Status of fire effect calculation changes?

[Xerxes77]

As I understand it, the PzC code was the basis for most subsequent JTS games. So, there is every reason to suspect that the modifiers work in a similar way across all these titles. Certainly they operate in the same way in both PzC and PzB.

And I do not think the effect is more 'noticeable or worse' in PzB. Only one of the examples ComradeP mentions was related to PzB. That example was specific to PzB as it relates to the quality fire modifier. This modifier does exist in PzC and operates in an identical way, but it has never been used (except rarely in Mods). It is a noticeable difference between the two series but not the primary cause of the issue ComradeP is concerned about. If anything, I suspect the cumulative affect of adding rather than multiplying modifiers is more of a problem with some PzC titles than it is for PzB.

As for the Fire Report dialog, it is a feature rarely used since the introduction of On Map Results and it has never subsequently been given much attention. At one point I had a spreadsheet that allowed me to replicate these values to a small rounding error in every permutation I could think of. So it is working correctly (occasionally this has been questioned) but the information it provides is not very useful. Players probably only use this feature now to analyze how the game works but it does not give the level of detail most would be looking for. Whether there is sufficient interest to justify trying to improve it is another question.

Hi Green,
many thanks for your reply. I just realized you and ComradeP are talking about the Quality Fire Modifier Parameter Data value, which according to the manual always defaults to 1. I got that confused with the Quality Fire Modifiers that are always added for units above C quality.

Re: the ancient, cryptic, text-based, unjustly forgotten Fire Report dialog   Agreed, it's clunky and generally unhelpful, but AFAIK it's still the only place where a player could consult the Fire Value for a given shot and the modifiers that applied, a posteriori. Even so, it took me an embarrassingly long time and many tests to realize the Fire Value printed therein corresponds to a unit firing at full strength, and before terrain/quality/effectiveness modifiers are applied.

On-Map results are definitely the way to go for regular play, and I reckon after a couple dozen games the system may be intuitive enough, but having a simple way to check Fire Values and modifs, especially prior to firing, would IMO do marvels to add clarity to the mechanics (including for folks who assumed -like I did at first- that percentages were compounded instead of added linearly).

I understand interest in improving that area may be low, but a stats nut can dream. And oh I can think of some fun stuff to add to that victory screen... :-D