TLDR post ahead. I have made [[[skip]]] blocks so you know you can skip the rest of a block until the next set of ***.
So first a summary:
A Risk like game, but with different rolls. You only roll to hit a number of times.
1d6 currently rolls miss-miss-hit-hit-2hits-2hits.
I want to change this into hit-hit-2hits-2hits-3hits-3hits.
The miss gives chance to infinite battles. (It is easy to roll 3 miss in a row) I want to make each roll with a certainty in hitting.
Since the average roll doubles, so do the health points of all my soldiers.
This post is my train of thoughts about this matter.
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I want to get rid of that 0. For 3 reasons. Don't read them if you want to safe time.
1
While the game is balanced, there are situations of a few (1 to 3 soldiers) against a few. And when both sides roll only misses, notching happens. Which is annoying. This happens mostly at choke points where only a few 1d6 are rolled. Those little skirmishes often take ages compared to the big battles.
2
Another annoying thing about misses is that it makes my probability test tree's infinite in size. Sure I can keep overview for some simple battle's. But the really complex ones that are only tested by play tests. Well, I want hard numbers. Even chess is better to predict than my game at this moment.
I want my game to be easier in prediction (also for the math loving players). And I want my game to keep rolling.
3
Some pieces on the board already have an accuracy effect by terrain, by movement choices, by event cards, by deflecting rolls and by choice of weapon rolls. So plenty of 0 chance there. But those are the gamble units with extreme rewards.
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You need 3 average rolls (3 hits) for 1 kill (3 health). This is very balanced. And I need to keep the 1 to 3 ratio.
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The mechanic is currently like this:
1d6 provides:
1=miss
2=miss
3=1 hit
4=1 hit
5=2 hits
6=2 hits
An average roll provides 1 hit. The "steepness" of the roll is 2.
You guessed it right, those misses have to go.
Also important to know is that each unit has to be hit 3 times. A double hit can be placed on 2 units. There is no such thing as over kill in bigger battles. But there still is when only 2 units fight.
I need to keep the balance. So for every 3 health, an average of 1 hit.
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I want to change this dice roll into certainty. Yet maintaining the 1 to 3 ratio. I think I need help on this one. Or opinions are also welcome.
Further, I don't want it to be escalating in even higher numbers. So a some sort of minimum requirement is what I seek.
I still want to use only 1d6.
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[[[skip if you like]]]
It will be a huge change to the game, since you roll, well, almost every second.
Personally I was planning on an average of 2 hits, with 6 health (awww yesss!!!, the 6 health is back).
Thus giving me this:
1=1 hit
2=1 hit
3=2 hits
4=2 hits
5=3 hits
6=3 hits
The "steepness" is also important here. It is now 1,5.
While 3/2 means overkill. 6/1,5 is a round number.
The number of overkill is actually reduced while the game is speeded up.
(And when I noticed this, I whacked my head several times)
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Ok, here it comes, the problem:
My friends don't like this...6, while they agree on changing the roll into certainty.
They say it has to do with the beauty of the set of numbers for health for the units. Urrrg...
My first solution:
3,12,27,48,75 etc.
becomes
6,24,54,96,150 etc.
While they rather see numbers like
5,20,45,80,125 etc.
or
10,40,90,160,250 etc.
But that would give me, bad balance and unwanted overkill.
Further, they liked the fact that some units still had a chance in winning. Even if it was just 1/1000. The new certainty roll takes this away.
What now?
Tell them to take it anyway?
Or find a way with "rounder" numbers?
I too like the sequence starting with 5. But I don't know a good 1d6 roll going with it. Suggestions?
I too like the fact that a lonely soldier can hold of 3 tanks, just a bit longer than expected. Could I keep this in another way? A new rule might do the trick, so shoot if you have idea's for me.
In advance, thanks.
Nah, the point is to completely remove all the misses in the basic roll. Yet to keep randomness.
A basic battle with basic units, will always lead to an end.
We thought of something for the sequence of 5:
1 hit
1 hit
1 hit
2 hits
2 hits
3 hits
The average is 1 2/3th. And this times 3 is 5.
So we have the 1 to 3 ratio, while the health counters are 5 to begin with. The battle ends rather fast. And the initial test tree is now very limited.
However, the distribution is not really linear. Seems a bit exponential. But lets say the roll 6 is just special now.
With 2 units, there is an overkill if both roll a 6. But the chance on that is 1/36th.
Other combinations give a rather pleasent result. But I have not found time yet to draw out the complete combat of a 2 vs 2. Which is what will show me the results. I will compare it with the 2 vs 2 with the average of 2 roll.