What is RBC?

[GBS]

Just getting back into the game and am reading the notes to the new patch about changes to the combat model. What does RBC stand for? Sorry but i've been away to long.
Also is there a good thread somewhere that explains the practical use of the PO with the objective paths etc..

[Judykator]

Retreat Before Combat ??

[CarlG2]

Yes, it is Retreat Before Combat. It is the test that the units in the defending hex take to determine if they bug out before an actual planned combat takes place. It can also result in the defending units evaporating as they retreat.

This test is generated the FIRST time you right click on a hex in a given turn (with 3.2...in 3.4 the test will reset after a round of combat in which the defender takes > 50% casualties). The test is taken against the defending units and the currently selected friendly unit. As such, to get the best change of forcing the defenders to retreat before combat, have your strongest unit be the selected unit when you right click on the enemy stack to initiate an attack. (strongest unit is subjective and I believe the rules take into account some flanking benefits so a unit with more mechanized and/or armored equipment is preferrable to a unit with a similar strength value but made up of all infantry.)

I think that is how it works anyway... [;)]

With 3.4, you can double click on the enemy stack to bring up the attack planner without causing an RBC test to be taken (or put your mouse over the enemy stack and press P on the keyboard.) Sometimes you want to look at some combat numbers without using up your RBC test on a given hex at that point in your turn.

Make sense or clear as mud?

Good gaming,
Carl G.

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: CarlG2
Yes, it is Retreat Before Combat. It is the test that the units in the defending hex take to determine if they bug out before an actual planned combat takes place. It can also result in the defending units evaporating as they retreat.

This test is generated the FIRST time you right click on a hex in a given turn (with 3.2...in 3.4 the test will reset after a round of combat in which the defender takes > 50% casualties). The test is taken against the defending units and the currently selected friendly unit. As such, to get the best change of forcing the defenders to retreat before combat, have your strongest unit be the selected unit when you right click on the enemy stack to initiate an attack. (strongest unit is subjective and I believe the rules take into account some flanking benefits so a unit with more mechanized and/or armored equipment is preferrable to a unit with a similar strength value but made up of all infantry.)

Bigger or faster helps, but only if you're good[:D]

Having a larger unit density or more MP will help the attacker, but only if you can make a quality check.

You need at least 4:1 odds to have a 50% chance.

The odds are a bit complicated, but looks at the armor ratio of the defender and the AP and AT that the attacker has. The effect should be that trying an overrun of tanks with infantry probably isn't going to happen.

Passive equipment is pretty simple to overrun.

I think that is how it works anyway... [;)]

With 3.4, you can double click on the enemy stack to bring up the attack planner without causing an RBC test to be taken (or put your mouse over the enemy stack and press P on the keyboard.) Sometimes you want to look at some combat numbers without using up your RBC test on a given hex at that point in your turn.

Make sense or clear as mud?

Good gaming,
Carl G.

[ralphtricky]

ORIGINAL: GBS

Just getting back into the game and am reading the notes to the new patch about changes to the combat model. What does RBC stand for? Sorry but i've been away to long.
Also is there a good thread somewhere that explains the practical use of the PO with the objective paths etc..

There's an Elmer Assist document in the Manuals folder. It talks about the new feature. You'll have to do some experimenting on your own though, and I don't know if there's a decent document on Elmer and scenario design.

Ralph