Suicide attacks in FT

Phillip E. Pournelle writes:
@:) 
@:) I think the only way to prevent wargamers from conducting all out
@:) attacks to win scenarios are campeigns.

  It's not the only way but it's one of the easiest.

@:) The other option in a scenario is to create gradience of victories
@:) such as draw, minor victory, major victory etc.  Ensure these
@:) conditions support the surrounding story of the scenario.

  Yeah, this really helps a lot.  You also need a way to get off the
board (fixed maps are nonsensical but promote tactical withdrawals),
preferably without killing yourself which is always a problem with
FT-style FTL drives.  One good trick that's worked quite well in
recent games I've played is calling the game when one player can no
longer win.  This not only saves a lot of wasteful killing but it
allows the combatants to fit another game into their schedule!

  I do think the idea of crippled ships fits into this question as
well.  Assume a player gets more "victory points" for killing a ship
than for crippling it, and assume more than one enemy ship.  Once the
player has crippled one ship, he has to make the choice between
killing it and crippling the second ship - and possibly getting too
shot up in the process to continue the fight.  Are two cripples, or
one and a half, worth it or should you go for the kill, take the
damage from the still-operational enemy and run for it once the other
guy is dead?  These kinds of issues help keep players thinking about
their ships and staying alive.

-joachim