PART 3 - THE COMMAND SYSTEM
In preparation for the upcoming release of the COMBAT DEMO, here's the third of five dev logs that focus on explaining how combat works in Happy Bastards.
Check out Part 1 for the basics, and Part 2 on the battlefield and character positioning.
YOUR MAIN CHARACTER
Happy Bastards differs from other tactical RPGs by having a main character, separate from the mercenaries, who actually impacts gameplay.
We gave this character a default name and look (it's Kev from the trailers!), but in the game, you have the option to change all of that to your heart's desire (not in the combat demo, though).
During combat, your main character sits back at a safe distance from combat, while your mercenaries put their lives at risk. But he/she is not idle.
COMMANDS
Your main character barks commands to the troops from the sidelines.
You have access to 3 command points, and these replenish each round. Commands are abilities that can be used on anyone, sometimes even on enemies. You start the game with a few basic Commands and you unlock new ones or upgrade existing ones as you gain Fame.
Commands can be used during any of your characters' turns. In other words, your mercenaries sit in the turn order and each take their turn playing their own abilities, and in parallel to that, your main character can intervene on any one's turn.
This is the crux of what makes Happy Bastard's combat unique. The command system gives you a new layer of tactical flexibility at the level of the whole squad while you play each of your individual mercs.
TAG-TEAM SWAP
The most important and central of all Commands is the Tag-Team Swap. You get this one at the start of the game and it defines how you build and use your combat squad.
First, you need to know that your squad size is always larger than the number of mercenaries you can deploy on a battlefield (typically 3). The mercs that you did not deploy remain on "the bench".
During any of your character turns, you can use Tag-Team Swap to have a character from the bench replace one on the battlefield.
This can be used for a variety of reasons and lets you optimize your strategy as the fight progresses. For example, it may be time to bring in your fire-wielding merc to deal with a heavily armored enemy who's your next priority target, or you may just want to return an injured character to the safety of the bench, or maybe you need someone with a high movement to reach an annoying ballistic attacker on the enemy's backline.
This tag-team dynamic is built on the core concept that in Happy Bastards, mercenary classes are specialized and have distinct ability/stat kits that are useful in different situations. It starts with building a flexible squad and then using the The Tag-Team Swap during combat to always use the right tool for the job.
PICK UP YOUR DEAD
Playing the demo, you can discover a sample of other useful commands. One such Command is called Pick Up your Dead. It can be used on a mercenary who is adjacent to one of your unconscious characters to return the poor bastard to the bench.
To appreciate why this Command matters, you must know that Happy Bastards has permadeath. Yes, your mercenaries will stay dead when they fall (well… there are several things to do with dead characters in this game, so it's not really the end either, but that's another story).
But in general, you try to keep your guys alive. Now contrary to monsters who die right away, a mercenary receiving lethal damage will first fall unconscious and lie defenseless on the battlefield. Any other hit could send them to Kingdom Come. Can you send someone to save them in time?
MEATSHIELD
Another iconic Command is meatshield. This one is about protection.
It involves assigning a character who's on the bench (a mercenary or, better yet, a captive) to a character on the battlefield to tank the next hit against him/her. Talk about a thankless job!
Coupled with Pick Up your Dead, this probably gives you a good idea of the dangerous stakes your mercenary squad is up against.
ATTRITION
And speaking about the dangers of combat, but unrelated to Commands, Attrition is a key concept in managing your squad through numerous fights.
After combat, a percentage of the damage received by each merc becomes Attrition, which is a temporary % reduction in maximum health. Health, therefore, replenishes after combat, but always to a lower max amount.
Attrition can be partly recovered by setting up a campfire, through some potions or events, and can be completely removed when resting in town.
That's it for today. The upcoming part 4 will focus on Composure and how your mercs have a mind of their own.
See you on the Discord!