How do you eliminate units?

[kedalion]

Hi everyone!

I've been mulling over some ideas for a short campaign, and I want to create an "evacuation" scenario where the player tries to exit his units at a particular victory hex. There's no problem with that, I know how to do that, but I want to add the twist of "destroying" the player's units that don't manage to escape via the exit... a sort of "Left Behind" destruction. I'm stumped! So far all I've managed to think of is unleashing some invincible super-force for the computer player to destroy everything that isn't properly evacuated by the player. Have you guys got any ideas? [&:]

[kedalion]

ELABORATION!

I should say I don't want to permanently delete them from the players OOB, but just to max their damage so they have to be replaced in the build screen for the next scenario.

[minefield]

I know nothing about scenarios but this reminded me of 075 - A deadly trap (WBW). Mr. Wild Bill mentions being penalized for not getting your troops evacuated but I'm not sure how.

[kedalion]

Thanks Minefield I'll check it out!

[Major Destruction]

In a scenario where the player has to exit the map, at the end of the battle any units remaining on the map score against the player. They do not, AFAIK, need to be rebuilt in the next scenario of a campaign

[Wild Bill]

You are correct, Major. They will enter the next scenario in the campaign even if removed from the map during the current scenario. Exit hexes is the way to go.

Wild Bill

[returnfire]

ORIGINAL: Major Destruction

In a scenario where the player has to exit the map, at the end of the battle any units remaining on the map score against the player. They do not, AFAIK, need to be rebuilt in the next scenario of a campaign

Would the following method work?

Let's say that your scenario is 15 turns long. Now, purchase as many level bombers, heavy artillery, rocket launchers, strike aircrafts, etc. as you can. Then, set their delay to 13.0 to 15.0 turns and set their target to places all over the map.

Result: If any unit (regardless of type) is left onboard at the end of the scenario, it should not survive unless you're lucky.

[RockinHarry]

ORIGINAL: returnfire

ORIGINAL: Major Destruction

In a scenario where the player has to exit the map, at the end of the battle any units remaining on the map score against the player. They do not, AFAIK, need to be rebuilt in the next scenario of a campaign

Would the following method work?

Let's say that your scenario is 15 turns long. Now, purchase as many level bombers, heavy artillery, rocket launchers, strike aircrafts, etc. as you can. Then, set their delay to 13.0 to 15.0 turns and set their target to places all over the map.

Result: If any unit (regardless of type) is left onboard at the end of the scenario, it should not survive unless you're lucky.

Not in a battle where all these bomber aircraft and artillery is given to the AIP! Reason is you can´t set AIP artillery or aircraft to delay until a given turn! Or in other words, you can; ... but the AIP won´t stick to it and it will take opportunities to "delete" the delay times and reassign the units as it sees fit! This unfortunately is one of a couple of limitations in the SPWAW game.

Note: The AIP normally plots artillery/AC missions to enemy units that it can see (even if spotted units move out of sight shortly after)! If there´s no spotted enemy unit, the AIP likes to target some of its assets on enemy held victory flags (randomly). If the AIP does not see any enemy units and if there´s no (visible) VH on the map, there´s a chance that the AIP won´t touch the preassigned (by scenario maker) artillery/AC targets and delays. Now Victory hexes can be hidden until activated (activation turn!), but how long can you hide your units before the AIP to assure it won´t delete set artillery/AC missions?!? If you´re creative and patient enough, you can probably work out something that..works and ...is even fun to play. Good luck![:)]

Btw, same goes for artillery/AC that you bring into the game as AIP "reinforcements". AIP AC will come randomly into the game, not considering "reinforcement" turns and "reinforcement" AIP artillery, not yet arrived on the map will even shoot from offmap!!! Could be there are (rare) exceptions, but I can´t remember of any at the moment.

Only way that I know to get AIP artillery to work as I want (Time, not target), is to use decrewed onboard artillery, but that won´t be of use for your scenario.

You better work with non artillery onboard units that you bring into the game at a given time with "perfect" observation of the enmy units likely collecting points. Example: Place a reinforcement hex in a hex that offers the desired vantage point. Now make a custom unit based maybe on a bunker, tank or something else that keeps immobile (speed=0) and hidden long enough (high experience, size=0) and give this unit a very powerful weapon in slot1. A good candidate would be any of the naval guns, or the "Thor/Dora" gun in czech OOB. Now assuming your scenario ends on turn 15, make the custom unit enter the map as reinforcement one turn earlier (14) or as you see fit. This way you can create some nasty surprises if the human opponent does not leave the map quick enough. You can even fool the human player to some extent by renaming your custom unit to "Bomber squadroon" or "tactical nuke" or something.[:D]

If you check out the V8.3 norway OOB included custom units, you will have an idea what is possible and maybe more. There´s a PDF file included with V8.2/8.3 (Special scenario designer units in norway OOB..something.PDF) and this might give you some fresh ideas![8D]

[Danny Boy]

Am I missing something here?

Surely, if the scenario can be played whereby any units not exiting the map at point 'X' by turn'Y' (end of game) get counted by the game as being captured/destroyed anyway (which is my understanding of the default) then why do you actually want to physically destroy them on map? Unless you actually want the gratification of seeing the units get blown to tiny little pieces?[:D]

Cheers!

[Major Destruction]

I don't think you will find a good method for destroying the units left behind but you can penalize a player who does not evacuate all his units by assigning different rebuild points for each game result eventuality. It will make the campaign larger than it needs to be because you will have at least 4 more scenarios to graduate to in the next game of the campaign. But you could give the player who scores a DV many rebuild points and give no rebuild points to a player who scores a DL with others ranged in between, but this would mean having several versions of the next game.