Resolving Combat Part 2...A Campaign Design Process Update

 

                                    [I do like Warlord Games' images of painted miniatures.]

I continued to suffer from internet connection issues over the weekend, unfortunately, but that did allow me the chance to go through a number of packing boxes, to sort out what's what, as well as playtest and re-think the combat a little bit.

Winner Melee Score	Loser Melee Score	Melee Results	Ranged Score	Ranged Results
28	42	+ Surrender	35	+1SP Loss
24	36	+1 SP Loss	30	+1SP Loss
20	30	+ Retreat	25	+1 SP Loss
16	24	+1 SP Loss	20	+1 SP Loss
12	18	+ Retire	15	Retreat
8	12	+1 SP Loss	10	+Disordered
4	6	Disordered	5	Retire

It got to where I was rolling far too many dice in a single round of combat, between two units. I figured, early on, that this would become tiresome, but I played through it, to see where things would go wrong or would cause me to not enjoy the mechanic.

These process posts are intended to show my thoughts as they progress, not present merely a final version of everything, btw.

Now, I am looking at each side rolling their combat dice at once, matching dice cancelling each other out and the remainder per side added up to give a winner and loser.

Instead of rolling defensive dice as an additional die roll, Grit and Gear (plus modifiers) is subtracted from the sum of the dice, before the results are determined.

So, the dice rolled, same die scores cancel each other, the remainder are summed, the higher scorer is the winner, the Grit and Gear value subtracted from the total, and then each player matches their score with the appropriate column on the results table.

For the results, each result is inclusive of the results below it, thus the "+" symbol; a winning unit which scored a 17 inflicts disorder, 2SP losses, and a retire result on its melee opponent, for example.

As a consequence of this change, the special rules will need to be re-addressed, so that the conform. Additionally, I am looking at adjusting results by shifting them up or down the column, due to cover, fortification, formation, modifiers OR instead, the Grit and Gear score is modified, such as +2 G when unit is in woods, +3 when in hasty works, +5 when in field fortification, +9 when in a fortress (numbers are examples).

Artillery dice, when used as offensive or defensive support, cannot be canceled. Bombardment dice are never subject to being canceled, only their sum reduced by G.

I will be testing this out during the week, and will take some photos of my testing table.

Note: the Blue text was added several hours after originally posting.