Surface Combat Designer's Note: Like everything else in MOO3, we wanted to "bring up the level of design" behind Surface Combat. Players who were frustrated in MOO2, for example, that they couldn't use their tanks or Battleoids offensively will be happy to see that they can in MOO3. We've factored in everything that made sense, from racial characteristics vs. the planetary environment, to logistics, leadership, morale, troop experience, maneuvers, and a whole litany of things that players have requested (that are not expressly listed on this web page -- but don't worry, many of them will be in the game). What we're presenting here is a special "behind the screens" look into the design doc for MOO3. Here, we give you a fairly detailed look at Surface Combat. Not everything about it, certainly, but the core aspects (the quantity and depth of all the peripheral aspects of Surface Combat are positively mind numbing, though we give you a sample of some of them at the end of this page). While reading, you'll will notice many inferences to other areas of the design. Sorry we can't elaborate on all those, this isn't the right forum for that. We're content to let your imaginations fill in any details you can infer from them for now. When opposing forces exist on a planet, combat ensues. Each side creates a pre-battle plan that is then executed by their respective forces. Feedback is given to the player with sound and graphics followed by post-combat analysis. Overarching Rule of Surface Combat Designer's Note: This is one of the few "hard rules" for Surface Combat that keep the game manageable from both a multi-player and coding standpoint. I figured you'd want "the bad news" (i.e., the design "compromises") first. There will only be two civilizations vying for the control of a planet’s surface at one time. Other civilizations with troops amassed in space overhead must wait until the forces below them resolve their war before landing. Ground combat is always waged between two civilizations at a time only. The Sequence of Events in Surface Combat 1. Adding Reinforcements New units might appear on the planet to join in the fighting there. These include "regular" troop reinforcements that just arrived by transport ships and survived any space battles (infantry, space marines, mobile infantry, armor, and Battleoids) and "irregular" forces that are generated, as appropriate, by the computer (militia, partisan, and rebel forces). 1 Which Two Sides are Fighting Each Other? After Space Combat Effects and Reinforcements have been incorporated, a lottery determines which two sides in a three-sided (owner vs. rebel vs. invader) planetary struggle fight each other that turn. 2. Pre-Battle Planning With both side’s latest troop additions now in place, players are presented with Surface Combat Pre-Battle Planning screen. On it is a listing of friendly and estimated enemy forces, and the player’s current Political Weapons Authorization (conventional, nuclear, biological, or chemical). Both sides will separately select: A Battle Intensity (high or low) A Battle Plan (Assault, Hold, Probe, etc. Note that the choices available for this selection are dependent upon the selected Battle Intensity, troop types available and, in some cases, the Leadership Rating of the General commanding) Weapons Authorization for the coming campaign (conventional, nuclear, biological, or chemical) Next, each side must set a Collateral Damage Setting/Target Type Priority that determines, when he has the Strategic Initiative, how much Collateral Damage he wants to inflict (Low, Average, or High) and where he’s trying to focus Collateral Damage (Military Installations, Economic Targets, Civilian Population, or Environmental). Designer's Note: From a "player's standpoint," the above Pre-Battle Planning is pretty much the extend of what players "do" to perform Surface Combat. So, the physical act of doing Surface Combat is really very simple. The hard part, of course, is making "right" decisions. That's where the "depth" of Surface Combat comes in. First, there is the depth of the decisions you make from the above list before every battle. Next, there are the decisions you've made about force levels and types of troops committed to that battle, and what support they have (both on the surface and in space). On top of that, there are the political, social, ecological, and economic consequences of victory, defeat, or even a protracted Surface Campaign. All of those elements matter, and they all that nuance adds to the player eXperience (that Fifth 'X' that we're after) in MOO3. Determining the Attacker and Defender Battle Plans come in two sets of options: one for the "Defender" (the civilization that controls that planet is always the Defender) and one for the "Attacker" (the civilization trying to wrest control of the planet is always the Attacker). Rebels are the Attacker vs. the civilization that owns that planet and Defender vs. the civilization that invades it. Key Concept: Battle Plans The Defender will be able to select from among the follow Battle Plans: Standard Defender Options Surrender (Request the Honors of War) Withdraw (only available if there is space left on the planet to retreat to) Fighting Withdrawal (only available if there is space left on the planet to retreat to) Hold Hold at All Costs (No Retreat) Defensive Probe Counterattack* [choose the specific type of counterattack from the following list:] Test of Strength (Counter-Maneuver) (Ruse) (Trap) Seize the Initiative* [choose specific type of offensive maneuver from the following list:]| Offensive Probe Echelon Assault (Maneuver) (Vertical Envelopment) * Can only be selected if High Intensity was chosen. The Attacker will be able to select from among the following Battle Plans: Standard Attacker Options (Vertical Envelopment) (Maneuver) Assault Echelon Offensive Probe Surrender the Initiative* [choose specific type of defensive maneuver from the following list:] Surrender (Request the Honors of War) Withdraw (only available if there is space left on the planet to retreat to) Fighting Withdrawal (only available if there is space left on the planet to retreat to) Hold Hold at All Costs (No Retreat) Defensive Probe Counterattack [choose the specific type of counterattack from the following list:] Test of Strength (Maneuver) (Ruse) (Trap) * Can only be selected if Low Intensity was chosen. Additional Rules for Battle Plans Battle Plans in parenthesis may only be selected if that side’s General commanding enough ability or a special skill that allows him to select that option. In addition, Maneuver, Ruse, and Trap options can only be selected if that side has "Mobile" formations (i.e., includes Mobile infantry, armor or Battleoids, has Powered Armor, or have extra mobility skills such as atmospheric flight or subterranean). Vertical Envelopment can only be selected if that side has "Vertical" forces (i.e., Battleoids, Powered Armor, just-dropped Space Marines, or the flying or subterranean mobility skills). Success & Failure of Certain Maneuvers Certain maneuvers (those in parentheses) might either "succeed" or "fail" when they are executed by the side that selected them. Specifically, Vertical Envelopment, Offensive Maneuver, Counter-Maneuver, Ruse and Trap. The Battle Plan Matrix The two side’s Battle Plans and Intensities are used to determine the number of "Rounds" of Battle will be fought that Game Turn, plus who got any initiative, combat, or morale bonuses or penalties, whether any special procedures for resolving the battle occur, and so forth. Designer's Note: This matrix is, understandably, huge, so I can't really post it here. Actually, it's three huge matrices (one for Troops, one for Battle Plans, and another for Racial and Other Modifiers), but that's another story. What you really need to know is that we're trying to do these sorts of things in the Excel file format so that, after you get the game, you can open these files up and tweak numbers to your heart's content. Our philosophy is to make such after-purchase "first level hacking" easy for you. We love you guys who make "game editors," and plan to make MOO3 a very friendly title for you. Strategic Initiative After both sides have selected their Battle Plans, one of them will be determined to have seized the Strategic Initiative. Effects of Seizing the Strategic Initiative that Turn The side that gains the Strategic Initiative will be conducting this turn’s Combat Rounds "in enemy territory." [Sensitive information deleted describing the nature of this system.] Having the Strategic Initiative in Ground Combat also influences the "advance" and "retreat" of ground forces after all of that turn’s Rounds of Battle are conducted. 3. Ground Combat Resolution & Aftermath Once both sides have made their selections and clicked Done, the surface combat on that planet is resolved. The results are shown first by "maneuver" animation overlays (representing each side’s Battle Plan selection) on top of that part of the planet involved in that Turn’s campaigning with the thickness of the lines used indicating that side’s Battle Intensity. These maneuver animation overlays are soon followed by ground combat animations and the CRS (Cool Radio Show) to graphically illustrate the length, intensity, and outcome of the campaign. Combat force statistics (known friendly and estimated enemy) showing troop types and numbers of each that are combat-ready, broken, and killed are also displayed. Designer's Note: The above is pretty much the "players perspective" on Surface Combat. That's about the level of information you'd find in a standard game manual. What follows is a more in-depth look "under the hood" of Surface Combat. From here to the end, it's Game Geeks only, please! Combat Round Sequence The sequence of a Surface Combat "Round" is listed below. Note that there can be (and usually is) more than one Combat Round per Game Turn on a given planet. Special Operations take place [You guys will love this part, but I'm not ready to go into that right now. Sorry.] Determine Actual Initiative Value (AIV) for all units All units take action in (AIV) sequence 1. Unit Initiative Every Unit adds the result of its own individual die roll to its Initiative Value to determine its Actual Initiative Value (AIV) for that Round (only). Units fire sequentially in AIV order for that Round of Surface Combat. 2. Taking Action When a unit’s turn to act comes it will either be "Active" or "Disrupted." If it’s Active, it fires at an enemy target. If it’s Disrupted, it makes a Morale Check. 2A. Morale Check As a result of that Morale Check, if it recovers to Active status, that unit fires at an enemy target that round. If it stays Disrupted, there is no additional effect. If it Routs, it is removed from combat for the remainder of the turn; it can no longer fire or be fired upon and will have to check for Rally/Disintegration at the conclusion of the battle. Routed units no longer participate in combat that turn, neither firing nor as targets. Their fate is determined after the battle to see whether they Rally or Disintegrate. A note about numbers: You'll see a lot of numbers here. Because all of this needs to be playtested, these numbers are relative, not absolute. They have been provided to illustrate the relationship between aspect values. They're not "written in stone" as the final values! 2B. Selecting a Target The target shot at is determined randomly. Each enemy unit has a certain chance to be the target of an enemy Grunt’s attack based on a Lottery System. Thus, each enemy unit has a number of ping-pong balls’ chance (i.e., its "Target Priority Value") to be selected as the target unit for a particular shot. For example: Most Grunts have a Target Priority Value of 2. Rebels, Partisans, and most Special Forces have a Target Priority Value of 1. A Grunt’s Target Priority Value is increased by one (+1) if it is a Space Marine or Mobile Infantry Grunt (or has Powered Armor), +2 for Armor, and +4 for Battleoids. Thus a Space Marine Grunt with Powered Armor would have a Target Priority Value of 4 (2 for being a Grunt +1 for being a Space Marine, and +1 for having Powered Armor). The number of ping-pong balls a particular enemy unit has in the Target Selection Lottery is increased by: 1x its Target Priority Value if it has fired during the current Battle Round (i.e., "stuck its head out") 1x its Target Priority Value if it is a Mobile unit conducting a Maneuver Battle Plan 2x its Target Priority Value if it has "dropped" on an enemy target during a Vertical Envelopment So, if a Battleoid equipped Grunt dropped into battle during this, the first Round of combat that turn, it would have 18 ping-pong balls in the Target Selection Lottery (2 for being a Grunt +4 for being a Battleoid, x3 for dropping from a transport into battle). Designers Note: This formula simulates the proper amount of "exposure" to troops that are "risked" either by their very size, the nature of their role(s) on the battlefield, and the additional risk that certain maneuvers expose them to. 2C. Firing at the Selected Target After the Target Unit is determined, we determine if and how many times the Target Unit is hit comparing the Firing Unit's Accuracy Value to the Defending Unit's Evade Value. 2D. Dodging the Bullet Each "hit" is then checked to see if it is "shaken off" or "deflected" (i.e., negated) by the Target Unit. (Yes, this can be thought of as the target unit’s "saving throw.") The Attacker’s Attack Strength is compared to the Defender’s Armor Value to resolve this calculation. 2E. Taking the Bullet For each "hit" that gets through (i.e., that is not shaken off or deflected), one point of damage is inflicted upon the Target unit and it becomes disrupted. If the unit is already disrupted, there is no additional effect. When a unit takes its last point of damage, it is destroyed. 3. Another Round of Surface Combat? Surface Combat continues for as many rounds as determined by each side’s Pre-Battle Plans. Increasing Battle Intensity and selecting more daring maneuvers will tend to increase the number of Rounds of Battle fought that Game Turn. 4. Routed Units’ Rally or Disintegration After all the rounds of combat have been concluded, all Disrupted units automatically recover and become Active. Routed units are more problematic. They might either Rally (based on their Rally Value) or Disintegrate (i.e., become destroyed). All units that don’t Disintegrate recover from all their damage (i.e., are rest to 0 damage). Exception: Ground forces that are besieged recover only one Damage Point. 5. Winners & Losers If one side has all its units either routed or eliminated, it loses the battle (big time). Otherwise, victory in that turn's combat will be judged on the basis of the ratio of the relative losses to both sides. The ratios required for a certain level of victory/defeat are determined by the Leaders’ Ability ratings and their respective selections on the Combat Matrix. 5A. Retreat & Advance after Combat After all the Rounds of Surface Combat are over, "territory" might change hands. Here we consider the following factors: Each side's Battle Plan Who had the Strategic Initiative The Battle Casualty Ratio The Surviving Strength Ratio The planet's environmental aspects and the nature of the Races fighting on that planet A die roll 5B. Off-World Escape of Defeated Forces If one side has been defeated and runs out of territory to lose, its ground forces there flee and attempt to fall back to their Reserves. Irregular forces don’t attempt to flee; they just disappear automatically. Each fleeing regular unit (Grunt or Special Forces) rolls for its life individually and has a chance to survive (i.e., retreat back to their Reserves). These chances are halved if the planet is blockaded. Units that don’t survive this retreat are destroyed. 6. Collateral Damage After all the Rounds of combat, collateral damaged is assessed to the location where the main fighting took place. For every shot fired the Collateral Damage Count increases. Each point of Collateral Damage is then assigned to one of the categories below: Military Installations: planetary shields, missile and fighter bases, orbital platforms, etc. Economic Targets: buildings, dominant economic activities, and infrastructure Civilian Population: destroyed Population Points Environmental Damage: "reverse" terraforming, added clean-up cost before progressive Environmental Sector spending can resume No Effect For each point of accumulated, unassigned Collateral Damage, a lottery is held to see where it lands. The number of chances each of these five categories has to receive each individual point of Collateral Damage is shown on the table below: Damage done to specific sectors is applied similarly to how Planetary Bombardment works from space, but with an emphasis on the specific location where the battle took place that turn. Grunt Ratings Every type of Grunt has ratings for its: Initiative Value Target Priority Number of Attacks per Round Accuracy Evasion Attack Strength Armor Hits Morale Etc. [Information withheld] Designer’s Note: By spreading out the "factors" that constitute Ground Combat among several specific categories, we’ve opened up the way for a lot of possible "technological nodes" in this area. We're doing this sort of thing with every aspect of MOO3. Prescient players will be able to deduce from this approach the potential enormity of the "technology tree" in the game. It’s staggering. Furthermore, that Grunt’s Troop Type (Rebel, Militia, Space Marine, Armor, Battleoid, etc.) and experience level (recruit, trained, veteran, crack, and so forth) modify these ratings. Designer's Note: Here's is a special section of really Geeky stuff. This is the kind of material that you'd find in they sort of Strategy Guides written by Alan Emrich and Tom Hughes. Surrender & the Honors of War and Ground Combat Logistics are just a couple of the new aspects we're bringing to Surface Combat that neither previous MOO game dared to deliver. Surrendering & The Honors of War If both sides surrender, the side that is blockaded surrenders to the other. If neither side is blockaded, the smaller side surrenders to the larger side. When a side surrenders, it requests the "Honors of War" (i.e., a safe trip back home). Thus, its ground forces there evacuate in an effort to reach their Reserves. Irregular forces don’t evacuate; they just disappear automatically. A d6 is rolled for the evacuating forces on the table below using the die roll modifiers listed: -3 Honors of War Denied: all surrendered Grunts are massacred (eliminated). Surrendered civilization’s Casus Belli adds –80. -2 Honors of War Denied: all surrendered Grunts flee as per "Escape of Defeated Forces" with their chances halved (this is halved twice if they’re also blockaded). Surrendered civilization’s Casus Belli adds –40. -1 Honors of War Denied: all surrendered Grunts flee as per "Escape of Defeated Forces." Surrendered civilization’s Casus Belli adds –20. 0 Honors of War Granted but Equipment is Seized and Officers are Held: all surrendered Grunts return safely but become Infantry and have their experience reduced to the lowest value of the next lowest Experience Level. 1 Honors of War Granted but Equipment is Seized: all surrendered Grunts return safely but become Infantry. Surrendered civilization’s Casus Belli adds +25. 2 Honors of War Granted but Equipment is Seized: all surrendered Grunts return safely but become Infantry. Surrendered civilization’s Casus Belli adds +25. 3 Honors of War Granted but Equipment is Seized: all surrendered Grunts return safely but become Infantry. Surrendered civilization’s Casus Belli adds +25. 4+ Honors of War Granted Unconditionally: all surrendered Grunts return safely. Surrendered civilization’s Casus Belli adds +50. -2 if Political Ideologies are of a different Series -1 if Political Ideologies are of the same Series but a different Branch -2 if both sides have a State Religion and they are of a different Theocratic Series - OR - if the victorious side has a State Religion and its government policy is to persecute other religions -1 if both sides have a State Religion and they are of the same Theocratic Series but share no Dogmas nor their Credo -2 each if the victorious Leader is Evil or Xenophobic -1 each if the victorious Leader is Underhanded, Ruthless, Militarist, or Paranoid +1 each if the victorious Leader is Average, Honorable, Diplomatic, or Unifier +2 each if the victorious Leader is Pacifistic, or Champion of the Underdog Die rolls greater than 4 and less than –3 are treated as 4 and –3, respectively. Ground Forces’ Supply Partisans, Rebels, and Militia never need supplies. All other types of Grunts (from Recruit through Elite and from Infantry through Battleoid) do require logistical support to fight at full effectiveness. Supply is only considered when a ground force is besieged (i.e., "isolated"). Magazines as Supply Sources To avoid the effects of Isolation (see below), friendly Magazines on the planet may be used to sustain friendly Grunts. Each new Magazine has a "Supply Capacity" of 50 points. For each point of damage inflicted on a Magazine, its Supply Capacity is reduced by 10. Each type of Grunt requires a certain number of magazine points for sustenance as listed below: 7 Infantry 9 Space Marine 15 Mobile Infantry 19 Armored 25 Battleoid Effects of Isolation If an Isolated ground force is fully supplied by magazines, there is no effect. If it is 90-99% supplied by magazines, all units have a maximum Number of Attacks of 4. If it is 75-79% supplied by magazines, all units have a maximum Number of Attacks of 3. If it is 50-74% supplied by magazines, all units have a maximum Number of Attacks of 2 and Rally modifiers are halved (rounded up). If it is 20-49% supplied by magazines, all units have a maximum Number of Attacks of 1, High Intensity combat is no longer an option, and Rally modifiers are halved (rounded up). If it is less than 20% supplied by magazines, all units have a maximum Number of Attacks of 1, High Intensity combat is no longer an option, plus Morale and Rally modifiers are both halved (rounded up). Isolated Forces & High Intensity Battles When an Isolated force chooses to employ High Battle Intensity that turn, none of the penalties for Isolation affect it that turn. However, a number of "hits" on friendly magazines are automatically inflicted at the conclusion of each Round of Combat that turn (due to the rapid consumption of supplies). This number of self-inflicted magazine hits equals: 1+ (surviving Grunts’ sustenance supply needs/80) - rounded off to the nearest whole number. Designer’s note: Supply is totally unnecessary as long as you’re ground forces are not isolated ("besieged"). Magazines, therefore, are "insurance" against that contingency. For the defenders on the ground, they had better plan on spending some time under siege. For attackers, though, it’s a more delicate matter. If they can maintain space superiority, Magazines are unnecessary. But… if they don’t bring any Magazines with them and find themselves cut off, it will be bad, indeed, for the invaders! Also note that the "bigger" grunts eat more, proportionally. This is deliberate. Because of their specialized needs, it is much harder for them to live off the land. If you want to cut an enemy’s Battleoids down to size, put them under siege and starve them. > Is it me or is there a unusually large amount of tactical consideration > for a strategy game series? Will there be a auto resolve feature to > bypass the tactical battle aspects, and will that bypass be intelligent > enough to be able to use without unnecessarily high losses? You never have to make any decisions about ground combat. That's what you have army Generals for. They make all those decisions. If you spend an Imperial Focus and want to micromanage a battle, then you can go in and change that General's standing orders if you like and watch the fireworks for yourself (rather than just read the report after-the-fact). As for "unnecessarily high losses," who is to say that your decisions weren't worse than the General whose orders you overrode? Variables, such as the enemy commander, the enemy's plans, and plain old luck during a battle might have more to say about your "high losses" then anything else. You can only point things in the "right direction" (whatever you perceive that to be) to affect how things should go, but as they say, "no plan survives contact with the enemy."