Ground Combat

Armies may attack other armies or estates in the same region by order of their Legate for 4 Action Points.

Ground combat is between armies or between an army and an estate. It is fought in distinct phases where different items are utilized.

A special type of ground combat is described in Boarding Ships.

Air Supremacy
In this phase aircraft try to gain supremacy over the skies of the battlefield with each sides aircraft shooting down enemy aircraft over four rounds.

The following steps are used in determining the outcome of this phase:
 * 1) Each side rolls one die (see below) per aircraft and calculates number of enemy aircraft shot down.
 * 2) Both sides reduce their aircraft according to the number shot down.
 * 3) Repeat from step 1 until four rounds have played out.

Strategic Phase
In this phase bombers and ordinance shoot the enemy at long range causing damage in a single round.

The following steps are used to resolve this phase:
 * 1) Each side takes it in turn to calculate hits caused by strategic weapons in the following item order: orbital weapon platforms, fighters, bombers then rocket artillery.
 * 2) Hits are allocated and resolved in tandem (see Hit Allocation)


 * Orbital Weapon Platforms require the Orbital Warfare Doctrine world project to build.
 * Legates and knights give a +1 to hit roll per rank of Reconnaissance (highest rank skill available is used)
 * Lords, stewards and tribunes give +1 to hit roll per rank of Reconnaissance (highest rank skill available is used)

Tactical Phase
In this phase tanks and troops fight for four rounds causing damage on the other side.

Each round of tactical combat is resolved as follows:
 * 1) Each side takes it in turns to calculate hits caused in the following item order: Assault Tanks, Gunships, Light Tanks, Battle Tanks, Defense Bunkers, Marines and Soldiers.
 * 2) Hits are allocated and resolved in tandem (see Hit Allocation)

Modifiers :
 * Legates and knights give a +1 to all hit rolls in their army per rank of Tactics (best ranked character's skill used)
 * Lords, stewards and tribunes give a +1 to all hit rolls at their estate per rank of Tactics (best ranked character's skill used)
 * Captains and lieutenants give a +1 per rank of Melee or Tactics to all hit rolls for all marines in boarding battles (best ranked character's skill used)
 * Legates and knights give a +1 to all armour saves for all army per rank of Fortification (best ranked character's skill used)
 * Lords, stewards and tribunes give a +1 to all armour saves in their estate per rank of Fortification (best ranked character's skill used)
 * Legates and knights cause a -1 to all enemy armour saves per rank of Explosives (highest rank available used)
 * Lords, stewards and tribunes cause a -1 to all enemy armour saves per rank of Explosives (highest rank available used)

Hit Allocation
At the end of each round of the tactical phase or at the end of the strategic phase, hits scored by each side are allocated in order of their strength (highest damage roll required first) until no more hits remain. Hits are allocated to enemy units by decreasing order of their armour saves: Estates are considered to have a single unit of all items of each type. Armies with more than one unit of items of a each type take hits on the largest unit down to the smallest unit.
 * 1) Defense Bunkers / Vanguards
 * 2) Assault Tanks
 * 3) Battle Tanks
 * 4) Light Tanks
 * 5) Gunships / Soldiers / Marines

If an item allows for an armour save each hit scored can be avoided on a roll of 1d10 versus the item's armour save. The attacker's Explosives skill is removed from the roll and the defender's Fortifications skill added to the roll.

Any unsaved hits now roll for damage caused and compared to the hit points of the item in question. If sufficient damage is done to destroy one or more of the item, they are removed.

Combat Resolution
When one side or the other has no more troops at the end of a tactical combat round, it loses.

Army Morale Tests
At the end of the combat all armies must take a morale test against their current morale modified by the percentage of the troops that were killed in the battle, ie. if 25% of all troops were killed in the battle, the army would take a morale - 25% test.

Estates do not take morale tests and no morale tests occur during space boarding battles.

Estates
If an Estate loses, it falls into the hands of the attacking army.

A capture estate causes the following things to happen:
 * The title of Lord of the estate is given to the Baron of the House which captured the estate.
 * Characters at the estate must check for injury and capture (see below).

Troop Promotions
At the end of each ground battle, 2% to 7% (1d6+1) of soldiers on each side are promoted to Marines.

0% to 3% (1d4-1) of marines on each side are promoted to Vanguard.

Character Injuries
At the end of each battle all characters must roll on the following table to see if they were injured, wounded or killed. The best Medicine skill amongst the characters associated the position gives a -1 per rank modifier to all characters.

Glory
At the end of each battle each of the characters living (in whatever state) bring glory to their house based on the following factors: These values are modified by the character's glory modifier based on his traits.