Hi Snake
It is possible to get many of the battles you mentioned by playing PBEM.
Even a "normal" PBEM battle is a far more intense challenge than playing against the AI.
Negotiation can lead to many different battle scenarios.
As well as normal Meeting Engagement, Defend/Assault and Delay/Advance PBEMs, I have played with no flags, hunt the ammo trucks, push through a convoy, sniper war (25 per side, no flags), armour only, long battles, short ones, super realistic (from factual OOBs and historical situations), crazy "what if?" and civil wars...just to name a few.
I will play anything as long as each player has a chance for a win. Your limit is your imagination.
The game has many variables and is able to be edited in many ways. The more you experiment with different ideas, and post the results here, the better it gets for all of us
At the same time, Don and Andy have massaged this game and it's very old-school code a long way from it's roots. Some things are just impossible to make happen without changing many other things in the game/coding as well...and not for the better. So a lot of work needs to happen for a change to be made.
The great thing about this game and these designers is...at least you get to ask
...and get a response!!
Cheers