User blog comment:FargoneSeven/Taking Turns/@comment-11135771-20150227002612/@comment-5885288-20150227003921

This is for combat in space. The goal is to slow things down to a reasonable level, preventing misunderstandings and the like. Having more time to react to enemy actions (nothing happens untill the defender responds to the current phase) would also improve the quality of RP and level the playing field. Another pre-step could be added (along with forcing the attacker to comit to an attack) that forces the defender to declare all defences. If things are secret they still get declared (as secret) but now the attacker will know the defender isn't making things up.