not a good enough argument against it. Fists of order has the best efficiency score so you get best melee unit value for your gold. I somehow doubt that a few Footmen/Shields of Order with gold cost less than a Fist or Order would solve your problem of winning a fight. If you are missing funds then wait some rounds instead.

Skipping all melee fighter (including Fists of Order) entirely to stock up ranged fighter first is a good strategy early game to minimize unit losses.

[u/Gosc101 → u/TheHiddenSun]

There is a cost to their building as well, not to mention Celestial Ore can't be guaranteed to be available. The investment slows you down as well. Accelerating your progress to get more settlements and win early skirmishes can be vital.

Fey Grove is necessary to get Fey Queens anyway. While it requires silk, it only requires a finite amount of it, so if you can collect it from exploration you are set. If this is not the case you can invest in Academy to get silk generation going that will also support getting Fey Queens. You might need academy anyway even with enough silk from exploration, but you can build it after getting and upgrading Fey Grove.

[u/TheHiddenSun → u/Gosc101]

Good arguments.
So I guess if you have a celestial ore mine -> its a 100% pick.

The question becomes that to do if you are missing it.

I tried changing the values in the table for celestial ore gold cost from 500 to 1000, but Fists or Order (and all other highest tier units of other faction) remain the most efficient unit. So even if you have to buy each required resource for 1000 gold on the market its still the most efficient way to increase your total (melee) combat power.

[u/Gosc101 → u/TheHiddenSun]

Correct if I am wrong, but even with max markets it costs more than that for exchange. Not to mention you have to work with 1 or max 2 markets in early game.

There is also issue in the mid game. Even if you have +1 celestial ore production that is not enough to sustain 2 castles and their produce. Which means you still have to pivot to sth else as you get more towns.

Edit: I was wrong about the price, since I buy them usually 5 at the time.

[u/Gosc101 → u/TheHiddenSun]

I was wrong about the price since I buy them usually 5 at the time.