Look, we need to make sure this doesn't become a widespread phenomenon. It's better to break the habit of using auto-combat before it becomes ingrained, as it's a bad habit.
Losing battles doesn't only happen when you spare a scout and rush into combat without scouting.
Not all players, when planning to break through defenses, calculate the damage dealt by the attacking stack, the possibilities for maneuvering, and so on. More often, they rely on experience, and only after engaging in battle do they start to think. Without that experience, especially for beginners, it can be difficult to remember all the factors that can lead to a loss:
- fast neutral creatures that block ranged units on the first turn (and what about morale?)
- a large stack of giants, for example
- assessing the number of units guarding a particular object, especially in the range of 20-49
- attempting to save resources by using scouts for a serious attack (when you estimate the damage based on a previous battle, and therefore based on the skills of, say, a 10-10 hero, but in reality, the scout has 0-0 skills)
- and so on
I almost always allow auto-combat when asked, and I almost always offer it when not asked. I believe that in a seasonal game or a novice tournament, the option to use auto-combat should be available!
Or at least, there should be an option: if a battle is lost, flip a coin, with a 50% chance of continuing the game or losing.
