Basic combat question

[scottbrooks]

Hi! My son and I played for the first while hunkered down under smoke from the forest fires. The combat rules as we interpreted them do not seem right/competitive.

Imagine this situation…

• A fighter attacks a tank
• The attacker rolls a 6, which is an unsuccessful attack

1. Does the attacker really get to “press the attack” by rolling until they successfully role <=3 or they lose interest and retreat? That seems dumb but that is what the rules seem to indicate

2. Are there really no relative hit points on the defending? It seems weird that a naked/plane-less carrier could take a Battleship down with it in defense mode if the defender rolls a 2 given that it has an attack strength of 2 and the battleship has a defense strength of 4

We must be doing it wrong. Please help

[Panther]

@scottbrooks Welcome to the forum :slightly_smiling_face:

1. It looks like you are missing that the defending tank fires back at the fighter. The tank defends at three or less. So after each round of combat the attacker - in case he missed and the defender missed, too - has to think reasonably about either pressing the attack or retreating.

2. What you are likely missing here is that the Battleships is a “Two Hits to Destroy”-unit. Also better avoid talking about a “defense mode” of an attacking unit or an “attack strength” of a defending unit, as that might cause confusion (at least it confused me :wink: )
   The attacker attacks with an attack value, the defender defends with a defense value. Only the power whose turn it is is the attacker. In other words: When a battleship attacks, its defense value is irrelevant. When a carrier defends it defends at two (or less) - but that is its defense value and not an “attack strength”.

[scottbrooks]

I got the battleship part but let me clarify the regular sequence (excl subs). Consider the scenarios below. We have been playing using (A), (B), and ©.

Is (D) the proper way to handle an unsuccessful attack? I ask because, if not, there is point of rolling, really, if you want to attack. This is asymmetric withe defender that gets only one shot.

=============

Attacker: Fighter
Defender: Tank

(A) Successful attack scenario:

1. Fighter rolls a 2. Attack successful
2. Defender places tank in casualty box. Defender rolls a 6. Defense unsuccessful
3. Tank loses

(B) Double-loss attack scenario

1. Fighter rolls a 2. Attack successful
2. Defender places tank in casualty box. Defender rolls a 2. Defense successful
3. Fighter and Tank lose

© No-cost unsuccessful attack

1. Fighter rolls a 6. Attack unsuccessful
2. Attacker can roll again or retreat w/o cost or risk

(D) Unsuccessful attack; successful defense

1. Fighter rolls a 6. Attack unsuccessful
2. Defender places tank in casualty box. Defender rolls a 2. Defense successful
3. Fighter loses

[Panther]

@scottbrooks

C is incorrect, as the tank would shoot back. In case the tank does not hit, either, the attacker can choose to retreat or to continue the attack.

D is almost correct. You don’t move the tank into the casualty box, as it is not hit - hence not casualty. It shoots back from the battleboard.

[scottbrooks]

Cool. Thank you. This makes a lot more sense.

More questions to come!