Wargame Mechanics Index

Alternating unit activation

Players alternate activating single units or groups.

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Watch it played 4 moments

  • 10:55–11:27
    "Star Wars" Endor Wargame
    Little Wars TV
    Rule in play Imperial Discipline card reactivates the AT-ST

    Tony and Miles resolve the effect of their Imperial Discipline command card, returning an order token to the pool so their AT-ST walker can activate a second time in the same turn.

  • 3:24–4:31
    Disposable Heroes 2 Rule Review
    Little Wars TV
    Rule explained Spending tactical points to activate units

    The hosts explain the alternating activation structure where activating a unit grants three tactical points to move, shoot, or rally, as well as the ability to share tactical points with adjacent units.

  • 5:18–5:39
    Legion Rule Review
    Little Wars TV
    Rule explained Alternating unit activation via order pool

    Keith explains the alternating activation system where players take turns activating units, drawing from a token order pool that introduces command friction.

  • 7:28–8:09
    General d'Armee Rule Review
    Little Wars TV
    Rule explained Interactive turn sequence eliminates downtime

    Miles and Tom describe the alternating flow of each game turn, showing that resolving charges up front and alternating actions keeps both players constantly engaged.

Moments picked automatically, by AI watching the video or reading its captions, and linked at the timestamp on YouTube. Quotes are from the captions.

How games do it 3 games

1turn
Alternating actionsFrozen Chosin (Command Post)

Sides alternate actions: either attempt an operation or activate a regiment.

How it works

Each player in turn either attempts one HQ operation or activates one regiment, which moves and fights with all its bases with no command radius. Each regiment activates once per Nighttime and once per Daytime phase unless an operation allows reactivation. A phase ends when all regiments have activated or all players pass.

Players alternate, back and forth, taking one of two possible actions. They may attempt to perform one operation from their HQ Sheet or may activate any regiment under their command.
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1turn
Alternating attacks and movement attemptsMicro Armour: The Game - WWII (2nd Edition)

Within the fire and movement phases, players alternate single attacks or movement attempts until both pass.

How it works

In the Artillery and Standard Fire Phases the initiative player chooses who attacks first, then players alternate attacks (each attack is one target with any number of firers) until both pass. A player who passes may not attack again that phase. Movement works the same way, alternating movement attempts with orders and then independent attempts.

The players then alternate attacks until both players “pass.” At this point, the Standard Fire Phase ends.
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1turn

Players alternate activating one unit at a time until all units have acted.

How it works

After initiative, the player chosen to go first activates a single unit, then the opponent activates one, and so on. If one side runs out of units, the other activates all its remaining units in sequence. The turn ends when no unactivated troop units remain on either side.

During each turn they will alternate activating their units, until all of them have had the chance to act.
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