Decision tree
1. Is this crew member covering a role you cannot currently replace?
If yes, favor healing unless the caravan cannot continue without fuel.
2. Would extraction merely make the run more comfortable?
If yes, do not treat a permanent roster loss as a convenience purchase.
3. Is the caravan otherwise unable to keep moving?
This is the situation the official description frames as desperation. Extraction becomes a genuine survival option, not a routine optimization.
What is verified
| Fact | Status |
|---|---|
| The choice appears after battle takes its toll | Official Steam description |
| Healing uses the infirmary | Official Steam description |
| Extraction produces Elios and leaves the person a husk | Official Steam description |
| Exact best numeric threshold | Not established — do not invent one |
Patch 22 Sep — what changed for healing decisions
Hot Springs spawn less often across runs since the 22 September patch, which pushes extract-or-push calls further toward extracting when the squad is already hurt: the next healing tile is less likely to be waiting. The Medbay now unlocks from the very first run, so an early run has a recovery option it previously had to earn. Elios rewards for both Breaking and Converting a character were reduced in the same patch.
