Detailed examples of Pen/Arm combat calculations

[Mobhack]

The AP Calculator does not calculate weak point special hits, nor does it allow for track or no effect hits. All 1000 samples are deemed to be normally effective hits. It thus only uses the basic armour penetration subroutines.

The "best" shot is the highest score achieved in a sample of 1000. It says nothing as to whether more than 1 sample achieved that value, so is best looked at as the "1 in 1000" statistic or "golden BB".

HEAT and HE only have only got 1 penetration cell because they are range independent for armour penetration - a hit at 100m is the same as one at 2000.

NB: HE effect is for direct aimed fire - Indirect Fire will achieve much less, as it will produce more "Hit by splinters" randomised events, which only add suppression up to a maximum of pinned(+buttoned up) status to the hit AFV. But the calculator as stated above, is based on only good hits, ignoring the random special events events.

HEAT though, does use the random fusing values, for fuse failures (pen<"book") hits and over-penetrations (pen>"book"), since that is part of the hit penetration base code for that type.

ArmourCalc simply is an angle calculator to work out the value of sloped armour. The game uses 1 = 1cm, normalised for angle of slope. So it is as Imp said, mainly of use for determining what a new vehicle's armour should be in game terms for an OOB designer.

In the main though you will generally after a while of playing get a feel for what your guns do, just like real life end users did after actual combat experience. No real life troops had a "penetration calculator" - though the boffins may have issued them a set of rule of thumb engagement ranges based on trials on captured enemy tanks.

[Champagne]

The txt file that comes with the Armor Penetration Calculator states that the numeric values signifying the "Pen" factor will sometimes indeed fluctuate between one number and another, when the two different values are very close to one another at a given range. I just recently read this in the txt file and it impressed me greatly.

Is this was makes the AP Calc a "calculator"? I'm trying to understand why calling it a "chart" like a board wargame chart is less accurate than calling it a "calculator".

Thanks for the further info about the Armor Calculator. You explained its true function when I did not know.

[Mobhack]

It is a calculator since it makes several thousand runs through the AP code for each and every time you select a new weapon. That is calculation in my book.

[Champagne]

Oh, yes. I've read both of those txt files more than once each. Much important info there.

[Champagne]

Originally Posted by Mobhack

It is a calculator since it makes several thousand runs through the AP code for each and every time you select a new weapon. That is calculation in my book.

Yes, that's indeed a calculator. I thought it was a chart. Now I realize that the device makes several thousand runs through the AP code for each and every time I select a new weapon, I understand why it is a calculator.

Very impressive. Back when SPI was first released, I bought and enjoyed the game for a few years. I've just come back to it a month ago. I never had any idea of just how deep this game design really is.

The Camo Workshop team have done wonderful things, Andy. Thanks very much.