Active Phase

The active phase is one of two phases during a game turn. During the active phase a player carries out resource management and may carry out actions with each of their models. During a player's active phase, her opponent is considered to be having a reflex phase.

The active phase is sometimes referred to as the active turn. The player carrying out their active phase is sometimes referred to as the active player.

Vanguard Active Phase
The Vanguard active phase is split into two sub-phases: the tactical phase and the activation phase.

I. Tactical Phase

 * 1) Replenish Tac-Net Pool: On the 1st game turn determine the starting number of Tac‐Net counters in the Vanguard pool by rolling 1d6 and adding the highest ranking deployed model’s tactics limit. On subsequent turns add a number of Tac-Net counters equal to the highest‐ranking model’s tactics limit to the pool.
 * 2) Access Tac‐Net: any model may take up to its limit in tactical counters from the Tac-Net Pool.
 * 3) Target Designation: Tactics counters may be spent directly from Tac‐Net to mark an enemy unit. These must be within a valid vector from a Vanguard model. Multiple Tactics counters can be placed on one model.

II. Activation Phase

 * 1) Apply Status Effects: status effects that occur at the beginning of activation are resolved.
 * 2) Activate Models: Models can be activated one at a time.
 * 3) Perform Status Checks: Each model carries out a status check for each status effect that requires it.
 * 4) Apply Persistent Status Effects: status effects that occur at the end of activation are resolved.

Strain Active Phase
The Strain active phase is split into two sub-phases: the infection phase and the activation phase.

I. Infection Phase
Spawned or evolved models may only take one, non‐focused, action on their first activation.
 * 1) Nano‐spore Infection: If a non‐Strain model is standing in a square with a nano‐counter at the beginning of the  Infection phase, the Strain player must remove at least one nano‐counter from that square. The model in that  square gains an infection counter. The Strain player may choose to remove additional nano‐counters in that  square to add additional infection counters to a maximum of four. The affected model may not be mutated during  this infection phase.
 * 2) Move nano‐counters: Each counter may move up to six squares. Nano‐counters pass through all squares but  walls. They can move through closed normal doors, but not closed section or airlock doors. Multiple nanocounters  may be placed in one square.
 * 3) Mutate Infected Models: Any infected models can be mutated into Strain or be consumed and form Nano.
 * 4) Spawn Exo‐forms
 * 5)  Evolve Exo‐forms  

II. Activation Phase

 * 1) Apply Status Effects: status effects that occur at the beginning of activation are resolved.
 * 2) Activate Models: Models can be activated one at a time.
 * 3) Perform Status Checks: Each model carries out a status check for each status effect that requires it.
 * 4) Apply Persistent Status Effects: status effects that occur at the end of activation are resolved.