If I have the initiative and my opponent and I both have pilots at the same skill, can I choose who moves first every round?

For example, if we're both fielding Vader can I move first in one turn to block his Vader with mine, and then choose to move second in a later turn so I can react to his final position?

If you have initiative, you always move first. Sounds a bit backward, but the plus side is you get to shoot first as well. There is no option of making the opponent move before you do just because you have initiative.

Initiative, while technically probably the right word, may have been a poor choice by FFG.

We tend to think of initiative as a good thing, but in this context it's not. It's not a good thing, or a bad thing (it can be used/seen as both depending on the context), it is simply a way of creating a consistent way of deciding which order ties should happen between players, without giving one a super advantage.

Also - unless I'm misunderstanding your scenario - you both need to have selected your moves in the Planning phase BEFORE the actual moving takes place. You should not be making your dial selection based on seeing your opponent's dial or move (unless you have Intelligence Agent)

Also - unless I'm misunderstanding your scenario - you both need to have selected your moves in the Planning phase BEFORE the actual moving takes place. You should not be making your dial selection based on seeing your opponent's dial or move (unless you have Intelligence Agent)

I meant reacting by boosting or barrel rolling from where I had moved to.

Thanks for the help guys, was really unsure how this worked.

You should not be making your dial selection based on seeing your opponent's dial or move (unless you have Intelligence Agent)

Not even the intelligence agant lets you do that as he trigger at the begining of the activation phase, so after you have placed your dials.

Also - unless I'm misunderstanding your scenario - you both need to have selected your moves in the Planning phase BEFORE the actual moving takes place. You should not be making your dial selection based on seeing your opponent's dial or move (unless you have Intelligence Agent)

I meant reacting by boosting or barrel rolling from where I had moved to.

Thanks for the help guys, was really unsure how this worked.

To be clear, if you have initiative you complete your activation before the opponent. That means you maneuver and do any actions (boost, barrel roll, target lock, upgrade card actions, etc) then the opponent activates and does his thing. If you happen to block him or outmaneuver him, good. That's the advantage of moving first, but sometimes it won't offer the best options, when you know he's yet to move.

Just to ask a question at the tail end:

Initiative is move first shoot first?

Just to ask a question at the tail end:

Initiative is move first shoot first?

Yes. Initiative is do everything first. Place obstacles, place ships, move, and shoot.