So we're playing for the first time tomorrow night, and I had some kinda specific questions.

The party ability on the Party Sheet for 'Intrepid Explorers' says something like 'Characters may use fortune points from their personal supply to perform manoeuvres during encounter mode.' Seems straight forward but I just want to clarify:

Does this mean characters may use fortune points for a free manoeuvre, or am I missing something about how fortune points/manoeuvres interact? So, basically, is a free move NOT something a fortune point does regularly?

Secondly, social-to-combat (and vice versa) initiative: Some character abilities give bonuses when combat/social initiative is rolled. What happens if (most likely when) a 'social' encounter devolves into a 'combat' encounter? I can't really see it happening the other way around as often, but the question still remains if I should have them re-roll initiative. Or should I let someone who has that bonus get a free move or something? How are you guys handling this?

Follow-up, am I mistaken in thinking that the above transition would be a good point for a rally?

Thanks up front. Really excited to play.

Fortune points can't be used to buy a manoeuvre. So, indeed, only with the party card Intrepid Explorers, they can indeed do this.

And for your second question, I would reroll initiave, though I would give out some modifiers based on how quick some PC's are able to detect the hostile turn that would lead to combat.

And for your last question, it does seem like a good rally point.