Zoc

[Gary Childress]

Does anyone know what exactly effects the chances of a unit with ZOC inflicting damage on a passing unit? Is it bombardment strength or attack or defense strength? In other words, if I want to increase or decrease the chances of a unit with ZOC inflicting damage on a passing unit, what value should I increase or decrease (if anything effects it at all, that is).

Many thanks.

 

[Ozymandias]

IIRC ZOC involves bombardment strength only, although I don't know what the odds of interception are, although I THINK they're automatic.

Also IIRC giving a unit a decent bombardment strength, ZOC, and the Defend strategy is a good way to make the AI build those units.

Hoping That Helps,

Oz

 

[Pounder]

It is dependent on the number of units with ZOC on the tile.

Some one posted how this works a few years ago.

I don't remember the numbers, but it goes something like this:

The first unit has a 25% chance, if there is a second unit with ZOC it doesn't double the chances it goes to something like maybe 45%, then the next additional unit would bring it up to maybe 60%,.....

The bottom line was that you would never get to 100%, hopefully some one could post the formula. I believe it is the same formula that calculates the chances of flak hitting an aircraft.

 

[Ozymandias]

Well, I've just scoured the forums looking for the answer and came up empty-handed

It would indeed be a nice formula to know ...

 

[Gary Childress]

IIRC ZOC involves bombardment strength only, although I don't know what the odds of interception are, although I THINK they're automatic.

Also IIRC giving a unit a decent bombardment strength, ZOC, and the Defend strategy is a good way to make the AI build those units.

Hoping That Helps,

Oz

I just noticed in the standard game modern armor has ZOC, however, no bombardment strength. I assume it must be either attack or defense strength that generates the ZOC attack. I'll have to do some experimenting I guess to figure out which one does it. I hope it isn't attack strength that determines ZOC. I'd like to use ZOC with some units which don't have a very strong attack.

 

[BadKharma]

It has to be something hard coded in for either attack value or bombard value looking at the basic units with ZOC you have Cavalry/Cossack no bombard value, Tank no bombard value, Mech Infantry no bombard value, Modern Armor no bombard Value, Radar Artillery no attack value high bombard value. Aegis Cruiser both attack and bombard values.
Also rate of fire does not effect the ZOC attack as it only fires once or attacks once. The help guide is useless it does not explain anything. I also looked through the manual and it was not mentioned at all.

About the only definitive answer I have found is that ZOC allows for a "free" shot or attack to enemy units passing within one square of the unit.

 

[Pounder]

It has to be something hard coded in for either attack value or bombard value looking at the basic units with ZOC you have Cavalry/Cossack no bombard value, Tank no bombard value, Mech Infantry no bombard value, Modern Armor no bombard Value, Radar Artillery no attack value high bombard value. Aegis Cruiser both attack and bombard values.
Also rate of fire does not effect the ZOC attack as it only fires once or attacks once. The help guide is useless it does not explain anything. I also looked through the manual and it was not mentioned at all.

About the only definitive answer I have found is that ZOC allows for a "free" shot or attack to enemy units passing within one square of the unit.

Free shot is right, never seen more than one hit point taken away. It is only the odds of that point being taken away that is variable and that is determined by the number of units with ZOC on that tile and whether or not there is a fortress or barricade on that tile.

 

[Virote_Considon]

I'm pretty sure that the chance of ZOC is hardcoded...

 

[Ozymandias]

Free shot is right, never seen more than one hit point taken away. It is only the odds of that point being taken away that is variable and that is determined by the number of units with ZOC on that tile and whether or not there is a fortress or barricade on that tile.

That would be consistent with a regular defensive bombard.

-Oz

 

[Vuldacon]

ZOC is a "Free Shot" as stated and I will add that the Free Shot is mainly intended to injure the enemy as they pass...no matter what the Attack or Bombardment Strength, the units with ZOC tend to injure the enemy about the same.
...as Pounder pointed out, multiple Units with ZOC on the same tile will do more injury. This is the same when attacking an enemy Unit or City...the more Units in the stack, the More each Unit will injure the enemy as well as the less injured the units in the stack will be.

Gary... No real need to worry about the Strength of the unit you want to provide ZOC to. The Unit will simply injure the enemy and usually about 1 Hit Point unless there are many Units stacked on the same tile.

 

[Ozymandias]

*sigh* I miss the old-fashioned board games ZOC where (generally) a unit had to stop and/or have combat when entering one ...

,

Oz

 

[BadKharma]

I hear you Oz. Although to be fair the ZOC works much like an ambush unit passing formations would not always stop to engage another if their objective was time critical.

 

[Madmax51]

I suspect that ZOC does something different than you suggest, though what I do not know.
I have seen, while playing the game, many units that do NOT have the ZOC flag turned on, but do have bombard strength, cause damage to enemy units passing them. I've even (rarely) seen units that do not have ZOC or bombard cause damage to passing units as well.
Maybe the ZOC just increases the chances of the already existing ability to cause damage?