Orders-Based Initiative

[Alius]

This is something I came up with for a different game, but the concept is pretty universal, and I present it here, modified with Leviathans and War Fleet in mind.

Orders Based Initiative

Orders-Based Initiative is a system whereby players act as commanders of large forces. They issue orders, and then watch as the individual units implement the orders.

Any game using Orders-Based Initiative must add an extra step called the Preparation (Prep) Phase before the Initiative Phase, and Initiative itself may be altered.

[Alius]

Prep Phase

This is the phase during which all sides record their orders for all units currently active on the game board. For each unit, the controlling player must issue moving and attack instructions.

Moving instructions must include a target hex, as well as final orientation.

Attack instructions must include all targets, including 'none'.

Order is important! The resolution of movement and attack orders is generally top-down, though players may specify bottom-up before resolution begins. In a normal game of Leviathans, ships are generally restricted by class as to which units must move before others. It is recommended that players stick to this. Bigger ships are generally more predictable and have a lot of inertia to overcome. However, if players agree before the game, ignoring class restrictions in movement is always an option.

A unit doesn't have to be at the same place on the movement and attack lists. A Player may wish to move a particular unit last only to have it attack first, or give a particularly damaged unit top priority during the attack phase before it goes down. Two separate lists are required if a player is going to mix up their movement and attack priorities, as long as all units on a side are accounted for in both lists before resolution begins.

Once the Prep Phase is completed and all lists are made, players then resolve Initiative. However, instead of choosing what moves first, a player must resolve the first unit on his list, then mark that it has moved. Players alternate back and forth, following their list the entire way. (See Non-linear Initiative below for suggestions on spicing up the game.)

When combat occurs, players do the same, following their list.

Movement
When executing movement, getting there is all that's required. How a unit goes about doing so is up to the controlling player as long as it gets to its destination specified in the orders at the end of movement, this includes final orientation.

It is generally a good idea to have a destination the unit can reach when recording movement. However, this isn't completely necessary. If players agree, they may issue move orders to hexes well outside of a unit's movement range. During movement, it must try to get toward the target hex as fast as possible. Its final orientation must be toward the hex as best as possible. The unit cannot be issued any new movement or attack orders, and retains its current position in both lists until it completes the orders it was given.

Combat
When executing attacks, a unit fires on the designated target(s) if it is able to in any way. If the target is out of range or can't be attacked because of Line of Sight issues, then, unless players are using the optional Unit Disposition rules, no attack is made.

[Alius]

The above isn't too much off from a standard game. It really is just a guessing game, trying to determine if you can out-guess your opponent. On its own, it isn't much fun.

But, combine it with the following, and it becomes another animal entirely.

Non-linear Initiative

Normally following the initiative structure for a game is fine. But, it is generally far from accurate regarding combat, especially when you're watching from a command station. For players wanting to add a bit more chaos to their battles, Non-Linear Initiative is the way to go.

After the Prep Phase, the normal Initiative Phase is combined with both the movement and combat phases. Instead of rolling off per side, players are rolling to determine who executes an order first. Opposed dice rolls are best only for small games where each side is fielding only a handful of units. For much larger games, assigning players a suit or color in a deck of playing cards streamlines order resolution.

During movement, players roll, or someone draws a card. Whoever wins the roll or owns the suit of the card revealed starts at the top of their movement list and moves that unit. They then check the unit off to indicate it has moved. This continues until all players have moved all units on their lists.

Combat is resolved the same way as movement. It is generally a good idea when using an Initiative Deck to reshuffle between phases. If players have the space and are inclined, two separate decks work just as well.

The whole point of Non-Linear Initiative is to show that some units win out by getting the jump on others. Each turn is a chunk of time, and anything can happen. To reflect this, all damage is applied immediately. There is no waiting until the end of the phase. When a unit suffers damage before its time to execute an order comes, the damage effects apply to its attacks. Destroyed units are removed from the board. Any unit targeting a destroyed enemy has either overkilled it or missed the carcass as it falls out of the sky. It cannot redirect its attacks elsewhere. Players don't have to resolve the attacks against a dead ship.

No matter what happens as combat unravels, all units still hold their place in the list, and cannot be skipped until the end of the turn. This includes ships targeting a destroyed vessel and destroyed vessels. The order is still considered sent and spent.

During the next Prep Phase, any units lost do not get added to the new lists. Yes, lists will shrink as losses mount.

Parting Shot (Optional)
Because combat is fluid, it is still possible that a unit managed to get off a shot before it was taken out or damaged.

When a unit is attacked, both players roll off. If the defender wins, the damage doesn't apply until after the target's turn on the list has come and gone.

Alternate for Dice Initiative games - If players are rolling off to determine order, anytime a tie comes up, players re-roll until someone wins as normal. The player that lost marks the unit that was next up on his list. If that unit would be damaged or destroyed before its turn comes up, it ignores the effects of the damage, and may still make attacks under the conditions it was in at the start of the combat phase when its turn arrives.

Fluid Movement (Optional)
Just like combat, movement is generally fluid, with everything moving simultaneously. To reflect this, games which track stacking only get checked after all of the movement orders are complete. Once this is done, stacking is checked, and any violations are handled.

When a potential stacking violation would occur, the violating vessels accidentally ram one another. Both ramming attempts should be resolved individually per the rules in the Commander's Manual, but with the following tweaks to displacement:
- The ship that successfully damaged the other is the one doing the displacing.
- If neither or both ships damage one another, displacement is deferred to the ship with the highest class.
- If both ships are of the same class and did or did not damage each other, both ships are displaced as if the other had been successful, with nobody occupying the intended hexes.

The ship that does the displacing occupies its target hex and maintains its orientation. The other ship is displaced away from the target vessel until it no longer occupies the other ships hexes.
 
Displacement variation - If players wish, they may limit displacement to only one hex. If the displaced ship still occupies a hex belonging to the displacer, then it is rotated along its pivot point away from the point of impact until it no longer occupies that hex. Should it be turned onto the target ship in this manner, then it is displaced to the side of the displacing ship, with the side of impact adjacent to the ramming vessel.

Alternate Partial Displacement variation - Players can simply track violation order as it occurs. Any unit that ends its move in a hex with another vessel is set on the hex side it entered from. Only original occupants are left undisturbed until they move. If an original occupant moves because its turn simply came up last, the other unit may then move to its destination and becomes the new original occupant. If multiple units converge on a hex with an unmoved occupant, then each one should be given a number to indicate whether it got there first, second, or third, etc. Any displacement actions would occur in the listed order.

[Alius]

The basic rules or Orders-Based Initiative assumes that every unit will follow your orders to the letter and not deviate. But, let's face it, each vessel is ruled over by its iron-fisted Captain. They generally have a level of autonomy when it comes to what they do with their vessel, and this will translate over to following orders from the Flag Ship.

The following list is of dispositions a vessel's Captain may hold. Each vessel should be assigned one for the movement and combat classes.

When executing orders during the movement and combat phases, if the vessel can't complete the order that turn, they will revert to their dispositions in combat until they can on the next.

Movement Dispositions
- Direct: This captain wants to get to the destination as soon as possible, and will follow as direct a path as possible to his or her hex.

- Meandering: This captain isn't too concerned about time tables and will get there eventually. He isn't afraid of taking a bit of a detour to do so. (This trait is best combined with the Aggressive Combat Disposition.)

- Hesitant: This captain will not move his ship forward if the goal isn't reachable. This captain type will check for new orders often, and can be issued new movement and attack orders the next turn.

Combat Dispositions
- Aggressive: This captain will shoot at any and all targets that are in range, generally starting with the closest. Combined with the Meandering trait, this ship will pursue another vessel until it is destroyed or he is within range of his destination.

- Defensive: This captain is a chivalrous sort, and generally won't fire unless fired upon. Once attacked, he sees it as a challenge and obliges. Combined with the Meandering trait, he becomes wrathful, and will pursue the offending vessel until his objective is achievable or it is destroyed.

- Faithful: This captain has utter faith in the Flag's grand plan. He won't fire upon anything but what he's been ordered to. A Faithful, Meandering Captain is more prone to keep his distance from all other vessels as best he can, and will even resort to offensive screening tactics more often than others.

Mixed Bag
While some Naval commanders will try to staff people in their ship and fleet with those of similar minds, sometimes they don't always get what they want. If players wish, they can randomize the dispositions for each vessel before the game begins, giving them an interesting assortment of diverse characters which they'll have to reign in as well as conduct a battle.

Use a dGreen (d4) for each class of Disposition. A result of 4 means the controlling player gets to choose the disposition.

Unruly Bunch
Some Captains will not only have a disposition in battle, but may have issues with those in command. If players wish, they can assign each ship a priority as described below:

Loyal - The orders come first, when applicable. A ship with a loyal captain will follow orders when he can and completely so, but resorts to disposition when he can't.

Insubordinate - Flag orders are a low priority. This ship always resorts to disposition. (Faithful/Hesitant Insubordinates either follow orders under protest, or someone else is bypassing the captain.)

Opportunist - An opportunist Captain will follow orders when he can, but not necessarily to the letter. In combat, if there's more than one target available including the one designated by command, he'll fire on the designated target as well as any his disposition allows for.




Scenerio Idea with Dispositions
Having unit dispositions can set up for a game of Get the Flag. Each side chooses a vessel to be their Flag Ship before the game begins. They don't have to reveal this right away, but it will become apparent as the game progresses. The Flag Ship is under the player's direct control. It will go where he wants it to go, and fire what he wants it to fire on. The Flag Ship effectively executes any disposition the player desires. This should be noted in the combat orders list.

The goal of a Get the Flag game isn't necessarily to kill the enemy's Flag Ship. It is to destroy the enemy's fleet or chase them away. Though, once a flag ship is destroyed, players can end the game if they wish. If they want to see what happens afterward, the following conditions apply.

A side can only issue orders as long as their Flag Ship remains on the field. If it retreats or is destroyed, all ships on that side revert to disposition.

When a Flag Ship retreats of the map, a new ship is given the Secondary Flag Ship designation. This ship still follows its normal dispositions, which cannot be changed. Otherwise, order lists for the side are made as normal. If the secondary flag ship retreats, its command can be passed to yet another ship.

When a Flag Ship is destroyed, Faithful ships will no longer fire on an enemy. Hesitant ships will not move after they have completed their orders. All other ships will have a new target destination somewhere beyond their starting edge of the map.

Faithful Hesitant ships can be considered to have surrendered. However, the other side my still fire on them if desired. If they are attacked, they will revert to a Defensive combat disposition on a dRed result of 7 or better. The roll is modified by adding the number of turns they have been fired upon since the loss of the Flag Ship.

When assigning the order of resolution, for movement and combat, the controlling player should do so randomly for each ship. If using dice, simply roll one appropriately sized for the remaining number of ships and assign the number rolled to each ship, and then queuing down the list to the next available position if a spot is occupied. When using cards, assign each ship a number from a suit, and a suit if the force is big enough. Whenever that particular card comes up, that specific ship moves.


It is possible for a lingering ship to knock out the other side's Flag Ship after its own Flag vessel was destroyed. At that point, the battle is a draw and nobody occupies the territory, even the ones still sitting there. They will have to be recalled by somebody with clout and a new battle will have to be waged once the fleet is reorganized.

Campaigning With Dispositions
Looking at each set of additives, players should hopefully realize that they can recreate the decline in force quality by adding levels as a campaign progresses. A fleet commander will start out with the best and brightest or most loyal available to him. As combat losses mount, new ships can be assigned with randomized dispositions, as the Admiral might not be able to transfer the person he wants to fill the gap. The more battles an admiral wages will see once loyal units potentially turn against him as veteran captains start second guessing past decisions, accomplishments and failures, and each starts to decide what priority Flag orders have on his vessel. Some could become downright unruly as a war progresses, in spite of any strings of success or defeat.

The reverse can also be true, a commander starting out with a bunch of hard-headed self-important officers, and as he manages to string victories together, they start to change their minds.

If you like the concept, have fun with it. If you see room for more dispositions and priority traits, go for it.

I hope y'all enjoy.

[Alius]

Just went back through and made some minor edits and added a few things. Always the little things that a person doesn't think of right away.