I have a conceptual problem. What's the difference between a turn and an activation? I understand that a turn is complete when BOTH players have activated ALL their commands. Correct?

I tell this because sentences like "...A cannot do this or that action this turn" should be read as "...this activation".

Thank you

the turn sequence in Impetus is everything but linear. It is very interactive so within the same turn the active player vary in a random way.
I don't know exactly the sentences so it is hard to tell you if the term used were not the best (I cannot exclude it) or was used the term turn to create less confusion (in the sense it is your part of the turn).

I mean the turn is splitted into sections and within the turn there is the active player and the non active player. The active player activates his Units during a section of the turn he controls.

But a TURN SEQUENCE is deteiled on page 21. Par. 4.1. and I find it a bit confusing. If I understand it correctly, I can activate my three commands one after the orther if I win all initiatives. Then the opponent will be able to move his commands at wish (but still rolling for leadership change, of course). Is this correct?

Or can I move my three commands 4 consecutive times if I win 12 consecutive initiatives? I mean, Is a TURN finished when my three commands are moved?

Thank you.

yes it is correct

here the text:

4.1 ACTIVATION AND THE TURN SEQUENCE
Units are activated during the TURN SEQUENCE into which each turn is sub-divided.
1) Deciding the Initiative (4.1.1) and the Command that can be activated.
2) The active player, i.e. the player that won the initiative, chooses and activates the Units (or Groups) within the activated Command one by one.
3) Determine Initiative again until all Commands on the battlefield have been activated.

point 3) means that when you have activated all Commands the turn is finished.

So for example I have 3 commands A, B and C and you 3 commands as well: D, E and F.
At the start of the turn I want to activate B and you D. You win the initiative so you activate D (that is you activate all the Units/Groups within that command).
Then we roll for initiative again. I insist on B while you choose F (you cannot choose D again as already activated).
You win again and you activate F.
Next initiative roll. I decide to change command and choose A, you have to choose only E. I win and activate A.
Next turn I can choose between B and C, while your only option is still E. I choose the unlucky B and you win. You activate E.
Now I have still to activate B and C, while you have activated all the Commands.
I decide to activate C but I have to roll anyway to see if the general changes his status. For sure B will roll a double 1

Ok. I see. Now let me show you some specific examples.

Page 31. Par. 5.12. "You cannot move during the same turn that you dismount". Unit's turn, Command's turn or army turn?

Page 32. Par. 6.1. "Firing cannot be performed between two movement phases and must be performed once only per turn...". Is this turn the curren't Unit activation, the current Command's activation or just the whole move of my army. I mean that shooting when on opportunity is "out of this turn"?

Page 33. Par. 6.1.3. First modifier says: "-1 for each movement phase performed that turn...". Again, I read turn here as "current Unit's activation". Or is it referred to "Unit's Command activation"? Is this "turn" included if the Unit is on Opportunity? i.e. must I apply this -1 when I'm the inactive player now but this Unit moved in a previous activation?

I think a clarification here is needed beucause the consequences on firing, move and melée can be exteremy different.

Thank you

I agree that the 2 terms may generate confusion due to the particular turn sequence. The term turn has been used as you are activated only once per turn and you have to perform all the actions in the same activation. But let see point by point in order to clear the doubts.



It is referred to the Unit that dismount. As you dismount and move only during your activation, turn and activation coincide in most cases. If you dismount than you cannot move. The use of the term turn means that you cannot move later in the same turn, for example you cannot countercharge.




You shoot on opportunity only if you don’t shoot when you are activated. For example the shooting Unit is not yet activated but has been placed on opportunity before. During enemy activation it fires. Well if it is later activated, in the same turn, cannot shoot again.

Anyway an exception is when you are triggered by a Unit entering your Zone of Control. This is special a case of opportunity. You can always react but can react only in that very moment.



This is an impossible situation. To be placed in opportunity you have to be stationary and pass the test. If you have moved (or fired) that turn you cannot be on opportunity.

This is what I wanted to hear!



And this is what I don't want to hear! . Let's see it step by step. I win the initiative of my left wing. I activate the archer's Unit there. I choose not to shoot but to place it on opportunity, so no shooting this "turn". My opponent wins the next initiative and activates his command in front of my left wing. An enemy Unit fires on mine. They are in opportunity, so they can shoot back. Right?

Now, how can be my Unit be later activated in the same turn? Both my command and my opponent's have been activated so they cannot be activated again until all other command have been activated! I understand they canno shoot later, but what do you mean "...in the same turn"?

Sorry, maybe I'm showing myself as a silly rookie, but I think this is one of the keypoints of Impetus.

you are not a silly rookie at all. As game designer developing these concenpts has been probably the more difficult task.



exaclty. Opportunity is a sort of defensive order. In this case you have ordered to your shhoter to hold back (not sure is the correct verb in English) the fire, waiting for a better moment.
You do so when you activate the whole left command. Suppose in you left command you have 3 Shoters and 2 Heavy Infantry. You win initiative and put 2 Shhoting Units in opportunity (suppose you pass the test). While you decide that the 3rd Shhoting Unit may shhot know, while your 2 FO Units advance.

If you opponent activate his right wing (the one in front of the activated Command) you can decide to shoot with you 2 Units in Opportunity. If your enemy shoot at you you can shoot back (exchange of shhoting). Of course all other troops of your already activated command cannot be activated again.

Not sure to have understood your doubt, probably it was not clear that a Unit in opportunity can act without activation. I mean can react triggered by a enemy activation (the enemy moves, shoot, charge etc and you react). Was this the point?
You place Units in opportunity, renoucing to act during your activation, just to act during enemy's activation.
This is very useful for Shooting Units.

Ok. I think that I understand the general concept. I hope!

I will be including new doubts soon. I want to play my first full game ASAP!

Thank you

Perhaps I can put my two penny worth in.
A unit can be on opportunity having been placed there last turn. So could fire before its command is activated this turn, it cannot then Fire again. Though I suppose you could go onto opportunity again and be 'triggered'. I had not thought of that until I started writing this, I would suggest the rule only applies to 'activated' fire.
The prohibition against move/fire/move is because you can move a unit a number of times in an activation. You can Fire/move/move... Move/move/.../Fire but not Mover/fire/move.

As an aside, along with the ZOC I found the Turn/Phase/Activation the most confusing part of these rules during proof reading. I have a long chain of emails with Lorenzo about it. It was decided to keep the wording this way so the English and Italian texts are as close as possible.

Here is my understanding. Starting from the bottom level.

An activated unit may take a number of actions eg.(move, fire, Go on opportunity, rally etc.). Which action and their sequence are specified in the rules. A unit is considered 'activated' if it fought in a melee that 'Command Activation". Once a unit finishes its activation it cannot be reactivated that Turn.
A 'Command activation' is the activations of all its component units. A 'Command Activation' is the main unit of the turn sequence. Once a command finishes its activation it cannot be reactivated that Turn. The order in which commands are activated is decided by competitive dicing.
Once all the commands of both players have been activated that is the end of the Turn.

Limits apply to 'Unit Actions' and not to non-actions such as Opportunity Fire. They only apply when the unit is activated.

Lorenzo will probably disagree now and I'll need to get my head around it all again

well I could start to get confused by seem your clarification is good.

I will work out to some supporting images because these things are more complicated to explain than to play. I see that gamers tend to do correctly by instinct.