Combat in Inter-War is resolved over a maximum of six rounds. Each round uses the ships and defenses that are still alive, while unit statistics, combat research, bonuses and randomized target selection determine the result.
How many rounds can a battle last?
A normal battle lasts for at most 6 rounds. It ends earlier if either side loses every unit. If both sides still have units after round six, the battle is a draw. The attacker wins only when the defender has no surviving units; the defender wins when the attacking fleet is completely destroyed.
How do technologies increase combat statistics?
Each combat-technology level adds 10% to its parameter. The current mechanic uses (1 + 0.1 × technology level) × (1 + extra bonus / 100) for attack, shield and armour. Hull is calculated as (metal + crystal) / 10 × armour multiplier. Level 10 therefore gives a base multiplier of 2.0 before additional bonuses.
What happens during a round?
At the start of every round, shields of all surviving units are restored to their full value. The attacker fires first, then the defender fires using the state that remains after the attacker’s fire. Targets are selected randomly and weighted by the number of units of each type. If one shot has less than 1% of the target unit’s shield, it is counted as a miss and deals no damage.
How are losses and debris created?
Destroyed units are recorded after each round. After combat, ship and defense losses are converted into resource losses. The default live battle logic places 30% of lost fleet metal and crystal and 30% of lost defense metal and crystal into the debris field. Deuterium never enters debris. Defense repair and a possible moon chance are settled separately.
How should a draw be interpreted?
If the attacker has 10 ships left after round six and the defender still has one defense unit, the result is still a draw because neither side was completely eliminated. A draw also means that no planetary loot is awarded. Attack planning should therefore consider whether the defense can be fully broken before the six-round limit, not only total losses.
FAQ — battle mechanics
Do shields carry damage into the next round?
No. Surviving units begin each round with full shields again. Destroyed units and hull damage already converted into losses remain resolved.
Does a draw allow the attacker to loot resources?
No. Planetary loot is calculated only when the attacker wins the battle.
Related FAQ: How does Rapid Fire work? · How does defense repair work after a battle? · How does loot work after a successful attack?
How should these values be interpreted?
The formulas and limits above describe the current Inter-War logic. Some parameters are universe configuration values, so a balance update can change a number without changing the underlying rule. If the live game panel displays a different configurable value, that value should be treated as authoritative for the current universe. The formulas are useful for planning, while the final settlement and validation are always performed by the server.
What should be checked before using the mechanic?
Check the current account, planet and fleet state, active bonuses and any validation message shown when the action is attempted. Many Inter-War systems combine several layers: requirements, daily limits, free slots, resources and modifiers from technologies, Resorts, Avatar talents or events. Correctly calculating one formula therefore does not automatically guarantee that an action is available; the other conditions are validated independently.