Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Howdy all.

I don't play very often, and I'm nowhere near my rulebook, so I'm probably missing something. Let me know what you guys think - this would definitely need refinement, and it probably messes up the dynamics of special rules like "Fleet" and "Hit and Run", as well as overwatch.

Initiative is used to determine # of action phases per unit per turn.

Use highest Initiative in unit to determine this.

each unit leader/IC has init token(s).
Each unit within 12" of Warlord can use Warlord Init/Ld.

Any unused init tokens are lost at end of turn (as in, start with fresh number at beginning of turn).

Basic turn seq is move/shoot/charge/consolidate. With Init token, each action phase uses a token. Each turn is broken into initiative steps like CC. So a unit with Init 5 goes before a unit with init step 4. opposing units sharing init steps (say at init step 2) take step based on highest LD value in unit. If Ld is same between units, then players roll off, high score goes first.

Moving requires init token. So long as a unit is not involved in an assault, they may make a move at any initiative step. All restrictions to movement apply (difficult/dangerous terrain, flyer restrictions, etc).

Shooting (including overwatch) requires init token. A unit may only shoot once a turn, but at any init step.

Declaring a charge requires an init token
Defending against an assault does not.
Units in an assault do not use init tokens until assault is resolved.

Consolidation from assault does not require init, but sweeping advances (considered movement), or Hit and Run movements do.

Units w/no init (non-walker vehicles) use init of squad if dedicated transport, or user basic troop type init. Special vehicles (characters) use character's init line, or similar init (Crimson Hunter exarch would use init of Dire Avenger for example).

Units without crew such as Vengeance Weapon batteries count as Init 1, receive 1 token, and act at init step 1 (end of turn).

So, an basic example of a turn.

Squad of Space Marines w/ vanilla Sgt vs. Squad of Fire Warriors w/ vanilla Shas'ui.
SMs have init 4 across the board, and receive 4 init tokens at beginning of turn.
FWs have init 2 across the board, and receive 2 init tokens at beginning of turn.

Beginning of turn, marine player receives 4 init tokens for his squad, tau player receives 2 init tokens for his squad.

Marine player has init advantage, and at init step 4 moves his squad towards Tau. Still with advantage at init step 3, he moves again. Init step 2, players roll off (Sgt and Shas'ui both have Ld 8). High roll goes to the Tau player, who opts to shoot. 3 vanilla marines removed from fire, Marine players chooses to shoot back with bolt pistols and flamer. 4 wounds to tau, Shas'ui dies from failed "look out sir!" roll. Init Step 1, SM player has init/ld advantage, declares charge. Tau fires overwatch, marine loses 1. SM Assault, Tau loses combat and is destroyed.

Seems MASSIVELY over complicated, especially considering the game was not designed for that type of mechanic.

Also, Eldar and Dark Eldar, with their super initiatives across the board, will do everything first and alpha strike and decimate.

Lilyth has ini 9 for example. Ini is not designed for this. And orkses, the ones that really need more movement than any other race - have armywide ini 2, with ini 4 only on a warboss. Nobz boast fancy ini3 there.

It simply cannot work. It'd require recreating the rulebook not to mention repointing every unit. Along with that, what is the I of a vehicle? Along with this, imagine a fight of orks versus a slaanesh army, DE, or Eldar army.

Not to mention dealing with different I values in one unit.