What goes into making a SB Campaign

[JohnO]

I did a search and didn’t find anything on making campaigns and I like to start a thread on how to make campaigns, while listening in on a briefing last night on the "Red Tide 85" campaign and I was wondering what goes into making a campaign?

What rules should there be, how much rules and so on.

This is a start.

This topic is in no way reflected on last nights briefing.

[Tacbat]

What goes into a campaign depends on the person making it, what they want to do, how they want to do it, and how complex they want to make it, etc.

[Volcano]

I did a search and didn’t find anything on making campaigns and I like to start a thread on how to make campaigns, while listening in on a briefing last night on the "Red Tide 85" campaign and I was wondering what goes into making a campaign?

What rules should there be, how much rules and so on.

This is a start.

This topic is in no way reflected on last nights briefing.

As Tacbat said, it all depends on who makes it. A campaign could be a simple linked set of scenarios that run itself (ie. Fulda Gap 1985), or it can be relatively dynamic where the end state gets reflected in the next scenario. The best way to think about the latter is that the campaign rules are simply a mechanism to...

1) Setup the scenario for the next battle.

2) Specify what the ending conditions are for the campaign itself, and how both sides win.

That is basically an entire campaign in a nut shell. In the relatively dynamic campaign approach, the players of the campaign are basically generating the next scenario by their actions in the previous one. The campaign creator takes the end state and creates a new scenario out of it, no imagination required. The only sticking point is of course that you have to exercise some sort of umpiring to keep the campaign flowing in the right direction and you can be sure that only 50% of the participants will be fine with that, but you have to do what you have to do to ensure it flows properly.

Other than that, when making a campaign you should have a "twist" of some sort. This twist is what makes the campaign unique and sets it apart from the others and makes it memorable, but of course it is not necessary but it does make it more memorable. For example, Operation Variable has the purchasing of units from a points pool which makes it quite fun as everything has value. Red Leopard's was in how the front line was determined (by the COs, which was used in spirit as the method in which front line trace is determined in Operation Fury (not yet played - may never be played ) and Red Tide. Speaking of Operation Fury, the twist there was the dynamic meters that go up/down depending on certain conditions and the random number generated tables/events at the end of the scenario -- both of these were carried over into Red Tide, and Red Tide has a TO&E approach too which is sort of unique.

Anyway there are others that I am not thinking of at the moment but that should give you an idea. Also, if you play a lot of war games (I do) then you can think of a campaign's rules as a set of rules to a war game. Just pre-emptively think about all the questions that players might have and potential pit falls and snags. Making a campaign definitely isn't easy, but it is only as hard as you make it.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Volcano

[Gibsonm]

The other thing I think that is useful is a credible back story / introduction.

The now mythical WWIII in Western Europe is pretty straight forward and a rich source.

Other campaigns such as Vigilant Guardian (http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbforums/showthread.php?t=14310&highlight=Vigilant+Guardian&page=3) and the ADF one (http://www.steelbeasts.com/sbforums/showthread.php?t=15180&highlight=ADF+Campaign[hmm need to re share those graphics post ".mac"]) needed a fair bit of imagination / work to set the scene so players “buy into” the scenario(s) and understand why things happen in the campaign.

Original post too old to edit have attached files here in order:

Edited July 11, 2012 by Gibsonm

[JohnO]

I would like other players who would want to ask questions about what goes into making/running a campaign, to ask away. Players who have made them before can answer the questions and ideas here.

All interesting information, let’s say I'm running a campaign with players and need to pause the game to add, let’s say a contaminated area because of NBC, how could a GM do that or is it possible to do that?

That’s just an example, what if I want to add other things to the scenario that is running and need to pause it and most likely, the military version, you probable can do that.

[Gibsonm]

All interesting information, let’s say I'm running a campaign with players and need to pause the game to add, let’s say a contaminated area because of NBC, how could a GM do that or is it possible to do that?

That’s just an example, what if I want to add other things to the scenario that is running and need to pause it and most likely, the military version, you probable can do that.

Currently you can't pause in either (AFAIK) once it starts.

If its location was "random" (i.e. player determined) you'd need to start the new scenario (stop, record all the locations replot, commence) with the nice big yellow markings and set it up as a penalty zone with X% of damage/losses.

If its a persistant agent then it would stay, otherwise you'd have to start a new scenario again without it once it wore off.

If it was pre planned then you could activate the zone with a trigger / event.

[Volcano]

Yes, you would have to do what you describe in the mission itself through events and/or damage if.. operations. Other than that, you could probably think of some strategic effect on an overall map, who knows. You have to get creative with something like that.

[Gibsonm]

Of course in the military / classroom version you have more flexibility in that you can send out your STRIKEWARN message over the net, follow that up by sending out the graphic of the area, and if units went into the declared zone after that the Instructor Host machine can inflict damage "on the fly".

[Tank guy]

Of course in the military / classroom version you have more flexibility in that you can send out your STRIKEWARN message over the net, follow that up by sending out the graphic of the area, and if units went into the declared zone after that the Instructor Host machine can inflict damage "on the fly".

Of course very few people here have Pro, so that really doesnt pertain to this discussion.

[Gibsonm]

In your opinion perhaps not, but I was answering JohnO's specific question:

That’s just an example, what if I want to add other things to the scenario that is running and need to pause it and most likely, the military version, you probable can do that.

My embolding.

And since he took the time to create the thread, and has an interest, I thought it only polite to answer him.

[Ssnake]

Of course very few people here have Pro, so that really doesnt pertain to this discussion.

You never know who else is reading, but not posting.

[Mogwa]

Here is how I did it.

Created a zone which when entered, sent a warning text to opposing side, dropped smoke arty in the contaminated area within visual range of the endangered unit, simulating the arrival of chem munitions. This hopefully served as a warning to the player. The briefing specified smoke as an indicator of a chemical strike.

Created a zone within that which had a low probability of "damaging" a crewmember.

Created a zone within that which sent more arty smoke and a text warning of entry into a contaminated area centered on a grid (eg: 123456)

Created a final zone within them all that killed all crewmembers.

the zones were slightly oval shaped to simulate wind dispersion.

It could be set up to function only after a trigger was set to allow the other side to "launch" the strike, however the effects could be applied to both sides. ex the launching side may get suspension damaged to slow them simulating operations in chemical suits and masks slowing them down, without killing the crew.

This was the best I could come up with working with "the hand I am dealt" in the editor.

Mog

Edited July 12, 2012 by Mogwa

[JohnO]

This is good information; let’s talk about how a GM/umpire can implement Counter Battery fire.

The static vehicles in SB, M109A3 has a range of 18 km and the 2S1 has a range of 15 km so the vehicles can be placed on the map. For example, the "Battle for Hünfeld" scenario map is a 20x20km size map. The overall map for the campaign/scenarios is 29 x 25 km in size. The M109A3 will be to the west edge of the map while the 2S1 will be somewhere to the east side of the map. I want these units to represent on map arty; I don't want off-map arty. The only thing off map is the air support. How can counter battery fire be done? And yes I know I don't have radar to help detect them. Should there be a dice roll or a damaged on the vehicles if they remain at a location to long. Could there be a trigger setup somehow for an arty unit who remains too long in one area if that unit fired? I know it sounds kind of dumb but I haven’t a clue if it can be done at all.

[BlackDeath]

This is good information; let’s talk about how a GM/umpire can implement Counter Battery fire.

The static vehicles in SB, M109A3 has a range of 18 km and the 2S1 has a range of 15 km so the vehicles can be placed on the map. For example, the "Battle for Hünfeld" scenario map is a 20x20km size map. The overall map for the campaign/scenarios is 29 x 25 km in size. The M109A3 will be to the west edge of the map while the 2S1 will be somewhere to the east side of the map. I want these units to represent on map arty; I don't want off-map arty. The only thing off map is the air support. How can counter battery fire be done? And yes I know I don't have radar to help detect them. Should there be a dice roll or a damaged on the vehicles if they remain at a location to long. Could there be a trigger setup somehow for an arty unit who remains too long in one area if that unit fired? I know it sounds kind of dumb but I haven’t a clue if it can be done at all.

couldnt penalty zone with a probability of destruction do the trick?

[Volcano]

Just do it like Red Tide does: have X number of tubes of arty for the side, then represent those tubes with vehicles. Once a vehicle gets killed, subtract a tube next mission. Why reinvent the wheel? It's usually always better to read over someone else's campaign and use the best aspects of it, and also improve upon it with what you believe better fits what you want.

Option #2 revolves around complete destruction. Of arty platoon to take away arty during the scenario. First restrict arty to FO, then have an event which checks for when strength of arty unit < 1. Put a damage if... Radio on the FO unit(s) to occur when the event above happens, voila, artillery support lost (I have done this method in several scenarios)

[Mogwa]

Here is how I do counter battery. I create a single zone, which is several "Boxes" or nodes which I call PAAs that are connected by very thin stretches of the same zone. This zone is transparent. The Nodes are overlayed with a black out line so that they appear as separate boxes on the map. OK so far so good.

Now I set the FO as the only vehicle that can call arty, and I damage its radio unless all the arty vehicles (M-109, 2S1) are located in this zone. So they player has to park all his arty in these boxes for the arty to be able to be called. To keep things moving I will make the zone an expose to enemy zone with a low probability of detection, so that the arty will eventually start to show up and will get counter battery from the other side if the other player is on the ball. This forces you to "shoot and scoot".

I know this is confusing to read but it works great. The only problem in your scenario is the air cannot be separated from the arty calls. Its an all or nothing thing.

I can prob put a sample sce in here if someone needs it.

Mog

[JohnO]

Yes, please. I guess I should be talking to you by PM or does this question and answer session is good for other players?

[JohnO]

Here is how I do counter battery. I create a single zone, which is several "Boxes" or nodes which I call PAAs that are connected by very thin stretches of the same zone. This zone is transparent. The Nodes are overlayed with a black out line so that they appear as separate boxes on the map. OK so far so good.

Now I set the FO as the only vehicle that can call arty, and I damage its radio unless all the arty vehicles (M-109, 2S1) are located in this zone. So they player has to park all his arty in these boxes for the arty to be able to be called. To keep things moving I will make the zone an expose to enemy zone with a low probability of detection, so that the arty will eventually start to show up and will get counter battery from the other side if the other player is on the ball. This forces you to "shoot and scoot".

I know this is confusing to read but it works great. The only problem in your scenario is the air cannot be separated from the arty calls. Its an all or nothing thing.

I can prob put a sample sce in here if someone needs it.

Mog

Its not confusing, it makes perfect sense. This is good information again.

[Volcano]

I think there are many different creative ways to accomplish something in SB and in campaign rules too. But really the first step to accomplishing something in a campaign is to understand the Mission Editor in SB backwards and forwards (if you aren't familiarized with it well already). Once you know the Mission Editor, then you can probably come up with better ways to do something than someone else did in another campaign. It is always fun to see someone thinking outside of the box.