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In FOF the change into Line formation box always has a number expressing a percentage of the chance of a successful change into Line formation.

BAB has the same. I noticed that in BAB the number is usually 10%. However, I have rarely had a unit fail to change into Line formation.

Is the number in the Line Formation box the percentage of chance of success or the percentage chance of failure.

Does 10% mean a 10 percent chance to Fail? or Succeed?

I do wonder why I almost always see only 10% as well.

Thanks

The Cavalry units and the infantry units with a horse mounted leader seem to crowd up to the edge of the Hex graphic. Has anyone else noticed that? The regular infantry and regular artillery units are centered in the Hex.

i think it means to fail when you see the 10% thing, or maybe cost, i can never remember tbh[;)]

From p. 24 of the BaB Manual:

The buttons for entering the three possible formations -- column, line, skirmish -- only become active when a unit is selected, and the chance of entering a formation without penalty (i.e., the loss of all remaining Movement Points) is provided on the button..."

So it doesn't mean the chance to fail. Rather, if you have enough MPs remaining, your formation change is sure to succeed, but at the possible risk of it thereby ending that unit's move (so the green movement check mark turns red).

In other words, change from column to line -- guaranteed (if you have sufficient unused MPs). Does that end the unit's move? Roll the internal dice. There's a 1 in 10 chance that, yes, the unit is thereby finished moving for that turn (all remaining MPs are used up).

So whether a formation change from column to line ends the move -- small chance of that. Contrast with deploying skirmishers, with a 65% (? IIRC) chance that ends the move -- much more likely. Makes sense.

it's a good job someone understands and reads the manual then[:D][;)]

so thanks berto for the correct reply[&o]

Thanks for the answer. I see now. So you are generally going to be successful in the formation change but it might cost you the rest of the MP. I see.

some brigade orders make it less or more, or even free or 100% successful, so test with different orders first and see what works and what doesn't, once learnt you soon find out which do most of the time and which can be a more more problematic

ORIGINAL: zakblood

it's a good job someone understands and reads the manual then[:D][;)]

so thanks berto for the correct reply[&o]

What is a "manual"...???


LOL

i have a pdf and hard copy and tbh not read more than a few lines in either yet, it's not that i can't read, but after 500+ battles i think i know it all, and are proved wrong almost every day, so soon i'll read it one day soon, but if i keep winning i think i must be doing something right, even if i can't explain in too well to others.

so a fool, a old fool yes, but a happy one with the game...

[&o][:D][;)]

More constructive criticism (please take it that way; wouldn't be bothering with this if I didn't care so much):

ORIGINAL: VegasOZ

The Cavalry units and the infantry units with a horse mounted leader seem to crowd up to the edge of the Hex graphic. Has anyone else noticed that? The regular infantry and regular artillery units are centered in the Hex.

Yes, now that you mention it, I see that too. Artillery units also are a bit off-center, the way I see it.

This is another one of those "little" things that contributes to the visual confusion. Imagine a chess board or a Go board where the pieces/stones were not placed in the center of each square, rather, were skewed right or left, up or down, or diagonally at the corners. It would create unnecessary mental confusion where what you really want is to see the pieces/stones all line up straight so you can just focus on the situational logic.

The hex edge crowding in BaB is in a way more "realistic" -- battlefields were messy places -- but still, it detracts from game play.

Now add into the picture the on-map unit stats bars, the unit echelon icons, etc. -- things can start to get pretty crowded along those clashing hex edges!

This is probably another thing we could correct by modding.

The "little" things -- they all add up.

This is probably another thing we could correct by modding.

The "little" things -- they all add up.

agreed, as all the icon's are in the same place, and easy to alter, i'm playing at editing it atm tbh, in between testing other stuff

ORIGINAL: zakblood

This is probably another thing we could correct by modding.

The "little" things -- they all add up.

agreed, as all the icon's are in the same place, and easy to alter, i'm playing at editing it atm tbh, in between testing other stuff

Please consider sharing your work. I really don't have the time right now to be doing this myself. [:-]

[;)]

anything finished is already shared, WIP isn't as atm it's too ugly and doesn't look right atm, but as soon as it's looking better for public display it will be, for myself i don't mind ugly but some may say these worse and not better, while smaller yes, but not good enough atm, still far too rough