How does the defense value work?

[Xerxes77]

Hi! In my current games, I am trying to find out when I should assault, when I should fire and if I do fire, at what range. So, I am trying to understand the games engine combat resolution. After reading the manual, I have three quick questions.

(1) How does the defense value work in firing calculations? In section 11 (combat results), there is no mention of the targets defense value. Does it actually not apply?

(3) In the armored effectiveness calculation, does the engine use the pure Hard Attack value, before any modifications from range or terrain? Alternatively, are those factors taken into account to determine which of the two cases is applied.

Thank you!

Hi NikolaiB,

The relevant line in the manual is under the chapter 5 paragraph on "Basic Fire Resolution":
"The combat value used is the modified attack value of the firing unit divided by the modified defense value of the target unit."

So you can see the Defense value of the target is central to the combat value calculation. That line does tend to get lost in the sea of information, doesn't it? I've been there. I understand there's an effort underway to update the manuals; I hope they'll include a bunch of examples on basiic firing like they did with the supply section

(Strangely, considering its importance and relevance to this section, the Combat Results chapter appears near the end of the manual).

3) Yes, the pure Hard Attack value is used for the calculation of armored effectiveness, which is in itself a modification to the Fire Value.