an attack doesn't have to be greater than a defense to hit?
to me, if a defense matches the attack, the attack shouldn't break through to do damage.

I just wonder what they were thinking when they made that decision. It obviously makes no difference to the game, and would have just required a +1 or -1 adjustment to attack or defense numbers right from the start, and it obviously can't be changed. I just wonder.

Any other "it wouldn't make a difference, but I wonder why they went with ..." thoughts that run through your heads?

When I first got clix, I didn't read the rules properly and it seemed intuitive that you had to beat the defense of the opposing figure in order to hit them. Playing against myself, 17 defense seemed massively powerful. Ironically, it actually made some of the Xplosion figures worth using. Storm veteran was my favourite piece, because she effectively had 18 from range.

I wonder why anyone would have 0 damage.

Some clicks it makes sense on, for example Sage's "Digital Projection" click.

I don't see Destiny winning a fist-fight with ANYONE.

Lian Harper?

My money's on the blind chick over the baby. 2:1 odds.

Destiny is a character I categorically wouldn't give 0 damage, especially if the sculpt had her with a crossbow. She foresaw what the opponent would do, so she was great in combat.

Those are good examples. I was thinking mire along the lines of the Sinestro and Sentinel colossals. Some of the characters that turn into a gas or intangeable makes sense.

I have wondered about that attack/defense conundrum before. If you swing an 18 and I defend with an 18 - that seems I parried your blow, deflected your shot, etc. Of course, there's no way that Wizkids could change that now.

Chaos would ensue! Boards would explode! Fanboys would fanboy!

I have thought this myself, that the attack + dice roll should be greater than the defense of the fig your attacking...

I think the answer is that in the start of Heroclix when attack values were lower and defenses were in the higher ranges, such they still are about the same, that a tie was accepted as a connecting blow or shooter hitting their mark, because a 9 attack then hitting an 18 ESD or CR defense was tough enough, but now their are so many 10 attack and up figs that maybe it should be considered as a new rule to balance out the attack creep and defense still in the same ranges(yes there are exceptions Wizard Shazam, etc)...........

I personally think it would be good for the game and help the mid range figs survive against say Kal-L or various Supermen, Sentry type Tanks........

This ain't RISK.

In every game Cards like Magic, and Yu-Gi-Oh, to Miniature like Heroclix and Star Wars Minis, to overly expensive(but awesome) wargames like Warhammer 40k.... It's always Greater then AND Equal to for a hit. It's just how it's always been. My best explanation is that that Defense number is their threshold and by equaling it you break it. And anything else is OVER-kill. Just how I can justify it with logistics.

So the reasoning is because it is a game tradition or standard? That makes sense from a design aspect, since being consistent with other games makes it easier to learn.

qft
I agree

The defence value is a target number.

It's a lot easier to play a game in which the target number is obvious than to play a game where you have to calculate the target number on the fly (even if said calculation is very simple).