Earthworks is a planning problem before it is a doing problem. Sketching cut and fill zones on a grid is how a PM thinks before equipment leaves the yard. The deterministic sim is how that plan gets stress-tested.

Paint a dig zone with the brush tool. Place an excavator and a truck in the staging area. Press Space to play. Watch the scheduler dispatch around occupancy and the terrain lower as cycles complete. Keyboard: 1 select / 2 raise / 3 lower / 4 dig zone / 5 dump zone / 6 haul road / R reset.

A deterministic sim with the same inputs producing the same outputs is non-negotiable for jobsite review. If a plan cannot be replayed, it cannot be defended in a Monday morning OAC meeting.