Is there a formula that predicts the NM and VP for the fall of major cities like New Orleans, Mobile, Memphis, Richmond, Nashville, Atlanta and so on?
In a recent game vs the AI I got 3 NM for the Union just for occupying Nashville. (There was a battle of my corps vs a militia, but that resulted in 0 NM.) I was a bit surprised that Nashville was worth three, and thought I might have remembered the starting NM wrong, and so I re-ran the turn and sure enough I got 3 NM the instant my troops occupied the city.
"3" matches the value on the Objectives pull down list, but it has Richmond as "10" and I seem to recall it's worth more than that.
As far as VPs for taking a city, no clue, but I did notice I got them for Nashville.