Super noob questions

[rulebreaker]

I have only ever played click-dial wargames, of Wizkids fame. Getting into more generalized tabletop rules, there are a number of things that I don't really understand.

1) How do you keep track of unit stats? Is it all written onto a separate card? And how do you remember which card goes with which unit, especially in large scale games?

2) Game individual models within a unit separately have their own unique stats and abilities?

3) Is roll-for-hit then roll-for-armor an arguably universal convention in tabletop games?

[egge]

1. Armylists. Basically you remember the exceptions and have several general things like movement distance e t c as something everybody knows. For attacking you just go through the unit with the stat at hand and go through the weapons. Most units have like 4 weapons of the same type that you roll at the same time and one special weapon that you handle separately.

2. Most basic attributes within a unit are the same. Special parts like heavy weapon are handled specifically. But since movement, armour and accuracy tend to be the same you only have a small part of units as exceptions.

3. Somewhat. Games workshop go: roll to hit, roll to damage, roll for armour. I think it is still the mainstay in wargames. Onepage rules tend to mix the last two together.

[rulebreaker]

Makes sense, thanks. So units should be cookie cutter warriors to keep things simple. Do multi-model units always substitute wound markers by just removing warriors instead?

[egge]

Most models have one damage point. I e you remove one model per failed save.

Many tougher models have several damage points though. Like tanks or heavy infantry. There, damage is generally applied to one model until it is dead before starting on new models. So you usually need a die to show damage to those units.

Example. A unit of five models have 3 damage points each. When the first failed armour save happens you place a die around the model you choose that takes the damage. Next time the unit takes damage you must apply the damage to the already damaged model.

Note some weapons does more damage. Stated on each weapon.

[rulebreaker]

One more thing I'm uncertain on; is clearing stunned status treated as an action? I mean during the next round, does the player need to individually manually remove the activation marker, stand the figure back up, and then replace the activation marker? Or do all stunned figures automatically recover at the beginning of the next turn?

EDIT: Phrased more simply: Units may only have their activation markers cleared at the beginning of a turn if they are currently standing upright?

[egge]

I think you are right.

To make a unit non-stunned (I am thinking about grimdark here) you need to activate them and un-stunn them.

So a unit failes a morale test in turn 1. In turn 2 the opponent shoots at the same unit again, killing one model. Since the target is pinned they do not take a morale test from shooting. Then the unit activates and remove their pinned-status. They may do nothing else.

Then the opponent activates and kills another model in the unit from shooting. Now they have to take a morale again.

Does it help?