The engine that drives PIQUET is initiative. An understanding of initiative, how to use it - how to optimize it - is the key to improving your play of PIQUET. The following observations regarding initiative and its influence in the game are based on our group's experiences (both winning and losing!).

"I never get the initiative"

So what! We have yet to see games consistently won by the side with more total initiative. The key to success is planning ahead - which means planning for the worst. Use initiative points intelligently. There is no need to use them on commands that are not in crucial need at that point. Poor planning and lack of foresight will undoubtedly result in poor performance by your army.

Unlike traditional games where the gamer knows the turn sequence to the last detail, PIQUET provides a fluid, constantly changing environment. Sounds a lot like real possibility of the initiative swinging to the enemy.

Don't over commit troops, leaving them exposed. If you find yourself consistently needing to win the initiative roll to allow you to get your forces out of bad situations, you most likely do not make the best use of initiative when you do have it.

On the other hand, if you lose the initiative roll and you can sit back watching the situation develop, confident in your deployments, you are considerably along the path to efficient command. It is always best to start with a plan and stay true to it as much as possible.

If you find yourself attempting to react and "dance" to all the tactical possibilities that will present themselves, you will most likely find yourself always needing more impetus points than you have. Keep your forces in command so you can make the most efficient use of your impetus points when you do win the initiative. It may sometimes be necessary for units to be out of command to achieve specific goals. However, use your officers (Officer Check Cards) to bring the units back into command as soon as possible.

"I never had an opportunity!"

Opportunity fire can be the great equalizer in a well played game of PIQUET. Buy the opportunity fire pips early in the game, before it hurts to pay the impetus points! Think of buying opportunity fire pips as you do a retirement savings account. It may hurt a little now, but if you haven't planned - it will hurt much more later.

If the enemy has the initiative, he may be able to dictate the flow of the game, but you are far from helpless. A few well placed opportunity fire volleys and judicious use of morale chips for enemy morale tests can cool the ardor of even the most aggressive opponent! In general, do not use opportunity fire for long range or low effect fire attacks. You want to use it as a hammer to pound the enemy at close range as he closes on your forces.

"I'll never win!"

Don't allow yourself to be psychologically beaten by a string of bad luck and lost initiative rolls. We have consistently seen gamers verbally admit defeat long before the table top situation warrants it. If your opponent is winning the initiative, he'll control the flow while he has the initiative. However, you will regain the initiative at some point - it is a statistical certainty. With any luck, your opponent has overconfidently made a few tactical mistakes. Now that you have the initiative it is your turn to dictate the events. Similar to boxing, it is not always the first punch that is the most dangerous - the counterpunch can be devastating!

Enjoy PIQUET. Every game is a learning experience. We have been playing PIQUET, and only PIQUET, many times a month for the past couple of years and have only scratched the surface of the possibilities. No two games have ever been alike. You must think as a commander and be prepared when the luck is running against you. The mark of a good commander is not that he is lucky, but that he can manage his assets in a fluid situation, overcoming bad luck when necessary. Welcome to the world of Piquet!