Age of Wonders: Planetfall – Game Mechanics Guide
Game Mechanics Guide
Weapons, Damage, Mods
Talking concepts, non truly mechanics. See Combat (Mechanics) for that. This department is mostly a primer for agreement I demand to shorthand after on.
Weapons: How Do They Work?
1. Channels
The game has five harm channels inwards it: Kinetic, Biological, Thermal, Arc, Psionic.
There are weaknesses in addition to resistances to each of these channels.
Each Channel is used past times at to the lowest degree one.
2. Weapon Group
Each Race inwards the game gets access to two Weapon Groups, which each receive got their ain tech tree (the ticker two inwards the military machine line). Weapon Groups are associated alongside i primary harm type:
- Kinetic: Firearms, Explosives
- Biological: Biochemical
- Thermal: Laser, (Plasma)
- Arc: Arc Weapons
- Psionic: Psionic Weapons
You’ll notice that Plasma is inwards parenthesis. I’ll larn to it inwards a moment.
These tech trees render mods in addition to operations. The operations are ordinarily themed roughly the weapon group’s concept, spell the mods are designed to proceed weapons of that group. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 weapon’s grouping volition hold upwardly specified inwards the bottom of its description:
Mods that you lot query are to a greater extent than oftentimes than non express non past times a harm Channel, but past times Weapon Group. Mods from the Explosives tree likely can’t hold upwardly seat on Firearms, in addition to the same flipped.
There are some Weapon Groups that don’t currently receive got a tech line. Plasma is i of them. Its harm type is thermal, but it cannot receive got mods from the Laser tech tree. For ease reasons, I suspect it volition never larn its ain tech tree – that would probable brand i race favor the Promethean hole-and-corner tech also much.
Conversion Mods be for most of the groups to alter the Channel of the harm that they are dealing. Changing the Channel does non allow you lot to equip mods for that Channel – a Firearm that deals Arc harm nonetheless has to utilization Firearm mods.
Economy Mechanics
Sectors are confusing in addition to took me trend also long to piece of job out. Thanks to… the many people on the discord who helped me through this trying time. They’re confusing because they don’t piece of job similar other strategy games – thus travel out of that mindset.
The Third eX
When you lot scroll out on the strategic map, you lot mightiness come across that sectors receive got a bunch of resources pips nether them. If you’ve played literally whatsoever other strategy game, you lot mightiness await these to hold upwardly tile yields or something – in addition to inwards a way, they are. But these symbols Do Not Inherently Provide Resources at all. When you lot starting fourth dimension annex a sector (we’ll larn to colonization) its alone resources income is from the resources nodes inwards the sector (farms, query stations, w/e), in addition to from Rivers which render a apartment +10 nutrient i time you lot query the peril removal tech. There mightiness hold upwardly other things similar Rivers that I’m missing but I truly don’t aid rn; they exist, but are rare, read the tooltips.
When you lot annex a sector, you lot volition straightaway receive got an selection from your metropolis (third tab) to construct an exploitation inwards it. Each metropolis gets 1 sector/4 population, max iv sectors at sixteen population. Each sector gets i exploitation, in addition to each metropolis tin give the sack alone receive got two exploitations of each type.
Exploitations start at bird 1, in addition to max out at bird 5. Each successive bird of exploitation gives farther bonuses.
These Are The Only Way To Extract Resources aside from the resources nodes mentioned earlier.
So, you lot mightiness ask, how make you lot increment the level?
First off, the banking venture complaint most Landmarks: These things be roughly the map, in addition to I intend e'er render at to the lowest degree a bird 1 exploitation inwards their sector to commence with. Additionally, NPC Dwellings count every bit Level five exploitations.
There are two ways, in addition to both require research.
The starting fourth dimension is the generic upgrade – At T2 in addition to T6 inwards the Economy Tech Tree, you lot volition come across techs similar “Energy Development I” in addition to “Research Development II.” Both of these, when researched, render you lot alongside Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Building In Your Colonies which increases the bird of all sectors alongside that exploitation past times 1. This is a one-off, in addition to in that location are two of them, thus we’re upwardly to bird 3.
The 2d trend involves sector Traits. This is where those resources pips come upwardly in.
Click on a sector. On the right side of the concealment are a listing of descriptors most this sector. I’m going to telephone telephone these “Traits”, in addition to the exceed segment is the alone i I truly aid most for most of this section.
There volition hold upwardly things written there, similar “Mountains” or “Arcadian” or “Fertile Plains”, in addition to they’ll receive got the same resources pips written following to them. Rivers volition hold upwardly listed hither also – in addition to you lot tin give the sack come across the +10 nutrient that they give on their tooltip.
Hover over i of the traits, in addition to you’ll come across something similar this:
Notice where it says “Possible Research:” in addition to the ease of that junk. That is referring to the call of a tech inwards the Economy tree. Go notice it.
When you lot query that tech, it volition give you lot some other matter to construct inwards your metropolis – much the same every bit the before sector upgrades. This time, instead of affecting alone i type of Exploitation, it volition instead upgrade anything that tin give the sack utilization that sector. So Arid provides bonuses to Production in addition to Energy Exploitations – when you lot construct the Arid Exploitation, whatsoever Energy or Production Exploitation inwards an Arid sector volition snuff it upwardly i level.
Most sectors alone create two of the same type (I’ve seen three nutrient though I don’t call upwardly why that happened), thus that’s some other two levels onto our Exploitation. Which brings us to bird 5, the max.
2. (There is no 1.) Colonies
I receive got constitute no prove that Colonies make goodness inwards whatsoever trend from the sector they are placed on. I’m nonetheless looking for it tho.
Combat Mechanics (Concepts)
Game’s fighting tin give the sack hold upwardly weird to newbies. Also a lot of the numbers but don’t larn written downward inwards the Archives. So here’s what I know.
The Ideas of Combat
Welcome to Age of Wonders. Veterans of the serial volition recognize the fighting mechanics pretty readily, but other people mightiness not. This is a brief rundown – I’m non gonna instruct you lot everything from the solid set down up, that takes also much time, in addition to honestly, but piece of job it out yourself.
1. Starting a fighting (the Adjacent Hex Rule)
Strategic map’s fun in addition to all, but to hell alongside it. When you lot march i of your pristine untrained stacks into an enemy regular army for the starting fourth dimension time, you’ll hold upwardly transported to the tactical map! Here your battles choose place, in addition to all of those lovely petty unit of measurement abilites tin give the sack truly hold upwardly used.
When you lot engaged the enemy stack, something called the Adjacent Hex Rule was invoked. Basically, whatsoever regular army inwards the half dozen hexes side past times side to the defender were all checked; if whatsoever of them had argue to participate inwards the fighting (like existence allied to i side in addition to hostile to the other) it gets pulled into the battle every bit well. This, of course, includes your units in addition to enemy units. Forces volition hold upwardly distributed across the battlefield depending on where they were relative to the defending stack. In metropolis battles, they are instead arrayed on contrary sides of the walls.
Now your units are on the acre of battle, in addition to tin give the sack truly make the fun things.
2. Unit abilities in addition to Action Points.
Click on a unit. There are a bunch of colored hexes that receive got popped up. These stand upwardly for your displace range. You volition notice that they come upwardly inwards colored bands, in addition to that the bands larn wider the farther out you lot get. Keep this inwards mind.
Your unit of measurement has three Action Points at the start of its turn. Action points tin give the sack hold upwardly spent on moving, in addition to on using actions. Those colored bands are tied to this. The farther you lot move, the to a greater extent than AP you lot spend. Within the inner band (probably 1 hex radius), you lot receive got non spent whatsoever AP. Next band, 1 AP. Next band, two AP. Finally, the cherry-red band is novel from AoW 3: You tin give the sack snuff it out there, but you lot receive got no activity points remaining. You volition alone hold upwardly able to choose Free Actions And Guarding Isn’t One thus maintain that inwards mind.
Abilities toll some seat out of activity points to use. The most mutual are Full Action (requires three AP), Repeating (Triggers i time for each remaining activity point) in addition to Single Action (Requires alone the terminal activity point, but nonetheless ends your turn).
Some actions are different, in addition to I don’t call upwardly them all. Here’s some examples:
- Use Nanite Injectors (Free Action): Heal yourself in addition to gain some harm resist, in addition to then proceed alongside your plough every bit though nil happened.
- Entrench (Leave One): Build a trench roughly yourself, leaves you lot precisely 1 AP alongside none of that AP’s displace band left (so you lot tin give the sack displace out of the trench, but it’s all gonna hold upwardly inwards that cherry-red band)
- Pretty certain there’s i that’s similar “Full Action: Continue” or something, but I don’t call upwardly what it does.
Combat Mechanics (Numbers)
The game does a pitiful labor of explaining its numbers.
The Numbers Game
Remember Damage Channels from earlier? No? Probably because I Haven’t Added Them Yet. But I’m gonna reference them hither anyway in addition to essay out to call upwardly to delete this later.
Here nosotros go:
1. Damage
All attacks receive got a channel associated alongside them. All channels receive got resistances in addition to weaknesses.
When you lot are attacked, core upwardly your Armor/Shield/Resistance to the Channel. Designate this value every bit “Total Defense” or TD.
Damage Taken = Damage Dealt * 0.9^(TD)
Substitute Weakness for Resistance if appropriate; it but acts every bit negative resistance.
The game does non permit negative values of Armor/Shield – they e'er bottom out at 0 – but elemental weakness tin give the sack drag you lot past times this. For negative values of TD, the formula is slightly different, but essentially TD = -1 results inwards the same increment of harm every bit TD = 1 caused decrease.
Psionic attacks ignore armor.
Melee attacks ignore shields.
Melee psionic attacks ignore both.
Damage-modded Psionic attacks retain this trait. Some abilities (Phoenix walker’s attacks I think) receive got a hit greater than 1 but are nonetheless treated every bit melee because lol.
This is the value that’s displayed on the assail preview. Flanking increases harm a bit, crits increment it more. Unlike AoW 3, a flanking shot is guaranteed to larn all three hits inwards before the unit of measurement turns – in addition to Heavy units volition non plough to human face upwardly their aggressor at all.
2. Status Chance/Status resistance:
Thanks to Mekil for helping me piece of job this out. We’re pretty certain this is right – the numbers receive got checked out thus far.
Status adventure industrial plant kinda similar damage, except we’re ignoring armor in addition to shields.
Units tin give the sack receive got a Channel Status Effect Resistance. This is what’s granted past times things similar the early on xenoplague mod. It is non explicitly shown anywhere, you lot receive got to piece of job it out from the unit’s traits. There’s likely a weakness too, assume it industrial plant the same every bit inwards a higher house for negative values.
Sum upwardly channel resistance/channel condition effect resistance/Tier condition resist bonus. Define it every bit “Total Resistance” (TR). Remember that Tier bonus for later.
Status effects volition enjoin something similar “… a (some symbol) forcefulness adventure to apply (effect)”. The (some symbol) is a forcefulness banking venture gibe against a specific harm channel – you lot tin give the sack likely approximate which i past times the color.
Status Chance = 10 * Status Strength * 0.9^(TR)%
To choose a pretty mutual example:
“Ammunition: Flechette” grants Firearms an 8 Kinetic adventure to inflict Bleeding. Against a unit of measurement alongside no weakness or resistance to the Kinetic harm channel, the formula gives us:
Status Chance = 10 * 8 * 0.9^(0)%
Status Chance = lxxx * 1%
Status Chance = 80%
Which is pretty good, peculiarly given that haemorrhage reduces Kinetic resistance, thus other kinetic effects receive got an easier fourth dimension squeezing in.
Against a unit of measurement alongside two Kinetic resistance, it becomes:
Status Chance = 10 * 8 * 0.9^(2)%
Status Chance = lxxx * 0.81%
Status Chance = 64.8%
… which likely rounds upwardly to 65. I don’t call upwardly offhand, but the game avoids displaying decimals ever.
Still remembering that Tier bonus?
Units receive got an inherent condition resistance depending on unit of measurement tier. Those values appear to hold upwardly 0/2/4/6 for Tiers 1/2/3/4, in addition to apply regardless of harm channel. Heroes are treated every bit Tier iv for this purpose.
3. Stagger
Stagger is awesome. Stagger lets you lot screw alongside your enemies. Stagger ruins snipers.
If you lot stagger an enemy, they lose 1 activity indicate (and associated movement), they are taken out of overwatch (melee in addition to ranged), in addition to sometimes they outcry a bit.
There’s Stagger, in addition to Stagger Resistance. Each of them has three effective levels: 0, 1, 2.
For Stagger Resistance, these are: None, Resistance, Immune
For Stagger, these are: None, High Impact, Heavy Impact
A stagger travail is successful if the bird of the Stagger is greater than the bird of the Stagger Resistance. So High Impact (S = 1) volition stagger an enemy alongside no SR, but non on alongside SR 1. Nothing staggers SR 2; you lot demand to notice some trend to bring down its SR. Not many units receive got SR 2, in addition to the ones that make are ordinarily machines, which receive got a few condition effects piece of job built to knock them downward a peg on that front.
Important consequences: You tin give the sack utilization TacOps which inflict stagger to choose enemies out of overwatch, or tiresome their approach if they’re melee, or halt a sniper from using its total powerfulness snipe ability.
Some abilities also force enemies back; this is unique to the powerfulness in addition to non a trait of stagger.
