Initiative is a temporary individual stat that prioritises the 
Trooper's turns (i.e. actions) higher than the rest of the troops, thus allowing him to take his turns first (moderate boosts), or even take several turns before the others can do anything about it (high boosts). Initially the stat is null, once a trooper gets a boost, he can act while his initiative drops rapidly back to 0 over short while, right until the natural order of turns is restored. This is noticeable by examining the timer at the top right corner – once anybody gets a boost, the timer stops with a blue bar appearing underneath it; after the initiative bar runs out, the time flows again. With time stopped during boosts, Poisoned troopers don't lose health.
One shouldn't underestimate the importance of such a stat, once witnessing 
Solo Mission in effect it's value is undeniable.
Ways to Affect Initiative
Improving
- Fielding
Comms. Officiers, who can occasionally use Solo Mission to boost Initiative. - Fielding Spies, who are granted +50 IP at the start, and increase that bonus by 10 IP every level up.
- Utilizing Twinoid (+500 IP at a cost of Poisoning).
- Upgrading to Adrenaline (little boost per round dodged).
- Upgrading to On Point (+200 IP).
- Upgrading to Frenetic (+200 IP per hostile trooper killed).
- Upgrading to Bounce Back (+100 IP after getting up).
- Upgrading to Vendetta (+50 IP per teammate lost).
- Upgrading to Restless (+100 IP at the beginning of the next wave).
- Upgrading to Martyr (+150 IP to 5 other troopers deployed shortly after dying).
- Upgrading to Suspicious (+200 IP per hostile spy).
Deteriorating
- Utilizing Glue Grenade (-200 IP per trooper affected by the area of effect).
- Utilizing Binoculars (-400 IP for the next enemy trooper).
