"Melee Resolution, The Odds" Topic

A question regarding game design.
If 2 units have a melee & 1 unit is 1 morale grade higher, say 1st Rate Line vs 2nd Rate Line, how should the victories breakdown? Ignore draws & other factors that would modify the melee. What sounds better,

3 to 2
or
3 to 1?

John Kelly

2 to 1.

4.3 to 1 is achieved by +2 DRM modifier between each grade with each side rolling 1D6.
2.3 to 1 is achieved by +2 DRM modifier between each grade with each side rolling 1D10.
2 to 1 is achieved by +1 DRM modifier between each grade with each side rolling 1D6.
3 to 2 is achieved by +1 DRM modifier between each grade with each side rolling 1D10.

I think I like the 3:2 though 60/40 & 66/33 are pretty close.

JPK

I like either 1.5:1, or 1.25:1, depending upon how many skill levels you have for your game.

Jumping right to 2:1, or 3:1 seems a bit extreme for a one level skill difference.

Strikes me as a little extreme as well. I expect less of a chance for the 2nd rate to stand and accept a chargea/melee but if they stand and fight, they stand and fight.

That presumes you have a pre-melee morale check. If it's all one transaction, then 2-1 doesn't sound so bad. Avoid having the better troops close in the first place.

I have a check to charge home but no morale check to stand. Thought about it but the To Stand check is yet another chart & die roll. If they are going to run before the melee then they are likely to lose it anyway so I decided not to use it.
There are 5 morale grades. I think that I will have them differ by 1 point & perhaps have options to use several die, or at least experiment with several die. With 1 point difference the math is:

Both roll 1D6: Win ratio is 2.1 to 1 (DBA anyone?)
Both roll 1D8: Win ratio is 1.7 to 1
Both roll 1D10: Win ratio is 1.5 to 1

You could add a twist like Mr Kevin Zucker has in his latest NLB series game: namely if lets say your 1st Rate vs 2nd Rate Line fight and for example the the combat takes place in woods or town/village (BUA) then you could have some kind of "Shock" factor table where the 2nd rate line unit has a 1 in 6 chance to really upset the apple cart or that the 1st line has a 1 in 6 chance of walking over the 2nd rate unit.

However, in clear terrain, i.e. one that is not "close" the obligatory +1 DRM or whatever just applies no "shock"……just a thought.

I have considered using 2D6 (the probability calculation was no fun, but came out somewhat close to the 1D10 results) to allow for extreme events (ie, a 2 or 12).
Richard Berg uses a mechanic like that is his GMT Ancient Wars games. Certain die results mean that odds do not count, & the result is up to the whim of the Gods.

JPK