Anyone ever tried using an Initiative Token for matches with pilot skill clashes? We've been using one for months and it adds a lot of depth to pilot skill clashes. No longer are the arc dodging abilities and blocking abilities of one side wasted by a random factor at the start of the game: pilots of the same skill alternate in having the upper hand on one another.

For those who don't know, an Initiative Token is a component that's passed to the other player at the end of the round, meaning players swap initiative every round. Imperial Assault uses it, as does Armada I'm fairly sure.

The new core set comes with an initiative token but standard games do not allow passing initiative between players each turn. Personally, I would consider doing so in casual games assuming squad points are even. For Tourneys it might be easy to get confused but you have a point that a single die roll at the beginning of the game can have massive consequences. BBBBZ mirror match is almost over after the initiative roll.

But it's not purely a random chance. If I leave out 3 points from my list to gain initiative on other ps 9 people it's a specific choice that could have been changed as 3 points is easy to spend. If you're going to a tournament with a list that needs initiative and you are relying on the coin flip you're doing something wrong.

Anyone ever tried using an Initiative Token for matches with pilot skill clashes? We've been using one for months and it adds a lot of depth to pilot skill clashes. No longer are the arc dodging abilities and blocking abilities of one side wasted by a random factor at the start of the game: pilots of the same skill alternate in having the upper hand on one another.

For those who don't know, an Initiative Token is a component that's passed to the other player at the end of the round, meaning players swap initiative every round. Imperial Assault uses it, as does Armada I'm fairly sure.

Initiative doesn't switch in Armada, only in the learning scenario without any objectives. In tournament play, objectives are in play and initiative stays with the same player always.

But it's not purely a random chance. If I leave out 3 points from my list to gain initiative on other ps 9 people it's a specific choice that could have been changed as 3 points is easy to spend. If you're going to a tournament with a list that needs initiative and you are relying on the coin flip you're doing something wrong.

Even if you do do the initiative bid, the order of activation for equal pilot skill is still locked for the game. It's less interesting.

If an initiative token rule is already in place the motivation for an initiative bid disappears, so the squad points almost certainly will be even.

I hope that never happens. I like the initiative system as is and don't see any good reason to change it...

But it's not purely a random chance. If I leave out 3 points from my list to gain initiative on other ps 9 people it's a specific choice that could have been changed as 3 points is easy to spend. If you're going to a tournament with a list that needs initiative and you are relying on the coin flip you're doing something wrong.

What happens when you run into another list that also left out exactly 3 points and your two heavily initiative dependent squads face off? If you have fewer squad points, you earned initiative. If you and your opponent tie for squad points the initial die roll is inordinately important and may prove decisive. That's not fun... or even particularly good design.

Or just build a squad that can deal with the loss (or gain) of initiative.

But it's not purely a random chance. If I leave out 3 points from my list to gain initiative on other ps 9 people it's a specific choice that could have been changed as 3 points is easy to spend. If you're going to a tournament with a list that needs initiative and you are relying on the coin flip you're doing something wrong.

What happens when you run into another list that also left out exactly 3 points and your two heavily initiative dependent squads face off? If you have fewer squad points, you earned initiative. If you and your opponent tie for squad points the initial die roll is inordinately important and may prove decisive. That's not fun... or even particularly good design.

Its fine. Next time, bid lower if you feel that choice is so important. If you're not willing to bid lower, then you are taking a risk of losing the choice. That is in fact good game design because its a difficult decision