S59 Mopping Up

Nineteen Kilo

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
795
Reaction score
323
Location
Fair Oaks CA
Country
llUnited States
Reading through my recently downloaded Special Ops scenarios and I came across S59 Mopping Up.

The victory conditions read:
“The Americans win at game end by Controlling all buildings on/east of hexrow M and/or if there are no unbroken German units still in play”.

Which is it, and or or?
 

Nineteen Kilo

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
795
Reaction score
323
Location
Fair Oaks CA
Country
llUnited States
There are essentially two missions to accomplish.

"Or" implies either one will garner American Victory - the "and" would be superfluous.
"And" implies both must be accomplished to garner American Victory - in which case the "or" is incorrect.

Read the victory conditions with only "and", then read the victory conditions with only "or" you'll see what I'm talking about.
 

Faded 8-1

Elder Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2006
Messages
1,887
Reaction score
831
Location
Ohio
First name
Mark
Country
llUnited States
???

Either one or both. Just like when it says 'on/east of hexrow...'

Read more scenario cards. The backslash is commonly used. And specifically the phrase 'and/or' is commonly used.
 

Faded 8-1

Elder Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2006
Messages
1,887
Reaction score
831
Location
Ohio
First name
Mark
Country
llUnited States
... the "and" would be superfluous.
No. Using 'and/or' instead of just 'or' shows that the 'or' is not exclusive. Both conditions MAY apply, but only 1 is required.
 

Nineteen Kilo

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
795
Reaction score
323
Location
Fair Oaks CA
Country
llUnited States
No. Using 'and/or' instead of just 'or' shows that the 'or' is not exclusive. Both conditions MAY apply, but only 1 is required.
I guess I'm having some mental block here. It seems "or" is sufficient and succinct.

No one would ever say, "You fulfilled both victory conditions, therefore you lost." So ditch the "and".
 

Faded 8-1

Elder Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2006
Messages
1,887
Reaction score
831
Location
Ohio
First name
Mark
Country
llUnited States
In Boolean logic, that is called an Exclusive Or operator, and is distinct from Or.

And/or avoids ambiguity. There's a reason it's been used in countless scenarios - countless wargames really, for decades.

If a scenario tells you your units may enter from the west edge or the north edge, do you take that to mean you can enter on both? I don't. If it meant and/or it would say and/or.
 

Nineteen Kilo

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
795
Reaction score
323
Location
Fair Oaks CA
Country
llUnited States
The turn of entry and place of entry I am very used to seeing the "and/or" as it means essentially you can split or not, at your discretion, the side/turn your forces enter on.

There's just something about seeing it in the VC that have really turned me around. Thanks for the detailed explanation.

Edit: I've just run off and done some google work. It appears that "and/or" isn't so much an English language connector (as I'm trying to use it) but used by mathematicians, logicians and computer scientists (which I am definitely not).
 
Last edited:

Eagle4ty

Forum Guru
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
Messages
6,913
Reaction score
5,094
Location
Eau Claire, Wi
Country
llUnited States
I guess I'm having some mental block here. It seems "or" is sufficient and succinct.

No one would ever say, "You fulfilled both victory conditions, therefore you lost." So ditch the "and".
I believe there was an old Q&A (from The General?) that brought this about when an older scenario just had an "or" inserted between two victory conditions and the person wondered what if a player had accomplished both conditions did that mean he had lost. Yup, some people will try anything for a victory.
 

Faded 8-1

Elder Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2006
Messages
1,887
Reaction score
831
Location
Ohio
First name
Mark
Country
llUnited States
I first encountered it in programming. The keyword 'OR' was different than the keyword 'XOR' (exclusive or). So if A=1, B=2, and C=3...

if (A<C) or (B<C)

would return TRUE, but

if (A<C) xor (B<C)

would return FALSE.
 

Nineteen Kilo

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Messages
795
Reaction score
323
Location
Fair Oaks CA
Country
llUnited States
I believe there was an old Q&A (from The General?) that brought this about when an older scenario just had an "or" inserted between two victory conditions and the person wondered what if a player had accomplished both conditions did that mean he had lost. Yup, some people will try anything for a victory.
I'll bet that guy had a reputation for Rules Lawyering!
 
Top