So when there's a contest, I need to make sure I'm reading the rules correctly. Let's say the attacker has strength 4 and the defender has strength 3. If the attacker rolls and gets 4 hits, does the defender even need to bother rolling? By my understanding of the rules, the defender would be required to get 4 hits as well in order to win and since that's impossible, even with cards, is it even worth the effort or am I misunderstanding something?

Bataar said:

you are right unless the defender has cards which add hits!

If the attacker rolls more hits than the defender can roll, indeed he won already. So it is possible that from time to time a counter-roll by the defender is not necessary.

Cybernex said:

Yes, and when this happens, REJOICE. I can't tell you how many times I've rolled 5 dice as the attacker, used a strategy card, and still rolled 4 blanks.

TK

Tim Kelly said:

Did they have herbs/drugs to cure "shooting blanks" in the Hyborian Age ?

j/k

Dam said:

Probably horrible Stygian Magik!