Hi, I made a combat concept and I am looking for constructive criticism, solutions or references to other games. As it is based on RPS system with advantages I created a compromise between simplified combat and advanced one.
Early this year I have tested advanced combat mechanics and there is Alpha Unit Card. This card should be minimised to match current option, if that compromise is viable.
Previous
https://www.bgdf.com/node/21166
Units:
Infantry - fights in close combat
Archers - shooters
Horsemen - a stronger, more expensive and mobile unit fighting in close combat
Equestrian/Mounted archers - ??
Support:
Standard-Bearer - ??, High Morale buff (see manouvers)
Sutler or Victualer / Barber surgeon - they can save individuals from death by taking them to player starting point (retreat)
Buildings and siege machines:
Fortifications - they generate shields every round, the number of shields depends on the level of fortifications
Siege - reduce the generation of shields by fortifications, the amount of reduction depends on the siege unit type
Example:
Castle (improved structure, level 2 of 3)
Generates 4 shields each turn.
Initiative:
Example 1:
Player 1 has 3 infantry units and attacks Player 2 who has 2 infantry units and 1 archer unit.
Players check who starts first with a die roll or a special rule.
Player 1 threw 3 on the dice K6, and Player 2 threw 4. Accordingly, the defender starts first.
Each unit generates "attack cube" every round, the unit level affects the number of dice that the unit generates.
Infantry level 1 in the base has one die, Knight base will generate two dices every turn. The number of cubes generated depends on the experience.
Defense - It generates shields at the beginning of each fight(once), the shields allow to remove the hit. The rebound hit removes the shields. Requires 'equipment'. Having additional shields on the squad will allow the player to refill their number in the next round.
Hit Points - how much the unit can withstand before it dies. Improvement requires experience (? - a question mark because there is one thing to equip and experience)
Hit - the player "chooses" which numbers on the cube are responsible for the hit and makes the throw. If the player has determined a hit value of 2 and 5, only results 2 and 5 will be considered a hit
Improving units
Each unit upgrade involves the cost of upgrading all units
Example:
Player 1 wants to improve the Attack from 1 to 2, with the result that the strategic fields have 3 infantry units, the cost will be 3 (equipment).
Territorial option
The player can upgrade units on his territory.
Partial option
The player can upgrade some units, but only those that are in his area.
The player adds a "no improvement" tag to units outside the territory.
Permanent option
A player can upgrade all units even if they are outside of their territory.
Production of larger amounts of resources:
The player uses the action 'military actions' and creates half of the production, equipment or experience rounded up
Examples of the appearance of the unit:
Infantry
Basic cost: 1/2 (equipment / experience)
Attack: 1 [] (cost of equipment)
Defense: [] [] [] [] (cost of equipment)
Hit: 1 [] [] [] (cost experience)
Health Points: 1 [] [] [] (cost of experience)
Total cost: 1/2 (1 equipment, 2 experience)
Unit cost:
It's a basic cost plus filling in each field.
Infantry
Basic cost: 1/2
Attack: 1 2
Defense: 1 2 3 4
Hit: 1 2 3 4
Health Points 1 2 3 4
Total cost: 6/8 (6 equipment, 8 experience)
Training Knights requires infrastructure (Barracks +2, Treatise...)
Knight
Deals double damage
Attack: 2 [] [] (cost of equipment)
Defense: 2 [] [] [] [] (cost of equipment)
Hit: 2 [] [] [] [] (cost of experience)
Health Points: 3 [] [] [] [] (cost of experience)
Total cost: 4/5 (4 equipment, 5 experience)
Knight
Deals double damage
Attack: 2 3 4
Defense: 2 3 4 5 6
Hit: 2 3 4 5 6
Health Points 3 4 5 6 7
Total cost: 10/15 (10 equipment, 15 experience)
Game example:
In the previous game, in 8 rounds, two players managed to accumulate from 80 to 100 equipment resources and experience. It is the equivalent of four maximum upgraded knights, ~ 30 infantry basic units.
Advantage - reroll all the negative results of the cubes, but accept the next results.
Infantry gain advantage over the horsemen when there are twice more of them, gain advantage over the archers when they aren't protected (no infantry on the battlefield)
Archers gain advantage over the infantry, if it is behind the infantry unit, gain advantage over horsemen if the infantry is twice as much as the amount of horsemen
Horsemen gain advantage over the archers when they aren't protected and gain advantage over infrantry when there are less than twice the number of cavalry.
Example: Two cavalry units will have an advantage over three infantry units.
Maneuvers (advanced option)
These are cards that a player gets in strategic turns and can be used in the combat phase.
Choosing "training" ("military operations") action - the player picks two maneuver cards, he can take more cards in one turn but he pays 1 experience point for each chosen card over the limit. Limit can be upgraded via Treatises.
All maneuver cards are single-use.
Flank 1 - Give attack cubes
Charge 2 - Deal damage, avoid shields
Feint 1 - reroll x misses
Feint 2 - possibility of rerolling all y (selected results)
Cheap Trick 2 - can give you an advantage or ignore your opponent's advantage (1 turn)
Initiative 1 - Player who use that card before initiative roll, starts first. If two are used or another player bluffs the other, players have to reroll initiative in standard manner.
Ambush 2 - using the card before the battle will give one attack dice per every two levels of the his army
High morale 1 - Add a temporary one health point to the selected unit
Bluff 1 - ignore the maneuver of the opponent
Incendiary arrows 1 - ignore 1 opponent's shield and / or fortification shield
Aggressive stance 1 - swap the shield for an attack die
Defensive stance 1 - swap the attack die for shield
Permanent option:
Costs 1 and 2 apply only to permanent cards.
As part of the training, you can assign maneuvering cards to units by increasing the cost of their training. Each unit could have x slots for such cards.
Anyone would like to discuss this topic?
Thanks in advantage! :)
This is cumbersome. The alternative isn't much better either. But it is perhaps better to have "improvement" tag's instead?
In Eclipse game, it doesn't matter - they just allow it to upgrade despite the location of unit. You can be next to their capital and pop upgrade whenever You need. Solution is easier, not neccessary real.
Fixed
Game example:
In the previous game, in 8 rounds, two players managed to accumulate from 80 to 100 equipment resources and experience. It is the equivalent of four maximum upgraded knights, ~ 30 infantry basic units.
I had these numbers as well. While it is good in your inner circle. You only use these numbers when players are experienced. Try to aim for 10 or less. I suggest: Less quantity, better quality.[/quote]
One of the suggesstions in advanced combat playthough - game was criticised for lack of dynamics which leaded to develop 'base unit cost' to prevent mass units with low equipment/experience against elite squads.
If You have unit cost set up at 3 points and perhaps amount of upgrades, basic unit would cost 6 (lets say 3/3) which would end up in amount of units - halved. While elite squad would suffer a bit.