how does combat work, really?

[WanderingHead]

I've seen some posts of combat screens, and some formulas matching attack capabilities to evasion to dice. But I still don't get some of the fundamentals of combat.

Does combat require real time participation by either or both sides? Or once initiated does it just run its course automatically?

If it requires real time give and take (e.g. decisions on units that suffer damage/destruction, decisions to retreat or not to retreat, etc) then it would seem to slow the PBEM experience. But at the same time, that level of control of something so important as combat seems desirable.

Also, units fire at which opposing units? If 10 infantry attack 1 tank 1 infantry and 1 artillery, which opposing units would be damaged/destroyed first? Is it automatically selected by some formula, random, attacker's choice, defender's choice, or some combination of attacker's/defender's choice?

[j campbell]

no
the combat is all done by the computer . u send your units into enemy territory and the results get all worked out. there are alot of variables based on what forces you have and your opponent has and the tech levels of the combatants forces as well so it is fairly complex.

john

[solops]

What algorithms are involved? AT or artillery fire first? When and what do tanks attack in the combat procedure? Is there an infantry morale check during the combat phase prior to infantry combat but after artillery/tank attacks?

Or does everything just get mushed into an assigned combat factor and the odds figured on that?