Does it mean they have no active skill to use? Only one type of attack? What is the whole idea of the combat? I never understood games with tactical combat who had small, limiting battlefields (smaller than arenas in HOMMs or KBs). Tactical combat is about moving and positioning. It sounds almost like contradiction - make tactical game with small battlefield. I would expect that if you use this approach you base combat on different mechanics. For example - more hp, MORE TYPES of attack/ defense, skills, focus on 1 vs 1 combat when both armies fight in a line and cant move. So what is the point of combat in Eisenwald? I dont say its bad but pretty simple mechanics probably wont be interesting enough when player will be playing long campaings (especially if variety of enemies is limited too).
Actually, the combat is about moving and positioning. Not about choosing various options like low strike etc
The point of combat is to do with the available assets.
Recruiting, training and upkeeping an army plays a large part in the game. Different strategies (to deal with that part) are supported by various builds in characters.
Money is to be earned and therefore, the player must make decisions on an overall strategy (like a smaller force or larger force, higher or lower level troops etc)
That first part is the base for the rest.
For combat: the game uses the fact that designing difficulty in a turn based structure is easier than in a real time structure (in a turn based, the maximum amount of damage can be easily put under control and is less dependent on the player)
Battles come in various levels of difficulty, that are easy to size up.
Money is a nerve in this game, healing requires money for example. So as you train your troops to support your overall strategy, engaging and dealing properly with the enemy is met by lower costs, and faster advancement through the game.
The turn based sequence starts with the organization of the troops, that might fill up three ranks.
Troops in the first rank can be moved so that they block the path to the second etc so the deployment phase is connected to the basic strategy.
Once in combat, it is mostly about moving and positioning, based on the synergy that is wanted between each rank.
Ganging up on a enemy is possible, it is hex based so it recognizes flank and rear.
Retreating from combat is another option.
Troops developp skills that determines the overall strategy.
Gear plays also an important part as they modify stats to reinforce a strategy.
Last, initiative also plays a large part: each unit plays in order of initiative, with basic relationships like faster means less resilient to damage. You want to strategize a force based on tanks that are regenerated by healers, you are given ways to make sure that tanks can tank and healers are fast enough to heal before the enemy strikes again.
Ideas between the combat: moving, positioning, ranks, initiative, units in use.
Another point: combat damage are predetermined. They do not rely on a wrong use of probabilities/statistics etc that is common (giving erroneous choice like option 1 62%, option 2 85% that does not work)
Each blow makes this amount of damage, based on attack, defense, buffs etc
