So my friend and I just discovered the rule that whoever has the fewest squadron points actually has initiative, rather than always Imperials. My friend was jazzed because he really wants to use Swarm Tactics with Wedge and he's tired of having to eat the alpha strike from Darth Vader and whoever his wingman is. He said he'd happily sacrifice a generic R2 unit if it meant he could shoot first.

So, really, is this cost effective? Do people try and come in at 98 or 99 points to try and get or retain initiative? Is that a "thing?"

Grimwalker said:

Well, you need to remember two things. First, Swarm Tactics is declared at the beginning of the combat phase. So if Wedge wants to boost a Rookie to Pilot Skill 9, he does so before Vader and his cronies fire a shot. Second, remember the simultaneous attack rule. If Vader and all his squad fires on Wedge or that Rookie (or whomever it may be) and destroys him, that ship isn't removed until after it gets to return fire because they are all Pilot Skill 9.

So in my area people were scrambling to get initiative, and cutting their points down to 98 or 97, but now people have come to realize that it isn't perhaps that important after all. Or so I gather from the community in general.

Today just had the simultaneous attack rule activated, Vader v Wedge, range 1, Vader shot first--finished off Wedge, but Wedge got his attack and rolled 3/4 hits, Vader survived, but just barely. In the end, it didn't help me win that match (I was rebels).

depends on your squad

if your squad is comprised mostly of lowly skilled pilots (eg. 7-8 TIEs swarm, 4 ship rebels), you want initiative. it means that you get to move first, meaning that you WILL get to have your actions, and minimize collisions from happening. It also means that you can move into position to block others, ie. your academy TIE can now block his academy TIE and force him to lose his actions, while all of your Academy TIEs now have focus/evades and whatnot to pummel him with.

if your squad is comprised mostly of high skilled pilots, you DO NOT want initiative. This means that Darth Vader / wedge on expert handling is moving last, and they can better aim their rolls/targetlocks/etc since everybody has already moved. This is pivotal against other enemy ships of the same skill level. suppose Darth Vader vs Wedge on expert handling. If Wedge goes last (ie. Vader has initiative), not only does he get to roll out of Vader's firing arc (if possible), his expert handling also removes the target lock Vader had on him, making target locks totally useless on Wedge. If Wedge has initiative and goes first, Vader will now be the one rolling out of his firing arc and doing nasty things to him.

EDIT: IF you have Biggs, and IF you are up against 5 skill level opponents, you really do not want initiative. The ruling is such that if Biggs dies to other 5 skill pointers, Biggs will continue to stick around until Biggs has fired. Meaning: suppose you are up against Nightbeast and Wingedgundark with initiative. one of them fires and kills off Biggs. the other one has to fire at Biggs again, wasting his attack. Then it's Biggs turn and he fires at something and gets removed from the game. If Biggs had initiative instead, Biggs would fire at something, then Wingedgundark fires at Biggs and kills him, removes him immediately from the game, and Nightbeast is free to fire at something else

Duraham said:

So I do often run Biggs and I like the sound of this ruling but, that seems a bit busted. Where did you find this ruling?

http://www.fantasyflightgames.com/edge_foros_discusion.asp?efid=331&efcid=6&efidt=757445

Not to say I don't want to see some errata on this particular bit of illogic.

swarm tactics is still a gr8 card although im seeing it more as a support card for a single wingman or perhaps two ships.

pilot skill is far more important than initiative in my book.