There are several important news regarding the combat system.
Visible chance of full success for Feints and Shield Attacks
Actions like Feints and Shield attacks have always had two indicators: the first represents the primary, mostly Skill based check, and the second represents the chance to overcome the opponent's resistance (based on Awareness for all Feints, but also on Quickness for Quick Feints). A full success requires the attacker to pass both checks. When they saw two circles showing a chance of success of about 70%, some players assumed that the overall chance was about the same, but combined probability doesn't work that way and the chance was much lower than they expected. This led to a lot of misunderstandings about the fairness of the RNG. To avoid such confusion in the future, I have added a third indicator that calculates the combined probability for your convenience and shows the overall chance of complete success.
A note to veteran players: nothing has changed in the mechanics of Feints. They work exactly as they did before; there is just this further bit of (hopefully useful) information shown.
Partial hits
I have introduced these to address extremely lucky shots by weak AI controlled characters happening even if the player was being careful. You won't see them often, because they only trigger when attacks with a very low chance to hit connect, but they are there as an additional layer of protection against vastly inferior and unskilled enemies—providing your defensive position is good enough. You will find details in the changelog.
Changes to javelin throws
Let's face it, some of those one-shot kills were fairly anticlimatic, especially when they happened on a fluke. Bull's-eye shots are still possible, but only when the chance to hit is at least 50%.
I have also changed the way javelins can break shields: now the rolls are more dependent on your chance to hit and influenced by your Attitude.
The full changelog follows.
Changes
- There is a further indicator for Feints and Shield Attacks. It shows the overall chance of full success (that is, the combined probability to pass both the primary Skill check and the Resist check).
- When the chance to hit is extremely low, attacks will succeed only partially. The target will be Grazed instead of being Hit, and the damage will be reduced to 30% of its value. Weapon Skill values above 35 will progressively reduce this possibility. The victim's lack of Stance will also make this occurrence more rare.
- Bull's-eye shots are only possible when the chance to hit is at least 50%.
- The mechanics of how javelins can break shields has been reworked.
- First javelin throws (the text-based ones) have been revised. Direct kills are only possible if your chance to hit the enemies is good enough.
- Stance damage for successful Charge attacks reduced from 80-100 to 60-70.
- Stance damage for successful Knock attacks reduced from 64-80 to 48-56.
- Stance damage for failed Shield attacks of any kind reduced from 30-60 to 20-35.
- Stance damage for successful Shield Push attacks against the phalanx increased from 16-20 to 24-28.
- Knock attacks are a little more likely to hit.
- Min damage of all weapons increased by 3.
- Max damage of all weapons decreased by 1.
- Handiness of Gladius Hispaniensis - type V raised from 51 to 53.
- Damage protection of quilted linen cuirass increased from 7 to 8.
- Torso Cover of pectoral plate increased from 35 to 40.
- Torso Cover of back-and-breast plate increased from 50 to 57.
Fixes
- When a character with low Virtue tries to speed up his career by removing the opposition and fails miserably, the Game Over is properly handled.
Thanks to all of you who have expressed support and encouragement!