Talk:Ground Combat

Combat

Combat round sequence

Determine whether combat will occur

Form battle lines (Forward, Main, Support, Reserve) and declare Line Vanguards

Declare Character special actions, and set variable statistics

Submit Forward Line Orders and Stratagems

Resolve Forward Line Actions

Submit Main and Support Line Orders and Stratagems

Resolve Main and Support Line Actions

Submit Follow On and/or Reserve Line Orders and Stratagems

Resolve Follow On and/or Reserve Line Actions

Calculate overall battle results and determine victor

Conduct final forced or bonus moves.

Entering Combat

Two armies enter combat when they enter the same hex during a the movement phase of a turn, and at least one of the players elects to fight a battle. Once a battle is declared neither army may move further without playing a strategem, such as breakthrough or flee (discussed later in the Complications section). Any other army that enters a hex with an ongoing battle will also be unable to move further, as it is caught up in, or holds back to avoid, the fighting.

When combat is declared, players declare their orders and stratagems in a blind bid, and then roll dice to see who wins and who loses. This forms the meat of the combat system. If neither army has been destroyed or forced to fall back then the battle continues into another week. An army may not leave a battle unless it plays a successful withdraw maneuver, a breakthrough stratagem, or its opponent plays a skirmish maneuver.

Forward Battle Orders

Battle Orders for the forward battle are broken into three basic categories; Scouting, Striking, and Seizing

Scouting

Reconnaissance

Counter-Reconnaissance

Screen

Striking

Harass

Bombard

Interdict

Seizing

Seize - Seize is an order used to take and hold an area of terrain, denying its use, including passage through it, to the enemy. If the forward line successfully executes the Seize order, it may subsequently also act as a Main Line and execute any Defend Order.

Main Battle Orders

Battle Orders for the main battle are broken into three basic categories; Attack, Defend, and Maneuver. Each of these categories contains several primary oprions. These options can be further modified with Stratagems, which are made available when an Army has a character with the appropriate traits present.

Attack

Standard Attack - Standard Attack is the default attack order. The Main Line conducts a deliberate advance on the enemy. The Main Line rolls all dice for damage. The Support Line also rolls dice for damage, and the two results are added together and applied to the enemy.

Close Attack - Close Attack is an aggressive attack order. The Main Line attempts to close rapidly with the enemy and engage them in close quarters. Unless the enemy is also executing a Close Attack, the enemy rolls and applies all Main Line/Support Line damage first. Once losses are calculated, then the army conducting Close Attack rolls for damage. Damage from a Close Attack cannot be mitigated by defensive dice. If an army executing a Withdrawal Order is attacked by an army conducting a Close attack, defeat of the covering force will result in a “Rout” special attack by each reinforcement step of the attacking army at an Accuracy of (10 - Damage Successes + Mobility). Close Attack is strong against Standard Defence and Withdraw, and Weak against Standoff Attack and Forward Defence.

Standoff Attack - Standoff Attack is a cautious attack order. The Main Line attempts to remain at range and win with few casualties. Half the dice rolled by the Main Line are used to mitigate incoming damage. If an Army conducting a Standoff Attack attacked by an Army conducting a Close Attack, the Army Conducting the Standoff Attack gets an additional free attack roll with both its Main Line (at full damage dice) and Support Lines. Standoff Attack is weak against Withdraw, and strong against Close Attack and Deep Defence.

Infiltration Attack

Attack Stratagems

Defend

Standard Defence - Standard Defence is the default defense order. The Main Line establishes defensive positions, and fights with a mix of firepower and protection. The Main Line rolls half its Defence dice for damage, and half for damage mitigation. The difficulty of the damage mitigation roll can be modified by the presence of fortifications. The Support Line also rolls for damage, and adds its result to the Main Line.

Forward Defence - Forward Defence is an aggressive defence , where the Main Line pushes as many troops forward to firing positions. The Main Line rolls all defence die for damage. For every reinforcement step in the Forward Defence, the opposing Support line rolls an extra die for damage. This bonus is also applied to any Forward Line executing a Bombard or Harass Order. This stratagem is usually strong against the Standard Attack (since most infantry have a higher defence combat stat), but is vulnerable to Forward Line Striking Orders, as well as Support Line attacks.

Deep Defence - Deep Defence is a layered defence intended to draw in and bog down the enemy. It is best used by large armies. The defender splits their defence die, as with Standard Defence, but adds a number of dice equal to the number of reinforcement steps in the army to the damage mitigation pool. If the enemy is executing a Close Attack, and the defending general has access to the “Envelopment” stratagem, these successes can instead be added to the envelopment roll. If the enemy is executing a Standoff Attack or Harassment however, the damage cannot be mitigated.

Defend Stratagems

Maneuver

Withdraw Shadow Block

Maneuver Stratagems

General Stratagems

Covering Fire - Covering Fire is a stratagem used by units in the support line. It allows half the dice rolled to be used to reduce the opponents damage successes. It requires an Officer with the trait “Artillerist.”

Counter Battery Fire - Counter Battery Fire is a stratagem used by the support line. It allows the Support line to apply its damage to the opposing Support Line. It requires an officer with the trait “Artillerist.”

Disruption Fire - Disruption Fire is a stratagem used by the support line. It allows the support line to apply its damage to the opposing Reserve Line (if one has been formed). It requires an officer with the trait “Advanced Artillerist.”

Pak Front - Pak Front is a strategem used by artillery units emplaced within the main line. Rather than add their firepower to the main line, these units can roll a special attack at accuracy of (8 - Attack Strength + Target Defense) against opposing Armor units. The number of attack rolls is determined as per the usual special attack reinforcement step rules. Pak Front requires an officer with the trait “Advanced Artillerist” or “Tank Ace.”

Example Units

Skilled Infantry (1000)

Attack: 2

Defense: 4

Mobility: 1

Hits: 1

Save: 6

Infantry, Legion

Examples

20000 x Kozunese Höheishinda (TL5 60pp/4u: +2 armour, +1 shields, +1 weapons, +1 melee)

Attack: 7 (Melee 8)

Defense: 8

Mobility: 2

Hits: 2

Save: 5

Crushing Melee (10), Infantry, Reinforced

20000 x Belmarian Orc Rifles (TL4 32pp/4u: +2 armour, +1 weapons, +1 melee)

Attack: 7 (Melee 8)

Defense: 8

Mobility: 1

Hits: 2

Save: 5

Crushing Melee (10), Infantry, Reinforced

They behave as if they have powered armour, including that orcs eat ether for their toughness. Why? Who the fuck knows?

20000 x Frankish Regulars (TL4 24pp/2u: +1 armour, +1 weapons)

Attack: 7

Defense: 8

Mobility: 1

Hits: 1

Save: 5

Infantry, Reinforced

20000 x Black Frank Fusiliers (TL5 70pp/4u: +1 armour, +1 weapons, +1 shields, +1 mobility, +1 fast tracking, x1 boosters)

Attack: 7

Defense: 8

Mobility: 4

Hits: 1

Save: 5

Fast Tracking, Infantry, Reinforced

20000 x Mith Nara Regulars (ML5 65pp/2+4u: +4 armour (-3 mobility), +4 melee, +2 mobility, +2 mages)

Attack: 6 (Melee 10)

Defense: 8

Mobility: 0

Hits: 2

Save: 3

Close Assault, Crushing Melee (7), Infantry, Mages II, Reinforced

Scary as shit.

20000 x Tyran Urbs Thorakitai (TL5 55pp/14u: +4 armour, +1 shields +1 weapons +4 mobility)

Attack: 7

Defense: 8

Mobility: 6 (they need a trait for this)

Hits: 2

Save: 3

Infantry, Reinforced

20000 x Lost Ground Infantry -post refit- (ML5 60pp/2+4u: +2 armour (+2 shields), +1 melee (+1 melee), +2 mages, +1 multifusion)

Attack: 6 (Melee 8)

Defense: 8

Mobility: 2

Hits: 3

Save: 5

Close Assault, Crushing Melee (9), Infantry, Mage II, Reinforced

Elite Infantry (1000)

Attack: 3

Defense: 6

Mobility: 2

Hits: 1

Save: 5

Infantry, Legion, Morale

Examples

2000 x Kozunese Imperial Bodyguard (TL5 60pp/6u: +3 armour, +1 melee, +1 loyalty)

Attack: 4 (Melee 5)

Defense: 7

Mobility: 2

Hits: 2

Save: 3

Crushing Melee (10), Infantry, Morale Extreme, Reinforced

2000 x Black Frank Storm Troopers (TL5 70pp/6u: +2 armour, +1 shields, +1 weapons, +1 fast tracking, x1 boosters)

Attack: 5

Defense: 7

Mobility: 4

Hits: 2

Save: 4

Fast Tracking, Infantry, Morale, Paratroopers, Reinforced

2000 x Thersonian Sturmpioneers (TL4 40pp/2u: +1 armour, +1 weapons, +1 engineering, +1 demolitions)

Attack: 5

Defense: 7

Mobility: 2

Hits: 1

Save: 4

Demolitions, Engineers, Infantry, Morale, Reinforced

Probably only Demolitions or Engineers will count.

2000 x Belmar Royal Stormtroopers (TL5 40pp/4u: +2 armour, +1 weapons)

Attack: 5

Defense: 7

Mobility: 2

Hits: 2

Save: 4

Infantry, Morale, Reinforced

2000 x Tyran Blood Hunters (TL5 110pp/10u: +2 stealth, +4 mobility, +1 urban training, +1 sensors, +2 armour)

Attack: 5

Defense: 7

Mobility: 6

Hits: 2

Save: 4

Cloaking, Infantry, Morale, Reinforced, Sensors, Urban Combat

Special Forces

Examples

100 x Samothracian Hoplites (TL10 280pp/28u: +1 sensors, +1 ecm, +1 armour, +2 melee, +5 melee (+5 shields), +5 mobility (+5 mobility)

Attack: 3 (Melee 10)

Defense: 5

Mobility: 17

Hits: 4

Save: 2

Crushing Melee (4), ECM, Elite II, Infantry, Morale, Reinforced, Sensors

100 x Marionettes (TL10 110pp/4+3u: +2 intelligence, +2 armour (+2 shield), +2 mobility, +1 boosters, +2 melee (+2 melee), +3 mages, +1 regeneration)

Attack: 3 (Melee 7)

Defense: 5

Mobility: 7

Hits: 5

Save: 2

Close Assault, Crushing Melee (7), Elite II, Infantry, Morale, Paradrop, Regeneration I, Reinforced, Intelligent Robotic

100 x Belmarian Anderekommandoes (TL5 10pp/2u)

Attack: 3

Defense: 5

Mobility: 3

Hits: 3

Save: 3

Elite II, Infantry, Morale, Reinforced

100 x Mith Naran Margrave's Elite (TL5 70pp/1+3u: +4 armour (-3 mobility), +4 melee, +2 mobility, +3 mages)

Attack: 3 (Melee 7)

Defense: 5

Mobility: 2

Hits: 4

Save: 0 (too much armour)

Close Assault, Crushing Melee (7), Elite II, Infantry, Morale, Reinforced

100x FORCE Commandos (Special Forces) (TL5, 80pp, 2u +1(2) Infantry Weapons, +1 Body Armor, +1 Shields/Point Defense, +1 Thermoptic Camouflage, +1(2) Combat AI Support)

Attack: 5

Defense: 5

Mobility: 4

Hits: 3

Save: 2

Elite II, Infantry, Morale, Reinforced

Hyperadvanced Armour

Examples

1 Inorganic Angel Jibril (Hyper Advanced Armor) (TM12, 25.2pp, 1.4u, +0(2) Mind, +0(2) Korite, +2 Armor, +2 Shield, +3 Boosters, +0(1) Sensors, +1 ECM, +1 Regeneration, +3 Active Effect - Human Transformation, +3 Mage III)

Anti-Air: 1

Attack: 3

Defense: 2

Mobility: 8

Hits: 3

Save: 4

Critical Mass (10), Mecha, Paradrop(?), Regeneration I, Mage III

Very Heavy Armour

Examples

HT-48 Salamander Heavy Hovertanks (Heavy Armor) (TL5, 45pp, 3 U, +1(2) Heavy Cannon, +1 Fast Tracking Weapons, +1 Shields/Point Defense, +1 Armor, +1 AG Boosters, +1(2) Combat AI Support)

Indirect Fire: 0

Anti-Air: 0

Attack: 7

Defense: 5

Mobility: 4

Hits: 2

Save: 6

Big Guns (10), Shock Attack, Vehicle, Paradrop(?)

Mobile Gun Fort

Indirect Fire: 1

Anti-Air: 1

Attack: 3

Defense: 2

Mobility: 1

Hits: 1

Save: 6

Critical Mass (10)

Examples

1x Freeman Empire M-884 Heavy Battleplatform (Land) (TM11, 132 pp/10, 5u, +2 AI, +2 Heavy Kraftcannons, +2 Primium Armor, +2 Shields, +1 AG, +1 Sensors, +1 Regeneration)

Indirect Fire: 1

Anti-Air: 1

Attack: 5

Defense: 2

Mobility: 3

Hits: 3

Save: 5

Critical Mass (10)

Land Dreadnought

Indirect Fire: 3

Anti-Air: 4

Attack: 6

Defense: 4

Mobility: 1

Hits: 3

Save: 5

Big Guns (9)

Examples

1 x Kikou Amida (TL 5; +1 Long Range Targeting, +2 Missiles, +2 Beam cannon)

Indirect Fire: 4

Anti-Air: 4

Attack: 10

Defense: 4

Mobility: 1

Hits: 3

Save: 5

Big Guns (9)

Long range targeting was assumed to add +1 to Indirect Fire.

Former Simple Units

Simple Skilled Infantry (1000)

Attack: 1

Defense: 2

Mobility: 1

Hits: 1

Save: 6

Close Assault, Infantry, Legion

Simple Elite Infantry (1000)

Attack: 2

Defense: 4

Mobility: 2

Hits: 1

Save: 5

Close Assault, Infantry, Legion, Morale

Simple Special Forces (50)

Attack: 1

Defense: 3

Mobility: 3

Hits: 1

Save: 3

Cover, Close Assault, Infantry, Morale, Special Operations

Very Heavy Infantry (50)

Attack: 2

Defense: 2

Mobility: 1

Hits: 1

Save: 5

Close Assault, Infantry

Giant Infantry (10)

Attack: 4

Defense: 3

Mobility: 1

Hits: 2

Save: 5

Close Assault, Infantry

Towed Artillery (50)

Indirect Fire: 2

Attack: 2

Defense: 3

Mobility: 0

Hits: 1

Save: N/A

Big Guns (9)

Siege Gun (50)

Indirect Fire: 4

Attack: 0

Defense: 0

Mobility: 0

Hits: 1

Save: N/A

Big Guns (8)

Light Cavalry (500)

Attack: 2

Defense: 1

Mobility: 4

Hits: 1

Save: 9

Cavalry, Close Assault

Medium Cavalry (500)

Attack: 3

Defense: 2

Mobility: 4

Hits: 1

Save: 8

Cavalry, Close Assault

Heavy Cavalry (100)

Attack: 3

Defense: 2

Mobility: 3

Hits: 1

Save: 7

Cavalry, Close Assault, Shock Attack

Very Heavy Cavalry (100)

Attack: 4

Defense: 2

Mobility: 2

Hits: 2

Save: 7

Cavalry, Close Assault, Shock Attack

Monstrous Cavalry (10)

Attack: 5

Defense: 3

Mobility: 2

Hits: 2

Save: 6

Close Assault, Shock Attack

Comments/Observations

• +2 weapons right now seems like an obligatory pick. One unit with +2 weapons has the same firepower as a group of four of the same unit without it. That's not even going into the fact that +1/2 weapons also improve defense
• There don't appear to be any caps that improve defense, aside from +attack?
• Clarity issue: does +1 regeneration halve stat loss and +2 regeneration halve it again, or is +2 regeneration functionally useless?