# Interactive Scatter Compass with Real Time Projectile Animation
The Scatter Direction Selector goes beyond static number generation by rendering an animated projectile trajectory directly on the compass overlay. When you click Roll Scatter, a glowing projectile travels from the centre along the deviation angle, leaving a dashed trail and bursting into particles at the impact point. For direct hits, expanding green rings pulse outward while a "DIRECT HIT" label scales into view with a dramatic glow. This real-time visual feedback eliminates ambiguity, letting you see exactly where your shot lands and how far it deviates. 2 Sector Systems
4 Dice Presets
0-100% Hit Probability Range
10 Recent Roll History
# How the Trajectory Animation Improves Wargame Decision Making
Traditional scatter tools display a numeric angle and distance, forcing players to mentally visualise the offset on the tabletop. The animated trajectory bridges this gap by drawing the exact flight path from the aim point to the scatter landing zone. The distance in inches appears as an overlay label at the impact location, while the compass arrow remains locked to the final deviation angle. This makes it instantly clear whether a shot clips a building corner, drifts into an allied unit, or lands in open ground - without reaching for a tape measure.Direct Hit
When the roll beats the hit probability, the compass centre erupts with pulsing green rings and a "DIRECT HIT" text animation. The projectile returns to centre, confirming a perfect impact with zero deviation.
Scatter
On a scatter result, the projectile follows a dashed trajectory to its landing point. An impact burst of particles, a glowing marker, and the distance in inches (e.g. 5") appear at the landing site, while the red compass arrow shows the direction for easy template placement.
Pro Tip: Using Wind Drift Mode
Toggle Wind Drift to lock the scatter direction to your manually rotated compass angle. This simulates a prevailing wind or a fixed displacement vector - ideal for unguided rockets, gas clouds, or teleportation mishaps where the drift direction is known but the distance remains random.# Resolving Scatter and Deviation Mechanics in Tabletop Wargames
Many tactical wargames and miniature combat rulesets incorporate deviation to simulate the unpredictable nature of artillery fire, wind drift, teleportation failures, or grenade bounces. The resolution usually requires rolling a direction-based scatter die combined with a distance roll (such as 2D6 or a D6). This digital assistant consolidates both rolls into an instantaneous, animated vector.| Game Category | Typical Direction Format | Standard Distance Roll | Common Application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sci-Fi Skirmish | 8 Direction Radial | 2D6 Inches | Deep strike teleportation deviation |
| Historical Wargames | 12 Direction Clock Face | 1D6 Inches | Off-board mortar and artillery scatter |
| Fantasy Battle Games | 8 Direction Radial | 1D10 / 2D6 Inches | Catapult shots and magical vortex movement |
| Post-Apocalyptic Survival | 8 Direction Cardinal | 1D6 Inches | Thrown grenade and gas cylinder drift |
# Tactical Management of Wind and Drift Deviation
When deploying template weapons, players must account for deviation margins. By establishing a direct hit percentage, you determine the reliability of the firing unit. An experienced mortar crew may have a high hit probability, reducing scatter chance, whereas an unguided rocket pod might rely entirely on random dispersion. Adjusting these parameters on the fly speeds up measurement times and keeps the game flow continuous.Radial 8 Direction System
Uses cardinal and ordinal headings (N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW) to resolve template offsets.
- Ideal for square and hexagonal grids
- Easy to align with standard battlefield edges
- Provides fast visual identification of quadrants
Clock Face 12 Direction System
Translates directions into clock hours (1 to 12), offering finer precision for micro-measurements.
- Standard for many historical rulesets
- Allows precise directional degrees
- Easy translation from table orientation
- Deviation Vector
- The combined angle and distance indicating the final position of a scattered template.
- Direct Hit
- A roll outcome indicating the projectile hit the target target exactly, bypassing deviation.
- Template Weapon
- An area-of-effect weapon that uses physical templates (like circles or tears) to determine hit units.
- Wind Drift
- A static or variable modifier that shifts templates in a set direction regardless of the initial aim.
- Projectile Trajectory
- The animated dashed line drawn from the compass centre to the scatter landing point, visualising the exact flight path of the deviation.
- Impact Point
- The final position where the animated projectile lands, marked by a glowing particle burst and a distance-in-inches label.
- Hit Probability
- A percentage configured before rolling that determines the likelihood of a Direct Hit. When the roll falls within this threshold, the projectile hits centre with zero scatter distance.
- Compass Lock
- In Wind Drift mode, the scatter direction is locked to the user-rotated compass angle, overriding random direction generation.