What skills can't you live without?

[ccexplore]

Crazy 17 is confusing me. The minimum skills thread says 8, which surely must mean the ceiling route? (I know the ceiling route is possible on Mac, but the time factor made me think it might not convert to DOS.) But if so, why isn't it 7?

And now you're confusing us by posting this here instead of on the minimum skills thread. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/tongue.gif" alt=":P" title="Tongue" class="smiley" />

Anyway, you can do 8 without the ceiling route because:

If you dig right next to the right wall at the start (ie. at the pixel immediately before the lemming starts to turn left), you can dig through multiple levels, and then start bashing right through the wall without the basher falling.

So you need 2 skills to get through the first wall, 1 to get past the barrel, 2 to build to the brickwork above water, 1 to bash through it and 1 to dig (otherwise the fall is fatal), and finally 1 to release the crowd.
 

[LemSteven]

The ceiling route does work in DOS, but it requires 9 skills.  Due to time constraints, the crowd must be restrained until most of the work is done, which requires 2 extra skills in addition to the 7 that Proxima was alluding to.

Even then, the solution comes down to the last few seconds.

But back on topic, here's the breakdown for Crazy 17:

• The blocker and bomber are obviously not needed.
• Since only one builder is needed to clear the red barrel thingy, the standard solution can be done with just three builders.
• The 8-skill solution uses only two of the three diggers.

Therefore the final list comes down to 3 builders, 2 bashers, and 2 diggers.

[ccexplore]

• The 8-skill solution uses only two of the three diggers.

Therefore the final list comes down to 3 builders, 2 bashers, and 2 diggers.

Unless there's a time problem in the 8-skill solution, since you can lose 1 and still pass the level, can't you trade the 2nd digger for a bomber?  (ie. so the final result is just 1 digger not 2?)

[Clam]

You certainly can. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/smiley.gif" alt=":)" title="Smiley" class="smiley" />

[Minim]

Taxing 10 works with 6 builders.

[namida]

Taxing 7:
Climber-free replay attached.
Bombers, the intended solution uses only one. I can't seem to reduce it below this.
Blocker-free replay attached.
Builders, the level gives you six. Replay using five attached.
Bashers, I can't find any way to beat the level without using one.

So for Taxing 7, it's 1 bomber, 5 builders, 1 basher.

[namida]

Taxing 8:
Climbers and floaters are obviously not going to help you at all on this level.
Bombers are useless, since it's 100%.
The fewest builders this level can be completed with is 3, replay attached.
The fewest bashers this level can be completed with is 4, replay attached.

Note that 3 builders + 4 bashers is an impossible skillset for this level, of course. 3 builders solution uses far more than 4 bashers, and 4 bashers solution uses far more than 3 builders.

[Clam]

Crazy 18: It takes two builders (and some perfect bridge-stretching) to get from the upper platform to the top ball, from which the lemmings can walk to the exit. As far as I'm aware, there's no viable 1- or no- builder solution using the Tame 20 trick, since the time limit and skill set are too restrictive. Every other skill, however, can be eliminated by varying the 2-builder solution in different ways.
Result: 2 builders.

Crazy 19: One builder is needed to get across the water, and other routes don't offer any improvement on this. The other skills can be picked off one by one without much difficulty. It's helpful to know that you can build over the one-way wall with three builders.
Result: 1 builder.

Crazy 20: 50% requirement means you can ignore the left side altogether, which helps a lot. Blockers and bombers are easy to eliminate. 6 builders seems to be a minimum - unfortunately it takes two to cross the first gap because of the spike, and there's no way to get rid of in such a way that keeps the builder moving without losing a lemming, and thus needing to save some from the left. Bashers can be left altogether by using bombers instead, and then saving the left side using the spare builders.
Result: 6 builders.

[namida]

Taxing 8 is evil. I had an idea to reduce it to 3 bashers. The level is perfectly set up to not allow this. (On the other hand, with cheapo mechanics, it would be doable, due to a slight difference in how bashers react to builder steps placed in front of them)

But at least it's given me an idea for a new level. http://www.lemmingsforums.com/Smileys/lemmings/laugh.gif" alt=":D" title="Laugh" class="smiley" />

[Clam]

Well, it seems we both had the same idea.

I got it to work though. Replay attached.

[namida]

Yours is slightly different to what I was trying, although the trick's the same. Nice work, anyway.

[Minim]

Taxing 7 is really nothing other than the standard solution (except for just 1 bomber). Taxing 8 works with 4 builders and 5 bashers.

[LemSteven]

I'm going to go ahead and start looking at Wicked.

Wicked 1: 

• The 98% solution requires just a bomber, a basher, a miner, and a digger.
• The basher can be eliminated by using bombers to clear the one-way wall.
• The miner and digger can also be eliminated by using bombers instead.

So the result comes to 1 Bomber.

Wicked 2:  

• I've just completed a run of the level without bashers, so they can be eliminated.
• You need at least seven total miners and diggers (one at the start, five in the middle, and one at the end).  Since a total of eight are provided, you can either save one miner or one digger.
• The climber is clearly not necessary.

The result here is 5 builders, 1 miner, and 5 diggers.

Wicked 3: 

• Using the right side, the level can be completed with as few as 3 builders.
• The right side solution also doesn't require any climbers or bashers.
• I managed to complete the level without any diggers using a left route.

Therefore, the list comes down to just 3 builders.

[Minim]

My turn at wicked 4:
So far: 2 bombers, 6 builders and 1 basher, although I'm sure it can be without the basher at all since you can blast open the one-way block.

[LemSteven]

You definitely don't need the basher because the low save requirement allows you to ignore the top right entrance completely.  Also, using the same logic, you can ignore the top left entrance and remove the need for the bombers.

So we're now down to just the 6 builders.