dtgreene: I still have yet to try either of these games, but I was just thinking about the mechanics of Ultima games, and I am wondering what the Ultima Underworld games are like mechanically.

In particular, here are some questions:
* How does the game determine whether attacks hit? Is it a simple collision check (like in an action game), or does the game roll dice (like in an RPG)? If the game rolls dice, what stats affect hit and evade chance, and does armor help you evade attacks? (That last question might seem a little strange, but there are enough WRPGs, including earlier Ultima games, that did that.)
* What exactly do skills do? In particular, how do weapon skill levels factor into the game mechanics? Is it possible to get by without any weapon skill if the weapon is strong enough, or is that not feasible? Similarly, can a weak weapon be effective late game if you have high skill?
* Are there any notable mechanical differences between the games?

zandrag: It uses skills and RNG to check if you hit (if close enough). So... uh...
This link will pretty much answer everything quicker:
https://wiki.ultimacodex.com/wiki/Skill_System_of_Underworld_and_Underworld_II

dtgreene: Thank you for the link.

So, weapon skills affect accuracy but not damage?

One other question that link doesn't answer: What does armor do? Does it help you dodge attacks, or does it reduce the damage you take when you do get hit?