Ages of Conflict is a game of battle. Opponents square off to destroy or drive their enemy from the field. As such, combat is an essential element to the game and so it’s time to give a brief example.
We have two small battalions of Roman and Celt warriors facing off.
The Romans have a Hand value of 3d10 and Defense Target Number (TN) 6. The Celts have a Hand value of 3d10 and Defense TN 5. A unit’s Hand value determines how many dice it rolls when attacking; the more dice in the pool, the more effective the unit is in hand combat. The Defense Target Number determines what each individual die must roll to be a success.
A sample stat line for a unit of human warriors with basic training is below. Elite troops, levy, and some fantasy will differ.
The Celts are activated with On the Double orders and charge the Romans. Two events now occur. First, the Presence of the Celtic unit is larger than the Roman’s and so the Romans must make a Command test to avoid fleeing. The Roman player rolls 2d10 Command requiring only one success. (A 6+ on at least one die.) Fortunately, the Romans pass and so they do not flee the field in face of the screaming Celts.
Next, the Roman player decides how the Romans will deal with the charging Celts. The Romans can flee, discharge missile weapons if available, or accept the charge. The Romans stand their ground accepting the charge and so the two units are lined up.
Hand combat occurs simultaneously. The players take turns rolling their attacks, though the attacks are considered to occur at the same time and so casualties are not removed until after the combat is resolved for this turn. The Celt player rolls his attack first with each company rolling an individual attack. Only the companies sharing a facing with an enemy company can attack. With a Hand value of 3d10, the player rolls three ten-sided dice. Each die needs to meet or exceed the Roman’s Defense TN of six to be a success. The result of the first company’s attack is 3, 6, and 8 for a total of two successes.
The opposing Roman company must now make a casualty check using their Command of 2d10. A casualty check is a roll to determine if the company remains as a viable fighting force. A company that fails the check has disintegrated sufficiently due to fatigue, death, soldiers fleeing, etc. to no longer pose a threat.
The base target number for a casualty check is five. Each successful attack dice adds one. Since the enemy rolled two successes, the Roman company’s total TN for their casualty check is seven. The Roman company rolls 2d10 requiring at least one of the dice to meet or exceed seven. Unfortunately for the Romans, the results are 2 and 6. Since the casualty check failed, the Roman company is removed from play. This doesn’t necessarily mean the entire company was wiped out; it is just a means to show the strength of the battalion as a whole decreasing due to casualties, soldiers fleeing, fatigue, etc. The company is moved back a bit just to indicate that it is being removed. It isn’t removed completely just yet as the company still gets an opportunity to attack.
The next two Celt companies attack. The second company fails to achieve any successes. The third company achieves one success forcing the Roman company to make a Command test with a TN 6. The Romans roll 2d10 resulting in 4 and 6. With a success, the Romans company is not removed.
Now the Romans attack. Even though the first Roman company is being removed, it still attacks as combat between the two units takes place simultaneously. The first Roman company rolls 3d10. The Celts have a Defense TN 5 and so each roll of five or more is a successful attack. The results of the first attack are 3, 6, and 9 for two successes. The Celts pass their subsequent casualty check.
The second Roman company fails to achieve any successes.
The third Roman company attacks achieving three successes forcing the Celts to test with a TN 8. The Celts roll 2d10 resulting in 2 and 5. With no successes, the Celtic company is removed.
Companies on both sides would now be forced to test for rout due to friendly units failing their casualty check.
Assuming everyone passes their rout checks, the combat turn ends with consolidation. Consolidation is intended to close gaps and to bring companies into combat. Since the Celts have initiative this turn, they are permitted to consolidate first. The Celt player chooses to shift one of the unengaged companies into hand combat. Remember, removing a company from combat doesn’t necessarily mean the entire company was wiped out. We’re just removing it to show a decrease in the company’s strength and so consolidation is in place to show that as a battalion takes casualties, soldiers move around to fill in gaps. The two battalions resemble the below at the end of the turn.
