create a new template with web scenario, one step.
create a host, link it to that template.
unlink it from that template.
in the template, change attempts (labelled "retries" in older versions) to 2.
link the template to the same host.
in the properties of the scenario, notice how the value is still 1.

might be worth checking all fields in the scenario/steps, and verifying that server does this correctly, too.