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SBDE -- New Feature

8 Nov 2016, 21:42

There is a long-misunderstood concept in this game that hurts most players and helps the very experienced players. And that is the concept of the state-based damage efficiency modifier. For those unfamiliar with the concept, this is a damage rating modifier that simulates battlefield confusion due to larger and less-coordinated forces.

For example, a group of 5 Infantry will have an SBDE of 100% and thus are very well coordinated. However, a group of 14 Infantry are less coordinated and will have a lower SBDE of 76% and so their attack rating will be reduced since that SBDE percentage acts as a multiplier against their total possible attacking strength. Therefore, if a group of units have a combined SBDE rating of 45%, and that group has a listed attack value of 30 points, then they will only attack with a strength of 0.45 x 30 = 13.5 points...which is far lower than the expected attack value of 30 points.

~0~

The reason for the SBDE is to attempt to add more realism to the game and it is a feature that has been around for a long time. However, I think it is time to revamp the way SBDE is utilized in order to better-take advantage of this feature. For many experienced players, trying to tweak army sizes and tactical bomber groups and so forth is a bit of a hassle when dealing with late-game mechanics. Sometimes, we just want to play and not have to worry about whether our force of 50 units might actually lose to a force of 40 units because we didn't balance it just right.

To improve upon this concept, I have two proposals that I think are both reasonable and not too difficult to implement. And, they are both less deliberative than having the dev team trying to tweak the SBDE numbers for each unit over and over for game balancing purposes.

~0~

My first idea is to add an automatic SBDE increase (to bring the SBDE closer to 100%) by combining different forces in a stack. Note, that I'm not referring to tech-stacking which is a relatively new and notorious strategy employed by some very crafty players to create even bigger "Stacks of Doom" by adding separate sub-stacks of the same unit type which have different tech levels while maintaining a high SBDE. No, the idea is that having more unit types (i.e., Militia AND Infantry instead of just one or the other) would reduce the SBDE penalties by halving the penalty for each additional unit type.

So, in the example of a group of 14 Infantry having an SBDE of 76%, if adding a group of 4 Militia with an SBDE of 94%, I think you would normally have a combined SBDE of about 80%. Now, I don't know if the combined rating is used or else each sub-stack's rating is used proportionally, but the former method makes the most sense when weighed against the ratio of each unit count.

However, with this new proposal, for the case where you would take that combined SBDE of 80% and add half of the difference of 1.0 - SBDE ( in this case, 0.5 x (1.0 - 0. = 0.5 x 0.2 = 0.1 ) which would change the SBDE from 80% to 90%. So, the new math would be something like this:

SBDE_total = [ ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ] + [ 1 - ( ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ) ]^n-1

Where "n" is the count of different unit types and SBDE_n is one unit type among a stack.

It seemed like such a waste to destroy an entire battle station just to eliminate one man. But Charlie knew that it was the only way to ensure the absolute and total destruction of Quasi-duck, once and for all.
The saying, "beating them into submission until payday", is just golden...pun intended.
R.I.P. Snickers <3

7 Replies

8 Nov 2016, 22:10

Diabolical wrote:
SBDEtotal = [ ( SBDE1 + ... + SBDEn-1 + SBDEn ) / n ] + [ 1 - ( ( SBDE1 + ... + SBDEn-1 + SBDEn ) / n ) ]n-1

Maths hurt me

Forum Gang Divine Entity

Taking over the Forum 1 post at a time.

10 Nov 2016, 22:58

OOPS! I forgot to add my other idea.

Proposal number two:

Add a command unit -- sort of like the hero unit or other type of leader unit from Civilization series -- that can join with a stack of units and halves all SBDE penalty values in the stack after other considerations for the SBDE have been calculated.

My first proposal has a formula like this:

SBDE_total = [ ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ] + [ 1 - ( ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ) ]^n-1

If you combine my second proposal with my first proposal, then if a stack is accompanied by a hero/commander unit, the final calculations would be modified to look something like this:

SBDE_total = [ ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ] + [ 1 - ( ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ) ]ⁿ

(Note that the exponent "n" is increased by 1.)

Alternatively, if only the second proposal is used, the formula would look more like this:

SBDE_total = [ ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ] + [ 1 - ( ( SBDE₁ + ... + SBDE_n-1 + SBDE_n) / n ) ]

Of course, these figures are only first-thought ideas. The actual math would probably take a little more consideration that I'm giving it, here.

11 Nov 2016, 20:16

Man, is this a game or a science experiment, I forget, quit turning this into work

"It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time of action is past." - Karl Von Clausewitz

15 Nov 2016, 15:13

PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA

~~~0~~~

Instead of all this wizardry of new and better mathematical models, there is a MUCH SIMPLER solution. And it will SOLVE the problem of the over-powered Tactical Bomber situation ONCE AND FOR ALL...

~~~0~~~

This idea is so simple and yet it will level the playing field for Call of War in such a way that EVERYONE who has ever played it and legitimately wondered why they lost when they had superior forces and superior strategy and had even maxed out their SBDE and yet hit that frustrating wall of bombers that their opponent uses that just

... W I L L ... N O T ... D I E !

Boom! Here it is, the proposal, so simple it hurts. And it doesn't even require changing the Tac Bombers' ratings.

~~~0~~~

Make ALL units in overlapping patrol zones over the target adjust their SBDE such that they fight as if they are in one single stack of units.

~~~0~~~

For over a year, now, the system has been gamed so much by some inscrutable players to tweak out the idea that the SBDE penalty can be completely over-ridden by just overlapping multiple patrols. Instead of having 50 Bombers in one stack, you simply overlap 10 stacks of 5 Bombers in the same spot on patrol.

Then, if any enemy stack that has maxed out it's SBDE while still holding the biggest possible group of mixed units and AA and everything else thrown in but the kitchen sink -- and with a huge AA rating and huge total hit points -- should happen to move into or get flown over by your Tac Bombers' overlapping patrol zones, then that force will still get totally wiped out by the Bombers in a horribly mismatched and lopsided victory because those Bombers are fighting with the strength of 50 Bombers at 100% SBDE.

And, even if the ground force is actually five times as strong because you have five separate armies trying to copy the Tac Bombers' advantage by dividing up into separate large stacks, the enemy can easily move their patrols to only overlap over one of your stacks no matter how close your stacks are to each other. But if you move too closely together, the system automatically groups them into a single stack and you lose your SBDE. Yet if your opponent overlaps his Patrols, he does not suffer that same SBDE detriment.

~~~0~~~

Realistically, the SBDE is supposed to represent a loss of battlefield coordination among densely-clustered forces. Yet, the sadly ubiquitous "Patrol" zone allows multiple air wings to overlap and avoid the cluster effect even though they all hit the same target and -- in real life -- would have to face the same SBDE consequences.

So, if Bytro isn't willing to adjust the SBDE for ground units by lessening the cluster effect of a single stack, then they should at least force multiple stacks of air units, when patrolling over the same target, to use the total number of air units in all stacks overlapping that target when calculating SBDE for each stack that patrols over that ground target.

~~~0~~~

That is it, fellas. The one simple solution that solves the SBDE crisis of Call of War. Overlapping patrol units should be counted together when calculating SBDE against a single ground target. No more special advantage. No more lopsided wins just for overbuilding and using only one type of unit at the expense of every other unit and game mechanic. No more spoiled games by a handful of players who refuse to play like everyone else. No, this simple solution will spell the end of unfair advantages to whomever gets the most level 2 airbases constructed in the first few days of a match.

People at Bytro, this is your one and only chance to fix this game. It must needs be done. Take care of this as fast as possible. Put it to the top of the list of HIGHEST priority changes and fixes for Call of War. Do this.

Do this now.

16 Nov 2016, 03:57

Have you tried air bursting nukes in an area the thin out their ranks?

16 Nov 2016, 19:43

Gitargy wrote:
Have you tried air bursting nukes in an area the thin out their ranks?

Nukes aren't an option before day 36 and this problem is usually an issue long before then. Besides, nuke bombers can get shot down. Also, the idea of bursting nearby only works if you can find a smaller target that is coincidentally near enough to take advantage of the blast radius effect to take down greater targets including any overlapping aircraft. And no nuke bomber is every going to hit a an air patrol which has at least 5 or 6 fighters in a single stack.

20 Nov 2016, 19:20

When you're unsure why I closed this thread:

Diabolical wrote:
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA ...PROBLEM SOLVED ... NEW IDEA
~~~0~~~
Instead of all this wizardry of new and better mathematical models, there is a MUCH SIMPLER solution. And it will SOLVE the problem of the over-powered Tactical Bomber situation ONCE AND FOR ALL...
~~~0~~~
This idea is so simple and yet it will level the playing field for Call of War in such a way that EVERYONE who has ever played it and legitimately wondered why they lost when they had superior forces and superior strategy and had even maxed out their SBDE and yet hit that frustrating wall of bombers that their opponent uses that just
... W I L L ... N O T ... D I E !
Boom! Here it is, the proposal, so simple it hurts. And it doesn't even require changing the Tac Bombers' ratings.
~~~0~~~
Make ALL units in overlapping patrol zones over the target adjust their SBDE such that they fight as if they are in one single stack of units.
~~~0~~~
For over a year, now, the system has been gamed so much by some inscrutable players to tweak out the idea that the SBDE penalty can be completely over-ridden by just overlapping multiple patrols. Instead of having 50 Bombers in one stack, you simply overlap 10 stacks of 5 Bombers in the same spot on patrol.
Then, if any enemy stack that has maxed out it's SBDE while still holding the biggest possible group of mixed units and AA and everything else thrown in but the kitchen sink -- and with a huge AA rating and huge total hit points -- should happen to move into or get flown over by your Tac Bombers' overlapping patrol zones, then that force will still get totally wiped out by the Bombers in a horribly mismatched and lopsided victory because those Bombers are fighting with the strength of 50 Bombers at 100% SBDE.
And, even if the ground force is actually five times as strong because you have five separate armies trying to copy the Tac Bombers' advantage by dividing up into separate large stacks, the enemy can easily move their patrols to only overlap over one of your stacks no matter how close your stacks are to each other. But if you move too closely together, the system automatically groups them into a single stack and you lose your SBDE. Yet if your opponent overlaps his Patrols, he does not suffer that same SBDE detriment.
~~~0~~~
Realistically, the SBDE is supposed to represent a loss of battlefield coordination among densely-clustered forces. Yet, the sadly ubiquitous "Patrol" zone allows multiple air wings to overlap and avoid the cluster effect even though they all hit the same target and -- in real life -- would have to face the same SBDE consequences.
So, if Bytro isn't willing to adjust the SBDE for ground units by lessening the cluster effect of a single stack, then they should at least force multiple stacks of air units, when patrolling over the same target, to use the total number of air units in all stacks overlapping that target when calculating SBDE for each stack that patrols over that ground target.
~~~0~~~
That is it, fellas. The one simple solution that solves the SBDE crisis of Call of War. Overlapping patrol units should be counted together when calculating SBDE against a single ground target. No more special advantage. No more lopsided wins just for overbuilding and using only one type of unit at the expense of every other unit and game mechanic. No more spoiled games by a handful of players who refuse to play like everyone else. No, this simple solution will spell the end of unfair advantages to whomever gets the most level 2 airbases constructed in the first few days of a match.
People at Bytro, this is your one and only chance to fix this game. It must needs be done. Take care of this as fast as possible. Put it to the top of the list of HIGHEST priority changes and fixes for Call of War. Do this.
Do this now.

Free Time looks good on me

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