Combat leadership bonuses

[Jagger]

Ok, I had some battles in my PBEMs in which I was surprised by the results. So I am looking at the battle process again trying to understand the results.

I am looking at the leadership bonus process first. The big battles have multiple leaders so I want understand the leadership bonus process properly with multiple leaders on both sides.

Command bonus:
Each point of ability in offense, defense or assault from a leader gives a 5% bonus.

Subtract the appropriate ability value of the enemy leader (offense or defense or assault) from your leaders combined ability results the command bonus modifier.

Looking at the bolded section on leadership bonuses, my understanding is I need to add up the combined leadership abilities of all my leaders and then subtract only the bonus of the leader of the enemy army from that total. (I am a little surprised that the comparison isn't total leadership vs total leadership.)

Here is an example. I have the following army with an army leader of 5-2-2 and subordinate leaders of 4-3-3, 4-3-2, 5-4-5 in battle against an enemy army with an army leader of 4-3-2 and a subordinate leader of 4-2-2.

My army has a total leadership ability of 12 offense and 12 defense by adding together all attack and defense leadership skills. Then I subtract the enemy leader's 3 offense and 2 defence leadership ability. Which gives my army a total leadership bonus of 10 offense and 9 defense.

The enemy army has a total leadership ability of 5 offense and 4 defense. Then I subtract my leaders 2 offense and 2 defense leadership ability. Total bonus of 3 offense and 2 defense.

So when my army attacks, each unit attacks with a bonus of 10 against defending units with a bonus of 2 defense. So total bonus for attacks by my army units are 8.

When the defender attacks, each unit attacks with a bonus of 3 against my defending units bonus of 9 defense which gives my defenders a 6 negative bonus to their defense. Or since the number is negative, the actual bonus is 0?

Are these calculations correct or am I misunderstanding the process?

[Pocus]

where is written the bold sentence, it is plain wrong. You only get the commander of each side, not all leaders for you and the commander of the other side!

What the sentence try to say is that you never get a penalty from being commanded by a less able leader , if you have a leader with a 4 rating and the other have a leader with a 5, you get 0 and the enemy has +1, translating to +5% to firepower.

[Jagger]

Actually that is a quote from the expanded combat explanation in the sticky thread, "Living Rules (detailed game mechanics).

I did a double take when I read that bit about "your leaders combined abilities". The light bulb went on and I thought I had misunderstood a major component of the battle process. And actually I could rationalize the concept as every leader in an army would make a contribution in a battle.

But I was wrong and now I understand. Thanks!

[Pocus]

must have been in a bad shape when I wrote the sentence (if this is me, but the living rules are from me), dunno why I formulated like that the information...