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i know the calculations exist, but i do not know them. The rules of thumb that i use are 6 round minimum for a general that has to cross the aggro zone. (say like pirates) 4 round minimum on simple ones (say like horseback). Spending a little time online and in german you can find posts with pretty pictures for blocking on pretty much any adventure. But if you want to figure it out for yourself get in a combat sim and what you want is to set up a fight not with the fewest losses but with an average battle that either side can win. Usually you want to use either your lowest damage troops or highest hp troops to make combat last longer. Playing with some of the more common or known blocks you can start to get the idea and then work from there.
Oh and dont forget just because you think it should be alright, like say a camp with a minimum of 4 rounds but a 7 round average fight, you may experience a 4 round fight.
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I'm with Evelude on this, I tend to go with rules of thumb. Given internet latency, server lag and the like, I don't think you can get too precise. Study the guides available in the forum and you'll start to develop your own sense for what works for you. Unless I'm feeling especially open to painful learning experiences, I won't use any advanced block that goes less than 5 rounds minimum, and I like to see averages above 6. Above all, remember that BB doesn't endorse or support blocking techniques, and won't reimburse you for the troops you lost due to server lag.
A few things I try to consider when I'm trying something new:
1. The blocking general usually needs to be a Tavern General. Their battles seem to take longer per round. Attack generals should be Battle Hardened or Veterans. Veterans are usually best as they often provide 1-wave opportunities to clear the leader.
2. After the blocking battle begins, how far does the Veteran or BH General have to walk to get to the leader camp? The longer the walk, the more rounds I look for in the block.
3. How quickly can the leader camp be defeated? If it needs more than 2 generals, I just clear the path to the leader through brute force. If it's one or two generals, and each battle lasts 1 ~ 2 rounds, then I'll consider it.
4. How many troops am I saving for the number I put at risk? This idea was noted in the pro-tips battle thread, and essentially boils down to: Are you putting 200 expensive troops at risk to save 10 inexpensive troops? That's an extreme obviously, but you get the idea.
5. How much time will I have to launch all the garrisons? I prefer 1 blocker, 1 fighter scenarios, but 1 blocker 2 fighters isn't uncommon. From the moment you launch the first general, you have to make 3 or 6 mouse clicks to launch the 2nd and 3rd generals. Find setup locations where you're not required to move the mouse at near light-speeds to make it work.
6. How much time will I have to evaluate my timing before it's too late? Once you've done this a lot, you'll start to get a feel for how far ahead the blocker needs to be of the attacking general(s). Can I find setups that give me plenty of time to evaluate their distances? Can I use landmarks on the island to help me gauge success? Generally speaking, the further your setup is from the targets, the more time you'll have to evaluate each general's position relative to one-another.
7. Use a screen capture tool, (alt-Print Screen & MS Paint at a minimum), to capture configurations and save them for next time. Mark-up the image so you'll know where the blocking general needs to be when you launch the other general(s).
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