combat formula?

[Puzz3D]

What does a +1 attack bonus mean precisely? I mean..mathematically.

This is my best guess as to the formula

Chance to kill = lethality_factor*a*(1.2^(attack-defense))/100
attack= attacker attack rating
defense= defender defense rating (after modifiers dependent upon type of attack, missile, armor piercing, etc.)
a = the percent chance to hit when attack=defense
lethality_factor = last entry in the stat_pri line

I don't really care about 'a' that much. What I want to know is if 1.2 is right and if the form of the formula is even the right form.

Well I don't know for sure, but if the formula is basically the same as in the old engine, a = 0.019 and my tests indicate that the 1.2 constant is now 1.1. I agree that lethality is coming in as a multiplier after the exponential is calculated. The old system saturated at -20 and +20 exponent. The new system saturates at -64 and +64, so it seems they made the steps about half the size. I would say they are now approximately 10% instead of the old 20% change in chance to kill per combat point.

Missle effectiveness is calculated differently. In the old system, it's a linear relationship. If you double the armor, the kills are cut in half. I have no reason to believe this has changed. The effect of lethality of a missle which was introdiced in MTW is also very linear, and it's easiest to control missle effectiveness with that parameter. The calculation first determines if the missle hits (accuracy), then if it penetrated the armor and if it does then if it's a lethal hit. I think that's how it works, but I'd have to check all the parametes again to be sure. As I recall, the power parameter now determines how many hitpoints are removed from the target for a lethal hit. It appears that the missle model has changed in the new engine (RTW), and I don't know how much of the old system remains in place.