Most games have them.
Numbers you add to the dice score.

They are common as modifiers to hit.
Positive ones for big targets, or for aimed fire etc.
Negative ones for small targets or for targets in cover.
Nothing unusual about that.

Many games have activation modifiers, morale modifiers, save modifiers etc.

However, many games make you roll for the initiative, just as they do for shooting; saving, morale tests etc yet few have initiative modifiers.
In KR 16 the MS1 command module with all its drones can grant +1 to your initiative roll, as all this extra live battlefield intelligence will help you get the drop on the enemy.

Now…..

I am thinking of other ways to modify the initiative.
I did test this idea out a few years back and it went down like a lead balloon.
In fact on one forum, people gave me such verbal GBH about the whole idea and went as far as to say I was wasting my time as it was a bad idea and I was a fool for pursuing it, that I got the hump and left the forum…


So what else could modify the initiative?

Maybe being on the biggest hill with the advantages of good LOS would grant a modifier?
Maybe having more recce vehicles than the enemy would grant a bonus?


Your ideas if you would.

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AB, i'm not familiar with your ruleset, just to be clear, are you asking about different ways to represent advantage (instead of just adding +1s to initiative), or different ways to trigger the occurrence of +1 initiative modification? or both?

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AFK with real life, still checking PMs

Ideas for ways/situations that would would grant modifiers (+ or -) to a die roll for initiative.
Such as say having ECM that give the enemy -1 to their initiative (ooh that is an idea!)

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http://angelbarracks.co.uk/

I also am not familiar with your specific rule, but in general, at the scale 6mm game generally operate;

Presence of scout and recon units in army
Quality of leadership, either number of HQ units or a special rule some generals might posses
Fluff nature of the army (orcs and Imperial guard are slow to react, space marines fast)
Biological advantages under certain conditions (night vision during night fighting, elves in a forest battlefield)
Electronic warfare (I hadn't thought of ths, you did, but I wanted to put it in the list for completeness)
Scenario specific modifiers obviously
Air superiority (related and perhaps part of scout and recon units)
camo or stealth tech common to most of he army
Purchased stratagems (spend so many points to get a bonus, representing a strategic bluff or. Diversion)

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Thanks,
Troy


Once Upon a Midnight Dreary....

Have no time for suggestions atm, but yes, these seems like a great idea - i particularity like the idea that actions taken in the game (like taking hills/buildings etc) can give you initiative advantages.

Initiative is an abstraction not only of troop training but their ability to receive and carry out orders (C&C). Some ideas:

1) Real Time / Eye in the Sky - What EA does, the general can react immediately to an opponent's movement.
2) Assigned Orders / Radio Comms - Orders are assigned at the start of the turn and must be carried out. Communication between units and the general is possible though, so orders can be changed assuming the unit passes a more difficult initiative test.
3) Assigned Orders / Messenger - As above but communication between the units and general is too slow for orders to change. You could possibly allow certain units a subset of actions to carry out to represent what their own commanding officers' order (perhaps requiring a more difficult initiative test).

You should be able to combine these, ie one side can use 1) while the other 3) to represent some lop sided fights.

How the units activate can add an element of fog of war to the C&C as well:

1) Alternating - What EA does (DSII does something similar as well but handles activation count disparities better I think)
2) Randomized - Roll off for every activation.
3) Randomized Weighted - Assigned a card suit to each player, they get a number of cards equal to how many units they have. Shuffle them all at the start of the turn and draw. When your suite comes up you get to activate a unit.
4) Randomized Assigned - As above, except each unit has a specific card, when it comes up that unit can activate.

These don't combine as well, 3 and 4 could work together (one side weighted, one side assigned) but the others not so much.

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Dave

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Squats 2019-10-17

Even go as far a "local knowledge" ie the junker insurgents know the terrain Better than the military?

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Walk softly. And carry a big gun.

Card based systems or modified versions of these can also work, where each formation type gets a number of "activations", cards are shuffled and players may move the formations that are drawn.
Alternatively each player is dealt cards and may play them, to move the relevant formations or carry out particular actions etc. Here you might increase or decrease the number of cards depending on battlefield circumstances