Who goes first in Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game?
FFG English original core set

Players plan maneuvers simultaneously. In the Activation phase, the ship with the lowest pilot skill activates first; in Combat, the ship with the highest pilot skill attacks first.
Official tie-break or fallback
When opposing ships share a pilot skill, the player with initiative resolves their ships at that skill first. A player chooses the order among their own ships with the same pilot skill.
Rule details
In this original core rulebook, the Imperial player normally has initiative. Under its squad-building rules, the player with the lower squad-point total has initiative; equal totals give it to the Imperial player.
Source & edition
- Star Wars: X-Wing Miniatures Game: English rulebookFantasy Flight Games · Planning phase; Activation phase: Breaking ties; Combat phase; Initiative; Initiative when squad building · Checked 2026-09-26Printed page references: 6, 7, 10, 16, 18
Image: © Lucasfilm / Fantasy Flight Games · Fantasy Flight Games
If your rules call for a random choice, use the player picker.
Related games and editions
Star Wars: Imperial AssaultFFG English core game
Star Wars: Jabba's Palace – A Love Letter GameZ-Man English 19-character-card edition
Star Wars: RebellionFantasy Flight Games English rules, 2016
Games with a similar starting rule
Spirit IslandSpirit Island has no first player. It is cooperative, and all players act simultaneously within each phase of every turn.
Space BaseEach player draws a random Level 1 ship during setup. Whoever draws the highest sector number takes the starting-player card and goes first.
MaracaiboThe player who was most recently aboard a ship starts.
AmalfiThe person who was most recently aboard a ship starts.
Käpt'n MemoThe player who most recently disembarked from a ship becomes captain of the first voyage.
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