Victory Points and Scenario Design

[Broadsword56]

I'm trying to better understand how victory points can work and ideally should work in a good CMBN scenario. Some questions:

1. How do veteran scenario designers go about setting VP points? Do you decide first that a given scenario is "worth" a total number of VPs (say 1000) and then apportion them (say 800 for various territory locations, 200 for certain friendly or enemy casualty parameters)? How many total VPs is it good to use?

2. How and when do "asymmetrical" victory conditions play a useful role? What's a good way to make the most of this feature?

2. Is there any way to assign the enemy and friendly casualty percentage victory points in "Parameters" so that a given casualty level becomes a game-ending event? For example, if either the defending German side suffers > 60% casualties or the attacking US side suffers 30% casualties, the scenario ends and victory is determined by whatever side has the most VPs at that time? I'm looking for a way to make scenarios end when it would make sense historically, and not just automatically keep running until the final turn runs out and the players have fought to the last man.

(When I look at the Parameters screen in Editor, I see that one can assign points for a side inflicting/suffering given percentages of casualties. But it seems that would only count toward a side's victory point total at the end of the scenario (when the clock runs out). And those Parameter points would just be added to whatever other points that side scored for territory, unit objectives, etc.)

3. If I can't make the casualty parameters trigger an immediate end of a scenario, can I make them trigger a scenario loss or victory when the scenario clock runs out? For example: In a 60-turn scenario, if the attacking US side suffers > 30% casualties, it would wipe out any other VPs the US achieved and thus would mean defeat when turn 60 ends. (If Parameter points could be set to a negative value --can they? -- then I guess they could have the effect of wiping out positive VPs earned by territory capture, etc.)

Any tips, tricks and advice on this topic are appreciated.

[Field Marshal Blücher]

I'm trying to better understand how victory points can work and ideally should work in a good CMBN scenario. Some questions:

1. How do veteran scenario designers go about setting VP points? Do you decide first that a given scenario is "worth" a total number of VPs (say 1000) and then apportion them (say 800 for various territory locations, 200 for certain friendly or enemy casualty parameters)? How many total VPs is it good to use?

This REALLY depends on a number of different factors, although generally it is best to figure out the maximum number of points for each side and then divide that up as you see fit.

2. How and when do "asymmetrical" victory conditions play a useful role? What's a good way to make the most of this feature?

Generally speaking, asymmetrical victory conditions are useful in asymmetrical scenarios. (Sounds facetious but is also semi-serious.) They're also useful in situations where you just think long and hard about what each side would historically be trying to achieve and you come up with different things based on the tactical/strategic situation.

2. Is there any way to assign the enemy and friendly casualty percentage victory points in "Parameters" so that a given casualty level becomes a game-ending event? For example, if either the defending German side suffers > 60% casualties or the attacking US side suffers 30% casualties, the scenario ends and victory is determined by whatever side has the most VPs at that time? I'm looking for a way to make scenarios end when it would make sense historically, and not just automatically keep running until the final turn runs out and the players have fought to the last man.

(When I look at the Parameters screen in Editor, I see that one can assign points for a side inflicting/suffering given percentages of casualties. But it seems that would only count toward a side's victory point total at the end of the scenario (when the clock runs out). And those Parameter points would just be added to whatever other points that side scored for territory, unit objectives, etc.)

Nope, nothing can force the early end of a scenario except for a surrender or cease fire.

3. If I can't make the casualty parameters trigger an immediate end of a scenario, can I make them trigger a scenario loss or victory when the scenario clock runs out? For example: In a 60-turn scenario, if the attacking US side suffers > 30% casualties, it would wipe out any other VPs the US achieved and thus would mean defeat when turn 60 ends. (If Parameter points could be set to a negative value --can they? -- then I guess they could have the effect of wiping out positive VPs earned by territory capture, etc.)

Yep, it's quite easy--just give the opponents an "Enemy Casualties" parameter that has enormous points values attached to it. I did this in a number of CMSF scenarios, and it works here too. Say you have two terrain objectives worth 500 points total, and some other objectives worth 250. Just give the other side an "Enemy Casualties" parameter of 1500 points or something and it will basically force a loss.