Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

The manual for Dom3 is great, but even great is never great enough - whatever you give them, they'll want more. I'm having trouble making sure I get the mechanics of the game right from the manual.

Missile combat (p77): the maximum deviation for a missile, as it is described, is:

range * 1.25 / precision

However, in the given example, range is 8, precision is 10, so the formula give 1. But the text says maximum deviation is 10 squares, and says t his twice.

Which is the correct formula?

Also, the text doesn't say how the final target is determined once the arrow/spell lands in an occupied hex. Is it randomly among all units in the square, independently of size? Or with probability proportional to size? Or each unit with probability (size/6), with some chance of nobody catching the arrow? (Text says bigger units have a bigger chance of being hit, but doesn't make this clear)

(The third answer would make the most sense - otherwise, loose deployment of units, where they each occupy a square by themselves - if this were even possible - would make enemy arrows more effective, not less)

Dominion Spread (p92) doesn't make it clear whether preaching takes effect before or after normal temple checks from Temples, Prophet, Pretender and the like. While it's not that important most of the time, it would be nice to know.

(There are probably others - I'll post more if I think of them)

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

To your first point: I dont understand. You say the devation in the example is 1 and the maximum is 10. 1 < 10 so there is no problem there?

As for where the arrow lands in the square, I think your last idea is probably the correct one, but couldnt say for sure.

Dunno about dominion mechanics, they were never as life&death a situation that needing to know all the gritty details was key. Pretty sure that the mechanics of dominion spread hasnt changed in dom3 tho? You could consult the dom2 boards for how the original dominion worked.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Not true. Actually they were sometimes. One word - VQ. >;)


I know for sure that preaching takes place before the battle, at least in Dom2. Once I've lured fully decked VQ into attacking my army, which was traveling in VQ's dominion. Unknown to my enemy, I had several preasts travelling with the army. They spend the night before the battle praying to their God and asking him help them in this dire hour. When VQ struck next turn, thinking that she is safe, she found herself fighing outside of her own dominion. When she fell, she was gone for good.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

No, the formula for maximum deviation gives 1, and the text says it gives 10. So I'm asking which is wrong...

This might sometimes mean a little something, but mostly I'm asking because the manual makes out like it's telling us things, only they're not really explained.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Actually, the Dom3 manual describes the turn sequence as:

6. Magic battles

11. Assassinations

14. Movement battles

15. Castle storming

24. Dominion

so it looks like this changed with Dom3.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Missile Combat:

I read that as maximum deviation for a particular missile is:

range * 1.25 / precision

capped at a maximum of 10.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Considering the Range is 8, I think its pretty obvious that the maximum deviation is indeed 1.
If it was 10 at range 8, then it would be possible for someone to accidentaly shoot himself, or somehow shoot behind himself.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Yep, I noticed the arrow deviation error and concluded that 1 was the correct answer.
The only reference to the "off course arrow" targeting mechanism is a little below "thus, the more units in a square etc..", that says that the selection is weighted by unit size and also by unit fatigue, but there's no formula...

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

The manual made it sound like there was no randomness to determine if the archer hits the square he is aiming at. it is strictly a formula based on precision. If the unit you are aiming at is close it will always hit the square, if it is far it will never hit. Is that right? The precision descriptions had me confused. It sounded like we needed another command for our archers. 'Shoot at our own troops.' Only way to make sure that they are safe.

For another question that wasn;t described in the manual, how does head protection differ from body protection? When a hit is made is it some how determined if it was the body or the head that was hit, and the game uses the appropriate protection score. Or are the two protection values simply just combined into one.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Actually it looks like it is exactly the same order as in Dom2 - at least if you only look at the titles:

8. Prayers - Prophets are declared and gods awaken.

24. Dominions - All dominion spread (for whatever reason) is conducted now

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

There's no randomness to see if the missile deviates.
However:
:quote: The game will randomly determine whether the missiles deviate long or short, left or right, or some combination. The actual distribution is a bell curve -- most projectiles will fall within the middle of the deviation range, but some will land at the extremes.

I would assume that the peak of the bell curve is actually the target square. Your missile can deviate, but can deviate 0 squares. Counterintuitive, but makes sense mechanicly. (And matches observed results. No noticeable holes in arrow spread patterns.)

I'd also correct my previous assumption. The manual is inconsistent about max deviation. When the example calculates the deviation of 10, it specifically says, "maximum deviation is 8 x 1.25, or 10 squares" ignoring the division by Precision mentioned in the text. I'd assume the example is wrong, since deviations greater than the range don't match what I've seen in the game.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Agreed, it seems to be likely scenario to me. If this is the case than 24's description may be slightly misleading, since it leads reader to believe that dominion preaching also falls into that category.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

It is explicitly state (at another point, though), that dominion increases from preaching do not spread to neighbouring, but only affect the provinces the preachers are in ...

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

I know. However some new players may be confused by this.
IMHO it might be better to distinguish more clearly in these descriptions between dominion *increase* from temples and dominion *spread* from the temples, if they indeed happen in different phases. That's why I said it may be slightly misleading.

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Precision : no, the manual gives the formula for MAX deviation, so any shot will deviate 0-MAX squares, undoubtely with some bell curve distribution.

Head Prot : the game now tracks separately head (helmet) and body (armor) protection, with 80% of hit to body and 20% to head.
(I remember having read that somewhere but can't recall where http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/rolleyes.gif).

Re: Not sure I\'m getting mechanics right
 

Yeah, I had a close look at the manual when I wrote my post. The description for "prayers" only mentions pretender recalling/awakening and prophets, not "preaching". I don't think "preaching" matches "prayers". "Dominion spread", OTOH, does match "preaching", whose only game effect is, precisely, dominion change.