How did Combat change?

from GalCiv2 Forums
I have no clue...

I didn't notice it that much in the other 2 games I played so far with DA - I think it has sth to do with the much smaller universe sizes used leading to shorter games.


Atm I'm at war with the Altarians. We both have the same logistics, allowing 4 medium sized ships in one fleet.

My current model looks like this:

4 x Plasma (+8 Damage)
4 x Shields 2 (+8 Defense againts Beams)
23 HP (92 combined in a Fleet)

Theirs looks like this:

6 x Laser III (+6 Damage)
3 x Titanium Armor (+3 Defense against Mass Drivers)
1 x General Life Support
22 HP (88 combined in a Fleet)

I have Xithanium Hull Building so my Hit Points are slightly higher. We both have no military resources.


Now if one of my fleets meets theirs (both fleets consisting of 4 ships), I'm struggling to win the battles. I did some testing and If I win, most of the times 1 of my ships survives (if 2, 1 of them heavily crippled with like 1 hp) - quite I few times I lose (imho too often).

My question is: is it supposed to be like that? I just don't understand how combat changed from DL / how the rolls for the various weapons differ. My ships almost never score more than +5, yet their ships score plenty of +6 and +5 hits.
Also having the right and much more advanced Defense doesn't seem to help at all.
6,425 views 7 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I thought there was a change if you had multiple weapon types, but you don't have that in your test case.

I tend to agree with you that you should be winning. There was a problem with defending against mass drivers, perhaps now their is a problem with shields ?
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm working on a reference guide to the new battle system based on a lengthy discussion with CodeCritter. I should have it up later today.
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You the man!!

Can you post it in the Core too please buddy
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Good, I've been wondering how it works now. But no matter how it's working, it seems like Visibledark's fleet should be winning fairly decisively. I think I know one weird thing that's going on. A laser has a power of one, so it always does exactly one damage to an enemy with no defenses. But a plasma has two power, so it rolls either a one or a two. Its average damage is only 1.5. So a laser 5 is a stronger weapon than a plasma 1, because the plasma is larger.
Reply #5 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I'm working on a reference guide to the new battle system based on a lengthy discussion with CodeCritter. I should have it up later today.


Great. Looking forward to reading it

I didnt have any 'probs' with combat in the other games, including the latest I started. This time I went for the Missile tech tho - I don't trust Lasers anymore ...heheh.

Anyway, I'm having lots of fun playing DA and must say you've also done a great job on making this beta build very stable.

Reply #7 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Good, I've been wondering how it works now. But no matter how it's working, it seems like Visibledark's fleet should be winning fairly decisively. I think I know one weird thing that's going on. A laser has a power of one, so it always does exactly one damage to an enemy with no defenses. But a plasma has two power, so it rolls either a one or a two. Its average damage is only 1.5. So a laser 5 is a stronger weapon than a plasma 1, because the plasma is larger.


I was thinking the same thing. The luck thing may make it so the altarians always roll 1's. They should probably get rid of the quantization in this game anyway. I find it silly that your +15% on whatever does nothing until it finally gets to round over. It ussually means your ships go from mediocre to awesome at a certain point.