more on average dice vs d6

[Whatisitgood4]

One of the ideas I've seen discussed on this page is average dice vs d6.

I had one thought on that I'd like to share and discuss. DBA takes no account of 'regular' vs 'irregular' armies and army commands.

One way of including a nod to this would be to give Regular armies average dice for pips and irregular armies 1d6.

Combat dice would all still be 1d6.

So regular armies would always have at least 2 pips, but irregular ones could still have 1, but would also occassionally roll 6s.


It would make irregular armies more unpredictable, but still be fair to both sides as the average roll would be unchanged.
Some armies could choose whether to use regular or irregular commands - as in DBM.
I'd be interested to hear any thoughts on this idea.

[imported_adsarf]

The 'regular' vs 'irregular' distinction in DBM (and old WRG) lists is a complete mess. Definitionsa of 'regular' or otherwise are made on completely unsound bases - there's no test you can apply from history to determine which DBM armies are 'regular' and which are 'irregular'. My opinion is that DBA is well shot of this pointless mechanism.

If you were going to do it, I feel that never rolling 1s is much more of an advantage than sometimes rolling 6s - I'd be very happy never to have six pips if I could guarantee always to have at least two becuae I've much more often felt the need for a second pip than a sixth.

My tuppenceworth

Andrew

[Bill Sumruld]

I agree with Andrew. I played the old wrg and there was a big advantage in never rolling 1s and not so much of a disadvantage in never rolling 6s. If you want to show a difference between trained and untrained men, another mechanism should be used.

Bill

[Andrew Davidge]

Perhaps another idea would be to allow 'regular' generals to throw 2 ordinary D6 for PIPs and choose the single highest score? 'Irregular' generals would remain unchanged.

Andrew

[imported_adsarf]

Thanks for supporting my post Bill.

However on re-reading it I find I don't like my tone. It could easily have been read as excessively negative and critical.

So I'm reposting to say: even if I don't agree with your ideas this time Whatisitgood4, I'm glad that ideas like yours are always being brought up and I hope we can always discuss them courteously, and I hope my previous post didn't give any other impression.

Andrew

[imported_adsarf]

Originally posted by Andrew Davidge:
Perhaps another idea would be to allow 'regular' generals to throw 2 ordinary D6 for PIPs and choose the single highest score? 'Irregular' generals would remain unchanged.

Andrew We cross-posted. That gives 'regular' generals an even bigger advantage. Who are these 'regulars', what's 'regular' about them and why are they better generals than the 'irregulars'? No-one can answer these questions in DBM either, nor could they in the old WRG books. It doesn't make sense in history even if we can find a way of doing it that is fair wrt game-balance.

Andrew

(trying to be more polite this time, but still firmly anti)

[Andrew Davidge]

Fair comment about regular/irregular - one of those wargames definitions that's been with us since the year dot and has perhaps lost it's meaning! smile.gif But what about the idea of all generals throwing 2 ordinary D6 for PIPs, and choosing the single highest score? I think it could help to reduce the luck factor, and ease those 'all on the throw of 1D6' situations.

Other Andrew

[imported_adsarf]

No I'm against that too. If we lost the 'luck' factor, I'd need to find some new excuses.

Andrew

(the original one, and still the best)

[Andrew Davidge]

Originally posted by adsarf:
No I'm against that too. If we lost the 'luck' factor, I'd need to find some new excuses.Me too! Should've thought of that myself ..... :D

Other (second best?) Andrew

[nick hux]

Andrew/Andrew,

Amazing, I thought there was just one of you - like GAZMAN / Ivan Nastikov ;) .

Nick

[Whatisitgood4]

Reading these posts and thinking aobut them, I'm convinced. Silly idea.

If it's not broke...

Thanks for your comments guys.