Simple(ish) Combat Mechanic

requisits:

-simple/not confusing/easy to learn
-not time consuming, quick resolution
-lot of dice rolled at once (who doesn't like rolling lots of dice?)
-modifiable for varriety
-while "dice" controlled, allowed some player controlled strategy

Hi chowdah,
If you can get your hands on a bunch of different colored dice, you can try this mechanic:
Red=attack, Blue=defense, White=attack type

Presumably, each unit has a maximum number of dice that can be rolled. The players secretly choose the composition (e.g., 2 red, 1 blue, 1 white), with at least one white die always being selected. (So, mininum number of dice =2).
Players simultaneously roll. Only one of each color can be considered in the resolution - and the choice may or may not belong to the player who rolled (depending on resolution of the attack type).

The white dice are resolved first. If the attacker's highest white die is higher than the defender's highest, then the attacker has the initiative (surprise attack). If the defender's highest white die is higher than the attacker's highest white die, then the defender has the initiative (ambush). If both have the same highest value then the attack is normal and no initiative action is taken.

Surprise attack: the attacker removes one of the defender's blue dice. If the defender rolled only one blue die, then the value on the blue die is reduced by one. If the defender did not roll any blue dice, then the attacker gets a plus two on his attack. Each player selects his best die. The damage is the difference between them (adding in the plus two attack bonus, if applicable).

Ambush: the defender removes TWO of the attacker's red dice. If the attacker rolled only one or two red dice, then the defender gets a plus two or a plus one counter-attack bonus, respectively. Since this is an ambush, the defender gets to attack, but only if he rolled at least one red die that is higher than the highest remaining red die held by the attacker. (Otherwise, the ambushed attacker can still make a weakened attack.) Each player selects his best die (keep in mind, if the defender is counter-attacking, then he uses his red die, while the erstwhile attacker must use his blue die, if he has one!) The damage is the difference between them (adding in the plus two or plus one counter-attack bonus, if applicable).

Normal: each player selects his best die. The damage is the difference.

As long as you can work out the exceptions (trees can't ambush infantry)
you may have a simple, yet variable dice war mechanic.

By the way, this is all off the top of my head, so I'm not sure that there aren't any glaring flaws in it. It was just fun to try coming up with something.

Mitch

Hey, I have a game that needed a similar idea, here is what I came up with for the combat. Each unit has an "armor factor" or defensive strength. They also have an att, which was what die it used for the att, (d4, d6, d8, ect) They rolled a number of dice equal to the units strength, that was maxed out at 4. Each die that was rolled that could meet or beat the armor factor reduced the opposing unit's strength by one. All dice are rolled simultaneoulsy, but the defender has to subtract one from all die rolls (was pushing for an active, very attack oriented game) The units strength is tracked on a sheet that also allowed the tracking of mods on a unit. Works pretty good, but it does mean you have to have a way to track the strength of each individual unit.