Initiative

Sanctum's game play features simultaneous orders, with sequential evaluation. Initiative determines which player's orders get executed first.

Definitions

Effects of Initiative

How Initiative Is Determined

Questions

Examples of Structure Deltas

What spells modify the Initiative rules?

Analysis

What are the benefits of having initiative?

When is it beneficial to not have initiative?

Effects of Initiative.

• At every instant of a game, either the red player or the blue player has initiative. There are no exceptions.
• The player with initiative acts first in evaluating many game effects.
• Spells. Its spells execute first in each spell execution phase.
• Movement. Its groups move first in each movement phase.
• Combat. Its minions strike first in each round of combat.

How Initiative Is Determined.

• Initiative is randomly assigned at the start of the game. (Actually, you flip a coin to determine player colors, and then the red player always starts with initiative. But the end result is the same.)
• At the start of each turn, initiative may change. Both players evaluate their structure delta, which is the total change in the number of structures they own since the previous start-of-turn.
• You get a delta of +1 for each town or colony you captured since the previous start-of-turn.
• You get a delta of –1 for each town or colony you lost since the previous start-of-turn.
• Some spells can destroy a town or colony. This counts as losing the town or colony, so the structure’s owner gets a delta of –1.
• If the two players tie in structure delta, initiative remains the same as it was before.
• Otherwise, the player with the higher structure delta gains initiative.
• Some spells can change initiative immediately, or prevent it from changing.

Questions

Examples of Structure Deltas. Here are some typical game situations, and the resulting structure deltas and initiative changes.

What spells modify the Initiative rules? The following spells affect initiative.

• Adriel’s Timepiece. When it executes, it instantly swaps initiative. It has no further effect.
• Lienna. When Lienna enters play, her caster gains initiative. While she is in play, her caster keeps initiative, regardless of all other effects. Lienna supercedes the normal initiative rules, and Adriel's Timepiece.

Analysis

What are the benefits of having initiative?

• Breaking ties. You win any even combats. You tend to take less damage in combat.
• Capturing territory. If you and your opponent both try to move into the same empty square, you'll succeed and your opponent will bounce.
• Squandering spells. You can cast spells that make your opponent's spells illegal, which makes them squander (fail).

When is it beneficial to not have initiative?

• When you're laying siege to an enemy structure, and you've forced your opponent into a defensive mode, then you're stronger without initiative, because your opponent must train 1 recruit every turn and stand still to block you from moving in. Then you force combat every turn at favorable odds. Eventually, your opponent will run out of novices, and you'll capture the structure.
• Also, in this situation, you have the threat of casting a spell that forces your opponent to move out of his town, e.g. Mirage. Since he moves first, he must leave his town empty. Then you stroll in right behind him, and steal his town! (Winning the fight is up to you.)