Hi all,

Played my first few games tonight and have a query regarding how to resolve the battle ability for Ferrin.

I can't find a clear description in the rules regarding rout and how it works. Do I rout an enemy unit at another planet and if so what actually happens.

If I've simply missed something from either rule book, please feel free to point me to the relevant to page.

Thanks

The definition of "Rout" can be found in the RRG, p. 14. Essentially, it just means sending a unit to its controller's HQ, exhausted.

So triggering the Battle Ability on Ferrin ("Battle: Rout a target non-warlord unit.") means you pick one non-warlord unit at any planet controlled by any player (even one of your own, if you want) and move it from that planet to its controller's HQ, exhausted.

Thanks ktom, that answers my question perfectly.

Ktom, you could also target a unit already at HQ, correct?

Ktom, you could also target a unit already at HQ, correct?

Can't rout someone who's already in HQ surely? That would come under triggering an effect which has 0 effect on board state, which IIRC you can't do (have to check the manual again, I'm in work right now).

Or perhaps you can just to Exhaust them, but I don't think so - will have to check the RR entry on 'Rout'.

All the RRG has to say is:

Under "Card Effects" on p. 4 of the RRG:

" > A card ability can only be initiated if its effect has some potential to change the game state, and its cost (after modifiers) has the potential to be paid in full.

> A card ability may be initiated if all or part of its effect is able to resolve. Once initiated, players must resolve as much of an effect as they are able, unless the effect uses the word 'may.'"

This means a card effect that doesn't DO anything cannot be triggered in the first place. So it's clear you cannot "Rout" a unit that is both in the HQ and exhausted - because absolutely nothing changes, right? That leaves the question whether you can "Rout" a ready unit that is already in the HQ - since there is a potential change in the game state from the unit exhausting.

Personally, I'm going to say "NO." The way I read the definition of "Rout," the returning to the HQ and exhausting are not separate effects. They are a single process -- the routed unit leaves the planet and arrives at the HQ exhausted. If it doesn't "leave," it cannot "arrive," exhausted or otherwise. So with "return to controller's HQ" being required for the exhaustion, routing a unit that is already at HQ doesn't fulfill the requirement, the unit doesn't exhaust, nothing changes, and you thus cannot trigger the "Rout" effect to begin with. Now, you can Rout a unit a a planet that is already exhausted because returning the unit to HQ in an exhausted state does not require a change from "ready" to "exhausted" in order to leave the planet. That's just how it arrives in HQ.

That's pure speculation, though. It might be something you want to send to FFG to be sure about.

I will let everyone know when I get a response.

A routed unit must be at a planet to be returned to HQ. The definition of Rout states that the unit is returned in an exhausted state, so it would not be able to just exhaust a unit in your opponent’s HQ.

Brad Andres

Associate LCG Designer

Thanks everyone!