If oblective is annihilate your opponen there is 2 ways how game moves on.

1. Both players are waiting other player to attack => draw.

2. Other player attacks and probably will lose.

So all games are like attacks.

Of course there can be third possibility that both players are really trying to kill his opponent in straight battle.

Flags are a game mechanic to force the two sides to engage.  If you want a good system to stop last-minute flag rushes, give the players points for how long they hold the flags (say something like 10 points a turn for a minor flag and 20 points for a major flag) and some incrementally greater amount of points for holding them at the end (say 25 for a minor flag and 50 for a major).  This method would have to be flushed out to deal with things like flags in the "backfield" which are likely to be held by one side for the entire scenario or in attack/defend scenarios where the defender will obviously hold the flags for a long time while the attacker will only get them towards the end.  In fact there would probably have to be different point schemes for different types of scenarios (or maybe even left up to the scenario designer to program the flags individually).

As a simpler alternative, make someone occupy the flag for 5 turns before the flag can be claimed.  One turn of contesting the flag (where both sides have influence over the flag) would still make it contested, but you would only be able to claim the flag with 5 uncontested turns in a row.

As a third sorta combined alternative, use the five turn limit but the side claiming the flag gets partial points for less than 5 turns of possession prior to the end of the match (i.e. 20% points if only controlled for one turn prior to the scenario ending, 40% for two turns, etc.)  With the parital points method, the delay period could be lengthened even more to 10 turns.  This makes a late game flag rush less effective.

Certainly the best method is to not allow your Opponent the opportunity to rush the flag. Kill the "Auntie Em" squeaking SOB and the little dog too...

panther i like ur idea, it's very well thought of in concept but implementation would difficult to say the least, and ...

norman, the only way 2 poeple would not engage each other in combat would be because both players are defensive in nature, i know my self i am agresive, but in a thought out kind of way.

i am not saying they should get rid of the flags but they do award a little too many points for them 150 for a minor and 300 for a major flag is kinda steap when u compare it to points awarded for emeny kills and the like, when u consider what a meeting engagement is.... is not the point to find and destroy the opposing force rather than the taking of ground, that would really fall under attack/defend or assault games ... no ???  it's as if the game places a proportionate number of flags = to bvp of forces deployed per side (exp : 1000pts ME, there would be close to if not exactly 1000 points worth of flags on the map)

i would rather see M.E. be over when one side is iether total eradicated or surrenders and not by a set number of turns,

Uh, oh.  Agreeing w/Dev again.  If you don't want a VF taken from you on any turn play accordingly.  

I was of the anti-flag rush genre until I started playing the variable ending QB's/scenarios and found them usually dragging increasingly into sheer boredom.  If I have a choice I'll take the adrenalin rush, game ending, flag charge any time.
mTk

I personally love playing against the flag rush types.  I simply move in and take up the 50 or so meters beyond the flag early on.  It makes for a rather nasty ending when the other player attempts to rush the flag only to find that he is getting wasted the entire way there.  If they are going to allow you to take the flag position early on, simply keep pushing forward...chances are the flag rush types either dont have the skill necessary to beat you head on anyway or they are too weak to win any other way...in either case you win!

I fully agree with everyone who is subscribing to the "don't let him rush you" theory. I have no problem with someone rushing full bore at a flag that I happen to occupy with superior forces. I say bring it on.

However, what I'm talking about are the final turn flag rushes (of CMBO) in which the rush is coordinated perfectly with time running out and you are not given a chance to use your overwhelming firepower.  

If I have two Tigers and two platoons of infantry holding a VL and my opponent rushes a scout car and two crews up the flag in the last 30 seconds of the final turn, it's very possible that my Tigers have not yet fired on the scout car (or perhaps missed speedy car on the first shot) and my platoons have not entirely finshed off the crews.  One more turn and my force would obliterate this weak attempt, but since the game ends and I have no chance to use my firepower, the flag changes to neutral and I'm denied the points.

When I think of "flag rush" this is the type of thing I'm speaking of.

Admittedly, this rarely happens to this degree so I think it probably get more attention than it deserves, but I have had it happen twice in the distant past so I still have a bit of an aversion to it.

Hmm.  I can see your point there.
mTk

Shane,

I agree!  Also 5 to 10 turn game totally favors the defender, as it forces the attacker to rush forward, at I might add great loss.

Wild Bill

Well the way to care of opponents like that is to not play them again.  There are plenty of others that don't use this tactic.

Wild Bill