2.5: Initiative Bonuses

In many engagements, the ability of a commander to hold the initiative is felt by his troops, who press the attack or rally to throw off enemy forces. Under this rule, if one side controls the initiative for more than four turns in a row and has dealt more damage than it has received, starting on the fifth turn, all actions made by the crews of the vessel receive +1D. This bonus does not go toward actions taken by bridge or command officers.

To control initiative, the commanders of a battle must win initiative each turn and defeat any attempts to deceive or anticipate the enemy by enemy commanders.

The opposite of this is that if a squadron loses initiative more than five times in a row and has taken more damage than it has dealt, it becomes demoralized and suffers a -1D penalty to its actions until initiative is won. This penalty begins on the sixth turn without winning initiative, anticipating, or deceiving the enemy.

In squadron play this becomes more interesting as there are now two options. Entire squadrons can receive the bonus if the admirals and captains of the line continually win initiative. Alternatively a single line may receive the bonus if their captain of the line wins initiative against all enemy vessels for the same period of time and does not have his action slot switched on him, either by an opposing captain of the line, an opposing admiral, or even his own admiral.

Squadrons and individual lines may become demoralized if admirals and/or captains of the line lose initiative six turns in a row. This can lead to exciting play as a line with the bonus charges across the battle and saves a line that has been demoralized from a superior enemy force.

To CapitalShipCombat?. To DamageControl. To CrewLoss.