Combat forecast

The combat forecast of The Blazing Blade.

The combat forecast (Japanese: 戦闘予測 combat prediction), also known as the combat information window or combat window (Japanese: 戦闘情報ウィンドウ combat information window), is a gameplay feature in the Fire Emblem series, first appearing in Genealogy of the Holy War, although Mystery of the Emblem had a similar feature which displayed the enemy's battle stats.

The combat forecast is shown after selecting attack and then a weapon from the menu or, from Shadow Dragon onward, placing the unit onto an attack-able enemy (which skips weapon selection). The targeted unit can be changed by pressing the left and right directions on the +Control Pad, and combat is initiated with the A button. From Shadow Dragon onward, a unit's weapon can be changed right from the combat forecast menu with the X and Y buttons. Due to this, from New Mystery of the Emblem until Fates, there is an option to skip selection of a weapon entirely: the player can select "Classic" (Japanese: クラシック Classic), which works like previous games, or "Evolved" (Japanese: アドバンス Advanced), which skips weapon selection.

Mystery of the Emblem's pseudo-combat forecast shows most of the enemy's battle stats, namely its name, class, weapon, current HP, attack, hit, avoid, critical rate, attack speed, defense, and resistance.

In the Genealogy of the Holy War, the combat forecast displays the enemy unit's name, class, weapon, and level, and both units' attack, defense/resistance, and hit rate. Thracia 776 adds the player unit's name and level, along with both units' attack speed and critical rate, and gives the menu a visual overhaul.

From The Binding Blade onward, by default it instead shows the already calculated damage and whether the unit can make a follow-up attack, rather than showing attack, defense/resistance, and attack speed. Prior to Shadow Dragon, the classic combat forecast menu is able to be chosen in the options menu, or the combat forecast can be turned off entirely.

In Shadow Dragon, during Chapter 23, the combat forecast will actively lie when facing one of the fake Gharnefs, displaying 0 damage from all non-Starlight player attacks, preventing the identity of the real Gharnef from being exposed without actually entering combat, where damage values are displayed correctly.

In Awakening and Fates, a simplified menu is shown if simplified GUI is selected in the options menu, along with simplifying character stat screens. The simplified menu shows what HP values units could have after the combat.

Echoes: Shadows of Valentia returns to showing attack and defense rather than damage, but also incorporates an HP meter similar to the possible result numbers from the simplified menu of older games; it also shows terrain and support bonuses. In the options, a simplified combat forecast can be chosen which is the same as the menu used from The Binding Blade onward, aside from having the HP bar.

Three Houses' combat forecast is similar to Shadows of Valentia's simplified combat forecast. Comparing the information shown, skill icons can be seen, and terrain bonuses are no longer shown; durability is also shown again, as the mechanic returns. ZL and ZR can be used to switch between combat arts. If a Linked Attack is active, the side of the "Hit" label corresponding to the unit glows.

Etymology and other languages

Names, etymology, and in other regions
Language	Name	Definition, etymology, and notes
English	• Combat information window • Combat window • Combat forecast	• Used in the GBA titles; abbreviated as "Combat Info window" in the options menu. • Used in the Tellius games. • Used in other titles.
Japanese	• 戦闘情報ウィンドウ • 戦闘予測	• Combat information window. Used in the GBA and Tellius games. • Combat prediction
Spanish	Análisis del ataque	Attack analysis
French	Pronostics combat	Combat forecast
German	Kampfprognose	Combat forecast
Italian	Analisi attacco	Attack analysis
Dutch	Gevechtsprognose	Combat forecast
Korean	전투 예측	Combat prediction
Simplified Chinese	战斗预测	Combat prediction
Traditional Chinese	戰鬥預測	Combat prediction

Gallery

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  The precursor to the combat forecast in Mystery of the Emblem.

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  Selecting a weapon to use in Mystery of the Emblem.

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  The combat forecast in Genealogy of the Holy War.

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  The combat forecast in Thracia 776.

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  The strategic combat forecast in The Blazing Blade.

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  The detailed combat forecast in The Blazing Blade.

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  The simple combat forecast in Path of Radiance.

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  The detailed combat forecast in Path of Radiance.

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  The simple combat forecast in Radiant Dawn.

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  The detailed combat forecast in Radiant Dawn.

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  The combat forecast in Shadow Dragon.

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  The full combat forecast in Awakening.

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  The simplified combat forecast in Awakening.

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  The normal combat forecast in Fates.

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  The simple combat forecast in Fates.

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  The standard combat forecast in Echoes: Shadows of Valentia.

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  The simplified combat forecast in Echoes: Shadows of Valentia.

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  The combat forecast in Three Houses.