Alpha Strike is a quick playing miniature game using the Battletech Universe. It plays fast. It has giant robots. What more could you ask for?
Good Morning Game Fans, today we’re back with another article on one of our favorite miniature wargames, Alpha Strike.
Today we’re going to take a look at the basic structure of how a game is played. Alpha Strike is played over a number of turns. Each turn is broken down into a number of phases. Play passes back and forth in each phase between players until both players have completed all the steps in each phase. Each player completes all of the steps in the movement phase before either player moves onto the shooting phase. Let’s take a closer look at the Turn Sequence and break each phase down. 
Turn Sequence
Like I said above, each game of Alpha Strike is made up of a number of game turns (the scenario being played may determine this, or it’s a match until all units are destroyed.). Each turn has 4 Steps, and both players finish the current step before moving forward. The Steps are:
- Initiative Phase
- Movement Phase
- Combat Phase
- End Phase
Once both players have completed all the actions in each phase, both players move to the next. Players alternate performing actions within each phase, in an “I go, You Go, I go” pattern where one player will move units, then his opponent, etc. This is a difference from some other games, where a player turn represents that player’s entire force moving, shooting and engaging in close combat.
Note 1: This Turn style is similar to the one used for the more traditional Battletech Game.
Initiative Phase
The Initiative Phase is simple. Each player rolls 2D6. The player with the higher result has won initiative for the turn. The player who lost initiative moves and shoots with his units first, giving the player who won initiative a better chance to act and react to the battlefield.
Movement Phase
In alternating turns, each player moves one of his units. They can move the number of inches listed on their datacard, with terrain slowing down movement rates. Once the player who lost initiative moves a unit, the next player moves one of their units until every unit on the board has been activated to move. You don’t have to move a unit when you decide to move it, especially if you like it’s current terrain placement, or you have a nefarious plan in mind. Remember, the player who won initiative will get move the last unit on the board.
Combat Phase
The Combat Phase works a little differently than the Movement Phase. The player who lost initiative picks one of their units and declares an attack with that unit. Damage is resolved at this time, (mark it down on your datacards) but the damage effects don’t take effect until the end phase. This lets damaged or destroyed units an opportunity to shoot back, since the effects are resolved simultaneously. Once that player has fired and resolved, he continues doing so until every one of his units that wants to shoot has the opportunity. Then the player than won initiative shoots with all of his units.
End Phase
Both players execute the end phase simultaneously. There are several effects to resolve and processes that go off during the end Phase. Heat is calculated, destroyed units are removed, and a number of other actions take place. Pay close attention to your special abilities and resolve them correctly. Once Both players have resolved their End Phases, they start the next turn by rolling initiative.
Ending the Game
Alpha Strike has a wide variety of missions you can play with, and you can design your own missions. There are a variety of alternative victory conditions that can be decided upon, but the game traditionally ends when one player has completely destroyed his opponent’s units. That’s a brief rundown of how the game is played, and next time we’ll go over how to pick your forces and set up for a game of Alpha Strike. Game on, Game Fans.
Huge Shout out to Alexander Iglesias, whose lovely art we borrowed for this article about Alpha Strike.
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About the Author: Zardoz the Magnificent
