I'm looking for answers from my fellow TI enthusiasts, so what's the verdict on:

1. I know that in order to get a "technology specialty" discount on a tech you are purchasing the planet in question must be unexhausted (TI rules 3rd edition pg. 24). I am however unclear on whether or not it is allowable to exhaust said planet as part of the Techs payment and still collect the discount as well

2. The Letnev ambassador Captain lassir reads: If you don't like the result of this vote, place 1 free Dreadnought in a friendly or empty system but you must abstain from all future votes (regardless of Representative).

The clarification I seek is even though forced to abstain from future votes would a player still be able to send a Representative? Thus possibly sending the Captain and gaining another Dreadnought each vote?

Can't really give you definitive answers, but here are my thoughts

For the tech specialties, my group house rules them to apply even while the planet is exhausted, but if that were not the case, I think it would be a matter of determining what the resource cost you need to pay is, then taping the planets to pay it. If that is the case then the tech bonus would already have been included by the time the planet is tapped.

For the ambassador, I have only played with representatives 2-3 times, so I could be wrong, but my thinking on that guy had been that if the vote goes different than what you voted, then you "don't like the result". It doesn't really make sense for you to vote in favor of a law, win the vote and have that law passed, then declare you don't like the way the vote went. If that is the case, then abstaining from future votes would not produce a result that was contrary to the way you voted (since an abstention basically means your fine with any outcome) and the ability would not work, even though you do continue to send representatives.

Again though, this is all just personal preference and gut reactions with no rule references to back it up.

I think it would be a matter of determining what the resource cost you need to pay is, then taping the planets to pay it. If that is the case then the tech bonus would already have been included by the time the planet is tapped.

It's been a while since we played TI3, so I'm hard pressed to find rules support, but this is indeed how I remember it working. Specialities still count if you're exhausting the planet for the purchase of said tech; only previously exhausted planets don't count.

For the ambassador, I have only played with representatives 2-3 times, so I could be wrong, but my thinking on that guy had been that if the vote goes different than what you voted, then you "don't like the result".

I agree with this interpretation of the rep's ability. As an aside, this is one of the most poorly written abilities I've seen in a long time.

If that is the case, then abstaining from future votes would not produce a result that was contrary to the way you voted (since an abstention basically means your fine with any outcome) and the ability would not work, even though you do continue to send representatives.

Logically, abstention could also mean you're not fine with any of the outcomes and therefore refuse to participate. However, I do agree that it seems against the spirit of the ability to keep sending "Cap'n Lazer" and getting a free DN every time there's a vote, when it's his own ability that's preventing you from casting a vote for the rest of the game.

I would agree that future abstentions should never be able to count as "disliking the result" of a vote.

I'm looking for answers from my fellow TI enthusiasts, so what's the verdict on:

1. I know that in order to get a "technology specialty" discount on a tech you are purchasing the planet in question must be unexhausted (TI rules 3rd edition pg. 24). I am however unclear on whether or not it is allowable to exhaust said planet as part of the Techs payment and still collect the discount as well

2. The Letnev ambassador Captain lassir reads: If you don't like the result of this vote, place 1 free Dreadnought in a friendly or empty system but you must abstain from all future votes (regardless of Representative).

The clarification I seek is even though forced to abstain from future votes would a player still be able to send a Representative? Thus possibly sending the Captain and gaining another Dreadnought each vote?

1) Yes, you can spend the card to buy the tech, and still get the discount. On page 24, the rules talk about how it's "not necessary" to exhaust the planet to receive the credit or to buy the tech. This implies that you CAN do it, just that you aren't REQUIRED to do it. I also believe this has been clarified by rulings from FFG (even if said rulings haven't made it into the FAQ). Basically, apply the credits before spending resources, then spend resources to make up the difference.

2) The FAQ answers this question, on page 15. Basically, after you use Captain Lassir's ability, you cannot send representatives for the remainder of the game.

You can claim "I don't like the result" however you wish and for whatever reason, but that basically knocks you out of any future political card resolution completely. So if you want a free Dreadnought and you don't mind being locked out of the Senate forever, use the ability whenever you want.