Combat losses and routs - how are they calculated?

[DarkFib3r]

I have been enjoying H:RC but I am wondering if there is any additional information on how combat losses and routs are calculated in a battle? The manual and tutorials both gloss over the specifics about how combat losses are determined; perhaps this is intentional?

For example, if you have a 1 strength unit vs. an opposing 1 strength unit with two equal leaders in clear terrain, is the outcome of battle a 50:50 affair or does the defender or attacker get any advantages? Is it resolved using a die roll or pair of die rolls? If so, is a hit or rout scored on a specific number? To continue, how do circled bonuses work? If dice rolls are used to calculate losses, does this increase your roll by a fractional or whole number, or is there something more subtle going on? I understand how the leader bonus calculations are determined [(max leader - min leader)/8] , but I don't know what the exact effect is on a battle, just the same as for circled units.

I looked around online and in the manual for this information but found nothing specific. Again, this may be intentional, but I think it isn't unreasonable to know how losses are determined and how bonuses are applied to determine combat results. Answering these questions will let me know how many units to bring to a fight and whether I am taking a significant risk or not.

Cheers,
Jason

[mercenarius]

Hi Jason!

First off, combat is calculated with the equivalent of percentage dice. Each attack factor in your front line has a certain chance to score a rout, and a certain chance to score a hit. The circled attack factors get a fixed bonus of 20 percent. Leadership bonuses vary depending on the differential between leaders but can add as much as another 20 percent. The total bonuses are added to the "die roll" for each attack factor. Bonuses increase the chance of scoring hits, not routs.

All of those "die rolls" added together to determine the number of hits and routs which were scored. So yes, a hit or a rout is scored on a specific number. For example, in a Pitched Battle each attack factor has a 10% chance of scoring a hit and 15% of scoring a rout. That's before adding any bonuses. Take the Companion Cavaly units, for example. In a pitched battle they'll have a 30% chance of scoring a hit and a 15% chance of scoring a rout after taking their attack bonus (the circled AF) into account. A leadership bonus, if any, would add something to the chance of scoring a hit. Because they have an AF of 2, they have two such chances in each round of combat.

The Defense Factor of units does not mitigate the number of hits and routs scored. But units with larger DFs can absorb more damage, so it helps to have some heavy infantry in your front line. There is no advantage in terrain or to the defender in pitched battles. In practice, each side pounds away with its Attack Factors and absorbs punishment with its Defense Factors.

The chances for scoring hits and routs does depend on the type of battle. Defenders in cities have a better chance to score hits and routs because the city walls make it easier to repulse attacks. Similarly, attackers in city battles have smaller thresholds, and that makes it harder to hit the defenders. The more difficult the city (Captial, Major, Minor) the easier it is for the defenders to score.

Armies defending in their camps also get similar advantages, and the bonuses are adjusted. Camp Battles are only used at the "Normal" level and higher.

I hope that this helps, and please continue to ask questions. [:)]

[DarkFib3r]

Hi Mercenarius,

Great info - this is exactly the kind of detail I was looking for. Now that I understand the hit and rout chances along with the leadership and attack bonuses, I feel much better when planning my attacks or defenses.

Thanks so much for sharing this!

Cheers,
Jason

[Hetulik]

Question between Spanish infantry and Gallic infantry. Not considering you cannot rally infantry from Gaul, i would assume the attack factor of 2 of gallic infantry is much better than the enhanced attack value of 1 of Spanish infantry? Or if you enhance a value of 1, does Spanish infantry come close to the quality of gallic infantry?

Thanks,
Hetulik

[mercenarius]

Hi Hetulik,

I would say that the Spanish infantry are somewhat more reliable than the Gallic infantry. Their "1 with a bonus" produces more hits on average but slightly fewer routs than a "plain 2." But there's more variation with the Gallic infantry because sometimes they will score some combination of 2 hits and routs and that - of course - will sometimes be 2 routs. Occasionally you'll see the Gallic Infantry score big in that way.

If your general is significantly superior - which usually means Hannibal and a relatively poor Roman general - then the Gallic Infantry can do better because the command bonus is applied to 2 attack factors instead of 1.

The basic idea is supposed to be that the Spanish infantry are by nature somewhat more disciplined then the Gallic infantry but the Gallic infantry can sometimes make an unstoppable charge.

[Hetulik]

Thank you very much for the quick reply. I'm very impressed how you thought through all these nuances and applied them to the game in a simple but effective manner.

Once again my thanks. I am really enjoying the game and am looking forward to hearing the details about the next game you're working on.

Regards,
Hetulik