I have been trying out some different objectives for my dust games, and I'm pretty happy with this one, so I figured I'd try telling you guys about it, and see what you think.

The idea is to have terrain objectives that the players have to occupy to win the battle, as is done in many other tabletop wargames. I've been imagining them as computer terminals which will be used to get/hide information, aim missiles or open doors to allow reinforcements in...

The battlefield is set up as is described for single battles in the rulebook, but instead of two of the pieces of cover, each player places an objective piece. (I've just been using an ammo crate standing on it's end, but anything that looks obvious could be used.) The objectives have the same rules as ammo crates in the game, so they must be placed in the "cover zone", give soft cover, have armour Vehicle 3 and two wounds, and can be squashed by robots if you really want.

At the end of the game, 2 points are awarded to each unit in the same square as an objective, and 1 point to any unit in any of the four squares directly adjacent to the objective (not diagonally). If an objective is destroyed by shooting or squashing during the game, not points are awarded for that objective. If all objectives are destroyed, the game is a draw (both lose).

I've been playing the game for 6 turns, and the game normally seems to have become decided at that point. I only have the basic set, so it may need to go on longer with bigger boards or more units.

The idea of giving points is that hopefully, units standing on the objective will get the most points as they hold the objective, but if that unit is totally swamped by the enemy, then the enemy will end up getting more points, as that unit won't be holding that objective for long. Also, I hope that it would allow for easy integration into games with several different objectives.

I've tried these rules out a couple of times (as with most of my play it was fighting against myself) and I think they work ok so far. I've tried to keep the rules simple, and allow for customisation, as that's one of the game's strengths, but I'd like to hear if you have any problems or suggestions to improve these rules or anything.

I have been thinking of slight alterations to these rules, but I haven't tried them out yet, so I can't make any promisses on this bit, but I don't think there should be problems:

If you want to put objectives in the open (important passes or roadways, hill crests etc.), then they can't be destroyed as there's nothing actually there to destroy, so use a coin or flag or something to represent them.

If you use tank traps as the objectives, robots won't be able to claim the 2 points for occupying the objective, but their looming presence can still net them 1 point for being adjacent.

If you make the objectives impassable, then noone can claim the 2 points and all units just need to try to get close to it.

If you want to make one objective the main objective, just double the points given for that objective.

Tomorrow night, I hope to try out something a little more complex, but I'll tell you how I'm hoping it will work.

The objective will be a wounded allied officer. The axis want to capture the officer to pump him for information, while the allies hope to rescue him and bandage him up, to send him back into the fight.

The officer starts the game in the central square 3 squares in from the axis deployment board edge. At the beginning of each turn, the allied player rolls a dice. On a hit, the officer manages to crawl one square directly towards the allied board edge. If he can't go directly, he will go diagonally, and if he can't do that he may crawl sideways. If there is a choice, the allied player decides where he goes. At the end of the 6 turns, determine the points just as any other objective above.

Oh, also, I'm thinking if a robot enters the square containing the officer, roll a dice. On a hit, the pilot has accidently trodden on and squashed the officer. If someone wants to attack the officer, he has armour Infantry 2 and 2 wounds. His death results in a draw.

Anyway, I hope you guys like what I have so far, and have plenty of ideas for more improvements.

sounds good to me i was thinking of something that you have to kidnap a scientist or something

Greetings Bunny Steak,

A slew of creativity here; I admire people who take a game and make it their own. DT seems thus far to be a system perfect for scenarios, missions and other visions of thematic play.

I've only time for a few thoughts, as I must get to work:

Instead of calculating points for objectives held at the end of the game, calculate them at the end of each turn / round (cannot remember the proper term).

This helps a lot of things, such as:

encourages people to get moving and not turtle. Every turn matters.

accurately depcits the time it may take to blow something up, gather all the printed data, prepare it for transport, etc.

give a number that is a win goal, and make it attainable. For example, if the center objective is worth 3 points, the two others are worth 2 points and a walker can be adjacent for 1 point at the end of each round/turn, The army which accumulates 12 points first will take the game. For extra flavor, make every commander killed worth 2 as well!

If VP is only calculated at the end, this may happen:

Axis team bravely moves to the objective, suffering heavy casualties

Allied team pounds them from a distance or using hit and run for 5 turns

they charge in to the atrophied unit last round, blow up with a flamethrower, and win the game. Not as much fun as, say, the Axis winning 5 points to 1 at the end of turn two. It provides context, and a strong sense of urgency.

I love your idea of rescuing an officer down, and will leave others to comment on that.

K, my two cents, and coffee time, is over.

Cheers and happy gaming

Some great ideas, I plan on trying a few out and will let you know what happens.

I know GrandInquisitorKris has a few Scientist figures from AT-43's OP Frostbite and the Scientist figure from the HorrorClix AvP Aliens figure pack that he plans to use in a few senarios I have yet to find out what the VP conditions will be I let you guys know as so as I find out more see you on the battlefield.

End of Line.....

Sounds like a neat addition, one thing I'll suggest though is that diagonals count as well as this then will be in keeping with the normal rules in that the first diagonal is equal to 1 range. It would seem strange that an attacker on a diagonal could fight with R1 weapons on a unit occupying the objective but not count in controlling it.

If anyone is looking for Axis scientist figures, then Darkson Designs AE world war 2 has a crazy looking German Geneticist. There's also the more thematically dubious 'Dr Arkadius' from Privateer Press 'Hordes' game.

theguildllc said:

I think that the old horror clix game had a few scientist/technician types that could work. One type of scenario that I really enjoy is a "hot potato" or "football" type of scenario. Team A has to capture some item, (a briefcase, master control, plans...) and the have to carry it off their side of the board. Team B has to stop them. Rules can be handled in a few different ways- but it equal a lot of fun as the two sides run around trying desperately to get the "football".