Ideas for scenarios

I've been bouncing some ideas for scenarios around recently, but I lack the ability and efficacy at making scenarios to really take advantage of such ideas, and I just don't get along with spreadsheets very much.  So to that end, I figured I'd offer up some potential ideas I've had for others to take advantage of if it strikes their fancy.

The over-arching concept is that there be a way that some Kriegsspiel/Command-esque decisions could be made before the battle begins, and in a basic decision-tree kind of way, those decisions would affect the scenario that we play in some way.  In its most basic form this could be something simple like affecting a divisions starting orders with a different briefing document prepared in advance with different scouting information, or with certain stipulations of who they could talk to for the first x minutes of the match.  Or in its most complicated form these results might materialize as a different OOB, a different deployment area, a different command structure, a different map even (one with bridges, one without)?  

How many questions, who specifically is asked, and how much the answers will vary the scenario could be on a wide spectrum.  From the most simple form such as asking who ever is in command that day a question, or giving him an ultimatum, or a decision to make.  Or a more complex form in which each corps commander or division commander is given a choice and each finds themselves in their own unique circumstance.  A false decision could even be thrown in for others for the illusion of choice that only the scenario creator would know of.

• Commander Pat has become utterly turned around marching in the French countryside and his compass no longer works.  Does he take the left path, or the right path?
  

• A regiment of light cavalry has purchased a few barrels of ale off of a trader and are now getting drunk in the field. Do you reprimand the men and confiscate the booze for your own use or let them have their fun?
  

• You arrive in a wealthy town before the enemy.  Do you let the men loot it or responsibly organize a line out side of the town?
  

It does seem like it would be a little bit extra work in some cases, and a decent bit of extra work in other cases.  But in its easiest form it would just be writing a different briefing with different objectives or orders, perhaps making a different map with different information on it.  I'm sure I can't be the first person to have thought of something like this but I figured I'd put it out there.

I like the idea, obviously that would add to the time of scenario creating which in my case is taking quite long anyway... I understand that there would be several variants of scenario and depending on answered questions on the day of the scenario being played... I think the easiest form to implement would be different starting positions as this wouldn't change OOB.

You can use the KS Scenario Generator to create the scenario, Ehey. It makes all the csv files. All you have to do is select the map, OOB, the composition of each side, (number of brigades and batteries in each division), place the objective(s) and push a button. If you don't like the results you can keep pushing the button until you do. The hardest part is coming up with a story line. If Pat can do it, anyone can.

Is there specific things to pay attention to create a playable scenario ? More specifically, do you use random or campaign settings when you create a scenario ?

I tried a bit to use your scenario generator which works pretty well, but just to be sure that I don't fall into basic traps when creating them, that we will discover only once we play. I still have plenty of time to use these days, so I could also create a few of them.

I'm trying to create a multiple-option scenario as suggested by Ehey for multiplayer.
I chose the Prussia 1806 OOB using French against AI. Just asking if there is something bad about this OOB as it seems we rarely or never use it ?

we do use it... it's just 1806 Prussians are disadvantaged in several ways, mainly by not having skirmishers (or very few)... I made PvP scenario inspired by Bailen battle using 1806 Prussians instead of Spanish - We had played it couple months ago, before you joined us. I'm sure we played vs AI not so long time ago using this OOB, too...

I like using the 1806 Prussians for the players vs AI French as it adds a bit more workload onto the player team. Playing as French against them is somewhat easier. For similar reasons I like to use the Spanish as the player side as well.

I finished my 4-option scenario using French against Prussians for 7/8 players at least against AI.

Great stuff, I look forward to playing it. Its good to have more people creating scenarios.

I agree wholeheartedly

At the rate we were currently going I could envision planning for an 8-player French vs Russian AI scenario on Kelheim map only to join the room finding out we were actually Austrians against French on Antietam map, reassigning our commands blindly on the fly and then popping into the game as Spanish (because Kevin changed all the commander names in the OOB) against an alternative history joint Russian/French force in a sunrise scenario, map references temporarily also inoperative, finding out when the sun rises we have our backs to a major river with the enemy on a ridgeline in front of us (having now found out the Antietam map was a blatant lie) and, due to a recent modification, Phils horse now gallops 3x faster and his mouse clicks only work in a 120-degree arc facing enemy units.

So, yeah, diversity in scenario generation is rather timely I think