Weak charges

[Steppe Merc]

I noticed that the charges for all the units are quite small, even the elephants. I realize that you spent a long time playtesting and all, but I was just wondering why so many units have such small charges.

[komninos]

Unfortunately charge values go from 0 to 9 the game neglects other values and returns them to the maximum of 9 and minimum of 0.
So what we did is that we calculated the charges and then divided them with the maximum and multiplied by 9. Then this gave a rather uniform distribution so the formula was changed to increase the differences of the high charge units from low charge units.

[Steppe Merc]

Oh... I guess I better undo all the charge changes I did

[CBR]

Hm Im not so sure about that one. I dont know where its capped if its capped at all.

I do know that the chance of one soldier killing another is capped. If attack-defense (in the combat formula) is more than 20 its capped at 20.

I have made a few tests that did show that higher charge values did improve kills. But its not been extensive tests ofc.


CBR

[komninos]

Hi CBR,

Can you please dig ths out. I have read many threads that Charge goes 0 - 9. But it can make a great effect if it would be from 0 - 20 or even better from -20 - +20.

Thanks

[Steppe Merc]

I deffinetly rember myself changing charges to over 9, but I have no idea whether or not it read it as 9 or over it...

[Puzz3D]

From the Official Strategy Guide chapter written by longjogn2 pges 52 to 57:

Combat Factor vs Kill Chance Percent

-20 0.05
-10 0.31
-5 0.76
-4 0.92
-3 1.10
-2 1.32
-1 1.58
0 1.90
1 2.28
2 2.74
3 3.28
4 3.94
5 4.73
10 11.76
20 72.84

The combat factor cannot be any greater than +20 or any lower than -20. If the number is greater than 20, the combat system rounds it down to 20. If the number is any lower than -20, the system rounds it up to -20.

When a soldier makes a strike, the combat engine adds up various factors to calculate a number that determines the probablility of killing the targetted foe. That kill chance number is determined by taking the striker's Attack value, subtracting his target's Defense value, and then modifying the difference by a number of situational factors.

First, the engine sums the values derived from the basic stats (striker and target). The Attack and Defense values here include modifications for each units's valor rating, general's rank, general's vices and virtues, bonuses versus cavalry, and weapon and armor upgrades. Then the situational factors are added in to arrive at the final combat factor which has the -20 to +20 limit.

Sumarizing the situational factors they are charge, troop type (armor piercing and afraid of foe), positional factors (striking from flank or rear, charging into flank or rear and shield bonus), supporting ranks (no bonus in woods), terrain factors (higher or lower than foe, mounted troops in woods, camels in desert, lush or temperate climate), fatigue factors, formation (wedge or hold), and miscellaneous factors (pushed back, routing, insufficient space).


My own thoughts:

So, the charge comes in as a situational factor and no specific range limit is specified in the strategy guide except on the final combat factor. However, charge is only one of many factors that affect the final combat factor, so you wouldn't want to use the whole range only for charge because you could easily saturate out the other effects. Keeping charge under 10 points seems reasonable. Also, if charge gets very large it could have an adverse affect on the morale system because units incur a morale penalty based on the percentage of casualties suffered in the previous combat cycle. Roughly, 4 or 5 charge points are equivalent to 1 attack point which represents a 20% combat advantage. It seems to me that a charge value from 8 to 10 is pretty significant.

Normally you wouldn't give a unit a negative charge factor because that would give a combat penalty for charging. However, I wonder if a negative charge value might be a way of simulating disruption in a phalanx of charging spears.