An Alternative Method to Resolving Combat...a campaign design process update

 Warlord sent me the download links, this morning, for the pdfs I could no longer access on the dead computer. As I'll not be able to read through those until tonight, at the earliest, I did want to post about one of the alternative methods I'd briefly alluded to prior.

One drawback to the "bucket o' dice" method of combat resolution is that there can be a massive discrepancy in outcomes, purely based on the luck of the dice. While some may argue that this is an abstract method for dealing with the unknown variables (as well as many of the knowns) in real world combat situations, in a game, it can be extremely frustrating to the players.

The same can also be true when rolling a single die for resolution, if rolling high is good, then a series of 6's in a single turn can guarantee victory, regardless of any other circumstances, and that can also be very frustrating.

One method of toning down, but not completely eliminating this swing of luck (I would like to keep the chance of extremes, but at a comparatively rare probability), is I think, the same mechanic that Robey Jenkins uses in his Horizon Wars sci-fi game. I helped run this as a convention game, several years ago, and while not a "perfect" set of rules, it certainly gets the job done. The games were relatively fast, and had reasonable outcomes that the players appeared to agree upon.

An aspect of this method is that attack dice can be canceled by defense dice, although in Horizon Wars, d12s are used and I want to use d6s.

Therefore, I am considering the following as an alternative method to resolving both shooting and melee combat in my hybrid system. A brief note, I really do like both The Portable Wargame and Hail Caesar/Black Powder as their own contained games. However, my goal is to have a single set of rules that expand and contract according to the relative technologies available to the combatants, allowing advanced civilizations to fight more primitive ones with a reasonable game balance between them, at the same time handling fairly equal civilizations competitively. I also want it played out on a gridded 2'x2' tabletop with stylized terrain and single-base units.

However, I prefer the units to be distinguished a bit more in their capabilities and effectiveness beyond a being represented by a single die. I also recognize that rolling perhaps a dozen dice for a single base unit to be a bit problematic, when multiple dice can score hits, with accumulating dire results. This still has the same problem of a single bad roll ending up with a frustrating game.

So, on to the explication.

Units in combat will roll a number of attack dice equal to their respective characteristic, shooting stat for ranged combat, hand-to-hand for melee, plus and minus any modifiers. 

When a unit receives fire, or is in melee combat, it will roll defensive dice equaling their morale characteristic, plus or minus any modifiers. 

Defensive dice are then individually used to cancel exactly one attack die rolled by their opponent, of equal value. For example, a defensive die showing five pips can be used to cancel an attack die showing five pips.

Once all defensive dice have been used to cancel attack dice, the remaining attack dice are then summed together as groups in order to achieve "combat results," starting at the top of the list of effects, working down the list, until all attack dice are accounted for.

 First sample combat table.

Target Number	Result
24	2SP Loss
18	1SP Loss
12	Disordered
6	Retire

The target number must be equaled or exceeded, by the the sum of a group of dice, for the result to occur. A player must attempt to meet the highest target number first, then with the remaining attack dice if any, again attempt to meet the highest target number possible. 

Individual dice pips cannot be "split, so as to be used for more than one combat result. Thus a player cannot use four pips of a 6 result to match the target number of 24, and then use the remaining two pips to add to another group of dice. A die's pips must be used entirely for a single combat result.

Note: I am sure my thoughts here could be written more clearly, but this is a point from which this alternative method can be refined. Obviously, different methods of combat can have their own results table, if desired.

Note: This does require the HC/BP Morale Save to be “flipped” in that instead of a 6 being poor, it is now excellent.

Example: Side A melee infantry attack Side B’s ranged infantry. Side A has 6 attack dice and 5 defensive dice (morale 4, plus one modifier). Side B has 3 attack dice and 4 defensive dice (Morale 3 and 1 modifier).

Side A rolls a 6, 6, 5, 3, 2, 2 to which Side B’s responds with a defensive die roll of 6, 3, 1, 1, 1.

After canceling, Side A’s attack roll becomes 6, 5, 2, 2 and these numbers are now added together, totaling 15. This is below both 24 and 16, but does exceed 12, so the result applied to the Side B unit is Disordered.

As melee combats are simultaneous, Side B now gets to roll its attack dice; 4, 4, 4. Side A’s defensive die roll is 6, 5, 4, 2, 2.

After canceling, Side B’s attack dice are summed with a total of 8. This exceeds 6, but does not match or exceed 12, so Side A’s unit retires one square.

Now, As I go through this example, I see that I want for the possibility that units remain stuck in for more than a single round of combat and so an adjustment of the results table is in order. As close combat/melee is generally more decisive than most ranged shooting, it makes sense to have a ranged combat results table and a melee combat results table.

So, I came up with the following tables:

Melee Target #	Results
24	2 SP Loss
18	1 SP Loss + Retire
12	1 SP Loss
6	Disordered

 

Ranged Target #	Results
24	1 SP Loss
18	Retreat
12	Disordered
6	Retire

Note: A retreating unit is moved backwards one square and then turned to face away from the enemy.

If there are enough attack dice, multiple results can be achieved, but players must always attempt to match the highest possible result with each grouping of dice.

 Notice that in these two latest a tables, it is not possible to have multiples of the same outcome, except for SP losses. So, one cannot receive two Disorders or two Retires, as all dice have to be used until the highest result possible is achieved.

Also, while it is still possible for a player to roll as many as twelve dice in combat, it is extremely unlikely that they will roll well enough to remove a 5SP unit from play in a single turn. It is also possible that both players can roll poorly enough, or well enough with their defensive dice, that a melee can have a negligible outcome, causing the units to remain in place, disordered, for at least another turn of combat.

I am considering creating a third results table, specifically for artillery bombardment.

Any thoughts or comments from you, Dear Reader?