How many stats are too much?

A quicky:

I agree with Stainer

Here is a great article on the web http://www.thegamesjournal.com/articles/GameTheory3.shtml

I suggest that simplicity is important so aim that direction unless it would subtract from the gaming experience.

BG2001

Make a game more complex, not more complicated. Make the decisions that the player make meaningful, addin more stats seems to make the game deeper, but actually it can have the oposite effect by diluteing the choices that a player makes.

You could have a single "Combat Speed" stat that would stand in for the Attack and Defense speed stats. If you realy need to have different attack and defense stats just have them choose at the start of the combat round to assign them as they see fit.

There are some wargames in which there are many (more than 30) figurines on the board, each having approximately 10 statistics available + equipment + special skills. Although Warhammer would be the first example to come to my mind, MageKnight and other games of that kind could also qualify as being massive, but with a high level of details and character customization.

One thing that may help, is having detailled figurines, which make it easier to see what kind of unit it is, and what are the weapons it is using. Also, a unit of the same kind will often have the same stats, which also make it easier to remember. For example, all marine troopers will have the same balistic skill value, weapon skill value and toughness value. This also lead to character standardisation. If the player was able to customize each single unit, that would be very difficult to track for a large number of unit. But if you have a squad of 10 character with the same stats, it is very easy to remember. For the few first games, players will always look at their reference charts to find out what are the details about a unit. After a while, they get used to knowing their units abilities and statistics, and after a long while, they get to know other armies statistics.

One thing I liked about the last edition of Warhammer, is that most skills have been scaled down to generic skills that may be available to most armies. That way, if an opponent has the "Infiltrate" or "Skimmer" skill, you know what it does, because it do the same thing for everyone. Another example of this are the skills in magic the gathering: first strike, trample, banding, flying. One word and you know what the unit does special. Thus, even if there is many units with many skills, it is easy to undestand what each unit does, or what is is good at.

To resume, if you were to make your game massive but detailed, I would advise the following:

1) Have the unit figures representative of what they do.
2) Have an easy to read chart for quick reference.
3) Give players a limited choice of units, instead of making each unit customizable
4) Keep skills simple, and generalized.

If you want to keep it simple, this would be my advice:
1) A statistic can be used for many things. For example agility can be a factor in combat, and also for movement.
2) Special configurations to allow counterattack could be represented by a skill (called "Counter-Attack").

Finally, I would never consider scrapping a whole concept because something does not work the way I want it. I would maybe set it aside, to try another path. But in the end, by looking at other options, I may find a way to enhance the previous configuration and overcome the obstacles that first appeared too complex to solve. Or maybe the new option have tried would be the way to go. Nevertheless, I would always be in position to combine elements from previous versions in my current version. Sometimes, a solution can also be found in looking for alternatives to part of the mechanic I am using, but without scrapping the whole concept.

I hope my input will help you.

Regards,

JEB

EDIT: I would like to add that the complexity of your unit description should depend on your target audience. Hardcore wargamers will more likely accept or appreciate a lot of starts (5 or more). Nevertheless, the neophite gamer or the neophite gamer's wife will appreciate if a unit has one combat value only, and no need for reference charts. In between, you have the average gamer, which could appreciate a game of war from time to time, and he is likely to accept two or three statistics value, if a chart is provided. Finally, I would support most comments saying "Simple but complex is a winner".

A way to add complexity is to have rules that have synergy between them. This means that 2 or more rules interact and creat unique situations (eg: Hills slow movement and reduce dmage from range attacks. PLayer 1 has only foot soldiers against cavalre and archers. The hill rule can change the balance between the unit types without adding stats).