Why a dummy dice?

[landmeister]

Why we must play with four dice having 3 commands only? I can understand it in regular armies, but why in irregulars? 

Thank you.

[DaveMather]

Couple of reasons

Because of change of weather implications (eg wind, rain) - (so the average is over 4 dice not 3)

Also may lure you opponent into thinking you have a flank march or delayed command

Thats why its discarded after its rolled a 6 (the games up then)

Regards


David Mather

[landmeister]

Wow!. I didn't take wather into account 

This forum is priceless!! 

Thank you

[LAP1964]

Would you still have to have a dummy 4th dice if the army has only got 3 generals in its list(i know there is not many) and no reg baggage
command.Because its not gonig to fool anyone,about flank marches,delayed command etc.
                                                               Les.

[Aloysius the Gaul]

It may still help you get/retain/avoid weather, or your opponent may not realise you only have 3 generals.

but you're right that if they don't apply then there's no real reason to bother.

[toby]

No - you still have to to avoid skewing the weather probabilities.

[landmeister]

Well, there is a dramatic advantage for 3 command regular armies: you chan choose you "middle" PIP dice from two dice. Higher and lowest remain unchanged, but you have a better chance to allocate the best non-highest, non-lowest dice to your command.  :

[Hammy]

No it isn't an advantage for three command regular armies. The dummy dice is not a swappable one. The only way to get an extra dice is through a regular train command.

[landmeister]

No it isn't an advantage for three command regular armies. The dummy dice is not a swappable one. The only way to get an extra dice is through a regular train command.

Sorry, but I can't find the rule saying that. There is no specification about the dummy dice is "unswappable". And everyone knows that Phil just specifies what he wants to say 

[Hammy]

No it isn't an advantage for three command regular armies. The dummy dice is not a swappable one. The only way to get an extra dice is through a regular train command.

Sorry, but I can't find the rule saying that. There is no specification about the dummy dice is "unswappable". And everyone knows that Phil just specifies what he wants to say 

It wouldn't suprise me if it doesn't say it but it definitely means it.

If you want four swapable dice they must all come from either a regular CinC, regular sub general or regular train command.

Hammy

[toby]

I think you will find the the only dice that are swappable are those belonging to a regular general or a regular train command. The dummy dice does not belong to either of these and is therefore not swappable.

The bigger problem is that if you have an army with 5 dice, its immediately obvious because there isn't the need for a 5th dummy dice.

5 vs 4 dice does also skew the weather, but not as much as 3 vs 4 or 2 vs 3.

Interestingly, if commands are shattered they stop rolling dice which means the weather becomes more changeable at the end of the battle.