10 lines
3.6 KiB
JSON
10 lines
3.6 KiB
JSON
{
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"id": "combat_system",
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"name": "Combat System",
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"category": "combat",
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"summary": "Core damage formula, attack types, and unit attributes that govern all battlefield encounters.",
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"body": "Combat in Magic Civilization follows a deterministic damage formula inspired by StarCraft II. When a unit attacks, the game calculates damage as: max(0.5, (base_attack + bonus_vs_attribute) - target_defense). This means every attack deals at least half a point of damage, preventing situations where heavily armored units are completely invulnerable. The formula rewards matching the right attack type to the right target rather than relying on raw numbers alone.\n\nThere are eight attack types, each designed to counter specific unit attributes. Blade is the all-rounder melee type with no attribute bonuses but consistent damage against everything. Pierce excels against lightly equipped targets, dealing +8 bonus damage to units with the light attribute. Siege is devastating against fortified positions, with +8 against mechanical units and a massive +15 against structures. Anti-Air provides +12 against airborne units. Torpedo deals +10 to naval and +12 to submerged targets. Naval Gun hits structures for +10 and naval for +6. Aerial Bomb ruins cities (+12 vs structure), ships (+8 vs naval), and war machines (+6 vs mechanical). The None attack type means the unit cannot attack at all, as with civilian units like Founders.\n\nUnits carry one or more of eight attributes that determine which attack bonuses apply to them: light, armored, biological, mechanical, structure, airborne, naval, and submerged. The armored attribute deserves special attention because it specifically cancels the pierce bonus. A pierce weapon that would normally deal +8 against a light target deals no bonus at all against an armored one. This makes armored units the direct counter to pierce-heavy forces, even though they take no extra damage from siege weapons either. Biological is primarily relevant for magic school targeting in later episodes, distinguishing flesh-and-blood from constructed units.\n\nBeyond attack types and attributes, units may carry combat flags that modify how they interact with the battlefield. The coastal_bombard flag allows naval units to attack land tiles adjacent to their water tile. Sonar_equipped lets a unit detect and target submerged submarines. The transport flag enables carrying up to two land units across water, while air_carrier allows deploying and rearming air units. These flags combine with the attribute system to create a layered rock-paper-scissors dynamic where no single unit dominates every situation.\n\nThe interplay between attack types and attributes means army composition matters far more than raw unit count. A force of pierce-heavy crossbowmen will shred light infantry but bounce off armored vanguards. Siege engines demolish city walls and war machines but are nearly helpless against a charging infantry line. Understanding these matchups and building balanced armies is the foundation of tactical success.",
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"design_notes": "The SC2 damage formula was chosen over percentage-based systems because it creates clear, predictable interactions. Players can look at the numbers and know exactly what will happen, which rewards strategic army composition over luck. The 0.5 minimum damage ensures no unit is literally invincible, preserving the fantasy of overwhelming force through sheer numbers even against superior armor.",
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"related": ["unit_classes", "promotions", "zone_of_control", "fortification", "city_siege"],
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"tags": ["damage", "attack_types", "attributes", "armor", "pierce", "siege", "formula", "combat_flags"]
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}
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