How do fistfights work?

[Boba Phat]

I had a colonist I'd picked up from a pirate raid: 16 melee, dressed like Conan in wolfskin tribalwear and I gave him a uranium longsword... but he had an abrasive personality.  My glitterworld philanthropist who refused to engage in violence, had 0/0 combat skills, and was completely unarmed ended up being insulted and got into a fistfight... and beat the ex-pirate to death with his bare hands.  I'm guessing fistfights from social fighting are handling differently than regular combat.

[rexx1888]

ive had something similar happen actually, more than once... it worries me that that isnt particularly rare....

[keylocke]

the first rule about fistfights is that we don't talk about fistfights.

jack might be a pacifist, but durden packs a mean wallop.

[Deimos Rast]

confirming I've had the same, where non-violent types win the fight.
just make sure the abrasive types don't get drunk, as it increases should fight chance. Smoke leaf decreases it.

[14m1337]

maybe the non-violent pawn just landed a lucky punch...

[ThiIsMe007]

Presently, it all boils down to :

"Combat system" in Rimworld = RNG.

I'll leave it at that.

[MeowRailroad]

I assume that stands for Ridiculous Number Generator?

[ThiIsMe007]

I assume that stands for Ridiculous Number Generator?

Pretty much so, yes.

I am rooting for a combat AI overhaul. It probably won't happen in the next few versions, since it's a big and spendy endeavour to code, but it's a much needed one.

1/ mechanoid scythe one-shot snipes colonist (= me so weak  )
2/ (reload, same situation, same everything) colonist one-shot snipes mechanoid scythe (= me so stronk and clever!  )

Some people will call the above "advanced tactics" and be satisfied with it, but I can't.