Arcane Stuff - Victory Point

The standard way to win a game is by obtaining a certain number of victory points-- 21 in the standard game. Players gain victory points primarily by commanding control terrain, defeating enemy units, and downing an enemy commander figure. If a unit gets victory points, those points are gained by the controller of that unit.

Players can also gain victory points through special abilities.

The special ability victory points are called Victory Point Bonuses.

Control Terrain

In a player's beginning-of-turn phase that player gains 3 victory points for each piece of control terrain they command. A player commands control terrain if they control a unit on or adjacent to that piece of control terrain and no enemy units are on or adjacent to it. The units on that control terrain get the victory points, which are then gained by the player. A player only ever gains 3 victory points from the terrain, regardless of how many units they control on that terrain.

If opposing players both have units on or adjacent to control terrain (in which case no victory points are assigned), the terrain is said to be contested.
Control terrain victory points are assigned at the beginning of a turn, so after your opponent takes the terrain, you generally have a chance to contest before the points are awarded.

Defeating Enemy Units and Downing Enemy Commander Figures

Whenever a unit is defeated or a figure is downed, the unit that defeated (or downed) it gets a certain number of victory points-- 2 victory points for defeating a formation, 1 victory point for defeating a sortie, and 1 victory point for downing a commander figure. If a unit is defeated, but not defeated directly by an enemy unit (such as by pushing its own final remaining figure) then the victory points are gained by the player that owns the nearest enemy unit. If two enemy units are tied for nearest, then the player that owns one of the enemy units and is next in the turn sequence gains the victory points.

This is a slight change from the rulebook: the nearest unit, rather than the last unit to damage a target, gets the victory points. It is a change, however, that has no effect on two-player games.
In almost every case, commander figures are downed only when the entire unit dies. The major exception is when someone uses Death Touch Master to specifically target a commander. It is possible, however, for a player to choose to down a commander figure on an injured unit because he or she wants to be able to use abilities on the other figures. It just doesn't happen often.