How complicated could math get?

The game has been simplified.

Each card has a cost.
And if a stat can be altered by an upgrade card.
The upgrade and the new costs are shown.

I tried to have +1 and +1, so several steps can be taken. But I think I will be very specific.
Thinking of more like a table.

Column 1, the basic stats and the cost.
Column 2, for example, twice the health, and then the cost.
Column 3, for example, 50% more movement, and then the cost.
Column 4, both, and then the cost.

Column 2 and 3 could also be "+1" columns. Where the cost also gets something like "+1". And the 4th column will have this only for 1 of the 2 upgradable stats. While the other stat is a requirement.
Meh, i think it is still too complicated for most people. And I really am thinking of having only 1 stat being altered somehow.

They only use 2 numbers that have to be added up together.

Right now, I am at a point where they have a body card, weapon card, 2nd weapon card, 1 upgrade on for example the body, and 2 upgrades on the second weapon card.

The body card shows the player several costs for it. 1 cost will include the upgrade.
The weapon card shows the player several costs for it. 1 cost will include 1 upgrade, another cost the other upgrade. And 1 cost will be including both upgrades, which the player then has to select.

The player will have to add up 3 values here, for one total cost. And I am thinking of having some sort of soft paperclips, that circle around the costs of the cards.

In this example, we got 3 costs, but 6 cards of which 3 are upgrades. These upgrades can be removed from the game after determining the costs. So, as blue print, the player has 3 costs that need to be added up.

Not sure if I can do something about this though. If it is for example 150+250+200. Which is 600. You can't tell at first glance. And everytime the player needs to build this unit, the player needs to recalculate.

So, perhaps something like cost tokens or something?
Also, this 600 is just an example, I probably am going to lower to 2 digits.

Well, too much math for certain. At least, my initial thoughts. I deleted that for this post.

Players are limited to their decks. And my next idea was to have alteration cards instead.
These would alter the tiers of the weapon and body cards.
But also the costs. And the resources for the players would have been 1 extra card as a "joker" for weapons and 1 extra card as a "joker" for the bodies.
Of course more jokers should be allowed. But there should be a limit.

With weapons, you have thus 1 more card as resource. And change a weapon card accordingly. The math involved for the players is too much.

With bodies, you have thus 1 more card as resource. But you change a body beyond the balance of your opponent. Thus if your opponent has 1, 2 and 3 as weapon cards. You make the body a idk....10 card for the fun of it? And if your opponent doesn't have a joker card, it is doomed.

***

I could have a joker weapon though. But no joker bodies.
The joker weapon would be some sort of gun, that has several options. But seeing as how I can have a lot of different tiers. I should make it so that the player needs multiple joker weapons. And this doesn't fix the problem either.

MtG had it easy in this regard. Simply increase damage.
And if not needed, you didn't use the resource either.

***

I do have something that might help just a little. That would be the double weapon cards. Where 1 of the 2 is used in combat. And both remain an option. These weapon cards are spread out. The costs are "legally" reduced. And simply displayed again. This mechanic is linked to weapons only. But not 100% effective against the mismatched deck problem.

You mean, how players would combine?
They simply draw 1 card every round.
They can make a combination that has at least the body card.
They earn credits too, each round. And pay the cost of the unit as "research" as well. (I think, 5 times the total costs)
So, they place down the design and pay the research.

Well, let me describe the deck at the moment, only the infantry and anti infantry cards. Because else, it would be too much here. It is still a bit bland too. Not sure about how much difference I should create. But if I want to make more creative cards. I need to limit the weapon cards on the designs to 3. This means. No more than 3 "flames". Which will require me to make stronger cards for the players to add for the more balanced units.

Body cards:
Class: Infantry [1]
Cost: 50
Armor: 1
Health: 5
Speed: 2

Class: Infantry [2]
Cost: 60
Armor: 1
Health: 6
Speed: 2

Class: Infantry [3]
Cost: 60
Armor: 1
Health: 5
Speed: 3

Class: Infantry [4]
Cost: 40
Armor: 1
Health: 5
Speed: 1

Weapon cards:
Weapon: Rifle
Cost: 50
Damage: 1
Projectiles: 1
Accuracy: 5
Range: 2

Weapon: Magnum
Cost: 50
Damage: 1
Projectiles: 1
Accuracy: 4
Range: 3

Weapon: Sniper
Cost: 180
Damage: 1
Projectiles: 1
Accuracy: 6
Range: 6
Ability: Damage dice only discard the 6.

Weapon: Plasma Grenade
Cost: 30
Damage: 1
Projectiles: 1
Accuracy: 4
Range: 1

Weapon: Flame
Cost: 20
Damage: 1
Projectiles: 1
Accuracy: 4
Range: 0
(there are rules on how these can shoot at 1 range, goes for all weapons though)

Weapon: Plasma Missile
Cost: 60
Damage: 1
Projectiles: 1
Accuracy: 4
Range: 4

***

The third infantry card and the sniper card. Costs 60+180=240. The research would be 1200. Once done. Each of these sniper infantry will cost 240. The player is limited on how much units can be placed on the map. The "size" of this design is also 240. So, lets say, 1200 is the limit. So, 5 can be placed.

Another design can be the second infantry card and 3 flame cards. Costs 60+3*20=120. Research is only 600. And 10 can be placed.

The next design...The first infantry card, and 1 rifle card. Easy design. Costs 100 and research 500. 12 can be placed.

Next... we didn't do the 4th infantry card yet. Lets add 2 sniper cards. 40+2*180=400. Alright, 2000 for research. 3 can be placed.

Ok, now then, shit designs:
4th infantry card, with a plasma grenade, plasma missile and a flame...
40+30+60+20=150.
Well, 750 research, 8 to place. Not very shit yet.

1th infantry card, with a flame and sniper.
50+20+180=250.
1250 research. But with 250 as costs, only 4 can be placed. Leaving room for 200....

There are balancing rules regarding this. And I rather don't want players to do that math either.
All the "missing" costs would be added in the game as strategy points. And players can exchange these for extra action points.
Meaning that players can play more turns if they have faulty designs.

Until I cut my fingers.

A card is reverted back to how a Statistics Card was build up.

Special things like:
- Size
- Strategy Points
Will be mentioned separately in the description.

As for the main properties on the card (Hobby version):
Main
- Name, will be a word
- Costs, 1 to 4 digits
Body
- Health, 1 to 3 digits
- "Maximum damage per die intake", 1 to 2 digits
- Speed. 1 digit
- Propulsion (if required), will be a word
Weapon
- Number of dice, 1 digit
- "damage per die", 1 to 2 digits
- Penalty (by accuracy), 1 digit
- Range, 1 to 2 digits
- Altered damage die roll (if required), 1 digit

Lot's of stuff to fit in.
We also want a picture and flavour text.
I am sure that a poker sized card will not work.

The math that players need are:
- Resources and Costs
- Action Points and Strategy Points
- Health and Damage
- Picking the lowest of the Damage done and Damage intake
- Table of Penalties
- Table of Dice rolls

8 Dice max. You roll per damage group. Starting at the lowest of attack range. Then if multiple groups are present, the player is forced to pick 1 of the 2 to go first. But it will still be a choice. And dying units of the enemy will still be able to roll if they belong to the same attack range group.

The information would be landscape once more.

With the names and costs on top right. That information would end up on the left. When holding in hands.

1 card to play. 1 card to discard.

But I think that the math is too complex. If I separate the bodies from the weapons.

Reason 1:
Strategy points seem to be difficult. If the player has to decide on them.

Example:
Body costs 3, weapon costs 4.
Total is 7.

If the maximum per design is 60.
The player has to calculate that 8*7=56.
And 60-56=4. Strategy points.

I know how this has to be calculated. I might as well do this for them.

Reason 2:
Analysis paralysis.
If players can't decide if 1, 2 or 3 weapons are good for a certain unit. And they need to combine more cards in order to make a good design. You basicly get analysis paralysis.

I know what is good. I might as well design for them.

Reason 3:
Specialists.
Certain units will have a different body size than other units. This calculation is not possible if players are to design their own units.

There are more reasons. But those 3 are the most important.

I also would like to add to this that if I make the combinations myself. I am able to make much more designs. Than previously possible with separate body and weapon cards. The main reason is that 5x5=25, while 5+5=10.
Not only that, but some other aspects of the game can return safely.

Cheers

Completely not linked to this math topic.
But might be the spice you are looking for.

Can be arranged in a book.
The ai of a mission can ask for cards that players need to gather. In a sense, the player can play missions if the cards are collected.

The same book also doubles as tracking your collection.