Which prize do I want, 50% reduced intel cost once or 25 increased income for an area?

[test]

When something gets increased income from say hacking or a good job with a revenge mission etc. does that increase last the entire game/ever expire?

So I got a choice with hacking a door to let out a VIP (well except a accident with a dominated troop caused the side of the cell to burn down and the VIP is already out, somehow its lance attack on a nearby foe caused fire to nearby structure) I can get 25 resource increase for the area at 100% chance or 50% reduction in the cost of next or a random (not sure if it's the next one or random one) area costing 50% less intel to communicate with at 92%

Obviously the game considers the latter prize greater since it has worse odds, but even if they both were 100% I'd think the first prize was better. What do people think? Please tell me how these rewards work, what you'd pick, and why.

[gimmethegepgun]

Intel. Income increase takes too long to be worth much whereas intel is always good.

Also yes, the region income bonus and the soldier hacking score bonus are both permanent.

[red255]

so on lower difficulties intel to contact a region is 40 if you have a tower nearby and 80 if its one zone away

on Legend its 80 to contact a region and 160 if the tower is a zone away.

50% contact cost is going to save you 20-40 INTEL on Commander, and 40-80 INTEL on Legend.

40 INTEL can buy you a Superior perception PCS. 30 INTEL can buy you 100-150 supplies

so the INTEL to supply conversion is 40 INTEL is worth about 150 supply. or 6 months income gotten right now.

obviously the present value of 40 INTEL right now vs an annuity of 25 supply (7 INTEL a month) for the rest of the game.

assuming you've reached a point where you are in control within 6 months money is tighter and more valuable in that period and not a real issue after that point.

[damesh2]

For me, I don't over analysis the cost/benefit...I'm not an accountant and I play mostly by "ear". So, I'd take the reduced cost of intel to contact the next region and use the savings to buy something at the black market. That way, I'll be getting more income from the new region and I'm getting an item(s) I can use, as well.

[red255]

and yet, pretty sure TC wanted it broken down for why money A was better than Money B which calls for some pretty standard accounting.

[Perplex]

If you ahve contacted all areas take income, if not take intel cost.

[damesh2]

Originally posted by red255:

and yet, pretty sure TC wanted it broken down for why money A was better than Money B which calls for some pretty standard accounting.

He asked whether to take a 50% reduction in intel for next region or a boost to income for a region. I gave him my opinion and the rationale. Did I crunch numbers and probabilities...no, because I'm not a spreadsheet type of player. Many different ways to play, to each his own.

[Abrakadabra]

If youre still in the hot phase of a campaign, then intel is almost always better. Intel is more valuable. You cant get it via bm like supplies. Supplies you can get by selling stuff so you have more wiggle room. Supplies can be very useful or even game ending as well, if youre short on it and need to expand. All in all Id go for intel though. On legendary you save 40 intel which could get you one or even two major upgrades on the bm or is 50 % of the contact costs for yet another region which establishes contact with a doom reducing facility raid or at least brings you one step closer to a facility. A bit more supplies per month isnt as valuable. A 90 + % chance for that scan is quite good.

I would have taken it unless im at 250 + intel with 2 faclities I have access to and im about to hit predator armor and/or mag/plasma and really need a ton of supplies.

Depends on the phase the campaign. Check what you need more at the moment. If youre unsure Id go for intel.

[Commander Gorda]

I go for intel. Supplies are easier to get and a small increase wont do much difference.

[ElPrezCBF]

If you're on wotc, I think the chosen can reduce your income through sabotage, so any increase isn't necessarily permanent. The black market would be the main reason why you'd want an intel boost imo. You can't buy with anything but intel.

[test]

Even if they sabotage, I assume that works with or without the bonus, so either way it's still permanent.

[ElPrezCBF]

You can also see it that way though it's not at all significant considering you only collect income monthly apart from mission rewards and supply spawns.