AntiAndi (starter-algo-V2.1
) vs Isaac (dumb-dumb-base
)
https://terminal.c1games.com/watch/173219 (if you do not read the whole post, just be aware that this probably does not feature a high-level strategy, but is interesting exactly because is does not)
This is first of all an interesting match up because dumb-dumb-base
is currently at 1338
elo (rank 151) and falling fighting against starter-algo-V2.1
, which on the other hand is at rank seven, which equals 1752
elo.
The match
The turn two shenanigans from Dumb-dumb set the tone of this match: Removing all their defenses right at the start seems like a strategy to win a match, especially against a top algo.
Dumb-basesā variety in attacks, i.e. sending all scramblers every turn actually prevents Starterās EMPās from coming through. Our underdog also gave up building defenses after their highly effective move in turn two and because they are sending scramblers each and every turn and Starter cannot get away from sending EMPās, dumb-dumb-base
wins on health after a full length match.
Analysis
When we start to look at how the algos behaved, we will quickly notice that AntiAndiās algo is only sending out number_affordable
EMPās and thus will never win out against number_affordable
scramblers from Isaac. These scramblers were able to deal damage in the beginning because Starter-algo needed its time to set up some destructors and since it only ever sent out EMPās, it could not match the scramblers.
How
Looking into other matches played by starter-algo-V2.1
(e.g. this, that or that match), we can make out that it is an extremely primitive and linear algo because it always does only one thing: Build up its fixed combination of filters and destructors in the same arrangement and order every time and then send out EMPās every turn.
You might think that an algo like this should not land at the top of the leader board, but this works against most complex algos because they are building up structures, which get destroyed by the EMPās and they can deal damage in the āstrategic breaksā of more complex algos.
dumb-dumb-base
is even more dull, i.e. instead of sending out only EMPās it only deploys scramblers and these are the perfect counter to the high-cost ranged unit.
Ah
From this we learned that it does not take an overly complicated algo to rise to the top and also that there can be a simple counter to an otherwise working strategy, which will only counter exactly this strategy and thus fall down very fast. In fact, dumb-dumb-base
has fallen over three ranks in the making of this and will probably land at the very bottom of the leader board eventually because it only counters one strategy (starter-algo-V2.1
is at the top because it counters many approaches) and will thus lose way more than it wins.