Unit Matchups

Choose two to four units to see their figures side by side, how long each takes to destroy each of the others, and how each pair fares one on one and for the same metal or energy. Every figure is worked out shot by shot from the game's own unit and weapon files. The choice is kept in the page's address, so a link such as Peewee and A.K. opens that comparison directly.

What the Times Assume

A weapon has a usual damage, and its damage table can name units that take a different amount. Against a named unit, the named amount replaces the usual one. A direct hit does the full amount even from a weapon with a blast; the blast's damage to other units nearby is left out.
The game counts reloads in thirtieths of a second, rounding down, and so do the times. A weapon that fires a burst sends its shots one burst gap apart, the first of them one gap after it fires.
Every weapon that can harm the target opens fire at the same moment, both units are already in range, and every shot hits. Flight time, turning and aiming are left out.
Anti-air weapons fire only at aircraft in flight, and torpedoes only at ships and submarines. Other weapons fire only at targets above the water. The game also lets most of them fire at aircraft, but whether an unguided shot connects depends on how the aircraft moves, so against aircraft only anti-air weapons and homing missiles are counted.
Weapons that only stun, such as the Spider's, do no damage and are not counted, nor are missile defences. Weapons fired on command, such as the Commander's D-Gun, bombs and nuclear missiles, are counted unless you clear the box.
In the game, kills raise a unit's damage, cut the damage it takes and shorten its reloads. The times assume no kills on either side, and enough stored energy for weapons that use it.
Pop-up defences such as the Ambusher take much less damage while closed. The times are for them open, as they are when firing back.

The One on One column follows one more rule from the game: a unit reloads more slowly as it loses hit points, up to a fifth more slowly near death.

Metal for Metal

Two units can trade very differently one on one and in groups. A cheap unit can lose every duel yet win when the same metal buys three of it. To fill the cost columns, the guide uses Lanchester's square law, a long-standing model of battles in which every unit can fire at once. Each side's firepower is its kill rate: how many of the other kind one unit destroys a minute against a steady line of them, so damage wasted on overkill counts against it. A group's strength is that kill rate times its numbers squared, and with the same metal spent on each side, the stronger group wins.

The figure beside the winner is how many times its own metal of the other a group of it can beat. A figure of 1.5 means that a group of the winner can beat one and a half times its own metal of the other unit. Energy for Energy uses the same sum with energy costs. The model is not the game's code. It ignores range, speed and terrain, which often decide real fights, so read it as a measure of value for money rather than a forecast.

Compare Units

Comparing Peewee, A.K.

Side by Side

Figure	Peewee	A.K.
Side	Arm	Core
Metal	53	56
Energy	697	696
Build time	1,452	1,523
Hit points	250	265
Top speed	1.8	1.72
Sight	280	275
Weapons	E.M.G.: 8 × 3 damage every 0.4 s, range 180, 60 a second	Laser: 30 damage every 0.87 s, range 180, 34.7 a second

Time to Kill

Each row's unit attacks each column's unit alone and unhurt. The time runs from its first shot to the hit that destroys the target; below it is the number of hits that takes.

Attacker ↓ Target →	Peewee	A.K.
Peewee	4.2 s32 hits	4.5 s34 hits
A.K.	6.7 s9 hits	6.7 s9 hits

Head to Head

One on one, both units start unhurt and in range, and open fire together. A hurt unit reloads more slowly, as it does in the game. The cost columns name the unit that does better for the same spend, and how many times its own cost of the other a group of it can beat.

Pair	One on One	Metal for Metal	Energy for Energy
Peewee and A.K.	Peewee wins in 4.6 s with 70 hit points leftBoth reach 180	Peewee ×1.36	Peewee ×1.29

Early Kbots and Vehicles

Every armed unit of the original game that each side builds at its first Kbot Lab and Vehicle Plant. Each time is for one unit attacking one other on its own, worked out as described above. Select a time to open that pair in the tool.

Arm Attacking Core

Attacker ↓ Target →	A.K.	Storm	Thud	Crasher	Weasel	Instigator	Raider	Slasher
Peewee	4.5 s34 hits	10.3 s78 hits	13.3 s100 hits	7.9 s60 hits	1.4 s11 hits	10.9 s82 hits	17.7 s133 hits	10.9 s82 hits
Rocko	8 s3 hits	20 s6 hits	28 s8 hits	16 s5 hits	First shot1 hit	24 s7 hits	40 s11 hits	24 s7 hits
Hammer	5.8 s4 hits	13.5 s8 hits	17.4 s10 hits	9.7 s6 hits	First shot1 hit	13.5 s8 hits	23.2 s13 hits	13.5 s8 hits
Jethro	19.2 s9 hits	45.6 s20 hits	1 min 0 s26 hits	36 s16 hits	4.8 s3 hits	50.4 s22 hits	1 min 22 s35 hits	50.4 s22 hits
Jeffy	6.7 s9 hits	16.7 s21 hits	21.7 s27 hits	12.5 s16 hits	1.7 s3 hits	17.5 s22 hits	29.2 s36 hits	17.5 s22 hits
Flash	4.5 s34 hits	10.3 s78 hits	13.3 s100 hits	7.9 s60 hits	1.4 s11 hits	10.9 s82 hits	17.7 s133 hits	10.9 s82 hits
Stumpy	7.5 s6 hits	18 s13 hits	22.5 s16 hits	13.5 s10 hits	1.5 s2 hits	19.5 s14 hits	31.5 s22 hits	19.5 s14 hits
Samson	15 s7 hits	37.5 s16 hits	47.5 s20 hits	27.5 s12 hits	5 s3 hits	40 s17 hits	1 min 5 s27 hits	40 s17 hits

Core Attacking Arm

Attacker ↓ Target →	Peewee	Rocko	Hammer	Jethro	Jeffy	Flash	Stumpy	Samson
A.K.	6.7 s9 hits	16.7 s21 hits	21.7 s27 hits	12.5 s16 hits	1.7 s3 hits	16.7 s21 hits	27.5 s34 hits	17.5 s22 hits
Storm	7.4 s3 hits	22.2 s7 hits	25.9 s8 hits	14.8 s5 hits	First shot1 hit	22.2 s7 hits	33.3 s10 hits	22.2 s7 hits
Thud	5.7 s4 hits	13.3 s8 hits	17.1 s10 hits	9.5 s6 hits	First shot1 hit	13.3 s8 hits	22.8 s13 hits	15.2 s9 hits
Crasher	17.5 s8 hits	47.5 s20 hits	1 min 0 s25 hits	35 s15 hits	5 s3 hits	47.5 s20 hits	1 min 15 s31 hits	50 s21 hits
Weasel	6.7 s9 hits	16.7 s21 hits	21.7 s27 hits	12.5 s16 hits	1.7 s3 hits	16.7 s21 hits	27.5 s34 hits	17.5 s22 hits
Instigator	5 s6 hits	13 s14 hits	18 s19 hits	10 s11 hits	1 s2 hits	14 s15 hits	22 s23 hits	14 s15 hits
Raider	6 s5 hits	18 s13 hits	22.5 s16 hits	13.5 s10 hits	1.5 s2 hits	18 s13 hits	28.5 s20 hits	18 s13 hits
Slasher	15 s7 hits	35 s15 hits	47.5 s20 hits	27.5 s12 hits	2.5 s2 hits	37.5 s16 hits	1 min 0 s25 hits	37.5 s16 hits

Metal for Metal

Each Arm unit (row) against each Core unit (column), for the same metal. Above 1, the Arm unit does better: a group of them can beat up to that many times its own metal of the Core unit. Below 1, the Core unit does better.

Attacker ↓ Target →	A.K.	Storm	Thud	Crasher	Weasel	Instigator	Raider	Slasher
Peewee	1.36	2.3	2.1	3.85	1.63	1.54	2.07	2.77
Rocko	0.58	1.05	0.87	1.74	0.68	0.66	0.96	1.15
Hammer	0.63	1.08	0.97	1.98	0.86	0.81	1.09	1.38
Jethro	0.34	0.57	0.49	1	0.4	0.39	0.56	0.68
Jeffy	0.87	1.47	1.15	2.61	1.03	0.98	1.44	1.64
Flash	1.04	1.76	1.48	3.04	1.24	1.22	1.67	2.09
Stumpy	0.6	0.99	0.9	1.78	0.71	0.7	0.98	1.21
Samson	0.48	0.8	0.72	1.43	0.5	0.55	0.76	0.95