Combat/Shooting Mechanism

[Warg1]

Having played the game, read the rules and read many posts I still don't fully understand the combat and shooting mechanisms. I've seen some posts where people refer the outcomes of dice so I'm guessing that the digital game replicates the table-top game. Do I need the table top rules to fully understand the digital version?

I don't really understand the combined effect of combat strength and POA. How can I get a better understanding of how that works?

Is there a random variable that replicates two dice? If so how are casualties determined based on the dice outcome?

Sorry if these are basic questions but the rules of the digital version don't really explain it and there are a number of people who seem to have a very detailed understanding of the mechanic so I'd like to level the playing field so to speak.

Thanks

[rbodleyscott]

Having played the game, read the rules and read many posts I still don't fully understand the combat and shooting mechanisms. I've seen some posts where people refer the outcomes of dice so I'm guessing that the digital game replicates the table-top game.

"Dice" are not simulated except for Cohesion Tests. In other situations, the game uses RNG algorithms that give a more "normal" distribution than throwing multiple "dice" like in the tabletop game (and FOG1), and avoid the extremes of chance that that method could produce.

Do I need the table top rules to fully understand the digital version?

No. You should turn on Detailed Tooltips and Detailed Combat Reports in settings.

I don't really understand the combined effect of combat strength and POA. How can I get a better understanding of how that works?

Only by looking at the game code, I fear. The main thing is that the modifiers for combat strength, POA and cohesion state are applied sequentially and not additively, which alters their overall effect.

Is there a random variable that replicates two dice?

Only for Cohesion Tests.

If so how are casualties determined based on the dice outcome?

It is complicated. You would have to look at the code to have a detailed understanding.

The important thing to note is that the combat outcome (win, draw or lose) is not determined from the casualties, but the reverse. This is based on the fact that in Ancient close combat, casualties tended to be very low until one side flinched or ran away. Hence, once the game has decided which unit (if either) wins a round of close combat, the casualties are adjusted accordingly.

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The mechanisms of tabletop rules have to be kept simple enough for the player to fully understand and manually operate them. Computer games do not have that constraint. They can use more complicated mechanisms, because the players do not have to operate them, the computer does it for them.

The downside of that, of course, is that it then becomes difficult to explain in detail exactly how the mechanisms work. Because, essentially, the only detailed explanation is the code itself, which is too arcane for most people.