Recently played a game using;

Whisper (Phantom) Captain Kagi (Shuttle) and a Saber Sqn Pilot (Tie Ceptor)

Now playing against my opponent was a tough a game. We generally agreed after that had rules been interpreted another way then the outcome may have been different.

I've looked over the FAQ but in the rule book it does say that if anything is in doubt follow the text on the card.

So my question needs the scenario first.

Whisper is stressed after performing a K turn which was a follow on after he de-cloaked.

Stressed ships cannot perform actions correct?

I'm rolling with a Fire Control system and Advanced Cloaking Device as well.

Whisper fires and scores hits on my opponents E-Wing.

His card says after you perform an attack this hits, I can assign him one focus token.

FC System also allows him to target lock the E-Wing.

I performed no actions previously because he was stressed (such as focus, evade etc) But the cards say that I can give him a focus token, acquire a target lock AND cloak.

We agreed that because Whisper was stressed and could not perform an action this applied to any actions on his cards.

Right or Wrong and is there any official word as my opponent will only go from what comes from FFG not general consensus on the Forums.

Thanks in advance.

You're correct in that you cannot perform actions while stressed. This means that anything that grants an action doesn't work. Thus you can't cloak with Advanced Cloak if you're stressed.

However, you can still use Fire Control System and get the Focus token from Whisper's ability. Neither of those is actually an action; with the System you simply acquire a target lock, and with Whisper you simply get assigned a token. No actions involved.

The imporant part is the keyword. Unless it says action:[/b} <text> then it's not an action. So like DR4CO says, you can use Fire Control or Whisper's ability because neither of those are actually actions.

Getting a token is not always an action, and spending one is normally not an action either. I also can't think of any pilot abilities that are actions, I think most of not all of them are more like passive abilities that are either always on or at least not actions.

The main thing is to understand the difference between performing an action to receive a focus token or target lock, as opposed to having an ability or upgrade that allows you to acquire one, or assign one.

Any card that tells you that you may perform an action (free or otherwise) is still subject to the stress rules.

To expand on those excellent answers, take for example our beloved Y-Wing pilot "Dutch" Vander's ability:

"After acquiring a target lock, choose another friendly ship at Range 1-2. The ship may immediately acquire a target lock."

If Dutch is legally able to get a Lock on someone, he immediately gives another ship, at range 1-2, the ability to "acquire" a target lock. This is not the same as taking a target lock "action". The other ship could have a stress token and still legally be able to acquire that target lock.

To contrast this with the upcoming Rebel Aces A-Wing Pilot Jake Farrell's ability:

"After you perform focus action or are assigned a focus token, you may perform a free boost or barrel roll action."

This is one situation where if Jake had a stress token on him, he would not be able to perform the "free boost or barrel roll action" as these are noted specifically as actions. The use of "free action" is also described in the rules book as something you cannot take if the pilot is stressed.

Finally, as I believe examples should come in threes, we can look at Airen Cracken, awesome Z-95 pilot that he is:

"After you perform an attack, you may choose another friendly ship at Range 1. That ship may perform 1 free action."

Airen can allow another ship to perform a "free action" but that ship would not be able to do it if it were stressed, as it's listed specifically as an "action", rather than the granting of a token of some kind.

Hopefully, these explanations help you and your friend. Keep flying casual!

Happy days, cheers for the replies!

I guess while we are on the topic of "actions" it should also be noted that a ship can NOT take the same "action" more than once per turn although that does not limit being "assigned" or "acquiring" the Tokens that performing an action would.

For example a B-Wing with Advanced Sensors takes a Focus Action before taking a K-turn and becoming stressed. That B-Wing will not be able to take actions (due to stress) but could be assigned additional Focus tokens from ships like Garven or Kyle.

In a similar example our B-Wing take a Focus Action along with some non-stressful maneuver so it can take actions. This ship could pick up additional Focus tokens from Garven and/or Kyle. However if it were given a free actions from Cracken from say Squad Leader and later from his ability neither of those free actions could be used to Focus again because that action had already been used once.