<p>It does not ever change hands. Initiative stays with whichever player had it at the start of the game. It's not really mentioned in the "starting to play" book, but the <a href="https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/2c/4d/2c4de555-925d-4fde-8af6-02873437149b/swm01_rules_reference_guide_lowres.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Rules Reference</a> is pretty explicit:</p>

<blockquote>
  <h2>Initiative</h2>
  
  <p>Initiative determines which player acts first during the
  Ship Phase and Squadron Phase. It is assigned to a player
  during the “Determine Initiative” step of setup. That
  player is the first player and takes the initiative token. His
  opponent is the second player.</p>
  
  <p>•   <strong>The first player retains initiative for the entire game.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-28T15:59:39.827Z
2017-12-28T15:59:39.827Z
Erik
<p>Just got <em>Star Wars: Armada</em> and we're still just playing the introductory scenario. The rules tell us that each round during phase 4 ("status phase") the player <em>with</em> the initiative token will flip it. In the expanded rules I see that after fleet construction we may have a new way of choosing who <em>starts</em> with the initiative token.</p>

<p>Does the initiative token ever pass from player to player? Or does it just stay in one player possession the whole game?</p>

<star-wars-armada>
When, if at all, does initiative pass between players?
nitsua60
# When, if at all, does initiative pass between players?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-26)

Just got *Star Wars: Armada* and we're still just playing the introductory scenario. The rules tell us that each round during phase 4 ("status phase") the player *with* the initiative token will flip it. In the expanded rules I see that after fleet construction we may have a new way of choosing who *starts* with the initiative token.

Does the initiative token ever pass from player to player? Or does it just stay in one player possession the whole game?

**Tags:** star-wars-armada


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-12-28. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

It does not ever change hands. Initiative stays with whichever player had it at the start of the game. It's not really mentioned in the "starting to play" book, but the [Rules Reference](https://images-cdn.fantasyflightgames.com/filer_public/2c/4d/2c4de555-925d-4fde-8af6-02873437149b/swm01_rules_reference_guide_lowres.pdf) is pretty explicit:

> ## Initiative
>
> Initiative determines which player acts first during the
> Ship Phase and Squadron Phase. It is assigned to a player
> during the “Determine Initiative” step of setup. That
> player is the first player and takes the initiative token. His
> opponent is the second player.
>
> • **The first player retains initiative for the entire game.**


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