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Regardless of the setting, ruleset or forces involved, my fondest gaming memories are based on a good plothook. It's not just the enjoyment of a shared world and a dynamic story that you and the other player(s) are creating, it also has a number of practical benefits for more competition-based gaming. Knowing what your forces – and the enemy's – are doing on the table is not only a good way to focus the mind on rules-based objectives, but also involves you and the other player more deeply, aiding concentration.

I'd like the community to suggest short ideas (a paragraph maximum) for gaming plots – these can be specific to a particular genre or game, or as general as you like. I've started the lists below.

+++
Plot hooks
+ Counter-ambush! The enemy patrol lies dead, but before you can celebrate, a reserve force is upon you.
+ Locked out of your own vessel by the enemy – can you break in without causing too much damage?
+ One side is escorting an enemy officer through no-man's land when he suddenly goes missing. Can they find him before the opposing force can catch up?
+ No evac after all: looks like the only way out is through.
+ Artillery's all set – we just need troops with eyes on the target at the right time.
+ No-one enters or leaves the tower – but as long as we hold it, we're in charge.
+ Traitors and turncoats – you've met secretly to pledge your forces to Red team; but the Red team leader and his men want to defect to Blue team!
+ You wanted soldiers; but you've got desk-jockeys. Can your green troops hold the line?
+ Small stealth team has to bust out POW's to gain reinforcements. [vim_the_good]
+ Defiant to the last - your forces have been beaten back and cornered, but you'd rather die than surrender to the enemy. You might be going to hell, but you're not planning on going down there alone. [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Usurpers in our midst - rumour has it that some of lieutenants seek to depose you, and take control over the army themselves. They have gathered their allies in secret, and await the right moment to strike. [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Honour Above All - the enemy captured a sacred banner from your army during a previous battle. Reclaim it, and restore your honour - and kill those who sought to defile it. [Ezra Tyrius]
+ To settle a grudge - you have suffered the insults from one of your allies long enough. It is time to teach them a lesson they won't forget... [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Survival of the fittest - you've made it to shelter, but so did the enemy. There's only enough food and water for one of you... [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Frame Job: You want them dead, but you need to make sure their deaths can't be traced back to you... Make sure the aftermath looks like the work of those "other guys". [Hard Hat]
+ Snelly's Heroes: You're not here for a fight, you just want to get rich, or die trying. A vast cache of treasure and riches has been discovered deep behind enemy lines. Break through, steal it, and make your escape before either side figures out what's going on. [Hard Hat]
+ Patsy: Someone screwed up, and assigned you the blame. Now your own side is hunting you down. Can you collect the evidence proving your innocence before they close in from all sides? [Hard Hat]
+ The Gravity of the Situation: A violent clash erupts over control of the artificial gravity generator on a spaceship or base. The side that holds the controls can shift gravity to their benefit. What is up, must come down... and vice versa. [Hard Hat]
+ A Weapon to Surpass...: A next generation of super-weapon has been deployed to the battlefield. You're the poor sod who just made first contact. Can it be destroyed, or better yet, captured, before it annihilates everything? [Hard Hat]
+ Sinking Feeling: A firefight on a boat was not a great idea. Now the water is rapidly rising. Can you make your escape while fighting an enemy also attempting their own daring escape? [Hard Hat]

+++
Twists
+ There's something funny about that standing stone...
+ Scramblegrass – the enemy might have the numbers, but the terrain's on our side.
+ This city is crawling with civilians. Will outnumbered friendly forces agree to use human shields, or will they rebel at such orders?
+ The radio's dead. No reserves until we can capture one from the enemy.
+ It was old man Crawley all along!
+ Can't fight if you can't breathe. You'd better get someone to the atmospheric controls...
+ That objective turned out to be a broken zombie plague canister. Everyone is turning. [vim_the_good]
+ Is that a meteor shower I see? [vim_the_good]
+ The seeds of corruption - the enemy seeks to sway you to their side, but you stand firm in your convictions. However, can your allies say the same? [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Minefields - watch your step... [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Mishap - the bloody artillery used the wrong coordinates! [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Haunted ground - you could have sworn something moved in the shadows over there. [Ezra Tyrius]
+ Something's out there - and it's hungry [Ezra Tyrius]
+Rise of the Machines: Those killbots seems to be malfunctioning... Have the robots finally had enough and turned against their cruel masters? Or is this the work of a sublime hacker? [Hard Hat]
+Earthquake!: An earthquake, or another decisive natural disaster (volcanic eruption, etc.) happens at worst possible moment. Buildings collapse, tanks tip, and people are thrown from their feet. [Hard Hat]
+Check Engine Light: Those lazy dim-wits down at the motor pool skimped on their maintenance routines... Now a mission-critical vehicle has stalled out in battle. Do you risk attempting field repairs, or do you abandon the vehicle to its fate? [Hard Hat]

They're intentionally vague, so that players can resolve the stories yourselves. You could pick one, roll one randomly, or each pick one for the other player.

Whether you think of yourself as enjoying the roleplay and story of a game, or primarily interested in the contest, I hope this thread will serve as a source of ideas.

+++
Plot hooks
+Small stealth team has to bust out POW's to gain reinforcements.


+++
Twists
+That objective turned out to be a broken zombie plague canister. Everyone is turning.
+Is that a meteor shower I see?

Plot hooks:

+ Defiant to the last - your forces have been beaten back and cornered, but you'd rather die than surrender to the enemy. You might be going to hell, but you're not planning on going down there alone.

+ Usurpers in our midst - rumour has it that some of lieutenants seek to depose you, and take control over the army themselves. They have gathered their allies in secret, and await the right moment to strike.

+ Honour Above All - the enemy captured a sacred banner from your army during a previous battle. Reclaim it, and restore your honour - and kill those who sought to defile it.

+ To settle a grudge - you have suffered the insults from one of your allies long enough. It is time to teach them a lesson they won't forget...

+ Survival of the fittest - you've made it to shelter, but so did the enemy. There's only enough food and water for one of you...


Twists:

+ The seeds of corruption - the enemy seeks to sway you to their side, but you stand firm in your convictions. However, can your allies say the same?

+ Minefields - watch your step...

+ Mishap - the bloody artillery used the wrong coordinates!

+ Haunted ground - you could have sworn something moved in the shadows over there.

+ Something's out there - and it's hungry

Plot Hooks

+Frame Job: You want them dead, but you need to make sure their deaths can't be traced back to you... Make sure the aftermath looks like the work of those "other guys".

+Snelly's Heroes: You're not here for a fight, you just want to get rich, or die trying. A vast cache of treasure and riches has been discovered deep behind enemy lines. Break through, steal it, and make your escape before either side figures out what's going on.

+Patsy: Someone screwed up, and assigned you the blame. Now your own side is hunting you down. Can you collect the evidence proving your innocence before they close in from all sides?

+The Gravity of the Situation: A violent clash erupts over control of the artificial gravity generator on a spaceship or base. The side that holds the controls can shift gravity to their benefit. What is up, must come down... and vice versa.

+A Weapon to Surpass...: A next generation of super-weapon has been deployed to the battlefield. You're the poor sod who just made first contact. Can it be destroyed, or better yet, captured, before it annihilates everything?

+Sinking Feeling: A firefight on a boat was not a great idea. Now the water is rapidly rising. Can you make your escape while fighting an enemy also attempting their own daring escape?

Twists

+Rise of the Machines: Those killbots seems to be malfunctioning... Have the robots finally had enough and turned against their cruel masters? Or is this the work of a sublime hacker?

+Earthquake!: An earthquake, or another decisive natural disaster (volcanic eruption, etc.) happens at worst possible moment. Buildings collapse, tanks tip, and people are thrown from their feet.

+Check Engine Light: Those lazy dim-wits down at the motor pool skimped on their maintenance routines... Now a mission-critical vehicle has stalled out in battle. Do you risk attempting field repairs, or do you abandon the vehicle to its fate?

Plot hook:"We're being boarded by pirates! Grab your guns, men, and show 'em we're no pushovers!"

Twist:
"Jones, Smithy - get to the bridge and get on the environmental controls - no air and three times gravity might slow 'em down!"

Twist:
A long campaign. Both forces have become isolated and have been fighting for months. Ammunition and fuel are both low and may run out at any time

Sorry if I'm repeating anything!

Plot Hooks

+ The Long Game: You're assigned to work with him, but you want him dead to get at his stuff. Seems he feels the same way. It's a long game where you're on the same side, but checking for, "accidents."

+ Apocalypse Later: What's this? Some superweapon going to interrupt your fight by killing you both? Neither of you will survive, but you can at least keep the weapon delayed while you have one last battle.

+ A Knot in the Thread: Destiny fortold your demise, but you somehow escaped. The powers that be aren't happy.

Plot Twist

+ Experiment All Along: Turns out that big battle was just some big experiment. Maybe it's a manipulative scientist or maybe it's an unfathomably powerful cosmic entity who's bored, but that doesn't matter. Do you continue the tests, or do you try and escape?

I've been loving every idea so far!

Here's a couple more (sorry for not just editing my old post, but it's all going to be compiled in the end anyway)

Hooks

+Looper: Your future self has traveled back in time... to kill you. Talk about melodramatic!

+Terminated: It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead!

+No Time to Explain!: Your future self has traveled back in time... to prevent you from making the same mistakes you made, err, will make. Potentially.

+Battle of the Crater: Your sappers (or perhaps the enemy's) have dug a sprawling tunnel network underneath the opposing defensive line and set off a massive, ground-shattering explosion. An assault to exploit the gap is about to commence...

+MVP: You may be in the thick of things, but this person you fight alongside may not be allowed to die under any circumstances. Perhaps he/she/it is an inspiring leader, or the key to some ancient prophecy.

+Harpoons and Tow Cables: The enemy is sending their best troops and best equipment for a full out assault. You're left with woefully inadequate equipment, perhaps civilian gear, or outdated military supplies. However, you have a clever plan to use your gear in a way the enemy was not expecting...

+Home Alone: Isolated or part of a small group, cut off from support, you expect to be under assault by a particularly driven group of enemies in the near future. However, you use this time wisely to use the resources available to you to set up a series of increasingly preposterous booby-traps.

+Pitch Black: The sun begins to set on the battlefield. They (the local fauna) mostly come out at night. Mostly.

+Behind Enemy Lines: An important pilot has been shot down, and HQ won't risk a potential capture. Extract the pilot using any means necessary.

Twists

+Holtzman Effect: New circumstances has caused your weapons of choice to become very dangerous to yourself. Do you adapt with a new strategy, or accept the risks?

+Screamin' Eagles: You missed the drop zone, and your unit is scattered to hell. Hopefully you're reading that map right...

+Language Barrier: To survive, you'll have to work together. Too bad you both can't understand a word each other says.

+Operation Desert Storm: A blinding sandstorm (or blizzard) rolls in unexpectedly.

+FNG's: The new replacements arrived, but they're woefully incompetent. Better get them up to speed, fast.

Plot hooks

+i love the smell of.... in the morning

You are experienced soldiers but in a new environment (say jungle). The local population is broadly sympathetic to your enemy (something to do with you invading their country) and may (or may not) be openly hostile. The enemy itself is poorly equipped and trained but passionate, well dug in, knowledgeable of the local terrain etc.

+rorke's drift

side 1: You are well disciplined and trained elite soldiers. Some of your compatriots have been brutally killed to almost the last man by your opponents which you view as degenerate savages. Now they are coming for your remote outpost. With no hope of relief you must hold off the onslaught until it slaugts no more....

Side 2: after the invasion of your ancestral lands the appalling crimes of the foreigners must not go unpunished. The entire nation of brave fighters has been mobilised. Fresh from an earlier victory where you were able to capture some of the enemies fierce weapons you must now wipe out the last remnants of the invading force

Plot Hooks (kinda the same story three ways)

The enemy of my enemy- You've stumbled into a bad situation and it hasn't been going well. Just when you thought it was hopeless some unlooked for aid has arrived. But now it seems your allies only want to use you for their own ends in this fight. Can you find a way to survive?

Dark Secret- there's something you havnt been telling your allies- something they'd never condone if they knew. But you can't succeed without their help- if they survive the battle they must die.

Divide and Conquer- the forces arrayed against you aren't exactly united. Can you find a way to come between them or better yet turn them against themselves?

Twists-

Fash Tide- the tide is coming in and pushing west at an alarming rate narrowing the battle field for some but opening up new avenues for others.

Who turned out the lights?- a solar eclipse is occurring plunging the battlefield into an uncanny darkness- is it just dark or did some freaky cosmic planets just align or something?

Thunder on the mountain- the sky just opened up. Massive amounts of rain water begin rolling down the mountainside and causing mudslides, falling rocks and generally hazardous conditions.

Gas! Gas! Gas! - something just ruptured and the floor is filling with some heavy noxious gas. You could move around down there if you had the right gear but otherwise get to the higher ground and don't fall in.

Also, for lots of ideas to help bring these narrative objectives to life on the tabletop check out U971's Show off your Objective Markers!