Agreed. It also seems the most intuitive.
@Byakko, I really like the concept you’re describing; it offers the benefits of option B (ability to influence battle logic) but more formally defined as an initiative bonus than just tilting a random factor in your favor.
I wonder if it would be better as a buff though; especially as a shared buff, with a counter-buff to nullify it. For example, when active, 10% of your forces gain first strike, unless your opponent is counter-buffed.
This would allow smaller players to use it more easily as it wouldn’t be bound by research, and highly-funded small attackers in large families wouldn’t gain an advantage due to lower networth bumping their research percentages.