Myth: if the account's drawdown is small, every EA on it is fine. Fact: the account curve nets your EAs together, so winners can quietly pay for a loser that is deep in its own drawdown.
A worked example (three EAs, one month, weekly results):
| Week | EA A | EA B | EA C | Account | Account running total | EA B running total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +$300 | −$400 | +$100 | $0 | $0 | −$400 |
| 2 | +$200 | −$500 | +$200 | −$100 | −$100 | −$900 |
| 3 | +$100 | +$100 | −$100 | +$100 | $0 | −$800 |
| 4 | +$300 | −$400 | +$200 | +$100 | +$100 | −$1,200 |
The account's worst point was $100 below its start, and it ends the month up $100. EA B is down $1,200: twelve times the account's worst drawdown, and it ends the month at its lowest point.
Why it happens: drawdown isn't additive. The account's drawdown is the drawdown of the sum, and while other EAs are winning, a loser's slide is cancelled out. The better your other EAs do, the longer a broken one can hide.
The rule that follows: watch two numbers side by side. The account's drawdown tells you whether the account is safe today. Each EA's own drawdown tells you whether that EA still works. Only the second one tells you which EA to switch off.
VRD Insight shows one row per magic number next to the account's maximum drawdown from its balance peak, so EA B's slide shows up on its own row. It is read-only, and commission charged at open is not yet included in its figures.
What to do today: split last month's results by magic number and find the EA whose running total fell furthest, then compare it with the account's worst drawdown.
Try it: VRD Insight is free. Add it to one chart on your account and see every EA's result beside the account drawdown.
https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/204799
Next step: Try the free demo of VRD Monitor in the Strategy Tester to see per-EA drawdown bands, the limit an EA like B needs, on its sample desk of three made-up EAs. $149 to buy, or rent for $35 for 1 month.
https://www.mql5.com/en/market/product/204800
Virtual Risk Desk
All figures are illustrative. Educational content, not trading or investment advice.
