Initiative Order Resolution

[Killometer]

I've played 1v1v1 quite a bit, and, even though I don't remember having ever read that SotM clause, I've always played clockwise starting with the person who rolled the highest initiative. It's so much easier to keep track of who's turn it is that it's worth the minor strategic loss.

[Kaiyu]

Originally Posted by Killometer

I've played 1v1v1 quite a bit, and, even though I don't remember having ever read that SotM clause, I've always played clockwise starting with the person who rolled the highest initiative. It's so much easier to keep track of who's turn it is that it's worth the minor strategic loss.

Keeping track is the only real downside. That's why we made little squares of paper with the numbers 1-8 on them and then hand them out after rolling for initiative. It's really easy to keep track of if you do that.

[loborocket]

I do not play anything other than 1v1 all that often but when I do I have played like the rule book says going from highest roll to the left. This seems weird to me too but:

a: It is in the rules like that.
b: The game designers did it for a reason.

[ollie]

Originally Posted by kaiyu0707

Keeping track is the only real downside. That's why we made little squares of paper with the numbers 1-8 on them and then hand them out after rolling for initiative. It's really easy to keep track of if you do that.

Last time we did 1v1v1v1 (quite a while ago, with four people I'd much rather play 2v2) we had four hats of varying sizes and highest roll got the biggest hat (sombrero) down to the last person with the smallest hat (baseball cap) via the second (stetson) and third (fez).

It seemed like a good idea at the time () and worked just fine.

[Jexik]

Did you force everyone to wear the hats?

This sounds like a hilarious photo opportunity. Four guys sitting around with a crazy assortment of hats and figures.

[ollie]

Originally Posted by Jexik

Did you force everyone to wear the hats?

Oh yes. No hat, no turn.

[1Mmirg]

I've played dozens and dozens of FFA games and have only ever played with turns passing to the left.

Yes, at some level I assume the choice was simply one of ease, but it is a good mechanic (imo). As you negotiate the map, make plans, etc., you do it knowing who you will follow (most of the time--unless you win yourself) and who will follow you (again, unless they win initiative). There is just enough question at stake that you can never plan 100% on anything, but you have a general sense of play order and you make your plans accordingly.

I have never found it to be unfair. Simply, it is something that you deal with in terms of where you move your guys, who you choose to attack (and who you deal with more defensively). It has interesting implications on negotiated truces, etc.

I'll have to try playing in d20 order some time and see what I think. But so far I have always enjoyed (and learned to negotiate) taking turns as per the rules. It's a great game and rule--and adds to your strategic plans, imo.

[Love the hats rule, ollie. I may have to try it, just so we can have fun with hats .]

[Elstree]

Originally Posted by kaiyu0707

Keeping track is the only real downside. That's why we made little squares of paper with the numbers 1-8 on them and then hand them out after rolling for initiative. It's really easy to keep track of if you do that.

We use the Ace through four (or eight in your case) from a deck of playing cards to keep track of initiative order. If nobody has any bonuses to their initiative roll, you can just shuffle and deal out the cards.

In 2v2 team games, one player from each team rolls for that team. The higher-rolling team gets the 1 and 3, and decides who on the team gets which; the lower-rolling team gets the 2 and 4 to assign to their players.

[Revdyer]

Originally Posted by ollie

Oh yes. No hat, no turn. We all now have head lice.

Fixed. <grin>

[ollie]

Originally Posted by Revdyer

Fixed. <grin>

I felt pretty good though: only a quarter of the lice I went in with.

[xraine69]

I have played plenty of FFAs, and we have always played this way.One thing I want to point out. Heroscape is considered a boardgame. With that in mind, 99% of all boardgames and card games, play goes clockwise(to the left).

[nate the dawg]

Originally Posted by xraine69

I have played plenty of FFAs, and we have always played this way.One thing I want to point out. Heroscape is considered a boardgame. With that in mind, 99% of all boardgames and card games, play goes clockwise(to the left).

Right. Having play pass to the left is both traditional (in reference to board/card games) and the most simple way it could be laid out. I do like how some of the variant Risk editions (Godstorm, 2210) allow players to bid for turn order, but that mechanic is pretty tied up within those games' structure, requiring the player to spend resources before the start of the turn.

'Scape does not have an equivalent resource to gamble away, so any method for determining initiative/turn order is neither more or less fair than than the official rule. Let's say there are four of us in a FFA. From the moment turn order is decided, I know who is going before and after me. I would have to make the same sort of decisions in regard to where to move my assigned figures and who to attack, whether or not the standard method is used. Does it really matter whether I'm followed by player 2 or player 4?