Title says it all, I'm new to this game and not sure how it works/ who first and second player are in regards to objectives then

So today I played a game where I had 2 ships and my opponent had 4. I had less points (10 points under may, she had 3 under max) so I got to decide who went first every turn.

So I decided I wanted to go first because I did not want her hitting and running with her fast ships before I could get a shot off.

The reverse side was that I had to pick from her objectives AND because she had 2 more ships than I did, she got to move 3 ships in a row.

Thankfully she did not force my objective picks to hard so I stuck with the one that gave me something I wanted and made it only a slight "advantage" for her. (Fleet Ambush is so good to pick when you put a Gladiator or two in the Ambush zone)

EXCEPTION - if the optional rule to play beyond 6 turns is played initiative alternates.

the importance of initiative can be summarised in the following three statements:

• the player who's fleet has the lowest points cost can choose if he or his opponent has initiative
• The player with initiative has the first turn
• the player with initiative much pick which of his opponent's objective will be used.

basically what you will see is people will build a fleet that is very good with certain objectives but make their list up to maybe 290 points instead of the full 300 so they can choose to give their opponent initiative - forcing them to pick the objective from a list that does not have any 'good' options

2nd player always gets to place the first obstacle

nab that space station!

Initiative is who has bid the lowest on your fleet build.

Careful...

• the player who's fleet has the lowest points cost can choose if he or his opponent has initiative

I've seen that mistake made. Initiative does not automatically go to who has lowest fleet build.

As Nicky pointed out, it is the lowest fleet build that gets to choose who will have initiative.

So if I have initiative, I am then also first player as most objectives refer to?

Nyxen,

You and I are playing a fake game now.

You have a 300 point list and I have a 299 point list.

I have the initiative because I used less of the 300-maximum allowable total, which means I then decide which one of us will henceforth be the first player, and which one of us will henceforth be the second player.

I elect to nominate you as the second player (but I could have made you first player) for the sake of the example.

That means I will be the first player for the rest of the game. It also means you will pass me your three previously concealed objective cards and I will choose which one we play. You (as second player) will receive an advantage in the scenario, with the drawback being I will always get to activate my first ship of the turn (or set of squadrons in the squadron phase) before you activate anything.

Thanks, that makes much more sense now