⚔️ Combat System

The combat system in Ashes of Velsingrad is tactical and strategic, emphasizing positioning, terrain usage, and careful resource management.

Core Mechanics

Turn-Based Tactical Combat

Combat occurs on a grid-based battlefield where positioning is crucial:

  • Initiative System: Determines turn order based on speed and tactical awareness
  • Action Points: Each unit has limited actions per turn (move, attack, cast spell, use item)
  • Opportunity Attacks: Moving past enemies triggers counterattacks
  • Flanking: Attacking from sides or behind provides damage bonuses

Terrain Effects

The battlefield is more than just decoration:

Terrain Type Effect Strategic Use
High Ground +15% accuracy, +10% damage Archer positioning
Cover +25% dodge chance Protection from ranged
Mud/Water -50% movement speed Area denial
Fire 5 damage per turn Damage over time zones
Ice Slip chance on movement Movement control

Weather System

Environmental conditions affect combat:

  • Rain: +20% lightning damage, -10% fire damage
  • Fog: -30% ranged accuracy, +stealth effectiveness
  • Snow: -1 movement per turn, fire spells melt snow
  • Sandstorm: -50% visibility, earth spells more effective

Unit Types and Roles

The Iron Crows

Each member of your mercenary company has distinct roles:

Kaelen Voss (Commander)

  • Role: Versatile leader with dark magic
  • Abilities: Command skills, curse magic, weapon mastery
  • Special: Corruption system affects available abilities

Fighters

  • Role: Front-line combat specialists
  • Abilities: High HP, armor, weapon skills
  • Specializations: Guardian (tank), Berserker (damage), Duelist (mobility)

Rangers

  • Role: Ranged combat and reconnaissance
  • Abilities: Bow mastery, tracking, survival skills
  • Specializations: Marksman (damage), Scout (mobility), Hunter (tracking)

Mages

  • Role: Elemental magic and battlefield control
  • Abilities: Spell casting, elemental mastery, arcane knowledge
  • Specializations: Elementalist (damage), Controller (battlefield), Healer (support)

Rogues

  • Role: Stealth, sabotage, and precision strikes
  • Abilities: Stealth, lockpicking, backstab, poison
  • Specializations: Assassin (damage), Infiltrator (stealth), Saboteur (utility)

Combat Mechanics

Action Economy

Each unit's turn consists of:

  1. Movement Phase: Move up to movement range
  2. Action Phase: Choose one primary action:
    • Attack: Weapon or spell attack
    • Full Defense: +50% dodge until next turn
    • Charge: Move extra distance with attack bonus
    • Prepare: Ready an action for enemy movement
  3. Free Actions: Unlimited (speak, drop item, activate passive abilities)

Damage and Health

Health System

  • Hit Points (HP): Current health
  • Stamina: Used for special abilities
  • Morale: Affects accuracy and damage

Damage Types

  • Physical: Reduced by armor
  • Elemental: Affected by resistances
  • Curse: Ignores most defenses
  • True: Cannot be reduced

Status Effects

  • Bleeding: Damage over time
  • Burning: Fire damage each turn
  • Frozen: Cannot act for one turn
  • Cursed: Various negative effects
  • Blessed: Various positive effects

Magic in Combat

Magic is powerful but comes with risks:

Spell Schools

  1. Fire: High damage, area effects, burning
  2. Water: Healing, freezing, battlefield control
  3. Earth: Defense, terrain manipulation, crushing
  4. Air: Lightning, speed, battlefield mobility
  5. Light: Healing, buffs, curse removal
  6. Darkness: Debuffs, lifesteal, fear effects

Corruption System

Using dark magic increases Kaelen's corruption:

  • 0-25%: No penalties
  • 26-50%: -10% light magic effectiveness
  • 51-75%: Random dark magic surges
  • 76-100%: Risk of losing control

Advanced Tactics

Formation Combat

Positioning your units effectively:

  • Phalanx: Shields front, spears behind
  • Archer Screen: Ranged behind melee protection
  • Pincer: Flank enemies from multiple sides
  • Retreat Formation: Organized withdrawal

Environmental Interaction

  • Destructible Terrain: Break walls, collapse ceilings
  • Interactive Objects: Push rocks, activate switches
  • Elevation Changes: Use stairs, ramps, cliffs
  • Spell Combinations: Freeze water, ignite oil, electrify metal

Morale and Leadership

Morale Effects

  • High Morale: +10% accuracy, +5% damage
  • Broken Morale: -20% accuracy, flee chance
  • Inspiring Presence: Kaelen's leadership affects nearby allies

Leadership Abilities

  • Rally: Restore morale to nearby units
  • Tactical Strike: Coordinate multi-unit attacks
  • Retreat: Organized withdrawal with minimal losses
  • Last Stand: Boost damage when outnumbered

Enemy AI

AI Behavior Types

Aggressive: Rush forward, prioritize damage

Defensive: Hold position, protect objectives

Tactical: Use terrain, focus fire, retreat when wounded

Berserker: Ignore self-preservation, maximum aggression

Support: Stay back, buff allies, heal wounded

Faction Combat Styles

Imperial Soldiers

  • Tactics: Formation fighting, discipline
  • Strengths: Armor, coordination, ranged support
  • Weaknesses: Inflexible, vulnerable to magic

Inquisition Forces

  • Tactics: Anti-magic focus, holy weapons
  • Strengths: Curse resistance, healing, undead immunity
  • Weaknesses: Vulnerable to overwhelming force

Corrupted Enemies

  • Tactics: Unpredictable, fear effects, regeneration
  • Strengths: High damage, status effects, numbers
  • Weaknesses: Light magic, low organization

Wild Creatures

  • Tactics: Pack hunting, environmental advantages
  • Strengths: Speed, natural weapons, terrain knowledge
  • Weaknesses: Low intelligence, predictable patterns

Tips for Success

General Strategy

  1. Control the high ground whenever possible
  2. Use terrain to your advantage
  3. Focus fire on priority targets
  4. Protect your wounded - retreat is sometimes necessary
  5. Manage resources - don't waste mana or stamina

Combat Preparation

  • Scout ahead when possible
  • Choose appropriate equipment for expected enemies
  • Plan spell usage to minimize corruption
  • Position units according to their strengths

Emergency Tactics

  • Fighting retreat when overwhelmed
  • Last stand formations when surrounded
  • Sacrifice plays to save the majority
  • Environmental escapes using spells or terrain

Master these systems to lead the Iron Crows to victory against impossible odds!

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