So i'm relatively new, having played several games a week for the past 2 weeks, and i'm loving the game, but when it comes to initiative... How does having initiative help during deployment? If I have initiative, and I have to deploy first, that doesnt seem like initiative to me. The opponent gets to set up to counter my deployment, it seems like he has the initiative, not me. Can someone explain this please?

It let's you shot first but your opponent will move last and potentially get out or your arc. Initiative did help me get into the top 4 with a mutual kill between our remaining Academies. I always want to shoot first with Whisper though.

It can turn either way depending on how your squad is set up. Sometimes initiative is good, sometimes bad, but all it really means is "you go first", just like in real life to "take initiative" is a common term for a person who takes charge and acts on things before others do.

If you have PS1 ships you want to move first and gum up your opponents maneuvers by blocking them, then moving first due to initiative is good.

If you want to move to open space and take your actions, initiative helps as you move before other ships can get in your way.

If you have highly mobile ships with boost/barrel roll and you want to see where your opponent sits before you move, then initiative can be bad.

On deployment it helps because most often players will line up on opposite corners. You pick first and so can either force your opponent to go to the side of the board with asteroid placement he doesn't like or else move toward the middle and open his other flank.

some people like initiative, some people don't.

It isn't designed to be a bonus, but certain types of list can use it that way. Think of it as a way of separating who should go first while still being equal.

It has adv. and dis. during all phases of the game, but they balance out.

if you have initiative..

--you set up first

--you move first

--you fire first.

This can be good or bad for you depending what type of list you are running. Some work best with it, and some work best without it.

--As the man said, Whisper wants to move last, as do any ships like interceptors that want to get out of fire arcs.

--Tie swarms want to move first to block other ships, and get in the way and be a pain.

--Heavy attack squads want to shoot first to do damage first, and so on.

You just have to know what your list wants.

So i'm relatively new, having played several games a week for the past 2 weeks, and i'm loving the game, but when it comes to initiative... How does having initiative help during deployment? If I have initiative, and I have to deploy first, that doesnt seem like initiative to me. The opponent gets to set up to counter my deployment, it seems like he has the initiative, not me. Can someone explain this please?

Both sides place ships according to pilot skill. If you have initiative, but your opponent has lower skilled pilots, he still deploys those ships first. It only really kicks in when you have matching pilot skills. Just because you have initiative, doesn't mean you deploy everything first.

So i'm relatively new, having played several games a week for the past 2 weeks, and i'm loving the game, but when it comes to initiative... How does having initiative help during deployment? If I have initiative, and I have to deploy first, that doesnt seem like initiative to me. The opponent gets to set up to counter my deployment, it seems like he has the initiative, not me. Can someone explain this please?

Definition of initiative is an "introductory act or step; leading action."

So there is nothing wrong with that term in regards to this game.

You move first and you can block your opponent's ships. After a while you can figure out where your opponent most likely end up and block him.

If you don't like initiative then play Rebels or play with pilots that have higher PS skills.