Dropzone missions in combination lies strength part 2

So in the original DZC 2.0 book we had a lot more missions than what is in the current version. I don't know why this is as it would have pretty easy releasing a scenariobook with lots and lots of missions. But I thought to write down several missions as I remember them as well as give several ideas for variations and my opinion on them.

I will use the below as a template which clearly can be seen done in a professional program (paint) with perfect scale (I shot from the hip). It gives a good template for missions though. 

  

First, let me remind you of the historical objectives in Dropzone commander:

Mobile hidden objectives: as the rulebook (Target's of Opportunities). 1 VP for holding and 2 VP for getting of the table. Generally only used inside buildings. 

Focal points A Open objective. At the end of the game. The side holding the objective get 1 VP. The side with most KP within 6" (or within 6" of the building) get 2 VP. My preference is that you skip the 1+2 VP and instead go for 1+1VP. Thus the Focal point award as much as a normal objective. Can be used ion both buildings and outside of buildings with ease. 

Focal point B Open objective. In turn 3 and 6, the side holding the objective get 1VP. The player with most KP within 6" at the end of the game also get another VP. So total 3VP for his objective. Can also be used effectively outside of buildings with ease.  

Note that focal points are not mobile objectives and thus handing over the objective is not possible. A unit can only claim a objective during their activation. 

Critical location: Open objective. At the end of turn 2,4 and 6, the player with the most KP within 6" score 1 VP. There are a lot of variations here. Just by only awarding the point to the player holding the objective (instead of most KP within 6") you get a whole different type of game. Also you could do mobile versions that can not be taken off table (though then it should be most KP within 6") so you will see a lot of Dropships hunting the objective. It would be smart to limit the movement of the objective to force it to be moved first in a player's activation.  

Holding quarters A: This is from a pretty weak mission and tend to cause a lot of calculations. The table is split into 4 quarters. At the end of turn 3 and 6 each player with a model in a quarter get 1VP and the player with the most KP in that quarter get another VP. 

Holding quarters B:  As A but only count the last turn. 

Kill points: Each destroyed KP is one VP. Do not count half units at all. 

Information A: Open objective. as the rulebook "Survey and control". 

Information B: As A but have two objectives in each building, one for each player. A player can only find their objective and when rolled on the chart remove their marker. A model can not stop the opponent from picking up "their objective" and rolling on the chart. If a 1 or a 6 is rolled the opponent's objective (if any left) are removed as well.

Information C. As B but with the following chart:

1. Bomb. The infantry base takes D3 Damage without any save of any kind. This damage does not go over to any other unit. So search with damaged units or non elite-units or take the risk. The building also takes D3 E 9 hits. Remove all markers left in the building.  

2-5 A VP. Remove your marker. 

6. You find a Focal point B. Remove all markers in the building.

You will not find any balance issue in finding mobile objectives that can be taken off table or critical locations instead of focal points. Go with what you like. Or vary.  

Other special rules:

Bunkers: Specified buildings (usually the ones with a objective inside) are indestructible.

Military buildings. All buildings or specified buildings are armour 13. 

Woods: use a number of woods as Garrisons. This is pretty obvious but generally any mission you will play will feel pretty fresh if you mix in a wood or two.

Dry season: Woods get a critical hit of Energy 3 instead of 2.

Long edge and corners. Long edges are the standard in DZC but you can also change it up quite a lot but allowing units to move in 12" in from the corners instead. This means you will be able to place some buildings in the neutral corners that no one can enter turn 1 if you'd like.    

There are several ways to set up in the rulebook, most noticable which units will arrive when, but mostly I don't think they add that much. Generally units should start off table unless they have the infiltration rule as I don't think it adds that much to the game starting with units on table. 

With the above you should start mix missions as you wish.

Example of missions:

With the above ideas and a sense of combining missions you can make a lot of different missions that all work very well. Generally you can handle most ideas with the basic set-up:

Long edge deployment

Corner deployment with slightly changed position of neutral objective building

Damn those maps looks like they are really done by a pro! You can hardly see the difference between TT combat's mission drawings and mine! 

In any case you have a standard way of setting the terrain:

You should always place 5 Garrisons in the "basic objective areas". Three along the center line and one in the right hand corner. If you play a corner set-up then place the neutral buildings slightly further away fromt the players. If you have focal points or critical locations or quarters you can always remove an "objective Garrison" and place the objective on open ground as well. It will make little-to-no difference when it comes to balance and instead will feel like a whole new mission.

So with the premise that you use 1500points and the set-up above you can start combining from the starting missions:

1. Target of opportunities with 5 objectives. 

2. Focal points with 5 focal points. 

3. Critical locations with 5 critical locations. 

4. Quarters. 

5. Information gathering (roll the chart)

Then we can without any problem start to mix. For instance:

1. Target of opportunities but a open focal point or critical location in the center. 

2. Neutral Objective-Garrisons are replaced with focal points or critical locations. 

3. Do quarter but with 3 objectves along the centerline that are not possible to search until start of turn 3. 

4. Focal points that are also mobile up to 6" per turn but can not be removed off the table. 

5. Information in any of the different type of versions.

6. Information where you find mobile objectives but there are also two critical locations along the centerline outside of any Garrison. 

As you understand the combinations can vary the missions extremely much. Add then to have either dried season, bunkers or anything else you have a lot of variations. A suggestion is to have focal points focusing on the end of the game and have mobile hidden objectives or Critical locations as the main objectives rest of the game. 

I am in the process of making a randomized mission chart as well. By rolling on this chart you get a Tournament ready mission within the boundaries of the five main missions above.  

Do you see any specific mission combination you like?