Ground Combat

[ExSentinel]

What is the basic formula used by the system when computing ground combat? In my current Devnull game I know that militia units have a combat value of 10, a hit point value of 30. I also know that they have a combat modifier assoicated with their defensive stance, but I don't know how this all works into the calculation. Any help would be appreciated.

Ex

[Fyron]

The best offense modifier and the best defense modifier from all troops and components in the stack is applied in some way. I don't know if anyone has taken the time to work out an exact formula though. But note that I am dumb. (used to be there is absolutely no randomness in SE4 ground combat...)

[ExSentinel]

That is why I am trying to determine what will be needed to take out these certain planets in the game I am in. Just need to figure out what I need to bring to the fight to succeed.

Thanks.

Ex

[Ragnarok-X]

Well i dont see the need for a formula anyway. Ground combat is about masses. Load a transport full with ground cannon I, II or III and invade whatever you like. At any rate, a full transport will overwhelm every planet, unless that planets controller did mass troops as well.


Mods are another topic though.


edit: with mods, im referring to gameplay mods. Not offense mods

[Suicide Junkie]

Ground cannons are lame uberguns. And stock GC dosen't give much room to see randomness.

I have seen decent randomness in ground combat in my mods. When ground combat takes many turns, you can see the losses pile up, and they aren't nessesarily in the order of placement.

[Parasite]

I have not found the First in First out, First to die advice given in the guide to be correct. (In stock) I am beginning to think that damage to troops is allotted much like damage is to weapon platforms. i.e. randomly. This throws out the three style assault force advised of a shielded type, a weapon toting type and a small ECM leader section.

I now put a small force of shielded leaders with all assults, but the rest does not matter as much. Using a lightly shielded weapon carrying group, or my cheap organic troopers just loaded down with organic guns seems to work. Possibly a force of small heavy shielded troops (saving space in the transport), large weapons troops, and a few leaders would be best.

[Suicide Junkie]

I suspect that the damage is allocated in a hitpoints lottery similar to how components take damage.

Lots of high hitpoints troops should act like leaky armor for your leader and artillery troops.

[Puke]

Parasite said:
I have not found the First in First out, First to die advice given in the guide to be correct. (In stock) I am beginning to think that damage to troops is allotted much like damage is to weapon platforms. i.e. randomly. This throws out the three style assault force advised of a shielded type, a weapon toting type and a small ECM leader section.

this may have been patched out. It definitly USED to work as a FIFO-First-Killed queue.

You can still use combined arms tactics, especially in mods that include infantry. huge swarms of cheap infantry soak damage, while the big guns are carried by a handfull of traditional heavy troops.

[Parasite]

I always load heavily shielded troops first. If any troops survive, they always include the shielded ones. Even at loss rates of up to 50%, only rarely have any died.

Once an enemy dropped troops on my planet. He is a good player and would have loaded his people correctly. Yet, everyone of the assault wave died except most of the strongly shielded troops. They had no weapons and so I was able to extend the planetary battle for over 5 turns effectively trapping his fleet around the planet.

The best troop mix could be found using a Game Theory Equation. A combined arms mix of small, large and medium troops with different ratios of shielding and weapons exploiting the "Leaky Armor" effect SJ mentioned.

For organic races the minerals and build time saved by not putting on the relatively heavy shields means you can have three or more times the troops if transport is available. I just use it on the leader classes. If ground cannons or other mineral weapon is used the shield weight percentage is less and leads to a mixture possibly being the best way to go.

The basic truth is that you can never have too many troops. Send all you have (with at least one or two leaders for ECM/ECCM support) Any surviving will help the planets morale recover that much faster.

As the saying (and sig) goes...
There is no Overkill... Just the word "FIRE" and "Reload".

[Parasite]

In stock, 10 troops will take a colony world with no guards and will have a few losses. 20 will take it with almost no losses. For a homeworld class planet with 4 to 8 thousand million people, you need a little more than 100 troops for just the militia.

Guards troops must be matched with an even firepower ratio or even a little more than that to make up for them firing first. If the battle goes longer than the 10 round first try, there will be few troops surviving even after a victory. Send twice as many and then it will fall.

If defending against a troop attack, build more troops! Even if you are almost done with the multi-turn ship build, cancel it and build some troops. Boycotted planets can still build. Transfer troops from moons in the same sector if possible. Unless he has more transports with troops close he can not invade the other worlds.