I just finished playing 5 games versus 3 opponents. I used a single deck, Tau with Eldar allies, against a SM w/Tau (won the game), Orks w/AM (2 wins - 0), and 2 games against an Eldar w/DE (1 -1).

Here is a single insight that I had after watching a number of games being played around me: The player that has Initiative first, ended up having a 2/3 chance of winning the game....

Let me expound just a tad - In my games, when I was the player that held Initiative during the first turn, I had a better chance of winning. Period...... I had Initiative against the SM player and won the game, I had Initiative against the Ork player twice and won the game, and I lost the Initiative against the Eldar player in my first game (I lost), then I got Initiative in the second game (I won)..... The club's table rules are that both players roll a single dice and higher score gets first turn Initiative.

The same was true with those players who were gaming around me. Asked a few players and they generally believed that the player with Initiative in the first round didn't matter, though in an informal polling it seemed that all of the players felt that going first allowed them to "set the pace" (this is what one memorable player stated) and thus dictate the game.....

So, I ask you: does going first have some sort of unknown tactical/strategical advantage?

Thanks.

edit: While there certainly are a multitude number of factors such as player experience, player matchups, the selection of cards, if you get a good draw and need to mulligan or not, etc., I thought I pose this question to generate some conversation and gain some player feedback.

When I won my store champ I lost initiative every game and went undefeated. 3 rounds of swiss and top 4...so 5 games. I like going second as you can react to your opponent's deployment.

My personal experience is that Initiative does not hold an additional advantage beyond the obvious ones.

As mentioned I feel the balance is really well made on how Initiative also forces you to do the plays first and without it the better response can be made.

Generally speaking however, good plays get rewarded in the extreme in Conquest as such Id say it's highly likely you feel more comfortable making your great plays under Initiative. This however is more of a feeling and trust in yourself rather than a tactical advantage within the game.

Generally speaking however, good plays get rewarded in the extreme in Conquest as such Id say it's highly likely you feel more comfortable making your great plays under Initiative. This however is more of a feeling and trust in yourself rather than a tactical advantage within the game.

Well said.

Am thinking that maybe the meta in my neck of the woods is just different than in other locales. Further, a single gaming day isn't enough of a sample size, granted.

When I won my store champ I lost initiative every game and went undefeated. 3 rounds of swiss and top 4...so 5 games. I like going second as you can react to your opponent's deployment.

Wow. That is a good example. I would love to have gamed in that kind of environment, though I'm sure that I would have lost all of my matches. Our group plays "fun" decks with generally a very competitive outlook... which would have further skewed my initial observations.

It also comes somewhat down to playstyle I guess. In terms of how a player "acts" under initiative and under the initiative of an opponent.

Having played both Aggro and Control decks in MtG and Wowtcg I have to say I do not favour any of the situations by a lot.

However I can understand that if all you play is Aggro you would be more comfortable starting with iniative (as it feels like going first in many situations) or alternatively will preform better if Control is your type of thing when you don't start with initiative.

The harder thing about Conquest however is that neither Aggro or Control really transfer in the Conquest LCG game because other than reacting to deployments and commitments there isn't much that can be generally done (with the exception of a handfull of cards). As such I do however think that there are some Warlords who generally can preform better with starting initiative and others less so. Here would be my sum up:

AM: Imgo generally likes to start with opposing Initiative . Iron Guard Recruits and Sanctioned Psykers are great as choke options. Granted Coteaz can get more out of this strategy due to opening hand and resources.

SM: Imho generally likes to start with opposing Initiative . The Imperial Fists and Cato's Chosen allow for 1 drops to be "counterd" something that currently is quite unique for SM. Ragnar on the other hand cares less unless he is allied with AM and the IGR and SPs also are in his deck.

Tau: Generally likes to start with Initiative . With cards to be found with ECT and 'free' Recon Drones opponents have to react to their insanely cheap card advantage cards. Now it's not to say both are aggro decks by any means but for other factions it's often much harder to react in the right way.

Eldar: Generally likes to start with opposing Initiative . Being able to deploy later generally makes the 3 drops generally harder to dodge.

Dark Eldar: Generally likes to start with Initiative . Choke effects work the best on full hands, Syren Zythlex or Murder of Razorwings are generally ideal first drops plus it's harder for the opponent to not have more resources when they have to deploy in responce.

Chaos: Generally likes to start with Initiative . Heretek and all the damage that your opponent has to swallow before you even start combat works very much in their favour. To add to that Chaos also is the faction with the most "free Actions" making them able to respond anyway and get the best of both worlds.

Orks: Are like AM more of the oppossing Initiative . Much like Straken I don't feel they have any particular advantage with either but Enraged Ork, IGR, SP and Staging Ground all are cards that generally work better if you can respond to your opponent.

Now again this does not really have anything to do with an Aggro or Control strategy but much more about certain cards being better if they can react to others. For example 2 Command is 'worth more' when deployed on a planet that contains an opposing unit with 1 Command (in some situations).

Although I haven't seen anything that indicates dominance by having first initiative, I think there are some advantages.

You may have a better chance to take the first planet, specially if it's an important one, because you are swinging first and there won't be a whole lot in play yet, being the first turn.

You get initiative at all the "tiebreaker" planets. Third, fifth, seventh. If you're trading planets with an opponent, you have a better chance to keep the pressure on.

In my experience, most games end somewhere around the fifth planet, a planet in which the player with first initiative, will go first.

If the game goes to the extreme, the player with first initiative, will have it at the seventh planet, as well.

And while it all comes down to how you've positioned yourself, it never hurts to have a little something extra going for you.

I do not think that Initiative = win.

I won a local event tonight with 8 players; I went 3-0 and didn't have first turn initiative in all 3 games.

I think it takes a switching of mindset to win when you don't have initiative. Know what planets you can win and which ones you can just leave.

It is a bit more complicated than that, but it truly comes down to your decision making. Not being initiative player makes you play more reactionary, both in command and in combat. Good for some decks/factions, not for others.

In my experience going first can help but it is skill as a player and skill at deck building that wins games not going first.

Planet layout can be such a huge thing, and makes every game different (one of the many reasons I love this game so much!).

Sometimes initiative on P1 will be advantageous, sometimes you'd rather have it on P2...

I have often rejoiced at winning initiative (I seem to be quite unlucky) only to find that my opponent ends up having it on the Tricon planets or the planets with the best battle abilities.

Of course, if you know what you're doing (or your opponent doesn't) - you can work with whatever lady luck throws your way