DisasterWargamer | 07 Sep 2015 6:24 p.m. PST |
Got to thinking about statistical systems for resolving combat, games using a die or 2 and then games that use quite a few dice… Do you prefer: Charts? 1 or 2 Dice? A handful of Dice? As many as you can? Don't need Dice or Charts – My figures are bigger… or other? |
Allen57 | 07 Sep 2015 6:29 p.m. PST |
always enjoyed the older CRT games before the number of DRMs reached a level where you needed a separate chart to remember them all. A handful of dice is ok too. Unless you face the same problem with DRMs multiplying to excess. |
Timotheous | 07 Sep 2015 6:30 p.m. PST |
My current favorite system for Napoleonics uses a handful of dice (3-5) with tactical modifiers adding extra dice. Roll dice together, and compare your top three dice with the top three of your opponent. The type of combat being fought (bombardment, approach, or contact) determines what these three dice mean. No charts or tables to reference! |
JasonAfrika | 07 Sep 2015 6:32 p.m. PST |
Timotheous that sounds very interesting. Can you please elaborate? Thanks |
Weasel | 07 Sep 2015 6:32 p.m. PST |
I can roll with anything (roll? get it? get it?) but a few dice is preferable to me. 2-4 dice on any given roll. Not a huge buckets of dice fan. |
53Punisher | 07 Sep 2015 6:35 p.m. PST |
Charts (no more than 1 at a time) are ok and no more than a few dice (maybe 1-5) on any one roll is ok as well. |
Martin Rapier | 07 Sep 2015 11:05 p.m. PST |
I prefer fewer dice and not too many modifiers, which probably means using some sort if chart to look up the results. They are only different ways of presenting the same information. |
Mute Bystander | 08 Sep 2015 2:46 a.m. PST |
1) One small chart per "event" [See THW] "event" is like in sight check, shooting, melee, etc. 2) No more than 5-6 dice per hand at a time [Again, THW. Also my hand size.] TS&TF obviously violates this for shooting but I allow two hands cupping the dice rolling 10-12 works I just don't like it much. 2A) an alternative – Differential dice (D4 vs D6, D8 versus D10 [GZG] also works and can be a good technique in many rule sets. Especially mixed with 3) Most importantly no "Roll to Hit, Roll to save, roll to wound" asinine insane serial die rolling per character. Incredibly stupid, complicated instead of subtle, and entirely counter-intuitive to good game design. Use some elegance and thought to design a quick results oriented mechanic. |
Dynaman8789 | 08 Sep 2015 4:23 a.m. PST |
Most innovative I have seen lately is the Ardennes '44 system from GMT. Attacks are capped at 15 strength points so no swarming around looking for extra attack strength, defensive bonus is usually handled by adding one or two to the defense strength, and halving is done by unit and is done only once no matter how many negative things occur (like Blucher really). Mods for combat are down to 10 items or less and they provide column shifts. Really nice is the FireFight or Desperate defense options. The defender can choose to roll on the Desperate Defense table if he wants to cancel a retreat – but that most often entails a step loss. The attacker often gets FF results where he can push the attack harder to take terrain but that often results in step losses for him. |
Timotheous | 08 Sep 2015 10:03 a.m. PST |
@ JasonAfrika-the rules are Drums and Shakos Large Battles by Ganesha games. For an example of how this works, suppose a battery is firing at an infantry attack column at long range: medium foot battery rolls four dice, minus one at long range, so rolls a 5,3,3. The infantry attack column rolls 4,4,1. The top two dice are 5v4, so the artillery inflicts a disorder (one 'hit' on the infantry). The second die is a 3v4, so the infantry avoids having to fall back (the result of the second die). On the third die, the artillery beat the infantry 3v1, so if there is another target in line behind the infantry column, it too suffers a disorder. |
Timotheous | 08 Sep 2015 10:05 a.m. PST |
Here's a full game my friend and I played for the camera (he makes the videos) where I explain in full detail how the mechanics work: YouTube link And a second game: YouTube link |