When a Phantom has the option to decloak, if he is unable to decloak in the first direction he attempts is he required to choose another direction to decloak or can he skip decloaking altogether?

Example:

A Phantom has the edge of the map to its left, a ship directly in front of it and an asteroid to the right. It is obvious to the Phantom player that trying to decloak left will put the ship out of play, and that he will be blocked trying to decloak forward. It is unclear whether or not that there is room to decloak to the right and avoid the asteroid. The Phantom player chooses to decloak right and finds that there is no way to do so without overlapping the asteroid. Is he now forced to decloak left as it is the only legal decloak available or can he chose to remain cloaked?

When a Phantom has the option to decloak, if he is unable to decloak in the first direction he attempts is he required to choose another direction to decloak or can he skip decloaking altogether?

It works the same as Barrel Roll, so it depends on if you're playing standard rules or competitive rules.

For Standard rules, even if you could make the move the chosen direction you're not locked into it. You can pick a different direction or different action completely.

For competitive rules, if you chose to uncloak and pick left (or left forward for Echo, because the direction of the template counts for him.) and can't fit to the left you can either pick a different direction to uncloak or a different action completely. You are never forced to pick a different direction if the one you choose isn't valid.

Ninja'd by Vanor..

Ninja'd by Vanor..

*strikes from the blackness and slips away*

Thanks. I had assumed that it worked that way but wasn't 100% certain since decloaking isn't an action.

The key is you're not locked into it if it doesn't fit. Read the Decloak Reference card carefully and you will find that you can't decloak if you would overlap the ship, but it doesn't matter about the template. Obstacles, it does matter. If the ship to the front was close enough, you might have been able to decloak past him.

Something to keep in mind for the future.

Also one thing that applies to both decloaking and barrel rolls (maybe boost as well but not positive), is that if you end up off the playing table, you are dead. Many players think it works like an obstacle and you can take back that move if you go off, but unless you are playing friendly rules, that is not the case.

For Standard rules, even if you could make the move the chosen direction you're not locked into it. You can pick a different direction or different action completely.

Where do I find these Standard rules for decloaking?

Where do I find these Standard rules for decloaking?

You use the rules for a Barrel Roll when performing the decloaking maneuver. So use what ever version of the rules you are playing by, standard or competitive.

There are no standard rules for decloaking, that's the point I was trying to make. Saying it works just like barrel roll would probably be how it would've been worded had there been a standard rules version of decloaking. But there isn't

There are no standard rules for decloaking, that's the point I was trying to make. Saying it works just like barrel roll would probably be how it would've been worded had there been a standard rules version of decloaking. But there isn't

Under the standard rules, you can get out your range ruler and check where you'll end up before committing to a barrel roll. There's no announcing "barrel roll right" or "barrel roll left". If you are playing at a Competitive or Premier event there are additional rules for performing a boost or barrel roll that come into play. In general all of the stipulations about when you can and cannot bust out rulers and templates are contained in the "Competitive Play" section of the FAQ.

Page 8 of the rule book has the "standard" rule:

When a Phantom has the option to decloak, if he is unable to decloak in the first direction he attempts is he required to choose another direction to decloak or can he skip decloaking altogether?

For competitive rules, if you chose to uncloak and pick left (or left forward for Echo, because the direction of the template counts for him.) and can't fit to the left you can either pick a different direction to uncloak or a different action completely. You are never forced to pick a different direction if the one you choose isn't valid.

De-cloaking is not an action. You can de-cloak before revealing your movement dial. Again choose the direction and state it first before attempting to decloak, if you cannot decloak on that direction then you may choose another direction (but do not have to) If you cannot complete a 2 barrel roll or 2 straight (bank if echo) due to overlapping no mater what direction you choose then you cannot decloak. You can still perform actions in you action step whether you decloaked or not.

There are no standard rules for decloaking, that's the point I was trying to make.

The card says "perform a barrel roll", so the normal barrel roll rules should apply. If you want to make the argument that they don't, because the effect you gain by decloaking is not a Barrel Roll action, then the competitive rules don't apply at all, only the the basic rules for actions and effects.

In which case you aren't committed to decloaking until you pick up the ship and move it I guess. There are actually no rules that say when you are committed to an action or effect in the generic sense, only in a few specific cases, such as TL, Boost and Barrel Roll.

De-cloaking is not an action.

You're right, decloaking isn't part of the action step so other actions aren't a factor.

All of you are forgetting that the FAQ explains a decloak as

All of you are forgetting that the FAQ explains a decloak as

• Perform a barrel roll using the [ 2] maneuver template.

• Execute a [ 2] maneuver.

I'm with you on your reasoning on the barrel roll rules, but since when is it legal to premeasure a 2 straight maneuver in standard play?

So you really think that outside the competitive rules arena, you can check for a decloak maneuver before going to the side, but not if you're going forward? Uhm... yeah. I'm just going to go with "No".

I am going with that there are no standard rules for decloaking, that's all.

If you want to apply the standard rules for barrel rolling on the straight 2 maneuver from decloaking, I think that's a splendid idea, all I am pointing out is that that's a house rule, and cannot be found in the rulebook or the FAQ.

Interesting thing I just noticed in the FAQ.

The entry for Echo says that once you declare the direction for the decloak you must do so if able. So decloaking is apparently treated the same way a Boost or Barrel Roll is in competitive games, even if you're not playing by the competitive rules.

So I guess I was wrong as were others...

The correct answer is you are committed to the decloak action as soon as you declare what direction you are going to decloak. There is a FAQ entry for Boost that says you can measure to see if the ship can perform the maneuver before committing to it, but is over ruled with the competitive rules if you are playing by those. But it doesn't mention Decloaking, and since Echo says you are committed, then I'd say you have to go with that for all decloaking.

Interesting thing I just noticed in the FAQ.

The entry for Echo says that once you declare the direction for the decloak you must do so if able. So decloaking is apparently treated the same way a Boost or Barrel Roll is in competitive games, even if you're not playing by the competitive rules.

So I guess I was wrong as were others...

The correct answer is you are committed to the decloak action as soon as you declare what direction you are going to decloak. There is a FAQ entry for Boost that says you can measure to see if the ship can perform the maneuver before committing to it, but is over ruled with the competitive rules if you are playing by those. But it doesn't mention Decloaking, and since Echo says you are committed, then I'd say you have to go with that for all decloaking.

You'd only be committed to decloaking in the direction declared though and aren't committed to decloaking if your initial declaration isn't a legal move, right?

aren't committed to decloaking if your initial declaration isn't a legal move, right?

Right, unless I'm making a mistake or FFG is... Both of which are possible.

Echo says that once you declare a direction such as left forward if you are able to complete the maneuver then you have to.

For Barrel Rolling or Boosting you can under the standard rules premeasure before committing to that action. But it doesn't say that for Decloaking, so there's nothing that overrides the FAQ entry for Echo. So that to me at least sets precedent for decloaking in general.

If Echo is committed to a direction after declaring one, then it only makes sense that all Phantoms are, and must decloak that direction if possible.

FAQ (Page 9) Competitive Play, Action resolution (clause 2):

"When performing a barrel roll, a player must first declare from which side of the ship’s base the action will be performed. Then, he measures to see if the ship is able to perform a barrel roll action from any legal area on the declared side. If the ship can perform the barrel roll action, it must do so. If the ship cannot perform the barrel roll action, the player may declare a barrel roll in the other direction, or he may declare a different action."

When it states that you are committed to a side, this means that you must complete a legal decloak, boost, barrel roll to that side if you can fit it (so overlap nothing). If you cannot stop an overlap you get to go back and undo that action, and either choose a different direction or another action altogether.

Some of my e-mail responses have the response for decloaking in it.

A little off topic nut can you still cloak when stressed with advanced cloaking device?

A little off topic nut can you still cloak when stressed with advanced cloaking device?

No. ACD allows you to perform a "free cloak action", and you cannot perform any actions while stressed, even free ones.

A little off topic nut can you still cloak when stressed with advanced cloaking device?

No. ACD allows you to perform a "free cloak action", and you cannot perform any actions while stressed, even free ones.

I didn't think so never hurts to ask