Hudud tips: how big a loop is safe, with real simulation data

How big a loop is safe

Trail length, cells	Got home	Average land gained	Share of map
1–15	96.7%	19 cells	0.07%
16–30	96.5%	70 cells	0.27%
31–50	95.6%	148 cells	0.58%
51–80	90.6%	294 cells	1.15%
81–120	83.0%	487 cells	1.90%
over 120	75.1%	424 cells	1.66%

Source: 12 rooms with 12 bots each (4 temperaments), 13.3 hours of play in total and 143,366 outings. People play differently from bots, so treat these numbers as a guide, not a law.

What the numbers say

Land grows faster than the trail. Going from a 25-cell to a 65-cell trail gives over four times the land, while survival falls by only 6 points. That is why tiny loops are too slow.
Beyond 120 cells there is no gain. Very long trails often draw awkward shapes: the gain stops growing while the risk keeps rising. One such outing in four ends in a knock-out.
The more land you hold, the more careful you should be. A knock-out costs you everything. Factoring that risk in: at 2% of the map an 80–120 cell loop pays best, while at 10% loops of 30–80 cells come out ahead and both longer and very tiny ones lose on average.
Other players are the main danger. 86% of knock-outs come from a cut trail, 13% from head-on collisions and only 1% from your own trail. A bot lasts 89 seconds on average and reaches 5.3% of the map.

Growing fast

Start with a rectangle: 8–10 cells out, 12–15 sideways, then back. The first loop grows your land three or four times.
Keep your trail parallel to your land: the way home stays short and one turn takes you back if danger appears.
Take free land first, then bite into your neighbours. Other players’ land inside the loop becomes yours too.
To claim a corner, run your trail along the wall: the wall itself is not a border.

How to knock out opponents

Aim not for the head but for the point of the trail farthest from their land. They will not make it back in time.
Before a head-on, compare territories: the percentages are on screen. If you are bigger, the collision favours you; if smaller, step aside.
Waiting on your own land is safe: if an enemy trail runs across it, cut it at leisure, since you have no trail there.
When hunter bots come near, keep your trail short; they only see what is close, so moving away ends the chase.

Common mistakes

Drawing a spiral and trapping yourself in your own trail. Once the head is inside there is no way out.
Riding off the screen blindly: not seeing an opponent does not mean there is none. Check the territories on the minimap.
Heading straight into a big loop after a good capture. First see who is nearby.