Re: Stargrunt "one" points system?

In message <Pine.LNX.3.91.970427205121.26191A-100000@swob.dna.fi> Mikko
Kurki-Suonio writes:
> On Sun, 27 Apr 1997, Alex Williams wrote:
> 
> > Exercises in futility can be lots of fun.  I enjoy horror
roleplaying
> 
> In roleplaying, you don't have an opponent. You can't win or lose a
RPG. 
> This is an important distinction. 

Roleplaying has it's place in wargaming, I think. The gameplay
itself is a major draw for me, trying to win against someone
with the same motivation (and out-play them, or learn from a well-
deserved defeat) but sometimes a self-imposed sense of "realism" 
over and above that imposed purely by the mechanics can make a game 
more enjoyable. Sacrificing all your ships because there is a slim 
possibility that you will roll many sixes and he many ones may 
result in the same defeat (999,999 times in 1,000,000) as 
disengagement, but the latter seems more honourable, more 
"realistic". (This example can be put down to the lack of even
simple victory conditions in FT, I note.)

> This is an interesting idea you have: Abolish victory conditions so
both 
> players can deceive themselves to think they've achieved something.

...Ah, real life...

> > And how do you account for this greater overall context with a
measly
> > point system?
> 
> With victory conditions and scenario templates.
> 
> The points are there to gauge relative strengths to help decide what
kind 
> of scenario would be appropriate for the forces involved. 
> 
> "Looks like you outgun me 10 to 1. How about a 'last stand' type of
battle?"

This is *very* appropriate to Stargrunt, particularly since the same 
force can be given different "motivation levels". A small force 
making a last stand would definately have a High motivation and 
fight, man-for-man, much harder than a superior force that wants to 
annihilate them with minimal losses. 

If BDS is going to have a simple points systems, this would seem to 
be a natural complement. Particularly because it gets JMT off the 
hook for pointing up the different levels of motivation, which 
certainly deserve to be scenario chosen.

-- 
David Brewer