Editing Combat

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'''Combat''' is a general term for hostile encounters of a hero while wandering on [[adventure map]]. Combat takes place typically when a hero attacks [[wandering creature|wandering creatures]], enemy heroes, enemy towns or certain adventure map locations (e.g. [[creature bank|creature banks]]). A hero may also face combat if trying to pick up guarded artifacts or resources. Occasionally an [[event]] can trigger combat.

The purpose of the combat is to vanquish all enemy creatures, and the combat ends when either one of the armies are entirely destroyed, or when one of the heroes [[retreat|retreats]] or [[surrender|surrenders]]. Only heroes may retreat or surrender - wandering creatures, creatures guarding something or creatures in events cannot retreat or surrender. Wandering creatures may try to flee before the battle, but never during combat. Surrendering may occur only in a battle between heroes, but a hero defending a town cannot surrender (or flee). However, [[Stronghold]] has a unique building called [[Escape Tunnel]], which allows defending hero to retreat (but not surrender).

Combat takes place on the battlefield, that is 11 rows of 15 hexagonal [[tile|frames (hexes)]]. Because size of most the creatures is one hex, a creature with speed of 13 can traverse across the battlefield to attack another creature stack directly opposite to that creature. Additionally, a creature with a speed of 19 can traverse diagonally from one corner to its opposite corner.

== Tactics Phase ==
The Tactics Phase occurs just before combat starts. The phase occurs only if a hero has [[Tactics]], unless both heroes possess the same level of Tactics, in which case the phase is skipped as the skill levels cancel each other out. The hero with the highest level of Tactics may arrange their troops before combat begins however they want (in accordance with their proficiency in Tactics). During this arranging, the hero cannot cast spells, but may retreat or surrender.

== Order in Combat ==
Combat proceeds in rounds. Each hero can cast one spell each round. Each round is divided into three phases:
# Initial & Defend
# Morale & Wait
# Wait

These three phases occur every round in this chronological order. In the initial phase, all creatures move in order determined by their [[speed]]. The creature with the highest speed value moves first. If two or more creatures on different sides of engaging armies have the same speed value, the creature on the army which did not have the latest chance to act will act first. And if it is the beginning of the battle, the attacker will have the initiative.

A creature may wait during the initial phase, in which case the creature moves instead during the wait phase. However, due high [[morale]] a creature may receive another chance to move right after the initial move. In this case, if the creature waits it will move again during the morale & wait phase (before the wait phase). In contrast to the initial phase, creatures in the morale & wait and wait phases move in reverse order, slowest speed value first.

A creature may defend during the initial phase, their extra morale phase, or their wait phase. Doing so grants them a 20% bonus to their [[defense]] rating (after bonuses and spell effects) and skips the rest of their turn. A creature cannot gain a morale phase after defending in their initial phase.

If two or more creatures on different sides of engaging armies have the same speed value, the creature on the army which did not have the latest chance to act will act first. This rule will apply in the same way throughout all three phases. However, there are two exceptions to this rule.
# In the first round of combat, the attacker will have the initiative.
# During a siege (town with at least [[Fort]]) the attacker will always moves first at the beginning of the round if the fastest creatures are tied.

Note that this rule in the morale-wait/wait phases leads to a situation, where the player that acted last "wins" the tie in a way, because during the wait phase, one usually wants to move later in the phase, not earlier.

If two or more creatures on the same side have the same speed value, the creature that started in the leftmost slot, will always move first. Or in other words, the unit that started  nearest to the top of the screen (before [[tactics phase]]), will move first.

[[Ballista]] and [[First Aid Tent]] follow these rules as well (their speed is 0). On the other hand, [[Arrow Tower|Arrow Towers]] and [[Catapult]] attack at the start of the round.

== Formation ==
Formation is the starting position of your army in a fight/battle. Units are spread as evenly as possible from top to bottom, with the topmost position being filled by the leftmost creature in the hero's army (and vice versa). For example: having units in slots 1/2/3 is the same as having them in slots 2/6/7.

The 2 options for army formation can be toggled on the hero screen. This changes how the units are grouped on your side of the battle. If you have 1, 6, or 7 stacks in your army, toggling between formations makes no difference as to how the units are placed on the battlefield.
* '''Loose''' spreads the units out evenly from top to bottom
* '''Tight''' clusters the units together in the center of the player's side of the battlefield

Loose has the advantage of spacing your units apart, making "splash" attacks from those [[dragons]] with [[breath attack]] or [[lich]] and their [[death cloud]] attack, and spells like [[fireball]] less likely to hit multiple units. 

Tight has an advantage of grouping units tightly, and can help protect archers and ranged attackers.

When fighting [[creature bank|creature banks]], the hero's army will be arranged in a special way, forming a hexagon (or part of one) in the center of the battlefield, while the defenders of the bank will be arranged around the outside.  Tight/loose and tactics have no impact on the formation of your army when fighting a creature bank.

== Siege ==
Siege combat is a special type of combat in Heroes III where the defending player has some significant advantages including [[Arrow towers]], a [[Moat]], and [[Siege walls]].

A [[Town]] must have at least a [[Fort]] structure built in order to use siege combat, and the defenses are substantially improved upon construction of the [[Citadel]] and [[Castle]]. If there is no fortification built in the town, there is a usual battlefield instead, as if the combat were outside a town.

* Attacking creatures will get stuck in a moat for at least 1 combat round. This can be bypassed with the [[Teleport]] spell or by breaking or "trapping" the [[drawbridge]].
* Arrow towers can be incredibly effective in all stages of the game, due to their ability to bypass all ranged penalty and ignoring the [[defense]] stat of creatures.
* Catapults will damage the walls once per turn (can be augmented by the [[ballistics]] skill.) Walls can also be damaged by [[Earthquake]], [[Cannon]]{{-wh}} and by the special ability of the [[Cyclops]].
* [[Flying]] creatures can fly over walls, but they will usually become high priority targets for defending melee creatures as well as the arrow towers.
* The center arrow tower does the highest damage, and usually will not be destroyed until the main walls have been significantly damaged.
* Several towns have enhanced moats. Most notably, the [[Fortress]] has a high-damage moat that is 2 hexes wide. The [[Tower]] has land mines in place of a moat, which can occasionally detonate several times as creatures walk over them, but are generally considered weaker than standard moats, because they do not hinder movement and are destroyed upon activation.
* A glitch can cause a player's army to attack itself. It requires having the hero placed at the entrance of an enemy town but without triggering an attack by moving here. This can be obtained by flying over the town (with [[Fly]] or [[Angel Wings]]) and stopping the movement right at the moment the hero is above the town entrance. Then triggering the siege of the town by using the space bar or the "revisit" button. The hero will count as both the attacker and the defender, with the player controlling both sides of the siege. This glitch is fixed in {{hota}}.

[[File:Siege combat.png|center|link=|frame|A large siege playing out against a [[Stronghold]] town.]]

== Surrender ==
In hero-on-hero combat exclusively, a player may pay an enemy player [[gold]] to surrender, effectively vanquishing the player's hero as they retreat to their [[Tavern]] to be hired again. The surrendered hero retains their surviving army and all of their [[artifact]]s upon recruiting them again. A player may only surrender if they have enough gold to do so. The amount of gold required to surrender is equal to half the recruitment cost of the remaining creatures in the hero's army, with any resources other than gold being excluded in the calculation. If the player does not have enough gold to surrender, then surrendering is impossible. The enemy may refuse a surrender, which continues the combat.

* Surrendering is possible at any point during battle, even before combat during the surrendering player's [[Tactics Phase]]. 
* Surrendering is impossible when defending a siege or if either hero wields the [[Shackles of War]].
* The gold cost of surrendering can be decreased with [[Diplomacy]] and the [[Ambassador's Sash]], [[Diplomat's Ring]]{{swh|, [[Statesman's Medal]], and [[Diplomat's Cloak]]{{-wh}}.|, and [[Statesman's Medal]].|noicon=}}
* If a hero surrenders on the 7th day of the week after their turn has passed, one of the player's Taverns slots will be filled with the surrendered hero instead of a new hire.

== Retreat ==
A player may retreat from any combat involving their hero, including before combat during their [[Tactics Phase]]. A player cannot retreat if the hero is defending in a siege unless they are defending a [[Stronghold]] town with an [[Escape Tunnel]] or if either hero wields the [[Shackles of War]]. The retreated hero retains their all of their [[artifact]]s, but loses their army. They will be immediately available to hire again in the player's Tavern. If a player retreats from combat, the retreated hero receives no [[experience]] from the battle.

== Hit & Run Ban ==
''Only applicable when {{hota}}{{-wh}} is installed and in hero-on-hero combat.''

* The attacker is forbidden to retreat or surrender in the first round of combat after casting a spell.
* The [[Diplomat's Cloak]] allows a hero to ignore this ban when surrendering only.

{{Fanopinion|
Retreating (or surrendering) is a good idea:
* When defeat is imminent.
* As a means to travel to a distant town, to be re-recruited there. 
* To preserve artifacts which will otherwise fall into an enemy hero's hands.
* To preserve a powerful hero with strong stats, spells, or high level.

Surrender may be a good tactical move so as to move a hero briefly to a town close to a major battle or something else important, or simply to a safe place, if you don't have [[Town Portal]] spell. It works on its best with [[Tactics]] skill or if you have a right of first turn, and only if your hero has a right to lose (i.e. it's useless in most [[campaign]]s as the head character should be invincible, otherwise the game is lost).
}}<!-- end of fan opinion -->

== Combat Grids ==
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights=150px>
File:HOMM3_Battlefield.jpg|Screenshot from combat on swamp terrain. The hero has cast [[Quicksand]]
File:Grid-cb 5.gif|Base combat grid against a single opponent
File:Homm3 combat grid positions.gif|Army organization with [[War Machine|War Machines]]
File:Grid-boat-to-boat combat.gif|Ship-to-Ship combat grid
</gallery>

== Battlefields ==
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights=150px>
File:Combat Dirt-Trees.png | [[Dirt]]<p>''Default dirt battlefield.''
File:Combat Dirt-Trees (HotA).png | [[Dirt]]{{-wh}}<p>''Default dirt battlefield.''
File:Combat Dirt-Dead-Trees.png | [[Dirt]] (Dead Trees)<p>''Available when fighting on dirt with dead trees within 3 tiles of the combat tile.''
File:Combat Dirt-Dead-Trees (HotA).png | [[Dirt]] (Dead Trees){{-wh}}<p>''Available when fighting on dirt with dead trees within 3 tiles of the combat tile.''
File:Combat Dirt-Mountains.png | [[Dirt]] (Mountains)<p>''Available when fighting on dirt with 2 dirt mountain tiles surrounding the combat tile.''
File:Combat Dirt-Mountains (HotA).png | [[Dirt]] (Mountains){{-wh}}<p>''Available when fighting on dirt with 2 dirt mountain tiles surrounding the combat tile.''
File:Combat Sand-Desert.png | [[Sand]]<p>''Default sand battlefield.''
File:Combat Sand-Beach.png | [[Sand]] (Beach)<p>''Available when fighting on any terrain on a tile adjacent to water.''
File:Combat Sand-Desert-Underground.png | [[Sand]] (Underground){{-wh}}<p>''Available when fighting on sand underground.''
File:Combat Grass-Trees.png | [[Grass]]<p>''Default grass battlefield.''
File:Combat Grass-Mountains.png | [[Grass]] (Mountains)<p>''Available when fighting on grass with 2 grass mountain tiles surrounding the combat tile.''
File:Combat Snow-Trees.png | [[Snow]]<p>''Default snow battlefield.''
File:Combat Snow-Mountains.png | [[Snow]] (Mountains)<p>''Available when fighting on snow with 2 snow mountain tiles surrounding the combat tile.''
File:Combat Swamp.png | [[Swamp]]<p>''Default swamp battlefield.''
File:Combat Swamp-Dead-Trees.png | [[Swamp]] (Dead Trees){{-wh}}<p>''Available when fighting on dirt with dead trees within 3 tiles of the combat tile.''
File:Combat Swamp-Mountains.png | [[Swamp]] (Mountains){{-wh}}<p>''Available when fighting on swamp with 2 swamp mountain tiles surrounding the combat tile.''
File:Combat Rough.png | [[Rough]]<p>''Default rough battlefield.''
File:Combat Subterranean.png | [[Subterranean]]<p>''Default subterranean battlefield.''
File:Combat Lava.png | [[Lava]]<p>''Default lava battlefield.''
File:Combat Lava (HotA).png | [[Lava]]{{-wh}}<p>''Default lava battlefield.''
File:Combat Lava-Underground.png | [[Lava]] (Underground){{-wh}}<p>''Available when fighting on lava underground.''
File:Combat Highlands.png | [[Highlands]]{{-wh}}<p>''Default highlands battlefield.''
File:Combat Wasteland.png | [[Wasteland]]{{-wh}}<p>''Default wasteland battlefield.''
File:Combat Boat.png | [[Boat]]<p>''Available when fighting an enemy hero while both heroes are in boats.''
File:Combat Deck.png | [[Boat]] (Deck)<p>''Available when fighting monsters or adventure map locations on a boat, or when fighting an enemy hero in a boat while the player is on land.''
File:Combat Cursed-Ground.png | [[Cursed Ground]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Magic-Plains.png | [[Magic Plains]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Clover-Field.png | [[Clover Field]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Evil-Fog.png | [[Evil Fog]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Holy-Ground.png | [[Holy Ground]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Holy-Ground (HotA).png | [[Holy Ground]]{{-wh}}
File:Combat Fiery-Fields.png | [[Fiery Fields]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Lucid-Pools.png | [[Lucid Pools]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Magic-Clouds.png | [[Magic Clouds]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Rockland.png | [[Rockland]]{{-ws}}
File:Combat Cracked-Ice.png | [[Cracked Ice]]{{-wh}}
File:Combat Dunes.png | [[Dunes]]{{-wh}}
File:Combat Fields-of-Glory.png | [[Fields of Glory]]{{-wh}}
File:Siege Castle (HotA).png | [[Castle]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Rampart (HotA).png | [[Rampart]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Tower (HotA).png | [[Tower]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Inferno (HotA).png | [[Inferno]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Necropolis (HotA).png | [[Necropolis]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Dungeon (HotA).png | [[Dungeon]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Stronghold (HotA).png | [[Stronghold]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Fortress (HotA).png | [[Fortress]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Conflux (HotA).png | [[Conflux]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Cove.png | [[Cove]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Factory.png | [[Factory]] Siege{{-wh}}
File:Siege Bulwark.png | [[Bulwark]] Siege{{-wh}}
</gallery>

== Videos ==
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights=150px>
File:HC-00 Data-VIDEO VID-Win3-bik-Win3.webm | Combat Win
File:HC-00 Data-VIDEO VID-LBstart-bik-LBstart.webm | Combat Loss
File:HC-00 Data-VIDEO VID-surrender-bik-surrender.webm | Surrender
File:HC-00 Data-VIDEO VID-RTloop-bik-RTloop.webm | Retreat
File:HC-00 Data-VIDEO VID-defendall-bik-defendall.webm | Siege Win
File:HC-00 Data-VIDEO VID-LoseCSlp-bik-LoseCSlp.webm | Siege Loss
</gallery>

== Audio ==
{| border cellpadding="4" class="unsortable" frame=box cellspacing=0
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | Combat Themes
! colspan=2 style="text-align:center;" | Win/Loss Themes
|- 
| {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat Theme 1.webm}} || Combat Theme 1 || {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat - Won.webm}} || Combat Won Theme
|- 
| {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat Theme 2.webm}} || Combat Theme 2 || {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat - Lost.webm}} || Combat Lost Theme
|- 
| {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat Theme 3.webm}} || Combat Theme 3 || {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat - Retreated.webm}} || Retreated from Combat Theme
|- 
| {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat Theme 4.webm}} || Combat Theme 4 || {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat - Surrendered.webm}} || Surrendered in Combat Theme
|- 
|  ||  || {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat - Town defended.webm}} || Town Defended Theme
|- 
|  ||  || {{audio|Heroes 3 - Combat - Town lost.webm}} || Town Lost Theme
|}

== See Also: ==
* [[Damage]]
* [[Cursors]]

[[Category: Combat|*]]
[[Category: Terms]]
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