Dev Diary #11 - Action Points and Attack Calculation
We already talked a lot about specific combat mechanics and stats in MENACE but today we will lay out the basic action point system and combat mechanics. How are attacks modeled, hit chances calculated and casualties accounted? Let’s dive in!
[h2]Action Points in MENACE [/h2][hr][/hr]While many turn-based strategy games and franchises have swapped to the popular “2-actions” system, we will stay true to the genre's roots with a classic action point system.
Each entity on the battlefield has a pool of action points, used up by any action a unit can take. The idea behind this is that all actions take a different amount of time, and this system can model that with far more granularity than a 2-action system.
Each unit starts with 100 Action Points (AP) per turn. The available amount is relatively stable but can change under certain circumstances.
For example, when a unit is suppressed, it begins its turn with 30 AP less.
Careful management of your Action Point economy is essential to overcoming the tactical challenges in MENACE. As the game progresses and units acquire more perks, equipment, and weapons, the decisions about which skill or action to use—and when to use it—become increasingly complex.
[h2]Attack Mechanics [/h2][hr][/hr]Below is the rundown of how an attack is calculated in the game. Buckle up—this will get a bit technical.
Attacks usually begin with the attacker spending the action point (AP) cost for the corresponding skill. There are exceptions, such as off-map abilities, but we’ll set those aside for now.
Example Scenario: A Marine Squad uses its Squad Weapon to fire at a Pirate Scavenger Squad.
1. Paying AP for the Attack[hr][/hr] The K-PAC assault rifle used by the squad has two attack skills:
2. Determining Hit Chance[hr][/hr]Calculating an attack’s hit chance starts with the attacker's base accuracy. In this example, that’s 70, meaning a 70% chance to hit. Weapon and skill modifiers come next, and both can increase or decrease accuracy. Suppressive fire, for instance, trades accuracy for suppression. In this case, no modifiers are applied.
Distance matters. Every weapon has an ideal range and shots beyond that suffer an accuracy dropoff per tile. Assault rifles typically have an ideal range of four tiles. A sniper rifle, while precise at long range, struggles in close quarters due to its size and weight. Here, the shot is taken from six tiles away—two tiles past the rifle’s ideal range. With an accuracy dropoff of six per tile, this results in a 12-point reduction, bringing accuracy down to 58%.
This is a simple scenario. Other factors could come into play: an attacker in a deployed stance gains 15 accuracy, while a deployed target reduces hitchance by 15%. Light cover reduces accuracy by 20. A suppressed shooter loses 50 accuracy, and a pinned target lying prone imposes another 50-point penalty. Additional modifiers include terrain, smoke, lighting, perks, skills, and accessories, all of which can affect the final hit chance.
3. Number of Shots[hr][/hr]Once hitchance is established, the next factor is shot count. Every weapon and skill determines how many times an attack is repeated. Each repetition is treated as a separate attack, with hit-or-miss calculations applied individually, along with damage, suppression, and armor impact.
A standard assault rifle salvo consists of three repetitions, meaning three shots per squad member using that weapon. Squads typically have five members, though this varies. Some squad members may swap their standard weapon for a special one, like a machine gun or grenade launcher, reducing the number of members using the primary weapon. If a squad takes casualties, fewer members contribute to the attack. Special weapons are unaffected by squad size, as only one member ever operates them.
In this example, the Marine squad carries a medium machine gun, so only four of the five members are firing their assault rifles. Three repetitions per shooter results in 12 total shots at a 58% hitchance.
4. Determine Hits[hr][/hr]With the number of shots known, the next step is determining how many land. Here, seven out of 12 shots hit the pirate squad.
Suppression mechanics affect this phase. If a target is suppressed mid-attack, they may involuntarily shift stance—moving from standing to deployed or even pinned. This can cause part of the attack to resolve against a standing target while the remainder is applied to a suppressed or pinned enemy. Early hits matter, as they may alter the conditions for later shots.
5. Armor Penetration[hr][/hr]Landing a shot isn’t enough—it must penetrate armor to deal damage. Each projectile undergoes this check individually.
The assault rifle in this example uses an intermediate caliber, effective against standard body armor but dealing relatively low damage. Its penetration value is 30, with a penetration dropoff of 1.8 per tile. Unlike accuracy dropoff, which applies to shots beyond the ideal range, penetration dropoff is calculated from the point of origin. Effective penetration is then compared against the target's armor to determine penetration probability. Armor also degrades with use, lowering its effectiveness over time.
For this scenario, penetration starts at 30 but suffers a 10.8-point dropoff due to range, reducing effective penetration to 19.2. The pirates’ armor is undamaged at 30, resulting in a penetration chance of 82%. Out of the seven shots that hit, five successfully penetrated.
6. Armor Damage[hr][/hr]Shots that penetrate armor deal damage to hitpoints, while those that don’t reduce armor durability instead. Each weapon has a separate armor damage stat with its own dropoff. In this case, the rifle’s armor damage value is 9, with a dropoff of 0.6 per tile. This reduces its effective armor damage per shot at six tiles to 5.4. With two non-penetrating shots, the total armor durability reduction for the pirate squad is 10.8 points.
Armor durability is tracked as a squad-wide value rather than on a per-member basis. Each element contributes to the total, and when a member is lost, the squad's armor pool is reduced accordingly. Some weapons specialize in breaking down armor rather than penetrating it, making follow-up attacks more effective.
7. Hitpoint Damage[hr][/hr]Penetrating shots deal hit point damage, which also suffers a dropoff. Here, the rifle’s base damage is 9, with a dropoff of 0.8 per tile. At six tiles, each penetrating shot deals 4.2 damage. Since five shots penetrated, total hitpoint damage amounts to 21.
8. Elements Lost[hr][/hr]The pirate squad consists of five elements, each with 10 hitpoints, for a total of 50. The attack reduces their hitpoints to 29, meaning two elements are lost, as one element perishes for every 10 hitpoints lost.
Suppression[hr][/hr]Suppression is as complex as damage calculation, if not more so. Every projectile applies suppression, even if it misses, and shots landing nearby still contribute partially. Losing squad members also generates significant suppression.
Full details on suppression mechanics are covered in Dev Diary #7.
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/535466136352851020
Summary[hr][/hr]These calculations may seem intricate, but the system was designed around two core principles. First, realism—combat follows a simulation-based model that accounts for factors like distance and ballistic dropoff. Second, accessibility—players don’t need to track exact numbers to make informed decisions. The UI presents only the final results, keeping things intuitive while still offering deeper weapon stats for those who want to optimize their strategy.
[h2]Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed[/h2][hr][/hr]That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.
You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/
And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/534342772300185779
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/512950040394727468
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/535466769966436075
[h2]Action Points in MENACE [/h2][hr][/hr]While many turn-based strategy games and franchises have swapped to the popular “2-actions” system, we will stay true to the genre's roots with a classic action point system.
Each entity on the battlefield has a pool of action points, used up by any action a unit can take. The idea behind this is that all actions take a different amount of time, and this system can model that with far more granularity than a 2-action system.
Each unit starts with 100 Action Points (AP) per turn. The available amount is relatively stable but can change under certain circumstances.
For example, when a unit is suppressed, it begins its turn with 30 AP less.
- A typical skill use, like firing a squad weapon or throwing a grenade, costs 40 AP.
- Heavy special weapons, such as firing a rocket launcher, typically cost 60 AP and cannot be used twice in a turn.
- Movement also costs AP, though the number of points needed depends on both the unit’s movement type and the surface being traversed.
Careful management of your Action Point economy is essential to overcoming the tactical challenges in MENACE. As the game progresses and units acquire more perks, equipment, and weapons, the decisions about which skill or action to use—and when to use it—become increasingly complex.
[h2]Attack Mechanics [/h2][hr][/hr]Below is the rundown of how an attack is calculated in the game. Buckle up—this will get a bit technical.
Attacks usually begin with the attacker spending the action point (AP) cost for the corresponding skill. There are exceptions, such as off-map abilities, but we’ll set those aside for now.
Example Scenario: A Marine Squad uses its Squad Weapon to fire at a Pirate Scavenger Squad.
- The target is 6 tiles away.
- The target is in the open.
- The target is in default stance.
- The target is not suppressed, damaged, or injured.
1. Paying AP for the Attack[hr][/hr] The K-PAC assault rifle used by the squad has two attack skills:
- Salvo – Costs 40 AP, firing three shots in quick succession to maximize damage.
- Sustained Fire – A separate option not covered in this example.
2. Determining Hit Chance[hr][/hr]Calculating an attack’s hit chance starts with the attacker's base accuracy. In this example, that’s 70, meaning a 70% chance to hit. Weapon and skill modifiers come next, and both can increase or decrease accuracy. Suppressive fire, for instance, trades accuracy for suppression. In this case, no modifiers are applied.
Distance matters. Every weapon has an ideal range and shots beyond that suffer an accuracy dropoff per tile. Assault rifles typically have an ideal range of four tiles. A sniper rifle, while precise at long range, struggles in close quarters due to its size and weight. Here, the shot is taken from six tiles away—two tiles past the rifle’s ideal range. With an accuracy dropoff of six per tile, this results in a 12-point reduction, bringing accuracy down to 58%.
This is a simple scenario. Other factors could come into play: an attacker in a deployed stance gains 15 accuracy, while a deployed target reduces hitchance by 15%. Light cover reduces accuracy by 20. A suppressed shooter loses 50 accuracy, and a pinned target lying prone imposes another 50-point penalty. Additional modifiers include terrain, smoke, lighting, perks, skills, and accessories, all of which can affect the final hit chance.
Factor
Value
Base Accuracy
70%
Weapon & Skill Modifiers
±0% (None Applied)
Distance Penalty (6 per tile, 2 tiles over ideal range)
-12%
Final Accuracy
58%
3. Number of Shots[hr][/hr]Once hitchance is established, the next factor is shot count. Every weapon and skill determines how many times an attack is repeated. Each repetition is treated as a separate attack, with hit-or-miss calculations applied individually, along with damage, suppression, and armor impact.
A standard assault rifle salvo consists of three repetitions, meaning three shots per squad member using that weapon. Squads typically have five members, though this varies. Some squad members may swap their standard weapon for a special one, like a machine gun or grenade launcher, reducing the number of members using the primary weapon. If a squad takes casualties, fewer members contribute to the attack. Special weapons are unaffected by squad size, as only one member ever operates them.
In this example, the Marine squad carries a medium machine gun, so only four of the five members are firing their assault rifles. Three repetitions per shooter results in 12 total shots at a 58% hitchance.
Factor
Value
Hit Chance
58%
Shots per Shooter
3
Number of Shooters
4
Total Shots
12
Suppression mechanics affect this phase. If a target is suppressed mid-attack, they may involuntarily shift stance—moving from standing to deployed or even pinned. This can cause part of the attack to resolve against a standing target while the remainder is applied to a suppressed or pinned enemy. Early hits matter, as they may alter the conditions for later shots.
5. Armor Penetration[hr][/hr]Landing a shot isn’t enough—it must penetrate armor to deal damage. Each projectile undergoes this check individually.
The assault rifle in this example uses an intermediate caliber, effective against standard body armor but dealing relatively low damage. Its penetration value is 30, with a penetration dropoff of 1.8 per tile. Unlike accuracy dropoff, which applies to shots beyond the ideal range, penetration dropoff is calculated from the point of origin. Effective penetration is then compared against the target's armor to determine penetration probability. Armor also degrades with use, lowering its effectiveness over time.
For this scenario, penetration starts at 30 but suffers a 10.8-point dropoff due to range, reducing effective penetration to 19.2. The pirates’ armor is undamaged at 30, resulting in a penetration chance of 82%. Out of the seven shots that hit, five successfully penetrated.
Factor
Value
Total Shots Fired
12
Shots that Hit
7
Armor Penetration
Value
Base Penetration
30
Penetration Dropoff (1.8 per tile, 6 tiles)
-10.8
Effective Penetration
19.2
Target Armor
30
Penetration Chance
82%
Shots that Penetrate
5
6. Armor Damage[hr][/hr]Shots that penetrate armor deal damage to hitpoints, while those that don’t reduce armor durability instead. Each weapon has a separate armor damage stat with its own dropoff. In this case, the rifle’s armor damage value is 9, with a dropoff of 0.6 per tile. This reduces its effective armor damage per shot at six tiles to 5.4. With two non-penetrating shots, the total armor durability reduction for the pirate squad is 10.8 points.
Armor Damage
Value
Base Armor Damage
9
Armor Damage Dropoff (0.6 per tile, 6 tiles)
-3.6
Effective Armor Damage per Shot
5.4
Non-Penetrating Shots
2
Total Armor Durability Reduction
10.8
Armor durability is tracked as a squad-wide value rather than on a per-member basis. Each element contributes to the total, and when a member is lost, the squad's armor pool is reduced accordingly. Some weapons specialize in breaking down armor rather than penetrating it, making follow-up attacks more effective.
7. Hitpoint Damage[hr][/hr]Penetrating shots deal hit point damage, which also suffers a dropoff. Here, the rifle’s base damage is 9, with a dropoff of 0.8 per tile. At six tiles, each penetrating shot deals 4.2 damage. Since five shots penetrated, total hitpoint damage amounts to 21.
Hitpoint Damage
Value
Base Damage
9
Damage Dropoff (0.8 per tile, 6 tiles)
-4.8
Effective Damage per Shot
4.2
Penetrating Shots
5
Total Hitpoint Damage
21
Pirate Squad Status
Value
Total Elements
5
Hitpoints per Element
10
Total Squad Hitpoints
50
Hitpoints After Attack
29
Elements Lost
2
Full details on suppression mechanics are covered in Dev Diary #7.
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/535466136352851020
Summary[hr][/hr]These calculations may seem intricate, but the system was designed around two core principles. First, realism—combat follows a simulation-based model that accounts for factors like distance and ballistic dropoff. Second, accessibility—players don’t need to track exact numbers to make informed decisions. The UI presents only the final results, keeping things intuitive while still offering deeper weapon stats for those who want to optimize their strategy.
[h2]Engage, Explore, and Stay Informed[/h2][hr][/hr]That's it for now! We'll see you next Friday.
You can find us on Discord, BlueSky, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, and Reddit for discussions, updates, and feedback. You can also subscribe to our monthly MENACE newsletter on our website — just scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2432860/MENACE/
And here are the recent prior Dev Diaries in case you've missed them:
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/534342772300185779
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/512950040394727468
https://steamcommunity.com/games/2432860/announcements/detail/535466769966436075
Chain Gun Team: A small team of scavengers with a portable chain gun. Lacking accuracy but making up for it with sheer firepower, perfect for suppression while advancing. The makeshift nature of the gun makes it prone to jamming.
EMP Gunners: A specialized pirate team normally tasked with disabling automated defense mechanisms when boarding spaceships. Their EMP gun disables enemy mechs and vehicles on the battlefield. While not dangerous to infantry, they can easily take out vehicles caught out of position.
Boarding Commando: Heavily armored assault specialists. The first to board spaceships and brute-force through defenders. While not well adapted to open battlefields, they are extremely dangerous in close quarters, wielding Corridor Sweeper Shotguns, Thermite Grenades, and Stun Grenades.
Chain Gun Truck: Using the same chassis as the rocket truck and basic transport, this vehicle delivers mobile suppressive firepower. The truck-mounted version of the chain gun is heavier and deals more damage but is still prone to jamming.
Laser Truck: A specialized version of the pirate truck with a repurposed spaceship laser cannon mounted on top. This truck is a major threat to heavily armored vehicles. The cannon generates extreme heat and must vent periodically to remain operational.
Flame Truck: A heavy truck with high durability but minimal armor. The flamethrower mounted on top covers large areas in fire, devastating entrenched infantry. However, the flammable liquid inside the truck makes it prone to catastrophic explosions when damaged.
Stage Two - Suppressed 
Stage Three - Pinned Down