Ironblade

Marco!

1) Did we keep getting exactly four hordelings because the mission is hardcapped at that number, or would taking the team up to 8 members spawn us more on each map?
No, it's based on team size but there is also a random factor. You'll get more ON AVERAGE, by upping the team size.

2) Did we keep getting exactly four because we kept resetting the mission (and so kept getting the same exact map,
No. Resetting the map resets it all. You can tell a mission has been successfully reset because you'll get the mission entry pop-up again and the map will be all blank.

If we also did the second mission, would that give us a better chance for more on the first mission?
um.. I forget which is which but when I was in a farm, I think we used the mission with Terigol. I'm not sure if someone figured out that was the best one, or we just ended up with that one for no good reason.

4) If we were down to, say, a duo, would we still get four-per-map? Or would it drop to, say, two?
It would drop - dunno to what number.

Given the super-tight timeline to earn this badge, and the absolutely singular mission to get them to spawn, and given how quickly interest in doing Holiday content seems to fade (typically within the first week!), I could really use any tips or hints in how to maximize the chances of getting these two badges (plus the two gladiators attached to those two).
Join a badging channel on your server. The badgers *WILL* keep grinding those missions until they get the badges on as many of their toons as need it. Personally, I only hunt badges on one toon.

(from July-09) "I think that they need to acept that coh is pretty much dead when this come out"
Yeah, we saw how that worked out.

Short answer: yes.

More detail:
All defense "soft caps" at 45%. Defense falls into two general categories: positional or typed.

The aspect where it becomes more complex for typed defense is: an attack is melee *OR* ranged. It can't be both. But an attack can be smashing and fire types at the same time.

So, say you have 45% smashing/lethal defense and 30% fire defense. You get hit with one of various fire attacks that is listed as smashing and fire. The game automatically picks the better of your defenses. You would get 45% defense vs a smashing/fire attack. So, answering your precise question: you would get that 45% defense if any part of the enemy attack is smashing or lethal. Many attacks are all smashing or all lethal, but your defense would be good against 'split' ones like the hypothetical smashing/fire attack I mentioned.

And, it can get even worse. Some attacks have no positional element. Some attacks are 'special' and ignore all defense types.

Or this page. In the table of contents, click item 5 Enhancement Aspects and Schedules.

It gives a detailed explanation of the values for each schedule and what types of enhancements fall into which schedule category.

Edit: Bah! Fleeting Whisper beat me with the correct page.