Scrap and Scrutiny is the sixth mission of the first episode in Prismata. Complete all the missions of the episode to unlock the expert mission challenges. This mission consists of four basic defensive puzzles, usually decided by a specific action in a single turn. The mission also exemplifies the need for diverse defending units to optimally absorb, see Defensive granularity. Below are hints and the solution for each.
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Remember that there are 2 strategies for defence: Maximising the damage absorbed, or minimising the amount of defensive units lost in order to absorb more efficiently in the following turns. The latter applies (only) if your defensive units are not of the same type however, i.e. have different health values so you can assign incoming damage more granularly.
Defending with a wall is more cost-efficient than using engineers (5 gold for 3 +absorb instead of 6 gold for 3). Every now and again engineers might be a better buy to keep absorbing damage in upcoming turns and spend all the money available: look for turns with an even numbered gold bank.
Victory window message
Even though Walls are more cost-effective than Engineers, there are many situations where Engineers are a superior defensive choice.
Challenge 1[]
+ Show starting turn
Turn 1: defend without losing an engineer
+ Show solution
Turn 1: deals 3 damage, defend without losing an engineer and absorbing 1 dmg
Turn 2: deal 3 dmg. absorb 2
Turn 3: deal 3. absorb 2
Turn 4: deal 3. Defend for 3, losing the last wall
Turn 5: deal 3.
Challenge 2[]
Info: To assign attack/defence automatically press the Q key. Marked here with (q)
+ Show starting turn (turn starts with defence)
Turn 6: Build E
+ Show solution
Turn 6: absorb 2 (q). Build E
Turn 7: (q). W
Turn 8: (q). W
Turn 9: (q). EE
Turn 10:(q). EE
...
Challenge 3[]
Info: Turn number may vary as it continues from previous challenges.
+ Show general hint
Try the preview for the damage you are about to deal. Do this before building units (meaning before hitting the 'end turn' button). This helps with optimally absorbing the incoming damage of the next turn, that is after taking the opponent‘s lost attackers into account.
+ Show starting turn (turn starts with defence)
Turn 11: absorb 2 (losing 2 engineers) (q)
+ Show solution
Turn 11: absorb 2 (q). Build W
Turn 12: absorb 2 (q). W
Turn 13: absorb 2 (q). EW
Turn 14: absorb 2 (q). W
Turn 15: absorb 2 (q). E W
Turn 16: keep absorbing and building walls to win.
Challenge 4[]
Info: Turn number may vary as it continues from previous challenges.
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With 2 blastforges and 8 income, how to best use the 2 Behemium each turn?
+ Show start (turn starts with defence)
Turn 19: absorb 2 (q), try preparing your income to use up all Behemium for the following 3 turns (at least)