Initiative

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

Initiative Display (lower left corner of game board)

Using Initiative

Effects of Initiative

Player Initiative Sequence

Getting Initiative

How Initiative Is Determined

Examples of Structure Deltas

Which spells affect initiative?

Analysis

What are the benefits of having initiative?

When is it beneficial to not have initiative?

Using 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.

Player Initiative Sequence. Numerous game mechanisms must iterate over all 3 players, one at a time. The player initiative sequence is the standard ordering over all players.

Getting Initiative

How Initiative Is Determined

• Red begins. The red player always begins the game with initiative. The game engine flips a coin to determine which player will be the red player, so the net effect is that initiative is random.

• Structure delta. 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 for each.
• Tie means no change. If the two players tie in structure delta, initiative remains the same as it was before.
• Higher delta wins. Otherwise, the player with the higher structure delta gains initiative.
• Some spells can change initiative immediately, or prevent it from changing.

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

Which 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?

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

When is it beneficial to not have initiative?

• Anti-popup. 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.

• Town stealing. Also, in this situation, you have the threat of casting a spell that forces your opponent to move out of the structure, e.g. Mirage. Since he moves first, he must leave the structure empty. Then you stroll in right behind him, and occupy his structure! Winning the ensuing fight is up to you.

• First-fight bye. The other player (with initiative) must check for combats first. If you're both adjacent to a strong neutral group, the other player must fight it first. Then you can mop up whatever's left of the winner.

v2.20.00 Last updated 2009/03/24