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<blockquote data-quote="TrippyHippy" data-source="post: 9455861" data-attributes="member: 27252">I think that is a pretty harsh appraisal of the article’s statement based on personal interpretation of what ‘Initiative’ means. In the case of both games, the point is that there is no mechanical use of an initiative system to determine the speed of consequential actions. Unlike other games, you don’t roll dice or make calculations to decide who goes first and there is no mechanical advantage because the entire exchange is determined by a single contested (attack) roll instead. The Winner gets to apply damage and the loser takes it. The next player exchange is then chosen based on GM or player fiat to whatever suits the narrative. I think this system works well when characters are ‘larger than life’ and need to control a portion of the narrative in the exchange. It doesn’t work as well when the game wants some sort of tactical organisation of combat where time frames are important. I’d use it for something like Vampire, Call of Cthulhu or superhero games, but it wouldn’t work at all for D&amp;D or Traveller.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="TrippyHippy, post: 9455861, member: 27252"] I think that is a pretty harsh appraisal of the article’s statement based on personal interpretation of what ‘Initiative’ means. In the case of both games, the point is that there is no mechanical use of an initiative system to determine the speed of consequential actions. Unlike other games, you don’t roll dice or make calculations to decide who goes first and there is no mechanical advantage because the entire exchange is determined by a single contested (attack) roll instead. The Winner gets to apply damage and the loser takes it. The next player exchange is then chosen based on GM or player fiat to whatever suits the narrative. I think this system works well when characters are ‘larger than life’ and need to control a portion of the narrative in the exchange. It doesn’t work as well when the game wants some sort of tactical organisation of combat where time frames are important. I’d use it for something like Vampire, Call of Cthulhu or superhero games, but it wouldn’t work at all for D&D or Traveller. [/QUOTE]

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