What are the specific mechanics of Ground Combat?

[Fyron]

Ground combat is not really random... I have replayed the exact same combat 10 times and had the exact same results every time.

[Loser]

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:
Ground combat is not really random... I have replayed the exact same combat 10 times and had the exact same results every time.

Well nothing's really random ina computer, you're just running the same 'rand' on the same seed and getting the same result. If I remember correctly, SE IV doens't refresh its seed from the clock while the game is running.

In fact, I think the seed is saved along with the game, or something like that . . .

Now how would I have thought that, where would I have found that out, why the bleep would I think I know that? I don't recall.

Anyway, does anyone know about the One Weapon To-Hit Bonus on Units, especially Troops in ground combat?

How aboutthe effect of the special ability on the Small Time Distortion Burst?

And the Shield skipping ability of the Small PPB?

And the Armor skipping ability of the Small Shard Cannon?

[ July 15, 2004, 21:47: Message edited by: Loser ]

[Alneyan]

From what I can tell of my tests, nothing too fancy works for units (either fighters or troops).

- A PPB troop failed to bring down a troop with shields before the battle was over, while it would have been victorious in two turns had the PBB skipped its shielding.
- A Time Distortion Burst troop failed to bring down the same troop, while it should have won in six turns (four to bring down the shields, and two to destroys the internals). The same goes for a fighter using either a PPB or a Time Distortion Burst, and going after a heavily shielded unit.
- The Skip Armour damage type has done nothing either.
- Should I mention that Null Space doesn't do anything for fighters? (I didn't test for troops, but I see no reason for it to be different)
- Some fancy abilities work for Fighters, such as Crew ConVersion. So I guess the problem lies in how armour and shields are handled for units (like extra hitpoints and nothing more than this) rather than in the fighters themselves. I will test a Nullspace PDC though, just in case it would somehow be different when a ship fires on a unit.

[Slick]

Whoa!

...
The absolute best weapons for Ground Combat are
the Ground Cannon III,
the Shield Depeleter III (since it does damage to hit points, any hitpoints, and not jsut shields),
...

Are you saying that Shield Depleters will actually damage non-shield hitpoints on other troops and kill them?

Slick.

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by Slick:
Whoa!

quote:

---

...
The absolute best weapons for Ground Combat are
the Ground Cannon III,
the Shield Depeleter III (since it does damage to hit points, any hitpoints, and not jsut shields),
...

Are you saying that Shield Depleters will actually damage non-shield hitpoints on other troops and kill them?

Slick.

---

I thought that was fixed? ISTR that used to be a problem, but I think it got fixed in the Last patch.

[Loser]

I'm pretty sure that's still True.

Small Shield Depleter is an Uber Troop Weapon, you just have to be willing to ignore the fact that it makes little sense.

[Aiken]

It works in simulator, at least. Just captured the planet with troops armed with Small SD only.

Edit: forgot to mention that planet was filled with unarmed, but shielded/armored troops. They were destroyed completely. It was a simulation, though.

[ July 17, 2004, 00:03: Message edited by: aiken ]